My Big East Picks

[R to the OB]

I understand why so many are picking Creighton so low with all the departures, but to make a comment that Mac needs to up the talent level without seeing the newcomers is ridiculous.
Having seen what Creighton has this season I am very high on them and have no problem sticking my neck out in my predictions.

[Xudash]

1. Villanova
2. St. John's
3. Georgetown
4. Seton Hall
5. Providence
6. Marquette
7. Xavier
8. Butler
9. Creighton
10. DePaul



XAVIER - A lot to like about this Xavier team, so it's hard for me to pick them 7th. Just shows how balanced the league is again. Stainbrook and Davis give them veteran leadership at 2 key positions. Their best talent otherwise are freshmen,so they may take some time coming together. Nonetheless, their veterans will provide lots of depth. Potentially a very good team.

Bill, Jalen Reynolds and probably virtually every Xavier fan may disagree with this statement. For that matter, Indiana transfer Remy Able may disagree with it as well.

[FormulaX]

1. Villanova
2. St. John's
3. Georgetown
4. Seton Hall
5. Providence
6. Marquette
7. Xavier
8. Butler
9. Creighton
10. DePaul



XAVIER - A lot to like about this Xavier team, so it's hard for me to pick them 7th. Just shows how balanced the league is again. Stainbrook and Davis give them veteran leadership at 2 key positions. Their best talent otherwise are freshmen,so they may take some time coming together. Nonetheless, their veterans will provide lots of depth. Potentially a very good team.

Bill, Jalen Reynolds and probably virtually every Xavier fan may disagree with this statement. For that matter, Indiana transfer Remy Able may disagree with it as well.

Remy is the one many don't know about. He was the only guy who kept up with Semaj in practice last year. Before, that he was the under study to that Oladipo guy at Indiana. Oladipo was the ROY in the NBA.
Last year, Stainbrook was on a new team and in new conference. It was also his first year in his new body. His old one was 345 lbs. He could improve still this year.

[Bill Marsh]

How can you know that though? The guys we are about to play you've never seen, nor do you really know much about.

I let that half go when I made my orignal post, bu will comment on it now that you've raised it: you commenting on CU's talent level is akin to me commenting on Providence's unseen players. All in all it doesnt matter since it's simply an opinion, but at least wait until CU takes the court before you disparage our talent level.

I don't know. Don't think that I take any of this stuff all too seriously. Just for fun. Something to kick around in conversation. Having you respond is greatly appreciated since I'd have no way of gaining insights on player's half way across the country otherwise.

Not really disparaging your talent. My comments are based strictly on what the various scouting services say and a look at how much talent has been lost from last year. I don't pretend to be any kind of expert.

[Bill Marsh]

I understand why so many are picking Creighton so low with all the departures, but to make a comment that Mac needs to up the talent level without seeing the newcomers is ridiculous.
Having seen what Creighton has this season I am very high on them and have no problem sticking my neck out in my predictions.

But aren't you doing the same thing that you label as "ridiculous"? As soon as you make predictions, you're evaluating everyone else's talent as well as your own. You have a first hand appreciation of what your own recruits look like, but how can you have any sense of anyone else's newcomers without seeing them?

My comment was based only on the fact that McDermott is routinely bringing in 3-star recruits when most of the rest of the conference has been bringing in some 4 and 5-star recruits in addition to their 3's.

[Bill Marsh]

1. Villanova
2. St. John's
3. Georgetown
4. Seton Hall
5. Providence
6. Marquette
7. Xavier
8. Butler
9. Creighton
10. DePaul



XAVIER - A lot to like about this Xavier team, so it's hard for me to pick them 7th. Just shows how balanced the league is again. Stainbrook and Davis give them veteran leadership at 2 key positions. Their best talent otherwise are freshmen,so they may take some time coming together. Nonetheless, their veterans will provide lots of depth. Potentially a very good team.

Bill, Jalen Reynolds and probably virtually every Xavier fan may disagree with this statement. For that matter, Indiana transfer Remy Able may disagree with it as well.

Yes, I agree that Reynolds has the potential to be a stud from everything I've read about him. My comment had more to do with the fact that the freshmen class of Blueitt, Macura, and London is loaded - the strongest class from a talent perspective. Strictly based on what I've read,Abell should provide some nice depth, but he's not a program changer.

As I said, I like what Xavier's got and I think that any of the teams after Villanova could finish 2nd or 9th. Xavier could do as well or better than last year. When forced to make a choice, my rankings are strictly how they look to me on paper, not how I think they'll necessarily finish the season. I'd call it more of a list of who do we have to beat to get to the top, who appears to offer the toughest challenges. After all, who saw PC winning the BE tournament even in March last year?

[R to the OB]

I understand why so many are picking Creighton so low with all the departures, but to make a comment that Mac needs to up the talent level without seeing the newcomers is ridiculous.
Having seen what Creighton has this season I am very high on them and have no problem sticking my neck out in my predictions.

But aren't you doing the same thing that you label as "ridiculous"? As soon as you make predictions, you're evaluating everyone else's talent as well as your own. You have a first hand appreciation of what your own recruits look like, but how can you have any sense of anyone else's newcomers without seeing them?

My comment was based only on the fact that McDermott is routinely bringing in 3-star recruits when most of the rest of the conference has been bringing in some 4 and 5-star recruits in addition to their 3's.

I politely disagree. I did make predictions, but I wasn't intending to disparage DePaul, Butler, or Marquette's talent level, nor did I come out in say it directly. As for part two you're right. I've only seen highlights of what Seton Hall, Providence, Xavier, etc. are bringing in so I am making conjectures of my own.
I will add that recruiting is very different in the Midwest where Creighton's base is. A lot of kids go unnoticed until they either explode on the AAU circuit or at a small university where it's too late for big programs to recruit them. For example, Zach Hanson, who will likely start for Creighton, is from Pierre, SD and only a 3-star on Rivals and 2-star on 247, had offers from Arizona St., Nebraska, Gonzaga, Missouri, and New Mexico to name a few, took it to several Big East teams last year.
I hope you realize that I'm not trying to ruffle your feathers and I'm not trying to start a feud. I typically agree with you, Bill, just not here.

[Bill Marsh]

I understand why so many are picking Creighton so low with all the departures, but to make a comment that Mac needs to up the talent level without seeing the newcomers is ridiculous.
Having seen what Creighton has this season I am very high on them and have no problem sticking my neck out in my predictions.

But aren't you doing the same thing that you label as "ridiculous"? As soon as you make predictions, you're evaluating everyone else's talent as well as your own. You have a first hand appreciation of what your own recruits look like, but how can you have any sense of anyone else's newcomers without seeing them?

My comment was based only on the fact that McDermott is routinely bringing in 3-star recruits when most of the rest of the conference has been bringing in some 4 and 5-star recruits in addition to their 3's.

I politely disagree. I did make predictions, but I wasn't intending to disparage DePaul, Butler, or Marquette's talent level, nor did I come out in say it directly. As for part two you're right. I've only seen highlights of what Seton Hall, Providence, Xavier, etc. are bringing in so I am making conjectures of my own.
I will add that recruiting is very different in the Midwest where Creighton's base is. A lot of kids go unnoticed until they either explode on the AAU circuit or at a small university where it's too late for big programs to recruit them. For example, Zach Hanson, who will likely start for Creighton, is from Pierre, SD and only a 3-star on Rivals and 2-star on 247, had offers from Arizona St., Nebraska, Gonzaga, Missouri, and New Mexico to name a few, took it to several Big East teams last year.
I hope you realize that I'm not trying to ruffle your feathers and I'm not trying to start a feud. I typically agree with you, Bill, just not here.

No offense taken. I greatly appreciate your insights. I'm far from a know-it-all and try to learn from other people's opinions.

All in good fun. Keep posting!

[R to the OB]

+1 indeed. Appreciate your insight as well, Bill.

[stever20]

with 5 polls in- here's the vote count:
Vil 50
SJ 41
Geo 41
Xav 35
Pro 27
SH 24
Mar 20
Cre 18
But 13
Dep 6

pretty reasonable I think.