Monthly Archives: May 2008

Thoughts on the Manhattan Classic

May 31, 20089:02 p.m.

Let’s just say I had some computer issues today. Anyway, here are some thoughts from my day at the Bram:

- As noted by Topeka Capital-Journal K-State scribe Austin Meek in his blog, Latavious – “Tay” – Williams is the goods. Absurd hops. Just a different sort of athleticism than we witnessed for most of the day. If he comes to K-State, as he keeps suggesting he might, well, that makes the Wildcats scary. He’s good, folks. Outrageously good. Not Beasley good, but plenty good.

- As for the D.C. Assault kids, here’s the raw: Rodney McGruder has a nice stroke, Wally Judge HAS to be better than he showed Saturday, and Daryl Traynham needs to get stronger and stop flopping. A mixed bag, no doubt, but all would look extraordinary in purple, no?

- It’s hard to believe Perry Ellis is 14 years old. He has the body of a college athlete already. He was disappointed in his last game Saturday, when he “only” scored 11 points. It’s also hard to believe all of the hype is going to the Wichita prospect’s head. Speaking of which, Ellis has the Nike logo and trademark swoosh shaved into the side of his head. Very smooth.

- I LOVED the Spiece Mo-Kan squad that knocked off the D.C. Assault. No. 23, if that was Ivo Baltic, is a baller. Ditto for No. 32. I came away completed impressed. Good size, good skill set. Again, more potential nice additions for the Cats.

- Decent turnout for an inaugural AAU event.

- Oh, one last thing – Fatty knows his stuff. He’s a good fan.

By J-Mart | Filed under Basketball | Comments (5)

Stuff (05/30)

May 30, 20083:58 p.m.

SO, I wrote a story that will run Sunday about Michael Beasley’s so-called character issues. I spoke to a bunch of people, and I think it’s rather conclusive. I think it’s a good read. Look for it Sunday.

HERE’S a great unused quote from Oak Hill coach Steve Smith on Beasley: “There were times when you wanted to say to him, ‘Can we just get serious?’ I never knew on game nights if we was serious. But then he’d get 35 and 15… It was to read what buttons to push, but I really liked him as a person, as a kid.”

I’LL be live blogging, I think, from the Manhattan Classic this weekend. Not actual in-game notes but probably some random stuff, like observations and conversations. If there is anything you want me to pursue or ask, get at me in the comments field below.

HOW many of you will be at the Classic, anyway? If you see me, holler at me. For real.

By J-Mart | Filed under Basketball | Comments (3)

Bill Walker

May 30, 200811:15 a.m.

I just spoke with Frank Martin. I asked him why Walker, who looks fantastic, lost weight now instead of during the season:

“He played the season at 235, and he weighs 230 now. He gained weight after the season. He was up to 248. But then he was down to 228 a couple of weeks ago… It’s hard to lose weight during the season. It’s a lot easier to change your body during the off-season than it is during the season. He’s taken advantage.”

He continues to believe Walker is a sure-fire first-round pick.

“He’s a hard worker,” Martin said. “He’s a player, man. You say him guard O.J. Mayo in the tournament. He has the capability. He just has to learn to do that on a full-time basis. That comes with age. Offensively, before his second knee injury, he was so much more athletic and explosive than everyone else, he depended on scoring at the rim.

“If he goes through the normal progression, and he should now that he doesn’t have to worry about class…”

By J-Mart | Filed under Basketball | Comments (3)

Phil Steele is coming!

May 29, 20083:15 p.m.

His football annual preview – the best in the business, in my opinion – will hit newstands June 10.

If you’re not excited about this bit of information, frankly, there’s something wrong with you.

According to the folks at EDSBS, Mr. Steele – yes, we call him Mr. Steele, not Phil, which is my brother’s name, and yes, we also digress – is bullish on Notre Dame. Hmmm…

Know this – we all agree that, at least in preseason rankings, the pollsters will be keen on the Big 12, likely as many as five teams – Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Texas, and Kansas – included in the assorted Top 25s.

Well, at Steele’s Web site, which is counting down backwards from 25, they’re at No. 19 – the Fighting Irish – and none of the aforementioned Big 12 teams have been unveiled.

All five in the Top 18? Agree? Disagree?

By J-Mart | Filed under Football | Comments (3)

Manhattan Classic: no Latavious for DCA

May 29, 20082:22 p.m.

That was just confirmed by D.C. Assault assistant coach Lou Wilson, who is the head coach at the Riverdale Baptist School in Upper Marlboro, Md.

“He’s not playing with us,” Wilson said.

Williams will play with the Brandon Bass All-Stars.

True fact: Wilson coached Michael Beasley for one year, 2004-05, when Beasley was being home-schooled. Riverdale Baptist lost one game that year, I believe.

Read More »

By J-Mart | Filed under Basketball | Comments (1)

Golf? Yes, golf.

May 29, 20081:41 p.m.

There isn’t even a category heading as I type this, so I don’t where it should go. This is something of a groundbreaking moment here at K-Stated. I believe, and someone can feel free to prove me wrong if they are so inclined, this is the first non-basketball or football post on this blog.

But it’s a good cause.

The third annual Earl Woods Memorial Golf Marathon is being held Saturday, May 31, at Colbert Hills Golf Course. The marathon, in which participants are expected to complete 100 holes of golf, will raise money for the Earl Woods Youth Academy, The First Tee of Manhattan and also for a future endowed baseball scholarship in honor of Woods, a 1953 graduate of K-State, the first black baseball player in the Big Seven Conference and also a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Army.

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By J-Mart | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (3)

Roster breakdown, 2008

May 28, 20081:34 p.m.

David Hoskins won’t be coming back. And barring an injury in the next three weeks, you can say the same about Bill Walker.

This is what the roster looks like right now.

Guards: Denis Clemente, Jake Pullen, Buchi Awaji, Fred Brown and Chris Merriewether.

Forwards: Ron Anderson, Dominique Sutton, Jamar Samuels and Darren Kent.

Centers: Luis Colon, Abdul Herrera and Jordan Henriquez.

Prognosis?

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By J-Mart | Filed under Basketball | Comments (12)

Bramlage will be the place to be…

May 27, 200812:56 p.m.

All day Saturday, it seems. Pretty loaded second day of Manhattan Classic pool play action at the Bram.

It begins with the 16-and-under Spiece MoKan-WK versus the Unity Stars at 8 a.m. That’s a little too early for my tastes, but I should be in the arena by 9:15 a.m., which pits the Wally Judge, Rodney McGruder and the rest of the D.C. Assault against Team Texas Elite.

Stick around for KWA taking on the 16-and-under D.C. Assault at 10:30 a.m. There’s a lunch break, but then Judge, McGruder and the Assault tangle with the Spiece Indy Heat at 1 p.m. At 2:15 p.m., it’s the 16-and-under D.C. Assault meeting the Houston Clippers.

At 3:30 p.m., Judge, McGruder and the Assault clash with the Spiece MOKAN, which should be entertaining. At 4:45 p.m., it’s the Iowa Barnstormers against the TX-Ambassadors-Wilkins. And finally, for a glimpse of Latavious Williams, it’s Saturday’s finale at the Bram – Texas Team Elite squaring off against Williams’ Brandon Bass All-Stars.

By J-Mart | Filed under Basketball | Comments (5)

Absurdities

May 27, 200811:06 a.m.

Completely flabbergasted at how Kansas State is being dragged into the O.J. Mayo mess at Southern Cal. Actually, K-State isn’t, but a few, shall we say, “resourceful” bloggers are trying to establish a connection by clinging to a recent Manhattan Mercury account of assistant coach Brad Underwood’s rather candid address at a Rotary Club meeting.

Somehow, the whole O.J. saga – which only became public, mind you, because of a whistle-blower’s soured relationship with his boss – is Bob Huggins’ fault. Because Huggins, just like virtually everyone else with a rational mind, “knew” Mayo would never “pass” NCAA Clearinghouse guidelines, somehow it’s his fault that he didn’t step forward and alert officials.

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By J-Mart | Filed under Basketball | Comments (11)

Henriquez and Kelly

May 23, 20083:09 p.m.

ACCORDING to gopowercat.com, Portchester (N.Y.) center Jordan Henriquez is planning on attending Kansas State next season. On Thursday, sources indicated to K-Stated — I’ve been meaning to attribute any piece of pertinent information in that way for some time now — that Henriquez was prepared to sign his letter of intent and fax it to K-State on Wednesday, the last day of the signing period, but the letter never made its way to Manhattan. It’s unclear if today’s news is that Henriquez did indeed send his letter, or if he decided after Wednesday.

If so, he’ll sign a non-binding financial aid agreement with K-State. And it’s not clear if he has qualified in order to be eligible next season, either.

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By J-Mart | Filed under Basketball | Comments (3)