New Jersey Wing Commits to La Tech - FromTheBlueSeats.com

[Brian96]

Everybody KNOWS there's an "arms race" in college sports......Thank you Captain Obvious!!!

Same for your stupid comment about New York and New Jersey being a "hotbed" of basketball talent. Ya think?

As for your comments about Baylor, it's important to note that Baylor started rebuilding its mens bb program while under the dark cloud of MAJOR penalties, including a season (2005) where the only games the Bears could play were "in-conference", against other Big XII teams. No feasting on the OOC guys. The 2005 team only had 7 scholarship players, and recorded only one (1) win. The rest of the Big XII simply had their way with the Bears. But this is still when Scott Drew started rebuilding the program.

Furthermore, the differences between Louisiana Tech's basketball facilities at the TAC and the Baylor basketball Ferrell Center are small. I know, because I regularly attend games there. While the TAC seats 8,500 (or so), the Ferrell Center seats 10,284. And no, Baylor does NOT have a new scoreboard, and no, they have NOT traditionally sold out the Ferrell Center for mens basketball games, at least until this year. Over the past 5 years I've attended a lot of Baylor men's games that only had 5K or 6K in attendance.

This is the environment in which Scott Drew recruited Lacedarrius Dunn, Tweety Carter, Curtis Jerrels, etc... No it wasn't perfect, but he did it.

Yes, last year Baylor completed a new athletic facility --including a new football practice field-- right down the street from the Ferrell Center. But this wasn't available when Drew first turned the program around. That's the point.

People at Tech --including people like dascoop-- need to quit making excuses for failure. Just fix the damn problem and quit your bitchin!


HD

You of all people should know that ANY comparison between Tech and Baylor is tenuous at best, but more realistically downright nutty. Even if Baylor didn't get a dime from a single fan or supporter, their conference payouts alone would provide a budget double Tech's. And, although it wasn't you who posted it, men's basketball is not the #1 sport at Baylor.

I am going to side with HogDog on this one. I don't mind foreign players as much as I am dissapointed that we aren't building relationships with some of the local coaches so that we can get some future local players. If there are players of the quality of Olu or Magnum we need to grab them no matter where they are from. We still need to have a relationship with local coaches so that when one of those players pops up locally we have a shot at him.

None of you knows what Coach Rupp is or is not doing to build relationships with local schools. I have it on good authority that he is working to build those relationships. The bottom line, though, is that we don't have much to offer. We just discussed this with regard to football. Dykes is having a much easier time building relationships with local high schools because they were already buying his and Franklin's training tapes anyway.

The relationships are being built. But this area is not exactly a hot-bed of basketball talent, so our staff is using its connections all over the world to cast a wide net. I guarantee that after we get a conference championship or two under our belt we will start signing more of those rare jewels from closer to us. Remember, recruiting and offering a player doesn't mean they will say yes. They have much sexier offers than we are right now. And also remember that the top local players that we have signed we got through graft.

[LouisianaSelect]

I have lost alot of respect for some ppl on this board!!

Me?

[HogDawg]

[quote=Brian96;914322]

You of all people should know that ANY comparison between Tech and Baylor is tenuous at best, but more realistically downright nutty. Even if Baylor didn't get a dime from a single fan or supporter, their conference payouts alone would provide a budget double Tech's. And, although it wasn't you who posted it, men's basketball is not the #1 sport at Baylor.

I expected this response from someone. Yes, Baylor has the Big XII, which is a huge advantage. but we can't do anything about that. However, the similarities between LA Tech and Baylor are much greater than you (and many others) realize. LA Tech has a conference too....it's just not the Big XII. But that simply means it's easier for LA Tech to win 24 games than it is for Baylor to. LA Tech has an erollment of 11K, whereas Baylor has 14K. And until this year, LA Tech's men's bb program was MUCH more storied than Baylor's. The LA Tech whiners forget that part.

The bottom line, though, is that we don't have much to offer.

This is the biggest misnomer circulating amongst LA Tech fans. For some reason, many Tech fans think the grass is always greener elsewhere. It's not. I've got a kid that gratuated from Baylor, and another kid that went to Arkansas (Fayettville). The similarities between those schools and LA Tech are startling. There's very little difference. So little, in fact, that my son is now transferring to Tech this summer.

The relationships are being built. But this area is not exactly a hot-bed of basketball talent, so our staff is using its connections all over the world to cast a wide net. I guarantee that after we get a conference championship or two under our belt we will start signing more of those rare jewels from closer to us. Remember, recruiting and offering a player doesn't mean they will say yes. They have much sexier offers than we are right now. And also remember that the top local players that we have signed we got through graft.

I disagree with that. Louisiana is the same area that produced Paul Milsap, Gerrod Henderson, Tiger Meeking, Karl Malone, Mike Mcconathy, Randy White, and a plethora of other fine LA Tech basketball players over the years. It also produced Lacedarrius Dunn, Tweety Carter, Scotty Thurman, and ton of other guys for OTHER programs.

The talent is there. Rupp just needs to recruit them, and he needs to build a level of TRUST with the local (and regional) high school (& AAU) coaches. He can't do that flying all over the world. The local (and regional) high school coaches aren't going to be impressed with that. They are only going to be impressed with how Rupp treats their players during recruiting trips to Tech, and how he treats them after they sign on board.

Nobody said that building a program was easy. If it was, they could just get you and me to do it. :icon_wink:


HD

[Dwayne From Minden]

Macedonia is north east of Arcadia - I used to squirrell hunt alot in there before everything was leased up by damn deer leases

[HogDawg]

Macedonia is north east of Arcadia - I used to squirrell hunt alot in there before everything was leased up by damn deer leases

No Dwayne. That's Marsalis.


HD

[GatorDawg]

This headline is misleading. This kid ain't no Guido. He's a furrner!!!

Serious question though: For those of you who follow this more closely than I do, is a top 40 kid from Jersey any better than a top 20-25 kid from Louisiana? I don't know the quality of Jersey prep basketball, but I know there are some kids who can play in Louisiana.

We have commitments from all over, and I know many of those commitments came from connections to the coaching staff. It's not like we've traveled to see these kids play. At least, I don't think we have. However, I am a proponent that taking a regional approach to recruiting is the best use of our limited resources.

He had 3 teammates who are Big East bound. Apparently the coaches have been recruiting this kid for years so I will trust their decision on him. And yes generally there are more quality players in the northeast and west who are more basketball ready. Mostly because there isn't enough basketball support in the southeast.

[Soonerdawg]

I'll say this about Rupp, he's making a big Lady Techsters fan out of me. I've just about lost all interest in men's basketball with the way recruiting is going. The good news is he's only got 2 years left on his contract. The bad news is he's got 2 years left on his contract.

[HogDawg]

The funniest part about this is.......it comes from a guy living in Ruston. Talk about pot and kettle!


HD

[Dwayne From Minden]

No Dwayne. That's Marsalis.


HD

No Marsalis is in Claiborne Parish -

But I was mistaken - I think Macedonia is in Lincoln Parish off of LA 151 outside of Arcadia....

:icon_wink:

[Soonerdawg]

The funniest part about this is.......it comes from a guy living in Ruston. Talk about pot and kettle!


HD

[DogsWin]

No Marsalis is in Claiborne Parish -

But I was mistaken - I think Macedonia is in Lincoln Parish off of LA 151 outside of Arcadia....
:icon_wink:

Is that where them Macedonia nuts come from? Sure nuff love eatin 'em.









Hey, if you can't ingnore them, you might as well join in. What was this thread about anyway?

[MoltonLava8]

I have seen the kid play a few times. He is gonna be good.

[JAMROB]

GIA or LOI ? GIA's don't become effective and are not binding until they enroll.

[gabzooks]

The talent is there. Rupp just needs to recruit them, and he needs to build a level of TRUST with the local (and regional) high school (& AAU) coaches. He can't do that flying all over the world. The local (and regional) high school coaches aren't going to be impressed with that. They are only going to be impressed with how Rupp treats their players during recruiting trips to Tech, and how he treats them after they sign on board.

Just curious, HogDawg, do you have it on good authority that Rupp is indeed NOT recruiting any of these "quality" LA recruits?

It seems he at least recruited and OFFERED a scholarship to the following:

• Kourtney Roberson (LA-TX; signed TX A&M)
• Matt Derenbecker (LA; signed LSU)
• Josh Brown (LA; verbal to ULL)
• Cedric Jenkins (LA; signed S.Miss)
• Markel Brown (LA; signed OKst)

And, according to rivals and scout, he was on the trail of several others.

So, based on this information, is your beef with Rupp that he doesn't recruit local talent (which the facts seem to indicate otherwise) OR that he hasn't landed any of the local talent that he has INDEED recruited? Because, I think those are two distinct discussion points.

I could understand someone questioning and beginning to have concern with the fact that Rupp isn't seeming able to acquire any of the local "legit" talent. But, I cannot necessarily understand someone saying that he is not recruiting that local talent at all, which seems to be what you are saying. The facts seem to say otherwise.

[gabzooks]

Oh, and btw, to all of those frustrated with Juco signees. This guy is a high schooler! Go figure? So that makes two HS signees, and one Juco. I guess Rupp does recruit high schoolers after all. :icon_wink:

All the naysayers need separate threads. I haven't been on Latechbbb for long, but it seems there is:

• the Juco-recruit haters (the "Why are we recruiting so many Juco players?" type)
• the foreign-recruit haters (the "Why are we recruiting so many foreigners?" type)
• the non-Louisiana recruit haters (the "Why do we recruit so many out-of-state kids?" type)
• the non-3 or -4 or -5 star recruit haters (the "Why do we recruit such mediocre talent?" type)
• the walk-on haters (the "Why do we have so many walk-ons?" type)
• the silent-recruiting haters (the "Why is bball recruiting so secretive and quiet?" type)
• the not-recruiting-my-bball-player haters (the "Why are we not recruiting this guy, who I think is good, or that guy, who I've heard is good?" type)

Does that cover it? Am I missing anybody? Kudos to those who think the 24-win season is a step in the right direction and have a hopeful (with reasonable grounds) outlook on Tech BBall!!!!

Welcome Stojan Gjuroski! Some of us are really eager to see what you bring to this team and are glad you're on board!