Xavier no. 3 BE and top 35...?? lol

[Anti-Homer]

KyKy didn't look too engaged at MM. He did score 4 points but the exuberance was nothing like the other guys. The real question is if he was so good why didn't other teams offer him? Just like Miller, your buddy Chris, and even Thadd, Travis has his favorites and normally they are the guys that want to be coached and don't sulk but listen to the coaches.

Kyky didn't look engaged? Interesting. I'm perplexed b/c he lacked the all important "exuberance" factor, yet still was awarded the BE Freshmen of The year with the same demeanor. Come to think of it, I'm glad Justin Cage somehow escaped this curse of lacking EXUBERANCE, or he would not have been a four year starter. Same goes for guys like Kawhi Leonard, and coaches like Dean Smith, Tony Dungy, Tony Bennett & Brad Stevens. Perhaps different personalities can succeed in sports. Crazy thought I know, but I just hope our incoming freshmen adopt Lance Stephenson's personality or their careers are doomed.

Agreed Travis has his favorites. Just wish he wouldn't pick one of the most unproductive players (but great kid) on the team in J Carter the last two years. However, he did have a silly string fight with Winston in practice last year, and was in the top three for the lavender colored jersey seven times last year, so there's that.

BTW, exciting, exciting news. T Steele tweeted there have been four different players who won the turquoise jersey in four weeks. Yes, you read correctly. FOUR DIFFERENT PLAYERS! If there was ever a harbinger for a FF, this most certainly is it.

[Anti-Homer]

KyKy didn't look too engaged at MM. He did score 4 points but the exuberance was nothing like the other guys. The real question is if he was so good why didn't other teams offer him? Just like Miller, your buddy Chris, and even Thadd, Travis has his favorites and normally they are the guys that want to be coached and don't sulk but listen to the coaches.

Agree about Tandy at MM but i'm guessing that is just his way, He was the same way his freshman year when he was on the Big East All Freshman team. That said, wish he would seem more exuberant. Also agree about other schools not taking him. While i do believe a lot of that has to do with the fact that the rule change made it very competitive. I heard that he did however get offers from mid majors but didnt want to go that route. Bottom line here is that both Tandy and Steele have made certain commitments for one another that Tandy came back and Steele accepted him. I root for him like all players but Steele definitely seemed to have favorites-namely Adam Kunkel. I just hope that his favorites do well because they are going to play.

I like Kyky too and it was sad that he did not fit the last 2 years but when you act like no one can teach you because you are too good there will always be problems. I hope that Kyky will be a spark at times and someone needs to tell him with success comes laurels because you earned it, the family could help out here but then that might be the problem. Too many family and friends whispering into a players ear can lead the player into unreality

Kyky's high maintenance reputation, as well as that of his helicopter father preceded him. It was not a well held secret that this made Calipari and Mack back off. You're a insider, so I'm sure there is some truth to the narrative, but in the 54 years I've known you, your opinion always aligns with the coach....until he leaves. Funny, Steele took him back anyway, which isn't surprising, with his commanding and credible personality. This is the same one who encouraged Carter, his fave, to leave.

When much lesser talented players get plenty of offers, there is no doubt Kyky had dozens as well, from both mid and high majors. Why he stayed is a mystery, but it is on both him and Coach Steele. Hopefully, Steele measures each player to the same standard, and not a double secret probation one he held to the BE player of the year last season.

[Anti-Homer]

What do you mean he didn’t fit in? He was first team all big East freshmen team, but didn’t fit in? Common man! Steele chose to replace him with a “shooter” Kinkel, who actually didn’t shoot well at all. I know you didn’t play basketball, but this isn’t CYO play your best Big East players.

Hops,

Though your negativity has been wearing on me, you made some very cogent points here. I'm starting a virtual, rainbow colored jersey of the week for posters, and you have now climbed in the top 40 for this one. Keep up the good work!

[Anti-Homer]

agreed on the Tandy stuff. can't read into what you saw from an hour at MM. and really, so what if he doesn't show "emotion". some dudes just aren't built that way. doesn't make him a bad player.

we know most of the reasons why he didn't play last year - he couldn't guard the way they wanted him to and he couldn't figure out how to play within the system and within himself at the same time. KyKy is the type of player who, if he isn't scoring, probably feels like he's not contributing, and until he figures out that he doesn't HAVE TO score to contribute for our team, he probably won't see more minutes than some other dudes that understand how to do that. that's how it goes.

i hope he's figuring it out in practice because i want see him succeed - but not at the expense of losing games or doing it just because some people on this board think he should be playing over other dudes.

LLS,

As usual, I agreed with much of your post. He struggled guarding players, but so did Free. We didn't have as much depth at the post, so I understand the longer rope, but he could have sat more wit his defensive lapses (though admittedly some were due to having to guard true 5s), especially when a more than capable Griffin had cobwebs growing on his shoes.

I must say I don't appreciate you calling out X-expert on this thread. However, as a Mod, I'll stand up for your right to do it.

[skyhops]

The rainbow jersey has given something to look forward to. Keep inspiring AH

[edgecliff hall]

Agree with Skyhops, somebody has got to design that rainbow jersey, and then post it proudly!

[kyzrex]

Being named to the BE all-FRESHMAN team is a very much OVERrated honor. There were SIX players named to that team when KyKy made it. Basically any freshman that played a bunch of minutes for their team had a good chance of making it because they would obviously show more production than those that may have been better players, but didn’t get the opportunity to play much on a team with more upperclassman depth and talent. Xavier that year was very thin and had to rely on freshman to play more than most other BE teams had to do. On a better Xavier team, one that had a deeper roster, he might not have played much at all. In fact, that might be just the situation now. Compare the rosters for Xavier of KyKy’s freshman year with the rosters for the last 2 years. Are they better, deeper, more experienced, and more talented rosters? I would say that yes they are. A couple of his all-freshman teammates have already left college and moved on to the pros. I sincerely hope that KyKy CAN be a valuable member of the team this year, but I’m afraid that ship may have already sailed.

[muskieman]

Being named to the BE all-FRESHMAN team is a very much OVERrated honor. There were SIX players named to that team when KyKy made it. Basically any freshman that played a bunch of minutes for their team had a good chance of making it because they would obviously show more production than those that may have been better players, but didn’t get the opportunity to play much on a team with more upperclassman depth and talent. Xavier that year was very thin and had to rely on freshman to play more than most other BE teams had to do. On a better Xavier team, one that had a deeper roster, he might not have played much at all. In fact, that might be just the situation now. Compare the rosters for Xavier of KyKy’s freshman year with the rosters for the last 2 years. Are they better, deeper, more experienced, and more talented rosters? I would say that yes they are. A couple of his all-freshman teammates have already left college and moved on to the pros. I sincerely hope that KyKy CAN be a valuable member of the team this year, but I’m afraid that ship may have already sailed.

Ky you make too much sense for some of the "jock sniffing Kyky" sycophants. I wish Kyky would dedicate himself to the team because he would be a great addition but that means playing within the team concept. The coaches cannot ignore his attitude and his parental interference-misguidance because they can become cancer to the team.

[skyhops]

Are you saying that Robinson-Earl and Champagnie are overrated? One is in the NBA and the other will probably be a first round pick. They were on the all freshmen team with Free and KyKy. I’ve heard it all now. I meddling parent and a desire to play more minutes defines many D1 players. I did hear the Kunkel’s and Carter’s parents brought Capri Suns and orange slices to practice last year.

[kyzrex]

Are you saying that Robinson-Earl and Champagnie are overrated? One is in the NBA and the other will probably be a first round pick. They were on the all freshmen team with Free and KyKy. I’ve heard it all now. I meddling parent and a desire to play more minutes defines many D1 players. I did hear the Kunkel’s and Carter’s parents brought Capri Suns and orange slices to practice last year.

I’m NOT saying that THOSE players are overrated. I’m saying that getting NAMED to the ALL-FRESHMAN team IS overrated. The only players eligible for the all-freshman team are freshman. (DUH, right?) Many very very good freshman don’t play much because the teams they are on don’t NEED them to play. It’s either a case of a team NEEDING a freshman to play because they have a weak roster, OR that the freshman is just that darn good that they play. A freshman that plays a lot of minutes is almost a shoo-in to make an all-freshman team. C’mon man, he averaged like 6 points a game as a freshman. It’s not like he was under consideration for any other all-league teams. It’s NOT like he made an all league team when he was competing against ALL the players in the league, regardless of their class. Are you saying that he is as good as Robinson-Earl or Champagnie? Or even as good as Free?

Once again, I just think that you’ve over valued his abilities and usefulness. He just not shown himself to be that good of a player IMO.