How have your hopes/expectations changed

UDBrian · #1 10-25-2008, 11:44 PM

After seeing the REd/Blue game or hearing reports from the game how have your hopes/expectations changed for the Flyer's season?

AFflyer · #2 10-25-2008, 11:51 PM

Have to say they are the same, although from the sounds of it everyone played well lets see how they do during the season and more importantly down the stretch. Can everyone stay healthy I think itll be a good season but everyone, including myself, has been saying every year that this is the year.

bobber · #3 10-25-2008, 11:57 PM

I was there and I can understand why some posters were so optimistic about freshman Chris Johnson. I won't over-sell the guy. Just wait till you see him for yourself.

And the fact that Rob Lowery played like a big-boy point guard......well, that makes me feel a lot better about this year.

San Diego Flyer · #4 10-26-2008, 12:03 AM

After reading the eyewitness reviews, my hopes are the same. I think we are an NCAA bubble team again as I've always thought.
But I'm even more optimistic about the pg's, but still nervous that Charles and Kurt aren't going to ratchet up a notch.

Lot's of encouragement that the kids will help this year and they aren't going to first wait for someone to prod them.

Fudd · #5 10-26-2008, 09:22 AM

I like the individual talents on this team, but I am more cocerned about our apparent "new system" of playing a much more aggressive defense. I think it is the right strategy, but I just don't know quite what to expect yet. I have never seen a Flyer team play that way before. This is going to be a learning experience for me as a fan.

TerryK_67 · #6 10-26-2008, 09:46 AM

We have all been used to a pretty good drop off in talent at about # 6 or so in the rotation. I don't see that with this group. We will be able to play a lot of guys with no change in talent level. The young guys all look like they can contribute. Unfortuante that the best one (Paul Williams) was injured and unable to participate.
This was my first look at Josh Benson. My first thought is that he was awfully thin. But then he put a couple of moves on and ... well the guy can play! Almost scray to think about how good he can be when his body matures!
I second everything on Chris Johnson - he can play right now. He is also a little thin, but again - 18 years old! His body will fill out. Very very explosive player.
Fabrizious was a lot better than I was anticipating. He is bigger, stronger, and more athletic than what I was expecting. He did not look like a defensive liablilty that I was expecting either - although he is probably not ever going to be an all A10 defensive player.
Lowery looks awefully thin too. He is quick and looks like a better shooter than London, but I don't look for him to take the starting positon from London. In fact I look for London, Rob, and Steven Thomas to get about equal time.

Gilchrist's Autograph 2 · #7 10-26-2008, 03:08 PM

Overall expectations remain pretty much the same, but I only stayed for the first half of the game.

Unfortunatley we didn't get to see Williams, but Chris Johnson impressed me quite a bit.
Wright and Little (especially Little) were very quiet in the first half - I was not impressed at all.
Lowrey and Warren - the similarities are endless. Lowrey has a better jump-shot and Warren looks like a slightly better defender, but overall, they are very similar.
Mickey Perry looked very sharp. Huelsman looked decent - especially when he blocked CW twice.
I know it is very early, but it looked like the same exact offense as last year (which disappointed me).

shocka43 · #8 10-26-2008, 03:19 PM

This is one of the most balanced teams we have had in a while. From the looks that we got at the scrimmage, it appears that any one person could step up on any given night. Unfortunately, you can only have 5 guys on the court at once.

I liked the press that we saw for the majority of the game. If this is a sign of things to come great, but I am thinking that it was more of a conditioning deal than a "this is what you are going to see" deal. Until the season comes full swing and we see what changes are made in game, we won't know for sure. We sure do have the speed and ability for this type of play, but in years past we go back to the same thing no matter what we see early on.

I think expectations are a bit higher than a few weeks ago knowing that we don't just have 6-8 guys that have the ability to make things happen, we have much more than that based on what we saw yesterday.

Fudd · #9 10-26-2008, 03:24 PM

There sure is going to be a clash of styles when we go against Xavier this year. They are very half court oriented this year, IMO. And they are bringing Freasenstein.

udflyerfan07 · #10 10-26-2008, 05:17 PM

We have to try and run on X this year...I don't see them at anytime not having at least Love or Frease in the game. Coupled with BJ Raymond and/or B. Redford and D. Jackson all out there at a given time we will certainly have the athletic advantage out there with whoever we put out there (KH aside). Run, run, run. X will exploit us however in the half court game with Love and Frease.

ClearTheRunwayForWLJ · #11 10-26-2008, 05:42 PM

The only reason mine are a little higher is because we got to see Lowery play and he is better than London. He can shoot, defend and pass.

Nov. 6 is the next big day, see how he looks. Remember BG started Binnie in the pre-season last year and everyone thought it was because he was a senior and then Binnie started all season. So the starting lineup for Nov. 6 will tell a lot more than the red and blue game.

The Fat Tuna · #12 10-26-2008, 06:07 PM

Higher for me, just based on the one scrimage.

1. Lowery was impressive. I think opposing PG's are going to need an oxygen tank on the sidelines to keep up with these two. London seems bigger and stronger, Lowery is slender buy not too skinny or weak. Lowery has a fairly smooth game but is still quick and pretty long as well. Mark this down...those two will wear down a number of guards and make life miserable for other teams on our schedule.

2. Searcy is probably better than KH already. I love Kurt and his attitude but DS has long arms and is athletic. Impressed by him.

3. Benson and C. Johnson did not look lost yesterday, very encouraging. LF did at times. I would not be surprised to see LF red-shirt, I just don't know where his minutes would come from this year.

4. Three point shooting was improved. MJ showed that he can knock one down, and not that he is looking to shoot those, but teams can't leave him open out there. MP looked very confident, not only shooting but in his all around game. CJ looked very confident in his shot as well...a big deal for a true freshman.

5. THE BIGGEST REASON UD IS VERY SUCCESSFUL THIS YEAR IS......

An incredibly versitle line-up. We could go with shooters....
RL, MP, CJ, CW, JB

We can go big... LW, MJ, CW, DS, KH

We can go extremely quick...LW, RL, MJ, CW, DS (this one at times could be scary, we don't lose a ton from a rebounding standpoint either with MJ and LW.)

Because of this simple fact many teams on our schedule will not be able to handle us. In years past we had match-up problems and couldn't guard certain players or run certain sets on offense. It is the opposite this year.

Against some teams we could go LW, RL, MJ, CJ, CW....still hold a rebounding advantage and have every single player on our team be a better athlete than anyone else on the other team.

In year's past we were forced to play a certain way and hope that the other team didn't exploit a guy like Binnie. I simply don't see that happening this year.

My prediction now is 24-7.

ClearTheRunwayForWLJ · #13 10-26-2008, 06:16 PM

Not be a downer ... but one thing.

I remember Sandoval hitting about 7 or 8 three's in the red/blue game and everyone was like oh baby, we have a guy who can nail them and will be a leader. This board blew up.

Let's remember this is a scrimmage, against each other. Anyone can knock them down with 2,000 people watching (JB, AS) but when there are many more, where are they?

So lets not go nuts on Johnson and Perry just yet ... lets give it a 2 or 3 games.

flyerfanatic86 · #14 10-26-2008, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by ClearTheRunwayForWLJ

Not be a downer ... but one thing.

I remember Sandoval hitting about 7 or 8 three's in the red/blue game and everyone was like oh baby, we have a guy who can nail them and will be a leader. This board blew up.

Let's remember this is a scrimmage, against each other. Anyone can knock them down with 2,000 people watching (JB, AS) but when there are many more, where are they?

So lets not go nuts on Johnson and Perry just yet ... lets give it a 2 or 3 games.

Luckily for us, 2,000 fans is about what they'll face in many opposing A10 gyms

IAFlyer · #15 10-26-2008, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by ClearTheRunwayForWLJ

Not be a downer ... but one thing.

I remember Sandoval hitting about 7 or 8 three's in the red/blue game and everyone was like oh baby, we have a guy who can nail them and will be a leader. This board blew up.

Let's remember this is a scrimmage, against each other. Anyone can knock them down with 2,000 people watching (JB, AS) but when there are many more, where are they?

So lets not go nuts on Johnson and Perry just yet ... lets give it a 2 or 3 games.

I think this was similar to point made in the other thread - this scrimmage is not really showing us the real deal -- it is a scrimmage and little more.

As such, I have my expectations at NCAA bubble team - where it was before - no change.

ClearTheRunwayForWLJ · #16 10-26-2008, 10:46 PM

I see us making it only if we win 24 or more.

The first nine games of the season will tell us if that is realistic or not.

number21 · #17 10-27-2008, 11:40 AM

These scrimmages are typically sloppy. You know the other teams plays and you know the other teams players moves. I never put too much stock in these games.

While watching warm ups our guards and forwards couldn't hit anything and I was thinking oh no here we go again but guys were able to knock down some shots once the game started.

With the way BG likes to substitute and the depth we have UD might play a up tempo swarming defense and just keep sending in fresh waves of players. He does it anyway so why not let them run wild at least defensively?

These games mean nothing but I vote for my expectations are the same now and the same as they are every year NCAA or bust!

Flyer 86 · #18 10-27-2008, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by number21

These scrimmages are typically sloppy. You know the other teams plays and you know the other teams players moves. I never put too much stock in these games.

While watching warm ups our guards and forwards couldn't hit anything and I was thinking oh no here we go again but guys were able to knock down some shots once the game started.

With the way BG likes to substitute and the depth we have UD might play a up tempo swarming defense and just keep sending in fresh waves of players. He does it anyway so why not let them run wild at least defensively?

These games mean nothing but I vote for my expectations are the same now and the same as they are every year NCAA or bust!

i think there is some inverse correlation to be made. do well in warmups, stink it up in games.

can't hit barn (okay exxagerating) during warmups, we're fine in games.
--------------------------------
my expectations are slightly higher.
Due to Lowery playing well; Devin and benson looking decent; and perry and CJ on target (for me, i thought they'd be good. Perry is just a year behind)

shocka43 · #19 10-27-2008, 05:53 PM

Originally Posted by Flyer 86

i think there is some inverse correlation to be made. do well in warmups, stink it up in games.

can't hit barn (okay exxagerating) during warmups, we're fine in games.
--------------------------------
my expectations are slightly higher.
Due to Lowery playing well; Devin and benson looking decent; and perry and CJ on target (for me, i thought they'd be good. Perry is just a year behind)

Kinda like a dog that takes a dump before they release the rabbit....I wouldn't put my money on that.

Dark Flyer · #20 10-28-2008, 03:34 PM

I agree with The Fat Tuna, Devin Searcy is a better rebounder and more mobile than KH. Devin took a few 10' jumpers and missed. His shot has a Bill Cartwright-esque feel, but at least he is willing to take the shot. I can't remember KH ever shooting outside the paint. He should get as many minutes as he can handle, which I suspect is around 20.

Rob Lowery is a good enough point guard. I sensed that he was trying to put on a bit of a show in his "debut" as a Flyer, and that lead to some forced alley-oop attempts. He seemed under control most of the time. This team doesn't need an All-Star PG, just someone who can play D, hit the outside shot when they are open, and get the ball to the athletes in space. Check, check, and check.

23-8, but with a bye in the A-10 tourney and solidly on the bubble.