Stanford coach Trent Johnson wants no sympathy for his latest obstacle.
The Cardinal will play the first nine games of the season without potential lottery pick Brook Lopez, who is academically ineligible for the fall quarter.
But Stanford had to play the first five games without the 7-foot center last season because of a back injury.
So, even though this latest setback for Lopez is his own doing, the Cardinal is actually better off than a year ago.
Lopez can practice while he gets eligible. A year ago he couldn't. The reason, by the way, Lopez's ineligibility wasn't announced until late Friday was that he was still trying to turn a few incomplete grades into passing ones but to no avail.
"With Brook's situation, there are steps of accountability and it happens," Johnson said. "The bonus side is that Brook gets to practice."
And, coincidentally, Lopez' first game back, depending on when grades are posted, could be Texas Tech or Santa Clara. A year ago, Lopez came back for four minutes against UC Davis but truly returned in a meaningful way with 17 points in a win over Texas Tech and 16 points in a crushing loss to the Broncos.
The Santa Clara game this season is game No. 10 on the schedule while Texas Tech is No. 11. Missing Lopez for the first nine games won't be as tough considering the schedule isn't as daunting. Sure, there are road games, but all are against much maligned teams like Northwestern, Siena and Colorado, a gift from the Big 12 and the Pac-10 in the series this season.
Johnson is hardly foreign to a few setbacks. In his first season, Dan Grunfeld, who was the team's top scorer, blew out his ACL during the stretch drive of the Pac-10. Grunfeld came back the following season but was not the same as the Cardinal struggled to get back on track. Tim Morris, expected to be a top defender, defected to Pac-10 rival Washington. And then last season, Lopez and Peter Prowitt, two of the top inside threats, were injured to start the season.
Johnson was quick to say there aren't too many teams that go through the season without injuries or other issues. He's right, but Stanford does seem to get nipped quite a bit (remember there was that whole stress fracture recurrence with Curtis Borchardt during the bouncy floor days at Maples Pavilion).
And Lopez's status, coupled with several injuries, this season is hardly off to a flying start. Prowitt bruised his knee while the Cardinal were in Italy in August and hasn't been able to go in individual workouts since then and Fred Washington (had knee scoped) and Taj Finger (mono) didn't go on the trip.
Still, the Cardinal, once whole, has a good shot to stay within the top five in the Pac-10, arguably the toughest and deepest conference in the country. The team has everyone back. And that includes the imposing Lopez twins (Brook and Robin) inside.
The blowout loss to Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament (yes I did pick the Cardinal), was clearly the wrong matchup for Stanford. Mitch Johnson, Anthony Goods and Lawrence Hill weren't ready for that kind of pressure on the ball. Maybe they are now (or maybe not), but Johnson is still trying to spin the 20-point loss in Lexington in Stanford's favor.
"They exploited all our weakness," Johnson said. "But we're ready to roll and ready to go and with great improvement.
"We're physical, a lot stronger and we'll be better," Johnson said. "There's a sense of excitement for them and for me."
• Johnson said former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery's office is right next door and the two talk often. Johnson was Montgomery's assistant prior to taking the Nevada head coaching job. Montgomery then left for a brief spell with Golden State before coming back as an assistant to the athletic director (Bob Bowlsby) over the summer.
• Central Florida got a rare October pickup when the NCAA gave 6-9 Will Bakanowsky an extension of his five-year eligibility period. Bakanowsky played for UCF from 2002-05, playing in 89 games. Bakanowsky didn't play as a senior because of recurring concussions. He finished his degree in 2006 and spent last season teaching at a middle school in Jacksonville. Bakanowsky transferred to teaching at a middle school in Orlando (where Central Florida is located) and is taking classes at night this fall. One of his highlights was scoring 15 points and grabbing seven rebounds against UConn in the 2005 NCAA Tournament. Bakanowsky is considered a face-the-basket forward who will shoot 3s, screen and pass well. For a perimeter-oriented crew, his arrival is a boost. Central Florida and Kirk Speraw were a pleasant surprise to Conference USA last season, finishing 11-5 behind Memphis.
• The Wooden Award requested its top 50 preseason players from its voters by Monday. The Wooden Award doesn't allow incoming freshman or JC transfers to be a part of the preseason top 50 (which makes no sense, by the way). But I was more stunned to see the West Coast-based award left off Washington State point guard Derrick Low, Arizona State forward Jeff Pendergraph and Gonzaga's Jeremy Pargo from the list of prospective players. Granted, the list provided was for informational purposes and was not a true guide, but still, there were plenty of names on the list that don't even compare to these three players who have a shot to be the respective player of the year in each of the leagues (Pac-10 and WCC), let alone first-team selections.
• Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie said he's hopeful Michael Porter will be able to practice after suffering a concussion last week. Meanwhile, he doesn't think Jared Carter (shoulder) will be ready for the start of practice. He also said Derrick Jasper and Joe Crawford have been limited or been doing nothing at all, respectively (both had left knee surgeries), which means they maybe making just cameos Friday night at the Midnight Madness in Rupp.
• Gillispie's recommendation for Lexington is the local horse racing scene in this thoroughbred city: "There were 15,000 people out there last Friday. There is great passion for that like there is for basketball. And there is great people watching, great food and I really like horse racing."
Andy Katz
