Happ actually had TWO connections to NU.
Funny how those who lambasted BC for not going harder after Kaminsky have been silent about CC not having gone after Happ.
Sometimes coaches like other recruits better.
Next Year
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Happ actually had TWO connections to NU.
Funny how those who lambasted BC for not going harder after Kaminsky have been silent about CC not having gone after Happ.
Sometimes coaches like other recruits better.
Again, you missed my point.
Law (and in particular, Law's father) weren't happy w/ the way Illinois was recruiting him - but they had their reasons.
Maybe Law will make the Illini regret that, but there's usually a reason why coaches recruit some players harder than others.
Probably b/c CC and staff felt that they had other (better) options at the 4 at the time, plus Happ isn't a stretch-4 which is what CC is looking for (but then again, neither is Skelly) - don't think Happ even got an offer from NU.
But man, Happ as a RS frosh was such a tough inside presence at the 4 - didn't miss too many put backs.
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He was outstanding at the end of the season last season. He'll be the best center in the league next year. I don't know exactly what CCC is looking for in a center, but Happ would seem to compliment just about any offense with his skills around the basket. I love centers with McHale-like moves and skills like Happ has. He is definitely going to be an NBA-caliber center in a year or two.
I love Happ's college game. But it is really hard to guess what he could do in the NBA. Centers are really a devalued commodity the way the NBA has evolved. One thing is clear, they need to be able to bang around and take up space, like Adams or Bogut. Wil be interesting to see how Happ develops physically.
Happ had a late growth spurt. In the summer before his senior year, he was 6-7. He's a different player now that he's 6-9.
Than and the fact he had a full year to scrimmage against the likes of kaminski and wisky's other first rounder certainly helps to sharpen one's skill set.
As they always say in recruiting - don't worry about the ones you miss, worry about the ones you sign. And at NU MBB, that phrase continues to take on a special kind of meaning. Other than one miss - which many of us will never even begin to appreciate the particulars, it seems CCC has developed a strong track record of impressive and coachable athletes. Give them time to come together and build a program - team culture is a bitch to change...
Ah, you failed to note that Law wouldn't have come to NU if Carmody stayed as coach. Wonder why you did that?
Got tired of reading through the Vassar thread while taking my morning shit, so figured I would drudge up some older, mystic crap that would put a smile on my face.
Happ most definitely wasn't but the best center in the league this year, and almost everyone here would take Pardon over Happ.
Score another one for CCC.
Correct. And Swanigan was first team. Completely different styles of play across those three (Dererk at the third).
There are some parts of Happ's game that I think are well suited for the pros. But the speed of the pro game may be a challenge.
I think it was Glades that likened him to McHale. Happ at the 4 would add a move or two each year and could be a very solid pro.
Happ is a very nice college player. McHale had a decent outside shot. Happ made a grand total of 2 shots outside the paint last season, including 1 against NU which brought down the house in Madison. His game will not translate to the NBA unless he can develop an outside game in the second half of his college career.
His father stated that Law wouldn't have come to NU if Carmody was the coach.
Happ was 1st team all-conference, 1st team defense all-conference, apparently was a 3rd team all-American, and he beat Pardon in just about every statistical category except FT% and blocked shots. Pardon didn't receive any league honors. I love Dererk Pardon and think he's very underrated as a player, and yes, he was a recruiting coup for CCC, but at this stage in their careers, I'd choose Happ over Pardon. Apparently, Big Ten coaches would as well.
http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools...misc_non_event/2016-17_All_Big_Ten_Honors.pdf
In fairness to the OP, he did ask a fair question, at the time he posted. During the last third or so of BC's tenure, an NIT appearance was a fairly routine thing...which many actually viewed as a problem, since it seemed that was as high as the program would ever reach under BC...so, CC came along presumably to improve on BC's achievement level. For his first three years, the team seemed to have improved on specific aspects of the game, but ultimately not in the all important conference W/L record, while consistently missing even the lowly NIT.
That said, CC did answer not by finally reaching the NIT, but the elusive NCAAT which no NU coach had ever reached (and missing a S16 appearance mostly b/c of biased officiating). So, the OP asked a fair question, and CC gave him an emphatic and convincing answer...good for CC, and most importantly, great for the NU BkB program...hopefully next year will be even better.
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Well, there we have it, don't you think? When you don't have guys who can play straight up man, you play zone.
Great anchor in a zone is like having a great face for radio. Not sure if it was intended as backhanded praise in that way but it's one hell of a nice way to say a guy is too slow to play man...
Olah couldn't guard most of the better athletes he went up against. So he guarded a space instead.
All things considered, I think I prefer the guy who can hang with and frustrate a guy like Happ or Wagner than a guy who simply couldn't. And that goes for our guards and forwards, too. This team won with defense.
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The program and the message board doesnt need your permission. Stop trying to make yourself important. The program wont miss you if you walked away. Felis will miss you though as your comments allow him to further his thoughts.
I was talking about freshman pardon... I love pardon btw he hustles super hard has soft hands and greatly improved his defense like insanely improved. Last year he has a really tough time defending without fouling now he was our anchor down low. All my posts are nothing against the players. I enjoy pointing out the good in players that not all people on the board see. Examples lumpkins offball movement. Or Olah post presence granted it was a zone but that's what we were running. He racked up quite a lot of blocks. Olah might not have been quick enough for man but he was a pretty big wall on the low block. I'm more a man to man fan but he had excellent basketball IQ offensively absolutely deadly on the pick and roll with BMac.
"now pardon was only a freshman I have no doubt he will become at least a very solid player loved his soft hands!" I think that is how I ended my post. Also I never fought for the zone. I hate it. I just stated Olah was a good anchor in it and that's what we ran. I personally am not a huge fan of the zone. You'll also see in multiple of my posts this year me complimenting our man D and the switching of Law lumpkin and Lindsey. With all this big man talk I'm soooo excited about Benson and pardon they're gonna special players under this staff the way it develops. If I'm wrong on that feel free to bring back this old post a few years down the road.
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The most remarkable aspect of Happ's performance is how much he has out-performed expectations. In his case, it wasn't just that he got hardly any offer (Wisky was the only high major to offer, and GB and Milw the only other offers, period), it's that "logically" he should have gotten even fewer!
As a recruit, he was a 6-7 175 small forward. Even to this date he has no significant mid range and much less long range game (only made half of his FT's and hasn't attempted a 3P in college yet). So, a 6-7 175 SM who can only make short rage shots (and most likely wasn't perceived as overly athletic/quick). How on earth could such a player help a team, in the B1G of all places??? 'Obviously' it would be a wasted scholarship, right?
Well, by end of his RS FR year no one would wonder how he could possibly help a B1G team: averaging 12.4p and almost 8 RB, 1 BLK, and 2 steals! per game...that's how. He then improved on that performance this past season.
Very impressive. But even more impressive that the Wisky coaching staff somehow expected that he could contribute enough to merit a scholarship (he's done much better than just enough).
No shame in having missed out on him, though. Only the Wisky coaches recognized his potential.
This was CCCs first year in recruiting. At that time, Happ had not shown anything special as a 6'7" SF with no outside game. What isn't surprising is that NU didn't offer with everything else they were trying to do. What is surprising is that WIS only took one player that year and it was Happ. Happ has added the height, weight etc that allowed him to develop his inside game to the extent that he is a great PF and makes it a great pick for WIS. If he hadn't grown and additional 2-3 inches, how would his game be?
Selfish alert, selfish alert....
Forget about discussing player particulars, let's jump to the important part: could be a good year for east coast NU hoops fans:
HOF tip-off tourney in CT
BTT in NYC
1 & 2 rounds NCAA, a nice trip to Nashville?
Win those and then.... regionals in Boston?
OK, then a fun one for all: Final Four in San Antonio
One can dream!!
Link to 2018 Tourney Sites
First and Second Rounds
Forget about discussing player particulars, let's jump to the important part: could be a good year for east coast NU hoops fans:
HOF tip-off tourney in CT
BTT in NYC
1 & 2 rounds NCAA, a nice trip to Nashville?
Win those and then.... regionals in Boston?
OK, then a fun one for all: Final Four in San Antonio
One can dream!!
Link to 2018 Tourney Sites
First and Second Rounds
- March 15 and 17
- PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Host: Duquesne University)
- Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas (Host: Wichita State University and Missouri Valley Conference)
- American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas (Host: Big 12 Conference)
- Taco Bell Arena, Boise, Idaho (Host: Boise State University)
- March 16 and 18
- Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina (Host: University of North Carolina, Charlotte)
- Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan (Host: University of Detroit Mercy)
- Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee (Host: Ohio Valley Conference)
- Viejas Arena, San Diego, California (Host: San Diego State University)
- March 22 and 24
- West Regional, Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, (Host: Pepperdine University)
- South Regional, Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia, (Host: Georgia Institute of Technology)
- March 23 and 25
- East Regional, TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, (Host: Boston College)
- Midwest Regional, CenturyLink Center Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, (Host: Creighton University)
- March 31 and April 2
- Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas (Host: University of Texas, San Antonio
Selfish alert, selfish alert....
Forget about discussing player particulars, let's jump to the important part: could be a good year for east coast NU hoops fans:
HOF tip-off tourney in CT
BTT in NYC
1 & 2 rounds NCAA, a nice trip to Nashville?
Win those and then.... regionals in Boston?
OK, then a fun one for all: Final Four in San Antonio
One can dream!!
Link to 2018 Tourney Sites
First and Second Rounds
- March 15 and 17
- PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Host: Duquesne University)
- Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas (Host: Wichita State University and Missouri Valley Conference)
- American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas (Host: Big 12 Conference)
- Taco Bell Arena, Boise, Idaho (Host: Boise State University)
Regional Semifinals and Finals (Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight)
- March 16 and 18
- Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina (Host: University of North Carolina, Charlotte)
- Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan (Host: University of Detroit Mercy)
- Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee (Host: Ohio Valley Conference)
- Viejas Arena, San Diego, California (Host: San Diego State University)
- March 22 and 24
- West Regional, Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, (Host: Pepperdine University)
- South Regional, Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia, (Host: Georgia Institute of Technology)
National Semifinals and Championship (Final Four and Championship)
- March 23 and 25
- East Regional, TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, (Host: Boston College)
- Midwest Regional, CenturyLink Center Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, (Host: Creighton University)
- March 31 and April 2
- Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas (Host: University of Texas, San Antonio
Ugh, San Antonio... I think if you listen real hard, you can still hear Nebraska scoring on th Cats again. Told myself I'd never go back to the sewerwalk. I'd have to make an exception for a Final Four appearance. But first, let's finish adding strong competitive depth to this team. Two spots open on a team where the right additions could definitely make an impact this year in what could become an amazing story.
Hope CCC is out there selling his ass off right now. I believe he's capable of it.
San Antonio is one of the best bowl city sites. The Riverwalk with it's hotels, bars and restaurants make the experience happen. Like it but the Alamodome not so much. Thought the spurs moved to another arena and wondering why the finals won't be played there. To small?
Since the mid 90's the F4 has been played at domed FB stadiums. Apparently sitting capacity is the only reason. The Alamodome has 65K seats (the F4 could use fewer than the maximum), whereas the Spurs new area sits fewer than 20K.
Thanks, guess that leaves the somewhat new W-R out of the Final 4 question.
And the rebuilt Soldier Field, because they didn't put a dome on it. The Final Fours and Super Bowls will go to Indy, Minneapolis and Detroit instead.
I went to the Final Four here in Houston several years ago, and it was disappointing. Watching a basketball game from up near the top of a football stadium is an eye-straining experience. If NU is in the Final Four in San Antonio next year, I'll be there in a heartbeat, but otherwise, no thanks.
If NU is in San Antonio, I'm laying the green and sitting with the celebs right up front.....
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