slubbfan Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 JJ had 6 boards in 10 minutes!! Wow. Our pf answer is right there. I'm not in STL to see practices but evertime I have seen him play (just twice) he has played hard and well. VN should back him up next year. Put Ian at center with BH behind him and we could be a solid inside team. Why doesn't Brad play this guy more? slubbfan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 JJ is a bit of a head case apparently. He is rumored to be a jogger rather than a sprinter in practise as well. I've seen him appear lost at times when he plays for long stretches but the ability is there. Tapping it everyday is the problem....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slubbfan Posted March 3, 2005 Author Share Posted March 3, 2005 Thanks for the info. I just hope Brad can find a way to light a fire under him because he's got good size, strength and a lot of ability. slubbfan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACE Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 I'm not sure about the knocks on JJ and if they have any validity. I'm not at practice, but when I watch him, I see a quick player with long arms, good hops and a nice jumper. It also looks like he brings energy and plays hard to me. I wish Brad would have played him a little more this year. It looks like he'll have a real opportunity next year. It also looks like Newbourne is asserting himself more, which bodes well for next year. I still think we should recruit a 4, but that position may not be as bad as I thought a couple of months ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 >>JJ is a bit of a head case apparently. << I do not think it appropriate for us on the board to continually slander this guy with no real basis other than rumor or inuendo. Unless someone on this board has regularly attended practice this year, we do not know what sort of effort JJ has put out in practice in the 2004-2005 season. Every time this kid has played in a game this year he has hussled and played hard. He runs the floor, rebounds, boxes out, and exhibits a nice short to mid-range jumper. He was suspended from the team right out of the box to start the year so it has been a long process for JJ to work his way out of Brad's doghouse but, given that we are not recruiting JUCOs this cycle, JJ is our best option at PF next year. I can't conceive of us recruiting a HS or prep PF who will be better than JJ in his first year on campus. Newborne just isn't big enough, quick enough, strong enough to be more than an average forward (meaning someone to give us minutes off the bench). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 We definitely need a 4. Izik has owned Memphis in at least three of the games he's played against them but he is graduating. If we can find a decent power forward, whoever does the schedule should get on the phone with Clueless Calipari immediately to add Memphis to the schedule next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 Yeah, I'm not sure where the head case stuff is coming from. All the staff has said is that he hasn't put forth the type of effort in practice they believe he's capable of. I'd bet there are people on this board that aren't put forth the type of effort in their jobs that they are capable of but I wouldn't call them head cases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billikan Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 I have watched several practices and I also think it is not fair to call JJ a "head case". In truth, he is like a lot of us at that age--he sometimes loses focus and does not give the attention to detail that is expected. His attention seems to wander at tiems. In a way, I see him as somewhat immature and in need of seasoning. If he ever fully commits to hard play all of the time he will become a very able player who could give us some 10 rebound games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUBandTBone Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 One other thing that I've noticed about JJ is his abilty to hit the mid-range jumper. It's a lost art, to quote SportsCenter, and he is very good at getting open for it and hitting it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 I agree - this "head case" tag was put on him by someone on this board 2 years ago and is a perfect example of how a person can get mislabeled by one event or implied comment. JJ screwed up at the start of the season - none of know what happened but clearly it was not enough for Brad to kick him off the team and he apparently has worked hard to get things straightened out. Brad has been playing him and as of late and he has responded. If you remember, several of us last year were calling for him to get more playing time. The kid is athletic, will rebound and set screens as well as having a nice mid-range jumper. I agree it would be best if we simply relie on JJ and VN next year and recruit a solid h.s. #4 rather than take a chance a left over h.s. player or prep school kid that nobody really wants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 Recall about two months ago when JJ had a good game against Oakland. He was enthusiastic, as was UB, and said things like, "I have learned what it takes and will continue to work hard." Then.....he drops off the planet again. Only UB can answer the enigma that is JJ. He sure looks the protypical PF. I remember watching him warmup last year against Charlotte. You could see the athleticism, but what you also saw was a bit of a hot dog attitude...I wonder if this is not the problem...he's a bit flamboyant and he's got a coach who is white starch collared...But it's up to UB to get inside this guy's psyche and get him to play. I agree he could be the immediate answer at the 4 but who really knows what is up with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 no offense to JJ really but the headcase tag would seem to apply. I don't go to practises so I don't know if he's not playing due to his focus then. I can tell you that, if he isn't playing at a time we need him and in a position we aren't deep at, there is a reason. From what we heard he hasn't been injured. He also was suspended for the first part of this year. If JJ's minute playing time isn't due to lack of focus (headcase) please tell me why....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 None of us will ever know - that is my point. Brad keeps all his thoughts to himself - his style - so stop making things up and coming up with conspircy theories. Some players are not practice players some are - it is the job of the coach to figure out how to get the most out of his players. AD is a hot dog but he plays so that has nothing to do with. JJ needs to continue be given a chance to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 OK or maybe I'll just define a "headcase" as someone suspended by Brad who can't crack his way into the line up even though we really need someone at that position. Barring injury there are few other options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 >>If JJ's minute playing time isn't due to lack of focus (headcase) please tell me why......<< It seems there is an assumption that, given JJ's obviously physical talents, he must not be playing more due to lack of effort in practice. That could be the case but it certainly is not the only possibility. We are allocating the 1-3 minutes solely between guards these days with the emergence of taller guards Luke Meyer and Danny Brown allowing us this luxury. That means there are only 80 minutes a game available for forwards. Ian has been playing 30 a game. That leaves 50. Izik, when he is on, takes another 30. That only leaves 20 minutes. You split those between JJ and Newborne and it means JJ only gets 10 minutes per game. As to why JJ did not get 10 more minutes early in the season when Ian was playing less, remember that Newborne was getting vastly more minutes early in the season and Tom Frericks was still in the mix. I think Brad wisely wants 4 forwards in the rotation and I have to agree with giving Ian and Izik the bulk of those minutes. The only complaint on past allocation is on days when Izik was not effective, I would have upped JJ's minutes rather than Newborne's. Right now we can't do without both Ian or Izik getting 30 minutes per game because our entire offense is built around them. Our outside shooting has disintegrated. JJ could be working his ass off in practice but coach deems it better for the team that he only get 10 minutes per game. No one knows for sure exactly why Brad made this decision so I think it is wrong to keep repeating the non-sensical label of "head case". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 He wasn't suspended from the team because there were better players in the rotation ahead of him. I think, given the information we have, it is fair to question JJ's focus. If you have information I do not please let me know. I'm not saying that JJ shouldn't be here, or is a bad person. Earlier in the year I called for him to be playing more and still wish he was a starter as we really need him to be one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 Rich - do you know why he was suspended? if so let us know because Brad has not released any specifics. He could have been suspended for coming late to a practice when his alarm did not go off or for missing class for the same reason. Continuing to call him a head case is grossly unfair to him given what little if any information your any of us have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 Fair enough Rich, we'll just have to disagree on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 Failure to get to practice on time enough to get suspended from the team would be evidence of being a head case in my opinion. Like everyone else here I'm hoping he keeps it together over the summer and comes back as our starting power forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 Rich - so where you ever late for work? If so did that make you a head case? I agree with jjray - we will just simply disagree on this topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACE Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 The head case thing was way out of line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheltiedave Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 JJ definitely needs to get with the program. I think every person on this board can forecast that we need an effective glass cleaner with a solid mid range jumper that brings energy and aggressive physical presence for the PF position next year. JJ has yet to dedicate himself body and soul to achieve a starting position. Next year will be his fourth year at SLU, will it not? The light has to go on at some time. I am one of the people who believe JJ is not totally with the program for being the best he can be, based on what he has done to date. BTW, anyone who wants to go with me to work, we start at 5 am and wear respirators all day long. Nuclear plant demolition definitely makes me long for the college days, when the beers were cold and tall, and the girls' skirts short and... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 >BTW, anyone who wants to go with me to work, we start at 5 >am and wear respirators all day long. Nuclear plant >demolition definitely makes me long for the college days, >when the beers were cold and tall, and the girls' skirts >short and... Steve, immediately award this guy the Billiken.com presidential medal for valor & hard work. What this comment has to do whether or not JJ has been improperly labeled "a head case", I just am not sure but damn impressive just the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 This is JJ's second year playing - he was redshirted for a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tseugnekillib Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 The difference in players is in their passion for the game. Some guys just practice, other guys have for passion to improve their game. Some guys can practice hard for 2+hrs., some guys lose their focus at the first water break. In recruiting, passion for the all facets game (summer workouts, weight training, fall practice, games, etc.) is the most difficult attribute to measure. That's why, imo, if you read two of three recruits correctly, you will probably have a good team. Most players have skill, few players skill and a passion to get better. That passion is the difference maker. After two years, can a player improve on his passion for the game.....I doubt it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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