What BYU needs to be successful

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by Goatnapper'96

But alas CC is off to do sickle thrusters.......

How many RMs were on the 1980-1981 Elite 8 team? That's why BYU will never get there again.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

How many RMs were on the 1980-1981 Elite 8 team? That's why BYU will never get there again.

how many Danny Ainge's are on the current team? (none)

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

how many Danny Ainge's are on the current team? (none)

If Danny Ainge had served a mission there would be no Danny Ainge. The only thing between Richie "Fivehead" Webb the pride of Menan and an induction into the College Basketball Hall of Fame was what honorable Church service in the mission field did to his crossover.

Dude can no longer compete at the Bonneville YMCA pick up games for hells sake!

[smokymountainrain]

Originally Posted by Goatnapper'96

If Danny Ainge had served a mission there would be no Danny Ainge. The only thing between Richie "Fivehead" Webb the pride of Menan and an induction into the College Basketball Hall of Fame was what honorable Church service in the mission field did to his crossover.

Dude can no longer compete at the Bonneville YMCA pick up games for hells sake!

We used to simply refer to Richie Webb as "The man, the myth, the legend". I like Fivehead better.

On a related note, if anybody can find a pic of Webb and would be kind enough to post it on CG, it would be appreciated.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by smokymountainrain

We used to simply refer to Richie Webb as "The man, the myth, the legend". I like Fivehead better.

On a related note, if anybody can find a pic of Webb and would be kind enough to post it on CG, it would be appreciated.

IIRC, Richie was sporting a "Jeff Campbell" by the time he graduated.

http://cefcharity.org/ball_info.php

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by Goatnapper'96

If Danny Ainge had served a mission there would be no Danny Ainge. The only thing between Richie "Fivehead" Webb the pride of Menan and an induction into the College Basketball Hall of Fame was what honorable Church service in the mission field did to his crossover.

Dude can no longer compete at the Bonneville YMCA pick up games for hells sake!

The most tragic example of this is Devin Durrant. He would have been an NBA all-star. I hope his religion is happy about what it did to his career. In fact, Durrant pioneered elite athletes going on missions and wrecking their prospects. They can all listen to "I want my MTV" and weep as far as I'm concerned. Someone should have stepped up and given the kids the right advice.

[BYU71]

Here is what I personally find not only hypocritical, but really taints my view of the, "I really am happy this kid went on a mission crowd."

I am neither happy nor sad. If the kid in consultation with his family and ecclesiastical leaders wants to go. More power to him and I support him. I am not happy for him. It really isn't any of my business. I can't from a far guarantee he has made the best decision for him.

However, you find many, especially over on TBS who bemoan the fact a kid was going to go on a mission, but now won't because he is in the clutches of Pete Caroll. They get giz all over themselves when some kid announces he is leaving on a mission.

Fine, what bugs me is when a kid like Ben Olson goes on a mission and aguably messes up a legitimate shot at the pro's, instead of him being endeared to the faithful for as long as he lives, if he leaves BYU for UCLA the same "missionary" fans turn on him and wish him the trials of Job over and over again. The people that do that IMHO need to take a hard look at themselves.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by BYU71

Here is what I personally find not only hypocritical, but really taints my view of the, "I really am happy this kid went on a mission crowd."

I am neither happy nor sad. If the kid in consultation with his family and ecclesiastical leaders wants to go. More power to him and I support him. I am not happy for him. It really isn't any of my business. I can't from a far guarantee he has made the best decision for him.

However, you find many, especially over on TBS who bemoan the fact a kid was going to go on a mission, but now won't because he is in the clutches of Pete Caroll. They get giz all over themselves when some kid announces he is leaving on a mission.

Fine, what bugs me is when a kid like Ben Olson goes on a mission and aguably messes up a legitimate shot at the pro's, instead of him being endeared to the faithful for as long as he lives, if he leaves BYU for UCLA the same "missionary" fans turn on him and wish him the trials of Job over and over again. The people that do that IMHO need to take a hard look at themselves.

I'm neither a parent, nor coach, nor ecclesiastical leader of the player. I'm a selfish fan. As such, I don't want the player to go on a mission because the odds are that it hurts the individual player and the overall program in trying to deal with the associated logistics.

I understand why Bronco et al might want to sell BYU's support and endorsement of going on missions to LDS recruits to try to differentiate themselves in the marketplace. That said, I don't believe for a second that results in better players as a whole, but it might help him land a precious few quality LDS recruits that would otherwise sign at some less supportive institution.

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

The most tragic example of this is Devin Durrant. He would have been an NBA all-star. I hope his religion is happy about what it did to his career. In fact, Durrant pioneered elite athletes going on missions and wrecking their prospects. They can all listen to "I want my MTV" and weep as far as I'm concerned. Someone should have stepped up and given the kids the right advice.

Britton Johnson is the one that hurts my feelings the most. He would never have been an all-star, but I think he would have had an NBA career.

[BYU71]

Originally Posted by UtahDan

Britton Johnson is the one that hurts my feelings the most. He would never have been an all-star, but I think he would have had an NBA career.

Kids like Olson, Durrant, Johnson, et. al. have to believe they wouldn't have made it anyway or that their mission has blessed them far more than any professional success they could have had.

They have to believe this on an individual basis, because you can always point to those who chose not to go on a mission and seem to have done well not only financially, but also spirituality. I point out three very successful athletes on the church fireside circuit. Young, Ainge and Murphy.