Kevin Love at 11???

Wow, does not seem like his time at ucla was particularly beneficial in light of the fact that he was thought as a future top 3 last year at this time.

Hawes went higher than that.

It is note worthy Kyle Weaver is currently listed at 31, and has bounced in and out of the first round in projections. So you could make that 9, meaning over 30% of the first round played in the same conference last year...not bad.

Great information Bob, I like it when you throw out some of your opinions along with the facts (and I couldn’t’ agree with you more on your draft comments).

Until recently I thought for certain Ryan Anderson would go to the draft because I figured as scouts saw his workouts his draft status would increase, but it seems it’s actually lowered. I guess I thought he was better than maybe he is. Bob said all along he thought Anderson would be back next season, but I sure wanted him to be wrong.

There was an interesting piece at espn.com by Chad Ford yesterday on Kevin Love, Buddinger and Mbah A Moute (sp?) and their current draft status. Based on that article Buddinger would be nuts to stay. And Art, based on Love’s improved fitness Ford seemed to think Love could/should move up to the 5-10 range..

Kind of interesting that QPon isn’t on that 2009 mock draft. I sure didn’t expect him to be, but I remember early in his freshman year season that same web-site had him projected as a late 1st round draft pick in 2008. Personally I’m a tremendous QPon fan and believe this coming season we’ll see from him what we expected from him his freshman year. I kind of hope he is in the draft a year from now as it will be a reflection on his success in the coming season.

I noticed today that either rivals.com or scout.com now has Avery Bradley as a 5* prospect instead of 4* and ranked above Siva. Tyler Honeycutt was also upgraded to high interest in UW.

On a final note, I’m still hoping that someone knows a little bit about Aaron Dotson and his level of interest at UW.

Is Budinger gone for sure?

Do the sonics need another non-descript small forward? How about trading down for Mayo, Bayless, Lopez, Love, or even Westbrook?

Other than Brockman and Anderson who are the top Pac-10 players returness next year?

Based on my limited knowledge I think preseason All-Pac-10 is Collison, Harden, Anderson, Brockman and Hill. If Anderson leaves add ASU's Pendergraph or SC's Gibson.

I think conference finishes UCLA, ASU, CAL, UW, USC, WSU, UA, SaTAN, UO, OSU.

Who will be on all freshman team?

Thomas, Holiday, Jennings, Suggs, and 'lil Romeo.

Wow things are really falling apart at zona. The decision to eject O'Neil is going to hurt for awhile.

What is the succession plan in Tuc anyway. Lute is no JoPa.

Bob,

I know the schedule is not compllete but what are the non-conference games currently scheduled?

So far 4 preseason tourney games, Okie State at home and then what?

Romar mentioned something about a home and home with Louisville last year. When does that start?

Another team I would love to see them schedule is George WAshington

Here's my freshman class analysis.

POY: Holiday
Most Overated: Jennings
Most Underated: Lodwick
Most Clutch: Suggs
Most likely to transfer: Turner
Most likely to accept cash: DeRozan
Most likely to witness coaching turnover: Withey
Most likely to learn how to talk to black people: Viney
Most llikely to spend an unfruitful 4 years in the middle of nowhere: Dunnigan

Sucession plans do not work at Elite Basketball Universities....that is precisely why Arizona does not have or need one. Lute will coach until the end of his contract (maybe a tad longer) and when he retires, the Top Coaches in the nation will be interviewed for the position.

The news of Negedu being released today obviously isn't great, but his character is quite questionable when he turns tail and runs at the first sign of adversity. Arizona doesn't need kids like that. Budinger isn't going to make anything official until June 16th, so it sounds like what he told me a few weeks ago is holding true. He will only likely bolt if he jumps to Top 8 this year, and most projections don't have him near there. Budinger has nothing to lose by returning, and will likely have a huge year with a pass first penetrating guard like Jennings. We shall see.

So what the Cats look like next year with Chase:

Starters: Jennings, Wise, Budinger, Horne, Hill
Bench: Withey, Onobon, Johnson, Fogg, Levander, Jacobsen, and 2 Scholarships yet to give (I hear a European foriegn player similar to Ivan Radonvich is on the radar)

Without Chase they lose a ton of points and experience, I will concede that, but I think Horne will be quite a surprise to everyone next year.

Comet- You obviously do not know much. Kevin O'Neill was a cancer just about everywhere he has been in his career. Lute is to blame for bringing him in, but should be applauded for taking him out and bringing 2 quality guys in Pennell and Dunlap.

Stength comes from the Top and a coaching line-up of HOF Lute Olson, Mike Dunlap, and Russ Pennell is top notch in the nation. Whoever is on the court next year will perform well.

What is going to be funny, is when dynamite Lute is still smiling late into March 2009 with a deep tourney run. All of the Media sources that are currently bagging on him and the Arizona program are going to either jump ship and start singing his praises, or sit there dumbfounded trying to clean up all the egg yolks that are dripping down their chins.

Thats pretty funny Harlot.

Although I think you mean Drew Wiley is the one most likely to learn how to talk to black people as Viney signed eith Oregon the previous year and has already transferred.

On the sked --- The non-conference games are the CBE Classic, which will include playing two of Kansas, Florida or Syracuse assuming UW gets to the semis, and Oklahoma State at home. They are trying to arrange another home-and-home (starting this year on the road) with a "big-name'' school. I think Louisville fell through. That will be four "top 25'' type games, and the rest will be largely regional D-I's, such as Portland, Portland State, Eastern Washington, etc. I don't know every last one of those, but I don't think there is anything really surprising on it.

eeeeeww!!! wheres meat...did you read about jennings on fox? haha i smell a cheater :)

Interesting to see how far Brockman has fallen. Based on that 2009 draft projection, there are EIGHT (8!) Pac-10 players expected to be chosen ahead of him AND 4 from Gonzaga alone. Yikes.

Yo Meaty, you got any inside info on the what's going on with Nic Wise? I had heard he was pretty much as good as gone, has he changed his mind now that he realizes he will probably be the only guard on the team?

Whats the backup plan in case Wise leaves and Jennings can't prove he didn't cheat on his test? (By the way I am still laughing at your claim of Jennings being a pass first guard. The kid only passed in the McD's allstar game to try to break a record, not for the benefit of his team). Is Jacobsen gonna handle the rock? How about Onobun? Man Zona is stacked. If Lute can take this team deep in the tournament it will be the single greatest coaching job in the history of sports.

posted by the meathead:

"The news of Negedu being released today obviously isn't great, but his character is quite questionable when he turns tail and runs at the first sign of adversity"

gee dave, isn't that exactly what lute did last year when he walked out on his players in the middle of the season last fall?

Patience- Are you serious? A 73 year old legend of the game left for medical/personal reasons in the BEGINNING of the season. No one gave Coach K any gripe when he left during the season when his back was hurting him. The Devils dropped out of the NCAA Tourney, and my Cats came dangerously close to the same fate, but Lute takes the time and he is a bad guy and is leaving his team high and dry? Are you kidding? Why the double standard?

Lute thought that bringing Kevin O'Neill in for the year would steady the ship, but unfortunately it backfired. O'Neill was the most qualifed person within the Arizona family to hold the reins for a year, but Lute had no idea O'neill would bring all this turmoil to the team. Negedu was treated terribly on his visit when who was in charge? O'NEILL for crying out loud, O'Neill.

Tell me PATIENCE, How did Lute turn his back on the team? He couldn't disclose information about his LOA due to both medical reasons, and legal reasons with his messy divorce and thought O'Neill could handle himself. Jamelle Horne was thinking of transferring due to O'Neill. Wise is still thinking about it. Chase put his name in the draft. Bayless bolted. Negedu reneged from his committment. And we lost 2 high 2009 recruits that were high on Lute's list.

Lute's first action in his return was distancing the program from the primary cause of all this distress: Kevin O'Neill. He then replaced complacent Miles Simon. Pastner left the program to spread his wings in hopes of returing to be considered Head Coach of UofA. Nothing is wrong with the program; the media has always taken shots at Arizona and we've always been able to take them and show everyone we are still ontop. Next year will be no different.

Seriously patience, you really believe too much in what you read from shoddy reporters that only paint 1/4 of the picture. Get a clue son, you sound like quite a simpleton.

meathead,

lute quit on his team. walked out. left them without even an explanation. those are the facts, big boy.

now a top recruit is questioning lute's commitment.

seems fair given the old man's incredibly selfish disappearing act last season, don't you think? happened once, could happen again, right?

Meathead,

Most people don't take a LOA form work, and workout daily in the local gym daily, to get a divorce.

Maybe it is reasonable, but from afar it does not appear so.

Then when they return, chastise the press, and lecture them they need to drink more alcohol for health reasons, it generally doesn't go over well.

I like Lute and have pulled for his teams when they get to the final four. But from afar, it looks like he has gone crazy.

I agree, I can see that O'Neil is a bad match to run Lute's program, unless he is on valium or something.

But they way things have gone there the last few years, I would go somewhere else if I were a 5 star guy.

I mean no disrespect. It is just a detached observation.

Meatball (not "meathead')

I am new here. Sorry for screwing up your name in the last post.

Formerly Guest- Dude, Lute made the alchohol comments out of jest as a few local media sources ran rumors that he was in and out of rehab due to alcoholism. The most dangerous people are those who are mis or uninformed.

Meatball,

OK, the press I read made it sound really bizarre. Maybe his sarcasm -as you explain it- about the alcohol thing was over therir heads.

Again, I have always liked Lute. I hope things go well for him. He deserves it. Hopefully for him my distant observations are wrong.

I'll try not to stay dangerous. And I appreciate your insights.