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Midtown Madness: Episode 3 featuring Noah Goldberg of ESPN Richmond and Spider Scoop.


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We incorporated some feedback into the format this time and I think it pays off. Keep giving feedback, it's much appreciated.

Great Richmond-related conversation with Noah, too; he's a student there and their ESPN Richmond writer/podcaster.

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Listening now -

I really don't agree with the French take in the first half of the show - I don't think he's taken a step back, or needs to sit more. Playing 25 or so a night is good number to me. The "French is becoming lazy or complacent or whatever you want to call it" take is a little out there. We had cried and moaned that we had no real depth behind him for three years - and now when we do have depth and we're seeing the results of it, we are saying French is underperforming. We finally are able to accommodate French's FT disasterclass toward the end of games as well as alleviating his over-fouling problems.

Our best lineups, analytically, are those with Has on the floor. Interior D really takes a step down when he's not out there, but O stays similar. If you look at his page on kenpom, his non-counting numbers are very similar to last year, including better passing numbers, as well as better shooting numbers, and a step down in block rate. https://kenpom.com/player.php?p=40661

Is this the most disrespect a guy with French's resume has gotten at this point in his career (I'm 27, for reference)? The program's best true big man since Bonner and this is now the narrative surrounding him. He wasn't the only one on the floor Friday. I think this is a really bad take, and its not just here where I've heard it.

 

 

.....with that being said, I'm enjoying this iteration of the pod better than the last

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2 hours ago, Littlebill said:

Listening now -

I really don't agree with the French take in the first half of the show - I don't think he's taken a step back, or needs to sit more. Playing 25 or so a night is good number to me. The "French is becoming lazy or complacent or whatever you want to call it" take is a little out there. We had cried and moaned that we had no real depth behind him for three years - and now when we do have depth and we're seeing the results of it, we are saying French is underperforming. We finally are able to accommodate French's FT disasterclass toward the end of games as well as alleviating his over-fouling problems.

Our best lineups, analytically, are those with Has on the floor. Interior D really takes a step down when he's not out there, but O stays similar. If you look at his page on kenpom, his non-counting numbers are very similar to last year, including better passing numbers, as well as better shooting numbers, and a step down in block rate. https://kenpom.com/player.php?p=40661

Is this the most disrespect a guy with French's resume has gotten at this point in his career (I'm 27, for reference)? The program's best true big man since Bonner and this is now the narrative surrounding him. He wasn't the only one on the floor Friday. I think this is a really bad take, and its not just here where I've heard it.

 

 

.....with that being said, I'm enjoying this iteration of the pod better than the last

Has shot the ball 10 times a game last year.  He shoots it 6 times a game this year.  Shots he used to get last year he now passes out to perimeter shooters and to guys who are much better free throw shooters.   Has also plays less minutes, especially in the 2nd half because Linssen is such a polished post player and much better free throw shooter.

His field goal percentage, as you've pointed out, is better than last year.  His rebounding initially suffered after the pause but Has is averaging 8.2 rpg over the last five games in only 22 mpg.  I'm not sure what people are expecting.

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French’s FT shooting is so front and center to everything he does in the run of play that it will no doubt taint all of his great play. Unfortunately that he is far and away the worst FT shooter on the team and hasn’t improved at all in 4 years he is automatically going to take some of the scapegoating for the team’s struggles.

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This is a me-problem but I just expected so much more from French this year. I thought he'd be a dominant post presence on both ends of the floor and would have 10 point/10 rebound games regularly as a senior. Ideally even more points than that but I knew we'd have other scoring options

10 point/10 rebound games by season for French

Freshman: 5

Sophomore: 10

Junior: 12

Senior: 0

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15 hours ago, 3star_recruit said:

Has shot the ball 10 times a game last year.  He shoots it 6 times a game this year.  Shots he used to get last year he now passes out to perimeter shooters and to guys who are much better free throw shooters.   Has also plays less minutes, especially in the 2nd half because Linssen is such a polished post player and much better free throw shooter.

His field goal percentage, as you've pointed out, is better than last year.  His rebounding initially suffered after the pause but Has is averaging 8.2 rpg over the last five games in only 22 mpg.  I'm not sure what people are expecting.

This is it - we're less reliant on French. That's it. He's not worse - he's not struggling. We just don't have to play him 35 mins like we have in the past.

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26 minutes ago, Littlebill said:

This is it - we're less reliant on French. That's it. He's not worse - he's not struggling. We just don't have to play him 35 mins like we have in the past.

Exactly.  Everybody's numbers can't stay the same when the rotation increases by two.  Someone or several someones' numbers will take a hit.  Kwamain Mitchell averaged nearly 16 ppg as a sophomore and about 12 ppg the following year, with more assists.  He didn't "regress".  He sacrificed his scoring for the good of the team.

 

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20 minutes ago, Littlebill said:

This is it - we're less reliant on French. That's it. He's not worse - he's not struggling. We just don't have to play him 35 mins like we have in the past.

Using his per 40 minute averages, he's still down in FGA, FTA, FT%, rebounds, steals, blocks (by a lot), and points (by 3).

He's up in FG% and assists (by a lot), and down slightly in turnovers. Fouls are even.

We talked about the possibility of seniors checking out a little bit - which as I mentioned I saw happen up close - but I don't think that's the case with these guys, even though they've said they're not coming back next year. I think there's some frustration for sure, as I imagine everyone in the game is feeling this season. Reading the article about Richmond's team this season highlights how much the players are going through. Every game has to feel like a road game. It's a mess. I do wonder about potential long-term impacts of COVID, though. It might be more physical than mental.

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4 minutes ago, A10Ref said:

You have to wonder if French got covid sometime before the season and never really recovered from it... Only thing that explains some sort of regression in my mind. He is an all-time great, and I am looking forward to a long overdue French double-double tonight.

He got it early, back in the spring right after last season ended. His grandmother died from it. So he's dealing with a lot this year, unquestionably.

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