Another thing that bothers me is why some Temple fans mention the Owls with NC, DUKE, Kansas, and Indiana. Just because we have made the field of 64 the last nine years in a row, doesn't mean we are like them. They have won NCAA Championships, Conference Championships, and aren't satisfied with just making the NCAA Tournament every year. It is time to get real, and wake up. This was a BAD loss, and we now look as bad or worse than Villanova has the past few years after their early exits from the big dance. We had all the attention in the city, a chance to get more people behind the program for next year like St. Joe's did last year, and we played like shit!

I enjoyed this season more than last year's. To finish with the best record in the A-10 was a great accomplishment for this team. How many of us expected this after Marc Jackson decided to leave last April? It was also good to finally SWEEP UMass again! I don't beleive it was a rebuilding season this year as other Owl fans do. We had FOUR returning starters, and as we quickly found out, 2 good rookies in Greer and Wadley. This team was expected to win 15 to 18 games back in November, that is not expectations of a rebuilding team. The "rebuilding" tag in my opioion, is just a excuse being used to hide the disappointment of the losses to GW and WVU.

Lamont Barnes, Pepe Sanchez, Lynn Greer, Quincy Wadley, and Keaton Sanders all played well this season. Lynard Stewart didn't continue to improve from the last 10 games of his junior season. I expected so much more from him this year, but he showed no consistency on offense, and wasn't a big enough factor on the boards as I anticipated. Rasheed Brokenborough and Julian Dunkley were both disappointments to me. Dunkley should have lost his starting spot in January, and Rasheed could lose his next year. Both players struggled from behind the arc in most games. Dunkley, who everyone thinks is a pure shooter, still misses more WIDE OPEN treys than he makes. Rasheed did make some big shots in some tough wins for the Owls this year, but he also missed plenty of shots in other games that were either lossess for Temple or close victories against weak teams. Malik Moore and Michael Tabb really didn't get enough playing time to say one way or the other how well they played, but they appear to be nothing more than bench players for next season. Moore might be able to supply some offense, but how is he going to get any time with Pepe, Lynn, Quincy, Rasheed, and Karcher ahead of him?

This is the famous saying that it seems that all of us Temple fans say every March. The problem is, will next year ever come?

It all starts with Pepe. If Pepe returns for his junior season, then we have to hope that Kevin Lyde passes his SAT. Then we can start to worry about fitting all the pieces together, and hope that the coaching staff can change their offensive ways to let guys like Pepe, Greer, Wadley, and especially Karcher be most effective. These guys need to play more of a up-tempo game. If they have to play in the same old Chaney system of trying not to turn the ball over on offense instead of attacking the hoop with guys that can score, this team might never reach its full potential. If everything works out for next season, this would be my starting line-up: PG-Pepe SG-Wadley WG-Karcher PF-Barnes C-Lyde. I would bring Rasheed off the bench to back up either Wadley or Karcher, and use Greer to back up Pepe or Wadley. As of now, Keaton Sanders, Michael Tabb, and Julian Dunkley would see limited minutes only in situations that required a big line-up on the floor when Barnes or Lyde got into foul trouble. The problem that most concerns me with this rotation is that I can see Greer only getting about 15 minutes a game or less. Is this going to be enough to keep him happy at Temple? And, will he be able to develope his game enough in such limited time? I doubt Chaney will replace Rasheed as a starter, but I feel that Wadley plays much better defense than him and shoots as well or better than him from the outside. Quincy needs to be on the floor for this teanm to be at its best, and Rasheed could provide some senior experience off the bench. This squad should win the A-10 and get to the sweet 16 if everyone lives up to the hype. (NEXT YEAR DOES COME)

If Pepe doesn't return, then we have to hope that Lynn is ready to lead this team to an A-10 Championship and to the sweet 16 as a sophomore. Can he do it, maybe. He is not the defender or rebounder that Pepe is, but he is a much better shooter and a good ball handler. Still could win the A-10 and get to the sweet 16, but would be much easier with Pepe. (NEXT YEAR COULD COME)

If Pepe does return, but Lyde is ineligible, than we have to hope that Karcher is the man. We would also need Rasheed and Dunkley to be much improved from behind the arc. Keaton Sanders would also play an important role in this situation. Could this team reach its goals with Sanders as the starting power forward? Could be a repeat of this year's regular season(20 wins), with a first round victory in the NCAA Tournament being the only difference. (WILL NEED KARCHER TO BE THE MAN for NEXT YEAR TO COME)

If Pepe doesn't return and Lyde isn't eligible, we are right where we started this season at. We would be a team that should make the NCAA Tournament, and would have to do a lot of things right to win the A-10 and get to the sweet 16. Karcher would still be the key. If he doesn't produce, this team could struggle. Barnes would have to produce a low post game, and Rasheed and Dunkley would have to provide outside shooting. Greer and Wadley can't afford to have a sophomore jinx, and Sanders would see playing time again at the power forward spot. If everyone improves, this squad could win, but we are probably another year away. If so, then that would mean that once again next year never came, and we would be saying "Wait Until Next Year" again!

I hope that everything works out with Pepe and Lyde. I hope we can sign another top recruit. I hope that all the returning players improve their game over the summer , especially Lamont and Rasheed. I hope Coach Chaney isn't just happy to be one of the 64 teams playing after the first week of March, I hope he expects to be one of the last 16 to still be alive after the second week of March. But, as we all found out on March 12th, a team that was supposed to be a TOP 15 team this year-- lost their returning A-10 player of the Year--and their McDonald's All-American wasn't eligible--so they ended up losing in the semifinals of the A-10 Tournament and gettting beat in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by 30 points.

GO OWLS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I CAN'T WAIT ANY LONGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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