Tuesday, January 13, 2015

This Week in Wrenball: Bearded Ladies and Undersized Rebounders

I'm not Thomas Jefferson
Bill Chambers averaged 20.2 points and 21.7 rebounds per game in 1953. Jeff Cohen went for 24.2 and 18.1 in 1960. David Cox dropped double-digit dimes four times in his Tribe career. Thomas Jefferson dominated in the post, his 6'3" frame the 18th Century equivalent of a 7-footer.

But never, in W&M's 110 years of competitive hoops, had a Wren recorded a triple double. Until Saturday, when junior guard Terry Tarpey scored 18 points, pulled down 11 rebounds, and delivered 10 assists in the Tribe's 81-73 win over JMU. The 6'5" Tarpey was named CAA Co-Player of the Week, adding a career-high 22 points and 13 boards in W&M's 85-79 loss to Elon on Thursday.

Marcus Thornton receives his share of well-deserved press as the Tribe's offensive leader. But the 6'5" Tarpey has arguably the most well-rounded game of any of Tony Shaver's players. In his first two seasons, the Connecticut native was mostly known for his athleticism, defense, and dirty work. Though he came to Williamsburg with a reputation as a scorer (his father graduated as New York University's all-time leading scorer), Tarpey's contributions were generally hustle-related. He led the Tribe in rebounding as a sophomore, grabbing 6.1 boards/game. Presaging his all-around leadership this season, he was one of only two players in the CAA to place in the league's top 12 in defensive rebounding, blocked shots, and steals.

Like the Tribe, Tarpey had a solid, if hardly remarkable, out of conference performance. But the beginning of CAA play heralded an entirely new Tarpey, altogether. In four league games, he's averaging 15.3 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.5 blocks, while shooting 59% from the field and 85.7% from the line. Those are plaid numbers. He leads W&M in boards, assists, steals, and blocks, equally absurd. He's second in the CAA in rebounding to Drexel's pogo stick, Rodney Williams, leads the league in blocked shots per game (did I mention that he's a 6'5"wing?), is fourth in steals/game and fifth in assists/game. He's a Renaissance ballplayer. A Wrenaissance man, if you will. (You won't? Eh, can't say I blame you.)

Tarpey's also tough as nails, an attribute not necessarily available in large quantities in the Tribe locker room historically. W&M's 3-1 start (woulda coulda shoulda been 4-0) matched the expectation we set for them at the beginning of the CAA's season-opening four-games-in-eight days sprint. More than any single player, Tarpey set the tone.

We don't expect triple doubles, or 15/11/4 lines, for that matter. But if a reasonable facsimile of this Tarpey joins Thornton, the emerging Daniel Dixon, and the talented, if erratic, Omar Prewitt for the remainder of the season, there aren't many CAA teams that can match the Tribe for all-around talent.

And that's as rare and magical as the bearded lady at the circus.

42 comments:

rob said...

urban meyer is a goddamn genius

zman said...

Wrenaissance! Oh I will.

Mark said...

I'm really looking forward to Jim Harbaugh giving Urban heartburn. Feels like the only thing stopping him anytime soon.

mayhugh said...

It's possible that if I had Ezekiel Elliot's abs, I would wear half shirts exclusively.

zman said...

That's why all my shirts have holes over my nipples.

Danimal said...

Played a couple holes behind Clemens today. Gettin fat. He says hello.

Dave said...

golf? it's going to be 14 here tonight and my son and i have some awful stomach virus. FU to the two of you.

Danimal said...

Golf it was. It was overcast though.

TR said...

Dave - Rusted Root and the Wailers are playing in New Brunswick on Tues 6/2. Let's get weeded and go.

Let me know!

rob said...

cool blog recommendation from a fogtb:

http://bittersoutherner.com/the-best-southern-albums-of-2014#.VLXPNFpNk21

very eclectic list of records released this year, from old 97s to run the jewels to a recording of prisoners from the notorious parchman prison in the middle of the century.

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rob said...

so this kurt busch story is...interesting.

Mark said...

Bitter Southerner is pretty cool. Lots of good food, music, culture stuff.

Mark said...

Good nugget on Marcus Thornton near the bottom of this column.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/24961484/observations-louisvilles-chris-jones-a-changed-man-since-benching

rob said...

that's cool to see in print - rothstein loves marcus - but i'll believe it when i see it. he's got to show he can defend at an nba level. not there yet.

rob said...

in other tribe news, we're 11.5 point favorites at home against uncw tonight. wrens are unbeaten at home, but that number scares me. uncw beat northeastern in boston earlier in the year, and while their style is a good match for us, i just can't wrap my brain around the tribe giving anyone double digits.

Danimal said...

rob...are you 2-2 on these wren predictions?

rob said...

indeed, danimal. stay medium.

Dave said...

TR-- they are playing at the state theater, which is kind of a weird place to see a show-- it's definitely a theater, but i still might be up for it.

mayhugh said...

Yikes - that Busch story. One of the two has a case of the crazy.

T.J. said...

his attorney is Rusty Hardin, of Clemens trial fame?

Mark said...

Hardin was Adrian Peterson's attorney last year. Rusty does quite well for himself.

mr kq said...

The other TJ has some good Rusty stories.

Danimal said...

On Kurt Busch's EX bush
http://thebiglead.com/2015/01/14/patricia-driscoll-kurt-busch-trained-assassin-ex-is-a-pocket-commando/

I'm thinking they are both a little cray cray

rob said...

3-2, danimal. huge win for the wrens. down 20 at halftime, win by 4. onions.

Danimal said...

you're half man. half amazing.

rob said...

someone post something, man

Danimal said...

I've got a 2:00 conference call otherwise I'd get right on it. If nothing is up when I finish I shall make an attempt to meet your request. Yours.

zman said...

I'm going to a three day conference in Vegas in March. March Madness, my first trip to Vegas, perfect. zwoman convinced me to turn this into a family trip so we're going out before the conference and staying a whole week.

Where the hell can I say with a 4 year old and an 11 month old in Vegas? Aside from a trip to the Grand Canyon, what the hell do I do with kids in Vegas?

Danimal said...

sorry...that's not really gonna pan out.

Danimal said...

Z...check out vrbo.com - you'll see a ton of very reasonable options with more room including kitchen, separate bed and bathrooms and not to mention way less than you'd spend on a hotel.

zman said...

Thanks Dmal.

In other news, I continue to be amazed by the font of erudition that flows forth every time Ray Lewis opens his mouth:

1. Apparently the rules of football were not made by men. And Ray Lewis has integrity!

"There are so many rules in this game that is a very simple game. My argument: If you want to make this game and keep this game pure so where integrity drives this game, leave all these man-made lawyer rules out of the game," he said.

2. Ray Lewis is an existentialist--apparently the Tuck Rule exists despite the fact that there is no such thing as a Tuck Rule. He also refuses to recognize the existence of Tom Brady's SB championships from 2003 and 2004.

"The only reason we know who Tom Brady is, [it's] because of the tuck rule. There's no such thing as the tuck rule! If the ball is in your hand, and I knock it out of your hand -- whether it's going backwards, forwards, lateral, sideways, however it's coming out -- that's a freaking fumble," Lewis said. "But guess what we created? We created a freaking tuck rule!"

3. Ray Lewis lobbies to be the next NFL commissioner, and he's about as well spoken as Goodell. When Ray Lewis is the commish, The People bring the rules to Ray and he will decide whether they sensibly belong in His Game.

"There's a bunch of rules in our game that does not belong in our game. If I'm the commissioner, I leave the game alone," he said. "I tell the people, don't bring me no rules that don't make sense in my game."

mayhugh said...

Zman - look up the Silverton. It is off the strip, inexpensive hotel nights ($45-$100 a night, depending on when you go), cheap eats including a >$15 breakfast buffet, and a giant Bass Pro Shops in it. And come see me at the Excalibur when you're there. They gave me a great package.

mayhugh said...

That should be <$15

zman said...

Thanks. I'll look into the silverton. I'm there we week of March 9.

Marls said...

Nothing says party like cheap buffets and a bass pro shop.

Mark said...

My Ten Crack Commandments mug came in the mail today!

Thanks for the heads up, Z.

Clarence said...

Marls, Whitney, Clarence. New Orleans. Tonight. Tomorrow. Saturday. Sunday. Stay tuned.

Mark said...

What? You dick!!

I want to go to New Orleans.

Mark said...

Gary Payton Jr. and Shawn Kemp Jr. are playing against each other in a college basketball game tonight. We are so fucking old.

Marls said...

Hello Gheorghies.

Mark, meet us here.

Clarence said...

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