Hopkins coming back!

by **Hoop Fan** » Tue May 03, 2005 11:14 am

just once on tv too be honest. But thats more than most people that have commented on him. He played against a top big man, Derrick Caracter, in that game and he was no laughing stock to me. A couple legit blocked shots and he started the game for the best high school team in the country. Maybe Oak Hill is into charity and giving guys starts who are laughing stocks, but I doubt it.

The reason I think the guy has something is not just height, but he showed very good lateral movement in that game. He actually got out and defended the wing on a few occasions when he had to.

As for his strength, its not like Simpson was a physical force, neither was Castro. If we had Wayne Simien last year I'd understand the consternation about this guy. Besides, of the freshmen, I think Brian Morris will be a bigger factor next year.

by **OldPony** » Tue May 03, 2005 3:57 pm

HOOP-A coach's son and he didn't use up a lot of minutes on his HS team. I honestly hope you are right but I think you will find that Patrick Simpson played like Patrick Ewing compared to the strength this guy brings. His diminisions are laughable. I really don't see anything for at LEAST one full year with the weights. If you look at him and tell me honeslty that the first thing that comes into your mind isn't Manute Bol, I'll not vote for you for the sunshiner award this year(:

by **Hoop Fan** » Tue May 03, 2005 5:03 pm

yea OP, but you have to admit his was no typical high school team. Oak Hills whole starting lineup goes D-1. I agree his skinnyness reminds you of a Manute Bol or Shawn Bradley. But he moves laterally a whole lot better than Bol ever did from what I saw.

We'll see. I'm on record, if the guy rots on the bench and never shows anything next year, I'll be the first to eat crow. If he plays 10 minutes a night and blocks and alters some shots, that will help the team and be a good start to his career for a freshman.

by **jtstang** » Tue May 03, 2005 6:55 pm

OldPony wrote:HOOP-A coach's son and he didn't use up a lot of minutes on his HS team. I honestly hope you are right but I think you will find that Patrick Simpson played like Patrick Ewing compared to the strength this guy brings. His diminisions are laughable. I really don't see anything for at LEAST one full year with the weights. If you look at him and tell me honeslty that the first thing that comes into your mind isn't Manute Bol, I'll not vote for you for the sunshiner award this year(:

The 7-foot dimension is not all that laughable. I mean, he'll be 7' at the beginning of the game, in the middle and at the end. Now if he can make poeple alter their shots in the lane, say unlike Shawn Bradley, he'll almost not help but get a lot of PT. I don't think he's gonna be consensus all world this year, but he'll have to play some just to spell our other unproven big men.

And be careful casting your vote for those sunshiner awards, the race is very tight this year. Hell since that happy hour the other night, just about 96% of the football board posters are in the running.

by **OldPony** » Wed May 04, 2005 9:30 am

I knew my vote for Hoop wasn't going to be cast. He is too honest to say tat Fall isn't a Bol look aliike. You are right about the f'ball board. Feed'em whiskey and tell them you are going to win and they are on the bandwagon and forget we were told the exact same thing last year. Was Bennett really there or did he send a tape of last years' party?(:

by **EastStang** » Wed May 04, 2005 9:35 am

I watched Manute Bol and he was awkward, but he altered shots. That is worth something in college. If he just stands there with his arms up, his fingers will probably touch the back board, people will miss shots. Even if he is a total stiff and gets his five fouls that allows Rack to sit for some mintues. I agree Morris may be the bigger impact this year on the front line. I've been watching the Wizards/Bulls series. Haywood, Thomas, and Ruffin are hardly great talents on the offensive end, but Arenas, Hughes and Jamison, open space for them to get some points. They even made Kwame Brown look halfway decent offensively in Game 1. So, if BHop can create space and dish, our forwards can have some easy buckets.

by **Hoop Fan** » Wed May 04, 2005 10:49 am

pretty sure I won't win any sunshine awards on this board, but I don't think I'm all that negative either. Although it is ironic that over the past two years I've definitely been the biggest critic of SMUs interior defense and rebounding. Maybe I'm just so tired of watching opposing PFs and centers easily flip shots over us, that I am eager to think we can't do anything but improve in that area. Morris should be a good complement to Fall; a banger and a shot blocker.

I like the direction Tubbs is going with this recruiting class. If thats sunshine, so be it. My biggest complaint is I really dont understand why we cant seem to find a way to fix up Moody.

by **Roach** » Wed May 04, 2005 11:06 am

Hoop Fan wrote: .... I like the direction Tubbs is going with this recruiting class. If thats sunshine, so be it....

You'll be accused of sunshining, but that's not it. You have an opinion, and you expressed it. The fact that you see hope in the future does not make you a sunshiner. It makes you an optimistic, hopeful fan. Keep it up.

by **jtstang** » Wed May 04, 2005 11:29 am

Hoop Fan wrote:I like the direction Tubbs is going with this recruiting class. If thats sunshine, so be it.

I hope there's more to it than that, otherwise I'd be guilty too, and I've been banned by Sunshiner's Local 105.

by PK » Wed May 04, 2005 12:16 pm

jtstang wrote:
Hoop Fan wrote:I like the direction Tubbs is going with this recruiting class. If thats sunshine, so be it.

I hope there's more to it than that, otherwise I'd be guilty too, and I've been banned by Sunshiner's Local 105.

Banned???? Never knew you had applied. :shock:

by **jtstang** » Wed May 04, 2005 2:37 pm

I hadn't. It's a group I can only admire from afar, not belong to. Kinda like the Mustang Club.

by **Pony_Fan** » Wed May 04, 2005 4:00 pm

Hoop Fan wrote:I like the direction Tubbs is going with this recruiting class. If thats sunshine, so be it. My biggest complaint is I really dont understand why we cant seem to find a way to fix up Moody.

Let's hope it stays in the right direction. I don't understand why we can't seem to find money for Moody upgrades either.... That should be #1 priority right now. Especially since you are looking at 1.5 - 2 years just to remodel and/or build practice facilities. It's kind of a joke nothing has been done.

by **Stampede** » Wed May 04, 2005 5:03 pm

I am not a sunshiner either. Well, maybe sometimes I do see positives in alot of situations. That being said, I too, see good things to come out of Tubbs and SMU's recruiting.

SMU is definitely a team on the rise in B-ball. Just like Coach Sampson said ..."with the hiring of Jimmy Tubbs...Dallas just became a much harder place to recruit".

by **jtstang** » Wed May 04, 2005 5:35 pm

Stampede wrote:I am not a sunshiner either.

I couldn't even read the rest of your post--you lost all credibility in your opening.

by **OldPony** » Wed May 04, 2005 5:57 pm

Hell we are all sunshiners to a degree even old curmudgeons like OP. I'll bet none would still post if not for a sliver oof optimism.

Hopkins coming back!

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