Morning Coffee Won't Settle For The Three

by Peter Bean on Nov 28, 2007 6:31 AM CST in Quick Hits Comment 24 comments

Mark Rosner has a nice featurette on the scalding start by junior AJ Abrams, whose focus on improving his all around offensive game has paid big dividends in the early going. The undersized shooting guard has worked hard on scoring chances inside the three point line, with great early results. He's also displaying greater patience than he did last season, when he felt the need to force shots if he wasn't scoring early. The looks will only become harder and harder to come by as the season progresses, but if AJ continues to focus on his game the way he has so far, he's going to have a fine, fine season. Perhaps all-conference good.

Someone mentioned this in a diary or post somewhere, but I hadn't seen it 'til today: SI's Luke Winn is on board with Texas early. The most interesting bit may be Winn's last segment, where he notes how strong the state of Texas portion of the Big 12 appears to be: Baylor beat Notre Dame and Winthrop to win the Paradise Jam Invitational, Texas A&M buried Ohio State to win the NIT, and Texas blew out Tennessee to win the Legends. AW and I haven't done much Big 12 previewing just yet, but as Winn's note suggests, the Lone Star segment of the conference is outstanding. (Don't forget Texas Tech, which is off to a solid start, as well.) Throw in Final Four contender Kansas, a dangerous young K-State team, an up-and-coming Missouri squad (Mike Anderson's a better coach than most realize), and a rapidly improving young OU squad, and the Big 12 is going to be as tough a testing ground as there is this year.

Congratulations to seniors Tony Hills and Marcus Griffin, as well as junior Jamaal Charles, for making the All Big 12 First Team. A nod of appreciation to seniors Derek Lokey and Frank Okam for making the Second Team. Ryan Bailey, Quan Cosby, Scott Derry, Jermichael Finley, Dallas Griffin, Brandon Foster, Roy Miller, and Adam Ulatoski all received Honorabe Mention.

40 Acre Sports reminded me: Ricky Williams made his return to the NFL on Monday night with the Dolphins. Unfortunately, he tore a chest muscle and is done for the year. His agent says he'll return in '08.

--PB--

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Comments

Why the heck is Mark Rosner

... "scolding" AJ?

:-)

Life is an Occasion. Rise to it.

by patienthornsfan on Nov 28, 2007 6:46 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

This is the first article

about the basketball team that does not mention Durant. I am still looking for a national article.

by Wells on Nov 28, 2007 6:52 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I think what PHF means

is that the word should have been "scalding".

So take that.

by Kahuna on Nov 28, 2007 7:55 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Fixed

Thanks

--PB--

by Peter Bean on Nov 28, 2007 12:07 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Re:

Couldn't A.J. have been "scolding" the opposition for not guarding him closely enough?

My adopted kid is pure genius at the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model.

by jc25 on Nov 28, 2007 12:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Huh...

...not a single individual award winner from Texas.

College was fun!

by 16thLonghorn on Nov 28, 2007 6:56 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Re:

And only one from OU (defensive freshman). Surprising indeed.

My adopted kid is pure genius at the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model.

by jc25 on Nov 28, 2007 9:52 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Bad Weekend for Horns Alums

Priest retires
Ricky tears a muscle, out for the year
Ced has season-ending surgery on his leg
Selvin's already out with an injury
Jonathan Scott pulls a hamstring
VY has a bruised thigh and strained ankle, and has lost 3 in a row

Guess the pain we felt in College Station on Friday was just a foreshadowing of a tough weekend in the NFL.

Life is an Occasion. Rise to it.

by patienthornsfan on Nov 28, 2007 7:01 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Nice line from the Winn column

Less than a month into the season, Texas -- and not California, North Carolina, Tennessee or Washington -- looks like the most powerful state in college basketball.

by NYCHorn on Nov 28, 2007 7:21 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

RW

Was I the only one who thought the Steeler defender stepped on him intentionally?

Off topic, the video at the bottom of the 40 acre sports blog was probably one of the funnier things I've seen at a football game in a long time.

by afaeguy on Nov 28, 2007 8:27 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

i thought it was intentional

it looked malicious

by jimmer on Nov 28, 2007 8:48 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Re:

I doubt it. Ricky fumbled on the play, and the defender was clearly going for the ball (I think he might have even been the one to recover it, but I wasn't watching Mud Bowl 2007 too closely). It'd seem to be pretty difficult to be trying to find a football in the mud and purposely step on a guy at the same time.

My adopted kid is pure genius at the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model.

by jc25 on Nov 28, 2007 9:54 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Re:

I just rewatched the highlights and the defender basically used ricky's back to get a good footing and change direction. Probably not intentional, but it sure looked like it.

by afaeguy on Nov 28, 2007 10:02 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

at the end of Winn article

a comment about TX moving picks

I have noticed Rick has the player who inbounds after a make come down the center of the court with his arms up (Atch usually). It can often lead to DJ skirting around one side and driving, or pulling up. Using this player as a screen.

Question: Could this ever be called as a moving screen? It is something you notice in the NBA a lot but not in college. Thoughts?

Personally, I like it. DJ is so quick, that it probably leads to a couple easy penetrations a game.

by jimmer on Nov 28, 2007 8:48 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

It could be

but only if Connor intentionally changes the direction he is running to get in the defender's way.

by Wells on Nov 28, 2007 8:51 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That's what I thought

Well, it can be really effective for our half court offense, which we know can always use the help.

by jimmer on Nov 28, 2007 10:47 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

what i thought was more interesting

was his comment about Augustin's ability to draw fouls.

My brother once made the comment that Augustin's gameplan against a set halfcourt defense is to drive right at a set defender and throw up a shot, hoping to get the foul call, b/c he's such a good FT shooter.
While an exaggeration (Augustin doesn't do that EVERY time), I have noticed that a majority of the refs give him that call and put him on the line.

by Beergut on Nov 28, 2007 4:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

This only works

If you are quick or strong enough to beat the defender to the spot, and have good enough hands to make most of the shots whether you get the foul call or not.

DJ has the skills to do that. I don't think it is the reffs giving his the benefit of the doubt, but it can be frustrating if you or your team is defending it.

by Wells on Nov 29, 2007 11:07 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Big 12 List

It is remarkable that with the recruited talent of -- and expectations at the season's start for -- the football team, only three players are first team.

Also, has any player in recent memory had his perceived skills and draft stock plummet more than Frank Okam?

by Allaha on Nov 28, 2007 4:18 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

you might say Rod Wright

of course, he played with an undisclosed injury his senior year.

Seems like a lot of our highly praised defensive tackles have not lived up to expectations within the last few years.

by gwh65 on Nov 28, 2007 4:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

what is more notable to me

is that you haven't had a freshman stud defensive tackle show up recently.

It seemed like every time you lost a stud DT (Hampton, Rogers, Wright), another one would come in as a freshman and play well, solidifying that positon for the next 4 years. The last player to do that was Okam, replacing Wright, and I haven't seen someone step up to take his spot.
Frankly, that surprised me, as you seemed to have a nice trend going there.

No matter where he is drafted, though, I think Okam is going to be a fine player in the pros. He has the ability and the skills to be a good pro player.

As for the all-conference list, any list that has Tony Hills as a first teamer is a joke. That guy may have been the worst left tackle in the conference.

by Beergut on Nov 28, 2007 4:44 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I think

they are planning to move Houston to DT next year, after an off season of adding some more weight.

by Wells on Nov 29, 2007 11:09 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Re:

I believe that DT was supposed to be Dre Jones...

Tony Hills may not have been the best LT, but I'm POSITIVE he was not the worst. The fact that he'll be playing on Sundays should be enough to convince you of that.

My adopted kid is pure genius at the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model.

by jc25 on Nov 29, 2007 9:55 AM CST reply actions 0 recs