Winston to announce next Friday at pep rally...
- Thread starter thebadby2
- Start date
Oh, how I really wish you were wrong on what you've reported on this!!
97% chance for MSU
2.5% chance for Pitt
.5 chance for Stanford
Let's all hope for a HUGE shocker!!!
I can see where it looks that way, but I'm really not. It's just that I live in the Detroit area and get news about the kid that most of you guys don't, so I figured I'd share it/ here. a lot of Lair posters have their hopes way too high for this recruit and think it will be a huge failure on Smoke's part if we don't land him. The reality of it is he's been a Spartan lock for a long time. If he ha any wavering in him, which doesnt, it would've been erased by the epic weeked he just spent at MSU. A weekend where he was treated to a huge football win with national championship implications,, with an electric atmosphere,, a brand new basketball practice facility, face to face time with Spartan greats including Draymomd Green who also announced a gift of $3.1 million to the MSU basketball program over the weekend, etc etc.
No indictment of Smoke when that becomes official, in fact he's done a great job just keeping us on the list this long. No other program could realistically get this kid either.
Which is reasonable context to what we are up against with him and other top players.
Our fans often are myopic.
The only hook Pitt has other than Smoke is they are losing their starting PG and the guy who at one time was considered his back up left the program. If Cassius sees he is the starting PG as soon as the ink dries and thinks he may have to play second fiddle for a while at MSU, then the Smoke angle could push Pitt over the hump. Still a long shot though.
He isnt going to Pitt. And if he committed to Pitt he would never sign with Pitt.
Congrats Dixon on another 2nd place finish in recruiting. I still remember the sweet 16 days and that feeling of accomplishment of making it to the second weekend. Now its NIT and CBI's, the not important tournament and the chumps of basketball invitational.
Chalk it up to another missed Ncaa Tournament this year with zero star power at the guard positions, or any power at all at the guard positions. I guess there is good news on the horizon however. After having one of the worst back courts I have ever seen play at the college level last year, we cant get any worse in guard talent or guard depth. Its simply not possible when your starting 2 guard shoots 15% from 3, makes 3 three balls all season, and shoots 50% from the free throw line. At least we got rid of 1 leg Newkirk and Cam Wright. Rozelle Nix would be a better guard option than Newkirk. At least Robinson is done after this year too, we certainly won't miss his offensive, which really is offensive, skills on offense including shooting.
I agree that he's not coming to Pitt. But why if he committed would he not sign. That really doesn't make any sense.
Personally, I am hopeful that we can secure Maliek White. Regardless, "one of the worst back courts I have ever seen play at the college level last year." Really? Perhaps you are just venting your frustration. That's understandable to a small extent. But perhaps it's your frustration that is keeping so much of this post from sounding very reasonable?
I have no reason to doubt the veracity of your statements. Sounds pretty reasonable that the kid has been an MSU lock for a while. My question is simply this.... If what you say is true, then why are we wasting 30 seconds on this guy (not to mention money having him visit)? You don't get brownie points for coming in second. Sorry, but I give Smoke and Jamie zero credit for coming close. In fact, if it's as open and shut as you say, I think they're dumb for wasting time and resources.
Cruzer
He will be the starter for next year at msu, too.
They only have one guy who is a pg on his roster, and though he was a four star and is well regaded for his quickness and character, he is basically is there version of newkirk.
I have little doubt given hr has been told he will be the starter flat out.
It's a tough catch 22 for also-ran programs. They gotta keep their hats in every ring (especially so not to "insult" the recruit, family, high school coach, etc.) Even when the cause seems futile. Otherwise you're accused of "blowing off" kids or schools. Or on message boards, posters wonder why we're never "in" on anyone.
We see the charade in football recruiting frequently, such as with McKeesport and North Hills and North Allegheny to name a couple. Their top prospects basically sh*t in our mouths but we have to keep chasing, lest we look like we're 'snubbing'. It's so maddeningly arbitrary and sleazy. I moan and cry about refs, play calls, admins, etc. But you will rarely see me bitch about recruiting, because what a freaking humiliating task it must be if you aren't a blue blood with wads of cash to offer. ...
It's like hustling down to first on a routine ground ball. You never know what might happen, and you'd look like an idiot if MSU messes it up somehow.
At least it keeps Izzo on his toes.
At least it keeps Izzo on his toes.
Well, that was sobering.
When the Chin retired and people wanted to think he was going to go to PSU, I would have bet my mortgage that he would never coach college football, in great part because I could not fathom him kissing 18 year old's rear ends ...
He will likely share minutes at first with the guy you;re talking about, Tum Tum Rawls (who is a helluva lot better than Newk), but Izzo has pretty clearly decided that Rawls isn't the kind of floor general he needs. He's been looking for his next Mateen Cleaves for 15 years. Living in Michigan most of my life and being a MSU follower, the last time I can recall Izzo personally pursuing a local player this hard was when Chris Webber was the nation's #1 overall recruit out of Country Day H.S. (It is now public knowledge why Webber chose Michigan over MSU then--$$$$$$ and LOTS of it--which makes his never-ending rants about how college players need to be paid all that much less credible--a different conversation for a different thread). Izzo believes Winston is the key to what he;s trying to do at MSU, the missing ingredient. Word leaked out of the MSU program is that Izzo thinks Winston is one of the best passers/distributors he has ever seen as a HS player. He has avoided making those statements publicly, but his actions in recruiting the kid have spoken volumes. He's not sending assistants--the head honcho himself has personally done all the recruiting of this player.
Smoke is actually closer to Winston and his dad than a lot of people realize (Winston has said Smoke is an "uncle" to him), and that relationship has us where we are now, but at the end of the day, Winston has already made his decision as a business decision, and frankly we don't have anything to offer him that MSU doesn't do better. That program is on a much higher level than this one is in every respect.
I also have a feeling Miles Bridges says no thanks to Calipari and ends up at MSU with his close buddy Wilson, which adding to what they already have, will make MSU's class one for the ages.
Izzo's predecessor, Jud Heathcote, retired because of this very thing. He was public about how much he hated sitting in some 18 y/o prima donna's living room kissing his ass.
Izzo is interesting--he has a way of sitting in that same living room and working a kid and his family without seeming like he's kissing anyone's ass. It's the type of salt of the earth personality he has--if he was just a neighbor or work acquaintance, he's the kind of guy you'd want to have over for a beer or BBQ.
I know this Rawls kid is better than Kirk, but I can't fathom Winston not being on the court at opening tip for the first game of his frosh year there given how Izzo has prioritized him. Izzo has played two PGs together at times, I suspect that they might play together or even start together.
I like Izzo a lot, and I think in a lot of ways prior to spinning in other directions, JD had tried be like MSU earlier in his tenure at Pitt, and might be vering back toward that a bit.
I am not knocking JD or the program, but this almost seems desperate to try have to try to pry him from MSU with Smoke as some family like connection - yes I do realize in the context of prep hoops recruiting that is nothing at all.
There really shouldn't be any JD/Smoke bashing if he goes to MSU , if you have a connection use it ,not to use it would be the mistake. As would putting all of your eggs in one basket. How many recuriting classes does it take for some people to realize that Pitt is not an elite bb program. Every now and then they get a high profile recuirt ,but what has made Pitt successful is coaching and player development . Pitt just doesn't play the game to get the players we'd all like to see play in a Pitt uniform.
given how Izzo has prioritized him. Izzo has played two PGs together at times, I suspect that they might play together or even start together.
You're right, but MSU has a phenomenal 2 guard coming in as well who will need his minutes. Izzo always plays a lot of different combos, so there will be plenty of minutes for everyone who deserves them. He also very rightly believes he has to have 2-3 capable PGs, primary ballhandlers, on the team at all times and hes not afraid to play them at the same time.
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