Chat Wrap: Casey Jacobsen
Courtesy: Stanford Athletics
Release: 10/26/2001
Oct. 26, 2001
Michelle (East Lansing): Are you excited to play Michigan State? Do yo think they'll be a good team? 
CaseyJacobsen: (3:59 PM ET ) Michigan State has been one of the two best teams in the past three years of College Basketball (the other, obviously, being Duke). I have circled that game against them in red marker. It is going to be a good one! They have some very talented guards and some great freshman.
CardinalBloodinMyVeins!!!: Everyone has put a substantial burden on you this year to carry the team. Has anyone of your teammates shown substantial improvement this year? For instance, both Justin and Julius have amazing athletic ability but Julius, in particular, has under-performed in relation to everyone's expectations. Has Julius shown any improve? Can Justin face the basket and hit the outside shot with his awkward release? Will Curtis last more than 5 games? There are a lot of questions this year. CaseyJacobsen: (4:02 PM ET ) Our team is really coming along great. We have more firepower than people think, even though I am our only returning starter. Julius is ready to finally have a great year- we all know how athletic he is. Curtis is one of the most important parts of our team. He is HEALTHY, for all those who are wondering. He looks great. Justin Davis will start at forward this year. His shot has improved 100% since you all have last seen him.
CardinalMan(Stanford): How difficult will UCLA be? What are the key things we need to focus on to beat them? CaseyJacobsen: (4:04 PM ET ) UCLA is the obvious favorite to win the PAC 10 this year....I am excited to finally play the role of the underdog! Kapono and Gadzuric are the key players. Will do my best to slow Kapono down, but that is one of my most difficult tasks I have this year.
Lindsay (Chicago): Describe the process of balancing athletics and academics? CaseyJacobsen: (4:12 PM ET ) Stanford is a very unique place. Balancing school and sports is difficult , but it is teaching me all kinds of life lessons. I really take my education seriously...almost as serious as my basketball (kidding)
Trisha (Toyan): Briefs or Boxershorts? CaseyJacobsen: (4:13 PM ET ) Boxers, definitely....except when I am playing basketball, that is
Branner (Stanford): Hey Casey, how was Australia this summer? We're having a party tonight. You gonna stop by? CaseyJacobsen: (4:16 PM ET ) Australia was one of the best experiences of my life! We won 4 of our 5 games....some of the guys went bungy-jumping (not me, of course). It was lots of fun.
Party tonight? Sorry, Branner. We have practice tomorrow at 7a.m. If you ask Coach Monty to reschedule, I'll be there.
Flash Gordon: Are you going with the bleach again this year or au naturel? CaseyJacobsen: (4:18 PM ET ) I really want to bleach my entire head, but I won't. I will have some kind of chemical in my hair, though. I just hate my natural hair color...what do you think I should do?
Hayley (San Francisco): Hey Casey! Do you feel any pressure from the media challenging the team since the Collins twins, McDonald, and Mendez all graduated? Hope you guys kick butt this year! CaseyJacobsen: (4:20 PM ET ) I, personally, don't feel any more pressure from the media than in my two previous years. I'm not sure if the pressure bothers my teammates, though. And keep in mind, "pressure" is not always a bad thing- I hope we can use it to motivate us this season.
Ryan (Stockton, CA): How much influence has your brother, Adam, had on your game? I know he lit it up from behind the arc at the University of the Pacific, and must have been someone for you to really learn alot from. CaseyJacobsen: (4:22 PM ET ) Adam is definitely one of my role models on the basketball court. He played so hard all the time and was one of the most gifted and hardworking shooters I will ever see. He has helped me tremendously in improving my game and I hope he will continue to do so. Thanks Adam!
6thMan4Life: Hey Casey,
How good are we this year? Do you think we are worse, as good, or better than last year? What will be the biggest factors in this year's success and how far do you think we can really go? CaseyJacobsen: (4:25 PM ET ) We are very talented. If everyone can stay healthy, we will be just as good as we have been in the past. I would like to see us advance farther in the tournament. In order to do that, our freshman have to step up, Curtis must score consistently, and our point guards must run the show.
StanfordMad: How good is Josh Childress? Will he contribute right away and will he be able to take some of the pressure of you?
CaseyJacobsen: (4:27 PM ET ) Josh Childress will eventually be a star at Stanford and it might happen this year. He has all the weapons and make-up that a great basketball player must have. He is a good kid with a great work ethic. I can't emphasize enough his "work ethic"- that will take him to the next level.
Dan (DC): In retrospect, was Maryland the toughest team you played last year? CaseyJacobsen: (4:30 PM ET ) Maryland, Duke and Arizona were the best teams we played last year and of those, Maryland was the only one we didn't beat. They were really good and are even better this year. Juan Dixon is a winner and Baxter is unstoppable.
Bill Preston, jr.: Casey, Do you consider this a rebuilding season for the team and do you expect more double teams on you due to the lack of experience of your team mates? Thanks. CaseyJacobsen: (4:34 PM ET ) This is not a rebuilding year at all. Most likely, we will start 1 senior and 4 juniors. The media just doesn't know who these players are....but they will! I am expecting more double teams this year but I have no doubt that my teammates will make opponents pay for that. As much attention as I get, my teammates are more vital to our team's success than I will ever be.
Beat cal (SF): You mentioned Julius is stepping up. Will he start at PG? CaseyJacobsen: (4:36 PM ET ) Our point guard situation is up in the air. Right now Tony Giovacchini has the upper hand, but Julius and our new freshman Chris Hernandez are pushing him every day in practice. Coach also experiments with Julius and Tony at the off-guard positions.
Luke (Iowa): Do you think that you or Luke Recker is a better 2 guard. CaseyJacobsen: (4:39 PM ET ) Luke Recker is a great player and will be a great NBA player, as well. That is a tough question to answer, because I am supposed to be a confident player. If you ask Luke that question, I would expect his answer to be that he would beat me. I would say that I beat him. I have to.
Logan: Casey do you like Stanford, and do you think you will take second in the PAC-10 of course UCLA will take it all CaseyJacobsen: (4:41 PM ET ) You seem rather confident...Don't forget your neighbor, USC. I'm sure not.
It is going to be an exciting league. I want the championship, to answer your question.
cardinalntlchamps: Do you have what is takes to lead Stanford to the national title? CaseyJacobsen: (4:44 PM ET ) I am working my butt off to try and make that happen. I will need all the help I can get, though. It is easier said than done (a national championship)
Casey: do you know Logan Tom..... or have you met her,, you are the tightest basketball player there is, and you are better then battier,, CaseyJacobsen: (4:47 PM ET ) Do you want to be my agent?
I know Logan....she is one of the most amazing athletes on this entire campus, which says a lot. She is a really nice girl, too.
Matt (Philly): Hey Casey, I'm 12 yrs old and love your game, modeling mine after the way you play, but being on the East Coast, we don't get to see too many of your games. Do you feel like you and the other great West Coast teams get the same level of respect that the teams on the East Coast get? CaseyJacobsen: (4:51 PM ET ) I have been asked about that a lot. I really feel like we are getting the respect, now. East Coast teams as a whole have been better in past years, so I don't blame some media. It is difficult for everyone. Dick Vitale, Jay Bilas, and Digger have been giving us (Stanford) lots of love in the past few years. I appreciate it, fellas.
Mike (Miami): Will you ever get tired of being popular and recognized everywhere you go? CaseyJacobsen: (4:55 PM ET ) I don't get recognized everywhere I go. That is one of of the great things about Stanford. I really feel like a normal student/athlete here. Every now and then, people recognize me, but not as often as you might think. I like it that way.
Cesar LA: Hey Casey, are you going to keep shooting those loooooong bombs this year? Why do you shoot from so far out sometimes. Thanks. GO STANFORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CaseyJacobsen: (4:59 PM ET ) You bet ya! I have to shoot from that far out because
nobody will let me take open 3's. I have worked on making people guard me 26 feet from the basket so it's easier to drive around them.
Matt (Chicago): Hey Casey, good luck this season, I was wondering if you read your fan mail? CaseyJacobsen: (5:05 PM ET ) Of course, I read my fan mail and I really appreciate it when people take time to say nice things about my team and my play. It is really tough to return mail to them, however, and it makes me feel bad sometimes. I really want to respond to the fans more, but I find it almost impossible with everything that is going on around me. Thanks for that question.
Danny (Abq): Hey man how do you feel about playing in college basketballs loudest arena the PIT? First game of the season for New Mexico I think. CaseyJacobsen: (5:07 PM ET ) I am very excited to play in the PIT. I have heard a lot about it. New Mexico is very good (underrated, I think) . We are going to have to play really good to beat them on their home court. I really want to start our season off with a win, though.
Porter Power (Philly): Casey, can you comment on what you learned from playing St Joe's in the NCAA's. It almost looked like you took that team for granted. Is that backcourt (Nelson/O'Conner) nasty or what? Thanks. CaseyJacobsen: (5:11 PM ET ) We didn't take them for granted at all...they were just a very good team with nothing to lose against a team who was expected to kill them. Their backcourt (O'Connor and Nelson) is definitely one of the best in the game if they are playing well....and against us they did!
Icepen15: You guys have some ugly uniforms. You ever thought about getting rid of those things? CaseyJacobsen: (5:12 PM ET ) What would you suggest? I think we look OK, but that stuff really doesn't matter to us.
Cindy (Stanford): How can the 6th Man club best help the team? CaseyJacobsen: (5:14 PM ET ) Do what they always do...YELL like mad. We have the best fans in the country and nobody gives them enough credit. Thank you, 6th man! CaseyJacobsen: (5:15 PM ET ) Thank you for all your questions...I had a lot of fun. Unfortunately, we have practice starting in 35 minutes. I hope everyone has a great day...