A Glimpse Into The On Court Chemistry Between Fruit and Rainbow

Q&A with BenWilson

What Undertaker is to WrestleMania, so BenWilson is to PCTI captaincy.

Recently I had the chance to ask him about PCTI Cincinnati.

1. For those who say I insulted Abe by declining the first pick, I say....

 As good as it feels to be 8-1 as an undefeated captain, it wasn't all that competitive the last two years.  I want Cincy to be the most competitive PCTI in history.

2. The thing I don't get enough credit for when it comes to my PCTI game is...

Rebounding and (barely) help defense...I obviously can't guard anyone with the ball, but am fairly decent at being mostly where I need to be and shooting lanes off the ball. And I think I'm one of the better rebounders in PCTI that goes about it quietly.

3. Looking at team Sabin, I'm most worried that...

Abe/Joe are both hot over the weekend and Team Sabin rides their superior outside shooting to a series victory.

4. Some have said I reached for TP, to which I say...

 If back to form, I will have exploited the unknown and gotten one of the best value picks of the draft.

5. Smo is...

Who?

6. The guy on my squad who I'm most looking forward to playing with is...

Brent Carney, it's hard to have never played with someone after all these years, yet here we are. I like his game and think he's a great teammate.

7. If I could change one thing about PCTI...

I would see if we could get some Adult sized jerseys.

8. The most annoying guy in PCTI is...

Daniel Krow, which is why I had to draft him.  Couldn't take his antics otherwise.

9. I hear the name Beas and I think...

PCTI VII MVP, and the second guy I'm most looking forward to playing with. I don't think he liked my game in our first couple times playing together, and he may still not, but I think we're going to do good things this year.

10. #RealTalk PCTI Cincy will come down to...

The first 5 minutes of each game. Team Wilson is not built to play from behind (on the court anyway ;p), so it's crucial we don't fall behind early. The other two keys will be offensive rebounding and bench play, and I think Team Wilson has a decided advantage in both categories, which will ultimately bring us a victory.

Ranking the Organizers of Each PCTI-Part 2

PCTI 5: Denver, CO
Host: Abe Stephen

• Gym: Gym within a workout facility but had enough privacy to suffice.  Hardwood and floor length were good, as were the rims.  No working scoreboard posed an issue, fortunately no games were close.
• Grade: C.
• Refs: Showing up last minute and Abe's lack of communication had everyone wondering if they were in fact were coming, but the unit lead by the female ref did an admirable job despite the initial scare.
• Grade: B.
• Hotel/Location: Grading this one based on the organizers choice is the way this will go... Some of you might not remember Abe's initial booking as the Koala didn't last ten minutes in the room before making the wise executive decision to make a change.  Finding out later in the process Abe had not made his way to check out the hotel shows why he made the decision to put us in a business park, thus earning the horrible grade he is receiving..
• Grade: F.
• Stats: Thankfully PCTI groupie Brittany Thomson showed up to keep score so we at least had that, but Abe clearly made zero effort to try and find a score or stat keeper, thus earning the horrible grade he is receiving.
• Grade: F.
• Restaurants: A part of me wanted to look at what his itinerary showed, because there's no way in hell any of it was followed.  Seeing as how his hotel choice was 20 minutes from downtown, there clearly was no restaurants chosen, thus earning the horrible grade he is receiving.
• Grade: F.
• Nightlife: We had some good nights on the Denver party seen and have some good pics to prove it. Everything was within walking distance of the hotel the Koala chose, and nothing was in the area of the one Abe initially chose, thus earning the horrible grade he is receiving.
• Grade: F.
• Overall: The bright side of this low grade is that Abe clearly is not bothered by anything in any capacity, and he walks around with his low marks like it's a badge of honor. It's possible he bit off a little more than he could chew by choosing to host while starting up a very labor intensive and high stress dog walking business (which is now flourishing by the way), and one has to wonder if waiting another year would have yielded different results.  Denver brought everything possible to doom PCTI (two key injuries and two drop outs last minute), a sweep, and zero effort from the host, but like all good companies, has forced us to change and evolve into the heavyweight we are today.
• Grade: F.

PCTI 6: Portland, OR

Host: The Nature Boy

• Gym: Long drive from hotel and no AC lead to a couple cramps but also a lot more calories burned and some always enjoyable van time.  It was standalone but had people using before and after which although not a big deal, could be perceived as annoying.
• Grade: B.
• Refs: As always, a rivalry between one of the refs and the Actor stole the show, but overall the group was very good and very engaged.
• Grade: B.
• Hotel/Location: Small,trendy rooms but great location with access to the city and the homeless hangout on the water.  The waitress that served breakfast at the hotel the first day still goes down in my history book of the most out of left field human I've ever experienced.
• Stats: None kept, handled by Ben and Hops.
• Grade: Incomplete.
• Restaurants: Will forever hold a spot in my heart as the first time I had a breakfast sandwich from my favorite place in the US, Fried Egg I'm In Love.  Some great choices from the Koala that covered Portland's unique local flair, and who could ever forget the chair breaking on Deuce?
• Grade: A.
• Nightlife: The get together at Nature's was one of my favorite nights in the last few years.  In a rare moment of rallying, DTB came back out despite his fury at Wes trying to break his neck, and showed the PCTI Through The Years video that went a thousand times better than expected.  There weren't a lot of late nights, but a lot of good times.
• Grade: A.
• Overall: Nature stepped up and pumped life back into PCTI despite another year of a dwindled roster and lack of competitive ball.  Although it didn't fit the criteria, it's worth noting one of the best times this group has ever had was the hike through the Artic Tundra, lead by BC and Smo's wisecracks and Beas's annoying calmness.  The private tour of the Blazers facility was a nice touch, as was the trip to the Adidas facility.  The overall trip was great and everyone left with a feeling like they got the full Portland experience.
• Overall: A.

Q&A Inside the Actor's Studio

Last week I launched what I hope will be a reoccurring series. It has appeal to me because it takes about two minutes of effort on my end and puts the responsibility on the receiver to do all the work.

The idea is simple: I pick one PCTI participant at random and email him a list of the first ten questions I think of.

The first email went out to Actor. Everyone else needs to keep an eye out for a similar email coming at them. I didn't give Actor any forewarning but he was a good sport and it doesn't appear he had to spend too much of his time (some of you make clear just how valuable your time is) answering the questions to give us a little insight.

-----

1. My reputation among the PCTI bretheren is....

Sensitive and a thread killer.

2. The thing in PCTI I get the least credit for is....

Great Looks.

3. My biggest enemy in PCTI is...

Referees.

4. My biggest ally in PCTI is...

Bryan McKinney aka Bestie.

5. If I was chairmen of the Bored for a day I would change...

PCTI being played in West Coast Cities ONLY. Other than that, the Board has done an admirable job.

6. The guy in PCTI that everyone is sleeping on is...

Godon. He's keeping me up at night so I'm not sleeping on him.

7. My squad this year for PCTI is...

The OLDEST team in PCTI History (average age of the projected starting 5: 33-years-old).

8. I worry that Team Kuala (Ben's team) will...

Sweep us with ease. These teams are eerily similar to PCTI IIIII.

9. When I combine with Abe on the court....

He scores a lot of buckets. I get jealous.

10. Dani is....

Very deserving of his draft status. Him and Hops make a ton of winning plays. He effects games other than his "scoring."

Ranking the Organizers of Each PCTI-Two Part Series

People can say what they want about Sabin, but having him back has lit a fire under me they I'm having trouble extinguishing.  It feels like 3 years ago where I wake up thinking about it and all I want to do each day is find someone to discuss it with.

I requested someone make a post, but I know that won't happen, so I will do what I do best and entertain myself.

One thing that I've been really looking forward to is Donley finally getting his opportunity to host. You have to give the guy credit... Every year he's taken a beating, but each year continues to propose and hype up Cincy with more confidence than Smo does catching a pass.  It's been well documented that I've always felt smaller cities lend itself better to PCTI than big one's, and above all else the organizer is what will make the weekend standout most.  He knows the city inside and out, is passionate about what it has to offer, is well connected, and most importantly, is very prideful.  Those are the qualities that deliver, and I'm confident it's going to be one of the best yet.

With that said, allow me to pass out some grades to each organizer for PCTI's 1-4, with the following metric system:

• Gym.
• Refs.
• Hotel/Location.
• Stats.
• Restaurants.
• Nightlife.

PCTI 1 & 2: Lexington, KY

Host: The Brat

• Gym: One of the most unique gyms we will ever find, the random, standalone gym in the middle of nowhere was one of The Brat's greatest finds.  It brought a level of privacy that set the tone for years to come.  The only thing keeping it from an A were the dangerous ramps alongside the floor, and the lack of AC that had all of us cramping.
• Grade: B.
• Refs: As with most groups, there were a couple controversial calls, but one very engaged ref kept them from being below average.
• Grade: B.
• Hotel/Location: Year one having a Priceline victory of $100/room at the Hyatt connected to the stadium was a unique experience and gave some walk ability.  Year two trying our same luck did not lend itself nicely as we wound up at a Residence Inn away from everything.
• Grade: B (because of the Hyatt).
• Stats: WL Stats set the tone, but ended up ruining stats for years to come by setting the bar so high.  The duo loved PCTI as much as we did, provided accurate stats, and had them handed out each half and after games.
• Grade: A.
• Restaurants: Years one and two were a beating, and way before we all became friends.  The meals were not a focus, but year one at a local cafe will be forever one of my favorite moments when Abe ordered a beer and said "I can't believe we are doing this.  This is fucking awesome."
• Grade: C.
• Nightlife: In two years I recall two guys going out a total of one night.
• Grade: Incomplete.
• OVERALL: Tasked with having 14 guys he didn't know come in town, BC put together two great performances with a lot of uncertainty.  This grade would have been substantially higher if we knew each other better and gave each other more time to get acclimated, but in spite of that, the first two years were the reason we are still here today.
• Grade: B+.

PCTI 3: Plano, TX

Host: Jeff Sabin

• Gym: It's important to note as we lead into this that we put Sabin in a near impossible situation of organizing a PCTI on Easter Weekend knowing Good Friday and Easter Sunday at two days no one wants to do anything.  As far as a gym goes, Sabin hooked up a quality gym at the largest church I have ever seen.  The floor and rims were good, helping him to shoot the best in PCTI history.  The only negative was the lack of privacy but provided an AC unit to offset that issue.
• Grade: B.
• Refs: Not only did we have the single best ref in PCTI history, but we also had a group of three which helped call the game better, which unfortunately didn't help the Kittens.
• Grade: A.
• Hotel/Location: Despite the fact that I've turned sour on the Shops at Legacy since it's been flooded by traffic and annoying people, there is no question the Marriott in that area provided us a nice combination of pool time and walkability.
• Grade: A.
• Stats: Lacked the love affair with PCTI that WL Stats did, but the group from SMU provided accurate and up to the second stats.
• Grade: A.
• Restaurants: Great breakfast spot and let's never forget the legendary Gordon Biersch shitshow dinner.
• Grade: B.
• Nightlife: There wasn't a lot of late night partying per se, but the group found some women in our earlier years, and who can forget the Actor getting a tugboat by the water.
• Overall: On the heels of the worst gameplay in PCTI history, it's a good thing the rest of the weekend clicked.  The weather was perfect, the location was a can't miss, the photographer provided a nice boost, and the women added to the arsenal was a bonus.
• Overall: A.

PCTI 4: Scottsdale, AZ

Host: Bryan McKinney

• Gym: By far the most visually appealing, and was nice to have the support of their AD who loved what we do.  The appeal dwindled a bit when we had to shift to the smaller court which despite being negatively received, probably saved all of us due to the long series.  For those of you more acclimated to WWE these days, the Bella Twins both went to HS where we played.
• Grade: B.
• Refs: The group of three was helpful but some thought they were too good to be there which hurt the unit.  
• Grade: C.
• Hotel/Location: The hotel was in the perfect location and the time spent at the pool was legendary.  Walking distance along with peddy cabs were just what our legs needed.
• Grade: A.
• Stats: The statkeeper stood no chance and nothing was accurate, making Sabin re-stat the entire thing himself.
• Grade: F.
• Restaurants: We ate at a couple good spots, but there is no sense in discussing anything else.  As the Biz Man calls "Juice Squeeze" was arguably the most important restaurant in PCTI history, and gave us the opportunity to see Ben and Stickman battle it out to see who could be the first person to ever spend $100 on a breakfast with no alcohol.  
• Grade: A.
• Nightlife: Vibrant but we just had nothing left in the tank
• Grade: C.
• Overall: One of the most memorable PCTI's due to the incredibly competitive games, Juice Squeeze, pool, gorgeous gym, and perfect weather will be in the history books.  A couple things (stats and court change) kept this from a top spot.
• Grade: B.

Countering the hype, self-flagellation, and a review of Fruit's performance

NO ONE is worse at taking compliments than Spot, so let me be the first to say I shot a decidedly average percentage this weekend, which definitely declined as I got tired, made a few embarrassing live ball turnovers, and gave little effort when it comes to off-ball defense and general stanciness, loose ball situations, and (as Dany begrudgingly but correctly pointed out) general rebounding. In other words, I'm projecting at or above PCTI-average.

Now, what everyone is waiting for, MOAR DANNY.

First stop, MIDRANGE. It was all or nothing for the Fruit this weekend, as he knocked down multiple contested 12-14 feeterz in face up situations, grilled up on the blond ponytail who guarded him most of the morning. Not wanting to show me too much, and out of general good heartedness towards Sunshine, he also airballed about six of those Js.

Second, FACILITATION. He remains a savvy passer with above average court vision for a player so devilishly (handsome) low to the ground. Lowlight to be noted, when he overthrew me on an outlet (that might have led to my first ever dunk...) by a solid 6-8 meters.

Third, MOVEMENT. One word: nonexistent. I've never seen someone without a major injury or geriatric physique move so little on a basketball court.

Fourth, REBOUNDING. We'll end on a good note here for DOMNOCS. He was a MENACE on the offensive boards. Note to Team Sabez, don't put me on him I have no desire to touch people. Especially people who sweat so much.

Overall, I give Dan a 5 on the standard Spotlight 11 point scale for friendship for the weekend. He can't possibly be higher because I took him to my favorite Moroccan brunch spot and he ordered yogurt with granola instead of one of the five different types of Eggs Benedict they offer.

NYC Hoop Sesh Recap w/Spotlight

Because we are for the most part insane, I figured it was my duty to provide a recap for everyone of Spotlight and my most recent hoop session in Stickman's hometown of New York City.

I decided to take a spur the moment trip up and reached out to the Spot Unit to see if we could get any run.  His recent move left him with no consistent game so with his renown savvy found a website (https://indoorhoops.com/) that will do the work for you.  He signed us up on a game in the Lower (or Upper) East Side so we met for a 9:30 am run with low expectations, but left extremely satisfied.

The website allows you to sign up for games in specific areas and has a self-rank system so the quality of the game really is predicated on other players being self aware and honest about their skillset, which typically I would have said is a disaster waiting to happen... But this game proved otherwise as we had a quality 13, and even more shockingly, I hit the free throw to be able to run with Spot and three other rock solid teammates.

We left our mark with a 4-1 record... Spot was his usual steady self, facilitating without the dribble, knocking down countless jumpers, great movement, and some active defense.  He has added a mid-range to his already diverse offensive portfolio which could be an interesting wrinkle come PCTI.  The one downside from this session is I finally have to close the books on my well documented love affair with Spot's rebounding abilities.  Early on both him and I were outspoken about his work in the trenches, but like McKinney being a breakout candidate, all good things come to an end.

Afterward, we walked through the hood and sat down for some brunch.  If any of you want a great story about Spot's world travels developing countries, you need to get some insight into his 10 day drive with a guy that doesn't speak English, where they had to fix various parts of a car without AAA. All I can say is I'm happy he's still with us.

Overall, The Snipers got a mid-round steal in Spot, and this session further proved it.

Key Questions by Player After the Draft

Yesterday was a great one in PCTI history with a couple posts and a lot of chatter as it related to the selections made from Sabin and Wilson.

With the draft fresh on everyone's mind, below are some early key questions for each player heading into the big weekend.

• Sabin-With age questions looming, will he be able to re-dedicate to his conditioning program?
• Wilson-Is he ready to shoulder the scoring load more than ever?
• Abe-Will he show up in peak form again or is his motivation to be a top player gone?
• The Brat-After a series of strong performances, can he take it to the next level?
• Dan The Brat-Will his defense on Abe warrant his lofty draft status?
• Actor-Can he accept another year of Abe getting the credit for his great work facilitating?
• Koala-With his usage rate way down, can he return to his top scoring form?
• Donley-Can he focus on playing or will he get sucked into the pressures of planning?
• TP-Is the knee ready to crash the glass for a 7 game series?  
• Spotlight-Will his teammates recognize his skillset or will he be treated as an afterthought?
• Hops-Can he muster up another offensive explosion that leads his team to a win?
• Stickman-WILL HE PLAY BASKETBALL BEFORE SHOWING UP?!
• Rainbow-Can he keep his head on straight when times get tough?
• Wes-Has he touched a basketball since last PCTI?

More to come!!!

PCTI7 Draft Recap & Analysis

I can't remember the last time there were more surprises in a draft since Sabin constructed the Kittens in PCTI3.  A few reaches, a few drops, and a couple new faces had this draft in flux before it started.

No sense in wasting time, let's dive in.

Final Rosters:

Team Sabin

• Round 1: Abe Stephen
• Round 2: The Actor
• Round 3: S. Donley
• Round 4: Spotlight
• Round 5: Stickman
• Round 6: Wes

The Brats

• Round 1: Big Brat Carney
• Round 2: Dan The Brat
• Round 3: Koala Beas
• Round 4: TP
• Round 5: Hops
• Round 6: Rainbowbrat

Grades by Pick:

• Abe Stephen (Sabin)-A.
• Abe is the consensus top player in PCTI and there is no reason to dive into the details or make a debate about it.  On top of being the most skilled and decorated, he's also a top teammate that does a lot of his damage without requiring the ball, and his dedication to ball and player movement sets a high standard.  Abe fills many roles for TS and this pick is a can't miss.
• The Brat Carney (Brats)-B+.
• Wilson sets the tone by letting everyone know the theme of his squad and snatches up a top big in PCTI with The Brat.  You know what you're getting with BC each year, but putting him alongside Wilson frees him up to play his favorite (and best role) which is high scoring trash man. The Brat's best PCTI's have come when he's playing a backup scoring role and set his sites on leading the league in offensive rebounds, blocks, and snap outs.
• Dan the Brat (Brats)-C+.
• Hard to give a higher grade with top PG and #2 overall player The Actor still on the board, but clearly Wilson's higher level education focuses more on chemistry than skill. With this pick, it's clear The Brat's are trying to re-create the magic of one of PCTI's top teams from PCTI5, one that handed Abe his first loss.  A lot has been made of DTB's Abe-stopping reputation and whether or not it will hold true, one could almost guarantee he will be looking forward to the showdown.
• The Actor (Sabin)-A.
• Huge value with one I consider slightly behind Abe for top player in PCTI.  You have to give credit to Sabin for sticking with his BPA mindset, not worrying about potential chemistry issues and having confidence in The Actor's ability to run the show.  With this pick you now pair three of PCTI's most athletic, top scorer's and hardest working players all on the same squad. The Act has been quiet this offseason which means he's playing a lot of basketball and probably doing it at a high level.  Act will run the show of what could be a very highpowered offense.
• The Koala (Brats)-B+.
• Wilson was good with whoever was left of the top two combo guards, and came out with the Koala who made one of the biggest draft day statements with his antics last night. With Beas you get one of the most complete players in PCTI, a guy who's motor never stops, crashes the boards relentlessly, gets in the greatest defensive stance most have ever seen, knocks down both 3's and mid-rangers, and has a closet quality post game that he keeps in his back pocket if necessary.  Above all else, this was a huge chemistry win for the Brats who now have PCTI's top 4 biggest snots all on one squad.  
• C*ck Strong (Sabin)-B+.
• The Brat made reference to Donley getting dangerously close to the dreaded "underrated" status in PCTI, and he couldn't be more accurate.  Sabin gets one of his favorites, a guy that brings everything to a team Sabin never could--bulk, good looks and interior strength. The beauty of getting CS in this slot is you're guaranteed for 8 ppg, 6 rpg, defensive and offensive versatility (who else in PCTI can score inside and out and guard inside and out effectively)?  Most people don't play well in their home turf, but I would almost guarantee that this guy will.
• TP (Wilson)-B.
• Hard to give a higher grade when the only thing you know about an unknown player is he's fresh off his ACL recovery.  If healthy, the rumor is he will bring one key quality to the Brats, and that's his uncanny ability to perform at a high level on the offensive glass, one of PCTI's most underrated statistics.  Pairing him with fellow offensive windex main BC will give The Brats two active, athletic big men that can make things happen. Conditioning needs to be a key focus the next few months for this grade to get higher.
• Spotlight (Sabin)-B+.
• Spotfall is over, and what a value this is.  Spot led PCTI in 3-point shooting last year at 39%, and in the last few years has also added a pull up jumper and ability to finish in traffic to his arsenal.  To get be able to PCTI's top shooter (yes that's right) this late is a huge win for Sabin, and putting him on a team where he will be able to run free is going to be tough for The Brats to stop. Spot and I have a game this weekend in Hells Kitchen together, so I will provide further analysis after that.
• Hops (Brats)-B+.
• Missing out on Spot by 1 and having Stickman on the board this late is a tough pill to swallow, but neither of them fit The Brat system quite like Hops.  You could actually make a case that the mindset of this team would not have been complete without him, and this rounds it out.  Hops performance as free safety/defensive captain last year earned him All-Tournament Team selection, and by God was it warranted.  You won't find a slower person cover more ground and be all over the court more than he was last year, and under his great friends leadership, don't be surprised if he doesn't flaunt that ability even more.  
• Stickman (Sabin)-A.
• This is an easy grade getting a guy of the Stickman's skill level this late in the game. Valid reasons for the fall (baby, a year away, losing record, conditioning and basketball related concerns) but what The Stick brings to a team does not properly reflect his PCTI winning %.  Formerly the Bruise, he is an unfortunate true post player that has been forced to play in a guards game.  What really is holding him back is how little he plays, but knowing how competitive he is, he will find a way to re-invent himself and re-establish himself as one of PCTI's top players.  The Stick will give his team what he always does--that element of toughness and strength that everyone knows can't be matched.  If he plays enough and gets some of his on-court strengths back (passing out of the post, mid-range jump shooting, and on the ball defense) this pick could end of being a back breaker for The Brats. Bruise was in PCTI's upper echelon the first three years, and I'll guarantee he finds a way to get back on there.
• Rainbow (Brats)-A.
• Wilson finally gets an A with his last pick... This A is both a pick on adding quality in the locker room (only because he's playing with guys of a similar mentality) and on the court.  I'm calling it right now that Rainbow's unorthodox style will rival Donley for potential most improved/underrated and also has the potential to rival Spotlight's position as top 3 point shooter.  He just completed a half marathon and is in top physical condition... If not properly game planned for, Rainbow and his Crash Brothers (TP, BC, JG) could do a game changing amount of damage on the O-Boards.  Great pickup.
• Wes (Sabin)-F.
• Bad value to get in this slot unless you're looking for someone to try and take out the oppositions sixth best player.  The "Danny Stopper" has taken it upon himself to slow one of PCTI's worst scorers, only issue is Dan the Brat has had his two top scoring years since Wes became more active in this role.  On a lighter note, the Wes Farewell Tour will bring some nostalgia to some, which pushes this grade up to a potential F+.

Overall--From a skill level and best player available perspective, there's no question Sabin gets the victory.  He did not miss on any picks, and really didn't have any that were debatable.  The team is locked and loaded on all cylinders.

Wilson clearly was going for chemistry, and you have to give the guy credit for the culture he's built the two years.  He wants to re-create the magic from Denver, and he was able to get the cornerstones to be able to do that. 

One thing is for sure, this PCTI is going to be a battle, and I see it going 7 games.

Comments... You owe me.  This post was not edited.

PCTI VII Draft Concludes, Participants Confused

PCTI VII Draft Concludes, Participants Confused

The Onion, Plano TX

In what many PCTI observers are calling a new low in drafting judgment, captain Ben Wilson decided to pass on the consensus best player in the league, Josh Stephen. Instead, he opted for the snake 2-3 position and took a couple of PCTI board members and founders, Dan Krow and Brent Carney. Many were confused by this decision, including Abe himself. 

“I thought Ben and I would form a pretty lethal offensive combination, so I was as surprised as anybody that he passed on me”, Stephen said. “In my mind, when you have the chance to take a scoring champ and MVP, you gotta take him. Have you seen my bag of Cheetos?” 

Some insiders believe the move had less to do with actual playing ability and more to do with a long-term political power play. Anthony Hopkins, one of PCTI’s more influential and outspoken members, concluded that this move is something that you see on House of Cards, not the hardwood. “Look, Ben has been angling to get on the Board of Directors with PCTI for some time now. He knows that BC and Danny can butter his bread when it comes to that. Quite frankly, I’m disgusted…but I guess everybody has his own agenda when he comes into the tournament.” 

This turn of events had a cascade of effects, including allowing captain Jeff Sabin to pick up a player with his next pick that many believe is the consensus second-best player in the league, Joe Thompson. Both Sabin and Thompson were thrilled with this move, with the captain raising his arms triumphantly in the draft room and The Show erupting as if he had just won the California state lottery. Now that the once-heated rivals are joining forces, Wilson took a pause to reflect. “I didn’t know Sabin was actually drafting to win the tournament. I thought he would put together another Kittens disaster and that Joe would be there for me in round 3. Damn, lesson learned.”, lamented Big Ben. 

Although Wilson received mixed reviews to begin his draft, he recovered in round 3. Most insiders agree that Ben took the best 5^th pick in the history of the draft with Nature Boy Mike Beasley. Sabin let out an audible groan when Nature slipped through his fingertips. “That hurt. I was hoping he would be there for me in round 3. Dude is, well, a fuckin’ ballplayer. Well played, Wilson.”, Sabin regretted. 

Both captains finished their drafts by taking players that they love and are comfortable with. Sabin got big tough dudes in Cockstrong and Bruiser to own the paint, and his man Spotlight to be a mad bomber. Wilson completed his draft with close playing partners Hops and Tyler Powell, with newcomer Jeff Godon moving instantly into the coveted McFish role of “Most underrated player due to breakout this season.” In a quiet moment, both captains secretly love their teams and feel very confident moving forward. “I love my team, period. End of story”, Sabin said. Ben replied with “I got every player that I wanted. I like how this went for me.” 

Wily veteran Wes Murray summarized his thoughts on the draft by saying “Am I still in this thing? Somebody send me the date of the draft.”

PCTI Definitive Mock Draft 2.0: Day of Addition

REMINDER TONIGHT'S DRAFT IS AT 9 PM ET. CAPTAIN BEN WILSON WILL HANDLE GOOGLE HANGOUT INVITE'S. SEE YOU THEN!!!!

(this began Saturday morning) 

BRENT TO DAN

Good morning DAN!!!!

Alright, we now know that Ben is going to shake things up and take the snake. Obviously we got to re-mock now. 

As a reminder, the real draft is tomorrow. Then again, anyone who doesn't know that by now probably also isn't reading the blog...but whatever.

First off, what do you think about Ben choosing to give up the top pick? Obviously this is a direct challenge to Abe and a bit of a slap in the face to Sabin. He's saying 1. Abe isn't the key to my success 2. I'm totally unafraid of a Sabin/Abe combo. I don't know about you but I've noticed that Ben's brat level has been rapidly rising this off-season. Do you think we're going to have make room for in on the Brats of Directors? 

So since I picked as Sabin last time, I'm going to let you start this mock and take the role of Sabin this time. You're on the clock. 

DAN TO BRENT

You couldn't be more accurate about Ben's rapidly rising brat level... Really not sure where it came from, but it seems like ever since he started playing really well at PCTI he's become more and more miserable (and quite frankly, I dig it).

On a side note, I like the budding rivalry between ex-friends turned enemies Ben and Abe. In a brash move, Abe fires an email last night assuming he was locked in at one... The audacity is pretty disgusting, but regardless, Sabin is taking him #1 overall.

You have to wonder, is it most important to Ben to beat Abe or not get last pick?

BRENT TO DAN 

It was an interesting twist because all indications were that once Sabin became captain this year would be about his rivalries. Now it's squarely a Ben vs. Abe rivalry and the rest of us are just bit characters.

Ben is notorious for having a definite and well thought out strategy on draft day but I can't help but wonder if he was emotionally driven to pass up on the first pick. Or maybe he does have a strategy here at the 2,3 snake. 

One thing I know is that Ben would be foolish to pass up Abe and then draft a team where he made it his job to have to guard him. So I'm going to say that with his two picks here he confirms our thoughts that he wants to join the Bored and takes you (to guard Abe) and me (to do the dirty work and free him up to be the alpha.) That would mean that he's now basically slapped Abe and the Actor in the face. 

DAN TO BRENT

It's important to remember that Ben has a master's in Sports Management and is very well trained for these situations... He knows exactly what he is doing and has a diploma to prove it.

If he goes that route he makes it clear his team might not be the most skilled, but it will be the meanest and edgiest. You and I have enough character issues, but under his leadership would be the most volatile chemistry in PCTI history.

At that point, I'm going to make a bold claim... We all know Sabin is a really emotional and loyal guy to the few people that like him, and since he's already venturing out of his comfort zone to take Abe, he goes back to his old ways and re-ignites one of the most ugly rivalries in PCTI history, passing on Actor and taking his little brother, The Nature Boy! 

That's a two prong move... He takes Beas because of his skill set and comfort level, but also puts Ben in a position to make a pick that would rival the 2006 Bengals for biggest bunch of head case fuck ups in sports history. 

BRENT TO DAN

Even before this pick I thought the mock was already setting up for Nature to be the hinge guy in this thing that could determine how everything else shakes out. 

Ben has to take Act here. Can you imagine being Ben and thinking he gave up Abe for me, you and Actor? What a disaster. Nice part is we have the rare squad that has almost zero overlap in what each of us want to do. Didn't realize it going in but I feel like this particular draft setup really puts an emphasis on these middle rounds. Interested to see where Sabin goes next. 

DAN TO BRENT

Ben's squad is on the verge of blowing up with a combination of on and off court brats. 

Sabin hasn't seen the new look Spotlight, so he has an hour internal debate with himself between his two ex-Alpha male crushes before finally settling on Donley, citing his dedication to playing and overall versatility over his friendship with The Stickman.

BRENT TO DAN

Sabin counting on two bounce back years from Nature and C-Boy. I got no problems with Donley off the board at that point. I think he's flirting with the most dreaded label in PCTI: underrated. Abe, Donley, Beas combo gives him three of the best four athletes in this thing. 

Ben is gonna take a stand here and scoop up his boy TP. Ben obviously led the push to add him to the league so he's gotta stick out his neck and show his confidence in him. He's built a team that suits his style of play, too. With me and TP he can dip his toe in the "big man" waters only when he wants to and he has two PGs to handle the ball. Somehow in a league full of wings he's the only true wing first guy on our squad. 

Spotlight is free falling!!!!

DAN TO BRENT

Sabin observes Spot's free fall and realizes his team doesn't need any additional rebounders, and let's it continue. 

At this point he doesn't double down on muscle and takes a guy he's always coveted, scooping up defensive captain, unifier and closet bad boy in A. Hop.... That team is deficient on inner-anger, and adding Hops to

the roster helps level the playing field. 

BRENT TO DAN

Team Sabin

1. Sabin

2. Abe

3. Beas

4. Donley

5. A-Hop

Team Ben

1. Ben

2. Dan

3. Brent

4. Actor

5. Tyler 

Ben puts that sports management degree to use and ends the #spotfall by taking Paco, uniting all three Father Ryan alums on the same squad. I just can't see him going the back-to-back new guy route and taking Rainbow here and his big situation is under control, so Bruiser over Spot here doesn't make a ton of sense, either. 

Looks like Spot is back to his original role as the ultimate bench spark plug. You think he could slide back in to this role after steadily elevating his role the past few years?

DAN TO BRENT 

Good slot to get Spot... He doesn't necessarily add to the character issue theme of Ben's said, but definitely brings a disorganized, anti-authority element this team could use. 

At this point Sabin does a snatch then snatches up the Stickman... How long will it take for him to give a motivational email to let Bruise know how important he is to the squad? 

BRENT TO DAN

Team Sabin

1. Sabin

2. Abe

3. Beas

4. Donley

5. A-Hop

6. Stickman

Team Ben

1. Ben

2. Dan

3. Brent

4. Actor

5. Tyler 

6. Spot

Picking up A-Hop and Bruiser to be the guys off the bench really gives a bash brothers element to team Sabin. 

Obviously Ben goes with Rainbow here, so he winds up with both the rookies. Two things to watch every year are the gap between Abe and the second player drafted at the top of the draft and Wes and the second to last player drafted at the bottom of the draft, and I mean that seriously. The fact that Ben gets Jeff (and that means he has no dropoff on his squad) is significant and if there's any reason why he declined to pick first - besides just wanting to shake it up and/or slap Abe in the face - my guess is avoiding the last pick is the reason. 

So, you finish out with Wes. Now I want your thoughts on these squads and any other observations/predictions you may have now that draft day is upon us. 

DAN TO BRENT

This draft played out in a really interesting way... Initially, I didn't see a purpose to having a re-draft, thinking it would be an almost identical draft process, just with different people leading the teams we laid out, and that couldn't have been more inaccurate.  

The biggest contributing factor to the difference in drafts really comes down to one thing--Ben's budding attitude issues.  And that character trait he put a premium on when drafting his team is exactly why I take his squad over Sabin's in a best of 7.  They might give a little in the way of skill, but the loose cannon mentality will bring an element of unpredictability (along with two newcomers no one knows) will make them really tough to game plan against.

Overall, I will typically side with Ben's drafting as my appreciation for him going back to school to get his master's for PCTI drafts is something I will always look up to.

Your thoughts? 

BRENT TO DAN

Pat Riley coined the term "the disease of more" when he coached the showtime Lakers in the 1980's. The basic idea is that success is the first step towards future failure. When a person or a team wins or is successful they become focused on doing, getting more for themselves instead of remembering what worked in the first place (which almost certainly involves some element of sacrifice for the greater good.) 

I bring this up because it's odd to me that Ben, who almost certainly studied this while pursuing his advanced degree, seems to be following victim to the disease of more. He could have just rolled with Abe and been immediately in the driver's seat, as I think we evidenced in our first mock. Instead he slaps Abe in the face and creates the Abe/Sabe (Abin?) combo that honestly just feels unnatural in PCTI terms. 

And maybe in the biggest proof of his inner turmoil, he goes out and scoops up PCTI's three most destructive and combustible players out there (though to be fair Sabin would be in the convo if he was available and BEAS is shooting his way up the bored too) to surround himself with a team that could spontaneously combust at any moment. 

What are the two rooks gonna think when the rest of the team is ready to choke each other out? What kind of squad have you put together when fuck up Spot, who is lucky to remember his jersey is the rational/calm/leadership guy? 

On the other side, Abe/Sabe is interesting because it's going to need a lot of scoring from Abe. My big question is what part of Abe is getting furious about all the chatters as Dan's ability to guard him? Also you got three potentially big time players in Donley, Beas and Sabin, all of whom have had huge games in previous PCTI's but all have something to prove. And It can't be stated enough: with Smo and McFish out this year, Wes's dropoff could be very significant. 

I'm ready for the real thing. We'll see you tonight. 

Anticipation for the Draft

As I travel up to wine country from San Fransisco, I remember the greatest draft in PCTI history held on Stanford's campus. What a great weekend that was! That may have been the peak of PCTI. We had  7 people travel to SFO, DK and Eski lived there, and add Eski's friend and we had a highly competitive pick up game that acted as a half PCTI. Add in the live draft + the participation the blog had at that time and you get one of the best times in the history of PCTI.

As we approach another draft, one of which we are trying to do live, I thought of some things that may be top of mind:

• With Abe being the clear number one pick, who will be #2? Wilson has the 2nd and 3rd picks so he's got options but who will he officially take 2nd? My guess is BC - gives him some height, a scorer, and a great rebounder. 
• Where do the noobz fall? My guess is TP goes 7th (to Willy) and JG goes 8th (to Sabez). 
• How high does DK go? Known for being the most effective player in slowing down Abe, so does Bin reach for him? I think he does and goes 3rd knowing Sabin would take him at 4. 
• Is this the year the QuadPod all gets to play w each other? Doubtful but a man can dream. 
• Which players make the biggest jump and biggest drop? I predict Spotlight for biggest jump and Scotty for biggest drop. 
• Wes-n-out is a lock for last pick (per always) and now the McFish is out and Smo is taking a year to regroup, who will be the 2nd to last pick. I think it will be myself or Bruise. 
• How many people will show up for the hangout sesh for the live draft? The lack of participation and chatter in the blog and emails, my prediction is 5. 
• Who will be the best pick and who will be the bust of the draft? Prediction: Beas and JG
• Who will be best dressed? No one
• Finally, who is going to win the Brian McKinney (RIP) Award for getting a lot of buzz before the tournament to play well or be most improved but play the exact same as every other year? 

Add any topics in the comments. I'm excited to see how it all shakes out. Also pumped to have Bruiser and Sabin back in my life. The rooks can suck it until they pay their dues. Special shout out to Abe, Beas, and Spot.

The Definitive PCTI VII Mock Draft

The Bored 2.0 is officially DTBrat and Me. Anything important goes through us. With that said, I it took upon myself to invite my fellow bored member to mock draft with me. The following is what transpired over the last 23 hours. 

If you're paying any attention and know how PCTI functions, you'll realize quickly that Dan and I in typical Bored fashion made a mistake. We do catch this mistake and fix it because that's what we do. We solve problems. 

Enjoy the mock as you prepare for Sunday, March 20 at 8 pm central. 

BRENT TO DAN 7:25 PM

It's time for a 2016 mock. I'm emailing you for two reasons. 

1. You and I are the only two guys who know every player currently on the PCTI roster. Though I should note that I've met Tyler but never seen him play. 

2. Our opinions are the only ones that anyone should care about. 

Since I re-signed Sabin and therefore am most in-tuned with how he thinks, I'll draft as him. You can assume Ben's identity since he's your guy. First things first, as Ben are you choosing to pick first or take the 2-3 snake? 

DAN TO BRENT 7:32 PM

Yes, I am Ben's guy... It started in PCTI when I watched the film and realized the first two games he was the only one I passed too.

I'll snag the first pick unit and take Abe unit.

BRENT TO DAN 7:45 PM

Abe is such a no brainer. Gone are the days of thinking he was coming back to the pack. 18 and 10 last year and only two guys shot a better percentage, one of whom was Smo, who took a whopping 13 shots. 

It becomes critical for Sabin that he hits a home run with these two picks, considering he's already staring down a formidable combo in Ben and Abe. 

Assuming Sabin's identity I think it's in my best interest to surround myself with explosive guards, so I'm taking Actor second overall. 

With the next pick, I'm choosing Danny. Worth mentioning since this is usually where I go off the board, this isn't some sort of false modesty thing. I'm picking Danny because of two very important things: He's willing to give max effort to slow down Abe, which to me is a TREMENDOUS value.  Two, Danny can handle some of the drudgery at the guard position and put Joe and Sabin in a spot to score buckets. They're two guys who I think could really come alive playing with Danny. 

DAN TO BRENT 8:03 PM (FIRST MISTAKE) 

Last time Sabin took me second was the kitten debacle, but he did have his best shooting performance so I guess the accuracy of that pick will depend on what meant more to him... Having the chance to establish a team with PCTI's top 1, 3 and 5 would have been attractive, but hey... It's a mock.

With Ben's next pick I think he lets the value come to him and snatches The Brat, combatting Sabin's guard heavy lineup with a core built around effort, size, and quality inside out games. That group will be menacing on the glass.

This next pick is difficult because you got two very quality guards that everyone wants on their team left on the board... In this case, I think he goes with a ball moving, floor stretching, back cutting PG in the man they call Spotlight... No telling how much damage he can do with no one watching him. Probably would have gone Beas in any other scenario but one of his biggest strengths (o-rebounding) would be a challenge with the Abe, Ben, BC core.

BRENT TO DAN 9:54 AM (WORST MISTAKE) 

Where we stand right now

1. Sabin

2. Joe

3. Dan the Man

1. Ben

2. Abe

3. BC 

I'm gonna double down on my strategy here and grab the Nature Boy Mike Beas. We're building a team that will be all about player movement and ball movement. And we got four guys who can really get after it on defense. The happiest guy is Joe, who can fall in to his preferred strategy of guarding the weakest guy on the court and be part free safety/part defensive rebounding specialist/part guy who rests for offense. 

I'm really tempted here to dip my foot in the ranks of the unkown and draft TP, but instead I'm going to keep with the movement strategy and take Donley. What do you make of my movement/small ball strategy? I didn't intend to put together a homeless man's version of the Warriors but it looks like that's what I'm working with. Am I setting myself up for Kittens 2.0? 

DAN TO BRENT 11:07 AM (MISTAKES GET CORRECTED) 

We couldn't even get through two rounds without screwing this up... First off, I went ahead and continued snaking when I wasn't supposed to... You accurately disregarded my Spot pick, then turned around and snatched up two yourself.  Very savvy.

So it stands now, the teams look like this...

1. Sabin.
2. Dan (Sabin told me he wanted me over Joe in the snake).
3. Joe.
4. Nature.
5. Donley.

Vs. 

1. Ben.
2. Abe.
3. BC.
4. Spot.

Technically, our mis-haps didn't effect the draft process as I then turn around and take Spot, and you take Donley.

That leaves me on the clock....

There might be higher upside picks, but given the framework of Ben's team, it's very clear what they need... I say they go A. Hop, slap at C on his chest, and let him raise hell like he did last year.  It's funny, Hops would probably tell you he was unhappy with his performance offensively, but he was a menace defensively, not only on the ball, but in help side where he did enough damage to earn himself an ATT vote.  He also fits in perfectly on this squad and helps continuity.  

BRENT TO DAN 11:14 AM 

Only we could take something so simple and screw it up entirely. I feel good about waiting on TP and now will take him with my next pick. Sabin decides to go with the unknown rather than combining with Bruiser again. If you're Sabin, you just can't associate yourself with Bruiser this year. And if you're Bruiser, you should want no part of Sabin's team. Something has to give and one of those guys has to get a win.

TP, who has been described as a big man who prefers to step away from the hoop now must assume center duties. Better he learn now than later, a "big man's" life in PCTI is awfully thankless. Have fun setting screens. 

DAN TO BRENT 12:37 PM 

Current roster breakdown... Left on the board is Bruiser, Jeff, Wes.

1. Sabin.
2. Dan (Sabin told me he wanted me over Joe in the snake).
3. Joe.
4. Nature.
5. Donley.
6. TP.

Vs. 

1. Ben.
2. Abe.
3. BC.
4. Spot.
5. Hops.

Well well well... One might be wondering why the Bruise is taking a nosedive... As one of his biggest supporters and a top 3 all time teammate of mine, I have a couple of conflicting opinions... What I know is that an Angry Bruiser is the last person anyone wants to play against... Between his drop down the board and his losing %, there is no question an Angry Bruise is quietly waiting to attack... Without Smo to negate his anger, he most assuredly will be in Bruising mode.  HOWEVER, it's been two years since he played in his last PCTI.  Although it appears he weathered the baby storm and is in great shape, my guess is he hasn't played basketball more than five times in the last year. As much as he likes to consider himself Football player that is here to play basketball, when playing he actually has a very polished game... But we won't see it. I'm leaving him on the board.

That's the longest write up ever about someone that isn't going to get picked.  If I'm Ben here, I think he takes a guy that he doesn't know, but frankly is a perfect fit on this team and takes JG.  A high energy, unorthodox guy in excellent condition will be a perfect match for the rest of this team.  There is nothing better for a new member of PCTI to get drafted to a great team and not have a lot of pressure to carry the load offensively, so this will be a great springboard for his career.  

BRENT TO DAN 12:49 PM 

1. Sabin.
2. Dan (Sabin told me he wanted me over Joe in the snake).
3. Joe.
4. Nature.
5. Donley.
6. TP.

Vs. 

1. Ben.
2. Abe.
3. BC.
4. Spot.
5. Hops.
6. Jeff G. 

I was hoping Jeff G. would fall to me as his slashing, unorthodox style and rangy defense would fit what we're trying to do. Oh well.

I take Bruiser here, obviously. Building off what you said, The hope with Bruise is that he's willing to shoot his jumper. He's got a well above average jump shot and if he's willing to shoot it, it really opens up the court. The problem that sometimes comes up is that he misses a few and decides to help the team he has to hang around the basket. You can't knock that decision, as it's probably exactly what any decent coach would want him to do, too. The issue is that nobody else in PCTI is doing much of what a coach would want them to do and because of that too much time spent down on the block by anyone can just clog things up. The style of play in PCTI just happens to be more wide open. Easiest solution for Bruise is to consider that NOBODY shoots it particularly well in PCTI (we have six years of awful percentages to back that up) and that there's absolutely no reason he should get down on his jump shot if he misses a few, or even several. Nobody else is making them at a high clip either.

That leaves you with the one year wonder, Wes. Maybe you can shed some light on his unique status heading in to this year. Also, what are your thoughts on these two squads now that they're set? 

DAN TO BRENT 1:25 PM 

Final Squads:

1. Sabin.
2. Dan (Sabin told me he wanted me over Joe in the snake).
3. Joe.
4. Nature.
5. Donley.
6. TP.
7. Stickman.

Vs. 

1. Ben.
2. Abe.
3. BC.
4. Spot.
5. Hops.
6. Jeff G. 
7. Wes.

I'm not sure there is a more enjoyable storyline than the Wes Murray PCTI Farewell Tour.  Sure, many probably expected Wes to be a casualty of the "State of PCTI" email communication that came out earlier in the year... Interestingly enough, although he agreed it outlined everything that he is, he also made it a point to say his love and appreciation for what we built as a group has him coming back every year.  Anyone that knows me knows how much I would appreciate that comment.  As it stands, PCTI7 will be Wes's final PCTI (and probably final time to touch a basketball).  He's left it open, so maybe a good shooting performance will change it, but for now, that's where it stands. Let's be real, you can't carve out a successful PCTI career as a Dan the Boy stopper because he could be guarded by no one and shoot the same percentage.  Hopefully he reinvents himself in his final go around.

Analysis:

This draft turned out completely different than I expected... You drafted based on your knowledge of Sabin, and based on that, you were almost completely accurate.  However, I think we are going to see a different Sabin than we have seen in the past and will bypass all other parts of basketball to get over the hump and get a W.  I don't see taking Dan the Brat over the Brat happening, which will send shockwaves down the mock draft.  But if that does happen, these mocks might end up being 100% accurate.

Ben's Squad: As it relates to the mock, I think Ben's team has the advantage.  Obviously, Abe first is a huge deal... He is the most decorated player in PCTI history, and re-established himself as that in a huge way last year.  Abe not is the best player, but possibly the best teammate, a negative reputation he shed years back.  Starting with two of PCTI's top scorers, than plugging in the Brat to play the role he covets as third scorer and trash man is a deadly trio.  Adding Spot's sharp shooting and ball movement, then A. Hops world class defense and leadership is a tough starting five that will have great chemistry.  This nucleus is perfect for Jeff's style and allows Wes to focus on defense and crippling box outs.

Sabin's Squad: Pairs two of PCTI's toughest covers in Act and Sabin who can absolutely fill it up.  Some say they have conflicting styles, I think they are perfect compliments.  Both are great passers and teammates but Joe is more ball dominant and Sabin hates having the ball in his hands.  Adding Beas to the mix gives them a trio of high effort, fast, athletic wings that can fill it up quick.  At first glance, you definitely think there is a serious mis-match down low with Ben's team having the advantage, but I'm not sure it's as drastic as we think.  Donley, Stickman and DTBrat enjoy the physicality of the trenches and would embrace the banging down low, but give up height.  If TP can provide the athleticism and size to match up with The Brat, Sabin's squad will hold their own defensively.  The biggest issue ultimately in PCTI is the low field goal percentages, and Sabin's team will live and die by their outside shooting.  

Overall: Ben, Abe, and BC are three of PCTI's top scorers, and all have shown the ability to have at least one 20 point outburst, which is hard to find.  With a role player (Spotlight) who can fill it up as a 4th option and Jeff (who recently went for 40 in a league game) they have multiple guys who can put the ball in the hole consistently.  Sabin's team just does not have that outside of Joe and Sabin. Beas and Donley both have shown they can fill it up in bunches, but both are ultimately 8-10 ppg guys which although strong, would need to provide more than that to match up offensively with the opposition.

Regardless, with the new blood and some old blood coming back, I expect there to be a lot of blood all over Scotty's court come July.

BRENT TO DAN 2:02 PM

This exercise got me so energized for PCTI I can barely see straight. I am anticipating the quality of play to be noticeably better this year. 

As for the squads, I think you're right that Ben's team has a possibly significant scoring advantage. In many PCTI's, it seems like any analysis as to who has the ede could begin and end simply with that. However, I think Sabin has put together an unprecedented defensive effort team. What happens to our team if Danny fully commits to making life as miserable as he can on Abe and a combo of Sabin and Beas decide to never leave Ben's hip? I'm not saying that either guy wouldn't still score and have a major impact on the game but I do think it could really change the way the whole weekend played out. It's not an exaggeration to think Sabin's team could commit to this strategy and actually follow through with it. With that said, it might take bigger balls than I realize for Sabin to actually commit to this approach come draft day. Everyone in PCTI prefers to attack when they know the defense is relaxing (because working for buckets takes A LOT of energy.) Besides being the two best scorers in PCTI, Ben and Abe are also two of the best at being extremely aggressive at the right times. What happens if those moments are limited? Of course the flip side is can Sabin's team score enough points to not have their own issues on offense. A lot of that depends on what Sabin has left in the tank after a few years away. Bottom line for drafting as Sabin was, I absolutely COULD NOT risk letting them have Abe and then scoop up Danny, too when the proof is that the only person willing to sacrifice their entire weekend to guarding Abe and doing it well is Danny. 

The nice part is between the mystery of what impact the new guys will have and the good work by guys like Spot and Hops to carve out valuable niches for themselves, there's very little dropoff when you scan the rosters top to bottom. However, that does put a lot of pressure squarely on Wes. He can't afford to cost his team by sticking out as the one guy who drops off significantly. 

Hopefully this exercise gave the actual captains a little insight in to how the draft could shake out. At the very least, they have a definite roster to choose from.

Bring on the real thing!