Post by PantherU on Jul 23, 2013 23:32:10 GMT -6
Link: Welser has GB 112th, 2nd in HL
To me, this is Green Bay's year. The off-season attrition may look like many things to GB fans - something that was needed, got rid of no big players, overblown by the former players - but one thing it is not is good, in that a roster that figured to be the deepest of Wardle's tenure is now not as deep.
This may not make the Phoenix a significantly worse team. It may be barely noticeable, if noticeable at all. But make no mistake, the Phoenix should be at the very least a challenger for the conference title, and any little bit of good for the team can be huge; conversely, any little bit of bad could be devastating.
The older hands around here, the ones who were around in the mid-1990's, will remember this. But it's been so long since Green Bay has had a team this good so some of the younger guys don't know.
Take it from me, who has followed championship races in many sports, having covered Milwaukee Athletics since 2005: this has got to be the year.
Alec Brown is a once-in-a-decade type player for a mid-major program, especially one that hasn't won a title since 1996 (forgive me if I'm off a year). Keifer Sykes is a great talent to have at point guard; McKinnie might just be that great complementary player to put it all together.
But there are going to be points, whether you win the championship or not, where you'll think to yourself..."Cole Stefan or Kam Cerroni would have hit that shot...Brown looks exhausted, it would be nice to get Arenz in to be a body for a few minutes..." That isn't to say that games are won and lost depending on whether or not a departed player is on the floor, but a 16-game championship run is one hell of an uphill battle.
The attrition isn't haunting Green Bay in recruiting - at least we think, so far - and it isn't affecting Wardle's employment. But it may still rear its ugly head down the stretch in February when the bodies just aren't there and Brian needs someone to hit a shot, get a rebound etc. and someone is on an off night or their legs aren't there from too many minutes over a long season.
Personally, I would be disappointed to see Green Bay finish 2nd and 112th overall. Not that I can't see them being 2nd, but that if our 2nd place team is 112th we're having a bad year.
To me, this is Green Bay's year. The off-season attrition may look like many things to GB fans - something that was needed, got rid of no big players, overblown by the former players - but one thing it is not is good, in that a roster that figured to be the deepest of Wardle's tenure is now not as deep.
This may not make the Phoenix a significantly worse team. It may be barely noticeable, if noticeable at all. But make no mistake, the Phoenix should be at the very least a challenger for the conference title, and any little bit of good for the team can be huge; conversely, any little bit of bad could be devastating.
The older hands around here, the ones who were around in the mid-1990's, will remember this. But it's been so long since Green Bay has had a team this good so some of the younger guys don't know.
Take it from me, who has followed championship races in many sports, having covered Milwaukee Athletics since 2005: this has got to be the year.
Alec Brown is a once-in-a-decade type player for a mid-major program, especially one that hasn't won a title since 1996 (forgive me if I'm off a year). Keifer Sykes is a great talent to have at point guard; McKinnie might just be that great complementary player to put it all together.
But there are going to be points, whether you win the championship or not, where you'll think to yourself..."Cole Stefan or Kam Cerroni would have hit that shot...Brown looks exhausted, it would be nice to get Arenz in to be a body for a few minutes..." That isn't to say that games are won and lost depending on whether or not a departed player is on the floor, but a 16-game championship run is one hell of an uphill battle.
The attrition isn't haunting Green Bay in recruiting - at least we think, so far - and it isn't affecting Wardle's employment. But it may still rear its ugly head down the stretch in February when the bodies just aren't there and Brian needs someone to hit a shot, get a rebound etc. and someone is on an off night or their legs aren't there from too many minutes over a long season.
Personally, I would be disappointed to see Green Bay finish 2nd and 112th overall. Not that I can't see them being 2nd, but that if our 2nd place team is 112th we're having a bad year.