If you have 13 minutes to spare today, use it to watch this youtube video. I don't know much about Justin Sears, the high-schooler featured. It looks like Penn was in his top 8 schools (but not top 4, as you'll see in the video), and he's rated a solid 86 by ESPN. But that's not the point.
The point is that Plainfield Sports News made an awkward, 13-minute video of his college decision, in the same vein as LeBron James' ESPN spot a year and a half ago. If you're strapped for time, fast forward to 9 minutes in, when he starts talking about colleges.
The 18-game Ivy winning streak and quest for an unprecedented undefeated three-peat went out the window today when Brown shutout Penn 6-0 in Providence, R.I. That said, the Quakers still control their own destiny and, if they can win out, will at the very least share the title with Brown and Harvard.
The Good: ...
The Bad: Three interceptions thrown by Penn, five fumbles coughed up and two recovered by Brown. The conditions were surely a major factor, but in the end, they were a non-factor because it rained just as hard during Brown's offensive sets. Both the Penn fumbles recovered by the Bears were in Brown territory, killing near scoring chances. Gotta cover up the ball when it's wet.
The Ugly: We could talk about the variety of streak that came to an end or records that weren't broken, but that's tired by now. If you thought the conditions were bad at Penn-Brown, check out these shots from Yale-Columbia and Cornell-Princeton:
Neither snow nor rain is going to keep these two Ivies from duking it out in Providence today. The comeback Quakers haven't won a game outside of the fourth quarter yet this season and they're looking to change that at Brown. Meanwhile, the Bears are a spotless 3-0 at home, their only loss this season coming to Harvard on the road. Their home wins have come by an average margin of 18 points. Last, but certainly not least, the Quakers have an 18-game Ivy unbeaten streak to uphold. Follow all the action from Providence below:
Mother nature is throwing a curveball our way this weekend with a freak October snow storm. It looks like Providence R.I. will stay snow-free until Penn and Brown finish playing today, but it could make for a fun bus ride home. This week's matchup with 5-1 Brown has some wondering if the Quakers are actually an underdog for the first time in a while. Don't tell the Red and Blue that. The team feels it's not getting the respect it deserves. So I asked my panel, why?
Kevin Esteves: I think it's simple. The Quakers were a little shaky to start off the season (see: Lafayette) and have continued to have trouble with Ivy teams they should have handled easily. The fact that the Red and Blue could dig out those wins against Dartmouth, Columbia and Yale in crunch time says much about their poise, but you can't rely on a steady diet of comebacks each week. That's probably where some of the disrespect comes — just a discounting of their wins so far. That said, Penn has been improving each week, so they seem to be on the right trajectory. They're also the two-time defending champs, which should always merit respect.
Brian Kotloff: They do get the respect they deserve. But where else are you going to find added motivation at this point? By pointing that out to his players, Al Bagnoli pushes them not just to play for history, but to play for pride, which is the ultimate motivation. And think about this from the perspective of the rest of the league. Of course they respect Penn — they've won 15 titles and haven't lost a game in the past two-plus years. In order to beat the champs however, they have to believe they can beat the champs first. It's all just mind games that really don't matter much because once both teams step on the field, it's mostly about execution.
Calder Silcox: I remember going to football media day before the 2010 season and hearing the same thing from the players and coach Al Bagnoli. The team had just been picked to finish second behind Harvard (despite returning a solid core of players). It was the type of thing they hung up in the locker room to remind them every day — the motivation Brian mentions. But I think if you look around the league (both players and media) the general consensus would be that Penn is the favorite week in and week out. The only thing that would tip this week in Brown's favor is homefield advantage.
Megan Soisson: As 2-time defending champs with 18 straight Ivy wins under their belt, the Quakers get plenty of respect. But as a 3-2 football team in 2011, I understand why this group may not get as much respect as they may deserve. But are they asking for it? They know every team is out to get them, they know every team despises them. It's for good reason. In the last 3 years of Penn's reign, lots of games have been made by close calls — the tables could have been turned, and the Quakers still wouldn't get much respect. At least now they deserve it.
Bradford Blackmon: I can't recall a single big game where Penn was predicted to win in my four years as a player. Never predicted to win the Ivy League, even as defending champions. The reason for this is pretty simple: they just simply don't want Penn to be good. The other Ivies would prefer to be able to say Penn's not a good team. They don't like that our coach wins, they don't like that the players celebrate and have fun on the field while winning, they don't like that our assistant coaches are the best in the league. But the best part about Penn never getting the credit they deserve is WE DON'T CARE. That's what makes it fun to play for Penn, proving people wrong and having fun doing it. Hopefully there will be more of the same for the rest of the year.
In a tribute to last week’s historic fourth quarter domination of Yale, this week’s segment focuses on what may be Penn football’s most epic comeback in its history. It is also the first time I’ll turn back the clock to a Penn victory — so after two weeks of Penn football winning after blogging about losses, we'll see if this post does not have the reverse effect.
On this day in Penn sports history …
October 28, 2000: Like this year’s Penn-Brown football matchup, the Y2K version also had title implications. Down 18 to Brown with less than five minutes to go, it looked like Penn’s shot at an Ancient Eight title was over. Already with one Ivy loss on the season, the team couldn’t afford a second. Coming back from three scores seemed improbable, but not impossible, as the two teams had two of the best offenses in the Ivy League. Coming into the game, Brown led Division I-AA with 514 yards per game, 30 more than the next team. And if you thought this year's defense is scary, check out the scores from the two previous games betweens the Quakers and Bears: Brown won both games — 44-37 in 1998 and 55-51 in 1999.
The matchup took place over Family Weekend, so the game saw a slight boost in attendance. But after Brown’s kicker put one through the uprights to give the Bears a three-score lead with just over 10 minutes to go, most of the folks that stayed after the toast-throwing headed for the exits. After scoring 20 points in the first half, the dynamic Quaker offense was held scoreless for the first 25 minutes of the second frame. Then quarterback Gavin Hoffman hit Rob Milanese on a 48-yard bomb, and there was a glimmer of hope.
The pass brought the Quakers to the Brown 8-yard line, and two plays later, Hoffman found Jason Battung for a touchdown, cutting the score to 38-27. The drive took all of three plays and 27 seconds to complete, and left Penn with 4:37 to try and even the score.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Red and Blue attempted an onside kick but failed to recover it, and Brown started their drive at the Penn 41. A first-down run play for three yards in the wrong direction must have scared Brown coach Phil Estes away from the run, as the next two plays were passes — both which went incomplete, and forced the Bears to punt with just over three minutes remaining. The Quakers started their drive at midfield, and on the first play, Hoffman hit Doug O’Neill for a 49-yard strike. From the 1-yard line on the very next play, Hoffman kept the ball on a quarterback sneak for a touchdown, and though Penn’s two-point conversion attempt failed, they were within one score, 38-33. The drive took only 17 seconds and two plays.
For whatever reason, the Bears came out throwing again when they got the ball back. (That’s a common theme in this epic comeback tale — Brown keeps passing.) Though the Bears completed their initial pass for 17 yards, three straight incompletions following that forced them to punt yet again. The Red and Blue got the ball back with more than enough time. Only a touchdown would suffice, and it would put Penn in the lead.
Unlike the previous two drives, this one would not be easy. Starting at his own 38 yard-line, Hoffman hit Colin Smith on the first play for an 18-yard pass play to move into Bears territory. Two incompletions then brought up a third down, but Hoffman hit Smith again on the next two plays, first for 19 yards to get the first down, and then for 13 to put Penn at the Brown 12. A 10-yard completion to Doug O’Neill, and the Quakers were within two yards of taking the lead. A false start penalty set them back five yards, and time was ticking off the clock — there was less than 30 seconds remaining. But finally, on the drive’s eighth play, Hoffman found Milanese on a swing pass, and the Quaker receiver then proceeded to “break through seven yards of attempted tackles,” according to the DP, and ran in for the go ahead score with 0:28 on the clock. A two-point conversion put Penn up, 41-38.
Brown had one final chance to win the game on the last play, when they completed four legal laterals and came uncomfortably close to the Penn end zone. But the fifth lateral sailed out of bounds and Penn celebrated its historic comeback. The Red and Blue went on to win the Ivy title that year — outright — by walloping a 5-1 Cornell team on the final day of the season.
Also on the day, Penn quarterback Gavin Hoffman passed for a Penn record 476 yards, shattering the previous record of 399 yards he set himself the previous year against Columbia. This record still stands today.
On the triumphant comeback and Brown coach Phil Estes’ decision to continue passing despite holding the lead late in the game, Penn coach Al Bagnoli had this to say:
I assume that if you have those kind of receivers and the quarterback is putting up the kind of numbers he is, you are going to try and throw some high percentage passes. But if you don’t complete them, time doesn’t come off the clock … This league right now seems to have everything. It seems to have drama, big plays, comebacks. It’s a spectator’s delight and a coach’s nightmare.
So there you have it — the comeback that launched Penn to its 11th Ivy League title. And we thought Billy Ragone and this year’s team liked to cut it close.
Posting on a high schooler's facebook wall? Not okay. Sending them a private message? Go for it.
The NCAA today announced a set of changes to the recruiting guidelines that basketball coaches must follow when courting high school prospects. The rule changes essentially opened up many restricted lines of communication — including social networks — for the basketball coaches. Now coaches will be able to "send unlimited phone calls and text messages to men’s basketball recruits. The deregulation extends to social media, starting June 15 after a recruit’s sophomore year," according to the NCAA's release.
Private messages on social media sites are also now allowed, while public ones will be banned so that recruiting efforts remain a private matter for institutions.
Outside of communication, the NCAA will once again allow coaches to recruit players for two weeekends in April at non-scholastic events, limiting summer recruiting to three four-day July periods.
@Pennbasketball was happy to see the NCAA make its changes:
Other changes enacted, according to the NCAA website, include:
A start date for official visits beginning January 1 of the junior year, with schools able to pay travel expenses for the prospect and a parent/guardian.
Permitting some contact at a prospect’s educational institution during the junior year in conjunction with an evaluation, with some restrictions and requirements.
The July period will be limited to three four-day periods beginning Wednesday at 5 p.m. and ending Sunday at 5 p.m.
The April period will be limited to certified events that begin after 6 p.m. on Friday and end before 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Permitting staged, on-campus evaluations in conjunction with official visits, though further details will be considered.
It's rare the Penn basketball makes it into the national spotlight these days, so it's worth a mention. Both sites, as well as the new Ivy basketball blog Ivy Hoops Online, disagreed with me:
Deadspin:
"You can't call something a tradition if you shut it down when things are glum."
ESPN:
I'm with athletic director Steve Bilsky. Some traditions fall by the wayside. That's OK. But some are worth holding onto. Besides, it's not as if Penn hasn't been to a tournament in, like, 20 years. It was just 2007! Sure, things aren't great now, but they could be good again soon. And when they are, The Line will still be there -- the way traditions are supposed to be.
IHO:
Line-haters only hasten the Quakers’ demise by jumping off board a sinking tradition. Man up, fans. Suffer the embarrassment of a few lean years, then thump your chest when Penn climbs back to the top. Otherwise, when Quaker basketball does reclaim its former glory, that team will be part of a separate tradition, one entirely divorced from the days when Penn was truly in a league of its own.
The common thread is that they think my argument is short sighted. Perhaps it is; my first-hand Penn basketball knowledge goes back a few years. Administrators have the benefit of the long view, and that's not to be overlooked. But these three writers don't seem to grasp the current apathy for athletics among the student body, and I think, or at least hope, that the administrators at Penn do.
The continually poor student-attendance at football games (Hey guys, we haven't lost an Ivy League game in two and a half years), has to be a warning sign. Here's a team that is once again good, but students still don't care. Why should we think The Line will be any different?
The fact of the matter, which some of the comments on my column (and former DPer Neil Fanaroff) mentioned, is that not factoring attendance, The Line is a shell of its former self. A weekend long event turned into a day, to a 12-hour night, to an optional sleepover. Is it really even The Line any more? Maybe I didn't need to call for Penn administrators to end The Line. It looks like they already have.
Despite the NBA's lockout, Ed Stefanski already has his next job lined up, just a week after being fired as the Philadelphia 76ers GM.
A Wharton grad (Class of '76), Stefanski won two Ivy titles during his three seasons playing for the Quakers under the late, great Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly. Stefanski will serve as a member of the Toronto Raptors' basketball operations staff. He spent the last four years as president and GM of the Sixers, who compiled a 149-179 record over that span. Ironically enough, Philly.com reported that Stefanski found out he was done with the club the morning that the Sixers announced their official sale to fellow Wharton alum Josh Harris — that announcement came at the Palestra, no less.
The Ivy League basketball preseason media poll was released today, and the Quakers were picked to finish fourth for the second straight year. Harvard received 16 of 17 first-place votes, while Yale received the other. The Bulldogs tied for second with Princeton in the poll, followed by Brown, Cornell, Columbia and Dartmouth.
[UPDATE: The women's team was also picked to finish fourth. That's a major sign of respect for coach Mike McLaughlin's program, as the team finished in last at 2-26 in 2009-10 and sixth last year. Contending for the title two years removed from two wins would be an incredible turnaround. More realistically, a .500 league record would be another step forward.]
We all know that Harvard enters this season as the title favorite. But the surprise here is Yale, which hasn't won the league title outright since 1962. The Bulldogs have legitimate championship aspirations this season, led by first-team All-Ivy big man Greg Mangano. Coming off a junior campaign in which he put up a monster line of 16.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks, the 6'10 forward may be the preseason favorite for Player of the Year. He spent the summer declaring and withdrawing from the NBA draft before playing alongside some of the nation's best players in the World University Games. For any long-time Ivy basketball fans, it's definitely weird to see Harvard and Yale listed at the top of the standings.
Penn head coach Jerome Allen also spoke during a media teleconference for Ivy coaches today. He called the Quakers a "fairly young" team that is still in the process of learning how to play championship-level basketball. He explained that the young guys come in "pure," allowing Allen and his staff to "shape and mold" them into the players and citizens they want them to be. He again singled out sophomore forward Fran Dougherty for the "level of commitment" and "demeanor" he showed this offseason in setting an example for the rest of the young guys.
Allen also discussed how the league has "changed for the better" since his mid-1990s playing days because of its balance. "You have to come to play every night." Of course, Allen is a fierce competitor and welcomed that challenge, saying that it will make every team in the league better ("iron sharpens iron").
Perhaps his most interesting comments, however, regarded the Quakers' "centerpiece," senior point guard Zack Rosen. "His leadership on and off the floor has probably been unmatched throughout the nation," Allen said of his protege. He talked about how Rosen has acted as the perfect role model for sophomore guard Miles Cartwright, demonstrating how to approach "getting better every day" and being the leader of a team. Their "competitiveness" and "high basketball IQ" allow them to play together in the backcourt. "They don’t have a selfish bone in their bodies," Allen said. While it's hard to believe, this is Rosen's final year, so his bond with Cartwright will pay off: "Someday, it'll be Miles showing them the way," Allen said. "And he can honestly say that he saw how someone else did it"
The long-awaited Chuck Bednarik statue is finally coming to Franklin Field. Wednesday, Penn Athletics announced that the formal dedication and unveiling of the statue will take place November 19 before the Quakers' final home game of the season at 1 p.m. against Cornell. According to a press release, "the statue will be located inside Gate 2 on the North side of Franklin Field, and will be complemented by a collage honoring the history of the Philadelphia Eagles during their time playing at Franklin Field (1958-70)."
Bednarik played for Penn from 1945-48, starting at center and linebacker for three seasons. Known as "Concrete Charlie," he earned first-team All-America honors his first two seasons, then won the Maxwell Award and finished third in the Heisman trophy race during his senior year. After graduating, Bednarik was chosen as the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He played 14 seasons for the Eagles -- with home games at Franklin Field -- and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967.
The press release also detailed information about the statue's sculptor, official Basketball Hall of Fame sculptor Brian Hanlon, and the fundraising efforts that ultimately brought the statue to Franklin Field:
The Bednarik statue is being done by Brian Hanlon of Hanlon Sculpture Studio in Toms River, N.J. Dubbed "New Jersey's Sculptor," Hanlon has works all over the world including the recent Shaquille O'Neal statue at Louisiana State University (LSU). Hanlon Sculpture Studio is the official sculptor of the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.
"I am absolutely honored to sculpt the greatest warrior, maybe next to Smokin' Joe Frazier, in Philadelphia sports history," said Hanlon. "I think it's great that Chuck's statue will be placed at the site of his college and NFL careers. Franklin Field is the most sacred, historic athletic venue in Philadelphia."
The process to get a Bednarik statue done has been swift. In 2010, a group of Philadelphia businessmen approached the University with the aim of installing a statue of Penn's greatest all-time player and their hero, Chuck Bednarik, at Franklin Field. Since then, nearly $100,000 has been raised toward the project, bolstered by stories from Philadelphia-area media outlets as well as outlets in the Lehigh Valley, where Bednarik continues to reside in Coopersburg. Among the prominent names involved with the project are the president of NFL films, Steve Sabol; former Eagles and St. Louis Rams head coach Dick Vermeil; former Eagles players Ron Jaworski and Eddie Khayat; Bucks County State Rep. Paul Clymer; former Governor Tom Ridge; Dominic Toscani, founder of Paris Business Forms, Inc.; and Bednarik's son-in-law, Ken Safarowic.
Last year on the Buzz, we took a trip down memory land with our photo countdown to the men's basketball season. This year, we want to try something new. We want you to share your favorite Penn basketball memories. Maybe they're a little hazy — that's fine. Just put down the moment(s) that stand out to you from Quakers history. It could be as recent as last season, or from the pre-Ivy League era.
We'll compile and share them as the season approaches. Just fill out the form below and click submit. And please share this form with any friends!
As promised, today I put down my thoughts in ink on what should be done about The Line. While researching, I was reminded of the column I wrote almost exactly a year ago today, calling for Penn to do more to make The Line relevant. A year ago, I suggested more small changes that could draw in more students. This time around, I said that it is time to pull the plug on the event, which is no longer relevant to students on campus.
A spirited discussion sprouted up in the comments on my article today. I wrote today that if The Line is to happen in the future, it should happen organically, just as it started, without Penn Athletics dragging it limping through this rough patch. But I'll put the question out to Buzz readers: How do you think Penn can fix The Line, if it can be fixed at all?
Editor's note: It appears they get both Versus and Fox over in Leverkusen, as our friend Jack Eggleston has been staying up past lights-out to watch Penn football and the World Series (sorry about the Rays, Jack). This week the Penn hoops alum gives an inside look at the world of trash talking — one he's spoken to the DP about in the past:
Like I mentioned before, this job leaves me with a fair amount of time on my hands. One of my favorite things to do in that time is watch sports. As anybody who has played sports for a long time will tell you, we see the game a little bit differently than the casual fan. The things we see can be tactical, like recognizing a set play that everybody in the country runs, or practical, like feeling bad for a team getting blown out because you know how awful their next practice is going to be.
What stuck out to me this weekend was obviously apparent to Bradford as well: the trash talking. In between plays of the Penn football games I usually try to catch a glimpse of my little brother Tommy doing something I can make fun of him for, but Saturday I was distracted by the jawing going both ways. Any competitor will tell you this heightens the intensity of a game and ups the stakes for those involved. Saturday was no exception.
I'm happy to report that trash talking knows no boundaries. When I finally got a chance to check out the local soccer team, Bayer Leverkusen, on Sunday, I kept a close eye on Michael Ballack. An aging star, Ballack more than made up for his declining skills by running his mouth toward any Schalke defender who wandered within a few feet of him. Like anybody who prides himself on this art, he always seemed to be turning away just as the ref notices what's happening. It was truly a joy to watch.
Having seen all this beautiful trash talk from Penn football, Michael Ballack, and the Germans yelling indecipherable things at me in my game Saturday, I was so disappointed to see what went on in the World Series games. Every Rangers hitter who made it to first was greeted by a warm smile and a pat on the back from Pujols. Ian Kinsler was laughing it up with Cardinals on second base. I could see that in a game during the middle of July, but the World Series? Come on, guys. I want to see some Sandlot-style trading of the insults. Now let me go on record as saying I would never condone telling someone they "play ball like a girl." There's a line. But take a lesson from Penn football and stop being so damn nice.
While sitting in math class taking a study break today, I noticed this post from the Penn Soccer Facebook page. I shot a message to the mysterious Penn Soccer email address (aka men's coach Rudy Fuller) and I wanted to share the response.
Essentially, Penn Soccer wants to create a massive student section, similar to "The Crew" at Maryland and the Philadelphia Union's Sons of Ben. Fuller cited the impressive home records of both teams, partially as a result of the loyal fan support.
Four Ivy schools ranked in the top 45 of DI soccer programs in 2010 attendance. Penn, however, didn't make the cut (Home attendance of the four Ivies — Dartmouth, Harvard, Brown & Princeton — ranged from 805 to 1,069). Given the size of Penn's student body, Penn Soccer hopes to average 2,000 attendees per game at Rhodes Field. Through seven home matches this season, the men's team averages 419 per game.
Penn Soccer wants a relationship with its fan section. If you're interested, email Pennsoccer@gmail.com. Get involved! They are hoping to hold an interest meeting on Wednesday. In the meantime, read what Fuller had to say after the jump.
We are looking to collaborate with a group of students and create a Penn Soccer supporters group that would rival any group nationwide. We are hoping to meet with a few individuals who are interested in taking lead role in forming such a group. We want to exchange ideas on how best to organize and attract new members, what type of activities would help strengthen the bond between the group and our team, and how best to grow attendance at our home games. We want to make Rhodes Field the home, not only of Penn Soccer, but also our loyal supporters.
We have plenty of ideas to show our appreciation, develop the relationship, and build the community of the supporters' group, but we want those involved to have a voice and input on what would be important to them. What kind of swag (t-shirts, scarves, flags, etc) would they want? What pre-game activities/events should be organized? What is the best way to build a relationship between the team and the group? Should we have a special seating area dedicated to the group at games? What should the group be named? We have the benefit of starting the group from scratch so the possibilities are endless.
After dinner Friday my co-editors and I went down to check out The Line at the Palestra. It did not look good. I heard they signed up about as many season ticket holders as last year, but the crowd looked much smaller this year than last. I've got to give credit to the basketball teams for being involved and the Red and Blue Crew for trying to make the season kickoff event fun, but this looks like an event on its last legs. Whether the Athletic Department realizes this or not is another question. If you're interested in this topic, check out my column in the DP tomorrow.
Rundown:
Usually students leave for the fourth quarter of football games once they've tossed their toast and whatnot. But this season the fourth quarter is about all that matters. Once again, Penn came from behind to win an Ivy game, beating Yale 37-25 at Franklin Field. The Quakers scored 27 points in the final frame alone. Columnist Ethan Alter writes that Billy Ragone is no longer just a part of the system, but the engine that makes it go. And all the pieces around him are running like clockwork. Word of the day: Pooch.
Men's soccer has also had a penchant for making things interesting in the final minutes this season. While they tied up the game late to go into OT, Yale put in the golden goal, effectively ending their hopes at an Ivy title this year.
Women's soccer has won seven straight games. That's pretty crazy. The Quakers' goals for-against ratio in that span is 22-1. Needless to say, they shutout Yale 2-0 Saturday. They're still waiting for Harvard to lose though.
Sprint football topped Cornell this weekend, 35-28, as QB Todd Busler threw for a gaudy 398 yards. Army awaits next weekend.
Weekend Win: I'm still in awe of that W. Soccer goals for/against ratio. Are you serious? Weekend win goes to the Quakers defense and keeper Sarah Banks.
Extra Extra: The Red and Blue Scrimmage happened this weekend. We got our first look at the 2011-12 men's basketball team — or at least those who aren't injured. See this page for all our analysis and interviews with players after the game.
A reader tipped me off to a recent Bloomberg piece featuring Ivy League Executive Director Robin Harris, among some other "all-stars" in a panel regarding the business of college sports. Lots of interesting points are made, and Ms. Harris represents the Ivy League quite well. She said college athletics' "biggest opportunity is to feature what makes us unique — our student-athlete stories," and a threat is the "greater emphasis on commercial aspect."
What's interesting about the segment, though, is the Princeton University backdrop. The Ivy League offices are located at Princeton, but one would assume that the Ivy League has its own banner to use rather than an individual school's, right?
Ms. Harris was kind enough to email me the following response:
We actually discussed internally the feasibility of having an Ivy League backdrop. However, we did not have time to create the digital display that the studio uses (as opposed to the banner backdrop that you typically see at press conferences). In addition, as we are located at Princeton, the ability to use the university's studio saved me travel time and saved the Ivy League any costs that other non-affiliated entities might charge. The university was very kind to make the studio available to the Ivy League (a non-university use) on a day when they had several other demands for its use.
I can also assure you neither I nor any member of the Ivy League staff have any bias toward any school. We treat all eight schools equitably and all eight schools share equally in the costs to operate our office and that we pay Princeton for the services they provide us.
This seems to be a matter of technical feasibility, as it was not so simple as just transporting a banner to Princeton's studio. Chalk this one up to time constraints and proximity to Princeton's TV studio.
Two more short interviews with two more sophomores from Saturday's Red and Blue Scrimmage. As Brian noted, we got our first look at Marin Kukoc, after the swingman missed all of last season due to injury. He scored the final five points of the game to put the Blue Team ahead for good. It's not clear how good his grasp of the offense is after missing last year, but he looked like he could get in quickly and put some points on the board.
After the game he talked about shaking off some rust from his year off, but his shot looked pretty smooth. Where he'll play in the rotation remains a question. He appears to have the skill set to play anywhere 2-4, but size wise, he might be best suited as a three.
Miles Cartwright didn't miss a beat, and his 3-point shot looked much improved. He also had the nice challenge of guarding captain Zack Rosen throughout the scrimmage:
More from the Red and Blue Scrimmage: post-game interviews with coach Jerome Allen and Team Blue MVP Fran Dougherty. The second video features a cameo from senior Tyler Bernardini, who offers up a nickname for his teammate Fran. We've also got a scoring breakdown, courtesy of our good friend and DP Alum Dave Zeitlin.
The No. 1 takeaway from Sunday's Red & Blue scrimmage should be that the basketball team is in the very opening stages of its season -- practices began nine days ago, to be exact. However, we haven't gotten a look at the Quakers since March, so any opportunity to see the progress of the team and individual players in valuable. As you read these notes and observations from the scrimmage, keep two things in mind:
1. Players can make dramatic jumps (forward or backward) or changes to their game depending on their summer's work. Zack Rosen ended his freshman season as a pass-first point guard who was not a scoring threat -- he shot 28 percent from three and 35 percent overall -- and returned as a dead-eye sophomore shooter (42% from 3).
2. This early in the process, everything should be taken with a massive grain of salt. These are observations strictly from this one 30-minute scrimmage that served more as a showcase for fans, teaching time for coaches, and learning time for players. Without further ado...
As Cal tweeted on our @DailyPennSports twitter feed (follow us!), "Red and blue scrimmage in two words: Fran Dougherty." Dougherty showed post moves he didn't possess last season, as well as newfound confidence and maturity. He provided the blue team with a consistent post presence inside and remained patient in surveying the floor after catching the ball. He had nice touch on his shots inside and used his body well. On defense, he looked mobile in guarding pick-and-rolls on the perimeter and communicated well as the team's center. Each of the players we talked to afterward said "Doc" made the biggest improvements over the summer, bulking up to be more physical inside (though Fran himself said he didn't add any weight). Either way, this could be the team that allows coach Jerome Allen to play "inside-out" -- a point he always preaches -- and Doc could be the key to that.
The main thing fans want to see in these scrimmages is how the new guys looked. Well, freshmen bigs Henry Brooks, Keelan Cairns and Greg Louis didn't play, but for the most part, the other newcomers looked great. We don't know how much playing time the youngsters will get, especially since Allen is hesitant to play freshmen. But Allen also surprisingly gave Miles Cartwright big minutes right out of the shoot, so we know it's possible. And after seeing them take the court, I really think freshmen guards Patrick Lucas-Perry and Camryn Crocker will contribute this season. Lucas-Perry offers the desirable package of possessing lightning-quick speed yet playing under control. He's small (under 6 feet, no doubt), but he can certainly provide a spark off the bench and has the look of a pure point that can run the second unit and spell Rosen and Cartwright. Crocker, meanwhile, really impressed me and could be an under-the-radar big addition. He's the classic long, crafty lefty who also carried himself like a veteran on Sunday. He didn't look like an explosive athlete, but he has deceptive quickness and the size and touch to play both guard spots.
The Quakers have lacked a true three-point threat on the wing for a few years now, but that could be changing. Cartwright's shot was inconsistent last season, as it became flat in several games (perhaps a sign of fatigue) yet pretty in others. Sunday, the lift and the arc were back and the 6'3 guard sank a bunch of outside jumpers. Sophomores Dau Jok and especially Marin Kukoc, who missed all of the last season with a back injury, also showed touch from deep.
If you have questions about how other players looked or the season in general, leave them in the comments. Also check Tuesday's DP (and every DP for that matter) for a full notebook with quotes from the scrimmage. Final note: so happy to have basketball back at the Palestra (especially with no basketball in other places). Should be a fun season.
Like my video skills, the 2011-12 Penn men's basketball team is a work in practice after a week of work in preseason. Nonetheless, here's a quick first look at the Quakers from the Red and Blue (or Blue and White) Scrimmage Saturday.
In the first clip, the White team works the ball around, picks up a rebound and kicks it out to Miles Cartwright, whose 3-point shot looks much improved this year.
See more clips after the jump.
In the next, the White team has a good defensive set (or the Blue team a bad offensive series) as White forces a shot clock violation. Note freshman Patrick Lucas-Perry playing the point and senior captain Zack Rosen off the ball here.
In the third, there's a nice three from sophomore Marin Kukoc, who sat all of last year due to injury. He led the scrimmage in scoring.