So true - you'd like to think that the overseas trip they took would have received some news...alas, it was largely ignored. From what I read, Grant Newell seemed like the star - his own coach at the IMG Academy (FL) where he spent a prep year after his time at Whitney Young-Chicago labeled the kid a "project." If he can be a player early, it will be big.
Despite my skepticism for Mark Fox and his offensive scheme, I will absolutely keep an open mind on this roster. Alajiki and Anyanwu got much less run on the international trip, so we'll see...my shares in the "Sam Alajiki Breakout 2022 Star" IPO may be on the decline, unfortunately, but if the Bears are competitive, it's all good.
Fox lit up when he talked about Newell, and did say he had the best summer. I am worried Fox stubbornly sticks to a high-low attack with Lars, and does not try more of a wing-oriented attack-and-kick style with all the length this team has from the wings and guards.
It's entirely possible that Fox just plays the hand he's dealt. That he'd have loved to start running on day one, but just didn't have the players (anyone remember the previous coach, what's-his-name, leaving the cupboard bare)? Maybe, just maybe, these guys are at a level where he can finally open things up.
Actually, Wyking left more talent than we have even now -- Vanover, Sueing, McNeill. On brand with his recruiting m.o., Fox was unable to compel them to stay. No one can argue Wyking's tenure wasn't a train wreck of historic proportions, but to continue to argue that is the cause of three years of basketball that have been barely better is just being dishonest. We simply should not be at the bottom of the conference still and continuing to make excuses for it. I'm sure Fox is a fine guy, but nothing in his years of coaching or what we've witnessed in the past few years should give any indication that this program is going to move forward under his stewardship.
Also hard to flush the toilet when somebody leaves a historic turd in the basin...but yes, you need to generate some excitement early in the recruiting process. In retrospect, the whole Mark Fox - Trent Johnson reunion was probably not a great idea; he needed a younger, sexier assistant coach to help him get it done on the trail.
Agreed - especially now with Askew and Clayton in the mix. Clayton gives them experience, and Askew gives them a quality of player the roster hasn't seen since 2016.
Talk of basketball makes me even more pessimistic about athletics than 5 minutes ago before this crossed my mind.
literally same
Imagine how we’re gonna feel when Mark Fox’s beleaguered Men’s basketball team outperforms Wilcox’s football squad…sigh.
Dark times indeed.
Fox is still dropping that we're in a "rebuild". This is year 4.
Baffling, really. Competent programs are ready to take off in year 4.
We’ll see. No doubt COVID’s to blame.
It's a little weird that these guys have to get up there and have these interviews in their uniforms.
Cal football and basketball...
A whole bunch of meh.
Great article BP!! Nice work.
Thank you Jimmy. There are literally 10's of us who will follow the program this year. 10's of us!
So true - you'd like to think that the overseas trip they took would have received some news...alas, it was largely ignored. From what I read, Grant Newell seemed like the star - his own coach at the IMG Academy (FL) where he spent a prep year after his time at Whitney Young-Chicago labeled the kid a "project." If he can be a player early, it will be big.
Despite my skepticism for Mark Fox and his offensive scheme, I will absolutely keep an open mind on this roster. Alajiki and Anyanwu got much less run on the international trip, so we'll see...my shares in the "Sam Alajiki Breakout 2022 Star" IPO may be on the decline, unfortunately, but if the Bears are competitive, it's all good.
Fox lit up when he talked about Newell, and did say he had the best summer. I am worried Fox stubbornly sticks to a high-low attack with Lars, and does not try more of a wing-oriented attack-and-kick style with all the length this team has from the wings and guards.
It's entirely possible that Fox just plays the hand he's dealt. That he'd have loved to start running on day one, but just didn't have the players (anyone remember the previous coach, what's-his-name, leaving the cupboard bare)? Maybe, just maybe, these guys are at a level where he can finally open things up.
Actually, Wyking left more talent than we have even now -- Vanover, Sueing, McNeill. On brand with his recruiting m.o., Fox was unable to compel them to stay. No one can argue Wyking's tenure wasn't a train wreck of historic proportions, but to continue to argue that is the cause of three years of basketball that have been barely better is just being dishonest. We simply should not be at the bottom of the conference still and continuing to make excuses for it. I'm sure Fox is a fine guy, but nothing in his years of coaching or what we've witnessed in the past few years should give any indication that this program is going to move forward under his stewardship.
Also hard to flush the toilet when somebody leaves a historic turd in the basin...but yes, you need to generate some excitement early in the recruiting process. In retrospect, the whole Mark Fox - Trent Johnson reunion was probably not a great idea; he needed a younger, sexier assistant coach to help him get it done on the trail.
Agreed - especially now with Askew and Clayton in the mix. Clayton gives them experience, and Askew gives them a quality of player the roster hasn't seen since 2016.
Are we erasing Matt Bradley from our history?
Not erasing him…but he wasn’t a McDonald’s All-American. Askew was, Rabb and Marcus Lee were. Should have specified.