UA interested in MSU guard (Gary Ervin) (All-SEC Fr, UA lean)

[Hogstradamus]

Click Here

[Fletch]

Does this mean we don't have the confidence in McCurdy we once did or is this just a can't miss opportunity? Thoughts?

[SonOfMud]

Does this mean we don't have the confidence in McCurdy we once did or is this just a can't miss opportunity? Thoughts?

I think they realize that McCurdy won't be a big time player.  Everyone with a name backed off of this kid.  He wasn't good enough to play PG on this HS team.  So, hopefully he will be a good role player. 

[PB_HOGG]

It's called depth. McCurdy will be fine, they don't want a situation like the past 2 years. They will have several options at pg.(McCurdy was the  starting pg on the nations #1 high school team in '04.) Sure he had an injury, but they want a good rotaion of guards, so theres no drop of from one player to next.

[Jim Harris]

Does this mean we don't have the confidence in McCurdy we once did or is this just a can't miss opportunity? Thoughts?

I think they realize that McCurdy won't be a big time player. Everyone with a name backed off of this kid. He wasn't good enough to play PG on this HS team. So, hopefully he will be a good role player.

He wasn't good enough to play? How about he was injured all year and couldn't play?

[SonOfMud]

Does this mean we don't have the confidence in McCurdy we once did or is this just a can't miss opportunity? Thoughts?

I think they realize that McCurdy won't be a big time player. Everyone with a name backed off of this kid. He wasn't good enough to play PG on this HS team. So, hopefully he will be a good role player.

He wasn't good enough to play? How about he was injured all year and couldn't play?

That was his SENIOR year that he was injured, not his 10th and 11th grade year.  Which I was talking about.  Which he wasn't playing the PG, another one of the g positions.

[SonOfMud]

This is from a guy that read "The Miracle of St. Anthony's" and his take is very interesting. 

I skipped to the last 100 or so pages where the focus is on their undefeated 2003-2004 team with Sean McCurdy and some of his recruiting.  McCurdy is the focal point in that section of the book, at least as far as the players go.  It clearly does not paint a favorable picture of Sean or his mother.  In fact, it quotes an anonymous DI coach as saying McCurdy will definitely transfer at some point during his college career.

He struggled most of the season, was easily the least popular player on the team, and saw his recruiting stock go way down during AAU summer ball.  Maryland and Indiana both stopped recruiting him with Maryland rescinding an offer that came directly from the head coach.

His mother openly criticized Coach Hurley for playing him at shooting guard rather than point guard but an assistant said there was no way he was quick enough, handled the ball well enough, or played good enough defense to play point for St. Anthony's.

Certainly, the writer is looking at McCurdy from a very similar perspective as Coach Hurley and his evaluations of Sean and the team as a whole are more based on perceived potential was rather than how they competed against their opponents.  There is some sympathy for Sean based on his youth and him being manipulated in one way by his mother and in another by his father, who was evidently a college player himself back in the seventies.  Sean's parents are divorced and it would probably be more accurate to say his mother lived with him than he lived with his mother.

Still, Sean is said to have advised his teammates to sign with the most prestigious school that offered them rather than be loyal to the coaches that have recruited them the longest.  This may well be good advice in terms of having an NBA career but it is presented in such a way that it really makes Sean look bad.

I truly hope Sean has a successful experience as a basketball player for the University of Arkansas.  However, he will arrive as the most publicly criticized recruit in the program's history.  Dudley has said that this was the guy the Razorback players and Heath really wanted out of the group of three or so point guards they ended up considering.  It will be very interesting to see how well he does as a Razorback. 

If anyone else has read the book, I would be interested to know their opinions of how McCurdy is portrayed.

I should add that McCurdy was a newcomer to the team and was adjusting to the new system, new teammates, and a very demanding coach.  These things were put forth as factors in his poor play, which they had to have been.

[PB_HOGG]

If poor play is: 15pts. 8asst. 4stl. per game, for a team that was undefeated ('03-'04) and ranked #1 in the country. I'll take it. Plus give the kid a chance and then draw your own notion. He hasn't played 1 minute for the BB-HAWGS. If he puts up solid #'s I don't care if his mom is an assistant coach.

[PB_HOGG]

He can really see the floor. He is a great open floor player, runs the break well. He can flat out stick the three. He can score and he's tough. " -Chris Matesic of the New Heights traveling team 


A positive comment on Mr. McCurdy.         http://arkansas.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=26387

[return2glory]

   What schools are Charles Rhodes looking at? I think that Arkansas was his second choice last year when he signed with MSU. He was rated higher than Thomas out of high school. I wouldn't mind picking either him or Theo Davis up.

[akp4105]

Im thinkin Gary Ervin, the MSU guard that might transfer..will probably go to a non-SEC school so he can play right away..like Sunday went to Memphis and came back..

[Jim Harris]

Does this mean we don't have the confidence in McCurdy we once did or is this just a can't miss opportunity? Thoughts?

I think they realize that McCurdy won't be a big time player. Everyone with a name backed off of this kid. He wasn't good enough to play PG on this HS team. So, hopefully he will be a good role player.

He wasn't good enough to play? How about he was injured all year and couldn't play?

That was his SENIOR year that he was injured, not his 10th and 11th grade year.  Which I was talking about. Which he wasn't playing the PG, another one of the g positions.

oh, sorry. ok.

But they did see McCurdy play point in AAU last summer. I guess they gave all those guys the ultimatum that the first one to sign would get the scholarship, and the good ones (the better ones?) were going to wait out Arkansas. Of course McCurdy jumped before those others, we were his best offer. It wasn't like we beat Duke for him.
You know what's kinda funny (in a bad funny way?). Same thing happened the year we signed Jason Gilbert. Nolan and Mike were determined not to be left waiting until April for a point guard, or anyone actually, and told the 12 main recruits that the first five to commit would get the scholies. That landed Jeffries (good, though he left), Gilbert and Hankins, and we still had to recruit two more in April after all. Paris London went with Memphis (he was a washout anyway, was that a bad evaluation) and others waited out the big names.

[Fletch]

Sunday was a special situation, that's why he got to play right away. Same with Lawrence Roberts from Baylor to MSU. If Ervin transfers to another D1 school, he will have to sit one year even if it is not SEC. He would have to sit 2 years to transfer to another SEC school unless he gets released from his Scholorship by MSU, which all indications are that they will release him. He will still have to sit 1 yr.

[tophawg19]

is that the case if M.S.U  gets probation .

[Fletch]

I believe the NCAA has to grant a waiver in order for a player not to have to sit out. Ervin's decision to transfer is his own. He is not being forced so I doubt he would qualify for waiver even if MSU does eventually land on Probation. Someone please correct me if I am wrong on this.

[sage_dragoon]

the story said that Heath has received Ervin's release and that they are recuriting him. Ervin will only have to sit one year even if he goes to another SEC school.

[CarolinaHog1176]

I think this is a bad idea to recruit Ervin....  if he comes here, he's going to be a junior in '07 and if we sign him, isn't that going to kill our chances in recruiting a top notch PG in '06 or '07?

in '07 we'll have Ervin (Jr) and McCurdy (Soph or possible RS-Fr) at the point.

[tophawg19]

i would rather see the kemp kid from memphis we would have him for 4 years .

[CarolinaHog1176]

exactly.... well, it'd be for 3 years probably

[Fletch]

Hopefully, someone like Kemp wouldn't see Ervin as a threat and McCurdy could also play the 2.

[tophawg19]

giving the scholarship to earvin would cut down on the number we have for next year .we are in on to many good H.S seniors to use 1 on a player who will be a JR. and been away from basketball
for a year .i don't know if he could practice with the team but after a year off he would be rusty .i'd prefer a 4 year player .

[Fletch]

I think he can practice with team b/c basically he would be redshirting.

[Fletch]

I have mixed feelings. I just want someone who can come in and make an impact so we can get better.

[tophawg19]

i think at this point we need what's best for the program . to start over with younger players .let what we have develop and work for a strong future .

[pioneerhog]

This guy probably will not be able to make a instant impact, he will probably have to sit out a year. Yes we are in on some good players for next year but if Heath doesn't improve this year and he is fired we might not get any of the good one we are in on.

[tophawg19]

a good coach should still be able to get them if their intrest is as high as it sounds like .the key would be hiring a top name coach .

[Fletch]

It seems to me maybe the current coach just might be the reason they are interested in us.

[tophawg19]

if he can get it done without wasting to many scholarships we will have a chance to find out . if not
then we move on . this coming year we have a tough schedule . i'll admit to being wrong about richardson's first 2 years .i thought he was crazy but i know more about basketball now .

[Fletch]

You are right. The jury is still out on Heath in my opinion. It must happen this year. If we don't show decent improvement, then it is time to move on.

[CarolinaHog1176]

It seems to me maybe the current coach just might be the reason they are interested in us.

very good point, Fletch

[akp4105]

heath isnt goin anywhere after this year..im almost 100% sure on that..he'll be the bball coach atleast 2 more years without alot of production..and i think this is the break out year anyways

[Fletch]

As long as we continue to build and improve I hope he is the coach. I like the guy. I think he has a lot of class.

[Amityvillehogger]

did we not learn our lesson with the kid from minnesota

[OKhogfan1959]

It's sad that we have fallen so low as to be talking about getting a transfer from Miss Stank!!!!!!!!!!

[akp4105]

miss "stank" beat us at bud walton, and in starkville they beat us by 25...ervin was their starter..and i'll take him any day over ferguson at point..

[OKhogfan1959]

You make my point!! That's just the point I was making..Thank you..

[hogfan98]

You make my point!! That's just the point I was making..Thank you..

i understand the point you're TRYING to make, but i think you suffer from a severe case of eliteism.  i know it would be nice think we have a more dominant program than them, but we really don't.  until recently, their football program had been nationally ranked year end and year out.  they've been a national powerhouse for decades in baseball.  their women's athletics have been strong here recently.  and their basketball team has been just short of dominant in the past 5-10 years.  they've been perenial ncaa tourny participants and they've won several sec championships, regular season and tourny.  so i would consider them one of the more consistant programs when it comes to athletics in the sec.  while they had a high payroll to accomplish this, they still did it.  this doesn't mean i like them.  i just think your statement is very unfounded.  so tell me what makes you think we shouldn't WANT compare ourselves to them, athletically only of course?

[OKhogfan1959]

have they won a national championship in bball? Do they have a BWA?
When we first came to the SEC we had no respect for Miss Stank and I still don't think they should be going crazy over one of their players transferring to here. We have no business trying to build our program with a stank reject...They also aren't respected on a national level like you respect them...Our program will not get to where it needs to be by taking transfers like this guy..

[sage_dragoon]

#6 Gary Ervin G  6-0/173 Brooklyn (NY) Notre Dame Prep (MA)

Per rivals.com, Ervin was the 6th rated PG, a 4 star recruit.

[Swino]

MSU will not grant a release to a SEC West school per MSU's coach yesterday. 

Don't count on him coming here.