[washingtonismoney]

Good for a Stanford team to get back into the lefthand column, no?

I'd call the score a bit deceptive--Stanford never put Fresno decisively away until 2 minutes or so left in the game. Theoretically, Fresno could've really made a game of it and even taken it late, but like tired marathoners racing one another, neither team really seemed willing to make a move and was just content to sputter along until the end.

Not a bad effort overall. Not great, but not bad.

[washingtonismoney]

Good for a Stanford team to get back into the lefthand column, no?

I'd call the score a bit deceptive--Stanford never put Fresno decisively away until 2 minutes or so left in the game. Theoretically, Fresno could've really made a game of it and even taken it late, but like tired marathoners racing one another, neither team really seemed willing to make a move and was just content to sputter along until the end.

Not a bad effort overall. Not great, but not bad.

[76lsjumb]

Biggest disappointment: the crowd. Maples looked barely half-full.

Wow, if the TV made it look even close to half-full, ESPNU was using very skilled cameramen.  And, having attended both games, I can report that tonight's crowd looked like a marked improvement over the first game against Central Arkansas. 

If the team can put together a reasonable string of wins, I'm sure the bandwagon will pick up some more occupants as the season goes on.  Otherwise, it could get bleak, which is one reason why I continue to cut Dawkins some slack.  Looks like he has gotten another decent recruiting class, which must be difficult to do when you have to convince recruits that those seats only LOOK like there isn't anybody in them.

On a related note, don't look now, Garvin, but this guy on cbssportsline.com puts a Stanford-affiliated coach at No. 10 on his "hot seat" list...and it's not Johnny D:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketba...y/16066545

[76lsjumb]

Biggest disappointment: the crowd. Maples looked barely half-full.

Wow, if the TV made it look even close to half-full, ESPNU was using very skilled cameramen.  And, having attended both games, I can report that tonight's crowd looked like a marked improvement over the first game against Central Arkansas. 

If the team can put together a reasonable string of wins, I'm sure the bandwagon will pick up some more occupants as the season goes on.  Otherwise, it could get bleak, which is one reason why I continue to cut Dawkins some slack.  Looks like he has gotten another decent recruiting class, which must be difficult to do when you have to convince recruits that those seats only LOOK like there isn't anybody in them.

On a related note, don't look now, Garvin, but this guy on cbssportsline.com puts a Stanford-affiliated coach at No. 10 on his "hot seat" list...and it's not Johnny D:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketba...y/16066545

[LuckE2Bhere]

Hard to argue with your observations, Garvin, though I think we've all learned how quickly the bandwagon can turn.  If Dawkins wins (and I think he has to show considerable improvement this year and next), they will come back.

My amateur observations from Maples last night (generally consistent with what other observers have noted, though I intentionally avoided the Box Score before noting the following perceptions):

Bright was awesome; and I'm talking about a lot more than his scoring (which came from both long distance and some nice penetration moves).  He seemed the most confident handling the ball of anyone out there.  Maybe easing the pressure of not being "the point guard" helped him, maybe he's just a year better, or maybe it was just a great night for him?

Although I must admit that I have not seen him play before, I was not overly impressed (or really impressed at all) with Randle last night.  Way too many forced penetrations and other unforced turnovers, but he did seem to keep up the energy level.  Hope that was just an "off night" for him; and I do understand that he's the true freshman that Bright was a year ago.

Owens was good, but not great.  Same with Zimmerman, though I like how his frame has filled out (or maybe it's just the beard?!?).  Heustis was actually the force we needed on the boards, coming off the bench.

Mann started well, and even made some early FTs, but he's still a very limited player, overall.

Trotter was my "number 2 star" (to use a hockey term)!  Especially when we needed a spark and some production to create a little separation in the first half.  I still laugh when I think of the player he was when he first stepped on the court, as we ventured into the post-Lopi Era with virtually no decent players on our roster.  I'm just so pleased with how hard he's worked to get to where he is now (I hope)!

Gabe was just OK, but apparently, Dawkins likes the comfort of having multiple handles on the floor at all times, and he didn't really hurt us when he subbed-in.

I was surprised not to see Gage, and virtually none of Nastic?  What up with that?

More importantly, what happened to Anthony Brown - the guy who may have finished last season as our best player, and went off to play for some Team USA program this summer?!?

[LuckE2Bhere]

Hard to argue with your observations, Garvin, though I think we've all learned how quickly the bandwagon can turn.  If Dawkins wins (and I think he has to show considerable improvement this year and next), they will come back.

My amateur observations from Maples last night (generally consistent with what other observers have noted, though I intentionally avoided the Box Score before noting the following perceptions):

Bright was awesome; and I'm talking about a lot more than his scoring (which came from both long distance and some nice penetration moves).  He seemed the most confident handling the ball of anyone out there.  Maybe easing the pressure of not being "the point guard" helped him, maybe he's just a year better, or maybe it was just a great night for him?

Although I must admit that I have not seen him play before, I was not overly impressed (or really impressed at all) with Randle last night.  Way too many forced penetrations and other unforced turnovers, but he did seem to keep up the energy level.  Hope that was just an "off night" for him; and I do understand that he's the true freshman that Bright was a year ago.

Owens was good, but not great.  Same with Zimmerman, though I like how his frame has filled out (or maybe it's just the beard?!?).  Heustis was actually the force we needed on the boards, coming off the bench.

Mann started well, and even made some early FTs, but he's still a very limited player, overall.

Trotter was my "number 2 star" (to use a hockey term)!  Especially when we needed a spark and some production to create a little separation in the first half.  I still laugh when I think of the player he was when he first stepped on the court, as we ventured into the post-Lopi Era with virtually no decent players on our roster.  I'm just so pleased with how hard he's worked to get to where he is now (I hope)!

Gabe was just OK, but apparently, Dawkins likes the comfort of having multiple handles on the floor at all times, and he didn't really hurt us when he subbed-in.

I was surprised not to see Gage, and virtually none of Nastic?  What up with that?

More importantly, what happened to Anthony Brown - the guy who may have finished last season as our best player, and went off to play for some Team USA program this summer?!?