We like to have fun with player names, which is certainly one of the more frivolous (but enjoyable) aspects of the great game of college basketball. It resonates with readers, though: when we unveiled our preseason All-Name Team last week, we got a strong response from across the nation (and Canada!).
But out of a desire to be silly came an idea from a reader that perfectly encapsulates the STF mission. I'll let you read the comment:
The All-Name player who has the best season should be given the "God
Shammgod Award."Commenter name: gokinsmen
Genius, I tell you. We celebrate the absurd and the excellent in one fell swoop. So, I took all of the names we had on the original list, added some more that were suggested by readers, and reinstated the best names I cut from the original list that never made it into the post. Throughout the season, I'll keep track of stats (courtesy of bbstate.com, tell 'em bigant sent you for a discount) and we'll determine a winner by the end of the season.
To keep things trim, I'm going to eliminate the bottom three each week - that should get rid of benchwarmers and injury casualties. I'll add worthy names if they come up during the season, but I'm going to be very strict. A guy doesn't get on just because he's foreign. There has to be something musical or an unintentional meaning or something like that.
Preseason Watch list for the 2009-2010 God Shammgod Award
Ivory White - 6'4" Guard - Alabama State (nominated by reader Daryle)
Bol Kong - 6'6" Forward - Gonzaga Bulldogs (vociferously advocated by GU fans)
Bak Bak - 6'9" Forward - Cal Golden Bears
Jake Ranger - 6'5" Guard - UC Davis Aggies
Tiny Gallon - 6'9" Forward - Oklahoma Sooners
Orion Outerbridge - 6'9" Forward - Rhode Island Rams
Alibaba Odd - 6'2" Guard - Delaware State Hornets
Just-in'love Smith - 5'11" Guard - Siena Saints
Osiris Eldridge - 6'3" Guard - Illinois State Redbirds
An'Juan Wilderness - 6'6" Forward - Charlotte 49ers
Colt Idol - 6'3" Guard - Montana State Bobcats
Da'Veed Dildy - 6'4" Guard - Stanford Cardinal
Cam Payne - 6'4" Guard - West Virginia Mountaineers
Jarrid Famous - 6'11" Center - South Florida Bulls
Radar Onguetu - 6'5" Forward - New Hampshire Wildcats
Scooter Gillette - 6'8" Forward - Niagara Purple Eagles
Lex Mongo - 5'11" Guard - UMass Minutemen
Nimrod Tishman - 6'5" Guard - Florida Gators
Drake U'u - 6'5" Guard - Cal Poly Mustangs
Fran Urli - 6'8" Forward - Albany Great Danes
Pina Guillaume - 6'9" Center - Binghamton Bearcats
Genesis Maciel - 6'9" F/C - Hartford Hawks
Malachi Peay - 6'6" Guard - Maine Black Bears
Djibril Coulibaly - 6'9" Center - Manhattan Jaspers
Blaise Ffrench - 6'2" Guard - St. Peter's Peacocks (UTEP transfer)
Yves Mekongo Mbala - 6'7" Forward - LaSalle Explorers
Luke Loucks - 6'5" Guard - FSU Seminoles
Yannick Braimbridge - 6'2" Guard - Howard Bison
Freddy Obame Obame - 6'6" Center - Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks
Hillary Haley - 6'6" Guard - Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks
Rio Pitt - 6'7" Forward - South Carolina State Bulldogs
Lucas O'Rear - 6'6" Forward - Northern Iowa Panthers
Bubu Palo - 6'1" Guard - Iowa State Cyclones
Christian Standhardinger - 6'8" Forward - Nebraska Cornhuskers
Jimmer Fredette - 6'2" Guard - BYU Cougars
Mame Bocar Ba - 6'9" Forward - Colorado State Rams
Boubacar Sylla - 7'2" Center - Wyoming Cowboys
Cashmere Wright - 6'0" Guard - Cincinnati Bearcats
Picasso Simmons - 6'0" Guard - Murray State Racers
Andres Irarrazabal - 6'7" Forward - Tenn-Martin Skyhawks
Mantoris Robinson - 6'5" Forward - Winthrop Eagles
Bubba Chisholm - 5'11" Guard - Illinois Illini
Bubba Day - 6'0" Guard - Purdue Boilermakers
Yaw Gyawu - 6'5" Guard - Colgate Raiders
Papa Oppong - 6'4" Guard - Eastern Kentucky Colonels
Booker Hucks - 6'5" Guard/Forward - Long Island Blackbirds
Dior Lowhorn - 6'7" Forward - San Francisco Dons
Since I'm trying to make friends with numbers this season, if there's any doubt who should be either cut or rewarded, the edge goes to the player with the best efficiency rating, as calculated by bbstate. Because we all know stats can be inflated or deflated based on tempo of play.
If you'd like to nominate someone not already on the list, hit us up via one of the methods listed to the right.
Hey I discovered your page by fluke on google while hunting for something totally obscure but I am very glad that I did, You have just snagged yourself another subscriber. :)
Nice one, there are actually some good opinions on this blog a few of my friends will maybe find this relevant, I must send a link, thank you.
Nice blog post, I run 4films dot org. I think you and your users would benefit from it - we have around 26,000 movie entries up right now (embedded streaming movies). Keep up the good work.
Thanks for this nice post. I absolutely enjoyed every little part of it. I have you bookmarked and will be coming back.
This is a terrific little website I can not believe I didn't wander onto it sooner.
Thanks for posting this. Would be intrested to read more or possibly please contact me by email thank you!
Finally, someone who says it like it is! Thanks, keep doing what you are doing.
Hi, thanks for this wonderful blog, a truly great opening for the new year, keep up the fantastic work, Rachel.
Thanks for posting this. Would be intrested to read more or possibly please contact me by email thank you!
Yup, couldn't agree more. And I'd like to add that you've got a great colour scheme on your site, I suffer with colour blindness and many webmasters don't give us a second thought!
I'm Looking for a project to volunteer in this might not be on topic but is there anything you can recomend me? I would really apperciate it thanks!
This post is actually pretty great. Im looking for a project to volunteer in but i don't really know where to opt to for finding projects. i guess im in a rut!
This post is actually pretty great. Im looking for a project to volunteer in but i don't really know where to opt to for finding projects. i guess im in a rut!
This page wasnt working earlier i tried accesing it but it timed out 4-5 times now i can access it. Why Does this happen? Am i the only one having this issue?
This page wasnt working earlier i tried accesing it but it timed out 4-5 times now i can access it. Why Does this happen? Am i the only one having this issue?
Cadarian Raines- VA Tech
Phaethon Bolton- Wake
Cyrus McGowan- Miami
Demontez Stitt- Clemson
Reggie Jackson- BC
David O'Shaughnessey- Mercer
Ricky Krainiak- Campbell
Etienne Effenberg- North FL
Alpha N'Diaye- Sac State
Earnest Bridges- High Point
Idris Ibn Idris- UCR
How bout Olek Czyz (pronounced 'chizz') from Duke?...Cameron Crazies chant: "You got Czyzed on"
Agreed. Kong is king.
I followed Yves M-M in high school; he would appreciate his name being on the list.
Anyone with the last name KONG gets my vote. And you can't lose with a name like Bak Bak.
I'll pick Lex Mongo as a dark horse...