I Bleed Blue and White

My apologies for the lack of posts.  Being in New York City really took a lot out of me, and the Jets lost, so I’m not in the greatest mood.  Anyways, here are some links to get the week started.

-Villanova vs. St. John’s Postgame Quotes

-Maalik Wayns Receives Big East Rookie of the Week Honors

-ESPN’s Weekly Watch

-Joe Lunardi’s Updated Bracketology

-Wildcats Climb in the New Polls

-Villanova Feels Right at Home in NYC

I will be at the game on Wednesday at the Wachovia Center, so let me know if you plan on attending.

It doesn’t get much better than this-a 3 day weekend, the NFL Divisional Playoffs (huge game Sunday for my NY Jets), and two Big East college basketball showdowns (Syracuse at West Virginia and Georgetown at Villanova).  Both of these hoops games are featured on Rivals’ “Five games to watch this weekend” and ESPN’s “Weeklend Watch.”

Mike Huguenin, a Rivals’ editor, on the Hoyas-Cats contest: 

This is the first game in a four-game stretch in which the Hoyas play three times on the road: against ‘Nova, Pitt and Syracuse. Yikes. Villanova needs to be worried about stifling Georgetown big man Greg Monroe. Georgetown has two top-notch guards; Villanova has about, oh, 23 or 24.

Dana O’Neil, ESPN contributor, is also psyched up for the game at the Wachovia Center:

OK, I’ll be there, so I’m being selfish. But this classic Big East battle always is good entertainment, and with the way both teams are playing — Villanova won the foul fest at Louisville and the Hoyas topped Connecticut – I doubt it will disappoint this time around. Against the Wildcats’ deep backcourt, Austin Freeman is going to have a much more difficult time going for the unconscious 33 he put up against the Huskies, but Villanova will have its hands full contending with Greg Monroe.

Furthermore, Jay Bilas breaks down this matchup in depth in the ESPN “Weekend Watch,” so take a look at that for some additional opinion and analysis.  Lastly, Andy Katz spoke with Jay Wright in the latest edition of “Katz’s Korner,” but I can’t give you a preview of that since my computer at home is not working properly at the moment.  If someone gets to watch the video, please discuss it in the comments, so we all have an idea of what it’s about. 

I will be at the game on Sunday, and I believe Chris and Jamie will too.  Usually, the best ‘Nova tailgating goes down at the end of the Wachovia Center farthest away from Citizens Bank Park.  If you see us down there, come say hello and we can hype up the Cats while having a few beers.

Surpisingly, I have something positive to report regarding a Big East player.  I bashed the players who were suspended recently, but hopefully, it looks like at least one of them is turning it around.  Reggie Redding, arrested in late July for marijuana possession, has owned up to his poor decisions and is trying to turn a negative into a positive.  Redding spoke with Joe Juliano of the Philadelphia Inquirer and said:

I want to be a positive example for the program, for the university, just do the right thing, don’t get into any bad situations and not feel sorry for myself.  What happened, I can’t look back.  I can’t start over.  I’m just going to look forward. 

Obviously, some may say he is just saying this for the sake of saying it, but Jay Wright has praised Redding’s handling of the situation too, saying:

He’s still a leader on this team and you can’t hide that.  Everything we do, he’s a leader.  I think he’s handled it great, I really do.

Hopefully, Redding can continue to be a positive presence around the team and stay out of trouble.  A player who remembers Redding very well is Pittsburgh’s Jermaine Dixon.  As you all remember, Reggie was the imbounder for Scottie Reynolds’ infamous shot in last year’s Elite Eight.  It was Dixon who had the assignment of covering Reynolds during that sequence.  The bitter loss still haunts Dixon to this day.   

You’re only as good as your last game and that game is still in my head.  That’s the only game I have, so I sit there and watch it sometimes.  I like to critique myself and see what I did wrong, so I can get better….I was getting over it, but the thing that always held me back was Levance stayed in his house for a month after that.  He didn’t come out.  He was hurting and that kind of hurt me. I was getting over it, but his pain still stays with me.

I can imagine that game and specifically, that play, still linger in the minds of the Pitt players, coaches, and fans.  There’s no doubt that the Panthers will be looking for revenge when the Wildcats travel to the Pedersen Events Center this year. 

With Achraf Yacoubou committing to Villanova today, you can add yet another young stud to  Jay Wright’s long list of star recruits.  Obviously, the hype around the current freshmen, all big time recruits, is very high.  Again, though, don’t underestimate what last year’s senior class meant to the team, the program, and the university.  Jay Wright certainly knows what he lost due to the graduation of Cunningham, Clark, Tchuisi, and Anderson.  To sum it up, he calls the current squad “prettier” than last year’s team, meaning that as of right now, his team obviously has lots of talent, but the intangibles (toughness, poise, determination, etc.) are still a question mark. 

On the loss of last year’s seniors:

They were so unselfish, so tough, so rugged.  Now we kind of look a little prettier, but I know in a Big East battle what those three brought.  In preparing our guys, you don’t know how much we’re going to miss them.  I miss them a lot already.

On the current state of the 2009-2010 Wildcats:

These [returning] guys are all highly recruited guys.  They can score, they look good out there, things the fans like.  I like them, too. But with Dante, Dwayne, and Shane, no one would talk about them [last season]…They did all the work that made us win games.  We have guys do a lot of things that the media likes, but they’ve got to learn to do the things that those three did.

I’ve been saying it all offseason and I completely agree with Jay’s comments.  Sure, on paper, this team has more talent than last year’s group, but great talent usually isn’t the key to long-term success.  It’s about meshing together, executing game plans, working harder than opponents, filling respective roles regardless of stats and personal achievements, etc.  I absolutely think this team can be great and make a deep run, but the season is a marathon and you never know how it’s going to play out.  One thing is for sure though: it should be a real fun ride. 

Be safe and enjoy Hoops Mania and Homecoming Weekend.

The 2009-2010 college basketball season has officially started.  Numerous teams held their respective “Midnight Madness“ (or some variation)last night.  As you all know, Villanova will celebrate the the new campaign with Hoops Mania next Friday night, October 23rd.  In effect, it is time to focus on the task at hand: reaching the NCAA Tournament this year.  Last year’s Final Four run was unbelievable and truly something people (including myself) will never forget, but the time is now to close the book on 2008-2009.  Jay Wright and his team agree, as Dan Gelston of the Associated Press found out.  As Wright puts it,

We’re doing all the Final Four things now.  Then we’re going to say, ‘That’s it.’  Let’s get fired up about ‘09-’10.  Let’s put it behind us.

Scottie Reynolds adds,

It’s kind of like the closure of the Final Four thing.

In addition to the Wildcats getting things underway, the rest of the Philly-area teams have begun official preparation for the upcoming season.

Jason King, a writer for Yahoo! Sports, posted his Big East preseason power rankings today.  From my point of view, nothing really too shocking with this list.  Villanova comes in at #1, as King states:

“Most would consider the Wildcats the favorite to win the league title and advance to the Final Four for the second year in a row and just the fourth time in school history.  The decision of point guard Scottie Reynolds to withdraw from the NBA draft was huge for Villanova, which returns its top six perimeter players (although standout Reggie Redding will be ineligible until the spring semester).  The biggest question mark is in the paint, where Duke transfer Taylor King and touted freshman Mouphtaou Yarou will have to make up for the loss of leading scorer Dante Cunningham.”

Enjoy the weekend.

ESPN writer Dana O’Neil and Scouts Inc. John Stovall analyzed the A-10 conference today.  Of the 10 non-conference games that O’Neil “can’t wait to see,” 4 are A-10-Big East matchups.  Coming in at #2 on the list is the St. Joseph’s Hawks vs. the Villanova Wildcats on December 9th at the infamous Palestra.  O’Neil, regarding this contest:

Even though this is a transition year for the Hawks and the Wildcats ought to be a top-10 team, nothing is guaranteed when the Holy War is played at the Palestra.  This is the sort of game that ‘Nova coach Jay Wright dreads.

Touche.  In Big 5 games, especially at the Palestra, especially St. Joe’s vs. Villanova, records and rankings can be thrown out the window.  While Villanova will be the heavy heavy favorite, you just never know, because this rivalry is one of the best in the nation.  Other A-10-Big East games that O’Neil discusses are Xavier vs. Marquette (November 26th), Pittsburgh at Duquesne (December 2nd), and Temple at Georgetown (November 17th).

ESPN writer Andy Katz and Scouts Inc. National Director of Recruiting Paul Biancardi completed a very thorough break-down of the ACC today.  While covering key offseason stories, important players, and primetime freshmen, they also discuss 10 non-conference games they “can’t wait to see” this year.  #6 on the list represents the Maryland Terrapins vs. the Villanova Wildcats, which will take place on December 6th down in Washington D.C. at the BB&T Classic.  Katz, on the game:

The highlight matchup of the BB&T Classic will be Greivis Vasquez versus Scottie Reynolds at the point.  But both teams will want to push the ball and get after each other defensively.  The Terps are a trendy pick for a top-four ACC finish, while the Wildcats should be the Big East favorite.

Other ACC-Big East matchups that Katz points out are Duke at Georgetown (date TBD) and a potential classic if Duke and UConn both make it to the finals of the NIT Season Tip-Off (Nov. 27th).  With the ACC being analyzed today, one would think that the Big East is next on the list so stay tuned.

Remember that soft nonconference schedule Villanova played last year?  Not so much this year.  Personally, I would rather take a few lumps early in the season, if it means being better prepared down the stretch.  Any thoughts?