Looking to the Spring
Jason Miller and Noruwa Agho are stars (CREDIT: Columbia Athletics)
Congratulations are again in order for the men's basketball team after another home weekend sweep, this time against Dartmouth and Harvard. How good would this team be if it were even remotely healthy? I just had to ask.
Once again, the fan support was tremendous in Levien Gymnasium. We need to find a way to bottle and multiply that student section enthusiasm and borrow it for Wien Stadium this fall and forever after. Any thoughts on how to do that?
Predictably, the football recruiting news is drying up big time as we head into late February. That means the real focal point for Lions fans should be the Spring Game this April 18th (61 days away!). Spring practice begins considerably earlier than that and so that's another reason to smile.
Officially, the actual countdown to the 2009 season kickoff is still 215 days. So, I recommend against doing the whole "not shaving or eating thing" until then.
I don't see any personal conflicts barring me from getting to the Spring Game this year, so I hope to provide as much first-hand coverage as I can. I also hope to see as many fans and readers of this blog as possible on what I'm predicting will be a beautiful day at the Baker Athletics Complex.
posted by Jake @ 12:12:00 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
Jake your point is well taken about bottling the fan support. Well, the crowd for the game was just over 1,000 - but they sounded loud. The student side, however, was smaller than it has been in previous games.
It is really hard to say "what if..." about the injuries that the team has had. Apparently, with Brian Grimes being out of the team from the get go - Jason Miller stepped up big time. Likewise for Foley and Ampim being injured, despite that - the team has done really well.
That being said, checking the media guide, we had the same record at this time 5-3, so let's see how we do in the next 6 games. I feel good about the team, but road games will be a test.
Good of you to forecast good weather for the football spring game, which farmer's almanac are you using?
regards,
Lion Fan
Miller was named Player of the Week; Agho Rookie OW, his third.
Jake,
Am already looking forward to your review of the Spring Game.
Jake, Love your blog...have been reading it on a regular basis. Can you tell us more about the spring game? Format, length, any other activities, etc.
Agho looks like a legitimate D 1 swing man/shooting guard. I have been extremely impressed by his all around game, his strength, his ability to drive to the basket, and his court smarts. Miller is not the same player that he was last year. Too badk we can't have Miller for another year. Miller is playing at an all Ivy level, and if Agho keeps playing the way he's been going he'll be ROY and perhaps even all Ivy as well. Agho looks like he would be a great wider receiver!
Cathar wrote:
Was at the games this past weekend, and yes, the wins were terrific. This is a very poised Columbia team, a ten-point deficit early in the 2nd half might well have sunk them last year.
But you also now have to wonder now about LAST season and why Miller didn't play more. He averaged just six minutes per game, and less than 2 points and rebound per game.
Miller is cast in the burly, all-out "tradition" of both Jon Baumann and Matt Preston.
One other thing: Joe Jones clearly did outcoach Harvard's much-overrated Tommy Amaker Saturday night. What was he thinking by slowing down his team so early in the second half, when it was really only ahead by 10? By contrast, Jones showed great acumen by his belief in his players to sloooowwwly whittle that lead down in two point increments. And eventually to tie things up and then win. As I said, this is a Columbia team with poise, both emotional and physical. Matsui, Foley, Agho et all put on a very nice lesson in basketball this past weekend.
Its tough to make people enthusiastic about C.U.
sports if they're not inclined
to follow the teams anyway and its a shame because if you weren't at Levien
on Saturday you missed a nice comeback
win. The student section attendance was smaller than previous weeks, but louder. They gave our team a true "home field advantage." The way to build enthusiasm for the teams is through re-establishing a winning tradition . Only success on the field, Dr. Murphy's goal, will do this.
from another board:
Chris Thomas, a running back, defensive back and return specialist for the Moreau Catholic High Mariners (Hayward, CA) the past two years, will attend Columbia.
Thomas, Christopher 5'11''160 QB/WR/DB
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