Thanks Raivio and Mallon... you deserve better

[ZagAddict]

I love the heart that Raivio and Mallon have been bringing to the team this year. This has been a rough year, but Raivio and Mallon have always been there giving their all out effort night in and night out. Thank you for giving the effort that we have become accustomed to seeing as Zag fans.

As seniors, Mallon and Raivio deserve better than the hand that has been dealt to them ala Josh Heytvelt. I won't go into whether or not his presence changes the outcome of this past weekend or games in the future, but it is a complete shame that one player can put a team/program in such a bad situation. Teammates that don't have the team's/program's/school's best interestes at hand have no place on the Zag roster in my opinion.

Raivio and Mallon... good luck the rest of the way. It's not too late to accomplish your goals as seniors (i.e. NCAA Tournament).

Heytvelt, I wish you luck as well. I hope you are able to learn from this experience and make better choices in the future. Unfortunately, I hope this doesn't take place while wearing a Zag uniform. Your lack of respect for you teammates can never be reversed in my opinion, and the other 14 players on the team deserve better.

Just my opinion on a frustrating night...

[mendiant]

You get a big amen form me brother...on all points.

love,
church lady

[Argentum]

Agreed

Derek and Sean, hold your heads high. You made this Zag fan proud tonight by battling hard to the end.

[TexasZagFan]

Teammates that don't have the team's/program's/school's best interestes at hand have no place on the Zag roster in my opinion.

We've been lucky over the last ten years. May our good fortune continue for at least ten more.

[soonerterp]

Derek and Sean, hold your heads high. You made this Zag fan proud tonight by battling hard to the end.

... you also made a big impression on the Friendly Outsider Pest (me) likewise.

[pdxzagfan]

Great post ZagAddict, I agree with everything you said. Raivio and Mallon are class acts and do deserve far better. I love their attitudes during this time of adversity; it seems they never stop chipping away. I read in an article (a while ago) where Raivio's dad said DR's heart was as big as his body, and I believe it.

[jayray]

As seniors, Mallon and Raivio deserve better than the hand that has been dealt to them ala Josh Heytvelt.

Give me a break. Blaming this loss on Josh? I don't think so. This is flat out ridiculous. Josh was NOT Mr. Almighty, able to save GU from anything. With or without Josh the they would have lost. All season it was all those road games Few scheduled. Now, we have Josh to blame. If it makes you feel better to believe that, I guess there is no harm.

[brasszag]

How about they deserve better than someone risking their last chance to go to the NCAAs "because he got high"

[LongIslandZagFan]

Give me a break. Blaming this loss on Josh? I don't think so. This is flat out ridiculous. Josh was NOT Mr. Almighty, able to save GU from anything. With or without Josh the they would have lost. All season it was all those road games Few scheduled. Now, we have Josh to blame. If it makes you feel better to believe that, I guess there is no harm.

I think what people mean here, and I hope I am not putting words into their mouths, is that his disappearance from the team left a very big hole. Does that mean that this team is a complete bust without him? No. A better way to look at it would be he just tipped over the apple cart right before the most important weekend in conference play. It is going to take a bit to get the chemistry flowing again.

The team was NOT itself last night. We shot horribly from everywhere... Josh or no Josh, that ISN'T this team. This does strike me as a result of a post Josh debacle hangover. One positive is how they came together at the end of the game. If they take that intensity into the game against Memphis from the get-go I'd say we have a reasonable shot at winning the game.

[SteeleMan]

Jay

"Give me a break. Blaming this loss on Josh?"

I'm feel confident that Addict is not blaming any loss on JH. What I took his post as meaning is that D.Rav and Mallon, as seniors and giving their heart and sole to the program, don't deserve the turmoil that has been brought upon them and the program by the actions of JH and TD.

That was a very inspired performance by Derek last night. One that I will remember for a long time.

[ZagSlug]

The question I have is.....how long will it take to find this version of the team to find its identity? It is a total recalibration of the team late in the season.

I agree with LIZF, there is a hole and it happens to be in the middle which is more difficult to fill than a wing or guard position.

Here's hoping that the staff and players figure it out before the WCC tournament.

[Schmitty]

C'mon people...

Josh wouldve made a HUGE difference last night, just as he does every game. Think about the intagibles.. You think Pariseau wouldve been driving the lane for easy layups if Josh was in there, or any of the SCU guards for that matter.. Rebounds, blocks, dunks, crowd momentum, intimidation, defense, etc etc.. Josh isnt the reason they lost, but he most certainly couldve helped them win.

[zaglawdad]

zaglawdad

great post ZagAddict. I agree on all points with you. Raivio and Mallon are both a class act. Sean Mallon isn't the most athletically gifted player on the court but he brings intelligence, heart, and work ethics to the team.

[wazZag]

I'm going to miss seeing Mallon in a Zag-uni for all of the reasons you mentioned zaglawdad. There have been times where I wished we had someone more athletic, bigger, stronger, etc. down low instead of SM, but I've begun to appreciate what he brings more and more. For example, he may not be able to rebound at an incredible rate, but I've never seen a big guy take more charges. He knows what is going on, is a great leader, plays his ass off, and demands the same of his teammates.

[brasszag]

My 2 cents and Sean Mallon tribute as it were.

Sean came in as a sought after top-100 recruit, redshirted, and then was overshadowed almost immediately on his return - at his own position by Ronny, and from his own city by Ammo. His staying in Spokane to play for GU was a major boost to the GU program's recruiting morale at the time. Let's not forget that either.

He's been a class act and a valuable on-court contributer for his entire career - even as his physical limits have been maximised, he continues to improve his game skills to contribute on the court. This is not disregarding the often-shabby and condescending treatment he gets from the Zags own "fans."

He's one of the guys on this year's team that most reminds me of the Zags from when they started their run in the late 90's - savvy and tough-minded and often playing against bigger, faster, more "athletic" players. He's done this as a Senior and one of the key members of a team that has had to tackle vastly greater obstacles - both on the court and off - than the one when he was recruited. This team will be poorer next year without a Senior student-athlete of his caliber on it.

I'd be surprised next year if there aren't times where Mark Few will be missing being able to call him off the bench. Guys like Sean are the heart of our program, and they are the ones I'm most proud of, as an Alumnus of Gonzaga.