Is JB insanely superstitious or did he promise RAK he would start this year?

[pfister1]

I am really scratching my head with JB continuing with Rak in the starting lineup at this point. Last night's one minute was really a head scratcher for me. I didn't see him do anything so bad that it warranted pulling him early (is that even possible - given how little time he typically gets), I thought he was usually guaranteed at least two minutes.

The only thing I can figure is JB is insanely superstitious and afraid to upset our good mojo by changing our starting lineup at this point or he made a promise to Rak last year when he was recruiting him that he would start every game this year if he came and is trying to keep that promise.

Seems completely at odds that you would determine that a guy needs to start, but then not let him play more than a minute. Can a starter make enough mistakes in a minute to be forced to the bench the rest of the game??

I guess another possibility is that JB just really, really wants to win the opening tap and Rak is the only guy he feels that gives us a chance to win it.

Don't misinterpret, this is not a Rak must play more post, just trying to understand JB's thinking on this one?

 

[Millhouse]

I am really scratching my head with JB continuing with Rak in the starting lineup at this point. Last night's one minute was really a head scratcher for me. I didn't see him do anything so bad that it warranted pulling him early (is that even possible - given how little time he typically gets), I thought he was usually guaranteed at least two minutes.

The only thing I can figure is JB is insanely superstitious and afraid to upset our good mojo by changing our starting lineup at this point or he made a promise to Rak last year when he was recruiting him that he would start every game this year if he came and is trying to keep that promise.

Seems completely at odds that you would determine that a guy needs to start, but then not let him play more than a minute. Can a starter make enough mistakes in a minute to be forced to the bench the rest of the game??

I guess another possibility is that JB just really, really wants to win the opening tap and Rak is the only guy he feels that gives us a chance to win it.

Don't misinterpret, this is not a Rak must play more post, just trying to understand JB's thinking on this one?

his master plan is to start rak because he gives us the best chance of winning the tap so that we can immediately call timeout to take rak out of the game

it's brilliant

 

[Kevind13]

Well lets see, the one game he changed up the starting line-up we lost.

 

[cusetown1]

He starts because he earns it in practice. He just hasn't earned many minutes in games yet. That's my theory.

 

[Millhouse]

Well lets see, the one game he changed up the starting line-up we lost.

it could be the starting lineup or it could be that one of the best centers in the country didn't play at all.

yeah, it's probably the starting lineup...

 

[cliftonparksufan]

I was trying to explain it to my wife last night. I honestly believe that he promised him a starting position. I don't see it any other way.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

I am really scratching my head with JB continuing with Rak in the starting lineup at this point. Last night's one minute was really a head scratcher for me. I didn't see him do anything so bad that it warranted pulling him early (is that even possible - given how little time he typically gets), I thought he was usually guaranteed at least two minutes.

The only thing I can figure is JB is insanely superstitious and afraid to upset our good mojo by changing our starting lineup at this point or he made a promise to Rak last year when he was recruiting him that he would start every game this year if he came and is trying to keep that promise.

Seems completely at odds that you would determine that a guy needs to start, but then not let him play more than a minute. Can a starter make enough mistakes in a minute to be forced to the bench the rest of the game??

I guess another possibility is that JB just really, really wants to win the opening tap and Rak is the only guy he feels that gives us a chance to win it.

Don't misinterpret, this is not a Rak must play more post, just trying to understand JB's thinking on this one?

I'm not sure why it's happening, but I hope it continues. The difference between Rak and CJ (and JS) looks huge at this point. I'm afraid if Rak didn't start he wouldn't see any minutes. And I like seeing a deeper bench.

It also kind of makes meaningless all the talk about bench scoring that announcers like to harp on. They haven't caught on to that yet, but it is hard to factor out.

 

[Kevind13]

Maybe he likes fair coming off the bench. If i recall triche started his freshman year and scoop came off the bench. Waiters was the spark off the bench early in the year and now fair is the spark. If it ain't broke why fix it?

 

[Millhouse]

I was trying to explain it to my wife last night. I honestly believe that he promised him a starting position. I don't see it any other way.

Future recruits see that boeheim keeps his promises. If rak got more minutes, future recruits might not know that he was promised anything. this way, everyone in the world sees it "hey boeheim keeps promises"

 

[NKR1978]

He did the same thing with Melo last year. And long term I don't see any negatives to it.

 

[cpatrocks]

He did the same thing with Melo last year. And long term I don't see any negatives to it.

thats what I was thinking - he figures it worked with Fab...

 

[pfister1]

I'm not sure why it's happening, but I hope it continues. The difference between Rak and CJ (and JS) looks huge at this point. I'm afraid if Rak didn't start he wouldn't see any minutes. And I like seeing a deeper bench.

It also kind of makes meaningless all the talk about bench scoring that announcers like to harp on. They haven't caught on to that yet, but it is hard to factor out.

Neither of these things have anything to do with the actual outcome of the games, just how our team is perceived by talking heads. I am trying to actually understand what's happening from the point of how it impacts the game. What I see is a guy who is playing 1 or on a good night 2 minutes per game....we typically get off to horrid starts. If you are only going to give him 1 or 2 minutes, why not start CJ...not play Rak at all, maybe we'd get off to a good start??

 

[Scotch]

He starts because he earns it in practice. He just hasn't earned many minutes in games yet. That's my theory.

I'd like to submit this for dumbest post in board history.

I think he promised Rak a starting spot during the recruiting process. The people who keep saying "we're 28-1! JB doesn't need to change anything!" are out of their minds. Rak starting has nothing to do with that record, and the fact that this is the second year in a row where we have a "token" starter, is very, very strange.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

Future recruits see that boeheim keeps his promises. If rak got more minutes, future recruits might not know that he was promised anything. this way, everyone in the world sees it "hey boeheim keeps promises"

I found this humorous and was going to add something like getting the feel for the crowd before pulling and yelling at one of the freshman.

But, I cannot come up with a more rational explanation at least for Rak's starting. And if this helps secure Noel with the "I will start you, what you do from there is up to you" pitch, then I say keep starting Rak (i was saying it anyway though because I like the use of the bench).

The whole, he has to bench him in order to show future recruits he had promised him. Well, that's getting to judging crowd reaction territory.

 

[Madbiker]

CJ is playing 38 minutes a game. What difference does it make if he starts instead of Rak? NONE.
A better question is why has the coaching staff failed to develop Rak at all this year and does the guy have any potential to contribute next year?

 

[Scotch]

CJ is playing 38 minutes a game. What difference does it make if he starts instead of Rak? NONE.
A better question is why has the coaching staff failed to develop Rak at all this year and does the guy have any potential to contribute next year?

It doesn't make much of a difference, but the fact that a guy who plays 2 minutes a game starts is incredibly odd, no? I bet you'd be hard pressed to find another player in the country who starts on a team in a Big 6 conference and plays less minutes than Rak.

Rak is raw, he will be significantly better next year. A la Fab.

 

[AZOrange]

Sometimes its about the guy on the bench...

 

[cusetown1]

I'd like to submit this for dumbest post in board history.

I think he promised Rak a starting spot during the recruiting process. The people who keep saying "we're 28-1! JB doesn't need to change anything!" are out of their minds. Rak starting has nothing to do with that record, and the fact that this is the second year in a row where we have a "token" starter, is very, very strange.

submit a theory as dumbest post of the year?

 

[cusetown1]

I had no idea JB guaranteed a starting spot. I didn't think he did that.

 

[AZOrange]

I had no idea JB guaranteed a starting spot. I thought he never guaranteed a starting spot.

He did once...

 

[cusetown1]

He did once...

go on

 

[Charlie]

I know JB has said many times that he's never promised anyone a starting spot and while this situation is a bit bewildering, I believe JB and don't think RAK was promised anything.

Having said that, I just don't see how this helps anyone (the player or team). I don't believe that Fab is a better player this year because he got a few token minutes last year.

Let me ask this question: If RAK has an improvement next year similar to Fab's does that mean this strategy is a good one? Frankly, I hope not because it is incredible frustrating to watch.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

Neither of these things have anything to do with the actual outcome of the games, just how our team is perceived by talking heads. I am trying to actually understand what's happening from the point of how it impacts the game. What I see is a guy who is playing 1 or on a good night 2 minutes per game....we typically get off to horrid starts. If you are only going to give him 1 or 2 minutes, why not start CJ...not play Rak at all, maybe we'd get off to a good start??

I don't like the idea of not playing Rak at all. As I said, I like the deeper bench. I would like to see MCW get some minutes. But the 9th and 10th players generally are not going to have much to do with the outcome of the games. We would be hoping they don't cost us any games while they develop.

If you don't give Rak a token start it would be very hard for JB to give him any playing time at all. And as the gulf widens between him and the other forwards, CJ and JS, the less time he would get.

So no, I hope he doesn't shorten the bench and take away Raks start. I hope he can go the other way, find some minutes for MCW, extend the use of the bench, and not lose games in the process.

As people have suggested it may be possible JB promised him a starting position. I would go a step further and say he promised to start and play him at PF. Rak knows his only shot at the league is at PF - he is too short for the center. So while it may appear to us that he has more to offer at the C then BMK, that is not where he wants to play. JB could have told him it will take a while to learn but that he will start him from day 1. What we are seeing is part of the learning process.

 

[cusetown1]

I'd like to submit this for dumbest post in board history.

I think he promised Rak a starting spot during the recruiting process. The people who keep saying "we're 28-1! JB doesn't need to change anything!" are out of their minds. Rak starting has nothing to do with that record, and the fact that this is the second year in a row where we have a "token" starter, is very, very strange.

I'd like to nominate this post for most naive post of the year.

 

[BlueCurtain]

some just can't accept that JB does a few things that make absolutely no sense.

I'm a bit surprised Rak is ok with this dog-and-pony act.