I've got mail

One quick one today:
Matt (obviously a fine gentleman with a name like that) wants to know what to expect from Justin Alexander next year.
I'll say that I have some quotes about him for a quick feature I've been meaning to do for a month that keeps getting sidetracked because of other things that come up. But for now I'll say this.
I don't think the key is what he does, it's what he allows everyone else to do. If he can just play well enough to start and get, say, 6 and 6 a night... that lets you go Alexander, Simmons, Horton, Robby and Shemik. It gives Central an inside-outside offense, makes life easier on Shemik, who won't have to create as much but instead can just drive and kick or dump it inside when he doesn't shoot it himself... and it lets you have a bench of Markeys, Vince and hopefully one of the young kids who develops, plus Chris. When you put two starters on the bench and make another starter the fourth option, your team gets a whole lot deeper. And that doesn't count the other freshman.
Now, can Alexander step in like this? To be honest, I have no idea. I've never met him, never mind watching him play. I will say that I believe Howie when he says this kid can help and that Efese will be good.
I do think next year changes everything. But the kids here now have to develop some, ahem, fortitude, as you will read about in tomorrow's paper.
In the meantime, all questions, comments, complaints, insults, praise predictions, rants and anything else you can think of, fire them away to mstraubblog@hotmail.com. I'm looking forward to more dialogue.

A separate thought from the email before I go back to work: Howie said once again that you are the best fans in the NEC, pointing out that "teams that are winning" don't get "the love" that his teams get. Don't make a liar out of him. There will be Bobcats and Bobcats fans in town Thursday. Your job is to drown them out. If you're going to demand more from your players, they get to demand more from you. Show up and be loud Thursday, or no complaining Friday about the lack of a student section or anything else.