Anyone aware if Daryl Macon was with the team at the Hogspy’s last night?
Not an insider, but someone that was there on another board said Macon, Hannahs, Kingsley, Beard, and Thomas were the hogs that were not there. Everyone else was in attendance, and Barford said that he would let his intentions be known very soon. Most think Barford will be back, Macon I guess is still in limbo.
Thanks, Blu! I’m trying not to read into or project anything; Macon could have been studying for all I know. Beard wasn’t there, but I’m certain he’ll be back. I just wish we knew that we’d have everyone back. But, we’ll all know in another 20 days…
I agree, I bet the staff is even more frustrated than us waiting, it affects their recruiting. However, most people that are insiders that I’ve read from all are confident that Barford will be back, Barford has also thrown out a ton of hints he’ll be back as well.
As far as Macon, he’s been all over the place. I kinda wish I wouldn’t have seen all of this from him he’s been really seeking out attention, and kinda making me not like him as a fan. Just look at the difference between the way he and Barford have handled things, even if Barford changes his mind and leaves, he did it the right way. He didn’t draw any attention to himself and always kept things positive and about the team. But, Macon on the other hand, soon as we got in the tournament he started showing his true self. After the Seton Hall game he went on a post game rant about how he could have went anywhere in the country to play for anybody, but came to Arkansas to lead us back into the tournament (keep in mind he only had 7 points that game). Then after the UNC game, he is rude to the media (Bob Holt) and gives the whole “no comment” thing and tells them to ask another question and had an attitude the whole interview. Then every since then he’s been on twitter tweeting and deleting stuff, including the thank you letter he wrote right after the university had already put out a statement. He just does whatever to get people to pay attention to him.
If I can be honest, if he’s going to be like that, may be better off without him next year, rather than him trying to turn the whole season next year about him. Don’t get me wrong he was good, but he’s going around acting like he’s a top 5 pick or something, and he’s not even a top 100 prospect. And I’m not fully convinced that CJ Jones or Khalil Garland won’t eventually end up being better in the long run, them getting more minutes next year may end up being a good thing.
‘And I’m not fully convinced that CJ Jones or Khalil Garland won’t eventually end up being better in the long run, them getting more minutes next year may end up being a good thing.’
Maybe in the long run but not in anyway next season. We need him back.
So, let me get this straight a top 55 recruit who’s 6’6 an athletic and Jones who’s 6’5, athletic, and can shoot lights out and has been written about several times on this staff as having the most pro potential on the team both have no chance of being better than Macon? Who didn’t even make an All-SEC team and isn’t listed as a top 100 prospect? This the same guy that lost his starting spot to Manny Watkins for poor defense?
And I’m not trying to knock Macon’s game at all, as I’ve said many times he’s a good player, I’m just tired of reading from people like we won’t be good w/o him and it’s not possible that other players with more upside can step up. Every year we have players leave and people act like it’s the end of the world because we’re losing a good player. It’s funny because the same people who act like we won’t be good without Macon were the same people being skeptical and saying we won’t be good depending on JUCO guys. Now, it’s if we lose 1 of the JUCO guys we won’t be good, although we got three ESPN 4-stars coming in and returning 5 other seniors.
Did not say we would not be good without him. Just that he is an impact player for us. Was this season and if the typical JC player improvement from the first season to the next holds true he will be much better. None of the ones you name will/could take minutes away from Macon. Proven clutch player and you are betting on players you have see do nada on the D1 level.
I thought you had agreed that next year we will be better with Macon than without Macon.
Yes, I think we would be better. I’ve said in many posts that I think he’s a good player and we would be better with him. I was addressing Labb’s comment on how it wasn’t possible for Jones or Garland to end up being a better player than Macon if he does leave. We see guys step up all the time and end up being better. For example remember when BJ Young and Marshawn Powell left early, everybody was saying how terrible we would be and we wouldn’t have any scoring. Who steps up? Ky Madden and Michael Qualls, plus the addition of Portis and we ended up being better, despite everyone thinking it was the end of the world when those guys left.
And I know I’ve been long winded so to summarize what I’m saying… I think if Macon stays it gives us the most likely chance of being really good next year, however it wouldn’t shock me if we still ended up being really good w/o him and other players, with more potential, step up and end up being better players than he was. He’s a good player, but it’s not like we’re losing a lottery pick talent, and with this attention seeking attitude he’s had this off-season it may not be the worst thing in the world if he goes ahead and moves on. Make sense?
Blu, I agree with you, I said last week in another post that I don’t understand why people aren’t expecting anything from Garland or Hall, people are kind of putting down Gafford too. I also agree with Jones and Bailey, a few weeks ago a similar comment was made about Garland and Hall being better than Jones and Bailey, and it was said no way. So, if Jones, Bailey, and Hazen are better, and the three fresh are as good as many on here have claimed, I don’t see how losing Macon will be devastating to this teams post season hopes.
No, I’m not trying to bash Macon, but if he leaves we will lose four good players and are replacing them with 6 good players. If Macon returns it’s just one less to replace.
Were you betting on Michael Qualls after his freshman season when he only averaged 4 PPG? What about Moses Kingsley after his sophomore season when he averaged 4PPG? How about Dusty Hannahs after his transfer year only averaging 7PPG?
It’s not uncommon for players to step up when other players leave, especially seniors, and we’ll have 5 of them. And I don’t think betting on a top 20 class being good with three 4-stars, when two of them are top 55 players is taking a ride on the wild side of predictions. And as far as CJ Jones he’s oozing with potential, there was literally people all year long worried that he might transfer and end up being a stud somewhere else. I don’t think predicting he’s going to be good is just throwing caution to the wind either.
I’m expecting quite a bit from Garland(who is not 6’6) Hall and Gafford. I’m just not expecting them to knock down many 3’s or be 90% or better FT shooters.
So lets just play a little of the what if game. There is one minute left in the game. We are up 2 points and are taking the ball in bounds on their end of the court. Who you going to try to get the ball to. I"ll take Macon. You have your choice of anyone else on the team. Who you going to pick.
Yea it’s amazing how people are sleeping on this class and saying how unproven they are, yet if any of the 3 guys we have coming in would have went somewhere else we would never heard the end of how we let such good players go somewhere else. Both Garland and Gafford are rated higher on ESPN than Kevaughn Allen was and some people won’t let us forget how big of a loss he was.
I just find it ironic how things change in a year. I can remember people on the old scout board talking about the 2016 class and how JUCO’s are unproven and don’t usually work out and wish we would have got better high school recruits and talked about how we missed on Monk, Curry, and the rest of those high school guys. Now fast forward if we lose Macon it’s the end of the world and there’s no possible way anybody can replace his production.
What does that have to do with potential and being a better player? In that situation you just want the best free throw shooter getting the ball. If we play the what if game like that I can pick a random hog like Kikko Haydar to give the ball to in that situation rather than someone like Moses Kingsley. Do I think Kikko is a better player than Moses? No, just a better free throw shooter and he’s calm under pressure. I don’t think anybody has questioned Macon’s cluth ability at the line. We’ve had others do that as well. Madden has made some big free throws for us to close games as well. Wasn’t he like 90% or close his senior year? If Macon isn’t here, my bet would be on Barford stepping up and being that guy, he already hit some huge pressure free throws in the NCAA tournament against Seton Hall.
I don’t think they’ll be 90% FT shooters, and I’ve never seen them shoot threes (no clue how good they are), but you seem to be indicating that combined those three, plus Jones, Hazen, and a more experienced Bailey wouldn’t be able to equal the production of Kingsley, Hannahs, Macon, and Watkins. If Jones and Hazen came on late in the season as many (including Macon) have claimed, I don’t think we will be in too many situations where a 90% FT shooter is needed. However, if Macon returns, I wouldn’t complain.
I agreed with you on this topic before and agree again with the last paragraph in this post. The problem was your following posts after we agreed didn’t quite convey that. Maybe you were debating a different topic like who would be better long term and not just next year. I agree with that too if that is what you were saying.
One goood point you made here. If Macon leaves, I do expect Barford to come close to his Juco production and averages. That may still happen next year, even with Macon.
Look at A&M last year. They lost four good senior starters that were generally replaced by players with higher ceilings. The Aggies weren’t as good. If Macon leaves, we can hope for the best, but we already needs guys to make significant strides on O to replace Kingsley and Hannahs, not to mention that Kingsley and Watkins were clearly our two best defenders on an average defensive team. Macon leaving will be a much deeper hole to fill.
Macon was a better player and had a better year than several All-SEC players. It could easily have been Barford or Hannahs that ended up coming off the bench. They both sat at times. Macon wasn’t in the starting unit when the team came together, and CMA stuck with that rotation because starting isn’t that important to CMA. My guess is that CMA considered Macon our second best player. In SEC play he averaged 14 points, shot 42% from the arc, 58% eFG%, and got to the line like a demon where he converted 86% under pressure or not. We may still be postseason without him, but that just means we’re pretty darn good with him. We aren’t losing him without a hit next season. Not happening.
Just because A&M underachieved doesn’t mean we will, TBH it’s a horrible example, because Kennedy has underachieved with talent since he’s been at A&M. He’s recruited really well and only made the tournament once in 6 years. He had a lottery pick and other NBA prospects on his team this year and he was a bottom tier team in the SEC. That’s more of a coaching issue, CMA hasn’t had issues getting players to play up to their potential, he’s actually finished ahead of predictions every single year. Kennedy has underachieved every year except for one.
And as far as Macon being an All-SEC player, obviously you’re entitled to your opinion of who he was or wasn’t better than, but the opinion of those who mattered in the voting didn’t think he was better than those players you are referring to and that’s all that matters. And apparently NBA scouts aren’t too high on him right now either, every draft site has their top 100 prospects out and combine invites have been sent out and he’s not on any of those lists. So my statement about him not being an All-SEC player and not being a top 100 draft prospect are the facts, and that’s what I’m going off of. Like I said Macon is good. But, he’s not irreplaceable good like some are trying to make him out to be. This time next year, you guys will be talking about another player who had a good year that we just can’t live without if he decides to leave early, happens every single year and every year since CMA has been here we’ve gotten better except for the one down year when players got in trouble and all of that. We’ll be a good team regardless of if Macon is here or not, you can save this post and quote.