The Most Interesting Recruiting Trip In The World
by Loretta8 on Jan 8, 2012 8:36 AM CST
in Northwestern Wildcats Basketball Recruiting
Email
PrintNorthwestern basketball had the weekend off, giving Bill Carmody some free time to go on a recruiting trip. So he headed for Minneapolis to watch the Timberwolves Shootout, a series of six games involving the top high school teams in the area. NU commit Sanjay Lumpkin's team was in action, likely the major reason for Carmody's presence: he probably wanted to ensure none of the other D1 coaches in the building were moving in on Lumpkin.
Lumpkin's team played early in the day, but Carmody remained in the Target Center until the bitter end, and apparently there wasn't much in the way of talent on the court for the final game of the night. We know this thanks to the brilliant work of Jonathan Foster, founder of the Gopher basketball blog From The Barn, who was on the scene and tweeting away:
23 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Wow.
I have no personal ill-will towards Carmody like I do Fitz, but sheesh, Carmody is just so awkward. In a business where recruiting often trumps coaching (unfortunately), it seems that Carmody is/would be such an awkward person to talk to/be recruited by.
I don’t love how college bball has become sooooo salesman like (Calipari, Self, R Williams, Matta, etc) and sometimes it is fun to see the old cranky guys (Boeheim, Calhoun, Ryan) do well. However, it has been clear to be a solid coach, you have to be a solid recruiter, and I just don’t know how that will happen with Carmody at the head of the ship.
I’ve said many times that if T Hardy was the head coach, NU could bring in better players. I AM NOT advocating that T Hardy would be a better or worse basketball coach than Carmody, but just a better recruiter as a head coach than he can be as an assistant.
by NU Alumni - Class of 2002 on Jan 8, 2012 9:46 AM CST reply actions
So here's the thing.
I’ve been to the Timberwolves Shootout. (God, I hate that I have.) It’s not very interesting. Basketball in Minnesota, while not completely incompetent, is not worth sitting in the Target Center to watch for 8 hours.
This doesn’t reflect upon Carmody’s “recruiting ability” based on one Twitter-user’s Zapruder-like observation of him bored at a high school tournament. It seems like he would be an awkward guy. Fine, we get it.
Yawn, NU Alum. You’ve done better.
Have you ever talked with Coach Carmody one-on-one?
Have you talked with recruits who have talked with him one-on-one?
While I don’t think he’s a slick Steve Lavin type, I don’t think he’s Rain Man either.
The original post is funny, but it’s hard for me to discern how awkward someone is off of a second-hand person’s account at a sparsely attended HS tourney held at an NBA stadium. Of course, it handy for those who have a framework of him as “nerd.”
Again 02 — what does “solid recruiter” mean? Because apparently, the “cranky guys” are still doing quite well. He’s not the “Gary Barnett” type who talks about “high hopes” and has people slapping planks above their heads before hitting the field. From what I’ve heard, he’s a no-BS guy that won’t blow smoke up people’s butt. I’d imagine for alot of kids weaned on AAU, that’s probably not the kinda pitch they’d like. (Probably leans more towards that “cranky” part of the aforementioned spectrum.)
The other meme about him which I don’t get that has also been bandied about (not by 02 specifically, but by other detractors) – that he’s a red-wine drinking effete. Dude worked in construction throughout college.
www.massivecreativity.com
Come on.
Do you really think Carmody is not awkward?? Really, even his most ardent supporters will say, that hey Carmody is kinda socially awkward. Does that bother me? Umm, not really, I mean of course I wish he was cooler, smoother, media saavy, but that is by far not my #1 issue with him (his record in Big Ten games is my #1 problem with him).
Look, I don’t think Carmody is a good recruiter, and I don’t think anyone would really disagree. The turnaround of NU hoops has coincided with T Hardy being brought onto recruit more Chicago/Illinois area players, no one would deny that.
I could care less if he drinks wine or works in construction, just bring in better players. Like Fitz, I do think he is improving his recruiting class every year; however, he is still so far behind others Big Ten schools in that metric.
Overall, my opinion of Carmody’s recruiting ability/social behavior did not change based on this guy’s post, it just reinforced his desire/interest in recruiting. I think what many people love about Carmody is that he is a no-nonsense guy that loves having a cup of coffee and actually teaching basketball. I actually love that about him as well. My point is in an era where recruiting trumps coaching, he seems to not be able to do well.
by NU Alumni - Class of 2002 on Jan 8, 2012 5:53 PM CST up reply actions
See, the thing is
you took a funny post that was, you know, something worth laughing about, and used it as a chance to get overly serious about a guy recruiting at the Timberwolves Shootout. The Timberwolves. Shootout.
it just reinforced his desire/interest in recruiting.
You really have no clue. You just need something to bitch about and are taking a humorous incident as an excuse to whine some more.
For a guy that really thinks I'm so negative/crazy/whiny, etc..
…you sure do respond to EVERY single one of my posts.
by NU Alumni - Class of 2002 on Jan 8, 2012 6:04 PM CST up reply actions
Because can you just enjoy something on here?
Like, have fun? Try it? Look, when there’s a serious discussion of ‘Cats athletics, you make your points. We rarely agree, but it’s discussion. That’s why we’re all here.
This article was not meant to be a serious discussion, so far as I can tell. This was just fucking funny, and you don’t always have to come and be a wet blanket. Just try enjoying something.
That said
I’ve made my point. If you’re determined to be negative about anything and everything “because optimism is foolish” or whatever, enjoy. I got multiple laughs out of showing this article to friends. Time to bolt before I turn unsportsmanlike…
First off, that is AWESOME.
I love that graphic.
There are MANY things I like about NU’s athletic direction. My opinion of Jim P has really changed a lot more recently to the positive.
I’ll try to enjoy more for you!
by NU Alumni - Class of 2002 on Jan 8, 2012 6:47 PM CST up reply actions
I liked this sequence until this:
All while dealing with wierdos like me who want to tell him the 1-3-1 is bad for basketball and america
You’re bad for basketball and America, Herr Foster. How dare you.
Was that the second gunman behind Bill ?
Dikaia Upotheke - Justice Our Foundation
by Lord Willie on Jan 8, 2012 6:42 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
Carmody did have a reason to be in the building
Your recruit Matt Thomas was playing against Tyus Jones, the best HS pg in America. Tubby is also recruiting Thomas along with Wisconsin who had an assistant in the building. Carmody didn’t leave from his perch, never talked to anyone in the crowd, and left just after half time. UW guy and Tubby were clearly visible, working the crowd, etc. It was bizarre.
Hmmm.
Now, I really do want to know more.
by NU Alumni - Class of 2002 on Jan 9, 2012 10:54 AM CST up reply actions
Random schedule observation
NU will play two ranked teams in a row and then will NOT play a ranked opponent till February 15th at Indiana.
I’m assuming that @ Wisc, @ Minn, home Pur, home Neb, @ ILL, home Iowa, and @ Pur will not yield any ranked teams (could be wrong w/Purdue or Wisc), but wow, this UM and MSU game are very important.
I’ll probably repost this when discussing the UM game, but wow, that is incredible.
by NU Alumni - Class of 2002 on Jan 9, 2012 3:00 PM CST reply actions
Agreed.
What frustrates me is how Wisc, Purdue, and even to some extent Illinois has dropped. The Big Ten is clearly the best league by every metric, but it was supposed to be even better. I was hoping that NU would have more ranked opponents to get more quality wins, but right now, we only have UM and MSU, both playing very well, almost too well. I want NU to play teams that are 15-25 and beat them.
Well, a win against many of those teams is still crucial. Hopefully the Cats can do it.
by NU Alumni - Class of 2002 on Jan 9, 2012 7:03 PM CST up reply actions
yeah thats 3 years in a row of front loaded
i guess its good in that we find out in january what the team is made of rather than having our dreams crushed in february
by Loretta8 on Jan 9, 2012 7:53 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Prediction
Since there is no preview posted and I will be on cross-country flights most of tomorrow:
We will beat Michigan.
by SeattleCat on Jan 11, 2012 12:28 AM CST via iPhone app reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
