Zags should be voted 3rd by coaches

[BobZag]

But no, the WCC coaches will vote der Zags #1 so all the other players and fans can get pissed off and circle their games with GU. Ugh. Gets tiresome. C'mon, coaches, I double dog dare y'all to vote das Zags #3 in WCC. Be original, do it.

[stmikezag]

Do you really think that coaches voting amounts to anything . Honesty is not a strength in this regard. The truth of the matter is that when the new schedules are printed they automatically come with the zag games circled. So what else is new?

[CaliforniaZaggin']

Winning doesn't get old. Neither does respect. Nor objectivity. Zags #1.

[GoGU]

I hope they have our games circled. Makes for a more entertaining game.

[DADoZAG]

But no, the WCC coaches will vote der Zags #1 so all the other players and fans can get pissed off and circle their games with GU. Ugh. Gets tiresome. C'mon, coaches, I double dog dare y'all to vote das Zags #3 in WCC. Be original, do it.

No one is curious as to why BZ thinks the ZAGS should be 3rd and not 2nd? I am!

So, just who do you think should be 1st and who should be 2nd, BZ?

And why...

Go ZAGS!

[Baldwinzag]

Have a feelin' the Zags will be voted 2nd by Coaches -- fwiw, I think St Mary's will be just as good this season(4 of 5 starters return), a couple high-profile transfers have become eligible, one of their best recruiting classes in school history, & past injured players ready fill Rob Jones shoes just fine. The Gaels have a 7-footer via Big10 team, an elite Top-150 guard who averaged double-digits & 4+ assists at another D1 school, and a solid post player in the mix(name escapes me); also, BYU will most assuredly be a better overall team, imo. top-to-bottom with the return of Tyler Haws, Carlino, Davies, et al. Not tremendous depth, but better weapons on both sides of the ball, even with the loss of the efficient Hartsock.

Anyway, I predict Zags will be 2nd in Coaches Poll.

Gonzaga, as talented as we are, will have to fight for their lives to come out on top in the WCC.

[Bogozags]

Have a feelin' the Zags will be voted 2nd by Coaches -- fwiw, I think St Mary's will be just as good this season(4 of 5 starters return), a couple high-profile transfers have become eligible, one of their best recruiting classes in school history, & past injured players ready fill Rob Jones shoes just fine. The Gaels have a 7-footer via Big10 team, an elite Top-150 guard who averaged double-digits & 4+ assists at another D1 school, and a solid post player in the mix(name escapes me); also, BYU will most assuredly be a better overall team, imo. top-to-bottom with the return of Tyler Haws, Carlino, Davies, et al. Not tremendous depth, but better weapons on both sides of the ball, even with the loss of the efficient Hartsock.

Anyway, I predict Zags will be 2nd in Coaches Poll.

Gonzaga, as talented as we are, will have to fight for their lives to come out on top in the WCC.

Baldwinzag,

I agree, SMC should be ranked #1 with the Zags at #2 and BYU at #3. Delly will be hard pressed to win POY again with stiff competition from Davies, Harris and Pangos depending on which team wins the WCC.

SMC is going to be really tough this year as we have difficulty with their offenses and also defending their pick&roll offence, which IMO is the best in the nation.

BYU will be tough again as Rose will have them ready and don't think they will lose three at home again either.

We are loaded but the "alignment of the planets" will determine our success on the road against both these teams this year.

[TheGonzagaFactor]

Baldwinzag,


SMC is going to be really tough this year as we have difficulty with their offenses and also defending their pick&roll offence, which IMO is the best in the nation.

How can you say something like that when they haven't made it work against any relevant team outside the WCC?

[2wiceright]

Have a feelin' the Zags will be voted 2nd by Coaches -- fwiw, I think St Mary's will be just as good this season(4 of 5 starters return), a couple high-profile transfers have become eligible, one of their best recruiting classes in school history, & past injured players ready fill Rob Jones shoes just fine. The Gaels have a 7-footer via Big10 team, an elite Top-150 guard who averaged double-digits & 4+ assists at another D1 school, and a solid post player in the mix(name escapes me); also, BYU will most assuredly be a better overall team, imo. top-to-bottom with the return of Tyler Haws, Carlino, Davies, et al. Not tremendous depth, but better weapons on both sides of the ball, even with the loss of the efficient Hartsock.

Anyway, I predict Zags will be 2nd in Coaches Poll.

Gonzaga, as talented as we are, will have to fight for their lives to come out on top in the WCC.

I think you're buying in to a little of the St Marys Koolaide when it comes to their frontcourt (IMHO). Their big 'snag' that they're sooo hyped about is Matt Hodgson, a 6'11'' power forward that Bennett supposedly said he could envision him in the NBA some day. He played two years at Southern Utah and averaged 29 minutes per game. As a sophmore, the best stats he could muster at his advanced height and slight frame was an unimpressive 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and a hefty 4.5 points per game. And supposedly he will more than make up for the loss of Rob Jones (I don't buy it!).

If anyone questions their frontcourt compared to us or BYU Alameda intimidates all into this kid being their surprise weapon of this year and browbeats everyone to his way of thinking, because of a rumor that Bennet was high on his upside. And I believe their big guard pickup (name ?) has to sit out a year or is redshirting.

Any team will be good with their backcourt from last year. But I really believe we will be much better than them this year and will have the chance to take them down twice in regular season play (although they will be close hardfought games as always, our depth and superiority in the frontcourt and wing positions will be their undoing....). Just my 2 cents.

[Naph]

And I believe their big guard pickup (name ?) has to sit out a year or is redshirting.

Paul McCoy is coming back off multiple knee operations. Big questions marks after mising so much time but he was good before those knee surgeries.

Garret Jackson (SF) is a transfer from USC and will be redshirting.

James Walker is a JuCo transfer from Citrus (previously with Utah State), does not need to redshirt or sit out and is expected to earn significant minutes.

[MickMick]

But no, the WCC coaches will vote der Zags #1 so all the other players and fans can get pissed off and circle their games with GU. Ugh. Gets tiresome. C'mon, coaches, I double dog dare y'all to vote das Zags #3 in WCC. Be original, do it.

I would love to read this board after that.

[2wiceright]

James Walker

Paul McCoy is coming back off multiple knee operations. Big questions marks after mising so much time but he was good before those knee surgeries.

Garret Jackson (SF) is a transfer from USC and will be redshirting.

James Walker is a JuCo transfer from Citrus (previously with Utah State), does not need to redshirt or sit out and is expected to earn significant minutes.

Thanks Naph, I forgot Walker was a JuCo. Bennet has a way of doing something with nothing and this may turn out to be an example. To me it's a head scratcher. We usually pick up accomplished Jucos (Carter, Batista, GLE, and on and on) who were stars at their respective schools who in turn usually were on a Junior College championship team. From what I can tell from Walker, he averaged 10 minutes a game last year. When he did play he shot 34% from 2, and a dismal 26% from three.

I don't know if he is some kind of defensive specialist or what. But even though they got a couple of 3 star kids GU was also (according to the kid) interested in and they look to be very solid players in a year or two. I think for the next year or two we will be a notch or two above the rest (finally). It's the 2014 class that's so vital, but Few and Co. always seem to come through under pressure. I'm keping my fingers crossed!

[Bogozags]

How can you say something like that when they haven't made it work against any relevant team outside the WCC?

They have made it work against us, which is my point. We have a really difficult time stopping their pick and roll offence it has been effective against other teams on their schedule too! I hope we do better against it this season.

[Naph]

Thanks Naph, I forgot Walker was a JuCo. Bennet has a way of doing something with nothing and this may turn out to be an example. To me it's a head scratcher. We usually pick up accomplished Jucos (Carter, Batista, GLE, and on and on) who were stars at their respective schools who in turn usually were on a Junior College championship team. From what I can tell from Walker, he averaged 10 minutes a game last year. When he did play he shot 34% from 2, and a dismal 26% from three.

I think you're looking at the wrong guy. The Gaels have this guy
ESPN recruiting profile
Horrible formatting but his statistics at Citrus (28-2) can be viewed here
19.1ppg (FG%:.458 FT:.826 3FG:.349) 4.7rpg 2.9apg 1.3spg 2.6topg 0.7bpg
He was named the CCCAA state and SoCal player of the year.

[Oregonzagnut]

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