Kansas State has the #1 hoops recruiting class?

[hifigator]

I know that a lot will happen between the early and late signing periods, but rivals.com has ranked the 2007 basketball early signing period classes. They had Kansas St. first followed by Syracuse at #2, Arizona at #3 and Florida at #4.



The article in our paper didn't go into any details on the other schools classes, but it sure seems odd to me that Kansas State would be ranked so highly.

[williambraskyiii]

havent you started enough inane threads that are just thinly-veiled pretexts for discussing florida?

seriously, 711 posts in the past 6 months and you have no affiliation whatsoever to georgetown. enough is enough - go away you EDITED troll.

[TrueHoyaBlue]

If you aren't aware of who Kansas State is bringing in, maybe you shouldn't make pronouncements about where their class should rate, relative to Florida's, or others.

Calathes is a big-time prospect (#13 in the RSCI composite rankings), and Tyus is very good as well, though he falls outside the top-25. Parsons shows up at #61, and Allen doesn't crack the top 100.

Sounds to me like a very good class (three top-100 prospects out of 4 overall), but hardly a claim on best in the nation.

home.nc.rr.com/rsci/RSCI_100_Summer_2007.htm

And really not much of a claim compared to a G'town incoming class with two of the top guards in the country, #15 RSCI Austin Freeman and #27 Chris Wright.

[hifigator]

You guys are just relentless.

I shouldn't have to point this out, but the point was that Kansas St. is not exactly the program you would expect to be at the top of ANYBODY'S list. Arizona, Syracuse and Florida all would have reason to be among the top ten or twenty on any list, along with Georgetown, Kansas, Kentucky, Indiana, UNC etc... That was the point. Kansas ST?

But you guys decided to immediately change the subject into a jump down my throat for no reason.

I posted about 3 or 4 sentences form the article mentioning our recruits. The article didn't go into the specific prospects from the other schools. I am sure they are quality guys, and my questioning isn't why aren't we ranked higher. For that matter, when the late signing period rolls around I would expect UF to drop fairly significantly since our class will be mostly full with the biggest names still out there.

Again, I am not "making pronouncements" about how good K St.'s class is, just questioning how all of a sudden they made such a transition. Off the top of my head, I don't even remember the last time they made the tourny. Maybe they have been in recently but if so I don't remember them going very far in any case. It just seems like an unusual school to have the #1 class on anybody's list. It would be like Northwestern having the #1 hoops class. It just doesn't make much sense.

[RDF]

Gator HOMER--quit being a EDITED. If you don't know Bob Huggins took over at KSU and if you dpn't know why they are recruiting well--why are you concerned? Unlike you--most people take the time to post about issues they at least have some knowledge/background of--and your 100% RETARDED posts and uninformed blabber is why everyone hates you--but I do like it because you sum up Gator "Nation" quite well--an uninformed, front running clown that knows nothing outside of UF sports. That sums up Gators I know and 99.9% of the mindless drivel you post over here.

Why do you continue to visit if you can't stand the fact everyone hates you/your posts? Go back to Gator Country and talk all of the UF Sports you want and if you do plan on talking about other issues--at least take the time to learn about what you are talking about--otherwise expect more people to bash your presence and uninformed babble that is always UF related.

[hifigator]

Finally someone got it right. That was the very point I wanted someone to make. It is Huggins and I think he is a great coach and recruiting is certainly a big element of that. Yes, I did have a Gator tie in to this. When Roy Williams was still at Kansas he made recruiting accusations against Billy D. at Florida. The main reason was that "somehow" Billy D. stole Mike Miller right out from under Williams' nose, coming from the St. Louis area.
The NCAA looked into is and found no recruiting violations whatsoever.
My sentiment back then was that the question should never have been "how is Billy D. able to get top quality athletes to come to sunny Florida, with both the beach and the gulf a little over an hour away?" but rather how the hell was Williams able to get these kids from all over to go to EDITED Lawrence, Ks? I understand they had and still have a prestigious program in hoops, but I just don't buy the overall argument.

That is why I can now question Huggins and K. St. How the hell is he able to recruit this talent? He doesn't have the program or the amenities.

[Deleted]

First, hifi, I'd like to once again point out I'm not "jumping down your throat" as you always claim I am. As I've always maintained, I'm hardly the only one perplexed by your continued presence. But that's neither here nor there...

Second, despite your claim to the contrary - a claim you always make when this situation arises with what I can only guess is every third post you make - this thread IS about UF. To wit:

- Your post is eight sentences long.
- Six of the eight are about Florida.

- Your post contains three "quotes."
- All three are about Florida.

- Your post quotes a recruiting "expert."
- He is only quoted in regards to Florida players-to-be.

- Your post discusses four players.
- All four are slated to attend Florida.

I understand what you were getting at, but c'mon broseph... this is a T.V.G.P, as brasky pointed out. Stop trying to hide it after the fact with the same old "there you guys go again" or "what's wrong with this post?" babble. After eight months or so and over SEVEN HUNDRED POSTS and countless attacks levied against you, you'd have to know (I feel like I've typed this a zillion times before... hint, hint, mods) this was the reaction you were going to get. Again, that's the definition of an internet troll or flamer or whatever term the kids are using these days.

Oh, and RDF is right... this is HARDLY a shock if you've been following what's been going on at KSU over the past year. Plenty of people - including loyal HoyaTalk readers - could have called this a mile away. Take the time to learn WHY they've got a sick recruiting class, or don't comment on it at all... unless you're ready for the barrage that will surely follow.

Godspeed, little troll... godspeed.

[hifigator]

Touche' Buff and I understand the criticisms here. In all seriousness I wasn't trying to talk about Florida's recruiting class. I should have just left every bit of that part out. I really was asking the question about K. St. and was expecting the answer to be Huggins immediately. I got somewhat irritated when the response was "here we go on another Gator topic" when that truly wasn't my intentions. That being said, just how much of the recruiting process is the "coach?" Obviously once a program has achieved a level of success then they have an inherent draw, so to speak. Stability in the coaching ranks is icing on the cake. Similarly a solid overall program, like a Florida or a Stanford or a Texas or an LSU or any of a number of other schools have something to offer, even if their pedigree in the sport in question is somewhat suspect.
Before Donovan, we had been to one final 4 and only a couple/handful of Sweet 16s. Essentially we had no pedigree in hoops. But we have a lot to offer an 18 year old kid. I know there are gorgeous babes everywhere, but when the weather is 80+ degrees 9 months of the year, they tend to be a little more pleasing to look at. The lack of discomforts like sleet and snow is another attraction to many. Beach activities, fishing and general carribean climate are an obvious draw as well. And although the basketball tradition left a lot to be desired, our successes in other sports should have lended a bit of confidence that basketball was not far behind. Lastly throw in a young whipper-snapper of a coach like Donovan and I think it was easy to see why talent would all of a sudden "want" to come to Florida to play basketball.

But to my knowledge, Kansas State doesn't fit that bill. Manhattan, Ks. has little to offer from an extracurricular/social angle. Yes, they have had their years on the gridiron under Snyder, but they are moving in the wrong direction. I don't know much about the rest of their programs which would suggest they probably are nothing special. Given their location, I would guess they have a solid wrestling program but that is just a guess.

So if I am right in those presumptions, then they have no pedigree, a general disinterest in the athletic program as a whole and little else unique to offer the potential student athlete ...
except Huggins. Therefore do you all think that he is that "dynamic" as an individual or do you think there are enough quality players who want to make a name for themselves and think the best way to do that is to help build a premier program from the ground floor? It would seem to me that regardless of the coach, unless there were other major motivating factors, then the star kids would want to go where they would get the most exposure, all other things being equal. And to call K. St. equal is more than generous.

Is that a little better job of wording my real question?

[RDF]

hifigator said:

Touche' Buff and I understand the criticisms here. In all seriousness I wasn't trying to talk about Florida's recruiting class. I should have just left every bit of that part out. I really was asking the question about K. St. and was expecting the answer to be Huggins immediately. I got somewhat irritated when the response was "here we go on another Gator topic" when that truly wasn't my intentions. That being said, just how much of the recruiting process is the "coach?" Obviously once a program has achieved a level of success then they have an inherent draw, so to speak. Stability in the coaching ranks is icing on the cake. Similarly a solid overall program, like a Florida or a Stanford or a Texas or an LSU or any of a number of other schools have something to offer, even if their pedigree in the sport in question is somewhat suspect.
Before Donovan, we had been to one final 4 and only a couple/handful of Sweet 16s. Essentially we had no pedigree in hoops. But we have a lot to offer an 18 year old kid. I know there are gorgeous babes everywhere, but when the weather is 80+ degrees 9 months of the year, they tend to be a little more pleasing to look at. The lack of discomforts like sleet and snow is another attraction to many. Beach activities, fishing and general carribean climate are an obvious draw as well. And although the basketball tradition left a lot to be desired, our successes in other sports should have lended a bit of confidence that basketball was not far behind. Lastly throw in a young whipper-snapper of a coach like Donovan and I think it was easy to see why talent would all of a sudden "want" to come to Florida to play basketball.

But to my knowledge, Kansas State doesn't fit that bill. Manhattan, Ks. has little to offer from an extracurricular/social angle. Yes, they have had their years on the gridiron under Snyder, but they are moving in the wrong direction. I don't know much about the rest of their programs which would suggest they probably are nothing special. Given their location, I would guess they have a solid wrestling program but that is just a guess.

So if I am right in those presumptions, then they have no pedigree, a general disinterest in the athletic program as a whole and little else unique to offer the potential student athlete ...
except Huggins. Therefore do you all think that he is that "dynamic" as an individual or do you think there are enough quality players who want to make a name for themselves and think the best way to do that is to help build a premier program from the ground floor? It would seem to me that regardless of the coach, unless there were other major motivating factors, then the star kids would want to go where they would get the most exposure, all other things being equal. And to call K. St. equal is more than generous.

Is that a little better job of wording my real question?

COACH GATOR HOMER TROLL,

This is a new invention for you--it's called ENGLISH--so read very carefully and go ask smarter people what this means:

1. NOBODY on this site cares about Billy Donovan
2. NOBODY on this site cares about Florida
3. NOBODY on this sites cares about YOU
4. NOBODY on this site wants you here
5. NOBODY on this site would care if you passed away

Since you are now a COACH or were a COACH--I think it speaks for the amazing talent your HS had because it's obvious you don't know a BLEEPING THING about anything--unless it pertains to the Florida Gators, and why you continue to think people care is beyond me. Why not take the time to inflate your wife and go out on the town--maybe you'll run into some other Gator fans--and you guys can talk of how great it is to be a Gator. Lord knows it's as if you guys are a Religious cult and need to spread the gospel about Meyer, Donovan, and Gator Nation--which is something 99.9% of the rest of the United States doesn't care about.

Please take this into account and waste time with people of your own intelligence level and interests--and remind them to color INSIDE the lines when going over the Manifesto you live by. Spare us all and by doing so, let the rest of the Country and especially this site live in peace.

[hifigator]

RDF, nevermind. Obviously complex thought process (where one idea leads to another, as opposed to going over and over the same thing) eludes you. For the record, the question I was leading to was none other that the one Roy Williams himself lofted in this direction and that is "Is Huggins doing it all legally and above board?" I don't have any specific reason to think otherwise, but let's face it; his resume' at Cincy was far from unblemished. And let's face it, prior to his arrival K. St. hasn't even been on the basketball map at least in recent memory.

One last thing "for the record." I have never coached basketball .... well unless you count a little friendly instruction in the yard with my kids. Remember, it was you who kept bringing up "not knowing anything about football." I let is slide several times without addressing it. I am sorry if it hurt your feelings to prove you wrong (yet again).