JB on McC

[cusetown1]

Lots of armchair psychology being tossed around in this thread.

I can't believe people are giving this advice away for free.

 

[jekelish]

I love seeing the constant back and forths about whether McCullough is putting in enough effort on the court, like that's the reason he's getting stripped or failing to secure rebounds and unable to finish through contact.

I really cannot stress this enough. There is one thing, and only one thing, that Chris McCullough needs:

It's really simple. That is really the only thing standing in his way of being an elite player.

 

[OttoMets]

I love seeing the constant back and forths about whether McCullough is putting in enough effort on the court, like that's the reason he's getting stripped or failing to secure rebounds and unable to finish through contact.

I really cannot stress this enough. There is one thing, and only one thing, that Chris McCullough needs:

It's really simple. That is really the only thing standing in his way of being an elite player.

Eh, it's not lack of strength that's got him continuing to shoot finger-rolls off his palm or do some of this other fundamentally unsound stuff on offense (booting that alley-oop -- again -- last night, for instance).

There are a lot of factors at play and it doesn't help that he's caught in a negative feedback loop and probably not very comfortable on the floor right now.

 

[Alsacs]

Lots of armchair psychology being tossed around in this thread.

Unless McCollough isn't listening to JB's coaching then the point is JB isn't consistent. If the kid is struggling JB could his words more closely like he has for other players. JB called McC the best Fr since Melo. If the kid isn't doing well then either he isn't coachable or he is just in a funk. JB is killing the kid by saying we need to get him to level of bad. McC's Iowa game performance might be the scalp that gets us into the tourney. We as fans don't expect a NC why is JB still hammering him?

 

[pfister1]

I swear to god it's like people act as if press conferences are the only times he communicates with these players. I can guarantee not a single poster chastising Boeheim for this crap thinks that he needs to be nice to Chris. I think we're all in agreeance that away from the mics, he can be as negative and realistic as he wants. At this point though Chris has simply become a pariah.

Don't you think he's done this in private and maybe he feels that hasn't worked an the only way to reach him is to try to do it in public.

 

[jekelish]

Eh, it's not lack of strength that's got him continuing to shoot finger-rolls off his palm or do some of this other fundamentally unsound stuff on offense (booting that alley-oop -- again -- last night, for instance).

There are a lot of factors at play and it doesn't help that he's caught in a negative feedback loop and probably not very comfortable on the floor right now.

Actually I disagree. Lack of strength causes you to try to finesse a shot because you don't have the power to just rip through a defender and dunk on him. I don't think people understand how much a weak upper body limits you offensively when you're a post player.

 

[Macky44]

Coach B Criticism is tame compared to coaches in the NBA like Stan Van Gundy or Gregg Povovich for example that he could end up playing for.

great point actually.

 

[jekelish]

Coach B Criticism is tame compared to coaches in the NBA like Stan Van Gundy or Gregg Povovich for example that he could end up playing for.

Playing for Popovich would be about the best thing that could happen for a guy like Chris. Talk about someone who would get every ounce of talent out of the kid.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I love seeing the constant back and forths about whether McCullough is putting in enough effort on the court, like that's the reason he's getting stripped or failing to secure rebounds and unable to finish through contact.

I really cannot stress this enough. There is one thing, and only one thing, that Chris McCullough needs:

It's really simple. That is really the only thing standing in his way of being an elite player.

I completely agree with you. McCullough didn't have the strength to play against Cox or Mitchell last night. He reminded me of Jerami's freshman year when he started for Southerland when he was out, and got completely manhandled when we played against Pittsburgh.

Also I think we need to stop with the notion that he's a good shooter. He's got decent form, but for whatever reason he hasn't hit a jumpshot in a month, and he kills us at the line.

Right now, I don't know what we are going to get from McCullough on offense the rest of the year, unless he shows us something different offensively. I can see him blocking shots and grabbing some rebounds, but Roberson has showed more recently even if he didn't play well last night. He's still going to have to go against guys like Harrell, Meeks, Tobey, and whoever from Pitt. Not only are those guys just as big as Cox or Mitchell last night, they are more talented.

 

[jekelish]

I completely agree with you. McCullough didn't have the strength to play against Cox or Mitchell last night. He reminded me of Jerami's freshman year when he started for Southerland when he was out, and got completely manhandled when we played against Pittsburgh.

Also I think we need to stop with the notion that he's a good shooter. He's got decent form, but for whatever reason he hasn't hit a jumpshot in a month, and he kills us at the line.

Right now, I don't know what we are going to get from McCullough on offense the rest of the year, unless he shows us something different offensively. I can see him blocking shots and grabbing some rebounds, but Roberson has showed more recently even if he didn't play well last night. He's still going to have to go against guys like Harrell, Meeks, Tobey, and whoever from Pitt. Not only are those guys just as big as Cox or Mitchell last night, they are more talented.

Unless he starts hitting that 15 footer consistently, or we get out in transition more, people need to tone down any expectations of his scoring numbers.

By the way, listing big men, you didn't even mention arguably the best of the bunch - Okafor.

 

[Garbs]

What 18 year old has either one of those coaches constantly crapped on?

McC is going to be 20 years old next month

 

[Macky44]

JBs trying to keep the kid out of the draft. Not sure how effective these quotes are however.

Jb also has a philosophy that many of these kids today need to be torn down psychologically and then rebuilt because of all the coddling they get growing up.

Not all kids can handle it, he almost broke Dnic's desire to play. Other kids have buckled, but many if them are toughened up for big games later on.

He KILLED Dion his freshman year...just killed him. Dion even admits he needed it.

I just don't see why all of this can't be done outside of the press conference...which makes me think the Chad Forde's of the world are the primary target.

I agree completely. These AAU circuits are ruining these kids in terms of their own sense of self.

 

[RF2044]

Playing for Popovich would be about the best thing that could happen for a guy like Chris. Talk about someone who would get every ounce of talent out of the kid.

He wouldn't play for three years on the Spurs, but in year 4 [after being in their system], he'd be a monster.

 

[jekelish]

He wouldn't play for three years on the Spurs, but in year 4 [after being in their system], he'd be a monster.

Yup - especially if he got in there while Duncan is still playing, to have him as a mentor.

 

[RMH44]

Disagree. He gets pushed around and I don't think it's because he's soft.

It's both...he's not strong enough and he's soft. He doesn't attack the basket or his defender on his shots. Way too much finesse around the rim and he doesn't play through contact very well.

 

[OttoMets]

Actually I disagree. Lack of strength causes you to try to finesse a shot because you don't have the power to just rip through a defender and dunk on him. I don't think people understand how much a weak upper body limits you offensively when you're a post player.

It can, but it doesn't have to. There have been so many physically weak players who finesse their shots into the basket.

Weakness is one of McCullough's problems, but I don't think it's what's standing between him and a good offensive game.

 

[Macky44]

On a related point, has anyone ever heard Boeheim take responsibility for the poor play of his team in a press conference? Ever take responsibility for poor strategy, the failings of his players, etc.? Maybe he has and I just don't remember.

He has said at times that maybe he needs to work harder on conditioning them, and things of that nature. So yes.

 

[SBU72]

as i said before personally not a fan of bashing your own players in public.

I understand your sentiment but how does he reply to reporters who ask questions about CM, tell them he is a wonderful kid and a great player? Does he say no comment? It's obvious to any person who has any iota of an understanding about BBall that CM is not playing well and anybody who knows anything about how highly rate that his play is down right awful. If JB says no comment, everybody here will be on his case for being grumpy with the press, or nonresponsive or what ever.

 

[OttoMets]

I understand your sentiment but how does he reply to reporters who ask questions about CM, tell them he is a wonderful kid and a great player? Does he say no comment? It's obvious to any person who has any iota of an understanding about BBall that CM is not playing well and anybody who knows anything about how highly rate that his play is down right awful. If JB says no comment, everybody here will be on his case for being grumpy with the press, or nonresponsive or what ever.

"For us to be a good team, he's got to improve. Chris is finishing very poorly."

 

[OttoinGrotto]

People criticizing JB for being mean, surly, curmudgeonly, etc. need to go up to the post game section and watch his presser. Taking some of the comments out of context and tenor make them a lot different than some translate them.

That's fair enough. It feels weird though that every presser there's a comment about McCullough that can be taken out of context.

 

[Alsacs]

I understand your sentiment but how does he reply to reporters who ask questions about CM, tell them he is a wonderful kid and a great player? Does he say no comment? It's obvious to any person who has any iota of an understanding about BBall that CM is not playing well and anybody who knows anything about how highly rate that his play is down right awful. If JB says no comment, everybody here will be on his case for being grumpy with the press, or nonresponsive or what ever.

Easy say McCollough isn't playing well and he would be the first person to say he needs to play better. JB instead goes more direct which he can get away with because of who he is but he hasn't ripped others on the team right now like this.

 

[CuseHulk]

Watch the Press conference. And the comment. The tone to which he said it was not that bad. Said it almost with a chuckle/laugh.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I understand your sentiment but how does he reply to reporters who ask questions about CM, tell them he is a wonderful kid and a great player? Does he say no comment? It's obvious to any person who has any iota of an understanding about BBall that CM is not playing well and anybody who knows anything about how highly rate that his play is down right awful. If JB says no comment, everybody here will be on his case for being grumpy with the press, or nonresponsive or what ever.

"Good players can have bad games, and right now Chris has had a stretch of bad games. We're working with him though and with hard work it's just a matter of time before his talent shines through again. I can tell you this, he knows he has it in him to play better and that's what he expects, he just needs to keep at it."

 

[SBU72]

McCollough is a good kid who is playing hard. He is struggling and his coach who is paid while he isn't is taking shots at him. What unless McC is a major pain in the a$$ JB should just stop with these quotes. He never spoke like this when other players have struggled who are on the team.

And he hasn't had "the highest rated recruit since Carmelo" play this bad either. Everybody knows how highly rated the kid was, how do you answers questions about his play?

 

[CuseHulk]

The tone and such of the Silent G comment "Must have reached his quota and stopped" was worse IMO.