Here at Montlake Madness, we take a man at this word. So, despite the still-unsigned-as-of-this-morning LOI, and the swirling rumors of cold feet, we’re keeping the faith that when Terrence Jones announced he was going to UW, he was telling the truth. Thanks Griffin, for keeping us up to date on the recruiting madness.
by Griffin Bennett – Staff Writer
After 4 months of prayers by Husky fans, they have been answered. Coach Lorenzo Romar has completed his greatest recruiting class ever at Washington and he has primed his team for a legitimate run at the Elite 8 in 2010/11. Terrence Jones is a fans’ dream: a 6 foot 9 inch SF/PF who can play four positions, and be an impact player at each of them. Give me one second, hold on. . .
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Terrence Jones may be the best recruit that the Huskies have had in years, but more importantly, he validates all of the feelings that we Husky fans have had for the past six years. We have claimed that we are a true Final Four contender and we finally have evidence that Romar’s program is one to be reckoned with. I’m not going to bother you all with some boring background on Terrence Jones. We all know who he is and why he is so good.
As a college player, his skills will be exceptional and he brings a level of talent that the Pac-10 hasn’t seen at his size and athleticism since….. anyone? He is a six foot nine inch small/power forward who plays with passion and an immense talent level.
Am I over hyping Terrence Jones right now? Maybe. Am I giving Terrence Jones the credit he deserves after dominating prep-level basketball? Absolutely. This guy is a bigger version of Quincy Pondexter. He can play the same position but can command the paint with a force that we haven’t seen since Jon Brockman. His three-point shooting form may need some work, but his shot falls and he is a scoring machine. Looking for a replacement for Quincy’s points and rebounds?
Just look at this projected starting lineup for next year:
PG- Abdul “Yung” Gaddy (or Venoy Overton) – Who cares who starts. Venoy is going to play more minutes regardless.
SG- Isaiah “Salute” Thomas – Preseason Pac-10 Player of the Year. If he’s not, my name is mud.
SF- Justin “Jrue who?” Holiday – Quick poll: Justin for four years or Jrue for one? My bet is even UCLA would choose Justin.
PF – Terrence “Demo-lisher” Jones – The missing link for our run to the Elite Eight and beyond.
C – Matthew “MBA” Bryan-Amaning – As opposed to his home country, on his way to winning the Revolutionary War against his critics.
Put your pants back on and clean yourself up. I didn’t even mention our bench: Gaddy/Overton, C.J. Wilcox, Scott Suggs, Tyreese Breshers, Darnell Gant, Terrence Ross, Aziz N’diaye and Desmond Simmons.
Wait….. WHAT?:
In the process of writing this article, reports have surfaced that Jones may have been brainwashed by Kentucky’s Coach Calipari. What’s new? Even after Terrence Jones legitimately chose the black Washington hat, Calipari decides that he won’t be embarrassed by losing Leslie and Jones on back-to-back days.
Reports continue to pour in that Coach Romar was two blocks away for Jones’ announcement as NCAA rules stipulated that he was not allowed on the premises. Yet somehow the rules allow a coach to call (or answer a call) from the same player minutes later while he’s still in the same room? This seems a little fishy to me. I’m in no way stating that Coach Calipari broke any rules, but sometimes a person’s reputation precedes them whether it is deserved or not.
Coach Calipari is an amazing coach. He is a great X’s and O’s coach as some people have argued against, but his recruiting techniques have rubbed more than one person the wrong way. Is what he does against the rules? In many (or all) cases, probably not. He is a dedicated man who truly is passionate for his programs and cares about his players. If I had a kid who was being recruited by Coach Cal, I would trust him with my child’s safety. Other than that, he is my personal arch-nemesis for the rest of natural born life.
Never have I hated a single human in the realm of college basketball more than Coach Calipari. Fool me once (Cousins), shame on you. Fool me twice (Kanter), shame on me. Fool me three times? It’s all out war.
After a couple deep breaths, I have calmed down. Coach Romar plans on meeting with Terrence Jones Saturday morning and I fully believe he will wind up becoming a Husky. Think about it this way: Would you rather be Kentucky in this position or Washington? I stated on Wednesday that I was 60& confident that Jones was a Husky. Today, I’d say I’m 75% sure. I’ll take those odds given the potential reward. This might not be the conventional way, but beggars can’t be choosers.
If there was a single human being on this planet that you wanted to talk to Terrence Jones Saturday morning, wouldn’t it be Coach Romar? Keep the faith guys.
What to Wait For:
Book your tickets to the Maui Invitational because if we play Kentucky there could be some fireworks. Regardless of Jones’ decision, that match-up will be more personal than any Husky game since the Aaron Brooks punch rematch with the Ducks. Is your Thanksgiving usually boring, ending up in drunken arguments like mine? Why not gather that essence of evil and travel to beautiful Hawaii.
Gather that energy and direct it at Calipari and his army of one-year Storm Troopers. Did I mention that Michigan State, UConn, Virginia, Oklahoma, and Wichita State are involved as well? Think about that line-up real quick! Bennett (I’m not related, I SWEAR!), Calhoun, AND Calipari. It’s a who’s who of Husky enemies!
Wrap Up:
Patience is a virtue (so I’m told) and we will end up victorious on this one. If anything, it will only add to the fire that already sits under the Huskies. 2010/11 is set to become a special year and I thank all of you readers for letting me be apart of this. Husky Nation is not one that is easily destroyed. We are a group of dedicated fans who put our teams in front all else. In the words of my favorite wrestling group of all time:”I GOT TWO WORDS FOR YA!!!!! BOW DOWN!”