EagleOutsider.com

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/s ... id=5060752

Katz picked us #22 preseason last year. We only lose Tyler Rouche and he has us nowhere on his radar. Katz not high on my list of good guys right now. Was he a friend of BC's or a friend of Al's? An enemy of BC's is an enemy of mine.

hawaiirob {l Wrote}:http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=5060752

Katz picked us #22 preseason last year. We only lose Tyler Rouche and he has us nowhere on his radar. Katz not high on my list of good guys right now. Was he a friend of BC's or a friend of Al's? An enemy of BC's is an enemy of mine.

While I agree with you tat Katz has been a little bitch these days, you didn't seriously expect us to be preseason ranked did you?

I think there is a good story to include us in "on the cusp" or "sleepers." But, no, I did not expect us ranked.

I believe if Al were at the controls, Katz would have put us in the above - or even ranked us.

You're basically arguing that Katz should be blind to anything that has happened in the last 12 months and rank solely on how he felt about people this time last year. That's kind of ridiculous.

Remember the fluff pieces on how Biko Paris is a leader on the court and an all-around "true" PG in the mold of Sweet Lou? Yeah....

Call me silly, but I believe BC has the talent to finish in the top half of the ACC next year. For that to happen, Sanders needs to stop being a fat man. Biko needs to come off the bench instead of start, Elmore needs more PT, and Ravenel needs PT ahead of Southern and Dunn. The argument could be made that Jackson will flourish in a less constrained offense. The argument could be made that this is a senior laden team and this is their last shot.

I fully expect this team to dance next March.

hawaiirob {l Wrote}:Call me silly, but I believe BC has the talent to finish in the top half of the ACC next year. For that to happen, Sanders needs to stop being a fat man. Biko needs to come off the bench instead of start, Elmore needs more PT, and Ravenel needs PT ahead of Southern and Dunn. The argument could be made that Jackson will flourish in a less constrained offense. The argument could be made that this is a senior laden team and this is their last shot.

I fully expect this team to dance next March.

You're not making an argument for a team being preseason Top 25, though. You're making an argument for a team that based on history and "most likely outcomes" people won't expect to be good, but dig deeper and you can see a scenario where they overachieve (relative to outside person's expectations).

I mean, we're closer to the program so naturally we're gonna be more bullish, but I really don't think you can get on anyone for not thinking highly of this team heading into next season. And its not like we were consensus Preseason Top 25...Katz was going way out on a limb with that one (relative to his brethren in the national media).

hawaiirob {l Wrote}:Call me silly, but I believe BC has the talent to finish in the top half of the ACC next year. For that to happen, Sanders needs to stop being a fat man. Biko needs to come off the bench instead of start, Elmore needs more PT, and Ravenel needs PT ahead of Southern and Dunn. The argument could be made that Jackson will flourish in a less constrained offense. The argument could be made that this is a senior laden team and this is their last shot.

I fully expect this team to dance next March.

I see what you are saying. How was last year's team a potential top 25 one but this year's team with the same cast who clearly underperformed not even worthy of a mention? Even the biggest Skinner apologists agree that Al did a lousy job last year with that team. It is possible under new management they could flourish.

There is no way anyone could rank us coming off last season and a coaching change. Katz is tight with Donahue so I expect favorable coverage to continue...unless Gene bans him from Conte.

hawaiirob {l Wrote}:Call me silly, but I believe BC has the talent to finish in the top half of the ACC next year. For that to happen, Sanders needs to stop being a fat man. Biko needs to come off the bench instead of start, Elmore needs more PT, and Ravenel needs PT ahead of Southern and Dunn. The argument could be made that Jackson will flourish in a less constrained offense. The argument could be made that this is a senior laden team and this is their last shot.

I fully expect this team to dance next March.

You are not silly. They don't need to do much to make the dance. They have the talent to make a run in a down conference, although UNC will be back.

ATLeagle {l Wrote}:unless Gene bans him from Conte.

ATLeagle {l Wrote}:There is no way anyone could rank us coming off last season and a coaching change. Katz is tight with Donahue so I expect favorable coverage to continue...unless Gene bans him from Conte.

There are ways around that...

hawaiirob {l Wrote}:Call me silly, but I believe BC has the talent to finish in the top half of the ACC next year. For that to happen, Sanders needs to stop being a fat man. Biko needs to come off the bench instead of start, Elmore needs more PT, and Ravenel needs PT ahead of Southern and Dunn. The argument could be made that Jackson will flourish in a less constrained offense. The argument could be made that this is a senior laden team and this is their last shot.

I fully expect this team to dance next March.

It's not crazy to think this team could make the tournament, but you listed a lot of things that have to happen. We lost Roche and added Noreen and Heslip. Obviously losing Roche has minimal impact and we can't say what the new guys will contribute yet so we basically go in with the same team we had. Even for the talent level we had, they underachieved for sure, but they also go into this year having to learn a new system, which is going to lead to some potential inconsistency. I'd plan for a bit of an up and down season with the best case scenario of middle of the pack in the ACC and making the NCAA tourney. As far as I'm concerned Donahue gets a pass this year either way.

Uhhhmmm... Nobody is going to rank a team that didn't make the NIT last year.