What name would you give your dog if choosing from current or former Atlantic 10 coaches? Which A-10 coaches would you take on a golf trip? Or a fishing trip? How many A-10 teams will make this year’s NCAA Tournament?
All this and more in the first ever Pickin’ Splinters Atlantic 10 Round Table.
Question 1: You have won a contest and may pick three different Atlantic 10 coaches to join you for 18 holes of golf at a course of your choice. Who are the three coaches and which course will you choose?
–OR –
You have won a contest and may pick three different Atlantic 10 coaches to join you for a day of fishing (a three-hour tour for the seasoned ones among us and in honor of the late Russell Johnson). Who are the three coaches and which body of water is your choice?
Tom Timmerman/St. Louis Post-Dispatch: I neither golf nor fish, but I’d choose Chris Mooney, Tom Pecora and Mark Schmidt. Mooney would figure out how to get us off the island (or out of the sand trap), Pecora would keep it light and if Schmidt can convince people to go to Olean, he must have some good leadership skills.
Matt Vautour/Daily Hampshire Gazette: I’m going to go with fishing here because there are lots of times that people go fishing and they don’t catch a thing. People rarely golf and don’t ever hit the ball into the hole. I’m that bad at golf.
The fact that it’s a three-hour tour scares me in Gilligan’s Island fashion, but I’d like to be very clear, these are not three coaches I’d want to be stuck on a deserted island with. I don’t have a favorite fishing hole so I’m going with off the coast of Maine. There’s good scenery and good lighthouses and I’d like to see those things if I’m not catching fish. I’m starting with John Chaney. My readers, most of whom are UMass fans, won’t like it because they haven’t forgiven him for threatening to separate Calipari’s head from his body. But I’ve never had or even watched a conversation with Chaney that didn’t make me either laugh or think or both. Jerry Wainwright is next. He’s a nice guy and he’s funny. So many young coaches are so guarded. Older coaches are characters. They have stories and anecdotes and perspective. I’m worried about the days when I’m older than all the coaches. I guess for the third coach if I’m allowed I’m going with Skip Prosser. The late ex-Xavier coach was smart and interesting.
Matt Martucci/97.5 The Fanatic: Phil Martelli, Tom Pecora, and Paul Hewitt…..I know the conversation would be great and there’d probably be a side bet or two thrown in there somewhere based on how competitive I know each to be.
Ryan Michael Lazo/Hopewell News: The three coaches I would choose do 18 holes of golf at Augusta would be Shaka Smart, Danny Hurley and Jim Crews. It’s the perfect mix of fire and desire with Smart’s penchant for getting lower in a defensive stance than some of his players, Hurley’s passion and Crews’ stoic personality supplying the age-old wisdom on how to get the best of our abilities.
Johnathan Snyder/The Hamburg Sun: Mark Schmidt (Bonnies) – One person’s garbage, is another man’s treasure. Schmidt has taken players who others don’t feel suit their teams, and made them work inside his system and consistently compete in the Atlantic-10. Andell Cumberbatch is his latest example. So if he happens to knock his tee shot over the green and into the water surrounding the island green at Sawgrass on 17, don’t be shocked if he can get up and down from 130 to save a bogey.
– Shaka Smart (VCU) – I mean who wouldn’t want to hang out with this guy? His tremendous energy and charasima; Also, his name is Shaka… c’mon, too good to be true.
– John Giannini (La Salle) – Giannini looks so calm and emotionless on the sideline, and something tells me that he would make a perfect ringer on the course. I’d project him as a single digit handicap and wouldn’t mind partnering with him to take a few bucks off Schmidt and Smart.
Paul Gotham/Pickin’ Splinters: I’m taking Archie Miller, Phil Martelli, Mark Schmidt and heading north in mid-August. We’re going to where the St. Lawrence River meets the Oswegatchie. Leave the voice recorder at home, drop the lines and let the Smallmouth Bass come to feed. The thought of Archie doing battle with a Smallmouth is the stuff of legend. Something tells me no one can narrate a fish tale like Martelli. And Schmidt? He has a million and one plays for the Bonnies to run. Like to see his schemes for catching Bass. I’d bring Shaka, but it’d seem like torture trying to keep that guy in one place for more than 30 minutes.
Question 2: Your family is getting a new dog. You have decided to name the pooch after an Atlantic 10 coach (current or former). What is the name? And what is the breed of dog?
Tom Timmerman: Let’s face it: Shaka is the only A-10 coach whose name even remotely works for a dog. Phil? John? Dan? No. It’s not relevant to the dog being named Shaka, but I’d choose a Havanese, but that could be because I have one sitting in my lap as I type this.
Rodney McKissic/Buffalo News: A bulldog named Chaney
Matt Vautour: I own a corgi, but I can’t imagine any A-10 coach that wouldn’t be a tad insulted to be compared with a corgi. So I’m going with a bulldog and naming him Bruiser after James Flint.
Matt Martucci: Chaney…….and it’s a British Bulldog haha.
Ryan Lazo: My dog’s name would be Flake which is named after UMass head coach Derek Kellogg. The breed would be a doberman with its slick, short fur shining brightly in the sun, much like Kellogg’s greased hair look.
Paul Gotham: I’m partial to Labs (have I shown you a picture of Lady?). Love to watch them run. I’m going with a Lab Retriever by the name of Baron – as in Bona Hall of Famer, Jim. One press conference with him and you know how much his teams like to get it and go.
Question 3: You are heading out for a day of pickup of basketball. Asphalt, chain nets and winners stay. Nothing like it. You are going to take any five Atlantic 10 players (current or past) with you. Who are you taking? And where is the court?
Rodney McKissic: Lenny Brown, Xavier – The bigger the game, the better he played.
Vic Carstarphen, Temple – He helped turn Mark Macon into a millionaire.
Pepe Sanchez, Temple – Purest point guard to ever play in the A-10.
David West, Xavier – Smart, fierce competitor.
Mark Karcher – Smooth as silk.
I’m taking them all to 10th Park in Maywood, Illinois. We’ll be playing for hours.
Matt Vautour: I like that I get five players and not four because that implies, I’m not putting my miserable skills on display. For a pickup game outdoors, I’m playing one guy inside and four on the perimeter. I want guys that aren’t going to be complaining about fouls. I’m intentionally not picking UMass guys past or present. Over my career I’ve made lots of lists and rankings regarding UMass players, so to make this more fun for me I’m picking non-UMass guys. I’m also leaving out long-term NBA guys. Too easy to say David West, Jameer Nelson, Lamar Odom etc.
Quincy Wadley, Temple. He’s tough and could score points the hard way.
Steven Smith, La Salle – He’s my inside guy, but he can do a lot of things.
Chris Monroe, GW – He can score and he’ll guard you.
Marques Greene – Little guard would be a great hard top player.
T.J. McConnell – Sure he’s at Arizona, now, but if he’d stayed at Duquesne, the Dukes might be more competitive now.
Matt Martucci: Marvin O’Connor and Jameer Nelson in the backcourt. David West, Ahmad Nivins, and Andrew Nicholson in the front court. Jerome Avenue in Margate…..great spot for summertime pickup.
Ryan Lazo: For a day of basketball, I’m taking Andrew Nicholson, Billy Baron, Briante Weber, Tu Holloway and Rotnei Clarke to a basketball court in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Johnathan Snyder: G – Jameer Nelson,G – Delonte West, G – Tyrone Garland,F – David West, F- Andrew Nicholson — Rucker Park – NYC. You get a mix of everthing on this team. When you go into Rucker Park, you better have a mix of one-on-one talent, along with toughness and physicality. West and Garland take care of the one-on-one skills with both players extremely talented with the ball in their hands. Nelson can handle the ball and settle his fellow guards down if they get too heated. West brings the physicality and toughness; I don’t think many want to mess with him. And Nicholson brings his old-school approach, something Rucker Park isn’t used to and will just frustrate his opponents with his laidback, yet aggressive approach to wear you down. Plus, who wouldn’t want to see the “southwest Philly floater” in action at Rucker Park.
Paul Gotham: I’m taking J.R. Bremer, Pepe Sanchez, Chris Wright, Andrew Nicholson and B.J. Raymond. Give me pom poms because I’m going to need them on the sideline. We’re heading to any park in Philly ’cause when we’re done they’re going to be hungry, and I’m buying the cheese steak.
Question 4: You are down two at home with the ball for the last possession of the game. You can choose any A-10 lineup, current or past. What play are you running and what is your lineup?
Rodney McKissic: I’m running the stack offense with Lenny Brown popping out for the shot along the baseline. Pepe at the point, Karcher at the two, Lamar Odom at the three, West at the four and Camby at the five. Camby sets the pick for Lenny to free him up for the winner. The only player I want taking the shot to win is Lenny.
Matt Vautour: Any four guys and former UMass guard Mike Williams. Nobody hit more clutch shots in their career.
Ryan Lazo: Trailing by two with possession, I would take the 2010-11 Temple Owls. Out of the inbounds, I’d set a back-screen for Juan Fernandez to receive the pass on the left-wing where he immediately gets another screen to his right. At this point Fernandez has the green light to shoot, dribble-drive to the paint and kick to an open Khalif Wyatt for three or send a bounce pass to a rolling Lavoy Allen toward the rim.
Johnathan Snyder: G – Jameer Nelson, G – Khalif Wyatt, F – Lamar Odom, F – Andrew Nicholson, C – Marcus Camby Play — I’m having Nelson bring the ball up with Odom to his left, Wyatt right, and Nicholson on the right block and Camby on the left. Camby is going to come up, set a ball screen and Nelson will go left around the screen and drop the ball back to Odom who will dribble back around the top and hit Wyatt, who pops up on the right side. Wyatt will then drive with the left hand and force the defense to collapse on him in the paint and after Campy sets an off screen for Nicholson to get free, Wyatt will dish the ball back to an open Nicholson about 18 feet from the bucket at top of the key for the game tying jumper.
Paul Gotham: Give me the ’11-’12 Bonnies and we’re running the same play they used to get a tie at the end of regulation against St. Joseph’s. Matthew Wright sets a screen for Andrew Nicholson and fades to the corner. Kloof feeds Nicholson at the top. Pick your poison. Guard Nicholson at the top or Wright in the corner and leave Da’Quan Cook underneath to clean up anything. Demitrius Conger makes a great decoy.
Question 5: Five Atlantic 10 teams earned bids to the 2013 NCAA Tournament. With a run to the Sweet Sixteen, La Salle’s Explorers were the last team standing. How many A-10 teams will dance this year? Which team will be the last standing?
Timmerman: Four: SLU, UMass, VCU, GW. SLU is most likely the last one still standing, though I can’t rule out a GW run.
Vautour: At least four – Saint Louis, GW, UMass and VCU. I’m not ruling out Richmond. With the right matchup, any of the four could be second weekend teams. With the wrong matchup and start time any one could be eliminated before some fans get out of work on Thursday.
Martucci: Going to say 4. VCU likely has the best chance to make the deepest run because they have enough scoring to go along with their unique brand of defense and their guard play is just insane. SLU can win a couple games in the tourney but eventually their offensive warts are going to show especially if someone has a good shooting night on their D. It will force their offense into a must-score situation and I don’t know how comfortable I’d be there.
Lazo: Four Atlantic 10 Conference basketball teams will make the tournament this season. They are Saint Louis, VCU, George Washington and UMass. The last team standing will be VCU, winners of 12 of their last 13, they are turning it on at the right time.
Snyder: Five teams in 2014 tournament. St. Louis will be last team standing.
Gotham: Four teams get in: St. Louis, VCU, UMass and St. Joseph’s. The Bills are the last standing.
Question 6: It’s a Saturday night in February. Which Atlantic 10 venue do you choose to spend your evening? What is the matchup?
Timmerman: At the risk of sounding too local, Chaifetz Arena at SLU has a lot going for it. SLU still hasn’t played at VCU, so it’s possible I might change my mind after my first trip there. A game at St. Joseph’s has some appeal to. (Actually, if St. Joe’s and La Salle were playing at the Palestra, that’s where I would be.) If I were choosing cities rather than venues, New York would win because it’s New York.
McKissic: Easy, the Reilly Center with St. Bonaventure going against anyone nationally ranked.
Vautour: Hagan Arena, St. Joe’s – I love little gyms that get noisy. I’m writing this on a Friday, the last day of January and I will in fact be at Hagan Arena on a Saturday in February against UMass. So in fact my fantasy scenario here is my actual job tomorrow night. Plus I’ll grab a belly-filler cheesesteak at Famous Larry’s for the ride home.
Martucci: I’m biased here but Hagan Arena is a fantastic atmosphere when it’s jammed on a Saturday night like we just saw against UMass. Road venues: I think I’d probably take either the UD arena or the Siegel Center…..hostile road environments are fun especially when you go in and win. I’d go with Saint Joseph’s against either VCU or Dayton.
Lazo: The Siegal Center as VCU takes on Richmond in a crosstown rivalry matchup. Nothing can beat the sweet tunes of The Peppas filling the arena as well as the fiery war chant song following a VCU run which forces a Richmond timeout. One of the premier game environments in the country.
Snyder: Reilly Center – St. Bonaventure vs VCU.
Gotham: Put me in the UD Arena with the Flyers playing anyone, but let’s make it VCU because their contingent travels almost as well as those of the Flyers. Great fans fill the place and talk hoops all night long. The fight song: Gooooooo Dayton Flyers! And when it’s over, the wife and I are heading to Milano’s for refreshments.
Question 7: Your New Year’s resolutions include getting a personal trainer. The Atlantic 10 has made it possible to work with one of its athletes? Which current men’s basketball player do you choose and why?
Martucci: Langston Galloway……may be a bit biased but I have seen very few with a better work ethic. I know I’d constantly be motivated and wouldn’t be allowed to slack off.
Lazo: Briante Weber. The 6-foot-2 guard has no off switch and seemingly never tires. His endurance is off the charts and his play inspires his teammates and would surely do the same to those who work with him.
Question 8: What is your A-10 highlight of the year thus far?
Timmerman: There have been some buzzer-beaters that made for great highlights. UMass’ comeback against George Mason was something. Actually, UMass’ first three A-10 games all were dramatic. Come to think of it, there’s a good chance Chaz Williams would be involved in the highlight somehow. Jordair Jett‘s second half against Rhode Island was pretty good.
McKissic: St. Bonaventure beating UMass at the Reilly Center.
Vautour: I’ve enjoyed covering this league and after listening to so many people wonder if the A-10 would be down, it’s entertaining to see the league with as many or more likely NCAA bids than the leagues it lost teams to.
Martucci: The Galloway Bank 3 to beat Dayton. Duquesne’s Derrick Colter‘s buzzer beater against Saint Bonaventure.
Lazo: St. Bonaventure defeating their first ranked team in over 14 years by taking down then No. 21 UMass, snapping a 24-game losing streak to ranked teams.
Snyder: My a-10 highlight of the year has been between two things. UMass comeback win over George Mason… and Bonaventure’s win over UMass and then dominating win over La Salle.
Gotham: Bona knocking off UMass.
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