I'm actually a huge supporter of JT3. The blogging name comes from a horribly bad inside joke with friends that involves a Linksys router and not being able to use the same network name twice. I got fed up after spending hours on the phone trying to figure out why my WiFi network wouldn't work only to be told I can't reuse my "Fire Esherick" network name again. The "F" bitterly and illogically turned into an "H" and the rest is history... [Insert awkward silence].
I think we will be alright in the Big East this year, it is definitely less top heavy than last year. Predicting 5th, hoping for 4th, think Louisville is overrated this year. Nova and WVU run away with the top, UConn takes third and the rest is a dog fight. We still have a weak bench but praying Monroe starts to take over games instead of looking to pass first. Can blame last year on a lot of factors: chemistry, schedule, youth but this year there should be no excuses.
What you guys thinking this year? Tough break on Mason Jr., I feel like he has been on your team for 10 years and been injured for 11 of them.
I think I would throw Cuse into the mix with UConn. I agree with your top 2 though they are clearly ahead of the pack and Louisville and Pitt are both overrated. I'm on the Seton Hall bandwagon this year as I think they are gonna make some noise.
Not so sure about Cuse. Losing the top three players can take a toll. Interested to see if Rautins can create his own shot this year, now he doesn't have a Cheddar Bob or Flynn feeding him open looks. Onuaku is great until the last five minutes, and then he becomes a liability on the FT line. I guess their season depends on Wes Johnson and if he can make an immediate impact.
re: Georgetown, I hear you all. Last season was an incredible disappointment but as I look back on it, I am an idiot for expecting so much. I came into the season thinking we'd be alright, I mean we lost Ewing, Wallace and Hibbert from the previous year. But the wins against Memphis and UConn gave us all hope. You see hope is a dangerous thing, drive a man insane. I agree that experience does not necessarily mean success but system Thompson runs is based upon reading defenses, which only comes as you play in more games. That '07 team that took Gtown to the Final Four had the same thing happen to them in '05 - when Green, Wallace and Hibbert were freshman. They started out hot and then faded badly at the end. Don't know if the team stopped caring, they had a big win at Nova and overcame a 10 point deficit in 3 minutes to take Cuse to overtime at the Dome. I think they were just wildly inconsistent and stopped believing in the system. Anyway, I'm back to hoping again this year...
Hope you guys do well this season. It is funny that as I have come to learn more about the nuances (ie money) of college basketball I actually root for St. John's because (1) having a strong NY team is critical for the Big East and (2) the better non-BCS football schools do, the longer it will take the BCS schools to push us off into our own conference.
Six years ago Gtown and St. John's were in the same boat. Programs heading straight for irrelevancy, brand new coaches, horrible facilities, etc. We were able to turn it around, you guys will be able to soon enough. Just gotta hire Lou Carnesecca III...