Santa Clara Athletics - What's Our Program "G.P.A."

                                                                   

Three and a half years ago, Fr. Engh's Blue Ribbon Commission on Athletics and the Trustees made the decision to invest in Santa Clara Athletics with the goal to become nationally relevant in major sports by the 2020-21 season.  

Their first major decision was the hiring of Dr. Renee Baumgartner as Athletics Director.  

Now, three + years into the makeover, I was wondering, where are we?  What is our athletics "G.P.A." - Game Performances Average?  

There's no question, the entire foundation of athletics has been turned on its ear, from a program that was on was on life support funding for 50 years, to one that has "venture fund" type capital to invest and resuscitate our Athletics' reputation.  

I can just imagine what the A.D. search committee presented as the challenges to overcome.  "We have a rich tradition of Athletic success that we wish to re-invigorate and get to National relevance.  You'll have our full support and commitment do this.  A couple of things you should know as you consider this opportunity."

Your Athletics' operating budget is the lowest in the WCC.
Your major sports recruiting budget is constrained. 
You have 40 fewer scholarships than your WCC competitors. 
Your athletics' facilities are outdated and need a make over.
Many of your coaches have to fundraise to make ends meet.
It has been 20+ years since two of your most visible major sports, Men's Basketball and Baseball's, last NCAA tournament appearance.
Your alums and fan base feel dis-connected to the program.
The students who would support you, weren't yet born the last time Men's Basketball went to the NCAA tournament.

BUT, there are also positives.  In 2015, you'll inherit a strong group of coaches and teams.  W. Soccer is a perennial NCAA tournament team and already a national power.  W. Basketball had a good 2015 -16 season earning a WNIT bid after 11 years since their last NCAA invite.  W. Volleyball made the NCAA tournament in 2015 and has 11 other NCAA trips from 2000-2018.  Lastly, M. Soccer made the 2015 NCAA tourney after a five year hiatus. 

Sounds like the "dream" job, doesn't it?  You're hired!  Now go win WCC titles and get Men's Basketball and Baseball to the NCAA tournament, preferably now, but certainly by the 2020-21 season...

I admire the dedication of all the prior coaches and what they accomplished with these constraints.

So, after all the above, what's changed?  Is our G.P.A. in major sports on track to national relevance?  Honestly, there's been massive changes, but at mid-terms, our G.P.A. is a work in progress.

Consider this.  Since July 2015, out of the seven most visible programs mentioned above, there are five new coaches; most of them in their first or second seasons.  Complete reboot.
Culturally, winning is a real coaching measurement.  Gone are the Kumbya days of "nice try."
The scholarship deltas vs other WCC schools is being whittled down, but still a long way to go.  For example, with more scholarships, Men's Golf has been able to earn their highest national ranking.  
Coaches no longer have to fundraise to make their program budget work.  
Facilities have had a big make over and are actually starting to look like a top tier D1 program.  The newly approved Athletic Excellence Center will make a major statement about where our program wants to go; much like what the amazing Campus build out has done for our academic reputation.  
Recruiting budgets now support more international travel where we can build an SCU pipeline of players. 
There is real marketing money not only for game day promotions, but to legitimize "stampede ahead" as part of our active branding strategy.
Additional Athletic support staffing has been beefed up with experienced people to provide more horsepower to make our teams more successful.

As alums and fans. we take our pot shots that we're still not winning enough and competitive with the top three in WCC MBB as well as complaints that Renee and Coach Sendek were the wrong choices - one inexperienced and the other past his prime.  

I'm as impatient as the next person, but sometimes I feel like my/our arrogance gets in the way of reality.  I'll call it the "big hat, no cattle" syndrome.  

The expectations that just because we're Santa Clara we should just be better without laying the foundation and doing the hard work it takes to actually get better.  That it's somehow easy to reverse 50 years of athletic program mediocrity in three years.

I wish it was - and I hate it that it's not.

But, the BIGGEST thing for me is that we ARE investing!  Building a foundation with real money and commitment not have just a "one and done," but sustained successes.  Mistakes and missteps are going to happen.  This is uncharted territory for SCU - actually saying out loud and trying to achieve national relevance.  

SCU is arguably best suited among the WCC teams not named Gonzaga or BYU to get it done.  It's not just big thinking that makes this happen, but big $$$$.   Our new Billion dollar campaign speaks to this overall vision.  I haven't heard of any other WCC school even dream about; let alone raising a Billion.  

I have no idea if Renee and Coach Sendek can get us there on the Athletics and MBB fronts.  I do know they're putting in the work.  

Right now our Athletic's G.P.A. is about a 2.5 or C+.  A strong foundation for the long term is happening.  However, since 2015, there's not enough winning in major sports.  Five new head coaches and staffs are working hard to build contenders.  For example, Men's Baseball, under first year coach Rusty 
Filter, doubled their prior year win total finishing with a 26-26 season.   FYI, Baseball hasn't had a break even or better season in nine years.  

Men's Basketball is still floundering against the WCC top three in what's become a "triage" season.  Three starters lost and four of the guys playing new positions.  Of our last seven games, four are on the road and three are at Leavey - including St. Mary's and USF.

There's lots of learning and studying going on and finals are approaching - "national relevance by 2020-21."

It's certainly a roller coaster, but a ride I'd rather be on than just sitting on the sidelines like the past 50 years.


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SCU Men's Basketball - Last Week was "Weak"

                                                                   

Last week was a tough one, not just for the players and coaches, but for our whole MBB program.  An all time record loss blowout by Gonzaga followed by a blown second half at home vs LMU.

It couldn't have come at a worse time.  Just when upbeat feelings of seven straight wins and some bounce back wins after road losses had Bronco fans believing again - just maybe.

It's a conundrum.  How do our young players perform so well under pressure with O.T. wins over USC and a road win at Washington State?  Followed by second half comeback wins over Pepperdine and Pacific?  Then whoosh, gone.  Program momentum capital squandered.  

Coach Sendek's pillars of "learn and improve" seemed to be taking root, then came the "root canal" of last week.  Ouch!  

There are lots of Bronco alums and fans who talk about getting MBB back to the successes of the "good  old" days.  Well, honestly, with the exception of the Nash years, maybe not that good.  Chew on this.

Since the 1970-71 season, in 48 years of Bronco MBB have exactly three WCC titles, two of them Co-Champs.  Three.  We have four NCAA appearances.  Three with the Steve Nash teams.  That's it folks.  48 years!!!

Maybe our best performances were our four NIT appearances; two of which, '88 & '89, were with a roster that was without superstars. 

Now, all of the sudden we're supposed to be a WCC top level team in Coach Sendek's third season.  Dream on...At LEAST, after 48 years of flat-lined MBB budgets, the University leadership team is investing.  We don't know if Coach Sendek and his staff can get us to a national level or not.  We'll find out in 2-3 more years.  Right now, a long way to go.  

My/our biggest hope is that the Trustees remain strong and committed for the long term.  Don't give in and don't accept mediocrity.  It took Gonzaga nearly 26 years to become relevant.  After all their NCAA run successes, IMHO it wasn't until the past four seasons that the power conference teams took them seriously.  

Our team acts like the have the "terrible two's."  As parents/coaches, we know the act.  They have wonderful minutes of being the greatest child, taught by the best parents ever, followed by hours and hours of going rogue; where nothing seems to work.  Meltdowns.  Just like the LMU game.  

The team practices the offense and defense every single day.  How do they seem to forget what to do, come completely unraveled?  Forget to play basketball?  With a short roster, is it fatigue?

That's why last week was "weak."  Whatever "will" to compete we've had in earlier games seemed to evaporate.  

On offense, instead of the ball moving, it devolved into late shot clock, low percentage efforts.  My unofficial count was 10 of those in the second half.   Of our 31 or so second half possessions:  23 points on (7-26 FG),   3Pt FG (4-17) combined with 8 turnovers.

Not a winning recipe.

I'm sure the coaches would say that with our lack of depth, the margin for error in every game is very small.  Particularly, at Guard where we have only two with neither of them playing their natural positions.  It's evident and easier to coach against us - pressure them everywhere.

They play 36+ minutes per game because they have to.  Fatigue is a factor in a very long season for first year players.  Expect more of the above.

Some impatient fans think, "well, with experienced coaches, they should be able to fix that or make adjustments."  Garbage.  Like it or not, you can't teach experience; the thing we don't have.  The biggest impact of our coaching is to accelerate the learning and development process.  Time will tell.

With eight WCC regular season games left, we need to get STRONGER.  

We need stronger game plans, stronger offense and defense, and the will to compete every game.   Get rid of the weak stuff and play with some old Bronco toughness.  



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SCU Men's Basketball - "There's No Place Like Home"

                                                                 

There's no doubt the experience gained by our young team playing on the road in hostile, loud environments, like at The Kennel and at BYU, will pay dividends in the future.  

It's one thing not to play at home, but another when you run the risk of being "homered."  Sure the arena environment, fan base, lighting, etc. is all foreign that's why winning on the road is so hard.  

The other X factor is that you just don't seem to get favorable calls on the road.  It's a conundrum?  Do teams play that differently away?  Do they guard too aggressively?  Are the officials from a different league and, therefore, unfamiliar with how that league plays?  Are Coaches just not up to speed on the rules to game plan road games?  

I can go on and on.  The answers to all the above questions is NO.  If this all sounds like a giant gripe - it is.  Not just for the Broncos, but for all teams.  I honestly don't know how Coaches handle it. 

The WOC charter simply stated:  
"The consortium is deigned to promote consistency - in training, development and evaluation - in officiating the western U.S., and provide a larger, more diverse pool of officials for assignment."

Nice statement, but difficult to implement.  Just read the rules text re: players "cylinder space" and you'll see all the attempts at consistency lead to inconsistency because officials are human and each interprets action on the court differently.  I'm not blaming the officials (well, I guess indirectly I am) but they have an impossible job.

For example, this season to date on the road, our opponents have attempted 64 more free throws than us.  That's nearly a full game point total.  In Provo, BYU made more free throws (24) than we attempted!  If the proverbial "make up calls" exist, then maybe we have 64 coming our way in the remaining six road games.  Doubt it.

Whether it is the Wizard of Westwood or the "Wizard of Oz" it's true, there's no place like home.  We have six games left at Leavey:  Gonzaga, LMU, Portland, St. Mary's, Pacific, and USF.  At 2-2 thus far, going 6-6 in last 12, given our short roster, would be a good finish going into the WCC tourney.  IMHO, it's going to take a road upset or two to get there.  

Tomorrow at St. Mary's is a tough test.  They shoot it among the best in the WCC and don't turn it over.  They have experience and match up well with us.  It can be done, but it will take one of our best road performances a-la Washington State.  

No doubt we've seen real improvement.  It's time to keep it going.  

We can help.  If there's really "no place like home," let's do OUR best to make opponents feel "homered" when they come to Leavey.  We need to get our 64 back by letting the Coaches and players know we've got their backs!


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SCU Men's Basketball - "You Know It Don't Come Easy"

                                                                          

Ringo Starr isn't a Bronco, but his lyrics are right on for SCU in this years WCC - "It Don't Come Easy."  You can listen along while you read - just click the link.

Ringo Starr - It Don't Come Easy

"You gotta pay your dues if you don't wanna sing the blues, cause you know it don't come easy."  

We are paying our dues big time this season and the next six games are full of potential "blues."  

Mark Few and his full strength Zags showed us the gap that still remains to the experience and talent needed to compete with top 20 ranked teams.  A real facial. 

It's no secret he relishes calling out the rest of the league two years ago to "step it up" and now crushing them on his home floor.

I don't know about you - but I have this HUGE $%### for payback...

It Don't Come Easy...

The next six games are brutal for our young Bronco team.  Three roadies - BYU, St. Mary's, and Pacific.  Three home games - Pepperdine, Gonzaga, and LMU.  

Surviving the six games at 3-3 would be very good.  Especially tonight against Pepperdine; after our tsunami loss in Spokane.  With only eight scholarship players left, the margin for error is a few microns in Silicon Valley parlance.  

Pepperdine has won two of their last three games and took USF to the final 15 seconds; losing to an off balance 3-pointer.  St. Mary's crushed BYU at home and lost to USF away.  LMU is 13-3 with an early season win vs Georgetown.  Pacific is 10-7 with close losses to San Diego and BYU.  Add the above, plus the Zags coming to Leavey, and, well - "It Won't Come Easy."

If there's a bright spot, it's that every WCC team is beatable this season; which has not been the case for years.  Other than Gonzaga, we are CAPABLE of beating the other nine.  Doesn't mean we will, but it can be done.  I'd love nothing more than for us to be the ones to tarnish some of their shiny preseason records.  

So, if I'm going full Ringo, the next six "Won't Come Easy" but "it's here within your reach if you're big enough to take it."

If we are big enough to take it, it can make a "big" difference in the trajectory of our program...

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SCU Men's Basketball - Are We Out of Our League?

                                                                   

Is any team's preseason record a reliable predictor of upcoming WCC league play?
   
If it is, the road win at Washington State completed our early season resume of whether we are "In" or "Out" of our league.

As we begin league, the USC double overtime and Idaho blowout wins make us the "Forrest Gump" team.  We lose to lowly Prairie View, Idaho State, and then punch out USC.  Who are these guys?

Sports writers following the WCC say were "Out" with a best case seventh and likely ninth place finish.  Making that case is pretty easy as all of the WCC mid-level teams are rolling in preseason.  Geez, LMU is 12-2!   

The only certainty the pubs claim is that Gonzaga is a lock.  

The rest is up for grabs.  To some degree, Mark Few is getting what he complained about -  the weak becoming more competitive. 

I'm sure he loves and laughs at the league's preseason records.  I mean USF is 12-2 with a 258 strength of schedule...LMU is 12-2 with an S.O.S. of 263...Pacific is 10-5 with a 253...This out of a worst possible 350.  BTW the Zags S.O.S is 42.

In reality, it looks like more of the league is using the St. Mary's model of the past, shiny impressive win/loss records against mediocre teams.   We all know how that worked for them with NCAA tourney snubs.

One thing for sure, this WCC season will be different.  Instead of the usual two challengers for second place, there are arguably five.  Additionally, three of those could give the Zags tough battles.  Both BYU and St. Mary's, while having erratic preseasons, have rosters capable of upsets.  USF has experience and has played a solid schedule with some good wins over Harvard, Cal, and Stanford.  

The other two teams, San Diego and, believe or not, LMU have played well, have experience and young talent to make some noise.  The fight for spots 2-6 in league will be hotly contested and IMHO will include at least one or two of the above beating Gonzaga.

So based upon the above, are we "In" or "Out" of our league?

We're both...

When it comes to depth of roster, we're out.  KJ's loss for the season leaves us razor thin in key spots.  Our roster is heavy on youth which makes us "Out" based upon experience.  Our starting rotation is pretty small which makes us "Out"; where rebounding will decide close games.  Our league schedule puts us "Out"as four of our first eight games are on the road including games at BYU, St. Mary's, Gonzaga and Pacific.  Our first four home games are Gonzaga, San Diego, LMU and Pepperdine. 

Daunting...

The conundrum is that what makes us "Out" will also offer us the opportunity to be "In."  What?

With expectations low, there are teams that will overlook us.  As winners of seven of our last eight games, the young guys are learning how to win and close out games a la USC.  Our offense has actually looked much better, shooting more than 50% in our last four games and 46% for the preseason.  Our assists levels are up into the 18-24 range per game.  Translation, the ball is moving.  

Our defense has also shown some bright spots - particularly in the paint.  We're scoring down low and Caruso has become a legitimate "eraser" with our blocks averaging six per game over last five games.  At nearly five per game overall, it's the highest in the last six years.  Translation, less easy freebies driving the lane. 

As a by-product of all of the above, season ticket holders and fans are buying "In" to the talent and potential that is clearly visible from the roster recruited by Coach Sendek and his staff.  Only one active player is left from the Kerry Keating era.

For what it's worth, (not much) I'm thinking, barring no more injuries, an 8-8 WCC would be very good considering losing your top scorer, starting center, and only nine scholies left on the roster.  There is potential to rise to 10-6 with an upset or two.   

If we can accomplish either of the above, it will put us "In" the conversation for the future rather than being left "Out" as irrelevant.


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SCU Men's Basketball - Lost and Found

                                                     


Starting our season 1-5 is not what anyone wanted to see on the heels of losing three of our last four to end the 2017-18 season. 

Other than SCU and St.Mary's (3-3), every other WCC team has a winning record in their preseason games including the Zags downing # 1 Duke; showing no sympathy for the Devils.

A realistic start to our first six games would have been 2-4.  We're one off that expectation and only an early upset against some better teams would have flipped it to 3-3.  If we shot the ball better than some of our intramural teams, we had chances in the second half to pull one of those out.  

It's disappointing, but although we've lost, we also have found some things to give us hope. 

We've lost five games and now KJ, due to injury, is out until January. 

We've been lost at the free throw line; making just 60%.  We're lost on defense; committing 28 more fouls turning into 41 more free throws made by our opponents.  We need to "rebound" from our poor rebounding deficit that is giving teams too many second chances.  We've been losing the ball via turnovers at a nearly 50% higher rate per game than at anytime over the past five years at 15.3 per game.  

Most of all, fans are losing patience...

Despite the angst, we've found some things that could bode well for the immediate future.

We've found noticeable talent in our Freshman.  We've stopped recruiting "projects" and have landed players.  Center Zeke Richards can jump, move, pass, score, and defend.  He has work to do, but is quickly "learning" in only his fourth year of competitive basketball.  

Guglielmo (Willie) Caruso has range and reach as a backup 5 or stretch 4.  His transition to the NCAA game vs international competition is evolving; particularly in how fouls are called.  Strength Coach Medina will beef him up to become a more active physical presence.

Keshawn Justice has been solid and has found his shooting range and confidence at 11 pts per game.  He should be even better as he learns our offense and gets to his "go to" spot off the catch and shoot.

Trey Wertz has obvious talent, but so far seems overwhelmed trying to understand our system and D1 level speed.  At this point, he sort of reminds me of Matt Turner from last season. With KJ out, he's been thrust into playing more point guard and just isn't comfortable yet in that spot.  His team high 22 turnovers shows that.  He has more size (6' 5") than Matt and if he adjusts and finds his game, could be a big factor in this lineup.  

Juan Ducasse, one of the most skilled of the incoming class, is lost for the year with a knee injury.

The Sophomores are playing big minutes due to a short roster.  Tahj Eaddy is as advertised; a distributor and shooter, averaging a team high 16 pts per game. The loss of KJ really hurts here as he would be another "must guard" for our opponents that would change our offensive dynamics.  With Wertz not shooting well, it makes it easier for defenses to force others to make shots.  

Josip Vrankic has found his rhythm after a slow start averaging 16 pts in his last four games.  He is critical to this current lineup.  ALL our opponents know our Achilles' Heel, lack of penetration and perimeter shooting.  We will be "zoned" to prevent us from getting into the zone shooting.  With Josip playing the pop in the middle position against the zone, his effectiveness will dictate the options we will have.  If he can execute a quick catch and shoot from the free throw line, it will force the perimeter and inside zone coverage to stop him.  This opens space to pass to the post near the basket or kick-outs to unguarded wing shooters.  It's a big load for a second year player.  

Senior Henrik (Hank) Jadersten has played well his last two games coming off a foot injury.  His career high vs San Jose State was a big lift as Ndoye was hurt and Caruso in foul trouble.  His 17 points was perfect timing and key to the win.

Grad transfer Josh Martin has been high energy and our best rebounder.  He's an effective scorer, but has drawn the tough defensive assignments and has had early foul trouble; limiting his minutes.  Right now, I view him as our "glue."  He's versatile, aggressive and plays with "tude."  We need that.

Our other grad transfer, Fallou Ndoye, has not settled into our system yet and has a foot injury that is not listed as serious.  We really need his size to be a deterrent to easy layups.

Although we've lost five of our first six games, we've been in games in the second half, but can't close anything out.  The good news is we find ourselves with seven of our next eight at home.  Six of those are winnable; unless we upset USC or Washington State on the road.

If we pull it off, we will be 7-7 going into the WCC.  What I expected.  Our early losses should help us "find" ways to be more competitive.  In addition, KJ should be back on the floor when we start the WCC slate on January 3rd when USD and former coach Sam Scholl come to Leavey.

Tonight we play Jackson State.  They are also 1-5 but have the type of roster that has given us fits - like Prairie View.  They go about 6'4" to 6"7 and have experience and speed.  Won't be easy.  They just played USD and lost 76-58, a measuring stick for us.

There you have it. 

We've "Lost and Found" some talent who have the ability to grow in Coach Sendek's "learn and improve" system.
  
The expectations are for a lot more losses.  But, what I've found is that this is the best position to be in to prove the conventional wisdom wrong...

We'll see.  Lost or Found?

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SCU Men's Basketball - Preseason Rankings and Schedule

                                                              

I guess it's human nature to try to predict the unpredictable.

It's easy to look at the top 15 NCAA programs and know they'll be around for the NCAA tourney.  In the WCC, it's pretty much a no-brainer to pick the Zags first - again...

For the rest of the teams, picking the WCC season final standings might be fun, but it's foolish.

Let me just say, no matter what, I'd rather have any ranking than being just "rank".  

SCU preseason rankings:  ninth in the WCC and overall R.P.I. is, gulp, 233.  If you're Alabama A&M with a dead last R.P.I. of 353 you're "rank."

R.P.I. - the rating percentage index, is touted as being a quantifiable method of selecting NCAA Division 1 league outcomes and NCAA qualifiers.

In the W.C.C., the real answer is, other than Gonzaga, "nobody knows."  Looking back 16 years using R.P.I. to predict the order of WCC finishes and NCAA tourney bids, R.P.I. was a worse predictor of both of the above versus the standard preseason coaches poll done every September.  That's why we have so many "surprise" teams in the WCC and NCAA tourney. 

Surprises in the 2017-18 WCC were USF, San Diego, and Pacific and the Broncos in 2016-17.  

For me, R.P.I. is, in reality, a Really Poor Indicator.   

Not to open old wounds, but last season the Broncos had a veteran team returning and promising newcomers to add to the mix.  Expectations of a 20-11 season quickly disintegrated into an 11-20 head scratcher.  

This season we have the opposite.  Lots of newcomers (9) and fewer returning veterans (4), only three who saw significant playing time.  We do have two Grad transfers, but they are new to Coach Sendek's system.  In the newcomers, we also have as a scholarship counter in D.J. Mitchell, a redshirt transfer from Wake Forest who will sit out this year and have two more years of eligibility.

Everyone's asking me, "How are the Broncos going to be this year?"  The above R.P.I and coaches poll data says not great.  For me, those predictions carry a big "hangover" from last season.  Throw them away.

I'm going full Newton's Law: "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction."  

Last season, lots of veterans and a few newcomers, lackluster season.  This season the opposite, few veterans and lots of newbies, so I'm feeling we need the "reaction" season.  Put R.P.I in it's place - wrong.  

Gut feel.  

We'll know in the first 14 preseason games.   Unfortunately, we will start the season with only ten scholarship players.  Henrik Jadersten is out recovering from a foot injury.  Freshman Keshawn Justice has an ankle sprain to deal with and D.J. Mitchell is a redshirt.

This year's roster has more balance.  In talking to coaches and watching practice, we have more size, speed, and a competitive attitude.  Scrimmages where no one wants to lose. 

We have three bigs (Ndoye, Richards, Caruso) who can defend and score, a "big" upgrade.  Ndoye is a grad transfer that is experienced and will bring an attitude in the paint.  In freshman Zeke Richards, we finally have a center who is athletic, no lie.  "E" from last season was a physical specimen, but lacked offensive instincts.  If Richards develops, it will be huge for this roster.  Caruso version #2, no relation to Henry from last year, is a slender 6' 9" but has a 7' 2" wingspan and might become a weak side "swatter" that we sorely need.  Finally, no more need for Vrankic to pretend to be a center.  

At guard/small forward we have experience and, I hate to say it, more legit shooting talent besides K.J.  Taj Eaddy adds much needed speed and can slash, dish, and shoot.  Freshman guard Trey Wertz off the bench will see minutes giving KJ and Taj rest.  He has obvious talent, but we'll see how quickly he can adjust to the speed and size of division one.  Grad Transfer Josh Martin will start and at 6' 7" can play multiple spots. When Keshawn Justice returns he'll add to the above mix.

The real "heart" of this team has to be defense.  Rid ourselves of our opponents making a torrent of three pointers.  Teams will feel and see stoppers in the post - fewer open freeways to layups.  Initially we'll have to play smart with the short roster. We need a mindset to hold teams to < 65 ppg and < or = 45% field goal percent; the winning formula for past Bronco seasons.

In our first 14 games, seven teams have better R.P.I.'s and seven have worse.  A 7-7 start would be an acceptable "reaction."  Early road games vs Washington, Minnesota, and Cal are very hard W's.  However, we do have nine of the first 14 at Leavey, seven that are winnable and two tough ones: Irvine and USC.  Are the lucky 7's aligned?

One thing, for sure this season, is we have to show upward momentum.  Like it or not, although it's Coach Sendek's third season, in reality it's the first roster that has his 10 picks.  Only KJ and Hank remain from the Kerry Keating years.

Not making excuses, but as a bit of history,  Gonzaga was middle of the pack for 18 years in the WCC with only one league title in 1994 under Dan Fitzgerald.  With Nash under Coach Dick Davey, Santa Clara won three straight titles from 1994-96.  Mark Few took over a great roster from Dan Monson in 1999 with Pro Dan Dickau and then added future Pro Ronnie Turiaf that jump-started a 19 year 1st place run.  

Coach Sendek took over a roster of, well, Jared Brownridge and Freshman KJ Feagin.  Good players with little help.  Just sayin...

My prediction on the unpredictable pre-season is a Newtonian reaction.  If it's anything other than that, we may see a "mass" exodus of loyal fans.   

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