Re-watched Hubert Davis half rant...

[690West]

During Pitt game. I know we've beat this dead horse ad nauseum but:

1. "they don't have a go-to guy. A guy, late clock, late game situations, that can create shots for himself..."

2. They don't have a big guy, that you can throw the ball down on the block

3. They don't do a good job of
getting to the free throw line

Rece Davis: "you do know they're about to be 20-0?"

Wow. This is douchebaggery at it's finest

 

[jekelish]

What I don't understand is how anyone can watch us play and not believe Dion is absolutely a "the dude" type who can get any shot he wants.

He doesn't start, but he's 100% a go-to guy, and anyone who says different is selling something, highness.

Sorry, Princess Bride flashback.

 

[SoBristol]

Some pundits are always going to have a crush on NC, KY or some other team as better than SU. It is what they do. Can't simply anoint us.

Is Dion a true "go-to . .." if he only averages 13 points a game? Or KJ, when he dribbles into trouble? Do we have a dependable post guy when Melo can't finish when he has position? When we always lead by 10 plus, have we shown we can rally late; have we shown we can win by one point in a game with changing leads? Will our depth matter in tournament games when only 6 or 7 guys actually play? Will our press work against the best guards in the land?

Love the questions; love the answers. Keep talking about us.

 

[mark79]

With 12 seconds left and we are down by one I want the ball in Dion's hands.

 

[Cuse4]

Hubert really is the worst analyst in College Hoops... He knows nothing and just agrees with everyone else or something that he's heard, hence why he beats the "no go to guy" drum... he'll even completely change his opinion in a matter of hours based on what Jay Bilas or someone says... makes my man Jay Will look like Einstein

 

[longislandcuse]

Unfortunately for Dion whats best for the team it seems, isnt all that great for him. If Dion started and played starter minutes he would be in discussion for the best player in college basketball. Instead somehow KJo gets on the Wooden List before him. I suspect the tide is beginning to turn and people are just now realizing how good he is, also as we get towards the postseason his minutes should expand. However, as long as he comes off the bench people will never put him in the Harrison Barnes category which he absolutely is.

Hubert Davis is an idiot. Ill take Dion with the 10 seconds left down by 1 anytime.
I think we can develop Fab to be a guy you at least have to respect downlow.
Our defense is the best in the land which offsets any so called weaknesses.

 

[arbitragegls]

agree with all above...but if we lead by one or two...or even down by 1...not sure i dont want ball in Triche's hands...foul and 2pts to put it away or to win...obviously Waiters or KJ are the go-to guys...but how do you have a Dude when so far we haven't needed one...Waiters takes the ball and does his thing...but damn, he may even pass to an open teammate now...last time I checked...3 or 4 DUDES BEAT ONE...

 

[SU8888]

first hubert davis is a north carolina grad

second dion averages 13 ppg in 20 minutes. if he played 35min a game like stars from other teams he would average 20ppg.

third if he does watch the games can he name anyone that has stopped dion so far this year. Because i have watched every single game and i have yet to see one person slow him down.

 

[longislandcuse]

agree with all above...but if we lead by one or two...or even down by 1...not sure i dont want ball in Triche's hands...foul and 2pts to put it away or to win...obviously Waiters or KJ are the go-to guys...but how do you have a Dude when so far we haven't needed one...Waiters takes the ball and does his thing...but damn, he may even pass to an open teammate now...last time I checked...3 or 4 DUDES BEAT ONE...

Not sure I want KJo going all Kobe Joseph with 4 between the leg, behind the back spin moves into the lane where he dribbles off his knee, chases the ball down, does a hop skip, claps 5 times and shoots it.

If he stops spazzing out and just pulls up for a jumper or drives into the lane and gets fouled, then yes hes a go to guy.

 

[All4SU]

With 12 seconds left and we are down by one I want the ball in Dion's hands.

Depends. If SU has to create a shot, I agree. But if we're looking for an open shot, I'm comfortable with KJ, Scoop, BT, DW and JS all taking a 3 to win it. Or CJ to take a mid-range shot.

 

[suthrills]

I didn't perceive it as a rant but rather just really piss poor analysis ESPECIALLY because literally 2 minutes before his analysis Dion busted up the Pitt D for a bucket at the end of the half.
If these analysts have watched Syracuse at all this year they would know that Dion is a man amongst boys out there and can essentially break down any D he faces.

 

[CorduroyG]

Some pundits are always going to have a crush on NC, KY or some other team as better than SU. It is what they do. Can't simply anoint us.

Is Dion a true "go-to . .." if he only averages 13 points a game? Or KJ, when he dribbles into trouble? Do we have a dependable post guy when Melo can't finish when he has position? When we always lead by 10 plus, have we shown we can rally late; have we shown we can win by one point in a game with changing leads? Will our depth matter in tournament games when only 6 or 7 guys actually play? Will our press work against the best guards in the land?

Love the questions; love the answers. Keep talking about us.

We were down 7 with 5 minutes left against stanford and rallied late and won.

 

[690West]

I didn't perceive it as a rant but rather just really piss poor analysis ESPECIALLY because literally 2 minutes before his analysis Dion busted up the Pitt D for a bucket at the end of the half.
If these analysts have watched Syracuse at all this year they would know that Dion is a man amongst boys out there and can essentially break down any D he faces.

You're right. "rant" was a poor choice of words on my part.

 

[SWC75]

You have to wonder why these guys get these jobs. Who would look at a Hubert Davis audtion and say, "Yeah! That's the guy!". He wasn't a star player in college or the pros. He clearly does no homework at all. As you say he just repeats things he's heard other people say. He's not entertaining or charismatic in any way. Why is he even there?

 

[PoppyHart]

Not sure I want KJo going all Kobe Joseph with 4 between the leg, behind the back spin moves into the lane where he dribbles off his knee, chases the ball down, does a hop skip, claps 5 times and shoots it.

If he stops spazzing out and just pulls up for a jumper or drives into the lane and gets fouled, then yes hes a go to guy.

There's a name for this routine of his. I call it "going into Thornton Mellon-mode"

 

[bballbeadle]

With 12 seconds left and we are down by one I want the ball in Dion's hands.

Did you see Scoop's shots at the buzzer of the first half for the two prior games? I vote for Scooooooop!

 

[billsin01]

You have to wonder why these guys get these jobs.

Yeah, I wonder this too sometimes. I don't get real worked up about it b/c I still think this team has some questions to answer for me personally before I'm going to buy them as better (I know they can be competitive) than UK/Ohio State and perhaps UNC (I feel like they could out-rebound us 87-14).

But I think the biggest problem with big media analysts is that they tend to be fine when everything fits into the box. When you have a good big man, run a certain style of offense/defense, when you have a high-scoring guard and a distributor at the point, etc. Then they're fine at saying stuff like, "They need to take care of the ball and figure out how to slow down Player X from Opponent Y."

The problem is two-fold:

1. Anyone who watches enough basketball can say those things. "We're playing NC STate and we play a zone but we may need to cheat toward Scott Wood." It's not especially difficult to figure out.

and ...

2. They rarely (and there are exceptions) seem to point out anything you didn't know or serves as a subtle but key aspect of the game. I always hear "get the ball to the FT line vs. the zone" but rarely do I hear them point out that teams don't have a guy that does damage from there. I also never hear about it when SU adjusts to a team that is routinely going to the FT line/elbow. I also never hear about what you have to do from there (Pitt kills us with quick bounce passes to the baseline). And rarely do you ever hear anyone mention the short corner, let alone why it's so difficult to defend. Occasionally, but rarely. I just wish at some point an analyst would actually delve into interesting topics instead of just repeating the same line I've heard literally every season all season long since 95-96.

 

[orangefan13]

Sorry but Hubert Davis is right guys.
We have only took 388 foul shots in 20 games.
Thats a rock bottom 19.4 foul shots per game. Awfull!

 

[OrangeMojo]

Not sure I want KJo going all Kobe Joseph with 4 between the leg, behind the back spin moves into the lane where he dribbles off his knee, chases the ball down, does a hop skip, claps 5 times and shoots it.

If he stops spazzing out and just pulls up for a jumper or drives into the lane and gets fouled, then yes hes a go to guy.

Joseph is a "go to" guy - he allows the ball to "go to" the other team after they inevitably take the charge because he has already decided he's going to the lane no matter who gets there before him.

If KJo is taking the last shot, I want it to be after someone has already broken down their defender and drawn the D's attention and dishes it to him for the finish - not trying to create his own shot.

 

[HoustonCuse]

1996 - Go To Guy: Cipolla (hit the buzzer shot to send Sweet 16 game into OT)
2003 - Go To Guy: McNeil ( hit two free throws to knock off #2 Pitt in reg season)
2005? - Go to Guy: Roberts (hit a buzzer 3 to beat Rutgers in the dome)

 

[UnderHisOwnPower]

During Pitt game. I know we've beat this dead horse ad nauseum but:

1. "they don't have a go-to guy. A guy, late clock, late game situations, that can create shots for himself..."

2. They don't have a big guy, that you can throw the ball down on the block

3. They don't do a good job of
getting to the free throw line

Rece Davis: "you do know they're about to be 20-0?"

Wow. This is douchebaggery at it's finest

Hubert was handed a note that read "After commercial break, give us your critique of the Cuse, the reasons why they will lose games this year and why they may not win the NC." Just doing his job, he may not even believe it if you talk to him over a beer. #ESPNsux

 

[690West]

Hubert was handed a note that read "After commercial break, give us your critique of the Cuse, the reasons why they will lose games this year and why they may not win the NC." Just doing his job, he may not even believe it if you talk to him over a beer. #ESPNsux

ya know what, thats probably spot on.

 

[HoustonCuse]

I really don't have a problem with HD. I think he's funny and most often he's got some interesting things to say. The Go To Guy thing is being blown out of proportion, but he's not the only one saying it. We are doing well, every team has weaknesses though. Surprised they don't just stick to defensive rebounding or something instead of these nebulous type things, but whatever. A lot of the non-Syracuse audience DOES want to know what our weaknesses are. It is a valid thing to discuss.

 

[All4SU]

The Go To Guy thing is being blown out of proportion, but he's not the only one saying it.

I've never understood why a team needs "a dude" who everyone knows is going to take the last shot. Sure, when that guy is Carmelo, that's one thing. But Lawrence Moten was that guy, and sometimes it worked in SU's favor, sometimes not. Do people think it wouldn't have been a good idea for someone other than GMac to have the ball in his hands at the end of a game now and then? Having options is better than the limitation of one dude, IMHO. JB can draw up a play for anyone on this squad. That's a plus.

 

[Niastri]

You have to wonder why these guys get these jobs. Who would look at a Hubert Davis audtion and say, "Yeah! That's the guy!". He wasn't a star player in college or the pros. He clearly does no homework at all. As you say he just repeats things he's heard other people say. He's not entertaining or charismatic in any way. Why is he even there?

If you look at the interviews players give after games, you realize just how low the bar is set. Barely being able to talk intelligibly seems to be the standard for pro athletes. Davis is above the norm for his peer group.