It was finalized PUBLICLY by the same time other bball players decide.
There is simply no way JB was blindsided by Lydon leaving after last season. None.
Didn't before sanctions, won't after.
The season isn't over yet, but the start was certainly better than expected. Most (including myself) were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the incoming new players - Sid, OB, and Dol and even HW. The 12-2 OOC record was excellent and the future looks bright. It looks like SU is on the right track to get back to where we want to be.
I certainly don't want to speak for anyone else, but I think his more general point is that this is the reason why you need to develop your bench. In case someone or multiple players go down, the people next up will have had some previous game experience.(I realize Cuse current situation numbers are low for available players and doesn't apply much in this case, just speaking in general.) Pros and Cons-gets more players experience, but may cost you a couple W's along the way.
You develop your bench (role players) in practice. I get the game experience but that is mostly the mental aspect. D1 players practice 20 hrs a week how can that compare to a few minutes of game playing time. Washington played 11 minutes last game and put up zero shots. I’m sure he is putting up a lot more in practice.
The ironic part to me is I thought JB was slowly increasing HW's role. Against Pitt he played I think 11 minutes and was being subbed in on offense at the end of the game - even getting the ball in his hands to seal the game with FTs. Looked like HW did a good job and was earning JB's trust.
But HW's injury is not about the development of a bench. How developed HW was/is no longer relevant because he is out. The bench development issue now would center on Bayer's readiness, and you had never mentioned him.
But not all players are equal - Thorpe>HW>Bayer. At some point injuries can just screw you over.
I understand you wanted HW to get more time. It seemed to me that desire colored your opinion on other topics/angles to justify this: playing the bench, and even JB's coaching job thus far this season. Now with HW out the bench playing thing is no longer an issue unless you are advocating Bayer minutes.
This is exactly right. I was not happy when he left and thought he was a big loss as a 6th or 7th man. I was also worried it would come back to bite us later on. People said that having Hop still on staff could’ve made a difference in the Thorpe situation and kept him on the roster because he had a way with these kids and could talk them off the ledge. I know our current asssistants don’t have Hop’s personality, but you’d think they would have learned from his ways of dealing with these kids—and also dealing with JB.
Have to disagree. The entire point is to give your players game experience, which you’re never gonna get in practice. It’s really about coaching philosophy. Do you work your players into the rotation early, blowouts or not, & develop them for any game pressure throughout a season, a la Rick Pitino? Or do you play it close to the vest, maybe 7 players, to develop chemistry among that core- like our own JB?
Upgraded to game time decision for tonight. Hear he wants to play. It will be up to the training staff. He has practiced.
