Wichita State #16 in USA Today preseason poll

[Aargh]

Your confidence in your team is high, but rest assured, you will suffer humiliation when the sports team from my area defeats the sports team from your area.

On numerous occasions, you have expressed the conviction that your area's sports team will be victorious. I must admit that every time I hear you make this proclamation, I react with both laughter and disbelief. "Ha!" I say to myself with laughter. "What?!" I say to myself in disbelief. How could you believe that your sports team could beat my sports team? It is clear that yours is inferior in every way.

When the sporting contest begins, the players on your team will be treated as though they are inconsequential. It will be remarkably easy for my team to accumulate more points than yours. There are many reasons for this, starting with the inferior physical attributes of the players representing your area. Strength, speed, and agility are just three of the qualities that the players on the team from your area lack. The players representing my area, on the other hand, have these traits in abundance.

I would not be a bit surprised if the individuals on the team from your area were sexually attracted to members of their own gender. That is how ineffective they are on the field of battle.

Underscoring your team's inferiority is its choice of colors. It is ludicrous to believe that your team's colors inspire either respect or fear. Instead, they appear to have been chosen by someone who is colorblind or, perhaps, bereft of sight altogether. The colors for my team, on the other hand, are aesthetically pleasing when placed in proximity to one another. They are a superior color combination in every way.

While we are on the subject of aesthetics, let us compare the respective facilities in which our teams play. While my team's edifice is blessed with architectural splendor and the most modern of amenities, yours is a thoroughly unpleasant place in which to watch a sporting contest. I know of what I speak, for I once attended a game between our respective teams in your facility. Let's just say the experience left me wishing that my car was inoperable that day due to mechanical problems, rendering it impossible for me to get to your area to attend the game.

If you need another reason why the sporting franchise representing my area is superior, look no further than the supporters for the two sides. Not only are the supporters of the team from my region more spirited, but they are also more intelligent and of finer breeding than you and the rest of your ilk. In addition, the female supporters of the team from my area possess more attractive countenances and figures than yours. Some of the women from my side that I have observed could make a living by posing for pictures for major men's magazines. The women who cheer for your team, I'm afraid, are far too unattractive to do so.

One of the more pathetic aspects of the team from your area is the fact that only people in your immediate area possess an affinity for it. By means of contrast, the team from my area inspires loyalty and affection in individuals who live in many other geographic locations.

To illustrate this point, let me tell a brief story: Recently, I was on vacation in an area of the country far away from my own, and I saw many individuals wearing items of clothing that bore the insignia of my team. I approached one such individual and asked him if he originated from my area. He said no, explaining that he simply liked the team from my area and had for many years. Interestingly enough, during this trip, I saw no clothing or other paraphernalia bearing the insignia of your team.

Do you still doubt that the team from your area is inferior to the one from mine? Just look at our teams' respective histories. In the past, we have defeated you on any number of occasions. Granted, there were times when your team beat my team, but those were lucky flukes.

The day of the game will soon be at hand. And no matter how hard you pray to a higher power or how many foam accoutrements you wear in support of the team from your area, your team will be defeated. We will win and you will lose. This is your fate.

Prepare for humiliation. It shall be upon you at the designated hour.

[rlh04d]

[rlh04d]

I'll disagree on the Bears making the NCAA's. Probably a long shot this year but I think it happens before Marshal and Thurman graduate.

I definitely think it will. The Bears look like a team that are going to be extremely good for their senior year. Outside chance they make the tournament next year.

(Just talking at-large bids. Who knows what'll happen in St. Louis. I'm certainly not willing to bet on WSU winning even if I think we have the best team -- I'm counting on an at large resume first and foremost.)

[Can we delay the start of basketball season? I'm not ready to watch basketball with as good as Florida State is right now. Between WSU and FSU, this is the best sports year I can remember.]

[mvcfan]

Marshal had some impressive point and shooting totals. Thurman is a great athlete but he'll have to prove that he can be a top player. However, Baker is so valuable because he is good at everything. He sacrifices stat lines because he doesn't hunt his shot like Marshal. Sum it up that Baker is valuable because he makes his teammates better. There isn't a statistic for that.

[Aargh]

I'd bet a beer or two in St. Louis 4 years from now, that the names Thurman and Marshall will have caused much more opponent angst than Baker and Van Fleet.

Learn to get it right. It's VanVleet. Here are a couple of pre-season items of note about VanVleet and Baker - and they're not from WSU fans.

Tweet from Shane Ewing followiong WSU's media day

Shane Ewing ‏@ShaneEwing
Gregg Marshall: "when the NBA folks come in to watch Cleanthony, they're always asking about Ron (Baker) He's another one that has a shot"

Then there's CBS Sports prediction of the Top 30 Breakout Players. Fred comes in at #14
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/24142949/college-basketball-preview-top-30-breakout-players

I haven't been checking on the pre-season pub for Marshall and thurman. What are Bears fans finding? Speaking of pub, do they have imports at Arch Madness?

[shocktheheart]

Wichita State #16 in both polls.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rankings

[DUShock]

Can we just skip all pretense and get down to the nitty gritty?

Creighton has something Wichita really, really wants (the Big East and the money and prestige that comes with it). Wichita will try to discredit it to make themselves feel better about their current status.

Wichita has something Creighton really, really wants (final 4 and legitimate tournament success and fame). Creighton will try to downplay its importance and the MVC's status to make themselves feel better about it (along with hyping up the BEast).

You'll both be fine. You're both special in your own ways.

Other than the first post to start the thread, this is the best post and will likely remain so for the rest of the season.

Go Valley!!

Go Shocks!!!!

[Ali]

As you know if you've been here long enough I'm not one to defend Creighton, but those who joke about their attendance and free giveaways have to be impressed that it looks like they are going to sell out their building for every game this year. And they've sold more Big East tournament tickets than anyone too. That's impressive no matter how you slice it.

[mvcfan]

As you know if you've been here long enough I'm not one to defend Creighton, but those who joke about their attendance and free giveaways have to be impressed that it looks like they are going to sell out their building for every game this year. And they've sold more Big East tournament tickets than anyone too. That's impressive no matter how you slice it.

Ali - If you wish to admire Creighton, you have every right to do it. But they are no longer a member of the MVC. Therefore, you need to do it (and others who bring them up need to do it too) in the appropriate forum. That would be either Off Topic or on your own Panthernet.

[mvcfan]

As you know if you've been here long enough I'm not one to defend Creighton, but those who joke about their attendance and free giveaways have to be impressed that it looks like they are going to sell out their building for every game this year. And they've sold more Big East tournament tickets than anyone too. That's impressive no matter how you slice it.

Ali - If you wish to admire Creighton, you have every right to do it. But they are no longer a member of the MVC. Therefore, you need to do it (and others who bring them up need to do it too) in the appropriate forum. That would be either Off Topic or on your own Panthernet.

Two other options that I failed to mention are the Big East forum or Creighton's forum.