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Go 'Cats!

Reynolds withdraws from NBA draft

[Let's Go Nova is on summer break, but we will continue to update for important breaking news.]


Scottie Reynolds has withdrawn his name from the NBA draft and will return to Villanova for his senior season, according to a press release from campus today.

Last season, Reynolds led Villanova to its first Final Four since 1985, and then decided to test the draft waters in April. After working out for about half-a-dozen NBA teams, Reynolds decided to withdraw from the pro draft.

"The best decision for me is to return to Villanova for my senior year," said Reynolds. "I'd like to thank everyone who put their time into helping me get better during these NBA workouts. I especially want to thank my teammates and coaches here for all of their support. I felt like I learned a great deal from this process."

Villanova head coach Jay Wright praised Reynolds and his decision-making process.

"Scottie took a very mature and intelligent approach to this process," said Wright. "He prepared himself thoroughly for each workout and absorbed everything he could from them. This was a tremendous learning experience for him and now he is focused on becoming a great senior leader in our program. He has great respect for the tradition here and I know he'll embrace this role."

Villanova basketball, of course, will resume this fall.

LGN TO SHUT DOWN Anon. commenters vindicated

Bowing to pressure from an increasingly powerful gallery of anonymous commenters, the popular Villanova basketball blog Let's Go Nova will shut down immediately, according to the site's publisher.

Though it would seem unusual to shutter the blog in the middle of a Villanova Final Four run, with site traffic setting new records every day, blog owner Pete @ LetsGoNova.com cited the sheer eloquence of the anonymous commenters' arguments as the decisive factor.

"I've had a good run these past three years," said Pete, "but the last few weeks have really shown me the light. I had no idea just how dangerously unqualified I was to run an Internet blog -- which is, after all, serious business -- until it was patiently and logically explained to me in the comment section."

The move to close down the site comes amidst several swirling controversies, the most serious an ongoing maelstrom of discussion as to the fictional choice between current Villanova head coach Jay Wright and former Villanova coach Steve Lappas.

"I thought people would be more interested in talking about the amazing string of victories Villanova has put together in the NCAA tournament, but I gravely miscalculated," said Pete.

"I see now that my flippant remark two weeks ago about not minding a hypothetical and impossible Lappas return is much more newsworthy and relevant to Villanova fans than even winning the national championship," admitted Pete.

Dubbed "RePete" by his many detractors, Pete said that closing the blog will give him time to accomplish many of the things in life he's only now realized he'd been lacking.

According to various anonymous commenters, Pete has never played organized basketball, doesn't know anything about basketball, has never even seen a basketball, and, most disturbingly, has never experienced the sweet caress of a woman's touch.

"These are all things I would like to try one day, God willing," admitted a remorseful yet cautiously hopeful Pete.

"I want to thank the anonymous commenters for showing me the folly of my ways," he said.

Shortly after closing the site, Pete posted a tearful goodbye video to thank his few supporters during the course of the publishing the blog.

Speaking on behalf of anonymous commenters across the site, an anonymous spokesman offered a prepared statement in reaction to the news:

U SUCK PETE. U SUCK. MY DOG KNOWS BETTER BASKETBALL THEN THIS SITE. LOL. LET'S MEET IN DETROIT I WILL FIGHT U AT HALFTIME.

The anonymous spokesman then exited the site to read the latest Bill Simmons column, steadfastly refusing to click on any advertisements on his way out of the now-defunct Let's Go Nova home page.

Nova News agrees on Fisher PT

I have been receiving a lot of heat in the comments section for blasting Jay Wright's mismanagement of his lineup, especially regarding point guard Corey Fisher's playing time.

After every single game, you could find here the drumbeat of criticism, charging that Fisher was receiving far too little playing time. My argument is that as the clearly best player on the team, Fisher should be leading the team in minutes. But he isn't, and in fact, trails behind several far inferior Wildcats in playing time.

I've further argued that Fisher's increase in playing time should not come at the expense of Reynolds, because the team plays best when they are both in there together, and ballhandling requires at least one of the two point guards to be in at all times.

Tim, the Nova News blogger, weighed in on his site tonight in agreement.

In a nice, long piece called Something Smells Fishy, Tim questions Jay Wright's decision to keep Fisher in limited time despite the growing statistical evidence that he is among the most effective Wildcats on the court.

Tim admits that although winning eight of nine games is nice, Fisher still needs more playing time:

I don't necessarily believe that Fisher should get more time at the expense of Reynolds because frankly, they are the two best guards on the team. Neither do I believe it is imperative for Fisher to start because he is valuable as a sixth man. What I am simply saying is Fisher should be getting more playing time, period.

Tim wraps up his essay by saying "the bottom line is Corey Fisher is too good to be sitting on the bench for 12+ minutes a game."

Agreed. And Fisher certainly shouldn't be sitting for 16 minutes when the 'Cats struggle to defeat one of the worst teams in major-conference history by a measly two points.

Something smells fishy, indeed.

Of course, this isn't the first time that Wright has refused to play a talented point guard for seemingly no earthly reason, and we all know how that one turned out.

Here's hoping Wright can change his ways before it's too late.

Wright admits coaching error

In a long article in the Philadelphia Daily News today, Villanova coach Jay Wright is quoted at length regarding his position at the helm of Villanova basketball.

Of particular interest to Let's Go Nova readers may be Wright's reference to his coaching decision in the West Virginia game to keep star forward Dante Cunningham on the bench in the first half with two fouls.

Wright actually praises Villanova's atmosphere of lesser scrutiny, and the fact that talk of the error died down quickly. How this is compatible with Wright's ostensible goal of striving for excellence is a little incomprehensible to me, but here is the quote:

We get plenty of attention. But you're not under the scrutiny every day. Like, 'Why didn't I play Dante Cunningham with two fouls in the West Virginia game in the first half?' Which I probably should have. But it didn't become a 2-day issue (emphasis added).

This quote demonstrates Wright's excellent understanding of public relations, possibly at the expense of his basketball knowledge and competitive edge. Is Wright correct about the public relations benefits of not being under a microscope like one would be in Lexington or Bloomington? Absolutely. But how does that help Villanova become a better basketball team? It sure is nice for Wright that his voicemail is not overflowing on Day Two of the Dante Cunningham Benching Scandal, but why brag about it?

Is Wright really that saying he is glad that the uproar over his mistakes dies down quickly, instead of saying that scrutiny over mistakes motivates him to make fewer of them?

For the record, Let's Go Nova was all over this issue, even a day after the game. In my review of the WVU loss, I wrote the following:

He got into minor foul trouble early on Friday, and his absence definitely cost the Wildcats dearly. But why did he have to sit so long? I think Wright was too cautious. Villanova was getting blown away with Dante on the bench. Dante picked up his second foul with 14 minutes to play in the first half, and didn't see the court for the rest of the half? Are you kidding me? That would have been ridiculous if we were winning, and it's patently absurd when the 'Cats are being blown out. Sitting Cunningham for the last 14 minutes of the first half might have cost Villanova the game. Oh, and by the way, Cunningham finished with just three fouls thanks to Wright's abundance of gutless caution.

It's nice that Wright admitted his mistake, but why does he think the issue is over, especially considering the NCAA and BET seeding ramifications this loss will most certainly have?

Wright also made what some may also consider to be a revealing statement: winning a national championship is not essential. Ever.

I don't need to win a national championship. Honestly, as long as these guys are graduating and I continue to get the enjoyment I do from the relationship with these guys, I would be fine . . .It wouldn't bother me one bit (emphasis added) [...] Our fans need a national championship. And I would love to do it for them. But for me, personally, I love where we are right now. I love what we're doing.

Gee, thanks, Jay.

Again, it's great that Wright cares more about the players graduating and running a clean program than winning at all costs. But why can't we have it both ways? It would be nice to have a coach who has a larger competitive drive. This is another reason I think Wright would be much better suited as a PR person than a head coach, but I digress.

Anyway, the full PDN article is definitely worth a read. I don't want to harp on only the negatives, as Wright said some good things in the interview. Those two quotes, however, struck me as being worthy of a bit more scrutiny.

Let's Go Nova tournament contest

With March madness just a few weeks away, it's time to start thinking about brackets and seeds.

Enter Let's Go Nova's 2009 college basketball championship prediction contest for your chance to win our grand prize, two pieces of Villanova basketball post-season memorabilia.

All you have to do is leave a comment in this post, and be the closest to predict the final four teams in the tournament, the national champion, and the national runner up.

Leave a comment to enter. Please use the following format in your comment:

UConn
Memphis
UNC
UCLA

Uconn over UCLA.

You must submit your guess before March 1, so you must also factor into your guess which teams will be in which brackets.

Want to pick Villanova to win it all -- go ahead. Keep in mind, though, that the BetUS sportsbook lists the Wildcats as a 35-1 underdog to cut down the nets.

Prize

• GRAND PRIZE: (1) 2007-2008 Villanova basketball post-season folder and (1) ticket stub, Villanova vs. Monmouth, round one of the 2006 NCAA tournament, Philadelphia.

Rules

1. No purchase necessary.


2. All decisions by Let's Go Nova regarding the outcome of the game shall be final.


3. The reader with the most total points as follows wins the grand prize:


• Correct final 4 teams = 2 pts. each


• Correct final 2 teams = 4 pts. each


• Correct national champion = 8 pts.


4. All ties broken by date and time submitted, earliest first. This means you cannot win if you submit the same entry as someone before you!


5. All entries must be left as comments in this post, and received by 1 March 2009.

Let's Go Nova is obviously not affiliated with either the NCAA or Villanova University, and the pieces of memorabilia come from my personal collection.

Good luck, and Let's Go Nova.

Jerold is the reason for the season

It's that time of year again.

People walk with a bit more pep in their step. Children lay awake at night dreaming of what surprises tomorrow might bring. Pete at Let's Go Nova makes the exact same joke he made two years ago this day.

That's right. December 24 marks the 47th anniversary of Villanova head coach Jerold Wright's birth. Let me speak for the rest of Nova Nation in wishing Jay a happy birthday.

Many readers here think I am too hard on Coach Wright, or have some sort of anti-Wright agenda. They only have to read the gushing post linked above to see that's not true.

Let me state for the record, I am happy Jay Wright is coaching at Villanova.

Since this site is about basketball -- not exactly a matter of life and death -- I am honest with my opinions. After all, it's only a game, and we get just as much (if not more) entertainment from dissecting the game's finer points as we do watching it.

It's true, I am often vocal in disagreement with Wright's gameplans, substitution patterns, and play-calling. Lots of 'Nova fans bemoan the Wildcats' "take-em" offense and utter lack of inbounds plays. I definitely think Wright is often slow to adjust tactics or change strategic course during the game. And concerns have bubbled over lately -- not just from me -- about the growing frequency of transfers off the Main Line.

With that said, though, I believe Wright is a net positive on the program, and is taking Villanova basketball in the right direction. The Wildcats have enjoyed recent tournament success, and have a monster recruiting class on the way. Say what you will about Wright, but the man can recruit. He is also an excellent face for the program, bringing the kind of positivity and genuine enthusiasm only possible from a coach who loves his sport, his team, and his university.

For all that, I am thankful to have Jay Wright at the reins. While I admit I'd like to see some improvements in the areas mentioned above, you won't hear me saying "Fire Jay Wright" anytime soon.

Unless the 'Cats don't come up with an new inbounds play for the conference season. Just kidding.

Happy birthday, Jay, from all of us at Let's Go Nova.

Around the Wildcat Web

With Villanova ranked in the top 25 and this whole "blogging" thing catching on, there's a plethora of information for Villanova fans to digest these days.

Here's a quick look around the 'tubes for relevant news at the start of the week:

• Zagsblog runs some lengthy Jay Wright quotes in a piece on Villanova's 2009-2010 recruiting class, headlined by Mouphtaou Yarou and Maalik Wayns.



• VUhoops reports, via Zagsblog, that Villanova is now involved in the recruitment of the awesomely named Jarrid Famous, a transfer from Westchester.



• Bleacher Report calls Villanova a potential Big East wildcard and takes a look at the Wildcats' 10 biggest games.



• Villanova by the Numbers has its usual numbers-filled preview for the Fordham game, penned by none other than Greycat, the Nate Silver of Villanova basketball.



• I Bleed Blue and White also runs a Fordham preview. You can tell they really mean what they say when they start writing in italics.



• Nova News recaps the Albany game 007-style, in honor of the worst James Bond movie I have ever seen.

Got any more interesting links? Let us know in the comment section below.

Let's Go Nova will return Nov. 5

Sorry, everyone, for the lack of updates these past few weeks.

Let's Go Nova has spent the last three weeks obsessively refreshing FiveThirtyEight.com about 20 times an hour.

We'll be back with Villanova basketball coverage on Nov. 5, just in time to preview the exhibition against Northwood at the Spectrum the next day.

Feel free to use this thread for your comments till then.

Just six days till the season tips off!

Friday poll: who are you?

Who the heck are you people? I'm not sure I want to know.

This week's poll asks about your Villanova background. If your Villanova attendance spans two decades, just pick the decade you liked best.

You may vote in the Flash poll below, or in the right sidebar on any Let's Go Nova page.

Last week's poll asked you to predict how far Villanova will advance in the 2008-2009 postseason. After 111 votes, everyone agreed that Villanova would be playing after the season, and 99.1 percent of voters believed it would be in the NCAA tournament.



109 of the 111 voters thought Villanova would win at least one game in the NCAAs this season. The plurality (41 percent) said Villanova would win three games before bowing out in the Elite Eight. A Sweet Sixteen exit came in second with 34 percent.

'Nova falls to Kansas

This is old news by now, but Villanova lost by 15 to Kansas in the Sweet 16.

This brings to an end what has to be considered a successful season for the Wildcats, especially considering their mid-season struggles. I think any Villanova fan would have taken a Sweet 16 run at the start of this season, and if you told me in early February the 'Cats would make the second weekend, I'd have been thrilled.

This site will continue to post news and opinions on Villanova basketball through the offseason and into next year.

New 'Nova blog: Villanova by the Numbers

A new blog covering Villanova basketball launched this month, and so far it is looking outstanding.

Villanova by the Numbers promises analysis and commentary on Villanova and Big East basketball, and the six posts in August have delivered just that. Already the site has provided insights on Big East players and recruits that you can't get anywhere else.

The blog is a product of "greyCat," one of the most respected and prolific Villanova basketball fans on the Web.

When I started Let'sGoNova, greyCat was the first person I invited to write news as a blog team-member. He politely declined, choosing instead to develop his own site and place its focus more on quantitative analysis.

I'm glad he did, because Villanova by the Numbers is going to be the place to look to this season for 'Nova-related mathematical insight.

Villanova by the Numbers and its statistics-based approach is an excellent complement to LetsGoNova.com's news and opinion pieces, and we welcome greyCat and his site to the Villanova basketball blogging community.

Happy postings, VBTN.

Update to the site!

I took a little break from the site during the slow summer season.

I'm back now, and there will be plenty to talk about in the upcoming weeks.

The big news, of course, is that Villanova has officially made Tyreke Evans's final two. Of course, we have been saying for months that it was a two-horse race between Louisville and Villanova, but it is nice to hear from Tyreke himself that North Carolina is no longer an option.

There's even more to discuss. The summer recruiting season is in full swing, USA basketball just wrapped up, and Tim Donaghy, a Villanova alumnus, has been accused of betting on NBA games he officiated.

Let's talk about these topics and more as the summer winds down.

Correction and apology

Earlier this morning, Let'sGoNova team member Matthew posted an article regarding player Casiem Drummond that was based on rumor, not fact. Let'sGoNova takes journalistic integrity very seriously and deeply apologizes for any confusion that may have arisen based on this erroneous article.

Let'sGoNova issues the following correction: We have received no "confirmation" of any kind that Drummond will transfer at season's end. We deeply regret the error.

Rest assured, the article has been deleted from the site, and the writer responsible for posting the story has been permanently removed from the Let'sGoNova team.

-- Pete