Gary Parrish's Very Early Top 25 (+1)

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I'll go on record and say Louisville is overrated. A lot of nice players, but none with a "wow" factor. ... similar to this season. They'll win a lot of games in November-December because Ricky P rarely leaves the state (much like Boeheim @ Syracuse).
 

As we all know, pre-season rankings now, or a day before the season starts mean very little. But, it is still fun to do. Selection, you seem to be very wise when it comes to college basketball. In fact, anytime there is a post with your name attached, it's a must read. With that being said, who would you put in your top 5 right now?

http://mnsportssidefx.blogpsot.com/

http://sportstearsinourbeers.blogspot.com/
 

SelectionSunday said:
I'll go on record and say Louisville is overrated. A lot of nice players, but none with a "wow" factor. ... similar to this season. They'll win a lot of games in November-December because Ricky P rarely leaves the state (much like Boeheim @ Syracuse).
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Yes! The Big East hate starts off early... a knock on Louisville AND Syracuse!
 


I see that Goodman has Wisconsin losing Jared Berggren for next year. Did I miss the news that he is the mystery transfer to MN that everyone is speculating about (he would not qualify for a scholarship), or did Goodman just think he was graduating?
 


Top 5

Assuming all or most of their studs come back, I'd go:

5. Ohio State
4. Texas
3. Syracuse
2. Kentucky
1. North Carolina

It's always dangerous not putting Duke or Kansas in a preseason Top 5, no matter who they lose early or to graduation. If Williams comes back for Arizona (doubtful), I'd probably put the Wildcats in there somewhere.
 

BarnOwl said:
I see that Goodman has Wisconsin losing Jared Berggren for next year. Did I miss the news that he is the mystery transfer to MN that everyone is speculating about (he would not qualify for a scholarship), or did Goodman just think he was graduating?
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The Big Ten has changed its rules re: intraconference transfers, and players will now be eligible to receive athletic aid.

See link, specifically slide 4:

http://www.gophersports.com/downloads2/394684.ppt
 





SelectionSunday said:
I would have added Wisconsin at #12 (#22 is OK), but I didn't want our neighbors to the East to get all up in arms.;)
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#12 is definitely over-rated to start the year for UW. That said, I fully expect UW to end up around #12 at the end of the year:). I know that doesn't make any sense at all at first glance, but I'll try to briefly explain: Pre-season rankings are usually best-case scenarios if all the talent on all of the teams comes together the way it can. No chemistry issues, no injuries, no mal-contents, and every player on every team is a team player who does what the coach asks, etc. etc.

Now that NEVER happens, but if it did, UW would rarely be a top 20 team. The thing is, that ALWAYS happens with UW teams--so basically Wisconsin just stays consistent and waits for all the more talented teams to screw up; and VOILA, top 15 team. Very similar to the way they play individual games, too. Don't turn it over, rebound, take good shots: VOILA, victory

It's hard to predict which teams will be disappointments though, so UW is chronically under-rated to start the year, even though most writers (and fans like myself) certainly wouldn't be surprised (and sometimes expect) to see them near the top at the end of the year.

I prefer it this way. :cool02: Sure beats being chronically over-rated and disappointed by not living up to expectations.
 

ParaBadger said:
No chemistry issues, no injuries, no mal-contents, and every player on every team is a team player who does what the coach asks, etc. etc.
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Haha, if only. If nothing whatsoever went wrong with Minnesota, meaning Paul Carter, Devoe Joseph, Al Nolen, and Royce White were all playing, not to mention Trevor Mbakwe having an additional year of game experience with this team, I think we would have been top 10 this past season. But we all know that didn't happen, and Colton Iverson has given us a strong start to this upcoming year of mishaps. I predict the Barn will get struck by a massive meteorite within the next year.

What-ifs and tongue-in-cheek pessimism aside, should Michigan really be ranked so high? I realize they've had some very strong play from their freshmen this past season, and that they played both Duke and Kansas very close and killed Tennessee, and that they don't lose anyone at all to graduation but...ok, so maybe I just answered my own question. I guess I'm just having trouble wrapping my mind around the concept of a team that was projected to be a Big Ten bottomfeeder this season, a few even choosing them to finish last in the conference, becoming almost a top 15 team the next season and a conference title contender.
 



Couple thoughts. . .

I think Villanova might bounce back next year after a couple rocky seasons; it seems like a lot of drama surrounded Corey Fisher and maybe a bit of addition by subtraction could occur there.

I also think Florida could be a whole lot of fun next season, if they can find a couple warm bodies on the frontline-goodness, look at those guards! Boynton and Walker plus Rutgers transfer Mike Rosario and top recruit Bradley Beal. . .speaking of Villanova, Billy Donovan should visit with Jay Wright this summer to see how to incorporate the four guard lineup.
 

With there being a chance of an NBA lockout, I think there will be a few surprises with guys staying who would normally declare for the draft.
 

I don't quite understand the love for Syracuse. They had a good regular season, but aren't they just like Louisville, a team that had a great regular season but proved prone to the upset in the NCAA tourney? But I liked Jackson more than Knowles, and I am skeptical of many of the recruits Boeheim has brought in with the 2010 and 2011 classes - they seem more like "potential" than "production" guys to me. Hell, Jackson averaged a double-double last year - there aren't many big men in the country who accomplish that in a BCS conference - and he averaged 5 more rebounds than their next highest rebounder, so clearly he is a big loss for Syracuse. Each team (Syr and UL) lost a key player at an important position and is bringing in some good recruits. Honestly, I would rate Louisville higher than Syracuse for next season. Louisville had a good regular season in spite of a couple key personnel losses in the frontcourt (Swopshire missed the whole season and Buckles missed the last half of it). I think Louisville will be a top-10 team next season - they might not make the Elite 8 or F4, but over the course of the regular season I think there's little doubt they should finish in the top-10. Syracuse, probably a top-20 team, but I am not 100% sold on them. I think Syracuse is a team that, after losing Jackson, has a hole at the one position that their group of versatile wings can't fill. They have two 5* big men in Melo and Christmas (and another big who played a small role this year in Keita), but all three of their centers are extremely raw - they will have to have someone among the Cs develop exponentially in order to be a top-10 team. Syracuse on paper has enough talent to be a top-5 team, but I don't think their team fits together in such a way to make the whole better than the sum of the parts.
 

Who else enjoyed the justification for Wisconsin being that high? I know they always do better than we expect... but really? Carrot top is gonna star for them?
 

underground629 said:
Who else enjoyed the justification for Wisconsin being that high? I know they always do better than we expect... but really? Carrot top is gonna star for them?
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I heard he is going back to the shaved head ... that perm comment on national TV would have probably been too much to deal with.
 

scher215 said:
No Gopher love this year ... sigh
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When you lose 10 out of your last 11 it is correct. If Trevor stays I think we see some barely top 25 love prior to the start of the season. I think we will earn top 20 love as the season progresses.

I am real good at this stuff too. I forecast 28 wins for us 2010-2011.
 

Atl Gopher said:
When you lose 10 out of your last 11 it is correct. If Trevor stays I think we see some barely top 25 love prior to the start of the season. I think we will earn top 20 love as the season progresses.

I am real good at this stuff too. I forecast 28 wins for us 2010-2011.
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Oh I wasn't expecting Gopher love at all ... just a sign of how down the season went last year.

I am hoping for a solid bounce back year though. The majority of the team will have faced or watched that spiral and when a team is talented enough, that memory can be big.

Lakers talked about what motivated them to win the next year after losing to Boston was watching them celebrate. Magic purposely watched LA celebrate to motivate them. Gophers had to watch a lot of teams celebrate. That can be good for a team sometimes.
 

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