I have opinions about MBB's loss to Texas last night. I'm going to share most of those opinions in the most civil way I can.
In-Season News: MBB, WBB, Baseball, Softball
Last night's loss to Texas was what one could call a "good loss". On paper, I guess you could say that. To a viewer, the contest was simultaneously infuriating, inspiring, and stressful. There are a few things that I can take away from it.
- Officiating in college sports is always ticky-tack to some degree, but exceptionally so any time the University of Texas is one of the competitors. That's not to say that we lost due to officiating, but a few extremely questionable calls or lack thereof (push-off at the end, Cameron Ridley's exceptional ability to body-slam his way to the rim, etc.) certainly didn't help the Bears when they pulled within striking distance.
- Kenny Chery is beginning to grow into everything we hoped for at the beginning of the season. The transfer put up 27 points last night and was all over the place on offense. He rebounded, drove on the rim, and did everything expected of a dynamic point guard. His accuracy suffers at close range, and he missed out on a few valuable and-one opportunities, but if he continues to perform at this level then we have a lot to look forward to.
- Chery's recent explosion makes me much more excited for the arrival of Lester Medford next season. We lose Gary Franklin and Brady Heslip to graduation, but the idea of having two players who can consistently create their own shot on the outside is enticing. Chery's three-point game has picked up recently as well, decreasing demand for Heslip on the floor. As much as I love Brady in the right situations, this bodes well for the team as a whole.
- Even though a number of the fouls that got them there were sketchy, our big men NEED to stay out of foul trouble early in the game. Rico went to the bench with three about halfway through the first half, and neither Jefferson nor Austin was able to slug it out with Ridley as well as Gathers. I don't think tonight should give us any worries about the effectiveness of our frontcourt - it's extremely rare to encounter a tank like Cameron Ridley.
- Ish Wainwright still isn't ready to be a regular contributor, but he's shown tons of intensity in his limited minutes over the past few games. I'm intrigued to see what he can do after a full offseason in the system. His athleticism still excites me, even if his time on the court hasn't been overwhelming.
Help Gold Out the Ferrell Center when the Lady Bears host WVU on Sun. at 1:30 p.m. All fans will get a free t-shirt while supplies last.
— Baylor Lady Bears (@BaylorWBB) February 26, 2014
Off-Season Football News
RT @BrewerIPA: My Interview with Baylor Tight End Jordan Najvar. http://t.co/pcUjZQG1iw / #NextLevelBU
— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) February 26, 2014
Sporting News ranks Bryce Petty 6th-best player http://t.co/DfcZqcW4el & Shock Linwood 8th best RB http://t.co/R1ehr5AkVm in 2014 rankings.
— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) February 26, 2014
Sporting News' rankings of Petty and Linwood show just how much respect Baylor's offense is gaining in preseason discussion after several years of success. It's also cool to get to know Jordan Najvar better. I believe it was Mark who once said that Najvar would be his ideal partner in the zombie apocalypse on the podcast. The more I find out about his personality and athleticism, the more I support that choice.
Best of the Rest
It seems like there's a ton of Baylor news heading into every weekend, but things are mostly quiet in this category at the moment, especially since we bumped softball up to the in-season section.
Track And Field Preps For Big 12 Indoor Championships - Baylor Bears Official Athletic Site - BaylorBears.com
Baylor returns a total of 18 All-Big 12 performers, including six athletes who have won Big 12 Indoor titles to the 2014 Big 12 Indoor Championships hosted by Iowa State University at the Lied Recreation Center in Ames, Iowa, on Friday and Saturday.
The Fun Section
Yesterday on the Mothership, ten contributors drafted a coaching staff from a list of all 128 Division 1 head coaches, and it was incredibly entertaining to imagine Les Miles and Art Briles working together to dominate ESPN with idiosyncratic habits and legendary quotes. It would be a massive undertaking to do the same thing on ODB, but I am curious who our commentariat would pick if they could assemble their dream staff composed of current head coaches. If you have the time and the imagination, drop your list off in the comments and justify your reasoning. Positions include:
- Head Coach
- Offensive Coordinator
- Defensive Coordinator
- Wide Receivers
- Quarterbacks
- Running Backs
- Offensive Line
- Defensive Line
- Linebackers
- Defensive Backs
- Special Teams
Have fun, have faith in the Fighting Scott Drews, and most of all, have a fantastic day full of good food and happy thoughts.