[jinxy]

I have only followed LU basketball since my freshman year in 2003 but there has been one thing that has been consistenly frustrating. We have never been able to keep a core group of guys together since that time.

-blair and dees combine with gabe martin, martin graduates
-blair and dees take center stage and it looks like a dynamic duo for the next 3 years, Dees transfers

-brewington comes in with blair smith mclean, they should have two years together, with bannister available for following season

-brew leaves
-bannister and mclean graduate
-bj jenkins transfers
-anthony smith will graduate this year

just frustrating how we can never get more than one season of a group of guys together. I really hope we can keep this group of guys together and see what happens for the next couple of years.

[Sly Fox]

That is the norm and not the exception in college basketball these days.

[coolhandluke]

I think its likely we will see one or two guys transfer after this season. But it will make way for some new recruits. That's just what happens. It sucks. But its what happens.

[Hold My Own]

Keep in mind it starts with leadership...and you wont find a better leader then RM on and off the floor....dont expect to see many if any at all transfer

[olldflame]

Also keep in mind that many of the players mentioned arrived at LU with a limited amount of remaining eligibility. By recruiting HS players with 4 years, we maximize the possibility of keeping a core group of players together. It is true though that a certain amount of attrition is "normal".

[paradox]

Keep in mind it starts with leadership...and you wont find a better leader then RM on and off the floor....dont expect to see many if any at all transfer

I agree, McKay has every quality that you look for in a leader, and LU appears to be the perfect venue for him.

He's building a solid foundation and he's doing it the right way.

The fact that he was able to draw people like Seth Curry and the Sanders brothers says a lot about who he is as a respected leader.

[Ed Dantes]

Also keep in mind that many of the players mentioned arrived at LU with a limited amount of remaining eligibility. By recruiting HS players with 4 years, we maximize the possibility of keeping a core group of players together. It is true though that a certain amount of attrition is "normal".

Dunton's JUCO's (junior-college) transfers in the 02-03 season came a year after we were the worst in the nation, so we needed some players who could compete -- and compete immediately. He brought in guys such as Gabe Martin & Ryan Mantlo to give us experience and talent while we tried to recruit high schoolers. Those guys graduated, having accomplished their task of winning the Big South in '04.

Jeremy Monceaux was a freshman, and we brought in David Dees and Larry Blair the year after. Monceaux left because he was a spoiled brat who couldn't hold a candle to the Dees / Blair combo. Dees left, which really sucked. We recruited some more freshmen, but they turned out to be busts (Evan Risher, anyone? The Great White Hope Russell Monroe?). So Dunton returned to what he figured he knew best, stealing established stars instead of developing them ourselves (see: Ace McLean, Dwight Brewington, and Teej Bannister). We were never really supposed to build around those guys, instead, they were supposed to be holdovers until we got the next Larry Blair, who we could build around.

Dunton's gone. And we have our Larry Blair this year. Actually, let me take that back... We have our Seth Curry.

[Ed Dantes]

Seriously, I've been around FlameFans since the beginning, and I think Dwight Brewington was the second-most divisive issue on here (the first being Dunton). When he left, I don't think you saw a lot of people bemoaning that. He didn't fit Liberty.

[paradox]

With a real point guard, that team had the potential to make some noise. And Brewington was a big-time talent, but again, that team lacked a true floor leader, and as a result had major chemistry issues, among other things.

I think that oldflame said it best when he referred in a previous post to RD's strange fascination with tall point gaurds. That, as much as anything, led to his eventual demise. RD had some good years here, nonetheless.




Having said that, the program ulimately benefitted, because it all unraveled at the same time that McKay became available.


...

[SuperJon]

Monceaux left because he was a spoiled brat who couldn't hold a candle to the Dees / Blair combo.

That's different from the story I was told but ok.

[Hold My Own]

Monceaux left because he was a spoiled brat who couldn't hold a candle to the Dees / Blair combo.

That's different from the story I was told but ok.

There was no shady reason for him leaving....shady things happened while here...but it wasnt because of those things.


His dad thought his son deserved better so he took him out so he could play at Alabama...how'd that work out?

[Hold My Own]

Also keep in mind that many of the players mentioned arrived at LU with a limited amount of remaining eligibility. By recruiting HS players with 4 years, we maximize the possibility of keeping a core group of players together. It is true though that a certain amount of attrition is "normal".

Dunton's JUCO's (junior-college) transfers in the 02-03 season came a year after we were the worst in the nation, so we needed some players who could compete -- and compete immediately. He brought in guys such as Gabe Martin & Ryan Mantlo to give us experience and talent while we tried to recruit high schoolers. Those guys graduated, having accomplished their task of winning the Big South in '04.

Jeremy Monceaux was a freshman, and we brought in David Dees and Larry Blair the year after. Monceaux left because he was a spoiled brat who couldn't hold a candle to the Dees / Blair combo. Dees left, which really sucked. We recruited some more freshmen, but they turned out to be busts (Evan Risher, anyone? The Great White Hope Russell Monroe?). So Dunton returned to what he figured he knew best, stealing established stars instead of developing them ourselves (see: Ace McLean, Dwight Brewington, and Teej Bannister). We were never really supposed to build around those guys, instead, they were supposed to be holdovers until we got the next Larry Blair, who we could build around.

Dunton's gone. And we have our Larry Blair this year. Actually, let me take that back... We have our Seth Curry.

You know that's a really good post btw

[Sly Fox]

Jeremy's story had enough plot twists to fill a novel. But in essence Ed's point was the over riding reason he walked. The other drama was a byproduct of the frustration.

[SuperJon]

I was just trying to start a fight. I'm bored and needed something to read. I was gonna set the bait and let people fight over it.

[TDDance234]

If we would have had TJ in 06-07 and had someone to create, with LB, Brew and Anthony on the wings and McLean working down low--we would have been hard to beat in the BS.

Trying to play Hubbard exclusively at PG was our downfall, IMO.

[thepostman]

I had forgot all about Jeremy...I had a class with him...he was a tool

[BJWilliams]

Jeremy was pretty nice to me when he gave me rides back in the day. I mean many of you guys may have seen a different guy when you were around him but I found him to be pretty cool

[Rocketfan]

Jeremy was pretty nice to me when he gave me rides back in the day. I mean many of you guys may have seen a different guy when you were around him but I found him to be pretty cool

ok yes im going to ask what all of you who know these two are thinking.....Jeremy and BJ hanging out, i just can't see it....

[BJWilliams]

Jeremy was pretty nice to me when he gave me rides back in the day. I mean many of you guys may have seen a different guy when you were around him but I found him to be pretty cool

ok yes im going to ask what all of you who know these two are thinking.....Jeremy and BJ hanging out, i just can't see it....

My freshman year he was in 32 when I was in 31 and often times Id need a ride somewhere and he'd happily oblige. That meant somethin to a freshman who didnt know a lot of people around campus at the time

[Hold My Own]

My freshman year when I was 31

Fixed that for ya

[BJWilliams]

My freshman year when I was 31

Fixed that for ya

hahaha...Im not THAT old

[prototype]

I was just trying to start a fight. I'm bored and needed something to read. I was gonna set the bait and let people fight over it.

Your avatar sucks!! I have seen better artwork from my 6 year old's class. SuperJon? Are you for real - why not FantasticJon? I'mTheBestJon? HeyYouWishYouWereMeJon? I'm thinking it should have AverageJon after all these average post you type on here. Liberty should have jumped the Big South for the ACC years ago - I mean they brought in FSU, Miami and BC - we are as good as them in Track. I think we should fire all the coaches at Liberty and bring in a completely new staff. Better yet - let's bring back coaches from the past - Dunton - Basketball, Royer -Baseball, Karcher - Football, Mathis - Track, Bell - Soccer, Gibson - Women's Basketball, Yarborough - Speed Walking.

Did you mean? "I'm bored and needed someone to read to me."

[SuperJon]

Nope. I don't know enough details about it and just wanted to start a fight between the people that were here then. There hasn't been a good efight on here in a while.

PS - I don't use avatars.

[jcmanson]

I think its likely we will see one or two guys transfer after this season. But it will make way for some new recruits. That's just what happens. It sucks. But its what happens.

Tell me who you think's going to transfer and give me a legit reason why they would.

[coolhandluke]

I think its likely we will see one or two guys transfer after this season. But it will make way for some new recruits. That's just what happens. It sucks. But its what happens.

Tell me who you think's going to transfer and give me a legit reason why they would.

haha, I don't think anybody is going to transfer. I'm just saying it might happen. I didn't think BJ would transfer, but he did.

But just pure speculation would cause me to think that the most likely person to transfer would be Austin. He is not getting a lot of playing time and if Coach McKay decides to play him against Anderson and burn his redshirt, then I could see him transferring to a school that will give him the playing time he deserves and wants. Now if McKay starts to use him more, or redshirts him, then he will not transfer.

Another thing I notice is that Bill Weaver and Johnny Stephene are not getting very much playing time. Steph is getting more than Bill, but he still isn't getting a lot. I think Steph could start at most Big South schools. Bill is great coming off the bench for us. But since we just signed Tre Lee, I don't see Bill going anywhere. And if he does transfer I doubt Tre would still come here.

So with that being said, if there are any guys on the team I could see transferring, they are Austin Smith, Bill Weaver, and Johnny Stephene. I hope all three will stay and I think they will. We need them. The depth that we have this year is unheard of here at Liberty. But I think with a group of 7 guys that will all graduate at the same time, we will likely lose one or two of them. And when a walk on, James Spencer, is getting just as much playing time than Austin and Steph, it may just lead them to want to transfer.

Like I said, if Austin redshirts then I think he will not transfer. And I hope that Stephene will get more playing time during the conference games and will not make the decision to transfer.

Anyways that is just pure speculation and I think Coach will keep his recruits here. The problem is when you recruit so much talent, you don't have any "scrubs" sitting the bench and hoping for a blow out so they get clean up time. Every player on our roster right now deserves a good amount of playing time, but there are not enough minutes in the game to give all of them the playing time they deserve.