Taj79 Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Much like abas' "Ask Jim" thread ..... but over and above the usual free throw lane manning, inbounds play to the backcourt, sub patterns, undistinguishable offense and so on ..... 1. How come most freshmen are not freshmen any more but ours still are? A few VCU games ago, they were playing St. Joe's I think and the announcers made note of the fact that Larrier and VCU's other freshmen are not freshmen anymore. But ours apparently still are. Gillmann made his customary three but was non-existent otherwise. Jolly looks completely lost except for bluffing 30 foot trey attempts. Bartley got mugged and while he did make three treys, he was overwhelmed for the most part. Reynolds is too rail thin and couldn't take his dribble off set screens as his defender dictated where he went. 2. Why do we still employ a 12-man rotation? Folks have chirped about TL and BJ and JM and what they seem to be lacking and yet we continue to go all 12 deep. Those three big stiffs were no match for the athleticism of Cox, Larrier, Gilmore or Tillman. And by the way, they are one soph and three freshmen -- VCWho's future is bright and then add in Burgess, Lewis and Williams. Yikes. 3. Why aren't "teaching moments" teaching? We have had so many right now as evidenced by the yanks, you'd think some of them would stick and the need for continued employment of such is being reduced in frequency. Twice yesterday MY went on those end-to-end rushes I loathe ---- one where he dribbled the ball off Agbeko in the crowd, and the second with the bogus charge call. And on a third, while he took the initiative to bring the ball up, he froze before half court and got us a 10 second call. The kid can be very good. But no one can do it all. 4. How come we go through extended scoring droughts but always have fopur timeouts or so to take home on the plane with us? Will a TO break our momentum? What momentum is a better question. 5. At one point, the dream team was out there .... RA, AY, MY, DR and MR. They started the seocnd half. And then MR makes a foul and --- poof! -- he's yanked. But I wanted to focus on RA. Twelve minutes. One missed FG. One missed FT. Three rebounds (two offensive) and two fouls. He got waxed when covering Graham and he got outmuscled when he covered Cox. I thought the experiment a valid one (what else could really hurt) but again the enigma of RA continues. 6. The Big Fat Enchillada Donut. Our traditional fives -- Manning, Gillmann and Jolly went 34 minutes, hoisting three shots, making one (Gillmann's trey), taking/making two free throws (again Gillmann), grabbing 4 rebounds, dishing out one assist (Gillmann), blocking one shot (Gillmann), contributing three turnovers, four fouls (all Gillmann) and scoring 5 points (again all Gillmann). Let be the first to say to Mr. Neufeld: the picking is ripe and the bar ain't too high. And if Neufeld and Welman are Gillmannand Jolly II, ut-oh. 7. Too Many MIAs. Davell Roby. Ash Yacoubou. Brett Jolly. Reggie Agbeko. Austin McBroom. Marcus Bartley (even with three treys as it didn't matter when they came). John Manning. Think about it -- playing 12 man roster with over 50% of the roster giving literally nothing to the contest. Add in Lancona --- his points were all garbage time as well. The La Salle game is the last game listed with a national TV time. I hope some of the last four make it my way via Fox Sports. If they don't our following will surely plummet both in person as well as on the tube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufan13 Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 1. That's the question none of the super positive people want to answer. It's always "youth youth youth. inexperience this. freshman that." Our freshmen have played a lot of minutes. We're not the Billikids any more. Yarbrough and Roby have played more minutes this year than Manning in his first 3 years combined. We came into the season inexperienced, but we've played plenty this season to stop using youth as the end-all excuse. If we had even 5 more wins, I'm guessing we'd be talking about how we're grown up, but since we keep losing, youth is the excuse. 2. Rotation/subs make no sense. I've given up on that. Why not try to walk-ons if we're gonna play everyone? 3. I said this last night, guys get yanked after every mistake, yet they make the same mistake 6 minutes later. Pulling them isn't helping. Let them play through mistakes and call them out in film sessions. The guys played scared because they know they'll get pulled. 4. Crews hates timeouts. I'd love to have a mic on him and the staff during the rare timeout or tv timeout to see what's said. You'd think that if we made as many mistakes as Crews makes it seem, that calling a timeout would give them a chance to teach rather than a kid hang his head and go straight to his spot on the bench. Roby is the only guy who goes straight to the coaches for feedback when he comes out. Crawford and Gillmann sometimes. 5. At least we tried the lineup. But since it didn't work for 90 seconds, it's probably being thrown out. 6. I know Jett was POY and took over games, but if I could have anyone from last year's team it would be Loe. 7. hsmith said it best the other day. We have a team of role players. Yarbough can be a stud, but even he tries to do more than he can. The only thing that I'd add is that only a couple of them recognize that they're role players. Even though I disagree that we're still the Billikids, I agree with what Steve posted on the front page. It's harder for these guys than it is for us. I'm sticking with them whether we've improved or regressed since December. But I don't want to be a team full of potential. You gotta realize it. This offseason is extremely important. I'm excited to see it play out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 So you're just going with a slightly different format, eh, Taj? We interrupt this program with the following announcement: the regularly scheduled episode of ".... from the MD couch" will not be aired. Instead, please enjoy this encore presentation of "Why Beat a Dead Horse?" Thank you and g'nite. Please join us again this Sunday, February 22 with the PBS special "Taming of the Crews." Likely at 2:30 EST on NBC Sports Network. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old guy Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 All I can say is that I am disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 At some point you've got to wonder just how good our FR really are. We are really deep into the season and over these last 4 games a case could be made they've regressed not progressed. I do think MY is a talent who with more refinement can be a very good player. Not all world, but at least all conference. DR seems to have the next best shot. Got the body, shown some skills, likes to play D, etc. After these two, you see one step forward one step, sometimes two steps backward. I don't what to make of AY anymore. MC seems a decent role player. RA still makes too many bonehead moves. And there's just nor much there there w/ TL. It also seems, I may be wrong, but in the A10 we played a bunch of teams that start a fair amount of FR and Sophs. Which means a lot of teams will return their core groups next year, so how does it get any better for us? Right now, my preseason ranking would have us somewhere between 6h all the way to the bottom again. It would be hell to go thru another year like this even though we knew it was going to be tough, just not as tough as we seem to be making it on ourselves. So, I guess a lot of work and commitment this summer. Hopefully, if we get a transfer or two, we can pick up a decent inside guy or two. Maybe even a true PG. We really can't count on Neufeld and Wellmer making a huge difference. Hate to sound so pessimistic, but it's hard to contradict the quality of bb we're seeing at this stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufan13 Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I think slu72 makes a great point. Maybe I'm only noticing certain teams and spreading that to everyone, but it seems like a ton of A10 teams have a lot of youth. Yes we will be better in 1-2 years as our guys get older but doesn't the same hold true for the other teams? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moytoy12 Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Not sure how fair it is to judge RA in this game. He wasn't given much of a chance. I'd say he out performed BJ and AG. Agree that I'd most like to have Loe right now. Watching the video that was posted of our past offensive sets showed how valuable RL was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taj79 Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 @Pistol; yeah, yeah, my bad I know. I typed that in the heat of battle last night and then today, realized I needed closure from last night's contest. That plus letting it sit usually lets my emotion amp down a few notches before I declare future A10 POY Brett Jolly is transferring out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 It is fair to ask the question - what have the Freshmen learned so far? If they are not improving then is it right say this is a lost year just as it was for the current sophomores who got little playing time last year? I am sorry, all 3 sophomores have to go find a new place to play - I know some like MC but really - he is so over matched against any team that has any speed or athleticism. TL - nobody will probably disagree that he is a D2 player - looks like the new WSU coach knew something after all when he rescinded the schollie. RA - I really am not sure what to think about him - is he not getting playing time because he is not good or is he being put in the dog house - who knows and at this point I don't really care - if he is not part of the solution then he is part of the problem. AM and AY - they have no other options so we will have to let them finish up here and if they have the right people around them then maybe they could still produce next year. I hate to take a shot at JM here since he is gone anyway but can he really get any worse? As far as other team's freshmen go, they have some seasoned players around them to take the pressure off and we do not so I guess it is fair to say maybe next year will be different for them. I am not sure what to think of JC's coaching - is it he does not know what he is doing or is he simply limited by the players he has. As far as calling timeouts are concerned, he likes to call them at the end of the half to put a play in which usually nets nothing so maybe he is not a good time out coach. Welmer and Neufield - you will play but the question is are you any better than the stiffs we already have - I am hopeful but really what choice do I have at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 You can't help yourself! Even with a night (or week, or month) to settle down, I'd be happy to see Jolly transfer out. Regarding your other questions: 1. Talent gap. Coaching. 2. I can only assume he's trying to give everyone experience and minutes, which he failed to do last season (as discussed in another thread, the then-freshmen, now-sophomores could've used more minutes late in games last season to get some floor experience and give the seniors a rest). I've seen the argument that wins and losses don't matter this season. I don't buy into that necessarily, but obviously things have to be done with a long-term view. Still- if there are guys transferring out and guys who aren't cutting it, don't make the future core of your team suffer for it. And we've all griped on here nonstop about the substitution patterns. No one gets it. 3. Freshmen are going to have freshman moments. Still, I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this same problem. No one seems to be "getting" it. 4. Another puzzler that only Crews could answer. 5. RA seems lost. Looks like a freshman in an exhibition game. Again - Crews has not shown that he can coach up anyone at all. 6. Our frontcourt must be one of the few weakest in the nation. Manning never improved, see #5 for Agbeko, Lancona hinted that he'd be a stretch 4 shooter this season and his 3 pointer last night was a rarity, Gillmann is a stretch 5 with a lot of strength and conditioning to do, and Jolly...I see nothing in him. The only sign of hope here for me is Gillmann. I think he's a nice player with good vision and a unique skill set. He's a freshman big with a ways to go, but he'll be fine. Unlimited opportunity for Neufeld and Welmer next year but, again - bigs take time. Even if Neufeld is as good as billed. And I think Welmer is a stretch at this level (as is Jolly). I have no hopes for him or Jolly panning out. 7. We haven't had one consistent performer this season. I thought Yarbrough had potential to be that after his first couple A10 games, but he turned out to be too easy to scout. I don't know if it's the way the roster is being managed in games, if no one has a long enough leash, if the talent level is really that poor - I don't know. It's frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Here are scoring stats from a pretty good players frosh year beginning with game 1 9,6,3,11,3,13,7,16,18,13,9,12,5,1,12,5,1,5,14,3,2,3,10,5,7,3,6,14,6,5,7 7 turnovers in a game twice, 6 once, 5 twice, and 4 five times. so turned it over at least 4 times in 1/3rd of the season. I don't know what the f..k the coach was doing at that time to not be able to coach a player to more consistent results. In fact after that season I'm surprised we renewed his scholarship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUfan_42 Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Maybe Crews is just a basketball mastermind who know one can even begin to fully understand and he leads an under-recruited SLU team to the promised land. We don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Here are scoring stats from a pretty good players frosh year beginning with game 1 9,6,3,11,3,13,7,16,18,13,9,12,5,1,12,5,1,5,14,3,2,3,10,5,7,3,6,14,6,5,7 7 turnovers in a game twice, 6 once, 5 twice, and 4 five times. so turned it over at least 4 times in 1/3rd of the season. I don't know what the f..k the coach was doing at that time to not be able to coach a player to more consistent results. In fact after that season I'm surprised we renewed his scholarship. It should be pointed out that the freshmen in question averaged more assists and steals per 40 minutes than anyone on the current roster. He, also, averaged more points per 40 minutes than any freshman on the current roster outside of Reynolds skewed number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 That freshman guard, also, averaged 5.1 rebounds per 40. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almaman Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I give up who he be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierPal Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Last year we played an eight man rotation: Loe, Evans, McCall, Jett, Barnett, Glaze, Manning and McBroom. The board complained. "Why aren't the freshmen playing?" This year we are playing 12 and the board is complaining, "Why do we have to play everyone?" OK, what is the number that most pleases this board? It has to be 9, 10, or 11. I'm curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Last year we played an eight man rotation: Loe, Evans, McCall, Jett, Barnett, Glaze, Manning and McBroom. The board complained. "Why aren't the freshmen playing?" This year we are playing 12 and the board is complaining, "Why do we have to play everyone?" OK, what is the number that most pleases this board? It has to be 9, 10, or 11. I'm curious. -for me this season it is the seemingly subbing just to sub, there seems to be no reason for many and players having good games are sitting for extended periods that make no sense at least to me -if we are going to play 12 I would have instituted a press weeks ago, but perhaps the thought is we foul to much to expose the defense for an additional half of the court but we've experimented with every lineup combination why not a press? -last season, there were games where we were comfortably winning where the starters were playing the last 2-3 minutes, i wanted them on the bench to avoid injury and others to get some clock in case of an injury, luckily we dodged the injury bullet, mainly -also this season I would say there is a more even distribution of the shown abilities of the players than there was last season -it is not necessarily about the number but why and how the number is determined (if it is determined) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB73 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Last year we played an eight man rotation: Loe, Evans, McCall, Jett, Barnett, Glaze, Manning and McBroom. The board complained. "Why aren't the freshmen playing?" This year we are playing 12 and the board is complaining, "Why do we have to play everyone?" OK, what is the number that most pleases this board? It has to be 9, 10, or 11. I'm curious. yep, the same knuckleheads will whine either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufan13 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Nobody wanted a 12 man rotation last year either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 It should be pointed out that the freshmen in question averaged more assists and steals per 40 minutes than anyone on the current roster. He, also, averaged more points per 40 minutes than any freshman on the current roster outside of Reynolds skewed number. I'd have to double check but did he score more per 40 than MY is? MY is also averaging 5 boards a game. My point was to look at the inconsistent numbers ... in the end they weren't bad ... but without looking he probably didn't shoot any better than MY is either. Yet MY's 2-15 game is brought up over and over along with the 8 turnovers ... though a couple of the turnovers weren't his fault. One he was fouled on a block and the other was a pass JM should have caught easily. Also blocks though listed as a turnover ... just my opinion are actually more of a missed shot. Frosh have up and down games ... so did Jordair Jett. Didn't mean he wasn't being coached well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I give up who he be? Jordair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 That freshman guard, also, averaged 5.1 rebounds per 40. Since we are using per 40 ... MY 17.5 / 8.5 / 2.5 / .495 from the field Jordair per 40 ... 11.7 / 5.0 / 3.8 / .467 We were all amazed at some of the seemingly boneheaded plays Jordair made ... however, like Malik it was usually due to trying to do to much ... I can live with that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I'd have to double check but did he score more per 40 than MY is? MY is also averaging 5 boards a game. My point was to look at the inconsistent numbers ... in the end they weren't bad ... but without looking he probably didn't shoot any better than MY is either. Yet MY's 2-15 game is brought up over and over along with the 8 turnovers ... though a couple of the turnovers weren't his fault. One he was fouled on a block and the other was a pass JM should have caught easily. Also blocks though listed as a turnover ... just my opinion are actually more of a missed shot. Frosh have up and down games ... so did Jordair Jett. Didn't mean he wasn't being coached well. I forgot to add guard with freshman on the points per. I haven't complained once about Milik and think it is foolish to do so. Milik has a chance to be a very good player. In general I don't like ripping the players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I forgot to add guard with freshman on the points per. I haven't complained once about Milik and think it is foolish to do so. Milik has a chance to be a very good player. In general I don't like ripping the players. and I wasn't calling you out ... however the board is so up and down with every good or bad performance ... my point was just that being inconsistent and at times looking terrible as a frosh doesn't mean you aren't going to end up good ... Hell, Stat wise Jordair wasn't any better as a Soph than he was as a frosh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Since we are using per 40 ... MY 17.5 / 8.5 / 2.5 / .495 from the field Jordair per 40 ... 11.7 / 5.0 / 3.8 / .467 We were all amazed at some of the seemingly boneheaded plays Jordair made ... however, like Malik it was usually due to trying to do to much ... I can live with that I believe that is Jett's sophomore stat line and reflects the fact he had the ball in his hands less with the return of Mitchell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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