Weekly Answers, Pt. 4
Check out the latest batch of answers after the jump...
Also, because of little interest, we're not doing a second Q&A. Stick to once a week and hold your questions to the following week if needed.
Thanks
1) From what I've read on your blog, you've been a fairly accurate defender of Howland so far this season and I appreciate your efforts. After last night's loss, how do you feel differently? Clearly, there are problems in Westwood that were avoidable, such as flawed recruiting and rotation. What do you feel are the biggest issues that need to be addressed? - Tennessee BruinBiggest issue that needs to be addressed is patience. This was the perfect - or imperfect as it were - storm for UCLA this season, and everyone saying that any drastic overhaul is needed is wrong. One bad season does not an overhaul make. And it's been bad. Very bad. But they'll win the Pac-10 next year and everyone will forget.
2) Mr. Gold, recently articles have been published about expanding the PAC 10 to include either Utah and Colorado; or Texas and either previous team, what are your thoughts about expansion? I doubt that Texas would leave the Big 12 but on the one hand I would be curious to see if the Pac 10 would pursue TCU and Houston considering that both teams are in big TV markets and their areas develop great recruits year round. Thank you in advance. - GilliganTexas is a pipe dream, TCU isn't a revenue monster and is not a basketball school and I don't expect them to be in the running. Houston not at all. I really think it'll be Utah/Colorado or nothing at all.
3) Kinda a weird question, but something I thought about yesterday: If Neuheisel's son walks on to the team, and Neuheisel, as his father, pays his tuition at UCLA, would that be an NCAA infraction? - VBNo.
4) Do you think Owa and Malcolm Jones will be 4 year players since they are big on academics? - VBUnless they're first-rounders as juniors, yes. Who knows how good (or bad) they'll be in four years?
5) Aside from the early departures from NBA guys, it seems clear the talent deficit is from the other guys from the last three classes, e.g. Keefe, Stanback, Anderson, Gordon, Morgan. Of the younger guys, who will develop into a solid starter next year? - blackstoneIn order of likeliest to least likely young player to blossom, in my opinion: Honeycutt, Nelson, Lane, Moser, BoBo, Stover, Anderson.
I asked a question a couple of times that didn't seem to get picked up...
When a senior football player finishes his last game and hires an agent/etc. to get ready for the draft but is still attending classes (or, like Brian Price, declares as a junior but still may be attending classes) how involved can they be in recruiting? Can they still host players/talk with them/etc.?
Thank god. These Q and A's were dominating the blog and there wasn't a whole lot of insight in either the questions or the answers.
Anon - please go back to the SC Blog so you can find out when Song Girl Selection starts...
I think the problem was that after the USC loss most people stayed away from this blog even more so than they did the Galen Center.
In my opinion, answering twenty questions at a time seems better than waiting and answering 40. Obviously your call Gold.
Winning the Pac 10? Even if we lose in the final four again next season people will be complaining. But it wouldn't be the internet if somebody wasn't complaining
You are trying your best with this blog, Jon, but in a Winter of Discontent like this one, fan apathy roolz. I sympathize with Coach Ben. Every year that he brings in high quality layers, they jump to the NBA after one year. How can any coach plan long-term strategies when that happens? His roster is in constant flux, the only players that stick around for 2-3 years are ordinary at best...what's a coach to do? No freshman football player is allowed to leave school for the NFL. Why does the NBA allow it?
Not just apathy. Last three years of recruting have not been up to par and three years is plenty of patience. There's a difference between recruiting mediocre players and players that will thrive for 3 or 4 years. No comparison to football. Stick with question selectivity.
Thank you JON finally someone gets it! One bad year people relax!We will be back get off Ben already!
Hey JON i know we are all pissed that our men bb lost to suc but how about a round of aplause for coach Nikki sticking it to that classless trash Cooper?CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP!
So what day of the week do we post the questions?
TennBruin,
3 years of bad recruiting????? Somehow you must have missed the fact that both Love and Holiday were recruited in the last 3 years - both the #1 ranked players in the nation.
Dear TennesseeBruin...'Stick with question selectivity.' What mean you by dat? me no unnerstan. Me not so smartas doo. Sawry, TennesseeBruin. Doo much smarts dan me.
I'm a huge Howland fan but I'm still going to present an argument. It's difficult to count one and dones.