POY Discussion

[23Steps]

Well, as the season has progressed, 3 names keep popping up for POY honors. Of course, the first one is reigning Tyler. Do I really need to say anything further? The others are Blake Griffin and Stephen Curry. Call me a basketball snob or whatever, but I can't stand the Curry talk. He's an amazing player and shooter, but his teams offense is built completely around him being able to score, so his stats look amazing. I just don't buy that he would be that great of a player on any major team with other talent or in any other conference. He's medium sized fish in a small pool. Of course, his performance in last year's tourney seems to bely this logic. Either way, Davidson is not the team they were last year. As far as Black Griffin, the kid is good, no doubt. I just don't think he's the indominable force that Tyler is. But we'll see. Here's an article Jay Bilas wrote about Tyler's chances:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=bilas_jay&page=predictions09/bilas

[23Steps]

Sorry I keep replying to my own threads, but I keep thinking of things I want to add. At the end of Bilas' article, other talking heads put in their two cents about Tyler's chances in the NBA. First, I don't think that should be any kind of factor in College POY discussions, and second, these guys have no idea, its all pure speculation. Adam Lucas says it best:

I haven't even been having the debate John mentions and I'm already sick of it. It reminds me a little bit of the way ESPN covered the College World Series this summer. Rather than focusing on the teams actually playing in the game, the network spent more time trying to project how certain individuals would play at the pro level. Maybe they thought that's what viewers wanted, but count me as one viewer who doesn't care.

It's the same with Hansbrough. He may be a great pro. He may not be a great pro. Honestly, I'm one of the least qualified people to project him at that level. But why would I want to waste any time speculating when I could enjoy his next 3+ months of college competition? While some of the talking heads are trying to pencil him into an NBA lineup they're missing one of the greatest college players of this era.

http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/010609aab.html

[khosk]

I think Tyler deserves it.

[23Steps]

I saw an article the other day, I think it was on sports illustrated. I can't find a link now. Anyway, this writer was ranking Player of the Year candidates and had TBro listed 5th behind Curry, Griffin, Harangody. This was written several weeks after Tyler hung 34 points over Luke's head out in Hawaii. Can anyone find a link or remember this article? It was ridiculous. Harangody shouldn't even be mentioned in the POY race, pneumonia or not.

[Dookie]

though I like TH, SC means more to his college and college basketball than TH. You put TH on Davidson, are they the team they are today? UNC passed on Curry as did most schools (still don't get why Virgin Tech did) so I have nothing but love for that kid to be at a small school and getting some pub

That being said, I think taht psycho T is a great college player b/c he embodies passion and heart, but still I like the underdog of SC

[usc1]

stephen curry

[sparks]

nobody takes the beating TH does and still put up great numbers. Not to mention the fact that he doesn't run his mouth too much he just goes to work everyday and nobody works harder than psycho T

[RibeyeWilley]

I'm not sure who's going to win, but I don't like Tyler's chances right now. To get a second award he would have to be even more ridiculous than last season and I'm not sure we've seen that yet. He was viewed as carrying the team last year and this year people are giving Lawson and some others more credit.

I will say I've completely convinced myself that he'll be a star in the NBA despite everyones grumbling. Unfortunately, the last time I felt that sure was about Joe Forte.

[23Steps]

^HA, thanks for that point Ribeye. Just goes to show that the experts get it wrong all the time. I miss Mr. Forte, what a baller.

Anyway, I agree, at this point in the season, I don't think Tbro is going to win it. After last year, he would have to somehow improve that performance, which hasn't happened yet. However, I'm not ruling out the possibility that he averages 30 + points the rest of the year and triple doubles every game in the acc tourney for the win.

I think if he was on Davidson's team, he'd be averaging about 40 points a game. The offense would be structured around him scoring, like Curry, but as a dominant big man in a small conference, he'd be carrying davidson even more then curry. And when curry was shut down by a double team, he just didn't shoot. TH is double teamed every game and still produces.

[23Steps]

http://www.fannation.com/si_blogs/in_the_paint/posts/53421-blake-griffin-leads-the-wooden-watch?eref=fromSI

Here's SI's latest discussion. I'm pretty certain that Blake G. will win it. He is clearly solely responsible for every one of his team's wins. However, some of the other names on this list are pretty ridiculous. Harangody? Really? Hasn't Ms. Rubin noticed that ND has presented one of the most spectacular meltdowns in basketball history? Any player that can't at least get his team in the tourney should not win POY.

[214Spencer]

Sorry about the late entry into the discussion, I don't know why I haven't seen this thread before, but saying that Stephen Curry has meant more to college basketball then Tyler Hansbrough is one of the most idiotic things I have heard or read in quite a while. Curry is a flashy player who has some high scoring games but Hansbrough has redefined work ethic for the college player and his stats speak for themselves. Curry has meant a lot to his team simply because most people wouldn't know Davidson had a basketball team if it wasn't for him. Hansbrough, on the other hand, belongs to a program that is consistently one of the best in the nation and he has still been a leader for four years. Curry will be forgotten in a couple of years but Hansbrough will be a college legend.

Now that I'm done with that rant, I think Griffin will be POY. Hansbrough's performance hasn't been as eye catching as Griffin's simply because he plays on a team consisting of other players who can produce. The constant double team that is on Tyler just allows any one of his fellow player to put up points. Tyler is filling the role that the Heels need him to fill this year where as in relation to Oklahoma, Griffin is the team.

[NotWorthy]

With the season coming to a close, I'll still go with Tyler but I think you make very good points 214