Post by nittanystag on Apr 5, 2019 11:24:38 GMT -5
Mikey Dixon on the move again. Another example of "grass always greener" syndrome. He should have stayed at QU. Two other names of interest to Stag fans: Thomas Huerter of Siena and Takai Molson of Canisius. Stag fans may no longer need worry about those two tormenting the Stags in future MAAC play.
Yeah. Especially for the kids that enjoy their current school and are successful on the court... you sometimes wonder what it is they are actually chasing when they leave...
I think we're long past the era where playing at a lower tier basketball program will impact your pro career. Is it more fun to bounce from school to school chasing a brighter light... but with the risk you'll end up recruited over... playing a reduced role... or flat out jettisoned? I suppose some kids don't mind the likelihood of ending up a basketball nomad. It might be something that isn't unfamiliar or all that different from the AAU circuit. A degree from a specific school isn't at the top of the priority list and the desire to just challenge oneself against tougher competition is the #1.
* You could probably throw Peter Kiss into this discussion, too. He might love his choice... but one year into playing at Rutgers, he looks like a fairly pedestrian BigTen guard playing 18 mpg. Can he get better next year? Sure. But chances are also that he's on the move, again, after next season. On the other hand... had he stayed in the MAAC, he's likely All-MAAC (developing a legacy at Q) and may have even been the missing ingredient that would've sent Q dancing this season. Who knows... maybe he'll play his 5th year at Fairfield
Mikey Dixon on the move again. Another example of "grass always greener" syndrome. He should have stayed at QU. Two other names of interest to Stag fans: Thomas Huerter of Siena and Takai Molson of Canisius. Stag fans may no longer need worry about those two tormenting the Stags in future MAAC play.
Curious about Dixon transferring. If he's on track to graduate... what does that do for him? He has to sit another year, right? And then the next season he played would be his final? Why not just stick it out for a year, then grad transfer? At least you'd get 4 years of playing. Maybe there is some loophole or new rule he can use to get a 6th year of eligibility?
Mikey Dixon on the move again. Another example of "grass always greener" syndrome. He should have stayed at QU. Two other names of interest to Stag fans: Thomas Huerter of Siena and Takai Molson of Canisius. Stag fans may no longer need worry about those two tormenting the Stags in future MAAC play.
Curious about Dixon transferring. If he's on track to graduate... what does that do for him? He has to sit another year, right? And then the next season he played would be his final? Why not just stick it out for a year, then grad transfer? At least you'd get 4 years of playing. Maybe there is some loophole or new rule he can use to get a 6th year of eligibility?
I think if Dixon graduates after 3 years, and his current school does not have the Graduate Program that he is interested in, then he can go to another school with his Graduate Program of choice and be immediately eligible....... and play 4 seasons in 5 years.
It all depends on St Johns not having the Graduate School Major that he is interested in.
Post by nittanystag on Apr 5, 2019 16:05:17 GMT -5
He apparently is headed to Grand Canyon University in the WAC. St. John's was a major step up from QU, GCU not so much. IMO Mikey and Peter Kiss really would have helped build something great up there in Hamden, rather than move to the bowels of mediocrity.
He apparently is headed to Grand Canyon University in the WAC. St. John's was a major step up from QU, GCU not so much. IMO Mikey and Peter Kiss really would have helped build something great up there in Hamden, rather than move to the bowels of mediocrity.
Thunder Dan is kinda of building something out there. hasn't gotten over the hump yet. largest Christian school in the world if you count their online students lol , something like 100K students
Can’t be surprised by this. First, kids transfer more these days. It is a fact. Second, this was a very tough year and many questions on way forward remain. Third, a coaching transition took place.
If anyone doesn’t want to move forward with Jay, they should leave.
I agree, although in this case I'm very disappointed because I think Neftali has (or would have had with the Stags) a huge upside in the coming years. But a "surprise" based on the coaching change and Parrotta leaving? Absolutely not. My guess is he ends up somewhere back in Florida, like maybe FGCU, the school supposedly the finalist with Fairfield last year (if my memory is correct). I wish him well.
I wouldn't quite characterize the Alvarez loss as if he's any random 27% 3pt shooting frosh PG.
However.. as with other significant transfers the Stags have seen... you get to replace them and there are a lot of minutes and a big role that might be attractive to another talent.
You absolutely can replace them if you have the recruiting ability, and hopefully in this case, Young can find what he's looking for in the next couple of months. That said, I agree, just 3-point shooting statistics from one year of college ball certainly aren't an indicator of the type of player that Nef was going to become in the following years, especially considering his athleticism and ability to take the ball to the basket, something that with normal improvement will become a more positive thing in the future I feel. He will be missed.
Last Edit: Apr 5, 2019 18:18:02 GMT -5 by nashvillestag
Alvarez may have experienced some rocky going at times this year, but it was due to the expectations for him that had him trying too hard. No doubt in my mind that in time he would have developed into one of the better guards to play for us. This outcome is not a surprise. Typical Fairfield U bad luck!
Good point about trying too hard to meet expectations, and maybe something that was speeded up too quickly when he made that winning layup in the final seconds at Bucknell. But as "bad luck" for Fairfield (as opposed to other schools), no, when a change is made, this quite often is the residual damage. So I agree with you, this is not a surprise at all.
Last Edit: Apr 5, 2019 18:15:05 GMT -5 by nashvillestag
While it sounds nice to say that Fairfield is the #1 Regional University in the North, in reality the best schools are ranked on a national list. Fairfield is not even in the top 100 in that category - probably around 150 - 200th on a national list. Fairfield needs to catch up to schools like Villanova and Fordham.
The Alvarez departure doesn't trouble me that much. I actually think Aidas is a better overall guard. No Aidas doesn't have Alvarez's speed, but Aidas is a better passer, shooter and ball handler, in my humble opinion.
Aidas is a better passer, yes, but as far as a talent and an upside to be great, not even close IMO. Neftali has (or had) all MAAC potential in future years. Aidas not so much and will probably be strictly a role player I think. Of course a lot of that will depend on the actual makeup of the roster next year.
And here's reason one why Alvarez should stay. NO ONE gets better by sitting out a year as one can NEVER replicate game experience. IMO, leaving is a far bigger gamble than staying.
Post by dannynoonan on Apr 6, 2019 12:30:05 GMT -5
I'd like Alvarez to stay like just about everyone else. And there are a lot of good reasons for him to stay. But if I'm honest, I could see a year off potentially doing him some good. He needs to get stronger, and an extra year of physical maturation alone will help him, and if he's lifting, even more so. And he needs to work on his shooting.
The idea of finishing your frosh year as a top player on a team... then having to sit a whole year before playing again. That seems like an un-fun way to live your life.
Different story if you're miserable at school for other reasons or look like you're stuck to the end of the bench - but I didn't get that impression about Neftali.
dannynoonan I thought the same thing about Curtis Cobb... and he did get a bit stronger and his game looked a bit better... but he was still a pedestrian/fringe starter on a bottom of the league A-10 team and is now off to his 3rd school in 5 years. Are those great results? I don't know. Maybe? Depends on what you're looking for.
The idea of finishing your frosh year as a top player on a team... then having to sit a whole year before playing again. That seems like an un-fun way to live your life.
Different story if you're miserable at school for other reasons or look like you're stuck to the end of the bench - but I didn't get that impression about Neftali.
dannynoonan I thought the same thing about Curtis Cobb... and he did get a bit stronger and his game looked a bit better... but he was still a pedestrian/fringe starter on a bottom of the league A-10 team and is now off to his 3rd school in 5 years. Are those great results? I don't know. Maybe? Depends on what you're looking for.
Like I said, I hope he stays. There are a lot of reasons to potentially stay or go. I don't know what Neftali's reasons for potentially leaving are, but I think just about everyone would agree that he needs to get stronger and shoot better, and an extra year potentially might be good for him help with one or both.
There are many kids who transfer and it doesn't work out on the court for them. Cobb could perhaps be one such example. And some times, it does work out. Two examples off the top of my head: Mike Green transferring from Towson to Butler a few years ago, and closer to home, Degnan transferring to Siena. Both had to sit out a year. Degnan had a nice 5th year, significantly better than the other three years he played.