ISU news...

[dogsrus]

O staying and the birds sign another guard. 6'1" Holloway. Juco who left Mercer. Surprised they go for another pg. Ranked 116 by JJ.

 

[Big Mike]

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/042707/ISU_BD2501P6.077.php

 

[Da Coach]

A couple links to info on Emmanuel Holloway, a guard at Iowa Western CC, who played his freshman season at Mercer University and signed to play at ISU. Interesting to note the variation in height --

Mercer listed him as 6'1"--
http://www2.mercerbears.com/Athletics/News/031204mbkb1.htm

Scout.com lists him at 6'1"--
http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=2271005

IWCC listed him at 6'2"--
http://athletics.iwcc.edu/mbasketball/roster.asp

Pantagraph article lists him as 6'2"--
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/04/27/sports/doc463130e01c87f787283258.txt

Jucojunction has Emmanuel Holloway listed as 6'3"--
http://jucojunction.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=57633

 

[tornado]

Emmanuel Holloway, originally from Georgia, signed with Mercer in Nov. of 2003.
He played in a couple games early in 2004-2005 - was injured, then redshirted the 2004-2005 season there.
In the 2005-2006 season, he played little, then got suspended.
He left in mid-season (Jan. '06), and looked to transfer. He was announced as transferring to Montana State, but he never qualified there.
He ended up at Iowa Western Junior College, where he did not play the rest of 2005-2006, thus preserving his sophomore season of eligibility.

2006-2007 he played his soph year at Iowa Western, and according to the official stats,
he averaged 15ppg, 38.5% on 3-pointers (62-161), 3.7rpg, 2.6apg, 2.2spg, playing the 2-guard spot alongside Matt Culliver (who just signed with UNI).

Illinois State is listed as the only school to offer Emmanuel, but he was receiving interest from Montana St., SE Missouri St., UC Santa Barbara, Utah State, Weber State, Houston, Miami-FL, South Carolina, Charleston, Eastern Illinois, and Georgia So.
(from Jucojunction)


From the Pantagraph:
"The Redbirds would seem to have a glut of guards for next season"
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/04/27/sports/doc463130e01c87f787283258.txt

 

[Average Joe]

Re: ISU news...

O staying

I read the story in the Pantagraph about Eldridge staying and had to laugh a bit.

'I was real close to leaving'
'When Porter Moser and his staff were fired - Eldridge took it especially hard'
'he went to the ISU compliance office - and requested the paperwork necessary for seeking his transfer'
'I talked to a lot of people. I got different opinions on what I should do'
'the best thing for me to do is probably stay here instead of leaving'

Interpretation---Osiris didn't really want to stay at ISU, but he talked to lots of people and lots of other schools - which is of course a violation - and still couldn't find anyone who really wanted him, so he had no other choice and will 'stick around and ride it out'.



By the way, note this comment left by a reader at the bottom of the page-
"Queen O wrote on April 27, 2007 5:23 AM:
"ANybody who calls himself the King and plays at a school like ISU has some serious problems with their EGO."
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/04/26/sports/doc463153ca10520876582052.txt

 

[Phantom]

Re: ISU news...

O staying

I read the story in the Pantagraph about Eldridge staying and had to laugh a bit.

Interpretation---Osiris didn't really want to stay at ISU, but he talked to lots of people and lots of other schools - which is of course a violation - and still couldn't find anyone who really wanted him, so he had no other choice and will 'stick around and ride it out'.


By the way, note this comment left by a reader at the bottom of the page-
"Queen O wrote on April 27, 2007 5:23 AM:
"ANybody who calls himself the King and plays at a school like ISU has some serious problems with their EGO."
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/04/26/sports/doc463153ca10520876582052.txt

I know he was hurting when Porter & his staff got let go, but he wanted to get to know Jankovich and see what his plans were before making his final decision. Yes he talked to a lot of people seeking advice, but it was from friends and family---not other schools, thats absurd. (Well, I wouldnt be surprised if Illinois tried talking to him :lol: ) As for him "not finding anyone that wanted him", I dont think that would've been the case at all. Go ask Altman if he wanted Eldridge at Creighton or not...

As for the reader's comment, Osiris does not call himself the King :lol: Some of our fans started referring to him as "King O" during last season.

 

[Da Coach]

As for the reader's comment, Osiris does not call himself the King Some of our fans started referring to him as "King O" during last season.

This does not appear to be true. There is evidence that the nickname goes back well before Eldridge was at ISU. Also, just the fact that he wears a jacket with the "King O" embroidered onto the back will tell anyone that Osiris Eldridge does indeed refer to himself by this name. But he has called himself this since high school.

Maybe the nickname became more popular and widely used once Eldridge started playing for the Redbirds and his teammates picked up on it. But I can show you references that King-O was a nickname Eldridge used back when he was a high school student at Chicago Phillips.

Here is a link to a discussion on a ChicagoHoops.com message board from early March, 2006 (when Osiris was still a high school senior), where someone comes onto the discussion and claims to be Osiris Eldridge. He uses the nickname "King-O".
I do not know, nor am I claiming it really is OE, though it may be. (scroll down to March 7, 2006, 6:16 pm post). Note that several ISU posters come onto that discussion and use the King-O name, also.--
http://forums.chicagohoops.com/viewtopic.php?p=32585&sid=5697174cdc4a79ffa65b61c0401a5972

Here is another link to a discussion from last spring (well before OE got to ISU) where posters from Chicago, as well as several familiar ISU posters refer to OE as King-O. (scroll down to April 23, 2006, 2:54 pm and later)--
http://forums.chicagohoops.com/viewtopic.php?p=39662&sid=44e2137f2f879e2cba811605d93397b9

By the way, the "King O" nickname is not actually very original. It is the nickname for a R&B music artist (Omarion) that is popular among kids for several years. --
http://king-o.com/
My guess is that Osiris Eldridge's friends nicknamed OE "King O" in high school after this artist became popular. OE probably liked it and used it himself. It seems appropriate since Eldridge was a dominating player, as well as a spectacular dunker in HS.

 

[Phantom]

Coach you are correct...I know he's had that nickname for a long time I just meant that I didnt think he gave himself the nickname :lol: He's referred to (on msg boards and whatnot) as "King O" but around here everyone just calls him "O"

In any event, regardless of what people call him, Redbird fans are glad he's staying.

Hopefully we can put together a strong season and have a couple good games against you guys. Rivalries are much, much better when both teams are good and lately that hasnt been the case with the War on 74, especially the last 2 times we came to Peoria

 

[tornado]

Back to the topic of Emmanuel Holloway.....

Jucojunction now has an article on him.
http://jucojunction.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=668161

It says.........
"April 27, 2007

Holloway will stay in the Midwest"

Holloway signed yesterday with Illinois State University in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Holloway, (SO) 6-foot-2 (190) from Cartersville, GA, averaged
15.2 ppg and 3.7 rebounds for the Reivers this past season.
Emmanuel started his college career at Mercer University but
never played a game there. He enrolled at Iowa Western
back in January 2006 and played this past season. The two
guard visited Houston and Georgia State (offered) along with
Illinois State...."


But here's evidence that he did play briefly in two games before being redshirted.

He is listed in the box score as playing 1 minute in the game of 2/08/05 against Savannah State:
http://www2.mercer.edu/Athletics/Men/Basketball/Box_Scores/050208MBB.htm

and he played 12/22/04 against Ohio State, as he is listed as playing in the play-by-play

 

[DannyCooksey]

Re: ISU news...

O staying

I read the story in the Pantagraph about Eldridge staying and had to laugh a bit.

'I was real close to leaving'
'When Porter Moser and his staff were fired - Eldridge took it especially hard'
'he went to the ISU compliance office - and requested the paperwork necessary for seeking his transfer'
'I talked to a lot of people. I got different opinions on what I should do'
'the best thing for me to do is probably stay here instead of leaving'

Interpretation---Osiris didn't really want to stay at ISU, but he talked to lots of people and lots of other schools - which is of course a violation - and still couldn't find anyone who really wanted him, so he had no other choice and will 'stick around and ride it out'.



By the way, note this comment left by a reader at the bottom of the page-
"Queen O wrote on April 27, 2007 5:23 AM:
"ANybody who calls himself the King and plays at a school like ISU has some serious problems with their EGO."
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/04/26/sports/doc463153ca10520876582052.txt

laughable

 

[vbird]

Yes, average Joe's interpretation is laughable.