I think we will be much better. I think some teams will have trouble with James and how quick he is. We are one inch shorter with a guy you can out jump the two he replaced.

Let me ask you a question. Polka was an inch shorter than our two big men. So you would rather have the two guys who left versus Polka who pulled down more rebounds than both of the two guys combined as a freshman playing 11 less minutes a game.

Polka was listed at 6'7"...same as James.

That aside, Polka had Levin (6'8"), Kye Pattrick (6'9"), Boomer (6'9) and Brandon Woods (6'8) around him his Freshman year. That doesn't even count Matt Adler (6'11")

His sophomore year, he had Foreman (6'8"), Levin (6'8"), Boomer (6'9) and then Kyle Thomas (6'8") and Matt Adler (6'11").

His junior year, he had Benkoske (6'9"), Foreman (6'8") and Boomer (6'9").

His senior year, he only had Benkoske (6'9") and Averkamp (6'8").

His 5th year, he had Benkoske (6'9"), Averkamp (6'8"), Gac (6'9").

The point is that there was more than one player to spell him in the post. That was in Horizon play which is not nearly as rough and tumble as MVC play. So, when James gets into foul trouble (which will happen just about every game, mark my words), what will we do? We turn to an unproven Rajala. Want to bet he spends most of his time in foul trouble? So then, effectively, we have no big men to counter guys like Tuttle, Lynch, Mockevious? With no post presence, how do you expect Doyle, Turk, et all to have decent looks from outside?

I'm just saying, sometimes having a warm big body in the game forces the opposition to actually play. With a short lineup, we're going to get out rebounded every game and the opposition will game plan to shut down our outside game. It's going to be a disaster.

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Cigarboy sucks!

Why will James be in foul trouble every game.

We had less of a post presence last year. Where are are you coming from. They were not unproven, they proved they can not do it.

Why didn't Andy foul out each game. I know other teams feared Gac and Benkoske

The beauty of this is that I don't have to convince you of anything. We are frighteningly shallow on height and depth in the post. Big men traditionally get in foul trouble more easily...same with those in the post. I'll go out in a limb and say James and Rajala average just under 4 fouls a game this year. Just a hunch.

As for Gac and Benkoske...no one said that other teams were scared of them...but they did have to game plan for their height. Again, sometimes a warm body is all you need in the post. We have all of 2 on our roster.

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Cigarboy sucks!

Go - 6'6'' on a good day. But thanks for the ego-inflater.

Andy is the best rebounder I ever played with, high school or college. Hope this new guy has Andy's knack for the ball. And that he's not the only one out there that has it.

If there's one thing I'm good at, it's inflating egos

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Cigarboy sucks!

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MBB Scholarship Chart

Just curious, but does the player have any say on what his "listed height" is?

I know you were listed at 6'8".

In actuality, I'm every bit of 6' 6.5'' and in shoes was well over 6'7'', so not much of a stretch. But no, I did not. I think I was listed at 220 as a freshman, when I was only about 205. Played at 215 soph year and 225 thereafter, but I dont think that ever changed. Haven't grown since freshman year of high school - they listed me at 6'8'' soph and junior year and senior year i had them change it to 6'7''.

I think Leon was listed at 6'6'', he was about 6'3''. So I guess my point is, I don't take a lot of stock in listed heights. About the only team ever true to listing was Detroit back in '05 and '06. Look 'em up. They were huge. Every one of them as big as their listing.