Annual Excuses For ASU Hoops Begin

[Brian in Mesa]

Speaking of Ike, does anyone else think his decision to go to ASU is like the basketball equivalent of Matt Leinart hypothetically deciding to play for John Mackovic over going to USC? Remember he was going to go to Illinois (imagine that team with Ike) but backed out to play for Evans at ASU. Not a wise move.

Ike's where he wants to be. Things didn't go as planned, starting with Serge being hurt. The load wasn't supposed to be all on Ike's shoulders. Even with everything that's happened, or not happened, Ike's probably gotten more national attention because he stands out more on this team than he would on a team like Illinois.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Ike's where he wants to be. Things didn't go as planned, starting with Serge being hurt. The load wasn't supposed to be all on Ike's shoulders. Even with everything that's happened, or not happened, Ike's probably gotten more national attention because he stands out more on this team than he would on a team like Illinois.

Things didn't go as planned because he decided to play for Rob Evans over Bill Self. No matter how much you want to spin it, it was a poor choice in retrospect and even the most ardent ASU fans should admit that. And if you're right and Ike would rather be the man for this garbage team in front of a couple thousand fans than be only a part of the #1 team in the nation on a basketball-rabid campus then Ike's competitive drive has to be questioned. There's nothing he can do about it now, but give anyone that choice and 95% would pick the latter.

And the notion that Ike is getting more attention playing at ASU is laughable. Illinois is the best team in the country, plays on national TV weekly, and is a lock for the tourney on an annual basis. ASU can barely get on regional TV and is a Pac-10 bottom feeder.

 

[WizardOfAz]

Ike's probably gotten more national attention because

No he hasn't. ASU was on TV (Fox Sports Regional) once or twice before the PAC-10 season. Nobody talked about ASU - Ike or otherwise - until they swept Stanford and Cal.

 

[NickelBack]

Getting a split against the Oregon schools this weekend is pretty important.

Hopefully ASU's win was at Oregon in your plan!

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Guys - I'm not talking about being on the front of every newspaper, etc. I'm talking about being the top player in the Pac-10, possibly all of college ball. He's constantly being promoted by Vitale, etc. Might not happen if he were just one of the guys at Illinois. If he was so unhappy here, he would have gone pro rather than return this season. He wants to be the guy that got a program going again in the right direction.

Which garners more attention and respect - one guy on a team loaded with talent that's walking over other teams, or a guy who almost single-handedly pulls his team onto his back and carries them to the tourney?

 

[WizardOfAz]

Ducks five point favorites over ASU Saturday.

 

[Renz]

Gotta give ASU some credit. I thought they might start mailing it in, but they didn't.

They still need to put in the effort every night though, or they will be NIT bound at best.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Nice win, without much scoring from Ike.

 

[ajcardfan]

Gotta give ASU some credit. I thought they might start mailing it in, but they didn't.

They still need to put in the effort every night though, or they will be NIT bound at best.

Yeah, you really have to wonder WTH happened the last three games. Their effort was 100% better.

 

[CatBoxBackFan]

Yeah, you really have to wonder WTH happened the last three games. Their effort was 100% better.

It seems to be a pattern with ASU B-ball teams,they win games they shouldn't and then loose there focus and lose games they should win.Focus,Focus,Focus!!!!!

 

[WizardOfAz]

Washington is here on Saturday for a game to be aired on CBS.....will there be more than 9,000 in Wells Fargo for the game???

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Big opportunity for the Devils this weekend. They should be able to knock off Washington State, but with their annoying, ploddish style of play you never know. Then they'll get Washington on the heels of their matchup in Tucson, which is being dubbed as the Pac-10 game of the year. If the Devils can take care of it's business on Thursday then steal one on Saturday they're right back in the hunt for the real tourney.

 

[NickelBack]

If the conference tournament started today, they'd be in!

Standings after Saturday's win:

Washington (10) 6-1
Arizona (13) 6-1
Stanford 4-3
UCLA 4-4
Arizona St. 3-4
Oregon 3-4
Oregon St. 3-4
Washington St. 3-4
California 2-5
USC 2-6

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

For you ASU fans, Joe Lunardi has ASU as a #9 seed right now and possible second round sacrificial lamb for Illinois. It's also worth noting that Lunardi needs to be taken with a mountain of salt as he incredibly predicts that the selection committee will somehow choose more Pac-10 teams to go to the Dance than ACC teams.

 

[NickelBack]

Back to .500 in the Pac-10 after last night's win over Wazoo!

 

[WizardOfAz]

Sellout today at Wells Fargo for Nationally-Ranked UW and a National TV game?

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Go Devils.




Seriously, I want sole possesion of 1st place in the Pac-10.

 

[CatBoxBackFan]

Go Devils.




Seriously, I want sole possesion of 1st place in the Pac-10.

Sorry for the let down but now you have to earn it.

 

[NickelBack]

4-5 half way through the conference schedule. I think 6-3 for the second half is necessary to get into the field of 64.

 

[WizardOfAz]

Nearly 5,000 empty seats last Sunday afternoon at Wells Fargo. What a shame.

 

[ajcardfan]

4-5 half way through the conference schedule. I think 6-3 for the second half is necessary to get into the field of 64.

Amazingly, CBS still has ASU projected into the field of 64 based on RPI. I don't think they would get in.

 

[WizardOfAz]

Amazingly, CBS still has ASU projected into the field of 64 based on RPI. I don't think they would get in.

If they can't somehow mange a .500 finish in the conference I totally agree, AJ.

 

[NickelBack]

Standings before this weekend:

Washington (13) 7-2
Arizona (14) 7-2
Stanford 6-3
UCLA 5-4
Arizona St. 4-5
California 4-5
Washington St. 4-5
Oregon 3-6
Oregon St. 3-6
USC 2-7


Would really help to go 4-0 against the Bay Area schools this year!

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I think tonight's game is the biggest of the year for the Devils. A bad loss at home tonight and the selection committee will likely see the road Stanford win as the product of Chris Hernandez's absence from the lineup. Two wins this weekend most likely wraps up a tourney berth even if they're mediocre the rest of the way.

 

[WizardOfAz]

ASU bumped off their own radio station by the AFL?!?