Bear Down Wildcats

I'm starting to think Arizona's still got a shot at landing IR. Zero chance two weeks ago. hmmm

I'm guessing the situation is grayer than broad conclusions drawn from snippets of interviews and tweets. Playing where the family/friends can watch doesn't preclude wanting to win. It's a factor to be weighed against others. Nobody said Sean Elliott wasn't about winning because he chose the hometown team. When Jason Kidd chose Cal, it wasn't a very good program.

ZONACAT wrote:
I'll be bemused if Rabb picks Arizona because he will be the first Arizona player I know of to choose Arizona when he actively wanted to go to another school. I'm sticking with Rabb choosing Cal, going 0-2 against Arizona and watching the NCAAT from his couch.

Bemused? Sounds like you'll be mad.

gumby wrote:

ZONACAT wrote:
I'll be bemused if Rabb picks Arizona because he will be the first Arizona player I know of to choose Arizona when he actively wanted to go to another school. I'm sticking with Rabb choosing Cal, going 0-2 against Arizona and watching the NCAAT from his couch.

Bemused? Sounds like you'll be mad.

That is what I mentioned earlier, it's amazing there are fans who don't want him. Rabb makes the Cats even better.

gumby wrote:I'm guessing the situation is grayer than broad conclusions drawn from snippets of interviews and tweets. Playing where the family/friends can watch doesn't preclude wanting to win. It's a factor to be weighed against others. Nobody said Sean Elliott wasn't about winning because he chose the hometown team. When Jason Kidd chose Cal, it wasn't a very good program.

Bozeman wiped those years away.

gumby wrote:

ZONACAT wrote:
I'll be bemused if Rabb picks Arizona because he will be the first Arizona player I know of to choose Arizona when he actively wanted to go to another school. I'm sticking with Rabb choosing Cal, going 0-2 against Arizona and watching the NCAAT from his couch.

Bemused? Sounds like you'll be mad.

Mad? Na, it's fun to have a villain.

Like Hansen said, pretty obvious call for Rabb just based on this, especially when his mom's choice for him is well known:


I will be pleased if he surprises everyone and picks UA, but if he goes as expected to Cal won't make one bit of difference to me. Always was a big fan of Kidd.

Okay, now I'm bummed out ...reality setting in.

Irish27 wrote:

More like 12 miles away and a 20 minute drive, but ok Greg.

Merkin wrote:Like Hansen said, pretty obvious call for Rabb just based on this, especially when his mom's choice for him is well known:

I will be pleased if he surprises everyone and picks UA, but if he goes as expected to Cal won't make one bit of difference to me. Always was a big fan of Kidd.

SJ's decision matters more than Rabb's.

Irish27 wrote:

Frybry02 wrote:

Irish27 wrote:Why would Anderson be guaranteed a starting position? The best player starts.

He's not but if it there was a battle between Anderson and Rabb for a starting spot, my money would be RA. He has a year in the system and has proven he could get done it at the college level.

Anderson knew Miller was recruiting Rabb, so if Ivan does come here, made the better person start. Btw, after reading all these posts, if Rabb does commit to the UofA, I get the feeling most will be pissed.

Not me. Can never have too much talent. Plus I can continue to laugh at all the people who made definitive statements about a 17-year-old kid's character from tweets and boring interview cliches.

Merkin wrote:Like Hansen said, pretty obvious call for Rabb just based on this, especially when his mom's choice for him is well known:

It is?

Chicat wrote:

Merkin wrote:Like Hansen said, pretty obvious call for Rabb just based on this, especially when his mom's choice for him is well known:

It is?

Merkin has Scout premium, so at least he knows that what's well known isn't accurate at all.

Is it still a killer class he's working on now that Swanigan is out? Once Brown commits elsewhere, will Rabb and some 3-stars be a killer class?

Irish27 wrote:

This is the same guy who thinks Swanigan is joining him? I go from zero hope to a tiny bit of hope.

Package deals are like Viagra to Zagoria.

"Killer class"? Funny Adam, considering Swanigan is already Izzo-bound and Jaylen Brown is not a given for any package anymore.

Getting Rabb doesn't make Cal any more big-time than when the Bears had Shareef Abdur-Rahim. He makes any team better, but he is not a program-raising recruit in the Sean Elliott category, or even Kevin Love.

Lol @ the 69th rated two guard being a huge land.

Id be shocked if Rabb chose us, unless in his head he can understand he is going to have to stay two years to get major minutes. I just dont see him beating out Anderson at the four

I wonder if playing in the NCAA tournament is important to Rabb. Because Cal won't be doing so anytime soon.

ChooChooCat wrote:

Irish27 wrote:

More like 12 miles away and a 20 minute drive, but ok Greg.

yeah, this place is hardly local to cal. it's also considered an east bay institution by probably no one, so whatever. rabb is announcing there because it's next to bishop o'dowd.

glad that ivan's ready to announce and unload this recruitment from his shoulders once and for all. i'm sure he'll be very happy at either school.

Come on down Tollefson!

Irish27 wrote:

Frybry02 wrote:

Irish27 wrote:Why would Anderson be guaranteed a starting position? The best player starts.

He's not but if it there was a battle between Anderson and Rabb for a starting spot, my money would be RA. He has a year in the system and has proven he could get done it at the college level.

Anderson knew Miller was recruiting Rabb, so if Ivan does come here, made the better person start. Btw, after reading all these posts, if Rabb does commit to the UofA, I get the feeling most will be pissed.

And isn't that ridiculous? How dare he take his time to decide and try to make staying home viable by trying to help put together a superclass? If he doesn't fall to his knees weeping at the moment of our offer, he is a malcontent. Never mind that the staff never backed off of him. Never mind we have consistently been in his top 2 this whole time. No..because his first inkling was to try to stay home and get his friends to join him, he is a bad kid who now, despite pretty consistent rankings and follow from CSM, is not Arizona quality.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to have Rabb. I don't blame him for wanting to stay close to home. He should always lookout for himself first and foremost. No reason to wish the kid ill-will.

With that being said, if Rabb does choose UA, I don't know if he would be the best PF on the team.

Frybry02 wrote:Don't get me wrong, I would love to have Rabb. I don't blame him for wanting to stay close to home. He should always lookout for himself first and foremost. No reason to wish the kid ill-will.

With that being said, if Rabb does choose UA, I don't know if he would be the best PF on the team.

He won't be, at least not right away. Anderson's experience puts him a notch ahead and makes him the likely starter. Which would be a good thing for Rabb if he's coming to learn to be the best no matter how long it takes or a bad thing if he's showcasing himself for an immediate jump to the league.

Personally I want Rabb but still think Cal is the better choice for him.

By the end of the day, everyone will be ready to move on, thankfully. I would be very happy as well as surprised if Rabb does select us.

I can't remember the last time we invested this much in a recruit and didn't get him.

Beachcat97 wrote:I can't remember the last time we invested this much in a recruit and didn't get him.

Justise Winslow

Chicat wrote:

Frybry02 wrote:Don't get me wrong, I would love to have Rabb. I don't blame him for wanting to stay close to home. He should always lookout for himself first and foremost. No reason to wish the kid ill-will.

With that being said, if Rabb does choose UA, I don't know if he would be the best PF on the team.

He won't be, at least not right away. Anderson's experience puts him a notch ahead and makes him the likely starter. Which would be a good thing for Rabb if he's coming to learn to be the best no matter how long it takes or a bad thing if he's showcasing himself for an immediate jump to the league.

Personally I want Rabb but still think Cal is the better choice for him.

I'm not sure. Look at Kentucky. None of those guys hurt their draft stock, in fact, I think a few guys helped themselves by playing alongside talent that could camouflage their shortcomings (for instance the fact Cauley-Stein is a junior and has no offensive game).

A prospect doesn't always benefit from the NBA getting more tape on him. The NBA does.

I want Rabb as he is a talent that I think will help Arizona for the next 2 years (I don't see a one and done player unless he goes like Jerrett). That said Arizona will be fine either way and I will just be happy this appears that it will be over tomorrow. If Rabb wants to stay at home he can be on the receiving ends of a couple of a beatings this year and then deal with the loaded 16 team.

Yeah the huge part of it is his 2nd year, because that's our next great team if things work out

The only reason for choosing Cal ..staying near home. Nothing else.

Edit
Unless he wants a degree from there.

Assuming Rabb still wants to stay home, it's TJ Leaf who hit the jackpot.

EVCat wrote:

Irish27 wrote:

Frybry02 wrote:

Irish27 wrote:Why would Anderson be guaranteed a starting position? The best player starts.

He's not but if it there was a battle between Anderson and Rabb for a starting spot, my money would be RA. He has a year in the system and has proven he could get done it at the college level.

Anderson knew Miller was recruiting Rabb, so if Ivan does come here, made the better person start. Btw, after reading all these posts, if Rabb does commit to the UofA, I get the feeling most will be pissed.

And isn't that ridiculous? How dare he take his time to decide and try to make staying home viable by trying to help put together a superclass? If he doesn't fall to his knees weeping at the moment of our offer, he is a malcontent. Never mind that the staff never backed off of him. Never mind we have consistently been in his top 2 this whole time. No..because his first inkling was to try to stay home and get his friends to join him, he is a bad kid who now, despite pretty consistent rankings and follow from CSM, is not Arizona quality.

^ Exactly.

I laugh when people try and characterize our fanbase as any different from every other one. We're not... Kids are heroes when they choose us and villains when they don't. Every fanbase has a rational minority.

ZONACAT wrote:

Merkin wrote:

Chicat wrote:CST is going to feel pretty silly when Rabb becomes a Wildcat.

What about Scheer? The internet never forgets.

I'll be bemused if Rabb picks Arizona because he will be the first Arizona player I know of to choose Arizona when he actively wanted to go to another school. I'm sticking with Rabb choosing Cal, going 0-2 against Arizona and watching the NCAAT from his couch.

Then you should either pay closer attention or check your memory.

Miles Simon always wanted UNC but never got an offer. Iguodala spurned UA for Arkansas until Richardson got fired. Lute made a living for years off of kids who were spurned by UCLA... In fact, I think Hassan Adams was the first So CA kid that UCLA prioritized who chose UA.

Harvey Specter wrote:

ZONACAT wrote:

Merkin wrote:

Chicat wrote:CST is going to feel pretty silly when Rabb becomes a Wildcat.

What about Scheer? The internet never forgets.

I'll be bemused if Rabb picks Arizona because he will be the first Arizona player I know of to choose Arizona when he actively wanted to go to another school. I'm sticking with Rabb choosing Cal, going 0-2 against Arizona and watching the NCAAT from his couch.

Then you should either pay closer attention or check your memory.

Miles Simon always wanted UNC but never got an offer. Iguodala spurned UA for Arkansas until Richardson got fired. Lute made a living for years off of kids who were spurned by UCLA... In fact, I think Hassan Adams was the first So CA kid that UCLA prioritized who chose UA.

I am fully aware of all of this. You really went out of your way to twist the meaning of my words, Rabb has been actively recruiting for Cal and Cuonzo, he hasn't been going back and forth about where to go to school. He wants to go to Cal.

And it is pretty clear he isn't the first player who wanted to go elsewhere who might end up in a UA uniform. Not sure what twisting here is. Miles wanted UNC...he got UA. Iggy wanted Arkansas...until it was not what he wanted (like Rabb wanting Cal to be something different than it will end up?). Other players wanted to go to UCLA, "settled" with us, and did fine. Those players weren't "going back and forth." In fact, Rabb would be even more true Arizona because he CAN go to Cal if he wants...If he comes to Arizona over Cal, he has already shown more loyalty than our past players that never even had the opportunity to go to the school they wanted. Not that it matters...if he comes, once he is here, he is a Cat.

Kid wanted to stay home and make the home team a big winner. It didn't work out, so now he has to decide if home is important enough to play on a far lesser team than he envisioned. Yeah, he recruited for Cal...he wanted to make home happen in a big way. The only reason he would leave home is for a better situation...that is often true. He tried to make home worth his time. If he chooses us, it shows he wants to win, and realizes we are a better fit than home. So why be down on him for that?

(edited to add) the only reason for any Arizona fan to have issue with him is he took his time. And that is a really silly reason...he inconvenienced some overbearing fans by causing them to wait. If he comes, he comes...if he goes to Cal, good for him, and I think he made a career mistake but family is a good reason to make that mistake.

ZONACAT wrote:

Harvey Specter wrote:

ZONACAT wrote:

Merkin wrote:

Chicat wrote:CST is going to feel pretty silly when Rabb becomes a Wildcat.

What about Scheer? The internet never forgets.

I'll be bemused if Rabb picks Arizona because he will be the first Arizona player I know of to choose Arizona when he actively wanted to go to another school. I'm sticking with Rabb choosing Cal, going 0-2 against Arizona and watching the NCAAT from his couch.

Then you should either pay closer attention or check your memory.

Miles Simon always wanted UNC but never got an offer. Iguodala spurned UA for Arkansas until Richardson got fired. Lute made a living for years off of kids who were spurned by UCLA... In fact, I think Hassan Adams was the first So CA kid that UCLA prioritized who chose UA.

I am fully aware of all of this. You really went out of your way to twist the meaning of my words, Rabb has been actively recruiting for Cal and Cuonzo, he hasn't been going back and forth about where to go to school. He wants to go to Cal.

then why didn't he commit right after state? makes no sense to recruit his buddies along without announcing himself if cal was a done deal. he obviously wanted to go as part of a package deal. since that isn't happening, he's got some thinking to do.

EVCat wrote:And it is pretty clear he isn't the first player who wanted to go elsewhere who might end up in a UA uniform. Not sure what twisting here is. Miles wanted UNC...he got UA. Iggy wanted Arkansas...until it was not what he wanted (like Rabb wanting Cal to be something different than it will end up?). Other players wanted to go to UCLA, "settled" with us, and did fine. Those players weren't "going back and forth." In fact, Rabb would be even more true Arizona because he CAN go to Cal if he wants...If he comes to Arizona over Cal, he has already shown more loyalty than our past players that never even had the opportunity to go to the school they wanted. Not that it matters...if he comes, once he is here, he is a Cat.

Kid wanted to stay home and make the home team a big winner. It didn't work out, so now he has to decide if home is important enough to play on a far lesser team than he envisioned. Yeah, he recruited for Cal...he wanted to make home happen in a big way. The only reason he would leave home is for a better situation...that is often true. He tried to make home worth his time. If he chooses us, it shows he wants to win, and realizes we are a better fit than home. So why be down on him for that?

Couldn't have said it better. I agree with every word

similarly, jahii would've been a wildcat if josiah hadn't committed first. and upshaw was hot on Arizona until kaleb's verbal. happens all the time.

dirtbags wrote:similarly, jahii would've been a wildcat if josiah hadn't committed first. and upshaw was hot on Arizona until kaleb's verbal. happens all the time.

Don't think that's true. Jahii's mom didn't want him playing with Nick Johnson.

etank34 wrote:

dirtbags wrote:similarly, jahii would've been a wildcat if josiah hadn't committed first. and upshaw was hot on Arizona until kaleb's verbal. happens all the time.

Don't think that's true. Jahii's mom didn't want him playing with Nick Johnson.

hah! really? i don't remember that, but it sounds about right for the carsons

Where is Carson these days? Upper Mongolia?

EVcat, you nailed it. great post. I've caught up on sleep this weekend. Thinking about Rabb, I could care less at this point. He comes to Arizona, great, but he'll have to prove himself for playing time. He goes to Cal, great too, It will be great giving him a beatdown.

Mom's restaurant menu looks good. Have to check it out when I get back west.

Longhorned wrote: Merkin has Scout premium

Scheer never could get my account straightened out. Is it really that hard to switch my Scout handle to Merkin?

Merkin wrote:

Longhorned wrote: Merkin has Scout premium

Scheer never could get my account straightened out. Is it really that hard to switch my Scout handle to Merkin?

As far as I know, yes. Impossible even. I had to give up and be LonghornedWingFat. Maybe you can be MerkinWingFat. Everyone can just at "WingFat" to their handle and keep moving forward.

EVCat wrote:And it is pretty clear he isn't the first player who wanted to go elsewhere who might end up in a UA uniform. Not sure what twisting here is. Miles wanted UNC...he got UA. Iggy wanted Arkansas...until it was not what he wanted (like Rabb wanting Cal to be something different than it will end up?). Other players wanted to go to UCLA, "settled" with us, and did fine. Those players weren't "going back and forth." In fact, Rabb would be even more true Arizona because he CAN go to Cal if he wants...If he comes to Arizona over Cal, he has already shown more loyalty than our past players that never even had the opportunity to go to the school they wanted. Not that it matters...if he comes, once he is here, he is a Cat.

Kid wanted to stay home and make the home team a big winner. It didn't work out, so now he has to decide if home is important enough to play on a far lesser team than he envisioned. Yeah, he recruited for Cal...he wanted to make home happen in a big way. The only reason he would leave home is for a better situation...that is often true. He tried to make home worth his time. If he chooses us, it shows he wants to win, and realizes we are a better fit than home. So why be down on him for that?

(edited to add) the only reason for any Arizona fan to have issue with him is he took his time. And that is a really silly reason...he inconvenienced some overbearing fans by causing them to wait. If he comes, he comes...if he goes to Cal, good for him, and I think he made a career mistake but family is a good reason to make that mistake.

Here is what is twisting, Miles didn't have a UNC offer or he commits. Iggy had a LOI, made a decision and Arkansas fired Nolan. These aren't similar scenarios to Rabb. It is one thing to have a committable offer to the school (coach) you want and not go, and not have an offer to the school you want and not go. The latter happens all the time.

But so what? Just shows that "bleed red and blue " can still happen. Even as a "villain. "