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Topic:  Saul in Blue Ribbon BBY

Topic:  Saul in Blue Ribbon BBY
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brucecuth
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Member Since: 12/21/2004
Post Count: 1,792

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  Message Not Read  Saul in Blue Ribbon BBY
   Posted: 10/16/2017 1:49:18 PM 
Before I get to Saul, the Blue Ribbon yearbook puts everything else to shame. 400 pages of fine print, detailed summaries of every D-1 team. Available on line only for about $30 and worth every penny. Buy the spiral bound version.

All comments are direct quotes

Saul on replacing Simmons: I'm looking at who's going to be the alpha on this team. The $20 million question is how do we handle the transition to a different leader?

Saul on overall makeup of team: I feel good about our foundation. Our depth is improved this year. I have fewer decisions about who I want to play...at this stage of the year.

Saul on Dartis at the point or shooting guard: He understands the role. He played point guard in high school. But he's really good at coming off screens and shooting the ball. Either way, I've got to make sure Jordan gets enough shots. If anything, I haven't gotten him enough shots to this point in his career.

on Carter: He's very, very, very good. I did think to myself, why was he playing only 20 minutes a night? Every night he'd do something a little different.

Blue Ribbon notes that Carter is now the team's top leaper (34 inches standing start, 41 inches with one step).

on Laster: He developed into the best 6th man in the conference last year. He's a good shooter who can get to the rim.

on Taylor: He's a real MAC big man who's played well at times, but he needs to get to the point where he's consistent.

on Teyvion Kirk: He's an extremely quick point guard, really good at getting to the front of the rim. I love his toughness. He's a pitbull. He plays with the volume turned up to 11. His transition is learning how to run a team, make sure everyone's getting their shots.

on Zach Butler: He plays the game a little more cerebrally. Setting up his teammates is his first M.O.

on BVP: extremely skilled with the basketball, versatile and makes good decisions.

on Mickle: freak athlete. on Dozier: waiting for him to put it all together.

and, saving the best for last, on Gavin Block: He plays everywhere. He's like the rug in "the Big Lebowski"--he makes the whole room come together.

Last Edited: 10/16/2017 3:29:10 PM by brucecuth

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GoCats105
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Member Since: 1/31/2006
Location: Seattle, WA
Post Count: 6,869

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  Message Not Read  RE: Saul in Blue Ribbon BBY
   Posted: 10/16/2017 2:51:25 PM 
God damnit I love our coach. That Lebowski reference should be on a poster or t-shirt. O Zone get on that!
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shabamon
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Member Since: 11/17/2006
Location: Cincinnati
Post Count: 6,041

Status: Online

  Message Not Read  RE: Saul in Blue Ribbon BBY
   Posted: 10/16/2017 3:03:02 PM 
I'm not familiar with Blue Ribbon. How does it compare to Phil Steele's football magazine? Steele puts Lindy's and Athlon to shame. I bought the Street and Smith college preview. It's not bad - probably the best that you can pick up at Kroger.
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brucecuth
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Member Since: 12/21/2004
Post Count: 1,792

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  Message Not Read  RE: Saul in Blue Ribbon BBY
   Posted: 10/16/2017 3:25:07 PM 
Two completely different animals, IMO. I know it is heresy to criticize PS in some circles, but his yearbook really doesn't have much useful info. The narrative is all about what happened last year, 2 years ago, even 3 or 4 years past. How is that helpful? No coach interviews. He also has lots of lists, come of which can be thought provoking. And it is very attractive. If you took only the stuff that Steele writes about the coming year, you would easily have a book that's 200 pages shorter.

Blue Ribbon never changes. There are no ads, no lists, (save a 1 page All America team and a 1 page top 25), no pictures and no color. All black and white tiny print. It simply has an in depth look at each individual D-1 team, plus its sched and basic info (location, conference, info about coach) They interview, or try to interview every head coach, and are able to talk to most. Are they gonna get Coach K? No, but they talk to his top assistant. Every team gets a detailed write up. Top 20 teams get a mini media guide, with detailed summaries about each player.

ESPN's Joe Linardi got his start at BR. Chris Dortch runs the operation now and does a superior job. Lindsey Wilhite of the suburban Chicago Daily Herald covers the MAC and makes anything we get out of the Dispatch or PeeDee look like (fill in the blank).

Last Edited: 10/16/2017 3:33:19 PM by brucecuth

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Campus Flow
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Location: Alexandria, VA
Post Count: 4,951

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  Message Not Read  RE: Saul in Blue Ribbon BBY
   Posted: 10/16/2017 8:01:45 PM 
shabamon wrote:
I'm not familiar with Blue Ribbon. How does it compare to Phil Steele's football magazine? Steele puts Lindy's and Athlon to shame. I bought the Street and Smith college preview. It's not bad - probably the best that you can pick up at Kroger.


Phil Steele has interesting tidbits about the programs but recycles the tidbits from year to year. "TCU is fast becoming a program like Virginia Tech was up until a few years ago where despite not recruiting the highest touted athletes has an excellent strength program dedicated to building bigger, stronger athletes" I think that has been in his guide 10 years running. Blue Ribbon has tidbits on all 350 programs including the nuances of the relative strengths of conferences. Each conference they have a summary page listing the players of the year, first teams ect..season standings and what post season invite each school received. You'll get some coaching quotes, analysis of recruiting classes. Steele has those sections in the back with a lot of predictive stats but the analysis is circumspect.


Most Memorable Bobcat Events Attended
2010 97-83 win over Georgetown in NCAA 1st round
2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
2015 34-3 drubbing of Miami @ Peden front of 25,086

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Jeff McKinney
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Member Since: 11/12/2004
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  Message Not Read  RE: Saul in Blue Ribbon BBY
   Posted: 10/16/2017 10:48:18 PM 
Blue Ribbon is far and away the best preseason annual. Street and Smith (formerly Sporting News) is the second best and the best of the popular mags you can buy at Kroger.

Blue Ribbon is better researched. Not unusual for the writers in Blue Ribbon to actually visit the schools they're covering.
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Chicken George
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  Message Not Read  RE: Saul in Blue Ribbon BBY
   Posted: 10/16/2017 11:03:05 PM 
Appreciate PS optimism, his one-liners, the stand-up comedy routine during post game pressers/magazine articles and his ability to often recruit guys off the beaten path who fit his "system." You got to want him to do well. But I think this year (and I'm sure we'll find a way to say next year too) is/are big years for him and the program. For me, it's time to see that this is going to stick and going to work. This recruiting class is huge for him IMO.

Last Edited: 10/16/2017 11:04:23 PM by Chicken George

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OU_Country
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Member Since: 12/6/2005
Location: On the road between Athens and Madison County
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  Message Not Read  RE: Saul in Blue Ribbon BBY
   Posted: 10/17/2017 9:55:32 AM 
shabamon wrote:
I'm not familiar with Blue Ribbon. How does it compare to Phil Steele's football magazine? Steele puts Lindy's and Athlon to shame. I bought the Street and Smith college preview. It's not bad - probably the best that you can pick up at Kroger.


https://blueribbonyearbook.com /

This is my second year of ordering it. Thanks to the handful of guys on here who recommended it. It is, by far, the best preseason book of any kind I've spent money on. Well, well worth the 30-ish bucks to purchase it.

(Also handy when filling out brackets)
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OU_Country
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Member Since: 12/6/2005
Location: On the road between Athens and Madison County
Post Count: 8,320

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  Message Not Read  RE: Saul in Blue Ribbon BBY
   Posted: 10/17/2017 10:13:43 AM 
Chicken George wrote:
Appreciate PS optimism, his one-liners, the stand-up comedy routine during post game pressers/magazine articles and his ability to often recruit guys off the beaten path who fit his "system." You got to want him to do well. But I think this year (and I'm sure we'll find a way to say next year too) is/are big years for him and the program. For me, it's time to see that this is going to stick and going to work. This recruiting class is huge for him IMO.


I think the Kirk/Butler/Gareri/Vanden Plas recruiting class is his best so far. The two VC's for this year are more unknown, and how he uses the last one will be interesting. In terms of seeing that this is going to work, I guess it depends on how you define that. I'd say in general his teams have gotten better every year. I'm assuming you're suggesting MAC Tournament wins and NCAA Tourney appearances.
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Obc2
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  Message Not Read  RE: Saul in Blue Ribbon BBY
   Posted: 10/17/2017 7:10:26 PM 
JC has best vertical in league?!?
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Obc2
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Location: Cincinnati, OH
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  Message Not Read  RE: Saul in Blue Ribbon BBY
   Posted: 10/17/2017 7:14:40 PM 
my bad, team's best leaper. from stand still, i assume returning players. still wouldnt have thought that.

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brucecuth
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Member Since: 12/21/2004
Post Count: 1,792

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  Message Not Read  RE: Saul in Blue Ribbon BBY
   Posted: 10/17/2017 10:05:52 PM 
Obc2 wrote:
my bad, team's best leaper. from stand still, i assume returning players. still wouldnt have thought that.



OBC, I wish i could remember where I saw a pic of Jason at the end of summer. really transformed his body. He'll be ready for the physical pounding he's gonna take every nite...
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