While keeping track of Jordan and Arron (another 13 days for some Bruin fans to freak out on a day to day to basis re whether or not those two will go pro), have been reading some interesting notes on other teams in the conference. Of course we have been writing for a while - that Zona is now an after thought. I am not concerned about Lute's white trash program any more. We should be beating them ever year. And it looks like the national observer agrees. Greg Doyle of Sportsline observers how Zona is becoming a joke:
The Wildcats teetered on the edge of the NIT last season and finished 11-7 in the Pac-10, their worst league mark since Lute Olson's first season in 1983-84. Good news? Sorry, there's not much. If Mustafa Shakur stays in the NBA Draft, the Wildcats will have to replace three of their best perimeter players (Hassan Adams and Chris Rodgers were seniors) with a freshman class that has one outstanding wing (Chase Budinger), one pint-sized guard (Nic Wise) and one big project (Jordan Hill). Did you know Olson has never been to the NIT? Things change.
Yeap. An N-I-T program is a joke program. Meanwhile Stanford, the other program which immensely benefited during Lavin's clownery in Westwood is going through a tough time. It is becoming a coaching no-man's land making it one of the least attractive programs for college basketball coaches:
Stanford's admissions are so tough that, in any given year, maybe three or four of the top 100 high school seniors could get into school. And a student-athlete of that caliber is a prize who will be sought by all the academic powerhouses -- UCLA and Duke primarily. That generally leaves Stanford to look for overachievers in the next tier of recruits. Imagine being Stanford and having to compete against Oregon, Arizona and Washington, against waves of players who couldn't get into Stanford. Tough job. Northwestern is in the same boat, but Northwestern doesn't get its own listing because, frankly, nobody expects Northwestern to win. At Stanford, thanks to Mike Montgomery, you're supposed to win.
Doyle's note is yet another confirmation how it's really Duke who is UCLA going to head to head these days for big time recruits (while shoring up our backyard). The other Bay Area is doing not so hot either - losing it's best athlete to the NBA draft. So looks like our main competition is really going to be Washington. Folks in Seattle are pretty stoked about their incoming recruting class featuring a blue chip superstar extra ordinaire Spencer Hawes. Romar is also doing very well with the 2007 class. Washington swept us last year and they will probably have a tough team again this season. However, I think it is really going to be interesting how they are going to replace Jamal Williams, Bobby Jones, Mike Jensen and Brandon Roy. That's a shit load of talent. I think they may have a hard time replacing them than they did the year before when they lost Robinson, Simmons, Rollins et al. Should be interesting to the say least. Can't wait till Maui classic:GO BRUINS.