[NU Sports] NU BB

Sun Jan 17 20:29:37 CST 2010

Michael, 

I agree with my friend, Mark Ament, that you should keep posting on the list, as you have made some very cogent points, both about the team and about how all of us should interact.  By the way, Mark and I were your contemporaries at NU in the early '70's.

I want to add one comment about interactions and negativity---as I discussed earlier today off-line with our eminent fellow lister, Willie Weinbaum--a point that has been made before, but needs repeating:  We should all bear in mind that these emails are not private, and that any unfortunate ad hominem attacks on our student-athletes may well find their way back to them.  They don't deserve such denigration--and should not become the object of any derisive comments.  They deserve our support--whatever their ultimate athletic efforts--as long as they give their all--on the playing field or court AND in the classroom.  

Finally, a point of personal privilege--I am one happy football fan tonight--for the first time since "Fumblerooski" fell 2 yards short--as my long downtrodden J-E-T-S are 60 minutes from the Super Bowl.  A great effort by Rex Ryan and his crew today, led by Big Ten alums Shonn Greene (yes, I can root for this Bumblebee), David Harris (the ex-Wolverine was a monster at LB today), and Jay Feely (one hell of a PK'er).  And yes, let's hear it for ex-Trojan Mark Sanchez, too.  Sorry we had to beat you, Luis Castillo, but this was a day for the Green, not the Bolts.  Now, can my men in green get me some revenge for the 1998 Citrus Bowl against Payton Manning?  I sure hope so.:-)

Those of you who are Cubbie fans should be able to relate.  We Jets fans ALWAYS expect the worst--but today it never came.

Paul Levinson
Breathless in NY

-----Original Message-----
From: Sportsbiz <sportsbiz at gmail.com>
To: Michael Jackson <bondscoop at gmail.com>
Cc: nwu-sports at tssi.com
Sent: Sun, Jan 17, 2010 8:59 pm
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] NU BB

Michael,
elcome to active participation.  Your comments are spot on for the most
art.  What we seeing is a 1-3-1 designed with Luka and Coble in mind and
eing used with the best available personnel.  The switch to man to man for
uch of the Purdue was effective but that was in great part due to the
atch-ups being favorable.  With Surna being a small forward albeit 6'8''
nd Crawford a guard in a forward's body there is no real second low post
efender, although Surna has done a decent job on most of the opposition's
econd best big man.  It is that weakness that BC is trying to cover up with
he 1-3-1 and to a great extent it works.  It didn't cost us the Wisconsin
r Illinois games, - those were late game breakdowns on the perimeter,
ogether with failure to convert free throws when needed at the end.  MSU is
ust better than we are, period, but that's true of probably every other Big
en school too.
I remain very optimistic about our chances of making the tournament this
eason.  Purdue showed what can happen when we follow the game plan and
aintain our composure at the end of a game when the other team makes its
nevitable run.  Making your free throws is a wonderful thing.
Mark

On Sun, Jan 17, 2010 at 5:15 PM, Michael Jackson <bondscoop at gmail.com>wrote:
> I am mostly a lurker on this list.  I have been an NU sports fan since I
 went there in the early 1970's.  My wife and I had season tickets for years
 to both football and basketball.  We lived through some horrible years and
 have enjoyed the good years.  Fortunately, the good years are here now in
 not just football and basketball but also many other sports.

 A few years ago, we moved away from Evanston.  The list has been a good
 source of information about NU sports.  Recently, the list has taken a turn
 for the worse.  It seems that too much time is spent cutting down other
 people's opinions rather than adding something of substance. I would hope
 that we keep the topic on the sports teams and away from opinions about
 politics or the mental abilities of other members of the list.

 FWIW, I would like to add my own opinion about our basketball team.  I have
 watched most of the games on the Big Ten Network.  It is not the same as
 seeing the team in person, but it is the best I  can do now.

 A center on a team employing the Princeton offense needs to be a good
 high-post passer and screener.  It helps if he has a solid outside shot to
 keep defenders from sagging to stop the cutters.  Luka Mirkovic is that
 type
 of player.  His passing is excellent and his screening is very good.  His
 outside shot is decent but not strong enough.  Considering that the center
 is a high post player, Luka's offensive rebounding is very good.  What Luka
 really does best is passing the ball.  Many of the good shots NU gets are
 due to a good pass by Luka.  He runs the offense well.  Rowley is not the
 perfect Princeton center.  He is slow and has no outside shot.  His
 rebounding and screening have improved but he is still a liability.

 My biggest complaint on defense is the 1-3-1 zone that NU employs.  It
 requires the center to be very versatile while being a good low post
 defender.  When Rowley is in and NU is in the 1-3-1, we see his weaknesses
 magnified.  He can't move quickly and is often out of position defensively.
 Luka is really a power forward not a center.  He moves well and does an
 adequate job defending even though he is not the best low post defender.
 His defensive rebounding has improved greatly over last year.  He is
 excelling in blocking shots as well.  If a team has two big men, the 1-3-1
 is not a good defense.  Then often the second big man is guarded by the 1
 of
 the 1-3-1.  That is usually a quick guard who has to move from side to side
 to cover the outside corner shot.  He is outmatched if a low post man gets
 the ball when he is the nearest defender.  Many of the problems NU has with
 big men occur in that situation.

 The team has done more man-to-man lately.  That has improved their defense
 greatly.  It has also put men in position to get the rebound.  You can see
 that from the stats. The real weakness in the 1-3-1 is that one of the
 rebounders is the small guard who must cover both corners.  The 1-3-1 also
 doubles the shooter, leaving fewer NU rebounders.

 This team has potential to get us to the next step.  There are a number of
 shooters who can take over a game.  We have a slasher to break down
 defenses.  The key to our success is defensive rebounding.  We need to
 limit
 other teams to only one shot.  Luka, Shurna and Crawford have stepped up
 their rebounding game.  It is making a difference.

 I enjoy watching the games much more that previous years.  We have had the
 chance to win most of our games.  The team is also improving as it goes on.
 I would enjoy the season more if I learned more about the team from those
 posting.  I care not to hear what one poster thinks about another.  Leave
 that to the next face-to-face.  Save the rest of us from having to listen
 in
 to your petty grievances.

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Mark S. Ament
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