It's funny how almost every opinion on this board gets ripped to shreds. Oh, you're an optimist? Come back to reality. Oh, you're a pessimist? Step off the ledge, the staff has only been here 6 months. You're somewhere in between??? What kind of a sports fan are you?!?! This is no place for reason!
So, that being said, wrt to the claims about the Flyin' Illini and some saying we aren't there - of course we aren't there. The broader point is that you don't
always need height to be successful. Put THT defending CC down low, and I guarantee THT holds his own even though he gives up 5 inches and a whopping...wait for it...5 lbs. Obviously CC has more physical room to grow, but he'll never have the low center of gravity that a player like THT has. Those things matter, often just as much as height.
If - IF - we can furnish a future team where our smallest player is 6'0" (and a great defender) or 6'3", with potential lineups of two PGs that are 6'5", plus athletic wings, then our concern about a lack of depth at C should be tempered. In this offense, a guy like THT (again, an IF, I know) can be our PF - easy. The primary concern is depth at center for defensive reasons, yet the best defense is that which prevents the need for any shot blocking (i.e. great perimeter, on-ball defense).
We lambasted Ebo for his low rating when we recruited him, but CC's low rating is fine because we wanted him.
How does this logic make any sense? Ebo might be just what we need two years from now, or he may be unserviceable and playing for Western Illinois. That doesn't matter in this context - it's the logic (or lack thereof) by which we judge the recruiting efforts (and outcomes) of our coaches.
This sky is falling attitude because we missed out on a guy most didn't want (Conditt) and a guy a lot did (CC) is ridiculous. Give the team and our coaches some time - then freak out if we have a rough season and miss out on Ayo and other recruits. There are too many unknowns at this point to speak with such certainty.
Ok, meandering rant over. Go back to posting so Dan can continue reaping the advertising money resulting from our crazed obsession with
eace:
