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Post by cardfan on Dec 13, 2021 5:16:10 GMT -6
Yes, he was granted eligibility. Able to get going December 19. Bet he plays Dec 28 vs NIU. Doyle with IndyStar wrote yet another column about him and it posted just a few minutes ago.
Do not wanna overhype the kid. He hasn’t practiced with the team yet. He’s a freshman. He hasn’t played defense against d1 athletes day in and day out. But he might immediately be our best point guard. Might. No way to know yet. But , Will this kid save Whitford’s rear end?
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Post by bsu1 on Dec 13, 2021 6:53:16 GMT -6
What impact do you think he will have. I think he will be PG from dayv1 and be a little rusty. We know he can score. Can he defend?
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Post by cardfan on Dec 13, 2021 7:21:41 GMT -6
I wouldn’t expect a whole lot too soon. He’ll be rusty and not meshing yet. The rest of the team will also have to adjust to him. Roles will have to change (ball won’t be on Cochran’s hands all the time, for one). We’ll see if the chemistry is affected. Brown will be the darling. How will that go over?
Can he defend? That is the question. Not worried about his offense and passing/play making.
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Post by williamtsherman on Dec 13, 2021 7:46:23 GMT -6
Adjust what? Mesh with what? What chemistry?
There is NOTHING to lose here. BSU is sitting at #258 Eighth in the MAC. Maybe Brown could disrupt things to the point where we would fall below #270 EMU to 9th place? Who would notice? It's not likely he could be such cancer as to move BSU below the God-awful trio of WMU, NIU, CMU who are 323, 325, and 327 respectively. And even if he did....so what?
Especially the defense. BSU is ranked 304th in defensive efficiency. If Brown's man dribbles right around him every single possession...who knows?...that could actually change the dynamic in a positive way somehow.
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Post by cardfan on Dec 13, 2021 8:00:36 GMT -6
You're not wrong Sherm, but the reality is it'll take a little bit for Brown to get comfortable and for teammates to get comfortable with him. It's a Whitford team--he can screw up having Brown.
Personally I think Brown will inject some life into a moribund program. Blackford people will come out to see him. The way he plays the game will be exciting and could generate some positive gains in our play, especially on offense. He'll hit 3's AND create for other players off the drive. We don't really have a player right now who can attack a defense in multiple ways. Our guys are mostly one dimensional in their skills sets. (even though Whit would try to tell you he has a bunch of guys with multiple skill sets. Cochran 'could' be that guy but he can't shoot beyond 10 feet. He's basically a less athletic Walton. And his shorts are horrible.
It cannot hurt at all to get Brown out there. It should help. It'll just take a few games to get it cranked up.
This team will still have question marks and holes. The biggest question will be, does the addition of Brown truly make us contenders for something, or will it just be cosmetic? I don't want Brown to save Whitford's job by getting us to just good enough a record to give the administration an excuse to keep him. I want Brown to save Whitford's job to the level of a MAC championship. Quite honestly, I'd rather Whitford not last past this season. We've seen what he can and cannot do. We've seen how ill prepared we look far too often, and how completely lost in the woods he looks far too often. That's not going to change. But damn, we can't help but finish second in the West. And it won't say much that we do other than the rest of the division is a complete train wreck.
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Post by Hoopsmith on Dec 13, 2021 8:19:58 GMT -6
Read the column in TSP today. "Luke Brown woke up Blackford. Is Ball State next?"I admire Doyel's passion for his subjects, but... "They’ve played two games at Worthen Arena, capacity 11,500, and average attendance was 2,885. A year ago, average attendance for Ball State home games was even less.' Um, helllooooo? I know we're not exactly packing fans to the rafters, but "a year ago," they were playing for family members and cardboard cutouts (which BSU has not offered us back) -- a low bar to clear. The Blackford bandwagon will help attendance, sure, but IF Brown struggles or gets "misused," as a few of us have pointed out, it's got the potential to blow up in BSU's face. Still, it's something. I just hope the gameday folks can actually anticipate increased attendance and we're not caught without a plan (or enough concessions or arena staff) for the remainder of the season. |
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Post by sweep on Dec 13, 2021 8:20:08 GMT -6
I don't know why the NCAA granted him immediate eligibility, but I am glad they did. I suppose it will give us a reason to watch the games.
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Post by sweep on Dec 13, 2021 8:33:16 GMT -6
Read the column in TSP today. "Luke Brown woke up Blackford. Is Ball State next?"I admire Doyel's passion for his subjects, but... "They’ve played two games at Worthen Arena, capacity 11,500, and average attendance was 2,885. A year ago, average attendance for Ball State home games was even less.' Um, helllooooo? I know we're not exactly packing fans to the rafters, but "a year ago," they were playing for family members and cardboard cutouts (which BSU has not offered us back) -- a low bar to clear. The Blackford bandwagon will help attendance, sure, but IF Brown struggles or gets "misused," as a few of us have pointed out, it's got the potential to blow up in BSU's face. Still, it's something. I just hope the gameday folks can actually anticipate increased attendance and we're not caught without a plan (or enough concessions or arena staff) for the remainder of the season. Doyle is a talented writer, the problem is he is never right about anything. He wrote article after article last year begging the NCAA to not allow any fans at games and predicted multiple player deaths if the football season was reinstated. "They shouldn't play because it saves lives" was his favorite phrase. I won't even get into his Archie Miller predictions. You can bet Worthen will have one ticket office open and a line of four hundred people the day Brown makes his BSU debut. It's just how we do things. |
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Post by 00hmh on Dec 13, 2021 8:49:46 GMT -6
What impact do you think he will have. I think he will be PG from dayv1 and be a little rusty. We know he can score. Can he defend? Probably not an average defender, and probably not able to play full speed full minutes early.
Can practice Dec 19. Next game Dec 21, we'll probably see him, but how much certainly seems in question.
Apparently his OCD and related anxiety was an issue at Stetson and he is better being at home. The disability probably a factor with the NCAA.
Working out on his own, "ready as I ever will be" he says.
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Post by thebsukid on Dec 13, 2021 9:00:37 GMT -6
Evidently Jacobs has worked himself into the doghouse so I look initially for Cochran to continue to play out of position at PG with Brown coming off the bench but he will be the starting PG within a few games!
Damn, we need something; Brown can see the floor, passes well and can definitely shoot. Not sure about his D! Sellers is getting better too and to me is our best on ball guard defender.
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Post by 00hmh on Dec 13, 2021 9:05:12 GMT -6
Evidently Jacobs has worked himself into the doghouse so I look initially for Cochran to continue to play out of position at PG with Brown coming off the bench but he will be the starting PG within a few games! Damn, we need something; Brown can see the floor, passes well and can definitely shoot. Not sure about his D! Sellers is getting better too and to me is our best on ball guard defender. Jacobs had played pretty well, hope he gets it worked out, we will need the defense at that position. Can play the hot hand at the other guard, and Cochran could play a 3rd guard.
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Post by universityjim on Dec 13, 2021 9:15:22 GMT -6
I don't think he's going to make much difference. It's like me trying to cook. I can go buy the best ingredients for a recipe but I still produce something people can't eat. Whitford does that to the game of basketball. Plus, Brown would have gone high D1 if he was the difference maker some of you think he is.
Honestly I've got a bad feeling about the kid. Heck, I don't know the kid beyond social media and what he did on the court in high school. I hope he turns out to be a Ball State legend.
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Post by sweep on Dec 13, 2021 9:28:06 GMT -6
I don't think he's going to make much difference. It's like me trying to cook. I can go buy the best ingredients for a recipe but I still produce something people can't eat. Whitford does that to the game of basketball. Plus, Brown would have gone high D1 if he was the difference maker some of you think he is. Honestly I've got a bad feeling about the kid. Heck, I don't know the kid beyond social media and what he did on the court in high school. I hope he turns out to be a Ball State legend. I don't have a bad or negative feeling, but I would agree some people are expecting way too much. It's not just a lack of P6 offers, he didn't have high quality mid major offers. Realistically his best offer was Kent State. |
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Post by loganberrie on Dec 13, 2021 9:38:34 GMT -6
I’ve been watching Indiana HS basketball for over 60 years and I’ve never seen a better point guard than Luke Brown. I never saw Oscar Robertson play however. Anyone that does not think Luke will make an impact is in for a real shock! He makes everyone on the court better and his work ethic and leadership on the court is impeccable. Yes, it will take some time for him to get comfortable with his teammates and to adjust to the college game and BSU’s system of play. However, when he does, he will help change the face of BSU basketball and crowds will return to Worthen Arena. The Cards will be exciting and fun to watch! Welcome to Cardinal Country Luke Brown!
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Post by JacksonStreetElite on Dec 13, 2021 9:45:32 GMT -6
I’ve been watching Indiana HS basketball for over 60 years and I’ve never seen a better point guard than Luke Brown. I never saw Oscar Robertson play however. Anyone that does not think Luke will make an impact is in for a real shock! He makes everyone on the court better and his work ethic and leadership on the court is impeccable. Yes, it will take some time for him to get comfortable with his teammates and to adjust to the college game and BSU’s system of play. However, when he does, he will help change the face of BSU basketball and crowds will return to Worthen Arena. The Cards will be exciting and fun to watch! Welcome to Cardinal Country Luke Brown! Like the Kid's posts, I really hope you are right, but 1) I'm not getting excited until I see it happen; and 2) the worst thing that can happen for us right now is to show "improvement" without actually winning anything important. |
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