jjray Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 We had a thread a few weeks ago speaculating that the reason coach chose to completely remove JJ from the rotation is that when Ian shortly became eligible that he would eclipse JJ for minutes. Made sense then. After watching Ian in his brief appearances a few games, do you have any thoughts on the issue? I'm left baffled because Ian is much slower afoot than I expected. In my opinion, he is only ready to guard other similiarly quickness challenged bigs. CUSA is a conference with athletic bigs and Tom / Chris Sloan need help out there. Looking down the bench, JJ seems the only one capable of aiding. I'm disappointed coach has thrown in the towel on JJ this early in the season. I like the results coach gets out of his team so I won't beat this issue to death but it is perplexing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billikan Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 I do not think that JJ is losing minutes to Ian. He is basically playing the 5 position when Tom goes out. He will never be a quick player that plays tough perimeter defense. he is a low post defender and mid range and low post player on offense who when he gets more experience and upper body strength will be a good passer out of the post and a clever inside player. He an JJ are totally different types of players. JJ is losing his time to the fact that sloan plays big minutes and that we play 3 guards a lot and the fact that IO is developing quickly. Also, the coaches obviously have much more confidence in Varner who is stronger and better fundamentally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tseugnekillib Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 Don't give up on JJ not playing yet this season. JJ on occasion shoots the mid-range jumper very well in practice. IV replaces TF in the line-up. Against SoMiss, Sloan played the 3 spot late in the game for a few minutes. It's a matter of the coach trusting JJ in a tight game. I believe JJ plays a bit before the year is out! IV, imo, needs to play at a quicker pace and stop the deep thinking of "what-to-do" next and "where-to-be" next, especially on the defensive end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted January 15, 2004 Author Share Posted January 15, 2004 >Don't give up on JJ not playing yet this season. JJ on >occasion shoots the mid-range jumper very well in practice. >IV replaces TF in the line-up. Against SoMiss, Sloan played >the 3 spot late in the game for a few minutes. It's a matter >of the coach trusting JJ in a tight game. I believe JJ plays >a bit before the year is out! IV, imo, needs to play at a >quicker pace and stop the deep thinking of "what-to-do" next >and "where-to-be" next, especially on the defensive end. I like what I see from JJ and believe (from what I have seen of him in games) that he deserves PT. However, for whatever reason, coach won't play him even when the matchup make his size and athleticism desirable. Thus, I would be surprised if JJ sees the court again this year absent injury or serious foul trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 In regards to RV being more fundamentally sound and stronger all of that may be true but being stronger and fundamentally sound will not make you jump higher to get a rebound or quick enough to get in position to block the shooter. I am not really interested in starting the arguement about JJ vs RV again - clearly Brad has made his choice - RV was in at the end of the USM game and all I have to say is thank goodness the refs did not make the correct call which was a foul on him. If he was all that fundamentally sound, he would have been in a position to get the rebound. Either way - it looks like RV is going to play and we will all see how it is a good decision or not at the end of the season. My vote says RV will cause us more heartache then he does elation. I already got the SMS and the USM game in the bad column - there might even be another game that I am not sure about but I am going to be conservative for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stchuckbilliken Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 I agree completely. Watching RV play is painful. In the second half of the USM game, twice he got beat bad trying to guard out at the 3 pt line. Also, Brad's sub rotation is inherently destructive. We will suffer in the conf tourny with only a 7 person rotation. If we have to play 3 games in 3 nights those guys will be exhausted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billikan Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 Why is it that every time you post you have to take a shot at the coach? He has done some very nice things with a team that has limited talent. The team has matured and is better as the new players settle in and see their roles. The positive change was evident as soon as Brad went to the shorter rotation. compare that to Missouri, where Pretty Q plays 10 or 11 on a superstar loaded team and they have no cohesion and they play terrible--the only way they win is if they throw in long shots that have nothing to do with coaching. their defense is poor while ours is excellent. Do you have some kind of agenda that is unrelated to the performance on the court because over the last 5 games we have been a tough to beat competitive team. What is your coaching background? Have you played or coached big time basketball? I would suggest that this up and coming young coach knows a hell of a lot more about basketball and coaching thant you ever dreamed to know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted January 15, 2004 Author Share Posted January 15, 2004 Every coach in America from little league up gets second guessed by people with no coaching experience. It's the American way! No need to attack the person offering the opinion, just fire away at the premise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billikan Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 You are right! But this guy bugs me because he hammers the coach when we lose and gives him no credit when we win. He has some kind of agenda and it makes me mad at times. Most of our posters are legitimate in their views and if they want to comment on the coaching--they may not know anything but they have the right to say what they think. I am just frustrated with this guy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 Ross Varner guarding the big 280 pound USM tub-o-goo was the wrost thing I've seen in the long time. The tub made varner look bad every time he touched the ball or tried to get open underneath. I hope JJ get's it together soon in Brad's eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billikan Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 You are right about the mismatch but that guy was a mismatch for everyone on our team. he would have pushed JJ into the third row. The reason why Ross got beat off the dribble is simple. because this moose hit several long outside shots the defenders were told to get in his face and make him put it on the floor. Ever though he is fat he is very agile and he challanged us and took it to the rim. I think that people forget that Varner did several good things in the game including some nice feeds the post and some tough block outs where others rebounded the ball. I am not saying he is a great player but he is better and more effective than some on this board would believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stchuckbilliken Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 I'm sorry, I missed were Brad has been sainted. I still think my main point is valid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted January 15, 2004 Author Share Posted January 15, 2004 >You are right! But this guy bugs me because he hammers the >coach when we lose and gives him no credit when we win. He >has some kind of agenda and it makes me mad at times. Most >of our posters are legitimate in their views and if they >want to comment on the coaching--they may not know anything >but they have the right to say what they think. I am just >frustrated with this guy! It's grudge match then with stchuckbilliken. Hey, then I'm all for it. Alittle controversey on the board would add some spice, the rest of us will know to stay clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billikan Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 I am sorry but I missed the point where someone annointed you the coaching expert. Ar you a Missouri fan? Just watch their games and tell me about the long bench. they play a lot of people and most are very inconsistant--result--bad games and bad losses. Brad has figured out how to win games with a shorter rotation. He did that after a bad loss to a team we would probably beat today--SMS--that is the true definition of coaching--adjust to your personnel and get them to play hard. Brad does not have one highly touted high school superstar on the entire roster. Missouri has at least 8. He is a terrific coach and we as Bills fans should be delighted he is our coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 The statement that caused all this back and forth was about playing a short bench in the conf. tourney. No one can disagree that playing 3 or 4 games in as many days is not a physcial challenge for a short bench. You can get away with a short bench during the season because you seldom play more than two games in successive days. You can even get away with it in the NCAA Tourney - you only play 2 games a week with a day off between them. Brad going to a short bench of 7 was smart and has reaped us real benefits but the other night after the USM game even he admitted on the post game that he was sensing his team was starting to fatigue at the end of games and that he needed to probably extend his rotation another player or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stchuckbilliken Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 Thank you for making my point far better than I did. For the record. I think Brad is the right coach for this team and hopefully for teams in the future. Once in a while I just try to point out what I believe are some incorrect decisions. Like taking RB out of the SMS game because of BS first half 2 foul rule. This inflexiblity probably cost us the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willie Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 I thought it was interesting that Crean felt he had to play Travis with 2 fouls in the first half. I personally think the whole concept of sitting with 2 fouls is kind of stupid. Romar would never let anybody foul out of games fearing they would play tenetive on that 5th foul. That said what probably makes Brad such a good coach is that he is inflexible. He know exactly what he wants and by God thats how it's going to be done. If we disagree with some of his strategy that doesn't mean we feel he's not a great coach. Thats what sport fans do,second quess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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