More on JB's post Carleton comments

[Townie72]

We had a long thread about JB’s presser after the Carleton game that concentrated on his comments about the Player Likenesses controversy.

But he said other things that I thought were important that ought to be captured so that in December or January people aren’t shocked.

The first of these is that this team is no where near ready and it’s going a significant amount of time to get there (weeks and maybe months). So temper your expectations until January and expect the team to get better later in the season.

Second was his statement that Sidibe is only effective when he is “active”. And that if he is not active or moving, he is going to sit! “He is either going to do it or he is going to sit”) I was reminded of JB’s frustration with Roberson as in “If I had anybody else …"

In this case he does have someone else and that is Dolejaz. JB knows that he isn’t perfect. But if you Sidibe on the bench for extended moments, don’t be surprised. It’s because he wasn’t playing the way JB requires him to.

If the other centers don’t learn to play defense, they are going to sit. (JB, "Carleton got 16 or 18 points in the paint. We can’t have that. “A 6’10” guy can’t let a 6’3” guy score a lay-up. I will play Elijah at center before I let that happen”.

Not surprisingly he said for the hundredth time (and I am paraphrasing), “I play to win. Those players that I think will help us win will play. Those that I don’t think will help us win will sit. Games are not for learning how to play. That’s what practices are for.”

 

[tbonezone]

yes temper expectation. cuz we ain't going nowhere in march if dolejaz is our starting center.

 

[Townie72]

yes temper expectation. cuz we ain't going nowhere in march if dolejaz is our starting center.

JB is the one setting the expectations or at least trying to, not me.

I'm just trying to make sure people actually got the message. Although I suspect we will have a lot of amnesia come January and February.

IF Sidibe refuses to catch on or if neither of the freshman centers develops significantly (which is unlikely that they will), I wouldn't worry too much about games in March.

 

[dasher]

We had a long thread about JB’s presser after the Carleton game that concentrated on his comments about the Player Likenesses controversy.

But he said other things that I thought were important that ought to be captured so that in December or January people aren’t shocked.

The first of these is that this team is no where near ready and it’s going a significant amount of time to get there (weeks and maybe months). So temper your expectations until January and expect the team to get better later in the season.

Second was his statement that Sidibe is only effective when he is “active”. And that if he is not active or moving, he is going to sit! “He is either going to do it or he is going to sit”) I was reminded of JB’s frustration with Roberson as in “If I had anybody else …"

In this case he does have someone else and that is Dolejaz. JB knows that he isn’t perfect. But if you Sidibe on the bench for extended moments, don’t be surprised. It’s because he wasn’t playing the way JB requires him to.

If the other centers don’t learn to play defense, they are going to sit. (JB, "Carleton got 16 or 18 points in the paint. We can’t have that. “A 6’10” guy can’t let a 6’3” guy score a lay-up. I will play Elijah at center before I let that happen”.

Not surprisingly he said for the hundredth time (and I am paraphrasing), “I play to win. Those players that I think will help us win will play. Those that I don’t think will help us win will sit. Games are not for learning how to play. That’s what practices are for.”

Most times, JB says exactly that. And it's an easy thing to say with this team. We are young. But we also have three older guys in Sid, Marek and Hughes. I think at the end os this season, we all will be looking forward to next year with great anticipation. Just like we were for this football season. Hopefully, with much different results next year.

 

[OrangeFoo]

Most times, JB says exactly that. And it's an easy thing to say with this team. We are young. But we also have three older guys in Sid, Marek and Hughes. I think at the end os this season, we all will be looking forward to next year with great anticipation. Just like we were for this football season. Hopefully, with much different results next year.

And like we were to last years hoops season and the one the year before?

This team will win or lose depending on whether we can find someone to score the ball in winning time and whether we can clean up our defensive boards. Hughes might be able to be the guy but he hasn’t done it before when he was the primary option... it remains to be seen whether Buddy will be able to get his shot off when it counts against acc level defenders. Can Guerrier be that guy? Girard?

I think we are screwed when it comes to rebounding.

 

[Townie72]

Most times, JB says exactly that. And it's an easy thing to say with this team. We are young. But we also have three older guys in Sid, Marek and Hughes. I think at the end os this season, we all will be looking forward to next year with great anticipation. Just like we were for this football season. Hopefully, with much different results next year.

I'm a little more optimistic than that. It's not a if he is asking Sidibe to do something he physically cannot do. It SHOULD be fixable and if Sidibe can contribute and Guerrier can be convinced he isn't a two guard and needs to be a monster Power Forward, this team can be good this year.

But if the inside postions can't be fixed, this is going to be painful.

While I believe that Sidebe can be motivated to become an "active player" I am also reminded of Tyler Roberson, who in his senior year never, ever played anywhere near his potential.

 

[TheCusian]

He *always* says they will need to be better at this time of the year.

 

[moqui]

He *always* says they will need to be better at this time of the year.

yup. they are not as good as they can be yet . . . nobody is

but that doesn't mean they aren't pretty good as they stand

 

[OrlandoCuse]

I’m just glad we have a center in the court that can make a shot from inside 5 feet. Watching Chewy the last few years was painful. 7’3” guy that refused to dunk. SMH

Also, it looks like QG can actually finish around the hoop. Gone are the days of OB getting perpetually stuffed by 6’4” forwards.

 

[br801]

I'm a little more optimistic than that. It's not a if he is asking Sidibe to do something he physically cannot do. It SHOULD be fixable and if Sidibe can contribute and Guerrier can be convinced he isn't a two guard and needs to be a monster Power Forward, this team can be good this year.

But if the inside postions can't be fixed, this is going to be painful.

While I believe that Sidebe can be motivated to become an "active player" I am also reminded of Tyler Roberson, who in his senior year never, ever played anywhere near his potential.

Sidibe doesn't need to be motivated; he needs to be physically able to perform at a high level on a consistent basis. Whether his body will hold up and allow him to do that remains to be seen. Ideally, one of the freshman centers will be ready to provide effective minutes off the bench at some point this season.

 

[Townie72]

Did you watch the JB press conference?