BG in game

[Quickzips]

You know what I find funny, last year when everyone was waiting for Brett McKnight and Daryl Roberts to ride in on their white horses and save the day NOONE even put a second thought into the idea of them redshirting or whether or not they would be able to produce enough to justify them playing last year. Those guys hadn't even practiced with the team until mid-season, let alone played. I don't know how the McClanahan experiment is going to play out for us, but I also fail to see how his situation is much different than Brett and Daryl's situations last year. I also agree with Cap'n and others here that the MAC is WIIIIIIIIIDDDDDDDEEEEEEEE open this year and we need to do anything that we can to put ourselves in position to win this thing in March.

[Captain Kangaroo]

So the real question that is raised here is....if this guy ends up playing 5 minutes or so a game, in a "let the other guys get some rest" capacity....was it really worth pulling the red shirt?

Why in the world would Dambrot take the kid's redshirt season for 5 minutes a game? If he just wanted to give someone a breather, he could have done it with Coblenz, or given McNees/Roberts another 2.5 mpg?If the kid doesn't produce, sure, he'll get 5 minutes per game. No different than Conyers, or any other player. But the obvious expectation, based on his play in practice, is he will produce. There are no guarantees in life...if you sit around and avoid tough decisions because something might not pan out, you will never achieve squat. Dambrot made a tough decision.

...but I would have been much more optimistic about it being a positive experience if it had happened 5 or more games ago when we had some real opportunities to help him get his feet wet.

Do you really think 5 more games would make any tangible impact on McClanahan's performance? Beyond that, do you think Steward's semi-optimistic prognosis 5 games ago (late December) might have played a role in Dambrot holding off on McClanahan?I'm freaking tickled pink that my coach has the 'nads to go for a championship in 2009 instead of, like many here, waiting for Zeke and building for the future. If the Zips have a chance to win today, you take that chance and you run with it. Not fretting, no worrying, no hand-wringing about some freshman's 5 minutes...you make your run at March Madness. You say Z-Pouch and I are missing the point. I contend the opposite. You should be ecstatic McClanahan is on the court. Because the coaching staff feels his shooting gives us a chance at a championship.One additional late-added point which I'll pose because I'm pretty new to this "basketball thing" (I haven't been around it much my entire life other than a few thousand games watched and played) - Do you think McClanahan, having played @ BG, @ OU, @K.e.n.t. etc and having played in a MAC Tournament...do you think he will have any sort of leg up preparation-wise for the 2009-20010 season (as opposed to never having stepped on the college court)? Is there any possible upside to McClanahan playing? Again - please keep your answer simple...basketball is to me what soccer is to a newborn legless wombat.

[johnnyzip84]

Let's not forget back in the pre-season, it was reported by ZN observers that BM had possibly played himself out of a RS year.LinkAlso, recall that BM even played some point in those scrimmages (not that I expect to see this any time soon in a game situation). Sullivan was in a boot cast at the time, so the coaches may have decided early on that they were going to RS him (Sullivan) for certain. That brings us to approximately 1 week ago, when the staff realizes that Ronnie Steward could very well be out the rest of the season. Couple this with the fact that the Zips are dead last in the MAC in shooting. Given these facts, the decision to play BM this season becomes an easy one IMHO. Even though he probably won't see any time at PG, his availability at SG allows McNees and Roberts to share the PG load more with Humpty.

[Hilltopper]

We need shooters. This year we are shooting 32% on three's,compared to last year at 38%. We get lots of open looks from the three point line. If we made more it would open things up inside. I agree with CK, Dambrot senses that the MAC is wide open this year so go for it!

[skip-zip]

An exciting topic indeed. Captain....5 or so more games would have absolutely made a difference in a situation like this.....because there were many games where we had opportunities to get a guy like this some game experience, and work on some things as a team with him on the floor. Those opportunities are gone now. But, Ronnie's situation was certainly more optimistic a few weeks ago as well. Let's hope this is NOT another Alex Allen type situation. Note that much of what I've said about this topic is in the form of a question...which is intended to welcome a response as much as it is intended to illustrate a point. It's a tough decision by our coach, as someone stated, and I sure hope it has a positive outcome.

[Z-Pouch]

One additional late-added point which I'll pose because I'm pretty new to this "basketball thing" (I haven't been around it much my entire life other than a few thousand games watched and played) - Do you think McClanahan, having played @ BG, @ OU, @K.e.n.t. etc and having played in a MAC Tournament...do you think he will have any sort of leg up preparation-wise for the 2009-20010 season (as opposed to never having stepped on the college court)? Is there any possible upside to McClanahan playing? Again - please keep your answer simple...basketball is to me what soccer is to a newborn legless wombat.

I'd simplify it even further....does playing against BG (2), OU (2), Can't (2), Miami(1), the MAC West (1)......prepare you for the ultimate goal - A MAC Tourney championship THIS YEAR. The coaching staff seems to be saying yes.I was wondering if anyone else caught on to the constant precursor "I've got credibility" laden posts. Personally, I find what people post here gives them credibility.Good post by JZ84 on the preseason reports- Gives some real good insight to the potential upside and that this kid might be ready. Thanks.

[Dr Z]

I was wondering if anyone else caught on to the constant precursor "I've got credibility" laden posts. Personally, I find what people post here gives them credibility.

Almost rivals the "name dropping" posts. I do know a guy that has a lot of experience coaching basketball and he thought it was a good idea to burn the red shirt. I'll go with what he says, but only because he has more experience coaching MAC basketball than me.After I see the kid play a few games I'll have an opinion on if he is making a difference or not.I guess if you think we have no chance to win "A MAC Tourney championship THIS YEAR" you don't like wasting the rs, but I agree with Z-Pouch, we have a chance, and like CK says, go for it! I would guess that's what KD thinks too.

[Dave in Green]

Skip, I understand where you're coming from. You always point out the worst possible scenarios and then hope for the best. Others logically point out that there are also good possible scenarios.If you've been around basketball in various capacities for your entire life, then you know that all coaching staffs make some good decisions and some bad decisions, and that good coaching staffs make more good ones than bad ones. So if you think the Zips have a good coaching staff, then you know they have carefully thought this out and thoroughly examined all the pros and cons. That will lead to more good decisions than bad ones. So while it's fair to point out what could go wrong, it's also fair to note that it is more likely to go right than wrong.Either that or the Zips have a bad coaching staff that makes more bad decisions than good ones, in which case your worst possible scenarios will likely be more often right than wrong, and all Zips fans hoping for an eventual championship will live in perpetual misery.