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| The Keg is open for business. From: the BDC |
Click below for the bag...
Monday, November 17, 2014
Monday Grab Bag: Off and Running
Whooo, it was good to get back into the CEC Friday night! It may not have had the feel of a big game night, but it certainly felt like basketball season; a long overdue return. I'm excited to get back in there this evening for the CU hoops sleep over against Auburn. I'm bringing my blanket and pillow, you bring the s'more fixings.
Today in the bag, I'm talking the opening win over Drexel, a fantastic weekend across the entire athletic department, and a quiet signing day.
Click below for the bag...
Click below for the bag...
Friday, November 14, 2014
2014 CU vs Drexel Basketball Teaser: The Curtain Rises, and the Show Begins
BuffNation, welcome back to all that is basketball.
It's been a long, strange, desperately boring offseason, but the countdowns have finally spun to zero, and it's time to open the 2014-15 basketball season. As if to remind us all, the weather gods have brought a chill to Boulder, making it certainly feel like a ball night. Thankfully, while the weather outside is frightful, the CEC is warm and delightful. That is where our campaign begins, back at home for the first time since late February for a welcomed opportunity to wipe the taste of that night out of our mouths.
First up, the Drexel Dragons, a mid-major riser with a history that dates back over a century to almost the founding of the collegiate game. Hailing from downtown Philadelphia, they promise to bring a tough-minded, defensive brand of basketball to the Front Range, and should be a feisty opponent for the Buffs on Night #1. Fearless, Coach Boyle never shies away from an opening challenge.
Bruiser Flint has been at the head of the program for what seems like an eternity. After a spin with UMass in the late '90s, the Philly local was hired on at Drexel in 2001, and has been there ever since. In that time, he's won a lot of games, 228 of them, in fact, but has never once gotten the Dragons into the Dance. It's hard out there in the CAA, but I would've though he'd have gotten lucky at least one of those years.
By far, Bruiser's best season at Drexel was 2011-'12, when the team won 29 games and claimed the league title. They fell short in the CAA tournament, however, stumbling against VCU in the title game. The NIT came calling, and the Dragons managed to make it all the way to the quarterfinal.
Coming off of that successful campaign, it was expected that Drexel was on the verge of a string of postseason trips. Unfortunately, that has not been the case, as, since 2012, the Dragons have slumped to three games under .500. Injuries have been the primary culprit, keeping a strong foundation of talent from reappearing on the Madness' radar. It especially hurt last winter, as they had more than enough talent, on paper, to make the Tournament. Without some their best players on the court, however, the team that pushed UCLA and Arizona to the brink in November of 2013 was all but gone by the time conference play rolled around last January.
Trying to turn the corner in '14-'15, the Dragons will be working to make up for the graduation of two of the best players in program history - Frantz Massenat and Chris Fouch. The pair alternatively formed the backbone of the squad the last few seasons (trading injuries along the way), and helped make the team guard oriented. It's never easy to replace a duo who combined to average 36 points per and placed in a school's top-10 scorer's list, so expect a change in philosophy from a year ago. Without them, Coach Flint and crew should try to turn the focus inside in an attempt to take advantage of a core of long, athletic wings. Particularly, without the shooter Fouch, expect a lot fewer jumpers early in possessions.
Even with those graduations, they're picked to finish 4th in the CAA this season behind a rotation that features superlative talent Damion Lee. A strong candidate for All-Conference honors, the 6-6 junior missed the vast majority of last year with an ACL tear, and didn't even resume basketball activities till this fall. When healthy, however, he's a reliable scoring wing. Lee averaged 17/5 two seasons ago, despite missing extended time for yet another knee injury. How aggressive he is with his lower body will be a key this evening, as he returns to a live action. Eventually, I expect him to get up to a near-30% usage rate.
Pairing with Lee is another big guard in 6-7 junior Tavon Allen. He averaged 12/3 last season despite struggling from behind the arc. Up front, they're lead by 6-7 sophomore Rodney Williams. More on the athletic, rather than bruising, side of the power forward spectrum, Williams was on the conference's All-Rookie Team a year ago. All told, these big three are legitimate talents who will push CU.
Beyond them, however, it gets a little dicey. The Dragons are dealing with yet another set of injuries, having already lost returning point guard Major Canady and powerful forward Kazembe Abif to the injury bug. Replacing Abif is the easier challenge, as they'll probably go with defensive-minded center Mohamed Bah. Who will bring up the ball up, however, is a trickier answer, with some discussion that they could with freshman Rashann London over Seton Hall transfer Freddie Wilson. Regardless, as a result of the injuries, they're still feeling each other out, particularly at the point guard spot, and will struggle with bench depth.
Overall, while Drexel features a lot of headline talent, the depth and point guard question don't lead me to believe that the Buffs will face too deep of an upset scare this evening. Not that there won't be nervous moments, though. Flint is known for pairing solid defensive basketball with a slow, possession-based approach to offense. Usually, his teams have been in the low-60s per game, and over 19 seconds per trip, so don't expect this game to break out too fast, or anything. It's a fascinating opening challenge for the Buffs, who have been rumored to be struggling with turnovers in fall practices. Possessions will be sacrosanct this evening, and an excessive amount of turnovers would cause some headaches.
Either way, we're going to see a heavy dose of #TadBall. *smirks* I wouldn't have it any other way on opening night.
Tip-off from the CEC is set for 6pm this evening. Tell the boss you're leaving 30 minutes early to insure you can beat the traffic up to Boulder. Coverage for those who can't make it can be found on Pac-12 Mountain, with the radio call on 850 KOA.
GO BUFFS! PROVE ME RIGHT, AND BEAT THE DRAGONS!
It's been a long, strange, desperately boring offseason, but the countdowns have finally spun to zero, and it's time to open the 2014-15 basketball season. As if to remind us all, the weather gods have brought a chill to Boulder, making it certainly feel like a ball night. Thankfully, while the weather outside is frightful, the CEC is warm and delightful. That is where our campaign begins, back at home for the first time since late February for a welcomed opportunity to wipe the taste of that night out of our mouths.
First up, the Drexel Dragons, a mid-major riser with a history that dates back over a century to almost the founding of the collegiate game. Hailing from downtown Philadelphia, they promise to bring a tough-minded, defensive brand of basketball to the Front Range, and should be a feisty opponent for the Buffs on Night #1. Fearless, Coach Boyle never shies away from an opening challenge.
Bruiser Flint has been at the head of the program for what seems like an eternity. After a spin with UMass in the late '90s, the Philly local was hired on at Drexel in 2001, and has been there ever since. In that time, he's won a lot of games, 228 of them, in fact, but has never once gotten the Dragons into the Dance. It's hard out there in the CAA, but I would've though he'd have gotten lucky at least one of those years.
 |
| The long-tenured Flint has struggled to overcome a series of injuries in Philly. |
Coming off of that successful campaign, it was expected that Drexel was on the verge of a string of postseason trips. Unfortunately, that has not been the case, as, since 2012, the Dragons have slumped to three games under .500. Injuries have been the primary culprit, keeping a strong foundation of talent from reappearing on the Madness' radar. It especially hurt last winter, as they had more than enough talent, on paper, to make the Tournament. Without some their best players on the court, however, the team that pushed UCLA and Arizona to the brink in November of 2013 was all but gone by the time conference play rolled around last January.
Trying to turn the corner in '14-'15, the Dragons will be working to make up for the graduation of two of the best players in program history - Frantz Massenat and Chris Fouch. The pair alternatively formed the backbone of the squad the last few seasons (trading injuries along the way), and helped make the team guard oriented. It's never easy to replace a duo who combined to average 36 points per and placed in a school's top-10 scorer's list, so expect a change in philosophy from a year ago. Without them, Coach Flint and crew should try to turn the focus inside in an attempt to take advantage of a core of long, athletic wings. Particularly, without the shooter Fouch, expect a lot fewer jumpers early in possessions.
Even with those graduations, they're picked to finish 4th in the CAA this season behind a rotation that features superlative talent Damion Lee. A strong candidate for All-Conference honors, the 6-6 junior missed the vast majority of last year with an ACL tear, and didn't even resume basketball activities till this fall. When healthy, however, he's a reliable scoring wing. Lee averaged 17/5 two seasons ago, despite missing extended time for yet another knee injury. How aggressive he is with his lower body will be a key this evening, as he returns to a live action. Eventually, I expect him to get up to a near-30% usage rate.
 |
| Damion Lee is the real deal. |
Beyond them, however, it gets a little dicey. The Dragons are dealing with yet another set of injuries, having already lost returning point guard Major Canady and powerful forward Kazembe Abif to the injury bug. Replacing Abif is the easier challenge, as they'll probably go with defensive-minded center Mohamed Bah. Who will bring up the ball up, however, is a trickier answer, with some discussion that they could with freshman Rashann London over Seton Hall transfer Freddie Wilson. Regardless, as a result of the injuries, they're still feeling each other out, particularly at the point guard spot, and will struggle with bench depth.
Overall, while Drexel features a lot of headline talent, the depth and point guard question don't lead me to believe that the Buffs will face too deep of an upset scare this evening. Not that there won't be nervous moments, though. Flint is known for pairing solid defensive basketball with a slow, possession-based approach to offense. Usually, his teams have been in the low-60s per game, and over 19 seconds per trip, so don't expect this game to break out too fast, or anything. It's a fascinating opening challenge for the Buffs, who have been rumored to be struggling with turnovers in fall practices. Possessions will be sacrosanct this evening, and an excessive amount of turnovers would cause some headaches.
Either way, we're going to see a heavy dose of #TadBall. *smirks* I wouldn't have it any other way on opening night.
Tip-off from the CEC is set for 6pm this evening. Tell the boss you're leaving 30 minutes early to insure you can beat the traffic up to Boulder. Coverage for those who can't make it can be found on Pac-12 Mountain, with the radio call on 850 KOA.
GO BUFFS! PROVE ME RIGHT, AND BEAT THE DRAGONS!
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
My Massive Basketball Preview 2014-15: Keeping it Real
PITTSBURGH 77 - COLORADO 48
You've seen that scoreline a lot over the last few months. Coach Boyle, in all of his wisdom, has refused to let the memory of that painful day in Orlando, FL die, even posting that score throughout the program's offices. 'We can't let that ever happen again,' is the message. It's not about shaming the kids for a rough afternoon on a national stage, just emphasizing that simply making the Tournament is not the goal; doing something with that Dance ticket is just as expected now as earning the trip.
You see, His Tadness has promised to 'keep it real' with the team, the fans, and the media. That constant reminder of how last season ended is just part of the effort. He's been particularly blunt this summer about the team's shortcomings, and what that could mean going forward. The simple fact is that the 2013-14 Colorado Buffaloes didn't live up to their potential. There were extenuating circumstances, to be sure, but a 5th place finish in the Pac-12 and a humiliating second round exit in the NCAA Tournament was not how last season was supposed to go. Naturally, given the sputter across the finish line, there are going to be questions, and Coach Boyle has been quick to posit a number of solutions.
BuffNation was treated to the highs and lows of this sport in '13-'14. At one point last year, CU was the #15 team in the country, and viewed as a potential challenger to the Arizona Wildcats for the league title. The early efforts against Kansas and Oregon were some of the best, most entertaining basketball I've ever seen this program produce. Then, in an instant on a road trip to Seattle, everyone was treated to a lesson on impermanence. Success is, of course, fragile, and should not be treated lightly. Even the best teams need to be prepared to respond to dire adversity; nothing is just handed to you at this level. But the team wasn't ready to deal with the stress. While struggling to come to terms with a traumatic injury to one of their star players, they began to lose their way, and some truly ugly basketball followed. The Buffs would tussle with the .500 mark the rest of the year, as, what was once a season filled with promise, turned uncomfortable. They still made the Tournament, to their credit, but what should've been a happy month for the program turned sour in a hurry.
Luckily, the disappointing end to last season is not the final word on the matter. Those '77-48' signs will come down on Friday, just as the curtain rises on the 2014-15 basketball season, and the focus will become about the present, rather than the regrets of the past. That's what 'keeping it real' is all about. Ignoring the past - passing it off as a blip, or a result of some miss-fortune - is not going to prepare the team properly for the coming winter. There's still a lot of talent on this roster, a group that has a world of potential to capitalize upon. They need to meet last year's mistakes head on, learn from them, and then move forward.
Believe me, as frustrating as last season was, there's a lot of promise on the horizon for 2014-15. CU is legitimately one of the three or four best teams in the Pac-12, and look to be on the precipice of making program history by surging through to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth-consecutive time. The Buffs are as deep as ever this year, and as experienced as they've been since the start of the #RollTad era. Behind this group, the program will continue to rack up the wins, the CEC will continue to be sold out, and the banners of the University of Colorado will continue to fill the national consciousness. The state of this program continues to be strong.
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In this virtual tome, I will attempt to 'keep it real' about the 2014-15 University of Colorado Men's Basketball Team; previewing them from a variety of aspects, and predicting whether they will be able to make that return trip to the NCAA Tournament. I'll look at the roster, profiling the players, and discussing how the coaching staff will look to deploy the best returning depth in the conference. I'll look at the schedule, touching on both the non-conference and conference slates, and announce my baseline win projection for the campaign. Finally, I'll look at the Pac-12, noting how our rivals are dealing with a metric ton of roster turnover. Usually, I'd close with a look at the upcoming recruiting class, but CU doesn't have one, yet, so that discussion will have to wait...
Those of you who have been here before know that the word 'massive' in the title is not a misnomer. I'm long-winded to a fault. Consider yourselves warned. If, with that understanding, you're not dissuaded, if you love Colorado basketball too much to let a thing like 'TLDR' get in front of a good time, then grab a beer, strap in, and click below for the preview...
Monday, November 10, 2014
Monday Grab Bag: Game Week
Congratulations, BuffNation, it's finally a basketball game week! You've survived the over 230 days between the last time we saw the men's basketball team and the start of this new campaign. I hope it wasn't too rough on you. I, personally, can't wait for the season to start. I've had that counter on the upper-right side of this page ticking down since March 21st, and it's finally almost down to nothing. I couldn't be more excited.
Luckily, the football team is on a bye week, so it's all about hoops this week on the blog. I'll be finishing up my annual Massive Basketball Preview this evening. Expect it to be released tomorrow at about 8:30 AM - just in time for you not to be able to enjoy it since you're at work. But, that's sort of the point with those things, they're not meant to be consumed in a single sitting. Much like Thanksgiving dinner, the leftovers are just as part of the experience as the initial sitting.
Later this week, I'll be releasing my first basketball preview of the year: a teaser of opening night against Drexel. Remember, I don't do full previews for all of the non-conference games, just those that are of utmost importance. For this season, that means full previews of Auburn, Wyoming, Georgia, and CSU.
After that, it'll be time to sit back, relax, and take in the first real basketball action of the season. The Dragons are going down!
--
Today in the bag, I'm talking the late collapse in Tucson, discussing the latest from the non-revenue sports, and previewing tomorrow's Massive Preview.
Click below for the bag...
Luckily, the football team is on a bye week, so it's all about hoops this week on the blog. I'll be finishing up my annual Massive Basketball Preview this evening. Expect it to be released tomorrow at about 8:30 AM - just in time for you not to be able to enjoy it since you're at work. But, that's sort of the point with those things, they're not meant to be consumed in a single sitting. Much like Thanksgiving dinner, the leftovers are just as part of the experience as the initial sitting.
Later this week, I'll be releasing my first basketball preview of the year: a teaser of opening night against Drexel. Remember, I don't do full previews for all of the non-conference games, just those that are of utmost importance. For this season, that means full previews of Auburn, Wyoming, Georgia, and CSU.
After that, it'll be time to sit back, relax, and take in the first real basketball action of the season. The Dragons are going down!
--
Today in the bag, I'm talking the late collapse in Tucson, discussing the latest from the non-revenue sports, and previewing tomorrow's Massive Preview.
Click below for the bag...
Friday, November 7, 2014
Friday Whiskey Post: 2014 Gameday Hooch-o-the-week - Arizona Edition
Each week throughout the football season I'm going to suggest a good beerwhiskey for the ubiquitous pre-game tailgate. Let's be honest, with tailgates it's not always top quality that you're looking for. To steal a phrase from the heinous beerwhiskey terrorists at Budweisersome distillery, you want "drinksipability." (or what a real beerwhiskey connoisseur calls "a session beerwhiskey") So, be warned, these may not be "the best" beers around. But, in the words of Dave Chappelle as Samuel L. Jackson "IT'LL GET YOU DRUNK!"
I'm calling an audible today. I've seen these t-shirts floating around the interwebs recently, and it got me thinking about just how much beer BuffNation has drank in recent years to try and get over the mounting pile of losses. Hint: it's a lot. With these final three games looking to be pretty painful, I think it might be time to up the ante, so to speak, and graduate to straight GADDAMN whiskey. I prefer bourbon, particularly Bulleit bourbon. It's this week's gameday hooch-o-the-week.
Bourbon, as you should know, is distilled from a grain mixture that is mostly corn and aged in charred oak barrels. The flavor is distinctive, and about as American as you get. Undoubtedly, its development has been this country's greatest contribution to liquor culture. Most of the best come from Kentucky, but you can find some made anywhere. 'Murika.
I've always thought, for what you get, Bulleit is a pretty fantastic bourbon. It's smooth, flavorful, and surprisingly deep. There's a higher than normal rye component in the mash, and it's aged for six years, which is pretty long for a main-shelf brand. Compare to others like Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, and Buffalo Trace, and I think you'll agree this is superior for the price. I like mine over ice, but you can do what you will. Always in moderation, though, my friends.
I guarantee that it's available in your local liquor store, regardless of that's store's quality. Your price may vary, but sales usually kick it under $20. That'll get you through a gameday, believe me.
Happy Friday! Go Buffs, beat the Wildcats!
I'm calling an audible today. I've seen these t-shirts floating around the interwebs recently, and it got me thinking about just how much beer BuffNation has drank in recent years to try and get over the mounting pile of losses. Hint: it's a lot. With these final three games looking to be pretty painful, I think it might be time to up the ante, so to speak, and graduate to straight GADDAMN whiskey. I prefer bourbon, particularly Bulleit bourbon. It's this week's gameday hooch-o-the-week.
Bourbon, as you should know, is distilled from a grain mixture that is mostly corn and aged in charred oak barrels. The flavor is distinctive, and about as American as you get. Undoubtedly, its development has been this country's greatest contribution to liquor culture. Most of the best come from Kentucky, but you can find some made anywhere. 'Murika.
I've always thought, for what you get, Bulleit is a pretty fantastic bourbon. It's smooth, flavorful, and surprisingly deep. There's a higher than normal rye component in the mash, and it's aged for six years, which is pretty long for a main-shelf brand. Compare to others like Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, and Buffalo Trace, and I think you'll agree this is superior for the price. I like mine over ice, but you can do what you will. Always in moderation, though, my friends.
I guarantee that it's available in your local liquor store, regardless of that's store's quality. Your price may vary, but sales usually kick it under $20. That'll get you through a gameday, believe me.
Happy Friday! Go Buffs, beat the Wildcats!
2014 Arizona Football Preview
I'll cop to being a little distracted this week. Basketball season looms large (next Friday, btw), my HEAVILY ANTICIPATED hoops preview is demanding the majority of my attention, and, with the football team on the road this week, it's almost a case of out-of-sight, out-of-mind.
Almost. I'm still mostly invested in this group as they embark on a rough final quarter of the season schedule. While I don't expect any surprises over the next three games, this team has proven to have a ton of fight in them, and I'm interested to see how they perform when everyone is back to expecting the bare minimum from them. Certainly this week, a road trip to a top-25 opponent, does not appear to be a great opportunity to see the Buffs at their best, but they've been traditionally competitive in the Arizona series, and a good game wouldn't exactly shock me.
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Kickoff from recently renovated Arizona Stadium is set for 6pm on Saturday (finally a night game, and it's on the road, *smh*). Pac-12 Network has the television rights for this one, with the radio call, as always, on 850 KOA.
Click below for the preview...
Almost. I'm still mostly invested in this group as they embark on a rough final quarter of the season schedule. While I don't expect any surprises over the next three games, this team has proven to have a ton of fight in them, and I'm interested to see how they perform when everyone is back to expecting the bare minimum from them. Certainly this week, a road trip to a top-25 opponent, does not appear to be a great opportunity to see the Buffs at their best, but they've been traditionally competitive in the Arizona series, and a good game wouldn't exactly shock me.
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Kickoff from recently renovated Arizona Stadium is set for 6pm on Saturday (finally a night game, and it's on the road, *smh*). Pac-12 Network has the television rights for this one, with the radio call, as always, on 850 KOA.
Click below for the preview...
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Tuesday Grab Bag: #ItIsFinallyNovember
The first 'result' of basketball season is in. Over the weekend the men's squad was in action behind closed doors up at the CEC, taking on the DU Pioneers in a scrimmage. According to 'sources,' Coach Boyle and crew at the very least took care of business, beating the Pios by seven. Not quite 1-0, but I'll call it .1-0.
Hardcore BasketBuffs are already well aware, but NCAA rules prohibit fans, media, or other interlopers at these preseason tilts. The idea is that these meetings are supposed to be tuneups, and that prying eyes would put too much pressure on what are essentially glorified practices. Coach Boyle didn't seem to mind discussing the problems he saw, however, saying, "turnovers were an issue with this team, taking care of the basketball. [...] If we turn the ball over like we're turning it over, we're going to put a lot of pressure on our defense, and I'd rather not do that."
That certainly sounds dire, but I wouldn't get too worked up over that less than glowing report. It's his job to be hyper-critical at this stage, and that sounds like vintage Boyle. Besides, I'd rather the turnovers be made when it doesn't count, with the understanding that a veteran team should be able to take care of the basketball by the time the lights turn on for real.
10 days...
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Today in the bag, I'm talking the football meltdown against Washington, some successes in cross country, volleyball and soccer, and the 'Colorado 4' in the NBA.
Click below for the bag...
Hardcore BasketBuffs are already well aware, but NCAA rules prohibit fans, media, or other interlopers at these preseason tilts. The idea is that these meetings are supposed to be tuneups, and that prying eyes would put too much pressure on what are essentially glorified practices. Coach Boyle didn't seem to mind discussing the problems he saw, however, saying, "turnovers were an issue with this team, taking care of the basketball. [...] If we turn the ball over like we're turning it over, we're going to put a lot of pressure on our defense, and I'd rather not do that."
That certainly sounds dire, but I wouldn't get too worked up over that less than glowing report. It's his job to be hyper-critical at this stage, and that sounds like vintage Boyle. Besides, I'd rather the turnovers be made when it doesn't count, with the understanding that a veteran team should be able to take care of the basketball by the time the lights turn on for real.
10 days...
--
Today in the bag, I'm talking the football meltdown against Washington, some successes in cross country, volleyball and soccer, and the 'Colorado 4' in the NBA.
Click below for the bag...
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