Milledge Traded for $24 worth of trinkets, a Chaucer tale, and a water-stained Power Pack comic book

Bye, Milledge, we hardly knew ya.



I was prepping a New York Mets post about the offseason so far, asking why the team doesn't let Ramon Castro hold down the catcher's job full time (since he's a capable catcher and beats the piss out of the ball when he's on the field), wondering about pitchers and relievers, when I see this from metsgeek and the nynewsday:

1:20 PM EST, November 30, 2007

The Mets have traded Lastings Milledge to the Nationals for catcher Brian Schneider and outfielder Ryan Church, a baseball official confirmed this afternoon. Milledge was believed to be a major chip in the Mets' pursuit of an elite starting pitcher this offseason, but that apparently was not the case.

Schneider, 31, will now take over in the catching tandem with Ramon Castro, only a week after the Mets traded for Johnny Estrada. Schneider is expected to be a defensive upgrade to Estrada, who is now almost certain to be released. Schneider hit .235 with six homers and 54 RBI last season.

Church, 29, will be added to the mix in rightfield. He batted .272 with 15 home runs and 70 RBI in 144 games for the Nationals.

Milledge showed flashes of his highly-touted potential in the past two seasons. He batted .272 (50-for-184) with seven homers and 29 RBI last year. Evidently, the Mets value Carlos Gomez, a superior defensive player, over Milledge. But Gomez could be moved in a deal for a starting pitcher at next week's winter meetings.

Well, dick on a platter. If that's not one of the worst trades I've ever seen, I think it's time to come up with a list. Milledge was a high first round pick, hit solidly last year. Had potential. Now we have:

Brian Schneider. A weak hitting defensive catcher. We had Yorvit Torrealba for that role; why did we have to trade a valuable player? Maybe this line from the ap report has something to do with it:

Milledge... had been reprimanded for not running hard on the bases and had arrived late to the clubhouse for a game. He also rankled Mets management by making a rap CD that used offensive language.

Tem Mets are very image conscious, so we get a nice "veteran presence":

Ryan Church. Have YOU heard of Ryan Church? He's 29. If he were of much note, you would have heard of him. A few homers, 43 doubles, a credible glove, but nothing impressive.

This just in-- he's a frickin' bible-thumper?

An article in Sunday's paper about Baseball Chapel quoted Church as saying that he had turned to Moeller for advice about his former girlfriend, who was Jewish. "I said, like, Jewish people, they don't believe in Jesus. Does that mean they're doomed? Jon nodded, like, that's what it meant. My ex-girlfriend! I was like, man, if they only knew. Other religions don't know any better. It's up to us to spread the word," Church said.

I love my Bible too, but that's a) ridiculous and b) some crap you don't say to a reporter.

Ah crap. No more L-Millz:



Or slick sliding:

Game #4 Quick Hits: St. John's 68, LIU 56

- Dele Coker got the start. He played some minutes... and picked up 4 fouls. The rotation in general was highly "experimental," with Cavataio coming in during the first half but only taking one shot, Sean Evans coming in and giving some minutes, Larry Wright not playing enough time. And Jasiulionis played also!

- Justin Burrell and DJ Kennedy were pretty masterful, shooting well, rebounding, stealing the ball...

- Anthony Mason Jr's defense was credible but his shot (air-ball) was NOT. And then he rolled over an LIU player's ankle, hurting it again... Norm's postgame comments sound cheery but somehow I think the result will not be as sunny.

- Ugly effing game. No one shot, Larry Wright got bumped/ hurt a little, but scored some crucial points late for 10 in total.

- Lawrence and Horne shot bricks... and I believe they had 15-20 turnovers. More when I get my hand on the box scores and news on Mason's condition.

Game #4, LIU Blackbirds at St. John's

Tonight, the St. John’s Red Storm faces the Long Island University Blackbirds, 7.30 ET at Carnesecca Arena. For some reason Long Island University is in Brooklyn, a borough whose residents never think of themselves as “Long Islanders.” I know I didn’t when I lived there. I should have some affection for the team; they’re Brooklyn, they were a mile from the old Brooklyn home, they’re across the street from Junior’s.

Let me stop selling them short though. Unlike Fairleigh Dickinson (aka Fairleigh Ridiculous) they have won some games—albeit against Army (who can’t score against their early-season competition), Canisius (who really can’t score against the early competition), and Columbia (the Ivy league hasn’t been semi-capable in a few years). LIU has also lost to Notre Dame. Actually, they got tore up by Notre Dame, 82-50. As an aside, LIU has a rich basketball history back in the 40’s and 50’s, when they were coached by Hall of Famer Clair Bee with stars like William King. Plus, the team includes transfer Ron Manigault, cousin of NYC streetball/ hoops legend Earl "The Goat" Manigault, famed for grabbing quarters off the tops of backboards, a feat that's up there with Dwight Howard's sticker dunk (photo) for pure unadulterated illness.

LIU is regarded as perhaps the best of the Northeast Conference competition. LIU’s two leading scorers, senior Kellen Allen (14.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and freshman Kyle Johnson (14.2 ppg, 6 rpg, 45% 3-pt) come off the bench. From the news recaps, it seems that LIU has some good scoring runs in them, and they are regarded as a pretty good squad

Ken Pomeroy’s rankings have the Blackbirds a bit higher in terms of offensive efficiency (259) and defensive efficiency (98) than the other NEC squads that St. John’s has played; but St. John’s is also capable offensively (32) and defensively (22). Note that the numbers are all raw and St. John’s isn’t actually that good. But they have been solid.

So, tonight’s the night, like Redman said—Anthony Mason Jr. returns from his high ankle sprain to get some playing time before facing “the U” aka the University of Miami this Sunday. Rumor has it that center Tomas Jasiulionis will be held out of this contest after aggravating his tendonitis; this isn’t official word so we don’t know if Coach Roberts will start DJ Kennedy, Dele Coker, or maybe even Paris Horne (I would consider getting his defensive presence in the game).

Keys to tonight’s game:

- Don’t overlook the competition. I know the team is probably feeling all good about itself but I am sure Norm Roberts is reminding them that they had to grit out an opening game win against St. Francis, and FDU was up on them at halftime. The Red Storm needs to come out with the defensive intensity—success for this team starts with the defense, and they need to build good habits before the Sunday game in Miami.

- Mason, Mason, Mason. Fans have been anticipating his return for a long time and wondering about chemistry and whose minutes get cut. But damn, a little depth is good to have; and will prove very good when the team faces better competition. For his part, Mason has to play that complementary role at times and know when to look for his offense. At times last year, he took shots like a superstar at his coming out party, but he’s not going to be a superstar that way; his mid-range and outside jumpers aren’t so great that he can continue to jack up shots when there are capable and creative options in Wright, Burrell, and perhaps Kennedy. Mason has to rebound, drive, drive-and-kick. And perhaps he will be more effective with fewer shots.

- Rebounding. If Jasiulionis is out, this is an opportunity for Burrell, Coker, Mason, and Kennedy to really get after the ball on defense and on the boards. Cleaning the windows means this team can run; and with the athletes out there, this team should look for all of the easy fast break shots and putbacks it can.

- Keep up the Pace. This team needs to get Malik Boothe more time to make plays and make this team run. Eugene Lawrence needs to keep his excellent play going, and Larry Wright needs to further establish himself as a threat—no nights off for anyone on this squad.

RIP Sean Taylor.

From the AP via ESPN:

"According to a preliminary investigation, it appears that the victim was shot inside the home by an intruder," Miami-Dade County police said in a statement.

But police were still investigating the attack, which came just eight days after an intruder was reported at Taylor's home. Officers were dispatched about 1:45 a.m. Monday after Taylor's girlfriend called 911.

Sharpstein said Taylor's girlfriend told him the couple was awakened by loud noises, and Taylor grabbed a machete he keeps in the bedroom for protection. Someone then broke through the bedroom door and fired two shots, one missing and one hitting Taylor, Sharpstein said. Taylor's 1-year-old daughter, Jackie, was also in the house, but neither she nor Taylor's girlfriend were injured.

Police found signs of forced entry, but have not determined if they were caused Monday, or the previous burglary.

The shooting happened in the pale yellow house he bought two years ago in the Miami suburb of Palmetto Bay. Eight days before the attack someone pried open a front window, rifled through drawers and left a kitchen knife on a bed at Taylor's home, according to police.

"They're really sifting through that incident and today's incident," Miami-Dade Detective Mario Rachid said, "to see if there's any correlation."

Born April 1, 1983, Taylor starred as a running back and defensive back at Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami.

He was a hell of a player, and that's a shady way to go out. I hope they catch whoever did this. Reports don't list any missing items from the Taylor home, and by the nearby machete, he obviously felt threatened by something. But this seems different than the summer's Chicago area home invasions of Antoine Walker's and Eddy Curry's homes and closer to Darrent Williams' shooting-- senseless, and a cause for security concerns for athletes. Why? Neighborhood connections? Reputation? Earlier altercations? One day maybe we'll know a little more.

Game 3: Final Score St. John's 92, FDU 67

A little tight until the beginning of the second half, but a 15-4 run will wipe some grim off the game. Larry Wright hit 6 three-pointers, Burrell blocked a few shots and brought down 13 rebounds, I think, and Paris Horne used his defense to harass the FDU guards. DJ Kennedy and the rest played major minutes and was very good, even shot well. Larry Wright also played solid defense. And Lawrence shot well, dribbled well, passed well-- I think 9 assists along with 20 points. The bigs didn't play much because FDU played small and they had foul trouble... At the end, a nice game.

Tonight - 7:30ET: Game 3, FDU Knights at St. John's

Photo of Larry Wright taken from Red Storm Sports.

Tonight, St. John's Red Storm has another home contest at Carnesecca Arena against a Northeast Conference (NEC) opponent, Fairleigh Dickinson University from Teaneck. The fans are feeling pretty good about this St. John's team, with their convincing victory over Connecticut's Sacred Heart University, also from the NEC. Dickinson is 1-3 on the season, and have allowed 88 points per game. This seems like a fairly easy game for the Johnnies...

But with 7 freshmen, and Anthony Mason still out with his high ankle sprain, no team can be overlooked. The FDU Knights play a three-guard lineup, and thus far in the season, have shot well from beyond the arc. They have also been blown out by every team they have lost to. According to Ken Pomeroy's basketball efficiency statistics (based mainly on effectiveness per 100 possessions) the two teams in terms of national Offensive and Defensive efficiency rank (the adjusted numbers take into account the quality of the opponents):



It's early, of course, and St. John's hasn't played a team that has really challenged them, but by all metrics, FDU is a really bad defensive team, but offensively, not bad. Again, a lot of this may be their hot shooting from beyond the arc, with senior Manny Ubilla shooting 44% (12-27), senior forward Eric Hazard at 53% (9-17), senior Bernell Murray lagging with 31.6% shooting (6-19) and Sean Baptiste contributing with 66.7% (8-12) shooting. They also have freshman John Galvin manning the middle.

Last week, the Red Storm played extremely well. The second game found the freshmen playing better, rebounding well, and holding the lead. Paris Horne didn't take many unnecessary/ ridiculous shots, Justin Burrell was a decent offensive and defensive force, Dele Coker was effective with his minutes.

This week, I would like to see:

A more effective Malik Boothe and Tomas Jasiulionis. In 18 minutes against Sacred Heart, Malik missed all three field goal attempts and had a single assist. He needs to get some minutes and push the pace of this team, but not to the point where they are out of control. TJ should look for his shot more, especially from mid-range (though I am sure we still won't see that) and continue to block shots and use his height defensively. It would be nice to see more rebounds, but there is little indication that he is going to be a beast on the boards.

Continued hot shooting from Lawrence and Wright. They have been effective in their spots, with Larry Wright looking for his shot and Lawrence knocking down open attempts.

Better overall play from Burrell, Coker, and Kennedy. Burrell needs to get easier attempts and really use his athleticism to go off. Kennedy's shooting has been mediocre but he has made up for it by moving the ball, rebounding, and making plays; his dribble/ ball handling will hopefully show improvement. Coker just needs to see more time and cut down on the fouls; hopefully Coach Roberts will give the kid some run.

Defense of the three. The three-pointer is the great equalizer. It would be great to see the Red Storm guards stifling the outside shot and putting pressure on FDU's ballhandlers. This is the kind of game where Paris Horne and Malik Boothe should shine. I'll assume the FDU Knights will draw Burrell out of the defensive paint with Hazard; this will be a test of how well Burrell can defend in space.


Props to the team on their work last Wednesday, serving turkey dinners at the Bread and Life Soup Kitchen in Brooklyn.

News Articles on Last Night's Game

New York Post (Lenn Robbins):

The only thing St. John's lost last night was a tooth.

Sophomore Larry Wright would have pumped in more than the 16 he did in a 76-49 rout of Sacred Heart in Carnesecca Arena were it not for the front tooth he lost to an accidental elbow.

The Red Storm (2-0) took a 10-0 lead and never lost it. St. John's never lost its intensity, which was a problem that plagued it last season.

Today the team will not lose the meaning of the university's mission when it serves Thanksgiving Day dinner to some 1,200 less fortunate at the St. John's Bread and Life Soup Kitchen in Brooklyn.

"It will probably be the best day they have," said St. John's coach Norm Roberts.

It won't be great for Wright, who will have to pay a visit to the dentist. It won't be great for center Tomas Jasiulionis, who took a knee to the knee that exacerbated tendinitis, and he sat the last 18 minutes and 16 seconds....

Burrell posted his first double-double (15 points, 11 boards) but he must break the habit of lobbying for calls.

"Coach Q [Fred Quartlebaum] and Coach Roberts told me I don't want to get a reputation," said Burrell, who along with the other six freshmen accounted for 41 points and 34 boards.

Senior Eugene Lawrence had a team-high 17 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field to go along with eight assists and two turnovers. Lawrence has 13 assists and no turnovers in two games.... Roberts said he didn't think Jasiulionis' injury was serious, but that was the initial call on Mason, too.

Mason's injury already has proven to be more problematic than initially assumed.

"You could say that," said Roberts. "High ankle sprains can be hard to get back from quickly. He's responding to treatment, so that's good. It gives everyone else a chance to step up."

NY Daily News (Roger Rubin):

This time there would be no last-minute scare. No crisis of confidence, no late scoring drought and no mistake-prone stretch either. St. John's was everything it is supposed to be last night.

Larry Wright made a pair of three-pointers as the Red Storm opened against Sacred Heart with 10 unanswered points in the first two minutes and then overpowered the Pioneers for a 76-49 win before 3,403 at Carnesecca Arena.

The game played out pretty much exactly as it should when a Big East team takes on a mid-to-low major. The Storm was clearly a cut above in every aspect of the game.

"Larry kind of got me excited when he came out," said senior Eugene Lawrence who finished with 17 points on 5-for-5 shooting and eight assists. "He made a big steal, he hit two big shots. He kind of set the tone for this....It was a good win for us."....

In the second half, St. John's never allowed Sacred Heart closer than 22 and got the lead as big as 76-44 on a jumper by Mike Cavataio with 1:21 to play. At the end, Roberts had played each of his 12 scholarship players at least 10 minutes.

New York Newsday/ AMNY (Joseph Staszewski):

As Wright's shooting helped St. John's control the game early, Burrell's play in the paint did so for the rest of the half. The highly touted newcomer almost had a double-double (10 points, eight rebounds) before the halftime buzzer. Lawrence found him for an easy lay-in for a 48-21 lead at the half. That may have been Burrell's easiest basket. His 6-8 frame moved through packs of Sacred Heart defenders to grab rebounds for putbacks.

The Red Storm tried to work the ball inside to Dele Coker and Burrell to start the second half, but started just 1-for-6 from the field. Then Wright made two free throws and a beautiful reverse layup, and Lawrence hit a three from the left side to put St. John's back up 25 with 12:55 left. Burrell was not as sharp in the second half, missing his first five shots.

Game #2, Sacred Heart Pioneers (49) at St. John's (76)

Sacred Heart	21	28	49
St. John's	48	28	76

- St. John's got off to a quick lead in this one, with Eugene Lawrence and Larry Wright hitting from beyond the arc. The team ended 8-15, 53%, and even DJ Kennedy and Paris Horne sunk one each.

- The quick beginning gave way to the freshmen, but they played decently; seemed as though fast break defense is going to be an issue with this team. With Big East games in a month-- Louisville, U-Cons, Seton Hall, and Marquette come to mind as teams that will run the fast break all day long on a team.

- Coker was active, though he had 4 fouls. I'll take the 5 rebounds. Strong rebounding from DJ Kennedy again (9) and from Burrell (11 to go along with his 15 points). Sean Evans scored 4 and pulled down 5 rebounds.

- Sounds like Burrell missed some bunnies-- finish hard, big man! Like Walton likes to say. I didn't see them because the game was radio only... Speaking of bunnies, 57% free throw percentage won't cut it. And the turnovers could be improved upon-- 4 by Burrell and 3 by Kennedy, but he lost his handle more often than that.

- Mike Cavataio and the senior walk-ons, Otaja Abit and Liam Biesty both got burn! Only Cavataio scored, and his time on the floor made me think that perhaps he should be redshirted.

- Lawrence passed well, with only a couple over-aggressive flings in his 8 assist, 2 turnover line. Boothe played well but hardly showed up in the box score. Is that like a tree falling in the forest?

- Larry Wright is quickly becoming a favorite. 5-8 shooting, 3-6 from beyond the 3 point arc, 3-4 from the free throw line, 16 points. With 3 steals, 2 assists, and defensive effort. And a chipped tooth.

- The Pioneers got some easy baskets in the second half, and the game was generally sloppy after the blowout first half... but we'll take it. Coach Roberts commented on the transition defense, so hopefully he'll get that sorted.

- Tomas Jasiulionis seemed to hurt his shin in the second half... and never came back. Hope he's okay.

Tonight-- St. John's vs Sacred Heart, 7.30 ET

It's good to see that the New York Post, in their fact and spell checking wisdom, can't spell the name of St. John's leading scorer and returning scholarship player, Larry Wright. They report Anthony Mason is out for tonight's game with a high ankle sprain that worries the fans more with each missed practice and contest.

Supposedly the athletic Mason, who the Johnnies are supposed to be built around might return by Sunday's game against Fairleigh Dickinson, but this is the paper that can't spell the players' names right, and is known for their half-truths and scraped from the bottom innuendo, so we'll see Mase when he's on the court.

Also, there was a rumor flitting about that freshman guard from Queens Mike Cavataio would redshirt... but Coach Roberts denies that report. He may be keeping Cavataio active until the team knows when and how well Anthony Mason returns.

They keys to the game are basic. Sacred Heart is supposed to be a quality NEC team, come on, it's Sacred Heart! It's the NEC! This team has to be able to whoop up on them.

- Rebounding. A smaller St. Francis team beat the Red Storm on the boards, despite the supposed rebounding prowess of freshman Justin Burrell and the size of Tomas Jasiulionis and Dele Coker. DJ Kennedy pulled down 14 rebounds last week.

- Holding the lead. This one was all coaching, as Norm Roberts put 5 freshmen on the floor at different times, and the lead trickled away. The freshmen need to get their minutes, for sure, and if Justin Burrell is sidelined with foul trouble, his backup is raw. But the kids have to hold the lead, or get out and score.

- Shot selection, especially from Paris Horne. He likes to jack up threes, but in the exhibition and in the opener, I think he's hit 1 of 8. His shot is flat. He's a fast, active athlete, and needs to use that to his advantage rather than take Nate Robinson ill-advised-shot practice.

DJ Kennedy, despite not shooting well, was phenomenal. Here's one of his drives.

Show and Tell, Meadowlands-style

You know, I've been to a Jets game or two, and I never knew there was an unofficial halftime show of women showing their breasts on the Gate D ramps. But now everyone knows, thanks to the NY Times article. And if you're looking for the YouTube videos referenced in the article, they've been taken down.

From the article:

The mood of previous Gate D crowds — captured on video clips posted on YouTube — sometimes bordered on hostile, not unlike the spirit of infamously aggressive European soccer hooligans. One clip online shows a woman being groped by a man standing next to her....

Such fan behavior is not uncommon at other sporting events in the United States, like Nascar races and the infield at the Kentucky Derby.

1- Jets fans, we're like Nascar? That's just embarrassing.
2- The tradition does not apply to Giants games... and I am sure will not apply after last week.
3- When I went to the Meadowlands, I was cold as hell. You couldn't convince me to take off any layers, let alone show my...
4- It wouldn't be hard to arrest the people who show their tits (just, you know, unfair and kinda skeevy) vs arresting all the men watching (though I think a sturdy "move along" might help, security! as would arresting one seemingly drunk guy for public intoxication-- shouldn't be hard to find a drunk in that crowd). But if there's no show, there's no congregation.
5- If this was a rap show, there would be MANY arrests. Just saying.

St John's Preview from Basketball Prospectus

A preview from Basketball Prospectus, from one of my favorite places for basketball news and stats. The St John’s entry for the Big East Team profiles is ¾ down the page.

The summary:

1- St. John’s changed their style of offense from an interior oriented offense to the 3rd most 3-pt attempts in Big East conference play. As mentioned, this is partly because the team had an actual shooter (who had the green light) and Anthony Mason (who always has a green light) and perhaps reflects a tendency by both to not drive inside for the higher percentage shot and foul shot opportunities.

2- Despite early results, Lawrence’s outside shooting was the best among last year’s starters; but he only attempted 100 attempts because he was always on the floor. Also, he turns the ball over, but all St. John’s fans know that part.

3- The team will be young (we KNOW that) and author John Gasaway notes that Burrell will be looked to be a star; Mason shot with the frequency of a star but without stellar results (his effectiveness was mercurial like the moon); and Jasiulionis is a shot blocker but will be able to show what the rest of his skills look like.

4- And the team is going through a complete roster turnover, which bodes for rough times in Queens.

Because Everyone Loves Insight into Marbury Drama

“I want you guys to know I’m sorry,” Stephon Marbury said, “for everything you’ve had to go through the past couple days.”

The players turned to look at Marbury, waiting to hear if the Knicks’ prodigal point guard had anything to add. Over the previous 48 hours, Marbury had threatened to “bury” his coach; left the team in Phoenix to fly home to New York; reportedly incurred a team-issued fine worth just under $200,000; and, finally, jetted back across the country to Los Angeles to rejoin his teammates.

Marbury, however, stayed quiet. He hadn’t even bothered to stand up to issue his brief apology.

This is what the Knicks had come to expect from their $20 million star. The size of the gesture didn’t matter as much as its lack of sincerity.

And that’s why, less than 24 hours earlier, when Isiah Thomas dispatched Jamal Crawford to find out how the players would react if and when Marbury rejoined the team, all of them voted against allowing him to play. Thomas, according to one person who spoke with Crawford, had pledged to hold out Marbury if even a single Knick didn’t want him on the court.

So how did Thomas react to the team’s unanimous vote?

He sat Marbury until late in the first quarter then played him nearly 34 of the game’s remaining 39 minutes.

from Yahoo! Sports

Box Score: St. John's vs St. Francis (NY)

Sports Illustrated box score from last night's game.

St. John's 72, St. Francis (NY) 64 Recap

A win is a win, especially without star player Anthony Mason. A fuller analysis to come once some site puts up the full box score with steals, assists, turnovers, and rebounds. But from what I heard from the radio feed:

- This game was too close for comfort. Even though all kinds of Division I teams had opening game troubles, this team had some sloppy stretches, turnovers, and ill advised shots.

- On defense, St. Francis got some run up and down the court, and their forward Robert Hones went off for 19 points and 12 rebounds (I think).

- St. John's had some solid offensive stretches, ran a little bit, converted turnovers to points, mostly on Paris Horne's effort.

By player:

Starters

(-) Eugene Lawrence left a bit to be desired. Having the senior leader jack up three pointers early in the shot clock is not by design.

(++) DANG! Larry Wright was on like Donkey Kong! In fact, I wonder why he didn't get more minutes; Coach Roberts chose to play 5 freshmen for stretches, especially in the first half. It's a good time to get them acclimated but Wright, who had a 1-4 shooting day outside the arc, hit 12 footers and drove the lane (6-10 inside the arc), and took a crucial charge.

(+) DJ Kennedy played like a man on a mission. Some of that mission was to make turnovers, and his handle was at times reckless or too high, but the rest of the mission was nice-- 14 rebounds from the small forward and 9 points, along with some nifty defense and interior passing.

(-) It's tough to call Justin Burrell a negative. By the radio accounts he was playing hard and making solid moves to the basket but the result only had 2 rebounds. This team needs him to be a monster on the boards. He'll be nice on putbacks from missed Anthony Mason bricks, but he has to rebound on defense as well. Burrell was in foul trouble much of the evening, and if he were a more foul-free factor, the team would have been in better shape.

(?+) Tomas Jasiulionis was active early on the offensive glass and scored 6 points, but only had 5 boards. He seemed to handle the ball well, but he was not a huge factor in the second half.

Bench:

(+) Boothe was reckless once in a while but excellent at getting to the hoop and hitting shots. Nice defense, also.

(+) It's hard to call Paris Horne a positive. Well, in the first half. He came in the game and jacked up two terrible sounding threes. But he got himself under control, scoring on two breakaways off of his own steals, disrupted passes, and got to the rim. A work in progress, but it'll be an energetic work.

(+) Dele Coker was iffy early but a revelation late, scoring with a little touch around the basket, pulling down some rebounds, blocking a shot (leaving the shooter on the floor) that started a 3 on 2 fast break.

(--) Sean Evans. Let's just say he was kind of a disaster on the court. He will learn.

Coaching-wise, these guys need to learn to start the offense earlier in the shot clock and to stop with the terrible threes. The playing time rhythm, hopefully, will come. But some guys need to get more minutes.

Anthony Mason Out for St. John's Season Opener

Anthony Mason Jr.—the leading returning scorer and centerpiece of the Red Storm basketball team— is out for tonight’s season opener against St. Francis (NY):

Swingman Anthony Mason Jr. suffered a high ankle sprain in practice and missed an exhibition game against Molloy. He was going to try to get about 40 minutes of practice yesterday, but Roberts said he would not rush back his most versatile player.

Aw, crap. DJ Kennedy, 6’6” freshman swingman out of Schenly High in Pittsburgh should get the start, along with fellow freshman Justin Burrell (PF), junior Tomas Jasiulionis (C), sophomore shooting guard Larry Wright, and senior captain (and Big East’s returning assist leader) Eugene Lawrence. It’s St. Francis, but with the freshmen playing their first game—the aforementioned pair and likely Malik Boothe (PG), Paris Horne (SG), most likely Dele Coker (C), and possibly forward Sean Evans and guard/ forward Mike Cavataio—this could be an interesting game.

Where to look for Starbury? Italy?

Stephon Marbury is AWOL?

From the Knicks Nation blog on the NY Daily News:

Stephon Marbury has gone AWOL. The Knicks controversial point guard was conspicuously absent from this morning's team practice, putting his Knicks' tenure in jeopardy and throwing the team's season into chaos.

On the day the Daily News reported that the club had decided to reduce Marbury's role and may be discussing severing ties with the Brooklyn-bred hoops star, head coach Isiah Thomas informed the media at this morning's shootaround that second-year guard Mardy Collins will replace Marbury in the starting lineup tonight against the Suns.

Isiah puts the smooth in smooth move, once again.

Update from ESPN:

"Isiah has to start me," Marbury reportedly said, according to the Daily News. "I've got so much [stuff] on Isiah and he knows it. He thinks he can [get] me. But I'll [get] him first. You have no idea what I know."

if you haven't seen it...

bo ryan does the soulja boy dance, like jerry rice and so many others before him:

game #0, exhibition: vs Molloy College @ Carnesecca Arena

Wednesday night's St. John's exhibition game win against Molloy was a great moment for Red Storm fans... than again, it was an exhibition... against a Division II team... that isn't very good. The game was a chance to see the 7 freshmen (freshman number 8, Rob Thomas, the self-proclaimed "next great basketball star" redshirted last year) in game action. No more speculating over high school stats, grainy promo videos, 3 word phrases on recruiting websites, or firsthand practice accounts on message boards.

It's not quite ON yet. But the Red Storm season is close.



Observations from grainy online video:

- Boothe was nice. Quick, solid passer, good sense. Even nailed a couple of open outside shots, which is the most exciting part-- this team is going to need all the offense it can get.

- DJ Kennedy is a pretty skilled player, even as a freshman. Good ball movement, good drives to the basket. Better defensively than I thought he would be.

- Larry Wright looks more aggressive. It might be because he's actually on the court. I'll wait to say more, but it looks like he's trying to expand his game.

- Geno Lawrence looked under control, but the defensive competition was not high caliber. Still, his shot looked good, and he will be counted on to hit open outside shots.

- Paris Horne was aggressive-- maybe too aggressive. His outside shot clanged the front of the rim like a bell in the second half, but it seems like he has more sense to constantly shoot that shot. His quickness was impressive, but again-- against weak competition. But it looks like he'll be able to hang with D-I competition, and play some good defense, too.

- I didn't see much of Jasiulionis.

- Justin Burrell looked decent, got his shot off. But if he's going to enjoy a diet of turn around jumpers, I'll comment after he does it against defenders who are his height. But he is quick and agile.

- Mike Cavataio aka Mikey Cavs moved well, but like shooters sometimes do, even when given screens, he looked like he was pressing to make his shot.

- Dele Coker and Sean Evans are not ready for prime time. Maybe Coker was feeling shy; but those long jump shots are not why the team brought in the 6'10", 270 pound center. I hope he rebounds and, well, rebounds. Evans blocked a couple of shots, even hit a three (which would be great for spacing with this team; 3-point shooting is NOT going to be a strength), but looked like he was in the wrong place every time. Along with his turnovers... the guy needs a year to study basketball.

Here is a favorite quote from the Sports NY recap:

Boothe and Horne were diving on the floor with their team up by 30 and less than two minutes left in the game.

"It's something that you must do in basketball if you want to win," Burrell said.

Is that something Roberts stressed before the exhibition?

"Coach didn't have to say it," Boothe said. "We already knew that."

The First USA Today Poll (taken from USA Today

2007 USA TODAY/ESPN Top 25 Preseason Coaches' Poll

Outlooks by USA TODAY's Jack Carey

1. North Carolina (31-7)

Points: 739 (10 first-place votes). Final 2006-07 rank: 5 (tie). Outlook: Fs Brandan Wright and Reyshawn Terry have departed, but a wealth of talent returns after a trip to the Elite Eight. All-American Tyler Hansbrough teams with Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington to form a solid nucleus as the Heels try to rise to the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Opens: Nov. 14 vs. Davidson at Charlotte (ESPN, 7).

2. UCLA (30-6)

Points: 734 (12). Final 2006-07 rank: 3. Outlook: After consecutive trips to the Final Four, the Bruins appear primed for another strong season behind G Darren Collison, wing Josh Shipp and Fs Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Alfred Aboya. Freshman Kevin Love could be an immediate star. Opens: Nov. 9 vs. Portland State.

3. Memphis (33-4)

Points: 731 (8). Final 2006-07 rank: 7. Outlook: One of the top contenders for the national title. The talented Tigers will return an experienced group that includes Gs Chris Douglas-Roberts, Antonio Anderson and Willie Kemp and Fs Joey Dorsey and Robert Dozier. Look for freshman G Derrick Rose to make an immediate splash. Opens: Nov. 5 vs. Tennessee-Martin in 2K Sports Classic (ESPNU, 7).

4. Kansas (33-5)

Points: 669 (1). Final 2006-07 rank: 5 (tie). Outlook: The Jayhawks should have a big year in the Big 12 behind Gs Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers and Sherron Collins and F Darrell Arthur. Balance and depth could take them far. Opens: Nov. 9 vs. Louisiana-Monroe.

5. Georgetown (30-7)

Points: 625. Final 2006-07 rank: 4. Outlook: Star F Jeff Green left early for the NBA, but C Roy Hibbert decided to return for another run at Big East honors and the Final Four. He will be joined by Fs Patrick Ewing Jr. and DaJuan Summers and Gs Jessie Sapp and Jonathan Wallace. Opens: Nov. 10 vs. William & Mary.

6. Louisville (24-10)

Points: 620. Final 2006-07 rank: 20. Outlook: This might be the best team in the Big East, and the Cardinals could be set up for a deep tournament run behind G Terrence Williams and Edgar Sosa, Fs Derrick Caracter and Juan Palacios and C David Padgett. Opens: Nov. 17 vs. Hartford.

7. Tennessee (24-11)

Points: 598. Final 2006-07 rank: 18. Outlook: The experienced Volunteers should be a force in the Southeastern Conference. They are solid in the backcourt behind Chris Lofton, JaJuan Smith and Ramar Smith. F Wayne Chism also returns, although coach Bruce Pearl indefinitely suspended F Duke Crews in late September. Opens: Nov. 9 vs. Temple.

8. Michigan State (23-12)

Points: 503. Final 2006-07 rank: not ranked. Outlook: Spartans should be major contenders for Big Ten honors behind Gs Drew Neitzel and Travis Walton, Fs Raymar Morgan and Matquise Gray and Cs Goran Suton and Idong Ibek. Opens: Nov. 13 vs. Chicago State in CBE Classic (ESPNU, 7).

9. Indiana (21-11)

Points: 479. Final 2006-07 rank: not ranked. Outlook: The Hoosiers are expected to take another step up in coach Kelvin Sampson’s second season. F D.J. White is one of the best in the nation at his position, and G Armon Bassett should play a key role. Well-regarded recruiting class includes blue-chip G Eric Gordon. Opens: Nov. 12 vs. Chattanooga.

10. Washington State (26-8)

Points: 464. Final 2006-07 rank: 17. Outlook: The Cougars have been growing into a Pacific-10 power and should be right in the mix this year with an experienced cast that includes Gs Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver and Fs Daven Harmeling and Robbie Cowgill. Opens: Nov. 9 vs. Eastern Washington.

11. Duke (22-11)

Points: 390. Final 2006-07 rank: not ranked. Outlook: Blue Devils are hoping for a bounce-back year in the ACC behind Gs DeMarcus Nelson, Gerald Henderson, Jon Scheyer. and Greg Paulus and Fs Lance Thomas and David McClure. Highly regarded recruiting class includes F Kyle Singler.. Opens: Nov. 9 vs. North Carolina Central.

12. Marquette (24-10)

Points: 381. Final 2006-07 rank: not ranked. Outlook: The Golden Eagles will field a veteran team that could do serious damage in the Big East. All-conference G Dominic James returns with backcourt mates Jerel. McNeal and Wesley Matthews. Fs Ousmane Barro.. and Dan Fitzgerald are also back. Opens: Nov. 10 vs. IUPUI.

13. Oregon (29-8)

Points: 360. Final 2006-07 rank: 8. Outlook: Standout G Aaron Brooks has moved on, but after a trip to Elite Eight, the Ducks welcome back long-distance shooting specialist Tajuan Porter, fellow Gs Malik Hairston and Bryce Taylor and F Maarty Leunen... Opens: Nov. 10 vs. Pepperdine in World Vision Invitational.

14. (tie) Gonzaga (23-11)

Points: 252. Final 2006-07 rank: not ranked. Outlook: Sean Mallon and Derek Raivio are gone, but the Bulldogs should again be the class of the West Coast Conference with the return of F Josh Heytvelt and Gs Matt Bouldin and Jeremy Pargo. Opens: Nov. 11 vs. Montana.

14. (tie) Texas A&M (27-7)

Points: 252. Final 2006-07 rank: 9. Outlook: With coach Billy Gillispie. and standout G Acie. Law having moved on, the Aggies turn to former Wichita State coach Mark Turgeon. He welcomes back F Joseph Jones and sharpshooting wing Josh Carter as the team eyes the top of the Big 12. Opens: Nov. 9 vs. McNeese State.

16. Texas (25-10)

Points: 216. Final 2006-07 rank: 16. Outlook: Point guard D.J. Augustin has been named Big 12 preseason player of the year by league coaches, and the Longhorns will probably go as far as he takes them. Horns also return Gs A.J. Abrams and Justin Mason, wing Damion James and post Connor Atchley. Opens: Nov. 12 vs. Texas-San Antonio.

17. Arizona (20-11)

Points: 205. Final 2006-07 rank: not ranked. Outlook: F Chase Budinger and G Jawann McClellan are back to help lead the Wildcats, who will also feature F Jordan Hill and Gs Daniel Dillon and Nic. Wise in an attempt to contend in a strong Pacific-10. Opens: Nov. 13 vs. Northern Arizona.

18. Southern California (25-12)

Points: 189. Final 2006-07 rank: 15. Outlook: After a Sweet 16 trip a year ago, the Trojans return F Taj Gibson and Gs Daniel Hackett and Dwight Lewis. All eyes will be on freshman O.J. Mayo, one of the nation’s top recruits. Opens: Nov. 10 vs. Mercer.

19. Arkansas (21-14)

Points: 173. Final 2006-07 rank: not ranked. Outlook: New coach John Pelphrey is greeted by plenty of talent and experience from a team that made the NCAAs, including Gs Patrick Beverley and Gary Ervin, wing Sonny Weems and Fs Charles Thomas and Darian Townes. Opens: Nov. 9 vs. Wofford.

20. Pittsburgh (29-8)

Points: 160. Final 2006-07 rank: 10. Outlook: C Aaron Gray will be missed, but Fs Sam Young and Mike Cook and Gs Levance Fields and Ronald Ramon return and will likely step into bigger roles as the Panthers attempt another run to the NCAAs. Opens: Nov. 9 vs. Houston Baptist in Hispanic College Fund Challenge.

21. Stanford (18-13)

Points: 158. Final 2006-07 rank: not ranked. Outlook: Cardinal will return a ton of experience from the team that made the NCAAs last year, including Fs Lawrence Hill and Fred Washington, C Robin Lopez and Gs Mitch Johnson and Anthony Goods. Second-leading scorer Brook Lopez, a 7-footer, has been suspended indefinitely for violating team rules. Opens: Nov. 9 vs. Harvard in Basketball Travelers Classic.

22. Kentucky (22-12)

Points: 155. Final 2006-07 rank: not ranked. Outlook: New coach Billy Gillispie. steps into the spotlight and will count on Gs Ramel Bradley, Joe Crawford, Derrick Jasper and Jodie Meeks along with freshman F Patrick Patterson, who could have a major impact right away. Opens: Nov. 7 vs. Central Arkansas in 2K Sports Classic (ESPNU, 7).

23. Southern Illinois (29-7)

Points: 137. Final 2006-07 rank: 11 (tie). Outlook: One of the best defensive teams in the nation returns F Randal. Falker, the Missouri Valley Conference defensive player of the year, from a Sweet 16 team, along with F Matt Shaw and point guard Bryan Mullins. Opens: Nov. 17 vs. Northern Illinois

24. North Carolina State (20-16)

Points: 119. Final 2006-07 rank: not ranked. Outlook: The Wolfpack are starting to be heard from again in the ACC, and the progression should continue with Fs Brandon Costner, Gavin Grant and Ben McCauley and G Courtney Fells. Freshman F J.J. Hickson could help out right away. Opens: Nov. 15 vs. William & Mary.

25. Villanova (22-11)

Points: 111. Final 2006-07 rank: not ranked. Outlook: Wildcats don’t have loads of experience, but they do have standout G Scottie Reynolds, who can make up for that. F Shane Clark needs to stay healthy. Freshman G Corey Fisher is expected to make an immediate impact. Opens: Nov. 9 vs. Stony Brook. Others receiving votes: Kansas State (23-12) 94; Syracuse (24-11) 69; Ohio State (35-4) 65; Clemson (25-11) 56; Connecticut (17-14) 55; Butler (29-7) 42; Davidson (29-5) 39; Xavier (25-9) 38; Alabama (20-12) 31; Mississippi State (21-14) 30; Florida (35-5) 26; Wisconsin (30-6) 21; Illinois (23-12) 16; Brigham Young (25-9) 12; Washington (19-13) 12; Nevada (29-5) 8; Bradley (22-13) 7; Virginia (21-11) 7; Virginia Commonwealth (28-7) 5; Utah (11-19) 4; Baylor (15-16) 3; Old Dominion (24-9) 3; Saint Joseph’s (18-14) 3; Fresno State (22-10) 2; George Mason (18-15) 2; Utah State (23-12) 2; California (16-17) 1; Maryland (25-9) 1; Notre Dame (24-8) 1.