On Further Reflection...

...I am just as happy with the win today as I was last night, especially if Kyle keeps hunting his shot like he did last night. That sounds like a fairly simple thing to say, but you have to know our history as a franchise. Too often in seasons past we won games not because we played fundamentally well, but because we got hot or the other team played poorly.

Yesterday, I thought we won through some fundamentals rather than really hot play. For example, we only shot 40% from the field, but we held them to under 90 points for the second straight game and made key stops to close the game out. Mad Ants fans know that did not happen last year. Moreover, the fact that we closed a game out last night was unbelievably encouraging.

So, I am encouraged by that game. With that said, I think we still have some holes to fill. We need to start out better and not fall behind so quickly. Our bench needs to play much, much better, because there is just too much of a drop off at this point. And, we need to see if our scorers will remain as aggressive as they were in game two (I'm talking to you Mr. McAlarney and Mr. Kurz).

We next head to Iowa, where they are returning a very solid team, but one without Courtney Sims, which should help us considering we are without Chris Hunter. Curtis Stinson leads their team, and they have very solid wings in Pat Carroll, Mark Tyndale, Jeff Trepangier, and Rashad Anderson. I'd love to go in and steal a couple of wins, but it will be really tough. More later...

Great Win

Okay, I am tired and my wife is giving me the stink eye about going to bed, but I want to write a few quick hit thoughts:

• An encouraging win. We still didn't shoot as well as I hoped, but I think some guys broke out of their shell, and I was shown a team that better matched what I thought they could be.
• Kurz was a stud tonight. Started off slow, but was the dominant player on the court for the second and third quarter. I think he can be even more aggressive on offense, but you had to like what we saw tonight.
• McAlarney looked like he could be the best point guard in the league tonight. If he keeps shooting and being aggressive, he has a chance to be special.
• I really liked the way Sonderleiter battled tonight. He had a tough shooting night, but I think we can chalk that up to playing more minutes than he played in the past seasons carrying that big lug Bryant up and down the court!
• Finally, I thought Ron Howard was as good as he has been tonight. I'm sure there were many mistakes, but he tried to not only get his own game off, but he tried to make sure Kurz and the others were getting good looks. Finally, when it was nut cutting time, he stepped up and made every big play we needed to win the game.

That's it from me, because I just got another look and a deep breath! I'm in trouble!

At Tonight's Game, I Hope Someone...

...matches this guys intensity from the other night. Honestly, I can't think of one other guy who played with his fearlessness, effort, and confidence last Friday. He took on every tough challenge they had (or BIG challenge from Mr. Bryant as the case may be) and played well. For us to be successful, we have to have more people contributing.

As I watched the other night, I couldn't shake the feeling that our guys were playing so timid or worried to make a mistake. This is professional basketball -- let it all hang out there and just play. If a guy is defending you, be a basketball player and drive around him. If a guy is playing off you, be a basketball player and take the shot. It sounds simple, but I think players can tend to overthink things. Just play basketball!

We have a talented group and -- I believe -- a high character group. I hope they prove me right today and get us a win!

My Keys To Victory

Folks, I think that you come to this blog for some really insightful commentary on the team and what it takes to win, so I am going to give a few of my keys to victory tomorrow:

• Score more points than the other team.
• Don't let them rebound 11 more errant shots than we do.
• Shoot better.
• Play better defense.
• Keep it real.
• Be aggressive. B-E aggressive. B-E A-G-G-R-E-S-S-I-V-E.
• Keep them from scoring any points at all.
• Hire Jeff Gillooly to handle their knee caps.
• Keep it way too real.

You can't get that type of commentary everywhere, people. Hope you are having a great Saturday night!

This May Make You Feel Better

Ron Burgundy making a tough night more bearable:

Well, That Was Certainly Ugly!

Man, what a tough game to watch. With the team shooting so poorly, I could not believe that we were down ten with 8 to go. I actually thought if we could just hang around and finally get some type of run, we could steal one. Alas, it was not meant to be. Here are some of my quick hit takes:

• I've spent a lot of time talking about our shooters, but you have to get shots off to demonstrate you are shooter. I thought we were way too passive when good shots were there in the offense, and I think the guys have to be more aggressive.
• The defense is clearly better when you hold a team to 85, but the rebounding has to improve, as we were outrebounded by 11. Granted, we missed a lot more shots, but I thought they pushed and bullied our bigs. That has to get better.
• I liked that we mixed up our defenses, as we were able to make a run or two, but we just couldn't convert enough to make much of a run.
• Our shooting was atrocious. 35 percent for the game is just not going to win you many games.
• Sean Sonderleiter continued the strong play we have seen in practice with 21 points and 10 rebounds. No doubt, he was really tough in the post, and he was able to demonstrate all his skills.
• John Bryant may have the worst body in all of basketball, but the big boy can play. He has some skills, and he knows how to use his body. He will be a tough cover in this league because of his girth.
• Brandon Cotton continues to show that there are few players with his ability to score. He didn't shoot that well, but the shots he took were all pretty good. When he gets completely comfortable in this league, watch out.

All in all, it was a tough game, but it was just one game. Joey will get the guys back on the court and get it straight. See you Sunday!

Game Day!

Good Lord -- is it really time to start another season? What happened to my summer? What I really need is some motivation. Something to get my blood pumping and get me out the door and ready to take on the vaunted Erie Bayhawks. What can get me to this peak of emotional intensity? How about this:




Now, if you are into something a little funnier, but admittedly with some blue language, check this out for motivation: (WARNING: There is some swearing in this clip. I couldn't find the clean version).



LET'S DO IT!

Last Practice Before Cuts and Final Cuts

A thousand apologies for the delays in getting blog posts up, but I have a little things called a season coming up on Friday, and I have been very busy! Someone killed me in the comments earlier for not getting more posts up, and I am only asking for a little understanding.

Okay, enough whining -- let's get to the red, raw meat. Today were the final cuts and we head to Friday with our ten. The final cuts were C.J. Anderson and A.J. Ratliff. Frankly, C.J. hadn't been with the team since the pre-season game because of some personal problems and some other issues.

A.J. was a tough cut. He showed some terrific shooting from deep, some good mid range game, and some athleticism, which we need with our wings. Yet, you could tell that he had been away from the game for a bit. I believe his timing was not where it should have been. I thought he really struggled defensively in the game and in practice. Specifically, he was asked to do a lot in terms of rotations, and he was not able to be in the right spot at the right time on a consistent basis. Although he was not the right fit now, I would not say never to him, and I hope that he stays in shape and keeps playing. He could really stand to play in some of the lower minor leagues in the States to get his timing and game where he needs it to be. All in all, a great effort from A.J.

So, who is on the team? Let's run it down with some quick comments about each player:

• Ron Howard: Mr. Mad Ant back for his third year -- and this year he means business! Ron has grown a lot in his experience with the Knicks, and I hope he continues to his high level of play from last season.
• Rob Kurz: Our first round pick (via trade) is a tough player who can really shoot the rock. He adds a ton more than just shooting, however, and can really fill up a stat sheet.
• Ryan Ayers: A smooth sharp shooter who knows how to play.
• Kyle McAlarney: Another sharp shooter from Notre Dame. He will keep defenses honest with his shooting.
• Sean Sonderleiter: There is not a more improved player on this squad. He has become a player who can get us a tough bucket down low in practice, and he now needs to show he can do it in the bright lights.
• Anthony Kent: AK has continued his fine play in camp and the preseason game, and I hope that his new contacts (he is as blind as a bat -- not sure how he has even played without rec specs) will elevate his game even further.
• Brandon Cotton: Brandon has been an unstoppable scorer off the dribble, something we need to balance out all these shooters.
• Andres Sandovall: A very solid, heady point guard who we hope will bring some solid minutes off the bench.
• Dewitt Scott: Another sharp shooter who will spread defenses out. We need him to show he has recovered from his late season shooting struggles from a year ago. So far, so good in practice this year.
• Jared Carter: The active big man from Kentucky was brought back after Chris Hunter was called up to the Golden State Warriors. He has a long way to go, but certainly has a lot of potential. It may be tough to get time with such seasoned bigs ahead of him on the depth chart.

Well, that is the list. I don't know if we are a better team than what we had last year, but I can say without any doubt that this is the most prepared team. Let's hope that is good enough to win some games this year. If you haven't already bought your tickets, be sure to come and check this team out. I think you will enjoy watching this team play!


Coach Meyer watching guys move so quickly they are a blur!

Coach Meyer telling the guys to go that way to score.

Ryan Ayers doing the one thing he should never do when open -- pass.

Ryan Ayers really putting the shakes to his imaginary defender and, importantly, friend.

Coach Sanders taking Thanksgiving orders from the team. Anthony Kent made a special request for hamloaf.

The Cane

So, I'm already tired about talking about basketball, so I am going to talk about stuff I really like. For example, funny shows or movies. The other day, I saw some guy walking around with a cane despite the fact that I saw no limp or any other issue that could have really bothered him. It immediately reminded me of a great NewsRadio episode where Phil Hartman brought a cane into the office. Hilarity ensued. If you don't know anything about NewsRadio, you really need to watch it. It was the basis of my wife and I getting married. Anywho, I wanted to post some clips from the show, but the clips on youtube can't be embedded. The best I could find is this awful, awful reenactment of the opening scene. Here it is:



Seriously, how bad was that? Just awful.

For the real deal (with Bill McNeal), check out this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq2BzGKPh7E&feature=PlayList&p=25D7E3FB4D117CCE&index=0&playnext=1

Well, that is it from me tonight. I'm tired and I want to go to bed. See ya!

Last Night's Game

Just some quick hit thoughts on last night's game before I catch up on some sleep:

• The team started off really slow and was allowing way too much penetration. They shored that up as the game progressed, but something the team will have to remedy before the season starts.
• We certainly miss Chris Hunter in the middle. He is just so big, powerful, and athletic in the middle, and we are not quite the same without him.
• With that said, I thought both Sondy and AK played well last night. It took Sean a quarter before he warmed up, but he started to make some very tough post moves towards the end of the game and started to show what we have seen in practice. AK was energy all game long and he played very well.
• The Notre Dame trio played well, with Kyle and Ayers shooting the best. Kurz struggled shooting, but he really filled up the stats sheet.
• Our offensive execution was good in spurts, and I don't think that is any surprise. I'm sure a week of practice will allow the team the opportunity to get things better there.
• While the starting five played well, I was disappointed with how the second unit played when they were given a big lead. They need to be ready to play and ready for the speed of the game.
• Brandon Cotton had a nice game in terms of getting to the hole and scoring buckets.

All in all, I thought both teams held back and tried to not give the other team too much to look at. Erie is a really good, athletic team, and they will be tough to beat, especially if we don't shore up our execution on both sides of the ball.

Chris Hunter is a Warrior

Time to catch up on some blogging after a long drive to Erie and back. First, my subtle hint obviously was about Chris going to the NBA. The Warriors made it official yesterday and Chris made his mark last night. Here is a great article from the Bay area:

"Not sure if it's funny or not, but it was amusing and a little refreshing to hear Warriors coach Don Nelson talk about Chris Hunter, who the Warriors signed from the D-League on Friday to give them eight healthy bodies.

I'm paraphrasing here, but basically Nelson said after Friday's 108-94 win that he had no idea who the guy was, had never seen him play, didn't know if he had ever played in an NBA game but decided to start him in the second half because he looked bigger and stronger than anyone else he had in uniform.

At 69 and closing in on the all-time wins record, I guess it's OK to be candid.
For the record -- and for Nelson, who now needs 20 wins to break Lenny Wilkens' record -- Hunter is a 6-11, 240-pound 25-year-old who played four years at Michigan before playing ball in Poland and Belgium. He signed with the Knicks for the last game of the 2008-09 season but didn't play in that game. He did appear in two preseason games this year for the Knicks.

Hunter was a D-League All-Star last year for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (great nickname), averaging 19.3 points and 9.4 rebounds. He is the first player to be called up from the D-League this year.

The Warriors got an exception from the league to add Hunter to their roster, giving them a total of 16 players -- one over the limit of 12 active and 3 non-active. The league granted the exception because with all the injuries, the Warriors were down to seven players -- one under the league-mandated eight.

After sitting the entire first half Friday, he started the second half to match up against Greg Oden, who had his way with Mikki Moore and Anthony Randolph before getting in foul trouble in the first half. In 14 minutes, Hunter went 2-for-2 for four points, grabbed three rebounds, had a steal and a block and posted a +/- number of plus 12.

"That guy belongs in the NBA," Nelson said. "Hopefully we can find a way to keep him. He's stronger than anybody I have at that position."

“Coach just said be ready, be ready for anything. He said be ready for two minutes or 22 minutes, so I was ready to go whatever he asked of me," Hunter said. "The team closed out the first half very well, and I was excited and ready to play so he said go out there and try to do a good job on (Greg) Oden and that’s what I tried to do.”

The Warriors were without centers Andris Biedrins (back/groin) and Ronny Turiaf (knee), who watched the game from the bench in suits, C.J. Watson (flu) and Raja Bell, who is in Charlotte preparing for wrist surgery. Golden State also lost Kelenna Azubuike (knee) and Brandan Wright (shoulder) to season-ending injuries. Devean George and Speedy Claxton have not played yet this season due to injuries."

How good is that! Let's cross our finger and hope Chris sticks. Nellie is right -- he does belong in the NBA, and I am hoping he stays there!

Friday Morning Bullets

I am leaving for Erie in a little bit, and I thought I would write some random thoughts before heading out.

• I have downloaded a lot of podcasts for the journey, and I highly recommend that you all go and get the The Tony Kornheiser Show podcast. It is the best two hours on radio -- smart, funny, informative. I don't think you will be disappointed
• Our boy Garrett Martzengruben has a great blog up that links you to a story about Rod Wilmont and his feelings about leaving the Mad Ants for Erie at http://madantsgarrett.blogspot.com/. You can tell there are some hurt feelings there from Rod, and I certainly don't begrudge him that. Ultimately, I decided to let Rod move on to another team and that can't be easy to have happen, especially when Rod and I had talked often in the summer about him coming back to play for the Ants. Despite those conversations, as I sat there on draft night, examined our team, and listened to what our coaches were looking for, I did not believe that his game meshed with Coach Meyer's system. It is going to be hard to watch Rod in a different jersey tonight, because I have strong feelings for Rod as both a player and a person. He is smart, engaging, and funny -- just a wonderful person. In the end, however, I think this parting of the ways will be best for both parties. Joey will move on with players that fit his system better, and Rod will get to play for two coaches that know him well from their shared IU days. I wish him all the best -- except for when he plays us!
• Are you all excited about the premiere of New Moon! I can't wait!
• Walker Russell, Jr. is really hitting his stride over in Bulgaria. His team is undefeated and he is averaging 15 ppg and 5 apg. That assist total may seem low, but I can assure you that it is a great number because the style of play over there is far less conducive to high assists numbers than here in the States.
• Taj McCullough is playing decently in Israel, but his team stinks. They are winless to this point and have hardly been competitive. Keep an eye on this -- when teams suffer like this, they make a lot of changes and, sadly, stop paying people. Taj might come available to us if things continue to go badly for the team.
• Earl Calloway is playing well in Spain for Cajasol. He is averaging 12 ppg and 5 apg. I'm sure he is loving life over there, and, from everything I hear, the team loves him.
• Coleman Collins is having a solid season for Ulm in the German Bundesliga. He is averaging 12.5 ppg and 5 rpg. As I watch his stats, he could easily make those numbers jump by shooting better from the line. He is currently shooting 52% from the line, and I know he is better than that. Also, he is only averaging 26 minutes per game. I always thought of Coleman as a running back that gets better the more carries (or playing time in this instance) he receives. I'm sure those numbers would jump if he were getting the 35 minutes a night he should be getting.

Okay, that is it from here today. Kind of a boring blog with no videos or photos, but I hope to have something for you tonight from the game.

Where in the US is Chris Hunter?

Fact: The team is in Erie. Fact: Chris Hunter is not in Erie. Where is he? Why isn't he with the team? Stay tuned to find out...

Love This Video

How awesome is this?

A Great Open House Last Night

Last night we were able to practice at the Coliseum for all our fans to see, and I thought they were able to see the sharpest practice the team has had to this point. I thought the defense the team played was as advanced as we have seen at this point. Here are some of my quick hit thoughts:

• Sean Sonderleiter continues to have a strong camp. He was on fire during the scrimmage last night, and he gave Chris Hunter all he could handle. Sean was making strong moves in the post as well as showing a nice touch from 15 to 18 feet. Sean could be a nice story this season if he continues to play like this.
• Ron Howard's range is much improved. I think one glaring weakness in Ron's game is his seeming inability to shoot from distance. That seems to have been remedied, however, after a nice summer with the Knicks. I would say he is shooting about 40% from the three point line this past week. More importantly, he is seeking to find that line instead of dribbling in for a mid range jumper like he has in the past. This should really open things up for Ron.
• The Notre Dame trio continue to be as solid as can be. I think Fort Wayne will really enjoy watching this sharp shooting trio. They all play with a tremendous amount of poise and smarts, and I am really pleased with what I have seen from them this far.
• While there are some positives, there are negatives as well. I am not sure we have seen a great deal of offensive execution as of yet. I worry about the fact that we don't have a Taj or Walker type who can go and make a play at the end of shot clock. Also, I worry about our toughness without a player like Jamelle Cornley on the court. So, needless to say, we still have quite a bit of improvement left in us.
• There should not be any confusion as to why I mention Sonderleiter, Howard, and the Notre Dame trio so often. They simply work their tails off. They are not alone, by the way, as Anthony Kent, Dewitt Scott, Andres Sandoval, and AJ Ratliff are right there with them. I have not seen a team do more after practice shooting than this one. The coaches have to tell them to stop to get them off the court. This is what winning teams do, in my experience, and it is something we have seen precious little of over the past two seasons.
• I am also really eager to see how the team performs in their exhibition game. Will the posts continue to play at a high level? Will there be carry over in terms of their defensive rotations and execution from practice to games? How will guys on the bubble play? Will they try to make the team better or gob up the works because they are playing selfishly?

All questions that we hope to have answered soon. I will take my camera and try to get some shots from the game up tomorrow night. Here are some pics from last night:

Here is our AE Kyle Thoms clearly riveting Heidi Busch with his explanation of how he was really "killing it" on World of Warcraft last night.

AJ Ratliff working hard on his jumper. You can start to see some of the rust falling off on AJ, as he has put together quite a few solid practices in.

Sean Sonderleiter working with Ron Howard and AJ Ratliff. Sean is always doing extra work after practice and is reaping the benefits of it in practice.

Here is a pic of the Notre Dame trio, Rob Kurz (shooting), Ryan Ayers (standing and admiring Rob's jumper), and Kyle McAlarney (passing and wishing he had his sweet beard back).

Ron Howard demonstrating why he is showing such improvement in his three point ability thus far in practice. Let's hope it translates to some threes in games!

Our New Defensive Technique

This is what our team will now be doing to distract opponents at the free throw line and on defense. I hope we have better results! (complete with Mr. Tony's comments):

Quick Recap on the Day

Okay, I will be quick on this because I'm tired. Today was a final opportunity for guys to show they belonged and here are the guys who did not make the final twelve:

• Jared Carter: Jared had a good camp, but the effects of not having played for so long at Kentucky caught up with him. He was lacking conditioning in the end, and he was also in a very crowded front court. He needs to go overseas, find a level that will allow him to play major minutes, and give it another shot next season.
• Frank Tolbert: We were looking for Frank to come in and provide a player who could get to the rim and score buckets on his own. We were also looking for the guy who had his own category of hard work created after him (floor burns). Unfortunately, we did not see that from him. He struggled finding his shot, and I would say it had a lot to do with the fact that he was not in peak condition.
• Booker Woodfox: I am a bit torn on this one. I think he can play, but he struggled with assertiveness and having guys in front of him who just played well. I suspect Booker will land on his feet.
• Jamelle Cornley: This was purely an injury waiver. He played very well, but has a knee injury.

That is it from me. I need to pass out. Have a nice night and make sure you get your calls in for your So You Think You Can Dance dancers!

The Greatest TV Episode in the History of the Universe

Have we forgotten the brilliance of the Mad Ants on One Tree Hill? Have we forgotten the brooding good looks of Chad Michael Murray (I know I never will!)? Have we forgotten how that one guy with the broken back suddenly was able to play for our team? How about that goofy looking kid? And, of course, what about that crazy nurse? Here are some highlights of the greatest TV episode of all time.

Another Day, Another Practice

An interesting practice today. Joey was really working on a lot of different areas, and I continue to be impressed with how hard the guys work. I don't know how good they are, but they sure play with passion and enthusiasm, and that is a pretty good start. Here are some thoughts from today's practice:

• The team split into three different teams, and I thought the best was the team that consisted of Ron Howard, Kyle McAlarney, Ryan Ayers, Anthony Kent, and Sean Sonderleiter. There defense was very good, and they always made the extra pass to get great shots.
• This morning I watched a practice I would have loved to participate in. Joey and Mike had the team running through some great shooting drills that wasn't just two guys shooting, but guys taking shots in game situations. I thought the guys got better this morning due to those drills, and I would have loved to participate.
• Overall, I think that the post play has probably been the best. Jared Carter, Jamelle Cornley, Rob Kurz, Anthony Kent, and Sean Sonderleiter are giving consistent and solid effort day in and day out. This is a really good group of bigs, but the concern for leagues like this is whether you need that many bigs. Something we will have to consider as we move forward.
• AJ Ratliff update: I think he has had a very nice camp to this point. You can tell he hasn't played in the past couple of years, but he is moving well and hitting shots. I think he is struggling when it comes to timing and just being in basketball shape. That can only improve with time and experience.
• Jeff Potter update: Yes, I am doing okay sitting on my tucus day in and day out in the gym. I have to admit that watching practice is not always the most exciting thing in the world to do. Sometimes I bring a cookbook and look at recipes. Sometimes I write stuff. Sometimes I twiddle my thumbs. Sometimes, I even pay attention and watch practice!

Okay, here are some photos from practice today:

Here is a familiar sight of Dewitt shooting three.

Here is Dewitt holding still after DJ Lance Rock told him to during the "Get Your Wiggles Out" game.

Here is the tip off to a scrimmage. I clearly would have beaten both of them to that tip.

Here is Brandon Cotton at the point. He is an aggressive, shoot first guard.

Jared Carter and Dewitt Scott are looking snazzy in their yellow half shirts, which will be sold at the Mad Ants merchandise booth at all games. Get yours today!

Lots to Catch Up On

What does this young stud have to do with the Mad Ants, training camp, and this blog? Well, he is only the heir to the Mad Ants fortune, Alex Potter. He also explains why I haven't posted since Saturday -- could you stay away from this handsome devil? I know I can't.

Okay, so I have Sunday and this morning's practice to go over, but I will not try to go back and write something on each day. I will just give some general impressions on what I have seen the past two days:

• I don't know what this gets us in the end, but I can tell you that we are an improved defensive team from previous seasons. The guys are picking up all the different philosophies rather quickly, and they play both hard and smart -- two things that will get you a lot of wins if you can do it consistently.
• Ron Howard looks even better than he did last year. I thought last year he was trying to prove he was a top player in this league. This year he moves and plays like he knows it, which is a subtle, but important difference. He is playing at such a nice pace and he is oozing confidence. Fun to watch his growth continue.
• I don't know what is going on in South Bend or how many games they won, but the combo of Kurz, Ayers, and McAlarney is positively deadly from behind the three point line. The sweetest stroke in camp probably belongs to Ayers with Kyle and Kurz right there with him. If they are open, they just don't miss.
• The team scrimmaged last night, and I thought it demonstrated who was in shape and who wasn't. Two guys in great shape -- Ron Howard and Sean Sonderleiter. They played really well during the scrimmage, and I thought they stood out.
• If I looked at our team and compared them to last year's team, I am not sure if we have a floor general similar to Walker, but, to be fair, I don't think we are going to find that too often. I also don't know if we have someone who can go and get us a bucket on their own like Taj could last season. With that said, I think our basketball IQ is improved from last season, and I am hoping that will get us over anything we may be lacking in terms of individual play from last season.
• Here is photographic evidence from camp:

Ron Howard with a corner three.

Garrett Martz and a pathetic attempt to keep up with my juggernaut of a blog.

Ryan Ayers demonstrating his sweet stroke. Kyle McAlarney demonstrating his sweet beard. Jeff Johnson, please take note of what a real beard looks like!

The team getting ready to play some D.

Joey giving the guys some instruction.

That is it from today. There is another practice this afternoon, and I will hop on with another recap and hopefully have some more pics for you.

Day Two, Morning Practice

I'm sitting down in the afternoon after a little lunch and thinking back to what I saw this morning at practice:

• Sean Sonderleiter looks like he spent his summer working on his game and his body. He looks lean and active out there, and you can tell he is hungry to leave his mark. Color me impressed.
• The Notre Dame guys are as advertised. They are clearly very well coached as you watch them go from drill to drill.
• I think the team is showing some improvement on the defensive end. I think we are going to see improvement from past seasons in how we communicate and how we defend the pick and roll. Every drill this morning had something to do with communication and defending the pick and roll.
• I think we will also be better in transition. This was a big issue for us in past seasons. Too often we would score baskets and not have any players get back as the opposition would beat us back for layups. A completely inexcusable thing, and Joey seems to do some work on on it each and every day.
• There has not been any type of real scrimmage to this point, so it is tough to say how the guys will do in transition or game like situations. Everything has been really broken down, and I'm sure that the guys are ready to get up in down in a game like scenario.

I'll let you know how things go this evening, and I will try to get some pics or video to upload.

Quick Recap of Second Practice

Day one is in the books, and I am wiped out. Let me give you some more quick hit thoughts before trying to get some sleep.

• The team had a ton more defensive work, and I thought they did well enough, although I know the coaches were hoping for more. For the first day, I thought they looked good.
• The team is not shooting as well as I thought they would, but I think that has something to do with the fact that it is the first day. If this continues through Monday, I will wonder what happened to our snipers.
• Sean Sonderleiter had a really good practice. He scored, he defended, he rebounded -- it was a good day for Sean.
• Anthony Kent, after having a tough morning, got into the groove in the second practice and played really well.
• I was impressed with how easily Rob Kurz got his shot off during game situations. I also liked a few different times when he put the ball on the floor.
• The wings are getting some nice opportunities to come off of screens and get a jumper. Not sure if any wing has really distinguished himself just yet, but I think they will have the opportunity.

Okay, I can barely keep my eyes open and I have a massive headache. I know, I know -- I will quit my whining post haste! Talk to you tomorrow.

The First Practice

Quick impressions from the first practice:

• Joey runs a very tight, crisp practice. The guys went from one drill to the next with precision, and I think he did a great job of working the shell drill and teaching our guys how to defend the pick and roll, an area that we have really struggled with in the past.
• I liked the way Joey held players accountable in drills, no exceptions. I heard him calling out Chris Hunter, Rob Kurz, and whomever else did not get the job done during a particular drill. Most importantly, the players took the criticism the right way and remedied whatever they were doing wrong.
• I was impressed with the effort levels of the guys. I don't think they always made the right play, but the effort was there. They are having a lot of new concepts and vocabulary thrown at them, so they are bound to get a bit lost in a drill, but the effort to make the right play is there, and I think it will come eventually.
• It was really hard for anyone to stand out individually based on the type of drills being run (lots of defense and half court action), but I did notice Jared Carter continued his solid play from open tryout camp. He was active, seemed in shape, understood the defensive assignments, and rebounded well.
• Sean Sonderleiter had a nice morning. He clearly understands the game, and I think he enjoyed Joey's style of coaching.
• You can tell the guys who have NBA experience. Ron Howard, Chris Hunter, and Rob Kurz play at such a nice pace. I thougth they encapsulated the old Wooden proverb of play quick but don't hurry. It is good to know that these guys are here wearing a Mad Ants uniform.

Okay, that is the update from here. I'll get some more up later after the evening practice.

It Tips Off Today

Good Lord -- is it really time to start this season? I am sitting here at six in the morning after my morning jog (what did you do today, Garrett Martz?), and I am really excited to see what our guys do today. I suppose they will be seeing quite a bit of this:

Yes, I believe the guys will see a lot of instruction and even some yelling from Coach Meyer. He was pretty hyped up last night about this team, and Coach Meyer is not the type of guy to get too hyped up about anything. They will have two practices -- one at 9:30 am and a second starting at 5:30 pm. All practices are at the Concordia Theological Seminary, and the public is welcome to come out and check out the new squad. It should be a fun day!

Everybody's Here

I'm just home from our first official team dinner. Everyone is here in camp, and you can tell from the faces and lack of conversation that everyone is feeling a bit anxious about practice tomorrow. I thought Joey's intro speech was really good -- concise, detailed, and rather motivating. There was no doubt that he was commanding the room and he had all eyes on him. It is always tough to tell what type of team you have after a single meeting, but I sense that our fans will be watching the same type of high character people that they have watched the past two years.

Well, no video on this post, but I will try to have something for you later. Hope everyone had a great day!

Our New Intro Music

Okay, I have found as many videos of the new guys as I can, so I am done with that. The next thing I have to turn my attention to is what song our guys will come out to this year. Our first year we went with Thunderstruck by AC/DC and last year we went with some mix before going back to Thunderstruck. This year, though, I want to do something new, and I really want to hit the right mark. I want something that expresses a desire to do something different(the playoffs), a song that gets people inspired to enjoy themselves at our family friendly event, and a song that captures our love for our city and our country. I spent a lot of time and energy researching songs that fit that description, and I am happy to reveal the song that will get our players hyped and our crowd in a frenzy!



Don't deny how much you love that song! See on the 27th!

Jared Carter Highlight Video

Here is some pretty good tape of Jared Carter highlights.

AJ Ratliff Being Awesome

The title speaks for itself.

CJ Anderson Videos

Here is some stuff on CJ Anderson. Sorry, I had a tough time finding any type of game footage.

Booker Woodfox Videos

Here are a couple of game winners for Booker in the MVC Tourney and some other game that I found that were interesting.

Jamelle Cornley Videos

Here are some fun videos of Jamelle Cornley. It kind of gives a little insight into his personality.

Rob Kurz Videos

In my further effort to introduce Mad Ants fans to some of our new players (and to continue my cool new video embedding), I will be putting in some videos of the new guys. First off is Rob Kurz with a few different videos.

Not that I'm bitter, but...

How could the refs miss the three steps and push off from JamesOn Curry and the fact that the shot came after the buzzer? By the way, he made this shot right in front of me. It was very annoying.

Testing, Testing -- Check one, two -- Civilance, Civilance

Here is a test video for my blog. What better way to test it out than sharing our sweet commercial. Did you know that the picnic is over? Indeed it is, sir. Got your tickets? Well, the man just said they are only $99 -- what are you waiting for?

The Final Group

Okay, sorry for the delay on this, but it is hard to find pics and relevant info on all these players on google!

Let's start at the top with the biggest guy in camp, Jared Carter. Jared is a huge question mark in camp. He was fantastic in the open tryout and looked like a lottery pick. Yet, upon further review, you look at Jared's career numbers at Kentucky and he only scored 40 points in his entire career. Yes, I said for his whole career. I am a big believer in past being prologue, so Jared is really going to have to show that his game has grown and that there is more than just looking at his career numbers.

Next in line is the guy with the best hands in basketball, Frank Tolbert. I am excited to see him play, as everything you read about him from Auburn is that he was an absolute warrior on the court. In fact, I read where the coaching staff at Auburn came up with a new stat for him -- floor burns. I think that type of hustle and determination will play well with our fans in Fort Wayne.

Next is CJ Anderson from Xavier. He is a personal favorite of one of our best sponsors, Tim Hall, who is a Xavier graduate himself. In fact, he has offered a hefty raise in his sponsorship if CJ gets significant minutes. So, I now introduce you to our new starting forward, CJ Anderson! Seriously, though, CJ is a really active and tough player who slashes well to the basket -- that could bring some balance to our roster of shooters.

Finally, you see AJ Ratliff. From everyone I have spoken to, AJ was a talented basketball player who had some personal issues at IU. His old coach, Kelvin Sampson, told me that he is a great shooter and has a ton of ability. (By the way, the blatant name drop there is such a Stu Scott maneuver. I promise to refrain from doing that ever again.) That is clearly the good news. The bad news is that AJ hasn't played in a year and half, and he left IU in less than wonderful circumstances. I think more than any other player, I just don't know what we are going to get from AJ. We decided that the last pick in the draft was worth taking a gamble on a player with his ability and upside.

Well, there is a glimpse of all the new faces that will be at camp on Friday morning. I am personally really excited to see this mix of players with this mix of coaches. I think we have a shot to be a pretty good team, and it will be fun to watch. Keep your fingers crossed!

The Next Batch

Here starts our next batch of players showing up at training camp, and please keep in mind that I am not going to do anything on the returning guys for a couple of reasons. First, I hope that anyone who is reading this blog already knows who our returning guys are. Second, I have to get some work done at some point today. So, without any further adieu, here we go.

At the very top is Andres Sandoval, who was one of our final draft picks. Andres played really well last spring at the NBA D-League open tryout, and he also came to practice with us a couple of times last year. He is a really nice player with great size for a PG and is maybe the truest of all our PG options.

Next is Brandon Cotton, who was a standout from Detroit Mercy and our open tryout this past October. Brandon is a big time talent who is a combo guard, and he will be one of the best players at camp in terms of breaking down his defender and getting to the hole. Brandon has some issues in his past, so he will certainly have to keep his nose clean and have a great attitude to have any chance of making this team. With that said, he has done all the right things since he has been in the Mad Ants mix, and I am anxious to see his potential in practice.

Ryan Ayers is a 6'7 sharpshooter from Notre Dame. He gives us great size at the three spot, and he will add to our already stellar group of shooters. He knows the game well based on his upbringing (dad Randy Ayers is a long time NBA and major college head coach), and I love the way he plays. His footwork for his size is really good. Here is a look at his stats from his career: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/players/46415.

Finally, a guy I am really excited about, Kyle McAlarney. He is a threat to shoot (and, most importantly, make) from anywhere on the court. I was really impressed with the way he played point this summer for the Clippers. Again, with Chris Hunter drawing double and triple teams down low, he will be able to make opposing teams for that strategy. Here is his bio: http://www.und.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/mcalarney_kyle00.html.

More Intro of Players

First, I have to say that my typing is rather labored this morning because I have a splinter in my pinky finger, and I am having a tough time getting it out. Yes, do please feel sorry for me.

More importantly, I thought I would put in some articles of some of the players we drafted this year to give you a bit of background on them. I doubt I will be able to top our 12 fingered friend, Mr. Tolbert, but there are some good articles that show how accomplished some of these new guys are.

Let me first start with Jamelle Cornley (pic above bottom). Jamelle is an undersized power forward at 6'5, 240 pounds, but he is a super skilled player who had a terrific career at Penn State. Here is an article on him: http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2009/03/03/senior_jamelle_cornley_is_step.aspx.

Next we move to Booker Woodfox (pic above middle), who was the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the year last season at Creighton. Creighton has been a perennial NCAA team the last 5-6 years, and Booker was a big part of it. Here is a bio about Booker: http://www.polyfro.com/jaysblog/2009/03/booker-wins-poy.html. Here is another article talking about his being named player of the year in his conference: http://www.mvc-sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7600&ATCLID=3683318.

Our final person here in today's intro will be our first round pick/trade, Rob Kurz (pic above top). Rob is a big time shooter who shot 40% from three last season while playing for the Golden State Warriors. He also had a very nice career at Notre Dame, as evidenced by his bio here: http://www.und.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/kurz_rob00.html.

Hopefully this gives you guys a little bit of background on some of our new players, and I will try to have some new stuff up later. By the way, sorry that I can't work these layouts any better, but I will keep working at it!

The Most Important Fact about Frank Tolbert

I said some generally nice things about Frank Tolbert, but my boss, Brian Zeglis, just reminded me that Frank Tolbert is more evolved than the rest of us. It turns out that Frank has six fingers! Is it reasonable to think that Frank will be some type of cross between Spiderman and Wolverine on the court due to these extra digits? Yes, I think it is.

Draft Recap

Alright, I screwed up and have not been able to get a blog post up, but let me walk you all through my thoughts on our new draft picks:

• Alade Aminu/Rob Kurz: This is a pick that we made for Erie, as we had agreed to trade for Rob Kurz. Kurz is someone we targeted as a player of local significance due to his playing at Notre Dame and the big following that ND has here in Fort Wayne, but the league ultimately decided to award him to Erie because he went to high school in Philadelphia. What we like about Kurz -- beyond how a Notre Dame guy can do to help our gate -- is that he is a big time shooter that really spread the court for a player like Chris Hunter who is posting up in the key. I think the thing that the we like most of all is that he isn't just a shooter, he is a really smart, active player that knows how to play. Those are qualities that will help our team win.
• Frank Tolbert: Looking at our team, we needed someone who can play the small forward position and get his own shot, and we felt that Frank could fill that roll. He is a four year starter from Auburn who can shoot and score in a variety of ways. What impressed me about Frank is how strong and balanced he is when going to the hole. I like players who have a history of success, and Frank fits that model.
• Jamelle Cornley: Speaking of players with a history of success, Jamelle had a fantastic career at Penn State. He was the Big East Freshman of the Year, and he was an all Big Ten performer last year after averaging close to 15 points per game. He is an undersized four man at 6'5, but he is a skilled player who can score in a number of ways, and I am excited to see what he can do in training camp.
• Booker Woodfox: Booker was named player of the year in the Missouri Valley Conference, and he is a big time shooter. Off the dribble, coming off screens, or just spotting up, this guy can knock it down. The issue with Booker is that he is small for the two guard position, but he is a player and has had a lot of success in his career. Let's hope he can continue that here!
• Lenny Stokes: Lenny is a former all-D-League performer when he played for and won a championship with Coach Joey Meyer. He brings professionalism, experience, and great all around game to the team.
• CJ Anderson: CJ is a real tough slasher who, like Tolbert, can get to the hole. He has played a lot of high level games at Xavier, and he should bring a lot of toughness to the team.
• Andres Sandovall: Andres is a big point guard who can really defend and is a good shooter. He gained some excellent experience last year while playing in Venezuela and for the Dominican Republic national team. He is probably the truest point guard we bring to camp.
• AJ Ratliff: AJ was Mr. Basketball here in Indiana, and he had a spotty career at IU. I spoke to a few people about AJ, and they said he has a ton of talent. We will see what he can do in camp!

The one question mark is what happened to Rod Wilmont. Rod ended up in the draft because we are only allowed two allocation players, and those slots were given to Ryan Ayers and Kyle McAlarney. We were planning to pick Rod in the draft, but we had some different holes in our lineup that had to be addressed, and Erie was able to get to him before we were. It is personally tough for me to have lost Rod, as I love him as a player and a person. Ultimately, I think this may be a better option for Rod -- as hard as that is for me to say -- and I wish him all the best (except, of course, when he plays against us!).

Well, there it is. We go to camp on Friday, and I am excited to see this team play. I'm excited to see this coaching staff work with the team. Lots to be hopeful for, and I hope we can see all of you at the games!

Today is a Big Day

Today is the day when players have to have their contracts in to be eligible for the draft or to be eligible to be awarded to teams as allocation, open tryout, or returning players. Here are the current Mad Ants without contracts in Europe or the NBA who could possibly be signed today:

Chris Hunter
Ron Howard
Rod Wilmont
Anthony Kent
Jarrod Axon
Anthony Kyle
Dewitt Scott
Sean Sonderleiter

I don't think I am missing anyone. From there pick any combo of returning players, allocation players (max 2), and open tryout players that we will take to our camp. Then our attention turns to the rest of the list to make sure we are ready for the draft. We will have 8 spots in the draft that we will have to work hard on to make sure we are filling whatever holes we have. A key focus will be point guard, as you can see that we do not have any front line prospects from our returning players at that position. Stay tuned, as I will try to update as much as possible as we head to the draft on Thursday.