z8-Minutemen

Very good point Steve81. La Salle may have beaten us twice, but who was really the better team last year? The proof is in the pudding. The Redskins beat the Giants twice last year and I'm sure they were the better team too, correct? The answer is a clear NO.

By the way, for any of those wondering, you may have noticed that I hadn't posted in 2 months. I took a hiatus from posting for personal reasons, you need not worry about my health or passion for UMass, it's still there and going strong.

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Flyer75

Same for UD, and we beat UMass by what? 28 points...we both return the best PG's in the league...yet everyone is picking Umass top 3 and UD 10th...makes sense.

e-parade

Nope, URI will.



UMass is clearly the favorite, especially since our team is incredibly healthy any nobody is in any risk of being injured at any point throughout the season.

Yup.

X-band '01

Folks, take a lesson from z8 here. Sure, there's some rose-colored glasses involved but nothing malicious or mean-spirited in his picks.

I will ask this, though - how do teams jump 4 or 5 spots according to their fans because of 2 programs unexpectedly losing valuable players and coaches?

DukesDan

I don't think DK is a top 3 coach. I think he is mediocre at best. Probably about as good as Ron Everhart was.

Also, the Dukes return one good player from last year. Not none. That player is Sean Johnson.

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2012-2013 Locks of the Day TBA
2011-2012 Locks of the Day NIT participant 29-26-0...... .527
2010-2011 Locks of the Day Regular Season Champion 31-20-4 ..... .600

#15 Cooper #11 Green #10 Nixon #12 Ricketts #24 Somerset

SpiderDave19

One big difference there - Kellog has a job and probably up for an extension. Ron, not so much.

DistrictBaller

I'm really not that concerned with where VCU places in the A-10, as long as we dance. That's where the money and notoriety comes, and we've proven to be a pain in the ass with our style of play in a NCAA tournament setting. We finished 4th in the CAA when we went to the Final Four, and only 2nd last year, and have 6 NCAA wins in those 2 years to show for it.

I think most would agree that getting a NCAA bid trumps whatever the regular season standings may say. I think a decent number of us (maybe 4-5) will be able to put our dancing shoes on this year, the rest is just fluff.

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AdamtheFlyer

Eh, I think everyone wants to win the A10. It's a big deal. Obviously, the dance is the ultimate goal, but the easiest way to accomplish that is to win the A10 regular season. I can't remember the last time our regular season champ missed the dance.

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Title_BU

I think his point was, and I agree, that the regular season is a means to an end - not an end itself.

Fastchuck

[QUOTE=z8-Minutemen;6936423]Very good point Steve81. La Salle may have beaten us twice, but who was really the better team last year? The proof is in the pudding. The Redskins beat the Giants twice last year and I'm sure they were the better team too, correct? The answer is a clear NO.

The point was not that La Salle was the better team. It was the "clear favorite" part of your rankings that I was responding to. To me, at this point in the pre-season, the difference between most teams is really thin. For the Explorers, I see them as capable of beating any team in the league as well as losing to any team in the league. Frankly, the same is true for UMass making them a not so clear favorite but a top teir team nevertheless.

a10nick

I refuse to go into as much detail as z8 has. But I will predict that Xavier will not finish 11th in the A-10 in 2012-13.


(Of course, if nothing else, mathematics is on my side since there's only a 1 in 16 chance for that to happen, z8's outstanding intelligence notwithstanding!)

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I just want the team I support to be in a stronger conference. I'd prefer it to be a stronger A-10! To me that would mean every member would have at least 2 trips to the NCAA Tourney and 5 winning seasons during each 10-year cycle. It would also be great for every program to seriously challenge for a league title (either regular season or Tourney) at least once during that same period of time.

X-man47

I agree and will be surprised if Xavier, even with the latest setback, isn't one of them. Obviously Xavier is an unknown quantity at this point, and the Muskies will certainly struggle early against a good nonconference slate of opponents. But there is a lot of talent on this team, and my gut says that this team will be a much more cohesive unit than those of recent years. And the reason for my confidence with regard to the post-season? My signature says it all.

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Xavier always goes to the NCAA tournament, and almost always makes some noise while there. Projecting anything less than that this season feels like folly.
Eamonn Brennan, ESPN (Summer Shootaround, 2012)

SpiderDave19

I can appreciate that, as recent history has given you confidence that success will happen regardless of roster or circumstance.

This year, however, I think you'll be hard pressed to find more than a handful of people, outside of Xavier fans, predicting a tournament bid for the Muskies. It could happen, and you won't be surprised....but most of the rest of the world will be.

NC_BonnieFan

Ok, let's take this a team at a time according to his crystal ball and, at the end, will give you my order:

UMASS...there IS NO CLEAR FAVORITE, but they will be up there challenging

VCU...There are 4 or 5 title contenders and VCU IS one of htem

SJU..."Best talent outside of UMASS" and only 3rd...hate to tell you, but Martelli can coach, even though nobody outside of SJU likes him

LaSalle...Will be dangerous

Butler...The only way they will surprise A10 fans is if they DON'T do well

Richmond...NCAA team

STL...There is just no telling how much losing Majerus will hurt...

Dayton...Good review except Dillard is THE best PG in the league

Temple...Never underestimate teh Owls

URI...Top 5 coach? SERIOUSLY? Let him coach 1 game first

Xavier...Out of control program..could fall further

GW...Always seems to have good talent but not win a lot...will probably continue

Fordham...Not last this year, but close

SBU...Agree with Bona84...I love it when people underestimate the Bonnies...a lot more talent left there than meets the eye

Charlotte...Been out of their league for a few years now in the A10

Duquesne...Like the team, but not good at all this year

MY ROSE COLORED CRYSTAL BALL

1. SJU
2. VCU
3. UMASS
4. Butler
5. LaSalle
6. Richmond
7. Dayton
8. Temple
9. SBU
10. STL
11. Xavier
12. URI
13. GW
14. Fordham
15. Charlotte
16. Duquesne....sorry Dukes fans

X-man47

Does Brennan count as someone "outside of Xavier fans"?

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Xavier always goes to the NCAA tournament, and almost always makes some noise while there. Projecting anything less than that this season feels like folly.
Eamonn Brennan, ESPN (Summer Shootaround, 2012)