I am as excited as anyone for the class of 2009. This class addresses nearly every aspect of what a team needs. What I am worried about are the 2010 commits. I do not want to fall behind the other teams in the Big Ten as well as the country.

Crean will be on the Dan Patrick show tomorrow morning

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/danpatrick/

Next year will be interesting as it is going to be difficult to keep Rivers, Capo, Watford, Creek off the floor. Pritchard's minutes look safe but everyone else is in a dog fight for PT. I would like to see us move to more full court pressure next year to capitalize on our guard/wing strength

I'd put Elston in the same category. He's going to be very good and would be getting a lot more attention if he hadn't missed all summer with the injury.

Sure thing. Until seeing this team play I thought Rivers would be fighting for time. Now I think he is essential and will be #2 in minutes next year. Practice will be fun to watch next year and be a war

As an aside. I think Elston had microfracture surgery. I had mine at Steadman Hawkins in Vail, the inventors of this surgery. I was in a CPM machine 20 hours a day for 12 weeks. Do not underestimate the amount of rehab and time that may be necessary for Elston to play worry free. Look at Oden as well. I hope to be wrong

He's back playing at 100% now. It wasn't microfracture, it was arthroscopic to repair a torn meniscus.

I thought he just had arthroscopic. Microfracture usually leaves you out a year.

anyone have any thoughts or a guess as to who will end up transferring or losing their scholly to make room for one of the new guys?

personally, i don't see Jobe sticking around for another year.

I agree on Jobe. Unless one of the scholarship wings sees clearly that minutes will but cut next year. I think Jobe's main job this year is to prove he is scholarship worthy. If he was a freshmen I'd say he'd be a lock to stay due to his size and potential, but if he doesn't show progress this year, then it's unlikely to happen his senior year.

With Pritchard, Capo, Bawa, Elston and even Watford as a tall and long SF, we could probably cover Jobe's bench seat with a big walk on next year, someone like Taber. Plus, Williams and Story will develop this season as 4's in a small lineup.

Agree on Jobe. Unless we suddenly get Emeka Okafor I donot see us successful with a small 4 guard lineup this year or next year so we are down to 3 slots for 6-8 players to fill

As I look at the rest of the team I think Roth has the most work to do to play although he now starts. His role seems to be to accept the kick out and pop. Next year more players will be able to do that. In addition I think we will drive the ball and kick down low to TP or BC which will reduce the pops.

Story and Williams each need to develop 1) defense 2) ball handling , 3) passing game 4) rebounding to play large minutes............that is alot to develop.

Nice problem to have . This years team might do well to remember Satchel Paige " don't never look back cause somethin might be gainin on you"

Wasn't Bawa going to sign in the spring for academic reasons? Or am I thinking of someone else?

I know this may be a little off topic, but does anyone know how extensively we're recruiting Harrison Barnes?

Just about every major program in the country is recruiting Barnes. IU is recruiting him, but realistically, it's probably a long shot for him to end up in Bloomington. Duke and Kansas seem to be the schools that are being mentioned most favorably with him right now and Iowa State has been on him the longest since he's from Ames.