A Sea Of Red

Maybe this topic will get BJ out of lurking and make a heart-felt post for one of LU's all time great point guards.

If you haven't watched the wrap-up video on www.libertyflames.com you should.

He deserved so much more than what he got while he was here. Ultimate Liberty guy. Couldn't have asked for a better representative of our school.

Thought this was a great post from one of our Big South Brethren Posters:

kingaling42 wrote:In another light- it was tough to see some of the seniors that finished their college careers tonight- especially Jesse Sanders- as an opposing fan it was always good to see how he played the game.. it's a tough feeling right now for him but hope he & the others keep their heads up- they have a lot to be proud of over their careers.. Jesse was dealt a pretty crummy deal with all the stuff up there over 4 years- to play through it the right way & not let all the off-the-court stuff get in the way is an even bigger accomplishment & testament to his character. Seems like a great young man & ambassador for your program. I wish him & the other seniors well.

I wish we could fill our roster in every sport with multiple Jesse Sanders'.

I just watched the video and it tore me up. I'm telling you that I have NEVER seen a player like Jesse at LU since I came to campus in 1987. I don't want to argue if he is the GOAT, I don't want to rank him with Karl and Bailey right now either. I just want to say that noone has meant more to the program, noone was more of an all around consistent player, noone has ever given more, noone has ever been more of a Liberty guy. I soo look forward to seeing where he goes from here. I don't know what he will do after he's done playing, but if it's coaching, I hope it's here.

Such a kid for such a moment. Bad way to go out, but man what a career.

http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player ... se-sanders

a friend retweeted this.

A Search For The Next Jeremy Lin Part 1: Jesse Sanders

Jesse’s numbers compare very favorably to the nation’s top point guards just as they compare favorably to the average college point guard, with one familiar exception: points!, the only category that gets its own exclamation mark. Although points! isn’t generally held in the same regard for point guard evaluation as it is for evaluation of the other four positions, Jesse’s failure to shoot more has probably hurt his chances to play in the NBA to some extent. In other words, Jesse is probably being punished for being a smart, unselfish basketball player. A number of other factors exist as well. One is Liberty’s inability to win, a tragedy that many great players have regretfully endured. Another is the lack of competition in the Big South. This is certainly a legitimate concern, but just like Kenneth Faried last year, Jesse’s numbers are so remarkable that it’s difficult to imagine he wouldn’t still be very good against stiffer competition.

And then there are the subjective factors: he’s not big enough, he’s not quick enough, he’s not athletic enough. First, Sanders is 6-3, 200. Isn’t someone else the same size? Frankly, 6-3, 200 is not too small for an NBA point guard. Second, while quickness is certainly important, it’s extraordinarily broad and difficult to measure. Does he have quick feet? Does he have quick hands? Does he have lateral quickness? Doesn’t it make more sense to choose an ultra-productive player who you think has below average quickness than to take an average player who you think has above average quickness? And the same goes for athleticism. Doesn’t Jesse’s ability to dominate opponents speak to his athleticism? How many super athletic players have failed to produce in the NBA?

Jesse’s numbers aren’t just good. They’re phenomenal. Maybe he’ll become the next Jeremy Lin. Maybe he won’t be good in the NBA at all. Either way, he’s proven that he’s worth taking a chance on, especially with a second round pick.

more here

http://wagesofwins.com/2012/02/28/a-sea ... e-sanders/

Been following LU BBall and couldn't have asked for a better player to represent our school. It was tough seeing him walk off the court last night.

This thread really should be much longer than it is.

SuperJon wrote:This thread really should be much longer than it is.

Sometimes greatness elicits no words.

For a stroll down memory lane...

Sly's original thread when we first signed Jesse:
http://www.flamefans.com/forums/viewtop ... f=3&t=5826

Super's thread from Jesse's freshman year:
http://www.flamefans.com/forums/viewtop ... =3&t=11088

I don't know what else to say. He's one of the greatest men's hoops players we've ever had. And one of our greatest ambassadors we've ever had. All in the same person.

Oh and did I mention he's the next Jeremy Lin?

There really isn't much that can be said. He was everything an LU athlete should be. It is too bad that he had to go through the inconsistency he had to go through but he always played hard and that shows that kind of person he really is. I wish we could find more players like Jesse Sanders.

SuperJon wrote:This thread really should be much longer than it is.

I've always wondered why so few of us seem to know just how special he is and toot his horn. Even on Senior night, I thought the cheers were way too weak for such an icon.

Rooster Cogburn wrote:

SuperJon wrote:This thread really should be much longer than it is.

I've always wondered why so few of us seem to know just how special he is and toot his horn. Even on Senior night, I thought the cheers were way too weak for such an icon.

He was never flashy so your casual fan probably isn't going to appreciate all the things he did for us.

Him leaving has me worried about next year. I think he was the glue that held us together. Him leaving is the reason we have gone the JuCo route.

Look, even my kids all love this guy. He is the only player my daughter actually knows by name. It should only take one game to get this guy. And yes, his absence will definately be felt.

Nicely written by Lang: http://www2.newsadvance.com/sports/2012 ... r-1734775/

Jesse Sanders’ postgame demeanor Wednesday in a dimly lit storage room turned interview area at UNC Asheville’s Kimmel Arena was understandable. The Liberty senior had just played his final college basketball game and was close to despondent, his normally confident voice barely audible as he tried to field questions while choking back tears.

Jesse is man.

He is THE man. And I would love to see him back here one day as a coach, or even better, THE coach. I think he would be phenomenal. Hope he gets to pursue his dream of the NBA first.

Hearing interviews, Jesse talks about wanting to be remembered as more than a basketball player. When teamates call you a great Christian Man, and talk about how much you have taught them off the court, you have been the ultimate team mate.

Thanks Jesse for being what Liberty University stands for.

Here's a memory:
http://www.libertyflames.com/index.cfm? ... 934&TeamID

Sanders (Sugar Land, Texas), a 6-3 guard, led his home school team, the HCYA Warriors to a 40-3 record against some of the top 5A and prep schools in the Houston area. Sanders is from the same home school program that Lady Flames' Rachel McLeod played for. During his senior campaign, Sanders was second on the team in scoring (15.5 ppg) and led his squad in assists (11.4 apg), rebounds (9.2 rpg) and steals (3.3 spg). The Warriors played in seven tournaments during Sanders' senior year, with the Sugar Land, Texas native taking home MVP honors in six of them.

Rooster Cogburn wrote:

SuperJon wrote:This thread really should be much longer than it is.

I've always wondered why so few of us seem to know just how special he is and toot his horn. Even on Senior night, I thought the cheers were way too weak for such an icon.

The student side didn't even stand up. I thought they were just lazy and stupid but then they stood for the pregame intros. I didn't get it.

It's going to be tough looking out on the court next year and not seeing Jesse on the floor. He's eclipsed Leo Lightbourne as my favorite Flames player of all time.

Jesse played consistent his entire career. Thanks Jesse joining the LU family and may God continue to bless you in your future endeavors.

This great interview/article was just posted on the Main Liberty University Website! Enjoy!

“My four years at Liberty have molded and shaped me in a really positive way. I’ve been blessed by this God-given opportunity and am thankful for it. The lessons and growth I’ve experienced here are more valuable than any reward, stat or record.”

Hard work often results in success, whatever the job may be. When you put in more effort than required or expected, good fortune is almost inevitable. Days may be long, the body drained, but the satisfaction of results make it well worth it.

When playing for a team, hard work benefits more than just the individual. It pays off in more ways than one may even realize. For men’s basketball point guard Jesse Sanders, hard work has definitely paid off and been evident during his years at Liberty University.

Sanders’ career will be one Flames fans long remember. During the course of his four-month senior season, Sanders became the 22nd member of the men’s basketball 1,000-point club and the program’s and Big South’s all-time career assist leader. In late February, he was named to the 2011-12 Big South All-Conference first team, as voted on by the league's head coaches and media panel.

On Jan. 21, 2012, Sanders grabbed far more than a crucial rebound on the way to a much needed Liberty road victory over the High Point Panthers. The aggressive play secured Sanders’ place in NCAA Division I history, and he now stands alone as the only player to record a triple-double in all four collegiate seasons. Only four players, including NBA great Shaquille O’Neal, were able to achieve this honorable statistic in three seasons, but none in four.

“This team, Liberty basketball and my time here was about so much more than a stat line,” Sanders explained. “I’m thankful for the achievement. I’ve worked hard and have had a great career here, but I didn’t come to play college basketball to set a triple-double record. I came here to be part of a team and grow in my relationships.”

Watch the following video of Jesse Sanders and his brother, John Caleb Sanders, who also plays basketball for the Liberty Flames, as they discuss what playing for Liberty has meant for them.

A video (as mentioned above) is also featured, just click the link to see the video:
http://www.liberty.edu/aboutliberty/index.cfm?PID=25106

A total of 25 posts thus far, and NOT one from Mr. Williams. I'm disappointed, BJ.