Yesterday I went to the Booster Club's annual summer event at Monmouth Park. There was a smaller turnout than expected due to the insane heat but Ryan Whalen spent about an hour with us there. Some of the highlights from questions I asked about the status of the team and other chatter around the event:
- The roster is more or less set right now unless somebody falls in their lap who is worth the money, fits in with the culture/chemistry, etc.
- Assane Mbaye is now a scholarship player, bringing us up to 12.
- Walk-ons David Gabriel and JD Thomas are being kept on because Sha does not want to screw players who have been busting their butts in practice for years for the team. This brings the roster up to 14, leaving officially one spot open.
- Expect to see a 2-3 matchup zone on defense and lots of pick and roll on offense now that we have a PG in Clark who is skilled enough to do it.
- Staff is very high on Clark, Fisher, and Simpkins, and everybody is healthy so far. ::knock on wood::
- Schedule is still up in the air but the general consensus is Maui, Rutgers, local cupcakes (hopefully with less choking on them this year), noise of a home and home with a P4 west coast school for an appearance fee with the first leg being out there this season
- SHU was approached to be a part of the Never Forget Tribute Classic at Prudential Center, but Sha vetoed playing Princeton. (So much for wanting to help out all the local schools I guess) They might still be in the event playing another opponent.
- All scheduling is in holding pattern until Devils and Concerts pick their dates. SHU is last in the Pru pecking order. As a result, I wouldn't be surprised if more November non-con games get dumped back to Walsh due to lack of available dates. My gut feeling is 2 games again but wouldn't be surprised if there's a 3rd in the future since concerts are more profitable for Pru Center than SHU and ticket sales aren't exactly flying for a team coming off 7-25.
Lastly I want to thank posters @PROF Ed , @mbraue , and @silkcitypirate who are all lovely folks that I met yesterday at the event. I always enjoy putting faces to names from here.
Stay cool in the oppressive heat today Pirate Nation!
- The roster is more or less set right now unless somebody falls in their lap who is worth the money, fits in with the culture/chemistry, etc.
- Assane Mbaye is now a scholarship player, bringing us up to 12.
- Walk-ons David Gabriel and JD Thomas are being kept on because Sha does not want to screw players who have been busting their butts in practice for years for the team. This brings the roster up to 14, leaving officially one spot open.
- Expect to see a 2-3 matchup zone on defense and lots of pick and roll on offense now that we have a PG in Clark who is skilled enough to do it.
- Staff is very high on Clark, Fisher, and Simpkins, and everybody is healthy so far. ::knock on wood::
- Schedule is still up in the air but the general consensus is Maui, Rutgers, local cupcakes (hopefully with less choking on them this year), noise of a home and home with a P4 west coast school for an appearance fee with the first leg being out there this season
- SHU was approached to be a part of the Never Forget Tribute Classic at Prudential Center, but Sha vetoed playing Princeton. (So much for wanting to help out all the local schools I guess) They might still be in the event playing another opponent.
- All scheduling is in holding pattern until Devils and Concerts pick their dates. SHU is last in the Pru pecking order. As a result, I wouldn't be surprised if more November non-con games get dumped back to Walsh due to lack of available dates. My gut feeling is 2 games again but wouldn't be surprised if there's a 3rd in the future since concerts are more profitable for Pru Center than SHU and ticket sales aren't exactly flying for a team coming off 7-25.
Lastly I want to thank posters @PROF Ed , @mbraue , and @silkcitypirate who are all lovely folks that I met yesterday at the event. I always enjoy putting faces to names from here.
Stay cool in the oppressive heat today Pirate Nation!
