Re: 2002-03 season postmortem

[Jason Kinney]

Keith,
    I tend to agree with most of your post.  However, I am not looking at
Whaley as being the savior next year.  I would be totally pleased next year,
if he was able to draw enough attention down low next year to allow Max room
to operate.  If Whaley takes some of the attention away form Max, I don't
think 16 and 10 is unreasonable to expect out of Jason.  I see next years
team as a preseason top 10/top 15 at the worst and making a serious run at a
national championship, barring injury, off the court behavior or early
defections to the NBA.  I think the team will be comprised of 3 or 4 go to
guys (Max, White, Whaley, possibly Bobitt if he gets his head out of his a**
and plays smarter) and a deep bench who could start on most other teams in
the conference if not the country.  Just imagine if A.Johnson signs this
year and is eligible to play.

Not to get too far ahead, but this is a team that is good enough to become
the next repeat national champions over the next two years.  Well, at least
on paper.

Jason
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wedinger, Keith" <address@hidden>
To: <address@hidden>
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 12:10 PM
Subject: [UC Basketball] 2002-03 season postmortem


> Let's consider the following:
>
> 1.  Donald Little was kicked off the team...again.  UC was counting on him
> being the guy in the middle.
> 2.  BJ "I am a McDonald's Gold Club Member" Grove ate his way off the
team.
> So say goodbye to centers #1 and #2.
> 3.  Huggins suffered a life threatening heart attack.
> 4.  Huggins' mother was in ill health
> 5.  Most of the scoring and rebounding from last season was gone.  Gone
too
> was the team's leadership.
>
> Despite all of this (I believe #3 and #4 had a BIG impact on Huggs this
> season), the team won 17 games, beat up on 3 top 10 teams along the way
and
> made it to the NCAA tournament.
>
> I would be lying if I said that this season did not leave a bad taste in
my
> mouth.  We have all come to expect:
> 1.  25+ wins
> 2.  Conference championships
> 3.  Top 25 rankings
>
> So anything less than this results in disappointment and questioning of
the
> team and/or the coaching staff.  I am as guilty as anybody when it comes
to
> this.
>
> Huggins has said time and time again that this year's up and down season
was
> entirely his fault.  I have a feeling that #3 and #4 above had something
to
> do with Huggins demeanor towards the team.
>
> I honestly believe that next seaon will be different at least from an
> attitude and an effort perspective.  Huggins is not going to put up with a
> lack of effort next season.  It'll be his way or the bench.  We all know
> that next season's team will have more talent and it will hopefully have a
> true center (the expectations for Whaley are so high right now, I don't
see
> how he could meet them unless he averages a triple double in points,
boards
> and blocks).
>
> I for one cannot wait for next season.  Having a disappointing year should
> make you that much hungrier.  I know Huggins and his staff will be VERY
> hungry.  Hopefully, that rubs off on the players.
>
>
> J. Keith Wedinger
> Senior Software Developer
> Sterling Commerce