Chris Murray comes through

Just as the summer doldrums are swirling in (although PatrickH is doing his damndest to change the atmospheric conditions), Chris Murray provides a shot of energy with the opening feature in his summertime WAC team basketball preview.

Summer basketball prospectus on Boise State
Chris Murray
Reno Gazette-Journal
7/7/2009

Editor's note: Each day for the next two weeks, we will take an early look at one basketball team in the Western Athletic Conference. Today: Boise State.

Last year's record: 19-13 overall, 9-7 in the WAC (tied for third)

Returning starters: Four (Anthony Thomas, Paul Noonan, Ike Okoye, Kurt Cunningham)

Key losses: Mark Sanchez, Jamar Greene, Aaron Garner

Potential starting lineup...

Go here for the remainder.

A Coby Karl update

NOTE: We mis-typed Coby's first name here and apologize for the error -- this does not allow him four more years of NCAA basketball eligibility as Cody Karl ;-) Coby Karl's situation is always fascinating, primarily because he came to Boise State as a walk-on and now is a borderline NBA-er and someone who will make a nice financial living playing ball regardless of the location. Nick Jezierny has the latest.

Karl hoping to use summer league as avenue back to NBA.
The former BSU standout is playing for the Celtics' summer league team in Florida
Nick Jezierny
Idaho Statesman
7/07/09

Former Boise State standout Coby Karl started his quest to make it back to the NBA on Monday night.

Karl is playing for the Boston Celtics' summer league team in Orlando, Fla., but did not see action in an 87-56 win Monday against the Utah Jazz.

The 2007 BSU graduate is hoping to use this week's games in Orlando as a steppingstone to get back in the NBA. Karl played for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2007-08.

"My goal is to be on an NBA roster at the beginning of the season," Karl told the Idaho Statesman before Monday's game...

Go here for the remainder.

UH and Bob Dylan

Oh lordy, what is PTW up to now in connecting Robert Zimmerman to a college in paradise?

Well, with a tio o' the hat to Sam Wasson at BleedCrimson.net for pointing us in this direction, we came across a Ferd Lewis column that says 'Hawaii - you ain't going nowhere.' The same applies to every other WAC member, Boise State and the blue turf included.

For better or worse, UH needs the WAC
Ferd Lewis
Honolulu Advertiser Columnist
June 28, 2009

In an anniversary likely to pass with little fanfare Tuesday, the University of Hawai'i completes its 30th year of membership in the Western Athletic Conference, the only home shared by both its men's and women's teams.

Time sure flies when you're having fun.

So, too, of course, has the membership. The comings and goings — goings mostly — of members since UH came aboard numbered 26 at last count.

But the one constant for the Warriors/Rainbow Wahine/Rainbows/Rainbow Warriors over that span is how much UH needs the WAC...

Go here for the remainder.

We do have a taker -- PatrickH

We offer a hearty congratulations to PatrickH for jumping in and taking a turn at identifying what vehicles WAC coaches surely drive. C'mon, let's get some more, even from you anonymous-ites. Hey, here's your chance to rip into PTW for lowering our usual sterling standards (hah!) and offering such a post.

Stew Morrill, Utah State - Volkswagen Jetta GLS - Runs on diesel, but it gets better mileage and has more power than a Prius without all the expensive technology. Does more with less but it's just not hip and few people know about it...or seem to care. An outstanding performer around Utah, but when it comes to a road race versus a real power car it's lack of muscle is exposed. But it's the best at what it's supposed to do. Great car for commuting close to home or trips to visit the poor folk out in the rural areas of the country. Doesn't impress the in-laws in the big city, but that's ok since it only goes there if they agree to return the visit to Logan, Utah - and they hate Utah.

Greg Graham, Boise State - '87 IROC Z28. Runs great for a while but breaks down every other year or so. Parts are hard to find so you have to look far and wide. Usually you have to buy used parts just because they are easier to find and they save money, plus you have to wait too long for new parts to arrive and get the car running again. When it's right, the thing is quick, but because of the occasional breakdown a lot of people want to get something more reliable.

Bob Nash, Hawaii - 1972 Citroen with oxidized paint and a lot of dents, but a plush interior. It's ugly and it's slow but it's sturdy and fun to crash into things. Nobody likes having it on the road with them as you often end up with dents or scratches. It sucks having to always order new parts from overseas as the quality isn't always what you expected. A lot of people miss the old car even but this one is quite similar though it is a different color.

Marvin Menzies, New Mexico State - A Nascar Stock Car with loose steering and bald tires. Looks like the fastest car in the race but requires constant course correction to keep it going in a straight line. You never know when a tire will blow out causing an untimely pit stop or on occasion a violent collision. If it ever stays on the road for the whole race it will be tough to beat. Or the whole thing could crash through the infield leaving carnage in it's wake. Not as pretty as the last car, but that one broke down on it's most recent owner so they probably got all they could out of it.

David Carter, Nevada - '98 Porsche 911. After it sat in the garage for the last 10 years, some idiot crashed into it just as it was leaving the driveway on a test drive. Most of the engine and drive train were unnaffected, but a lot of new body parts had to be installed, and we're not sure of the quality of the work that was done. Since the last car was recently sold it's now the sole source of transportation. Is it reliable? Who knows? But it's supposed to be faster than the old ride. The last car had a governor on the throttle but it was extremely reliable so some people are concerned, but most are excited that they get to drive a sports car instead of a sedan.

I'm having a little trouble with the rest, but I'm thinking about it.

An Arizona prepster with a Boise State mention

Here's an Arizona high schooler connected to Boise State recruiting among many others.

Anthony Ray
ArizonaPreps.com Recruiting Analyst
July 6, 2009

One of Arizona's top rated overall prospects in the state's very talented 2010 class is Gilbert High School's 6-foot-5 senior forward/wing Shawn King.

Gilbert HS 6-foot-5 senior Shawn King has suffered a summer-ending knee injury.
King is coming off a very good junior season and a strong spring performance on the aau/club circuit, but a recent injury will now keep him out the remainder of the summer...

Go here for the remainder and a Rivals sub is required.

Boise State scouting a Congo kid

Here's a fascinating story on a propsect from the Congo with a mention of Boise State as one of his suitors.

Jon Perryman
ArizonaVarsity.com
July 5, 2009

During the weekend of our celebration of 4th of July and of our independence, there is one player in this land that has overcome more hardship and turmoil than most others will ever see in a lifetime. A young man who cannot call himself an American.

Blondy Baruti, a 6-foot-11, 205-pound power forward from the Congo, has seen his share of personal strife. He watched in horror as his father was killed. He hid under his bed as bullets sprayed through his home. He endured weeks of starvation and the bloodshed that riddled his family that had previous ties to the leadership of the Congo.

And through it all he found his way to America, the Promised Land...

Go here for the remainder and a Rivals sub is required.

A basketball movie must-see

This should really be interesting.

A summer flick I can't wait to see
Mike Miller
July 4, 2009

Summertime means movie time.

I’ve seen “Transformers 2” (a little long, but lots of loud action), “Public Enemies” (stylish, interesting and worthwhile) and the “Hangover” (hi-LAR-ious, even if it’s not overly quotable), but if there’s a movie to see, it’s “The Street Stops Here.”

The documentary focused on legendary high school coach Bob Hurley and his St. Anthony team during the 2007-08 season. Two things will assuredly keep the flick from being a standard-feel good sports movie: the hoops quality and Hurley...

Go here for the remainder.

Wendell McKines goes on-line

All credit goes to Born An Aggie for a post at the New Mexico State SCOUT site Sports Trough message board that alerted us to a Wendell McKines blog.

Go here to read McKines' initial entry.

What can we do with this?

What motorized vehicle would you associate with each WAC head coach? Yes, maybe we are groveling for an entry here but we found the following (which spurred this post:

Brent Tubbs
8inthebox
July 1, 2009
What vehicle do you associate with coaches in the SEC?

1. Les Miles - Crazy Train
2. Gene Chizik - Moped
3. Lane Kiffin - Tricycle
4. Mark Richt - Convertible Sebring
5. Steve Spurrier - Chrysler Missfire...I mean Crossfire
6. Rich Brooks - K-Car
7. Bobby Johnson - Prius
8. Houston Nut - 1987 Camero (black with t-top)
9. Dan Mullen - Mini Cooper
10. Urban Meyer - Audi R8
11. Bobby Petrino - Pontiac Sunbird
12 Nick Saban - Monster Truck

Well, the concept is good if maybe not all the execution or it just could be our ignorance of the SEC football coaches. We'll go with the latter.

So without further ado, here's your WAC basketball coaches:

Boise State's Greg Graham -
Fresno State Steve Cleveland -
Hawaii's Bob Nash -
LT's Kerry Rupp -
Nevada's David Carter -
New Mexico State's Marvin Menzies -
San Jose State's George Nessman -
Utah State's Stew Morrill -

Yes, the above is not exactly the rowdiest collective nor a bunch of larger-than-life personalities but are we up for the challenge? Please send along your best offerings and we'll print them along with your name.

How about a Peterbilt truck for Stew Morrill? After all, Utah State has been leading the WAC convoy for a while.

Kerry Rupp seems a bit of a chance taker (with a number of cross your fingers transfers) so maybe a tricked out tow truck picking up sidelined vehicles that still have some shine emanating?

Greg Graham has to be a 1970s-era VW Bug -- no frills dependable and steady.

Anyone have more?

The U.S. versus Europe in basketball development

From this month's Basketball Times.

Basketball development: Europe vs U.S.
A thorough exam of the Euro
Marc Isenberg
June 30, 2009

Editor's note: What are the differences between the U.S. and European developmental systems? Marc Isenberg visited the Reebok Eurocamp in Treviso, Italy, to find out. He discovered a system that has much to envy, and some parts to be ignored.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”

—Mark Twain

We have a dysfunctional basketball development system in the United States. The Redeem Team might have gotten USA Basketball back on track last summer at the Beijing Olympics, but the problems run deeper. Youth development is lagging. There are too many disparate and self-serving agendas involved.

Yes, we want to be competitive in basketball and mold fine young men and women. But we also want to use basketball as a vehicle to drive revenue. Just like politics and business, we start out with great, noble concepts, then sell it, milk it, bid up the price and finally wonder why things go awry. It’s the American Way.

When a problem emerges in college athletics, the response is often predictable. Downplay controversy. Absolve blame. Shoot the messenger. Form a “blue-ribbon” task force. Rinse. Repeat...

Go here for the remainder.

It's not just talent that provides the separation

The question isn't why LeBron James, already the NBA MVP, works so hard to get better -- it's why so many others don't? It's the same with Kobe. How many players, pro and college, spend time in gyms during the off-season but with little or no planned purpose and goals in mind? That's like getting in your car and driving with no determined destination -- you simply end up where you end up.

James' offseason: Stretch, lift, shoot
Terry Pluto
Cleveland Plain Dealer
July 4, 2009

For LeBron James, the journey to repeat as the NBA's Most Valuable Player begins Monday morning.

That's when the Cavs star will meet assistant coach Chris Jent at the team's practice facility in Independence.

"LeBron is driven to win a championship," said Jent. "Most people have no idea how hard he works. He wanted to start last week, but I told him to rest his body. Let's start after July 4th."

Go here for the remainder.

Fresno State adds a player

Spoke to Damon Powell this a.m. and he is heading to Fresno State and not College of Southern Idaho. He is eligible and will play next season as a Bulldog. He's a 6-foot-5 small forward out of Oakland's (CA) McClymonds High, with phenomenal hops and a non-stop motor. His ball and shooting skills need work but he has the time to improve those.

Look for a number of stories to come out soon.

In the meantime, enjoy these vids: here and here.

Ferd Lewis not impressed with Hawaii's '09-'10 schedule

It is hard to get entertaining teams to come in to play on a one-and-one basis in either of the NCAA major sports. Plus, you can just about forget the powers-that-be doing so. But Ferd Lewis is still skeptical about the Hawaii home schedule for the upcoming season.

It seems like Hawaii should have an attraction advantage -- warm temperatures, inviting sandy beaches and blue water, micro bikinis and Speedos -- whichever way you roll -- in November in December. But maybe the cost in getting there ameliorates these lures.

Our sense is that Rainbow Warrior fans will take a winning record over a hum-drum home schedule -- at least for now. Bob Nash certainly will, with a multitude of good reasons.

Still, UH men's basketball will need to make some noise in the WAC and the WAC tourney sooner rather than later. That will make or break Nash's tenure.

A schedule guaranteed to bring success
Ferd Lewis
Honolulu Advertiser
July 3, 2009

Now we know why University of Hawai'i men's basketball coach Bob Nash so enthusiastically "guaranteed" an 18-win (or better) season at the team's postseason banquet three months ago.

To look at the Rainbow Warriors' 2009-10 schedule is to see Nash's "guarantee" as very attainable.

No venturing out on long limbs there.

Eighteen became the "magic" number because 18 victories — or a postseason tournament appearance — is the bottom line on a contract rollover, according to UH. Nash has two seasons, 2009-10 and 2010-11, in which to achieve it. But with the most significant performers, including the top three scorers, back as seniors, this is, as they are calling it in Manoa, the "payoff" year...

Go here for the remainder.

Coach Jon Wyers on the best WAC players

(Jon Wyers, on the left)

Many decades ago, on a visit to New York City, we took in the pleasures of The Cactus Cafe which offered the description "where too much is not enough." Insert 'basketball' in place of The Cactus Cafe and metaphorically Jon Wyers has a courtside seat inscribed with his name there.

Wyers makes his living as a basketball coach but ultimately he is a basketball fan-atic. He teaches at and also coaches men's basketball at Ventura College (previously assisting at Hancock College and San Diego Mesa), plus writes and comments prolifically on basketball at a number of sites on the 'net. He was kind enough to respond to our inquiry about a few top WAC players:

"I am by no means qualified to write an article on these guys lol I am just a draft fan that likes to look at prospects and base opinions off the little I see them play (since I coach it is hard to see a lot of games other than the tournament) and off of what I read out there).

In terms of Jahmar Young, I truthfully don't know anything about the guy.

I think Luke Babbitt is one of those guys that can make it in the NBA as a top bench player because he is so skilled. He is in the same boat as a lot of top college players though in that his physical skills don't translate over to the NBA well. He is a very smart lefty inside/outside guy that can step out and hit the jumper with consistency, shoot off the dribble, and post up where he is good with a ball fake and his turnaround jumpshot. With his offensive package and skills, he has a place in the NBA, but he isn't very athletic or explosive in terms of NBA and is at that tweener size of a 3 and a 4. He definitely wouldn't be an upside pick but would be a you-get-what-you-see type pick. I could see him being a 4-year guy, but definitely think he could be in consideration for next year's draft.

Paul George -- I am real interested to see how he develops this next year because he put up good numbers as a freshman and I think really has a good upside. He is skilled, knows how to play the game, can shoot, and I think he has an NBA body and athleticism which makes him a very intriguing prospect. He is one of those guys that, depending on how he develops this next season, could leave school early, but I could also see him staying at least another year. At this point, I don't know what level I would peg him at NBA-wise for a role.

I know Rodrick Flemings toyed with entering the draft this year. I think if he develops and shows a little more this year skill-wise, he has a chance of getting drafted in the NBA. He is another guy that is an NBA athlete which I think he would be able to translate to the NBA as a slasher and on the defensive end. He isn't the most skilled guy so I think his most likely role in the NBA would be as an athletic roleplaying wing off the bench."

Thank you Coach Wyers for taking the time and sharing your thoughts with Parsing The WAC.

Boise State has offered Stephen Holt

Stephen Holt is a top backcourter in Oregon who odds have it will be wearing the uniform of a PAC-10 school come college. But Boise State has offered.

West's Top PG Drawing Attention
Greg Hicks
SCOUT West Coast Recruiting Analyst
June 18, 2009

Stephen Holt, a 2010 point guard from Oregon, has offers from several schools in the west, as well as strong interest from a few Pac-10 schools.

Stephen Holt, 6-3 JR PG Portland (Ore.) Jesuit, is the top point guard in the West Coast class of 2010. Holt has excellent size for the position, above average ball skills and an excellent feel for the game...

Go here for the remainder.