Re: FW: FW: pre-season polls

[Danny Spoonamore]

A player is a bust to me if they don't fulfill their potential as a
basketball player for the University.  Every one I have mentioned has
managed to do so in some way or another.  There have been many who have
exceeded all expectations, and those are the ones who usually stay for three
or four years and learn how to play the game under Huggins.  Steve Logan,
Kenyon Martin, Danny Forston, Bobby Brannen (yes, I support BB), Lazelle
Durden, Rueben Patterson (although he had alot more hype than he delivered),
Darnell Burton, Corie Blount, practically the entire FF team, Nick Van
Excel, Pete Mickeal, etc. and even the marginal guys like Jamaal Davis, Ryan
Fletcher, Art Long, Keith Legree, etc. have all done this and I do not
classify them as "busts".  Everyone below has in some way or another failed
to live up to the often times lofty expectations we have for these kids, and
I will stand by my assertion that there will be at least one that will do
the same in this class.  Who knows, it may be Hicks, because he's already
made a nearly critical mistake that could have cost him his life, let alone
a basketball career.  But my "prediction" is still Chadd.  I hope one day as
Hicks and Armein and Bobbitt are lofting him on their shoulders with the
Championship trophy in his hand that you all can really stick it to me here
and tell *me* "I told you so".  Even if that never happens, as long as he
comes in and works hard and tries to make a difference for this team, I will
not label him a bust (I haven't done that yet!).  There's a good chance that
if all four are still together and have lived up to all the expectations
that we could see a ring, which is kinda what we're all looking for anyway.
Anyone willing to take a trip to Vegas and put some money on it, though?  I
think you'd get pretty good odds.

Does that mean that I'm now spoiled by the success that we've had over the
years now, because I'm dying for the ring?  No, because I try to put things
into perspective, and I know how hard it is to achieve these goals.  Last
year and the year BB was a senior were probably my favorite years for this
team (besides the FF), because we all had lowered expectations and they
delivered.  I'm not the coach so I can't demand a towel from the water boy,
let alone that these players come in and work and learn how to play as
Huggins wants them to. I have once again lowered expectations at least for a
recruit, so if he surprises me I'm going to be a pretty happy man.

----- Original Message -----
From: <address@hidden>
To: <address@hidden>
Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2002 1:57 AM
Subject: Re: [UC Basketball] FW: [UC Basketball] FW: [UC Basketball]
pre-season polls


> In a message dated 7/9/02 1:49:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time, address@hidden
> writes:
>
>
> > I mean, it's not like it's
> > never happened before, for example players just on this team alone such
as
> > B.J. (7-foot monster), Flowers (the greatest high school rebounder
Huggins
> > has ever seen?), Donald Little (uh, where do I start?), and also in
years
> > past such as Dontonio Wingfield (the highest ranked recruit ever for
> > Huggins), Charles Williams (what a fiasco), Eugene Land (probably the
most
> > intense recruitment ever for Huggs, X is looking pretty good right now),
> > Jerome Harper (somebody chime in with that story), Marko Wright our
savior
> > at PG (practiced one day?), Satterfield (Mr. clutch and I'm too good for
> > the
>
> IMO....BJ hasn't been a 'bust'.  Flowers hasn't....Little
> wasn't......Wingfield wasn't.....Williams,  pretty close........Land
almost
> doesn't even count......Harper doesn't count..........Marko,  doesn't
> count.........Satterfield was far from a 'bust'.  I guess it is what your
> definityion of a bust consists of.
>
> Out of all them ones that is closest to a 'bust' IMO......was Land, but it
> wasn't because he couldn't play ball.  He got hurt and the rest is for the
> archives.
>
> The poses a good question.  What would a player either have to do.......or
> not do.....to be termed a *bust*??
>
> I don't think there have been many since Huggs has been at the school,
but
> that's just my opinion. ;-)
>
> Gregg


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