MVC Preseason selections

[valleychamp]

This isnt going to piss off WSU or UNI or anybody else, let alone motivate them. Its too silly to garner that reaction.

Other coaches and teams will just sit back and laugh at Muller for being an idiot.

[Aargh]

This isnt going to piss off WSU or UNI or anybody else, let alone motivate them. Its too silly to garner that reaction.

Other coaches and teams will just sit back and laugh at Muller for being an idiot.

I gotta disagree with that opinion. I've heard several of Marshall's pre-game talks with players. (Those get on TV when you make NCAA runs.)

This is a hanging curveball just above the belt for Marshall. "This team thinks they can beat you - and their coach predicted they would do that" - Significant pause - "I want you to think about that for a moment". - Turns and writes next point on white board.

It won't just be Jacobsen and Marshall either. It's good to show confidence in your team, but he's poking the bear - actually several of them - and I'm afraid he's going to need a longer stick.

[jwa123]

This is a hanging curveball just above the belt for Marshall. "This team thinks they can beat you - and their coach predicted they would do that" - Significant pause - "I want you to think about that for a moment". - Turns and writes next point on white board.

It won't just be Jacobsen and Marshall either. It's good to show confidence in your team, but he's poking the bear - actually several of them - and I'm afraid he's going to need a longer stick.

I am sure 100% that Muller knew this and he still made his prediction. I'd rather play for a coach who has confidence in my team and me. This is what Marshall did; he chose his team first in this poll.

Not that it matters. The reality is the season plays out more often than not in a far different manner than what the pre-season polls indicate.

There is a good amount of optimism at ISUr for this season with the talent. However, we will have to see how that talent plays out as I still have visions of Zach Lofton in my memory.

[Cdizzle]

This is what Marshall did; he chose his team first in this poll.

He also, you know, already won the league a couple of times, has won 23 straight games against current league members (including, as it pertains to Muller, 3 straight against ISUr during that period by more than 16ppg), and returns the reigning player of the year, defensive player of the year, and another 1st teamer.

That isn't to say ISUr isn't capable of defeating WSU, just to point out that one of these coaches has something to back up his selection. Personally, I don't care that much, I think it's hilarious.

I think some of what gets lost here is that a lot of people say "well, WSU isn't going to go undefeated again cause the league is better." That's most likely true. But it's also true that the teams on the upswing trying to make a run at WSU don't just have 1-2 games to make up from last year. Or 3-4. Or 5-6. They all have AT LEAST 8. And that's to tie. Did the middle-of-the-pack teams all get significantly better? Possibly. But it isn't a vacuum. If they got better relative to WSU, they also got better relative to each other. Those games didn't get harder to win JUST for WSU. Not everyone can finish with a better record than last year, the math doesn't work out.

Does anyone believe that the combination of losses by WSU and gains by IlSU (we'll use this best-case view for IlSU that doesn't include IlSU losses or WSU gains) equates to a 10-game swing in the final conference standings? That is what Muller is contending. It could happen, ISUr could (should) be better. WSU could (might) be worse. Injuries could happen to one team and not the other. But predicting it given what we know right now isn't confidence, it's something else.

[Championz]

How come Dan didn't pick his team first last year? Did he not have confidence in them? Did he just magically have an epiphany this off-season? Or does he really think his team is Top 10 good?

He sure has set himself up with this one. But if that's the risk he wants to take to invoke confidence in his team (because clearly the other 8 coaches don't have confidence in their teams because they didn't vote for them), then so be it.

[mathewson10]

I'm kind of getting the feeling that many ppl feel that WSU is without a doubt going to run the table again. Should they be ranked #1. Without a doubt! But the type of dominance they had last year rarely occurs. This may offend some but I'm going to say WSU will lose more than 1 game this year & that might be enough for another team to slip in. I agree WSU has 3 amazing players returning (along with others) but they graduated a player who led the team in scoring (22% of teams scoring), rebounds, FT attempts, & FT%. It is a lot easier for other players do well when you have a dominate player like this. I will be interested to see how WSU responds & who will pick up the slack of the nearly 600 points Early scored.

I think the conference is definitely improved from last season so I'm excited to see a more competitive & talented league.

[mathewson10]

How come Dan didn't pick his team first last year? Did he not have confidence in them? Did he just magically have an epiphany this off-season? Or does he really think his team is Top 10 good?

He sure has set himself up with this one. But if that's the risk he wants to take to invoke confidence in his team (because clearly the other 8 coaches don't have confidence in their teams because they didn't vote for them), then so be it.

I'm guessing since he had a completely new roster last year that he did not know exactly what type of team he had.

[Born2Shock]

I'm kind of getting the feeling that many ppl feel that WSU is without a doubt going to run the table again. Should they be ranked #1. Without a doubt! But the type of dominance they had last year rarely occurs. This may offend some but I'm going to say WSU will lose more than 1 game this year & that might be enough for another team to slip in. I agree WSU has 3 amazing players returning (along with others) but they graduated a player who led the team in scoring (22% of teams scoring), rebounds, FT attempts, & FT%. It is a lot easier for other players do well when you have a dominate player like this. I will be interested to see how WSU responds & who will pick up the slack of the nearly 600 points Early scored.

I think the conference is definitely improved from last season so I'm excited to see a more competitive & talented league.

Nobody is saying WSU is gonna run the table. DId you read Cdizzles post? 1 or 2 losses is STILL going to win the league. 3 probably will too.

[mathewson10]

1 or 2 losses is STILL going to win the league. 3 probably will too.

But for which team...

[mathewson10]

Nobody is saying WSU is gonna run the table.

If they aren't going to run the table then what is wrong with one coach voting for another team to win the conference?