2010-11 Roster

[Jalapeño Zippy]

The more I think about this, the more I expect our starting lineup to look something like this:

PG-Abreu

SG-McNees

SF-Diggs

PF-McKnight

C-Marshall

I think the comment about Diggs giving us a true SF tells us as just as much about what the coaching staff thinks of Brett McKnight as it does what they think of Diggs. I think they really want to keep Brett at PF as opposed to trying to make him switch to SF. I still think the coaching staff likes Steve too much to fully take him out of the starting lineup, but the recruitment of Abreu is a clear indication that they realize Steve is limited as a PG. Zeke is probably the only obvious starter. Your backups would then look as such:

PG-Hitchens/McNees

SG-Roberts/Hitchens

SF-Egner/McClanahan

PF-Cvetinovic/Egner/Euton

C-Cvetinovic/Euton/Bardo

Are you serious with that quote that the addition of Abreu is a clear indication that they realize Steve is limited as a PG. I think its an EXTREMELY CLEAR indication that Steve is a senior and someone has to be the PG once he graduates. That comment was just silly

You're new to the board, so I'm not going to rip you too much for that. Suffice it to say that Steve IS a very limited PG. This debate has been hashed to death here for most of two seasons. Yes, Steve doesn't turn the ball over much, but his assist numbers are well below what you would expect out of a D-I point and he struggles to set up the offense. Far too often you can find him still frantically dribbling near the time line when the shot clock is inside 20 seconds. As a point he is almost a liability when it comes to running a fast break. Probably his biggest liability is trying to bring the ball up against quicker defensive PG (as well as trying to defend quicker PG's himself) Steve is a good player for us, but he is not enough of a facilitator to be a full-time PG. He is a combo guard that should be playing mostly at the two and playing backup minutes at PG.

If you don't believe that the addition of Abreu has anything to do with Steve's limitations you need to check out some of the comments from the Basketball Banquet about Alex starting at PG with Steve sliding over to SG. You can find them here:

http://zipsnation.org/forums//index.php?showtopic=18239

So is it Steve's limitations as you put it OR was it the limitations of the team and the talent of Steve that he has been able to manage a position of such importance for the past two years? Steve has given us stability at PG, to say he is limited is not right, to say that he transitioned from his natural position to help the program is more accurate.

And by the way, just because something is blogged by fans doesn't make it a valid point of reference.

[Captain Kangaroo]

So is it Steve's limitations as you put it OR was it the limitations of the team and the talent of Steve that he has been able to manage a position of such importance for the past two years? Steve has given us stability at PG, to say he is limited is not right, to say that he transitioned from his natural position to help the program is more accurate.

Most accurate summary of the McNees situation. Thank you.

[Quickzips]

The more I think about this, the more I expect our starting lineup to look something like this:

PG-Abreu

SG-McNees

SF-Diggs

PF-McKnight

C-Marshall

I think the comment about Diggs giving us a true SF tells us as just as much about what the coaching staff thinks of Brett McKnight as it does what they think of Diggs. I think they really want to keep Brett at PF as opposed to trying to make him switch to SF. I still think the coaching staff likes Steve too much to fully take him out of the starting lineup, but the recruitment of Abreu is a clear indication that they realize Steve is limited as a PG. Zeke is probably the only obvious starter. Your backups would then look as such:

PG-Hitchens/McNees

SG-Roberts/Hitchens

SF-Egner/McClanahan

PF-Cvetinovic/Egner/Euton

C-Cvetinovic/Euton/Bardo

Are you serious with that quote that the addition of Abreu is a clear indication that they realize Steve is limited as a PG. I think its an EXTREMELY CLEAR indication that Steve is a senior and someone has to be the PG once he graduates. That comment was just silly

You're new to the board, so I'm not going to rip you too much for that. Suffice it to say that Steve IS a very limited PG. This debate has been hashed to death here for most of two seasons. Yes, Steve doesn't turn the ball over much, but his assist numbers are well below what you would expect out of a D-I point and he struggles to set up the offense. Far too often you can find him still frantically dribbling near the time line when the shot clock is inside 20 seconds. As a point he is almost a liability when it comes to running a fast break. Probably his biggest liability is trying to bring the ball up against quicker defensive PG (as well as trying to defend quicker PG's himself) Steve is a good player for us, but he is not enough of a facilitator to be a full-time PG. He is a combo guard that should be playing mostly at the two and playing backup minutes at PG.

If you don't believe that the addition of Abreu has anything to do with Steve's limitations you need to check out some of the comments from the Basketball Banquet about Alex starting at PG with Steve sliding over to SG. You can find them here:

http://zipsnation.org/forums//index.php?showtopic=18239

So is it Steve's limitations as you put it OR was it the limitations of the team and the talent of Steve that he has been able to manage a position of such importance for the past two years? Steve has given us stability at PG, to say he is limited is not right, to say that he transitioned from his natural position to help the program is more accurate.

And by the way, just because something is blogged by fans doesn't make it a valid point of reference.

I absolutely agree, Steve is not a natural PG. Because of that he IS LIMITED. Steve just can't do the things that a natural PG can do because he isn't a natural PG. I don't know why everyone seems to be taking so much offense to the term limited. It isn't meant to be disparaging. Just pointing out the reality of Steve's situation. It's like saying I really like to cook but I have no formal training as a chef and am using an easy bake oven to prepare all my meals. Obviously what I cook isn't going to be as good as a dish prepared by Gordon Ramsey because I am LIMITED by my experience and the tools I have available to me. Steve is limited by the fact that he is more of a SG than a PG and therefore doesn't have a lot of experience running a team and by the fact that his skills are more suited for SG than PG. I've never said that Steve can't contribute to this team or that he shouldn't be starting or playing major minutes or anything like that. He just isn't a natural PG. Hence the reason we brought Abreu (by all accounts a natural PG) into the fold this year.

[Captain Kangaroo]

I absolutely agree, Steve is not a natural PG. Because of that he IS LIMITED. Steve just can't do the things that a natural PG can do because he isn't a natural PG.

He also would make a poor center or power forward...because he's limited?

[Zip Watcher]

So is it Steve's limitations as you put it OR was it the limitations of the team and the talent of Steve that he has been able to manage a position of such importance for the past two years? Steve has given us stability at PG, to say he is limited is not right, to say that he transitioned from his natural position to help the program is more accurate.

Most accurate summary of the McNees situation. Thank you.

+1

[Quickzips]

I absolutely agree, Steve is not a natural PG. Because of that he IS LIMITED. Steve just can't do the things that a natural PG can do because he isn't a natural PG.

He also would make a poor center or power forward...because he's limited?

You know what Captain. You are right. Steve is the perfect PG for this team. He is absolutely without limitation. There is nothing he can't do. Abreu should redshirt this season. We don't need him. In fact, I think Steve might just be NBA PG material. He is that good.

[Dave in Green]

At one time it seemed to me that some Zips fans were being excessively critical of McNees' performance at the point. But the points mentioned in the last few posts are absolutely fair and accurate. While McNees was a good ball handler in HS, he was better known for his scoring. He set his school's scoring record of 55 points in a game, and averaged more than 28 ppg. He was the perfect definition of a combo guard -- one who could both score and handle the ball. But, based on his HS performance, he was predicted to be more of a shooting guard than a point guard in college.

McNees has been forced to be the primary point guard for the Zips because the Zips do not currently have a pure point guard who has been able to consistently outperform McNees' steady but not brilliant performance at the point. In the meantime, the Zips have suffered from not being able to fully utilize McNees' proven shooting abilities while he has been focused on plugging the gap at the point.

If Abreu is good enough to play point in his first season, everyone will benefit if McNees spends more time at shooting guard where he can focus more on what he does best.

[fja5007]

McNees is a pure point guard. I do not know which games you guys are watching. How can you say he is limited. Limited compared to who? Steve is a well above average MAC point guard. To say he was a scorer in high school is true, but he had over 800 career assists as well. He is a pure point guard, as pure as they come. He is just a point guard who can score (therefore no limitations.) Ronnie Steward is a point guard who cant score so I guess you guys can say he is a PURE point guard? McNees is a point guard who can score.

Now saying this, I totally agree with playing McNees at the 2 and Abreu at the 1. I love that idea, I really do. I think McNees could score a lot from the 2 and I think that's an absolutely great idea and I'm all for it. All I'm saying is this, if you think there is 5 minutes left in the MAC Championship and we're down 1, and KD isn't going to have McNees dribbling that ball up the court, your nuts.

And all my original post was stating was that whoever sad that Abreu was brought in because of McNees having "limitations" at PG is completely inaccurate. Never in my entire life was I heard a freshman was brought in because of a senior's limitation. Think about how little sense that makes. I don't care what was said at what banquet about Abreu playing the 1 and McNees the 2. I'm not arguing any of that. All I'm saying is they will be on the team together for one year so I don't think Abreu had ANYTHING to do with McNees.

[Quickzips]

McNees is a pure point guard. I do not know which games you guys are watching. How can you say he is limited. Limited compared to who? Steve is a well above average MAC point guard. To say he was a scorer in high school is true, but he had over 800 career assists as well. He is a pure point guard, as pure as they come. He is just a point guard who can score (therefore no limitations.) Ronnie Steward is a point guard who cant score so I guess you guys can say he is a PURE point guard? McNees is a point guard who can score.

Now saying this, I totally agree with playing McNees at the 2 and Abreu at the 1. I love that idea, I really do. I think McNees could score a lot from the 2 and I think that's an absolutely great idea and I'm all for it. All I'm saying is this, if you think there is 5 minutes left in the MAC Championship and we're down 1, and KD isn't going to have McNees dribbling that ball up the court, your nuts.

And all my original post was stating was that whoever sad that Abreu was brought in because of McNees having "limitations" at PG is completely inaccurate. Never in my entire life was I heard a freshman was brought in because of a senior's limitation. Think about how little sense that makes. I don't care what was said at what banquet about Abreu playing the 1 and McNees the 2. I'm not arguing any of that. All I'm saying is they will be on the team together for one year so I don't think Abreu had ANYTHING to do with McNees.

Clearly you and I have a different idea of what a pure point guard is. I look at a pure point guard as a guy who can set up the offense and make the players around him better by using his dribble effectively, making good passes and getting his teamates better shots. That isn't Steve McNees. Maybe I'm wrong in calling Steve limited (I don't think I am, but for the sake of argument...) but he has strengths and weaknesses just like anyone else. His biggest strength is his quick release and his ability to light a team up from downtown. You can turn that into an even bigger strength if you play him next to what I call a pure point guard who can get him more wide open looks. Thats where Abreu comes in. Alex Abreu was brought in here to help mask Steve's weaknesses (setting up the offense and getting quality shots for others) and to accentuate his strengths (knocking down shots).

[GoZips]

McNees is a pure point guard. I do not know which games you guys are watching. How can you say he is limited. Limited compared to who? Steve is a well above average MAC point guard. To say he was a scorer in high school is true, but he had over 800 career assists as well. He is a pure point guard, as pure as they come. He is just a point guard who can score (therefore no limitations.) Ronnie Steward is a point guard who cant score so I guess you guys can say he is a PURE point guard? McNees is a point guard who can score.

Now saying this, I totally agree with playing McNees at the 2 and Abreu at the 1. I love that idea, I really do. I think McNees could score a lot from the 2 and I think that's an absolutely great idea and I'm all for it. All I'm saying is this, if you think there is 5 minutes left in the MAC Championship and we're down 1, and KD isn't going to have McNees dribbling that ball up the court, your nuts.

And all my original post was stating was that whoever sad that Abreu was brought in because of McNees having "limitations" at PG is completely inaccurate. Never in my entire life was I heard a freshman was brought in because of a senior's limitation. Think about how little sense that makes. I don't care what was said at what banquet about Abreu playing the 1 and McNees the 2. I'm not arguing any of that. All I'm saying is they will be on the team together for one year so I don't think Abreu had ANYTHING to do with McNees.

Clearly you and I have a different idea of what a pure point guard is. I look at a pure point guard as a guy who can set up the offense and make the players around him better by using his dribble effectively, making good passes and getting his teamates better shots. That isn't Steve McNees. Maybe I'm wrong in calling Steve limited (I don't think I am, but for the sake of argument...) but he has strengths and weaknesses just like anyone else. His biggest strength is his quick release and his ability to light a team up from downtown. You can turn that into an even bigger strength if you play him next to what I call a pure point guard who can get him more wide open looks. Thats where Abreu comes in. Alex Abreu was brought in here to help mask Steve's weaknesses (setting up the offense and getting quality shots for others) and to accentuate his strengths (knocking down shots).

Actually, Alex Abreu is a true and proven point guard, which Steve is not. Steve is as a previous

poster claimed, a rather accomplished combo guard. Steve's strengths rest with operating primarily

as a shooting guard. This is where Steve is most effective. Alex is not coming to mask Steve's

so called weaknesses, but to accentuate Steve's strongest skills.

Only a family member or some one devoid of any basketball knowledge would boast about Steve being

a really good point guard. It just is not the case. Steve is a really good shooting guard who has been

forced to play out of position for the past three years. He deserves a lot of credit for doing a darn fine

job in a role he was not recruited to Akron for.

If Alex can manage the point; look for Steve to have a "break out" year ala Jimmy Conyers.