Who will be this year's "X" factor?

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scumming
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Who will be this year's "X" factor?

Post by scumming » Wed Jun 23, 2004 2:54 pm

I go with Lawrence Carrier...as hard as it is to not say Lasme will, I'm tellin you this kid is gonna show us somethin and a lot of it next year...he can score, handle the ball like a PG and when he catches fire..look outtt.....Lawrence has been exposed to so much talent in the past that he will not fault here in Amherst...he was tellin me how he played against 'Melo at ABCD camp a few years back and even admitted that while being outplayed, he held his own...Carrier is gonna explode next year and get national exposure...Dicky V will be callin this guy a diaper dandy all year long
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Old Cage
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Post by Old Cage » Wed Jun 23, 2004 3:00 pm

scumming - Around these parts Melo is a 2-guard who played a little hoops with Edgar and Donta and a few other friends. Could spot up and shoot a tad.

Took me a bit to realize who you were talking about, and then only because he played a year at Cuse. Have not watched "The League" one minute since the scores stopped hitting double digits by the half.

:)

PS: My X factor will be that they all show up in the fall and all we lose is Gabe. Losing only one has not happened for a long time.

frank da tank

Post by frank da tank » Wed Jun 23, 2004 3:43 pm

a guy like Chadwick could step in and grab a ton of mins and be a real good player at Umass thi season. However he always overweight, and looks lazy out there.....If he could just bear down and give it 100% on and off the court, he could be a valuable player for the team....If he can get that Juco out of his work ethic, he could even start.........

Lasme has the potential.........but teams will also be ready for him this year.........

Carrier is the obviuos choice........

Mo maxwell CAN be the guy......has to get tougher, if he does....all that talent will come out!!

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philosopher
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Post by philosopher » Wed Jun 23, 2004 4:18 pm

X factor? How about Lappas??? :mrgreen:

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LS71
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Post by LS71 » Wed Jun 23, 2004 4:20 pm

philosopher wrote:X factor? How about Lappas??? :mrgreen:
If it's Lappas, don't you mean ex factor?
"Win without boasting, lose without crying." -- Julius Erving

frank da tank

Post by frank da tank » Wed Jun 23, 2004 4:34 pm

I wouldn't be surprised to see Lappas have a big time yr as a coach this season. I know everyone wants him out, but if he's the guy to lead us to 20wins and a NCAA berth, then I'll be happy.....Heck, the guy won so many Big east victories, he can coach.....

Go Umass.....
Last edited by frank da tank on Wed Jun 23, 2004 8:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by SoCal » Wed Jun 23, 2004 4:36 pm

I don't know who will be the x-factor, but I know what I want out of the x-factor. I was at the Zoo for two of Ron Gurlefson's coaching years (unfortunately) and then two of Coach Cal's rebuilding years. I remember Sean Neelan (nice kid from South Hadley that played for both coaches) telling me, wait till you see the kid that is comming from junior college this year (my senior). He was already practicing with the team and Sean swore he would change UMass hoop. As it turned out it was Will Herndon and Sean was right. But what was important, here, was that Will wasn't some super star scorer, he was everything but. He got his points (mostly on death defying windmill dunks), but what he really did is bring absolutely relentless defense to the court. I don't know this for a fact, but I imagine Coach Cal creating the "Refuse to Lose" slogan while he described to the rest of the team exactly how Will played. He was relentless, an absolute monster. He would lurk in the shadows below the defensive hoop and spring out like a lion on it's pray. Before the point guard even knew the ball was gone Will would be gliding through the air for a monster dunk on the other end of the court. Just fantastic to watch. That is what I want out of an x-factor. I want someone who wants to win so badly that he refuses to lose to anybody. Find me that guy and that will change the program again.

Scummings: You have mentioned you play intramurals, etc with Mr. Carrier...does he have this type of defensive aggressiveness and drive? All I have heard so far about the young man is that he has a nice three point shot. Please let us know your thoughts.

Thanks,

SoCal

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Post by FRDreams » Wed Jun 23, 2004 4:51 pm

I hear you SoCal. I don't care what someone did in h.s., j.c., the horseshoe or Guam. I want someone who hates losing to subpar competition. This team should be embarassed for losing to some to the teams they have lost to over the last couple of years. Play defense, rebound and get it done. I have been around but not posted in quite some time because I get pissed off. It seems like for the past half decade I hear the same things and get the same awful results. This team needs to start playing with some pride and more than 2k will show up for their games. I agree the talent is there but it takes more than that to win. Look at the Blazers. Go Zoomass!

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Post by tommyboy » Wed Jun 23, 2004 5:50 pm

The X-factor is going to be leadership. Lappas has shown he is not a game coach. Thus, a player needs to step-up and become the floor general - a player who will demand the ball when the other team starts a run and answers the call. RayRay has that mentality and this year if he becomes the vocal leader this team needs, the team will progress. If not, this team will lose to inferior talent. Thus, RayRay is the X-factor.

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Post by m626t » Wed Jun 23, 2004 6:03 pm

SoCal wrote:I I remember Sean Neelan (nice kid from South Hadley that played for both coaches) telling me, wait till you see the kid that is comming from junior college this year (my senior). He was already practicing with the team and Sean swore he would change UMass hoop. As it turned out it was Will Herndon and Sean was right.
SoCal
as i recall this is not correct...didn't Herndon transfer in from Richmond or someplace? anyone??
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Post by obg » Wed Jun 23, 2004 6:42 pm

SoCal, Cal didn't originate rufuse to lose. The football team was using it first. Cal liked it and got the copyright.
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Post by SoCal » Wed Jun 23, 2004 7:00 pm

obg: That doesn't surprise me. Most of what Cal has done is not original, but he does have a way of turning up the volume on situations and capitalizing on them.

Bottom line is, whether it was Cal's phrase or not and whether Will came from JC or Richmond, my point stands. I would like to see another kid step up and be so passionate about the game that his "refuse to lose" attitude becomes contagious to the whole team. For those that didn't see Will play for UMass, I would describe him as a college version of Ben Wallace and we've all seen what that type of dedication to the game can result in.

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Post by UMass87 » Wed Jun 23, 2004 7:17 pm

Frank da Tank meet Mr.Miagi...oh wait...you're the same person.

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Post by Old Prospector » Wed Jun 23, 2004 9:31 pm

m626t wrote: as i recall this is not correct...didn't Herndon transfer in from Richmond or someplace? anyone??
Richmond it was.

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Post by Scott O » Thu Jun 24, 2004 12:48 am

According to "Going Bigtime", the "refuse to lose" slogan took on life in 92-93 with help from a few game winning shots by Mike Williams. I think OBG is right that the footy team was using it, along with other schools in other sports.

I'm rereading this book right now and its must-read summer reading. I think it might be part of Oprah's book club. Will Herndon, Calipari, John Chaney, Dr J, Sweet Sixteens, Jack Leamon, The CAge, Ross Burns - it doesn't get any better. My blood boils when I read about the evil Calhouns and Mike Jarvis' of the world.
Retarded artistically. Idiotic in other respects.

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