Roc Christmas asks an interesting question about FH...

[jordoo]

Sure, until another player stands to threaten his playing time again...

Popcorn and soda

 

[NineOneSeven]

I'm curious. You're a big FH defender. Why? Do you think he's a great player and teammate? I'm genuinely curious. What do you like about him and his game? Guess you see potential?

Am I? Maybe after the 2015-16 season. Certainly not last year. If by not claiming he destroyed the entire team, campus, and carrier dome means I am a big defender then I guess I am.

Do I see potential? Lots of people have potential, doesn't mean it also pans out. After the 2015-2016 season, did you see potential? Did it just go away? As the minutes increased this year, flaws were more obviously exposed. There were some moments this year where I had no idea what I was watching. It was bad and I fully admitted it. Some terrible decision making, dumb early shots, turnovers, you name it, especially against good competition.

I still think he has vision. He has shown he can make the pass to find the open shooter and has proven he can rack up assist totals. I don't care if they were inflated against bad competition. Point is, it happened. Did he make some bad passes especially lobs? Absolutely. Vision is tough to teach, so I find it a positive he has shown he has some. His shot was decent last year, compared to where it was two years ago. He has length which means the possibility of being disruptive in the zone exists. Whether the effort to continuously improve comes to fruition remains to be seen. As for things I don't see getting much better- he is never going to be that quick. His dribble seems slow. That's what happens when you're dribbling a higher distance than most. MCW also had this issue, but he figured out how to protect the ball with his body. He can improve how careful he is with the ball with defenders close onto him. This is a concentration issue. This is, by far, his biggest problem. You cannot get lazy with the ball because that leads to strips and breakouts. He has shown athletic ability driving the lane and elevating, but his finishing ability needs huge improvements. I think he gets caught too far on the baseline sometimes and loses an optimal angle at the glass because he fades to the side. He needs to figure out how to take contact. Any sort of floater would be big, as with any player. Malachi was also really bad at finishing, but he understood how to draw contact and he was a better foul shooter. Gillon was fearless, but also went through terrible stretches of misses at the rim. His ability to draw contact though and hit free throws was automatic, assuming he got the call.

I am not in the huddle, on the bench, in the locker room, or in the practices so it doesn't make sense for me to speculate if he is a good teammate.

All of that to say- yes, I want Geno Thorpe, but I still think there is some potential with Frank, and that doesn't mean I want him to play 35 mpg.

 

[iommi]

NineOneSeven good post.

Good analysis on his game, both his strengths and flaws. I was cautiously optimistic after his freshman year but I did have some concerns during his freshman year too. He never looked completely comfortable. I wasn't sure if it was because we were trying to make him into a point guard or because he still wasn't 100% on his surgically repaired knee.

Then you described his issues last year very well. I'm not sure he has the mental focus to be a great point guard, regardless of his physical limitations. The lapses of concentration you referred to were hard to watch. I happen to think the off-court issues you think have been overblown were a factor in that. His head was not in the game quite often.

Good teammates display good attitude and body language on the court. Forgetting about the other stuff, this has to be acknowledged as an issue. He snapped at JB, sulked on the bench, was not much of a cheerleader on the bench, yelled back at JB against Miami in our last game, etc.

I did like how he played in a few games down the stretch. He showed flashes. JB could've shown him the door and didn't. Guess he sees a player who can help. Hope FH turns out to be that guy.

 

[ottodaorange]

Am I? Maybe after the 2015-16 season. Certainly not last year. If by not claiming he destroyed the entire team, campus, and carrier dome means I am a big defender then I guess I am.

Do I see potential? Lots of people have potential, doesn't mean it also pans out. After the 2015-2016 season, did you see potential? Did it just go away? As the minutes increased this year, flaws were more obviously exposed. There were some moments this year where I had no idea what I was watching. It was bad and I fully admitted it. Some terrible decision making, dumb early shots, turnovers, you name it, especially against good competition.

I still think he has vision. He has shown he can make the pass to find the open shooter and has proven he can rack up assist totals. I don't care if they were inflated against bad competition. Point is, it happened. Did he make some bad passes especially lobs? Absolutely. Vision is tough to teach, so I find it a positive he has shown he has some. His shot was decent last year, compared to where it was two years ago. He has length which means the possibility of being disruptive in the zone exists. Whether the effort to continuously improve comes to fruition remains to be seen. As for things I don't see getting much better- he is never going to be that quick. His dribble seems slow. That's what happens when you're dribbling a higher distance than most. MCW also had this issue, but he figured out how to protect the ball with his body. He can improve how careful he is with the ball with defenders close onto him. This is a concentration issue. This is, by far, his biggest problem. You cannot get lazy with the ball because that leads to strips and breakouts. He has shown athletic ability driving the lane and elevating, but his finishing ability needs huge improvements. I think he gets caught too far on the baseline sometimes and loses an optimal angle at the glass because he fades to the side. He needs to figure out how to take contact. Any sort of floater would be big, as with any player. Malachi was also really bad at finishing, but he understood how to draw contact and he was a better foul shooter. Gillon was fearless, but also went through terrible stretches of misses at the rim. His ability to draw contact though and hit free throws was automatic, assuming he got the call.

I am not in the huddle, on the bench, in the locker room, or in the practices so it doesn't make sense for me to speculate if he is a good teammate.

All of that to say- yes, I want Geno Thorpe, but I still think there is some potential with Frank, and that doesn't mean I want him to play 35 mpg.

That was fair and balanced... no, really!!

I haven't given up on Frank yet, and obviously, neither has JB. There are several other guys JB hasn't given up on in the past. One is on the bench right now, Allen Griffin. Another is Z, and there are more. So, personally, I'll cast my lot with the professor of basketball.

Also, a good portion of the game, and almost any game for that matter, is between the ears. I remember early in the season Frank went up for a break-away tomahawk dunk and clunked it off the rim. Jimmy had the expected reaction. I may be exaggerating this incident but it seemed to me that was the point in time things changed and I think it has to do with between the ears.

I still think Frank is a talented point guard and sees the court better than anyone we presently have. What he does with his talent is in his hands at this point.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

Flame on, if you need to, but the level of 'intellect' represented in FH's reply tweet is scary.

 

[rrlbees]

He's probably fine with everyone that's actually on the team now.

One of his biggest supporters was Lydon.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Flame on, if you need to, but the level of 'intellect' represented in FH's reply tweet is scary.

May I introduce you to most people around that age out there on twitter

 

[iommi]

May I introduce you to most people around that age out there on twitter

Even Roc's tweet was like that and Roc is a smart dude. But Zelda Zonk is right too. Some care about how they tweet, someone would rather look cool than smart.

 

[iommi]

One of his biggest supporters was Lydon.

That's true but OrangeDW is right as well.

 

[NineOneSeven]

People always say they trust the guy who has been doing this for 40 years when it comes to certain things. Well, it's obvious jim sees something right? So... You trust him, right?

 

[jordoo]

Yeah I'm not a Twitter person but to me the whole thing is an older bro pulling a younger bro's leg and twisting cause he screwed up in the past (which we all do) to me a good natured reminder to do it right this time.

 

[iommi]

Yeah I'm not a Twitter person but to me the whole thing is an older bro pulling a younger bro's leg and twisting cause he screwed up in the past (which we all do) to me a good natured reminder to do it right this time.

And also, maybe to have a little fun and smile once in a while.

 

[Briancuse]

People always say they trust the guy who has been doing this for 40 years when it comes to certain things. Well, it's obvious jim sees something right? So... You trust him, right?

Yes, but if he likes him so much why does he bench him so often?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

If Rak ever made fun of me I'd just tell him that Ed from Good Burger asked if he can have his haircut back.

 

[jordoo]

If Rak ever made fun of me I'd just tell him that Ed from Good Burger asked if he can have his haircut back.

:rolling:

 

[kcsu]

Lets all face the facts. Frank is fragile. Read the article about his childhood. I dont expect him to improve until he is able to deal with his issues. His basketball problems has little to do with the physical aspect of himself.

 

[rrlbees]

That's true but OrangeDW is right as well.

Didn't say he was.

 

[iommi]

Didn't say he was.

I'm saying he was.

 

[rrlbees]

I'm saying he was.

My post was supposed to say I didn't say he wasn't

 

[OrangeDW]

Flame on, if you need to, but the level of 'intellect' represented in FH's reply tweet is scary.

Eh. He's a 20(?) year old talking like 20 year olds do in informal settings. Has nothing to do with his intellect IMO.

 

[Toga]

Resting bitch face

 

[shermstheman]

I'm so old I've forgotten my English,,,,I've no clue what bih, I mean cheesin doe, means. But if cheesin doe is some kind of food I'd like to try some, it sounds delicious.

 

[orange79]

I'm so old I've forgotten my English,,,,I've no clue what bih, I mean cheesin doe, means. But if cheesin doe is some kind of food I'd like to try some, it sounds delicious.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

View attachment 98537

The cool points are out the window

 

[RF2044]

According to this board the entire team hates Frank Howard after he destroyed the locker room. From what I have seen on various forms of social media, that ish (there's another slang for ya iommi) was so overblown.

Actually, that "ish" was low on the totem pole.