Which players are the most important to return

[Sean Miller Fan]

How would you rank our players in terms of their importance to the team next year and in future years?

1. Champagnie
2. Johnson
3. Toney
4. McGowens

I put Champagnie first because I think he has great potential. He rebounds beyond his size and has a nice all-around game already. He eventually can be a 3.

I put Johnson 2nd because he has many physical tools. His ceiling is high. If he puts it all together, he could develop into an all-ACC PG but he really has to work at it.

Toney over McGowens because he's a better defender and I don't think Johnson and McGowens should be on the court together much since they are the same exact player and don't play well together. I think McGowens has potential but I'd prefer to keep Johnson and start Horton at the 2.

If all we lose is McGowens, that would be a pretty big win. Not that I want him to transfer but he's the least important and most replaceable I think.

 

[DT_PITT]

How would you rank our players in terms of their importance to the team next year and in future years?

1. Champagnie
2. Johnson
3. Toney
4. McGowens

I put Champagnie first because I think he has great potential. He rebounds beyond his size and has a nice all-around game already. He eventually can be a 3.

I put Johnson 2nd because he has many physical tools. His ceiling is high. If he puts it all together, he could develop into an all-ACC PG but he really has to work at it.

Toney over McGowens because he's a better defender and I don't think Johnson and McGowens should be on the court together much since they are the same exact player and don't play well together. I think McGowens has potential but I'd prefer to keep Johnson and start Horton at the 2.

If all we lose is McGowens, that would be a pretty big win. Not that I want him to transfer but he's the least important and most replaceable I think.

1. Curtis Aiken Jr. The family connection should lead to some much needed stability with our broadcasting team.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

1. Curtis Aiken Jr. The family connection should lead to some much needed stability with our broadcasting team.

I woulda went Julius Page for that role. He is entertaining.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

All of the regular playing time -
Because what we don’t need is more roster churn and less depth

 

[Pitt79]

I woulda went Julius Page for that role. He is entertaining.

YES! He was good one game I heard him call.

 

[Pitt79]

So EXPLAIN IN GREAT DETAIL, why you are so adamant that players are going to leave?

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

So EXPLAIN IN GREAT DETAIL, why you are so adamant that players are going to leave?

Haven’t we suffered enough?

 

[Pitt79]

Haven’t we suffered enough?

I know! But he keeps saying players are leaving and never explains why.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

So EXPLAIN IN GREAT DETAIL, why you are so adamant that players are going to leave?

Listen to Capel. He sounds 100% the same as Stallings during the Young/Artis year. Just a bad mix of guys.

 

[thebadby2]

How would you rank our players in terms of their importance to the team next year and in future years?

1. Champagnie
2. Johnson
3. Toney
4. McGowens

I put Champagnie first because I think he has great potential. He rebounds beyond his size and has a nice all-around game already. He eventually can be a 3.

I put Johnson 2nd because he has many physical tools. His ceiling is high. If he puts it all together, he could develop into an all-ACC PG but he really has to work at it.

Toney over McGowens because he's a better defender and I don't think Johnson and McGowens should be on the court together much since they are the same exact player and don't play well together. I think McGowens has potential but I'd prefer to keep Johnson and start Horton at the 2.

If all we lose is McGowens, that would be a pretty big win. Not that I want him to transfer but he's the least important and most replaceable I think.

I doubt any of the top 6 guys are going anywhere.

I think it's very important to the building process to have the core players stay for 4 years and mature into a cohesive team. Our best players are still just sophs and freshmen. And it's way too early to write off a Drumgoole or McGowens.

The fact that this team has struggled mightily the past 2 years should surprise nobody. They need to stay together, work hard, and be coachable. If by the time the current sophs are seniors this team still plays anything like they do now, that's on Capel. But I'd bet they'd be a lot better by then.

I also think it's way too early to sour on Capel. I have been critical of him because to this point he has not shown much ability to outcoach anybody or win with Xs and Os--and that's concerning--but he is only two short years into a total ground-up rebuild. I'd like to see him show some of his previous recruiting prowess and get some serious players into his program.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

Listen to Capel. He sounds 100% the same as Stallings during the Young/Artis year. Just a bad mix of guys.

And gutting the roster paid immediate dividends -
(Checks notes )
With a historically bad season and a fired coach

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

champagnie first, then X second. a distant third would be McGowans and toney. i like both but you all have me convinced we have the second coming on the bench with Horton and a handful of younger wings coming in so toney would be far from replacable.

truly hope we get them all back but still believe (no proof, just gut feeling) that there is something to these McGowan rumors.. don't think I've seen a player regress as much as him in the second half of the season.

 

[Pitt MD]

1. Curtis Aiken Jr. The family connection should lead to some much needed stability with our broadcasting team.

I know many on here like Curtis Sr as a person. but good grief is he awful as the lead analyst. Even though I go to most of all the home games I am one of those fans who still listen to the play by play on the radio when I'm there and always mute the TV sound and listen to radio for the road games. ( I do this for other games that I watch too because it makes it more enjoyable for me. The Illinois broadcast of the Iowa game was really fun last night). Curtis' dyslexic reading of the statistics, the misidentification of players and misinterpretation of strategy is bad. I hope he gets alot better next year but I doubt it. You learn next to nothing listening to Curtis which is a shame for me.

 

[DT_PITT]

I know many on here like Curtis Sr as a person. but good grief is he awful as the lead analyst. Even though I go to most of all the home games I am one of those fans who still listen to the play by play on the radio when I'm there and always mute the TV sound and listen to radio for the road games. ( I do this for other games that I watch too because it makes it more enjoyable for me. The Illinois broadcast of the Iowa game was really fun last night). Curtis' dyslexic reading of the statistics, the misidentification of players and misinterpretation of strategy is bad. I hope he gets alot better next year but I doubt it. You learn next to nothing listening to Curtis which is a shame for me.

Sure ... but perhaps you missed the irony of the reply.

 

[Pitt MD]

Sure ... but perhaps you missed the irony of the reply.

Whoops. I did. Sorry about that.

 

[JS School]

If they all stay, that's good.

If any of them leave, that's good too. Because they didn't want to be here or Capel didn't want them here.

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

i was always a Curtis aiken fan after he hit that 35' against the Illini in mid 80's. didn't take much back then for me to be a fan.

 

[JS School]

i was always a Curtis aiken fan after he hit that 35' against the Illini in mid 80's. didn't take much back then for me to be a fan.

I always felt that Aiken was like an earlier version of Knight, as far as being a catalyst for incoming talent that followed.

 

[JD1976]

1. Curtis Aiken Jr. The family connection should lead to some much needed stability with our broadcasting team.

Exactly the response this tired topic deserved

 

[pittchagg]

My personal importance rank for 2020-21, not including Horton because I don't see any circumstance where he leaves and takes another sit-out year:

Champagnie
Johnson
Toney
McGowens
Brown
Coulibaly
Drumgoole
Murphy

 

[JS School]

Exactly the response this tired topic deserved

We had stability with Hillgrove and Groat. Pitt fans always want something better.

Trying to inject Dixon here, to make it truly tired.

 

[Jeffburgh]

If they all stay, that's good.

If any of them leave, that's good too. Because they didn't want to be here or Capel didn't want them here.

Pragmatic.
I agree with Souf, they need to build their depth. Losing Trey and getting Horton eligible is pretty much a net wash because their depth would be spit again.
If things are not terminal with any of these kids, better they return.

 

[JS School]

The only one leaving that would really concern me would be Champagnie. That would feel like Cam Johnson leaving a sinking ship. The others seem to have at least some role in the ship sinking.

 

[NTOP]

I woulda went Julius Page for that role. He is entertaining.

woulda went??? Disgraceful.....a blemish to your alma mater.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

woulda went??? Disgraceful.....a blemish to your alma mater.

Your Locker Room Board is an embarrassment to your alma mater.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

All of the regular playing time -
Because what we don’t need is more roster churn and less depth

I'd prefer they all stayed. But all of them aren't so who is most important? I think 1 person answered this legitimate message board question.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

I'd prefer they all stayed. But all of them aren't so who is most important? I think 1 person answered this legitimate message board question.

My answer is the same

 

[lilspainishflea]

The only one leaving that would really concern me would be Champagnie. That would feel like Cam Johnson leaving a sinking ship. The others seem to have at least some role in the ship sinking.

He's not leaving his 30 mins per night to go play 20 mins per night at a better program. And he's not graduating after 1 year of college so he's pretty much nothing like Cam Johnson.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

My answer is the same

OK so your answer is that all Pitt players are equally important and no player is better than any other player. That sounds right.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

OK so your answer is that all Pitt players are equally important and no player is better than any other player. That sounds right.

Yes
We need to build depth

your speculation and hysteria are not serving any purpose

 

[pittchagg]

Yes
We need to build depth

your speculation and hysteria are not serving any purpose

I do think we need to bring at least eight of the nine potential returnees back. Turnover - especially from the underclassmen - isn't going to help this program.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

How would you rank our players in terms of their importance to the team next year and in future years?

1. Champagnie
2. Johnson
3. Toney
4. McGowens

I put Champagnie first because I think he has great potential. He rebounds beyond his size and has a nice all-around game already. He eventually can be a 3.

I put Johnson 2nd because he has many physical tools. His ceiling is high. If he puts it all together, he could develop into an all-ACC PG but he really has to work at it.

Toney over McGowens because he's a better defender and I don't think Johnson and McGowens should be on the court together much since they are the same exact player and don't play well together. I think McGowens has potential but I'd prefer to keep Johnson and start Horton at the 2.

If all we lose is McGowens, that would be a pretty big win. Not that I want him to transfer but he's the least important and most replaceable I think.

The most talented players that want to be here is my answer. If someone truly doesn’t want to be here, then part ways.

 

[JS School]

He's not leaving his 30 mins per night to go play 20 mins per night at a better program. And he's not graduating after 1 year of college so he's pretty much nothing like Cam Johnson.

And that's why I said I'd be concerned if he left. If he did leave, he would be like Cam only in the sense that he felt he wanted to get off a sinking ship. No matter what his personal circumstances are.

 

[JS School]

I think 1 person answered this legitimate message board question.

Ok. Your first sentence asked about both next year and future years. I agree with your list for next year. For future years, I'd flip Johnson and Toney. Capel will get another PG, but even if he is here next year he won't be a better option than X as a freshman.

 

[Pitt79]

Listen to Capel. He sounds 100% the same as Stallings during the Young/Artis year. Just a bad mix of guys.

That's not a fact, that's your "feeling" so I can't say that it's a sure thing.

 

[TD_6082]

And gutting the roster paid immediate dividends -
(Checks notes )
With a historically bad season and a fired coach

In hoops, gutting the roster isn't always a bad thing. 2018 was going to be ugly regardless.

 

[NTOP]

Listen to Capel. He sounds 100% the same as Stallings during the Young/Artis year. Just a bad mix of guys.

Well, only Brown & George are left from that regime. The rest are Capel's kids. This incoming class including Horton will be an indicator of our future.

 

[Atch]

I know many on here like Curtis Sr as a person. but good grief is he awful as the lead analyst. Even though I go to most of all the home games I am one of those fans who still listen to the play by play on the radio when I'm there and always mute the TV sound and listen to radio for the road games. ( I do this for other games that I watch too because it makes it more enjoyable for me. The Illinois broadcast of the Iowa game was really fun last night). Curtis' dyslexic reading of the statistics, the misidentification of players and misinterpretation of strategy is bad. I hope he gets alot better next year but I doubt it. You learn next to nothing listening to Curtis which is a shame for me.

How do you get the radio and TV in sync? I can never get them in sync and am forced to have the TV sound on. I normally end up just watching with no sound because the TV side is so awful.

 

[Tonyt66]

Now its only Brown since George walked on senior night. So we will see these next 2yrs if we're getting closer to our spoil years or closer to a do over.

Well, only Brown & George are left from that regime. The rest are Capel's kids. This incoming class including Horton will be an indicator of our future.

 

[NTOP]

Now its only Brown since George walked on senior night. So we will see these next 2yrs if we're getting closer to our spoil years or closer to a do over.

I'm more concerned about the roster next year. This season is lost. I'd expect Capel to put his bet on AKC, Hugs & maybe Mad Max. Terrell is a known quantity. Coach like you're looking ahead. Jeffress would be a big help on the wing. I'm concerned that we might lose a few guys, and be short of bodies again.