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My men's basketball debut
I met with Steve Alford Monday to introduce myself as the Trib's new men's basketball beat writer. It was good to chat and get started on the right foot. Based on our conversation, I wrote a story for today's Trib that Darrington Hobson and Kem Nweke may not be cleared to play this year. Hobson is still waiting on approval from the NCAA Clearinghouse, while some poor grades may trip up Nweke.
Alford said he thinks Hobson will get approved, but he isn't sure what will happen with Nweke. The team won't begin the fall semester basketball workouts for about 10 days while all the newcomers get their NCAA paperwork sorted out. While Alford's fast and furious recruiting helped the team in the long-run, I think it's been a bit of a nightmare for the UNM compliance office making sure everyone is ready to go. Here is a link to the updated men's basketball roster on the UNM athletics Web site. It does not include Hobson because he hasn't been approved by the clearinghouse.
While I was chatting with Alford, he apologized for his crowded office space. He has been on the road recruiting and taking care of so many other things that he still hasn't unpacked all the boxes in his office. Maybe he'll get around to that at some point. Maybe not. When Kentucky men's Billy Gillespie was still at UTEP, a TV crew came to film the Miners watching Selection Sunday at his home. Gillespie is a bachelor and basketball junkie, so everyone had to avoid the Christmas tree still set up in his living room in March. I give the guy credit for actually setting up a Christmas tree.
I'm curious how the new and old players will mesh on Alford's team, but I did get a glimpse of the coaching staff bonding. Alford, Craig Neal, Chris Walker and Ryan Miller played full-court two-on-two at the practice facility. They aren't exactly racing up and down the floor like would have 10 years ago, but they were still pretty entertaining to watch. Alford's shot is still as smooth as ever. I don't understand why anyone would ever double Neal on pick-and-roll and leave Alford open, but it happened a few times. And Alford talks a lot of smack. Clean trash talk, but trash talk nevertheless. It'll be interesting to see if his teams play with that much fire and intensity.
Posted by ilimon at 12:54 PM | Permalink
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Posted by: Iliana Limon | August 21, 2007 03:39 PM
Thanks for the tip LoboMike. I will check into it, but Steve Alford and sports information rep Jay Blackman both told me me yesterday it was a grade issue that might force Kem Nweke to take a redshirt. I had figured NCAA transfer rules were the problem, as you suggested, but I went with what they said for today's story. I would not be surprised if they later told me it was, in fact, a transfer issue because they are processing so many new people right now.
Posted by: LOBOMIKE | August 21, 2007 04:52 PM
Well, then the grade problem would be from S. Alabama (maybe transferring credits or something), but he has already been cleared by the NCAA, unlike Hobson. Otherwise, he wouldn't be allowed to be on athletic scholarship at UNM currently. The reason why he likely won't be able to play at all this year is transfer rules, though. I think they are appealing that, being that he only took summer courses, but they probably won't win that.
Keep up the good work!
Posted by: The Big Bad Wolf | August 21, 2007 06:51 PM
Great stuff Iliana! I always knew that you were the only one who could really fill the Carltonator's shoes, but there is simply not enough of you to go around! All Lobo sports need you!
Cloning, perhaps?
Posted by: Las Cruces Lobo | August 22, 2007 10:51 AM
Neither Rivals.com or Scout.com show Brown as committed to UNM. Do they know something we don't? Sure hope not.
Posted by: Iliana Limon | August 22, 2007 04:10 PM
I wouldn't worry about Rivals and Scout not posting Brown's commitment. The recruiting status is updated by the national part of the services, and they are always slow to update those databases. As of yesterday, he said he would be a Lobo. Of course, nothing is guaranteed until the ink is dry on his letter of intent.
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Posted by: LOBOMIKE | August 21, 2007 02:07 PM