Captain Kangaroo

Scout.com "announces" 2-week old news. And people pay for it? I gotta get in on that scam.... Can't wait for Jarvis Givins' name to roll off the fax machine tomorrow...per Scout.com

CK, you got inside dirt on that start time?Everything seems to point to an 11am ESPN2 game. But, that's just my guess.

Thanks for checking in. The game will definitely be a good one. The game is important to us on several levels. VCU is a much better opponent than our Austin Peay draw of two years ago. The Zips struggle to get quality mid-majors on the schedule, so drawing a respected team like VCU is great for 2008, but maybe even better for 2009. Ditto VCU gets an opportunity to match up with one of the quality programs in the midwest.Our post season tourney credentials aren't quite VCU's, but when teams bank in 40 footers to beat you in the tourney finals...and the NIT snubs you after 26 wins...it is tough to build much of a resume'. Such is life in a 1-bid conference. Prior to this coach, we had two really bad ones...for 9 years each...thus our lack of much semi-recent tourney history from 1990-2003. I look forward to seeing VCU in person. I saw the George Mason game a little over a week ago, and GM took it to you guys in the end. They reminded me a lot of Ohio U with their size, so the OU/GM matchup will be great to watch afterwards.I'd offer to buy GM fans a beer before the game, but 11am starts kinds put a damper on it. Maybe BW-3's afterwards?

Checking in on the 2008 class, it appears nothing has changed. You never know until the signatures come off the fax machine, but right now what you see is what we'll get. No new commits or de-commits as of 12:30pm today.Minor notes:Barring a major development, we're out of the Marquis Avery sweepstakes.No...I repeat NO...public press conference is being held to announce the 2008 class. I am checking into attending the media press conference.Wisconsin is pretty much off the Zips 2008 schedule.Wish I had more...

That's how we roll. Jorts make it look like a tailgate for a country music concert.Your jealousy is so transparent.

We're excited to have you Joe! Enjoy tomorrow...getting a D1 football scholarship is an awesome accomplishment!

I promise to focus on the upcoming WMU game, but since the topic is hot:Click for Pick

That's how we roll.

I would think this will be a great match up. If VCU defends the 3-line well, they can give us trouble. That's how we lost to Ken.t and CMU...their guards got in our face. But...both those games were on the road. We don't lose at home. Ok...95% of the time we don't. Two seasons ago we drew Austin Peay. They were pretty full of themselves...and we smoked them. Both in the tourney, and in the return game this season.While it isn't "sexy" (in terms of ESPN-based prominence) to play the Zips, our coach will have four 20+ win seasons and a 19-win season under his belt in his first 5 years at the helm. A win vs. UA in any season would look good on VCU's tourney resume. Rest assured -- Our team next season will be very competitive. But for now, I'm looking forward to the 23rd.

I see Miller @ #4. Going into spring drills #1QB will be CJ11. As it should be...he's the veteran. It will be interesting to see if JD names a starter after the spring game, or waits until summer camp.#2 will be Matt Rogers. I think the staff is committed to developing him as the starting QB.#3 will likely be KC Patterson. People were waiting for the Zips to grab a JUCO QB recruit in 2008, but didn't because we already had one in KC. #4 Jordan Miller. If Rogers and Patterson has solid springs, I'm guessing Miller redshirts. If CJ11 loses the job, and subsequently bolts to a lower-division program...MAYBE Miller gets in the mix.I don't know who'll be the started in mid-season. Check back in after spring practices are complete. I've never seen Patterson or Rogers throw a meaningful ball so I'd just be guessing.Scout or Rivals? - For UA recruiting, they are equally as worthless to me. A few years ago I used to track their recruiting lists. It was an exercise in futility. They'd list 50 names in July, and come signing day, MAYBE three or four would actually have committed to the Zips. Even now, two days away from signing day, their lists are very incomplete. I put the recruiting "stars" on my list because people seem to like them. But they don't mean much. I read a stat that, in the 2007 NFL draft, only 45% of the 1st and 2nd round picks were 4-star or 5-star rated HS players. Guys like Thomas Plummer and Nate Robinson were "4-star" and it didn't seem to mean much.Maybe I'll come up with my own useful ratings one day? "Captain's Anchors" or "Captain's Wheels"...

I think we are an MVP-less team.Linhart's play since mid-December has been solid. Offensively and defensively.Dials is doing a nice job both offensively and defensively. Especially considering he's got a 60% healthy Ced and two freshman as his running mates.Wood is pretty much our only force underneath. If he was gone, I shudder to think what our points-in-the-paint might be.If we're going to make any noise whatsoever in March, we will need someone else to step up.Was McNees really hurting (Achilles) vs. K.e.n.t. and CMU...or is he ready to handle heavy pressure from a quality opposing guard.Can Conyers contribute on offense at ANY level?Does KD play "Dr. Frankenstein" and try giving Bardo some extended time at the #4 position alongside Wood?Can either McKnight take some inside heat off Wood?Can Ced get healthy? He looked a little better vs. EMU...was it an illusion?What else can Roberts give us that we haven't already seen? A little dribble penetration would really help.Is KD going off Kevin Mackey's "40 Minutes of Hell," but dividing it by two? Do we see the Zips trying to "hold serve" in the first half of games, substituting liberally to preserve Wood/Dials/Ced, then unleashing the beast in the second half? Regardless of all the questions, we're a pretty good team. But to have any success in March we have to get a little healthier, and find a consistent contributor or two off the bench.

A lot of us go to BW-3's prior to games.

That's odd. I recall his name being listed as a Zips commit LAST year? I'm wondering if the same glitch that put Jarvis Givens on the 2008 list also is responsible for Roddenberry?

He sounds like Toledo material to me?

Justifiably so. It is a disease called "Vincehillaphobia." I have it too. Bowser is the real deal. Fingers are crossed that a PAC-10 school doesn't steal him.

What do you base that on?

The players basically stood around for the last 1:00. Why bother extending the game to put walk-ons in, if all they're going to do is dribble the clock out. The last minute wasn't all that stressful.If you put the scrubs in, and Goddard drills a 35 foot 3-pointer, the the opponent grouses all the same. Screw what the loser opponent fans are complaining about. Go on their board and tell them -- "Get better." Regarding the short leash -- I don't see it. When Hipsher was coaching, you'd see it all the time. Even when a player made a shot...if the shot wasn't the one Hipsher wanted he'd smack his hand on the court and yank the player at the first opportunity.B McKnight got yanked because he was utterly lost. I love the kid, but he still has a ways to go to figure out the overall "system."

Nice of Tom to give us a plug.

If giving transfers stars, like Ryan Bain, why not give 4 stars (Rivals) to Andrew Johnson, and Jeremy Bruce 2 stars (Rivals)? Let's see 'em Captain!Stupid work is getting in the way. I'll add Will Fleming and some stars tomorrow!Master List is Updated!

Word on the street is Dawson had a bad senior year, and many recruiters fell off his bandwagon. He had D1 scholarship offers in October, but he wanted to wait and see if he could get a BCS-level offer. It was a gamble on his part. In the end, I think he may end up with no D1 scholarship offers. Maybe EMU gives him one....but that's all I hear remain interested.It is too bad. By all accounts, he's a pretty stellar kid. Very personable and bright.

I could be wrong but we could potentially have an experienced set of WRs next year.Ryan Gardner (JC)- would make him a Junior?Deryn Bowser (JC)- would make him a Junior?David Harvey - is he in his 30s by nowGary Pride - can't wait to see him in the gameJeremy Bruce will be in the top 3.

This means our QB might actually have someone to throw to this coming season.Other than Harvey, can anybody recall a WR that come in as a freshman and made an impact?Schifino, and maybe Lavel Bailey?

For the record --These two have been on the list for a while. Gardner for a couple weeks, and Cooper for a few days. Their scholarships were already accounted for.

If giving transfers stars, like Ryan Bain, why not give 4 stars (Rivals) to Andrew Johnson, and Jeremy Bruce 2 stars (Rivals)? Let's see 'em Captain!Stupid work is getting in the way. I'll add Will Fleming and some stars tomorrow!

Goddard is a 3-point shooting "freak." But he isn't all that great a D-1 basketball player. You can't give a one-dimensional senior like him minutes in lieu of developing Freshman talents like Brett McKnight, Roberts or McNees.If Goddard is unhappy, he has an odd way of showing it. He's been on the team, as a walk on, for what...4 1/2 years (I believe he redshirted)? If he didn't like being part of the team, he would have quit long ago.