The Frank Howard Thunder Dome

[Trueblue25]

Think many fans are ridiculously over critical of Frank. Few players in the past 25 years of Cuse basketball have made as big of jumps in production and maturity as Frank has from last year to this year. No, he’s not perfect, he turns the ball over and has to continue improving on his loose handle. His technical vs GT was a complete lapse in judgement but watching this team you can tell they’re all visibly frustrated and want a win as badly as you or I.

I think these accusations that he’s not an ACC calibre player are ridiculous. Hes leading the conference in steals per game, is a double digit scorer, creates his own shot and has proven he’s capable of being a 35% three point shooter when he doesnt have to force shots. Bennett thought he was an ACC guard when he offered him. Jay Wright offered him to be a guard on a soon to be championship team. Florida, Gtown, Buzz etc. etc.

Find it hilarious that people are saying they wish they had Triche and Scoop in his place. These were past board whipping boys as well who each were quality players on great Syracuse teams. I have little doubt though that if Frank were allowed to play his natural position, the 2, he’d outperform Triche’s numbers not that he already isn’t. Scoop was a finesse natural ball handler. I dont think its fair to compare him to a guy pressed into the 1 by jb’s style of recruiting. However, scoop also had multiple nba players playing alongside him. Frank has 2 freshman, a redshirt frosh, a sophomore with similar unreasonable expectations, and chukwu. Thats a lineup Triche, ennis, and jardine would struggle with as well.

All in all i just find it surprising many people cant find it in them to applaud his development rather than criticize it.

Maybe we prefer the one and done culture thats helped cause this lack of depth and feeling of lacking player development?

 

[SoBeCuse]

Anybody comparing Frank to Scoop has to have their heads examined. It’s possible Frank at the 2 is better than Triche playing the 2. Triche however was a far better athlete, ballhandler, played downhill, etc., when playing PG.

I think Frank IS an ACC caliber player. Off the bench as a key cog at the 2 and short stints at PG. Play him 20 mpg. Fine. He can bring value to a team there. Aren’t we THE only team who recruited him as a PG? I mean, it started VERY early in the game. He couldn’t get past Guy. I knew it was over in the first few mins. Opposing PGs have little trouble with Alvarado. Georgia Tech gives up a LOT of points to opposing teams’ guards and starting backcourts. I honestly blame the staff on this one. I mean, they DID know this that they mucked it up somewhat, IMO. That’s why they went so hard after Quade.

 

[newmexicuse]

No doubt that Frank has made tremendous strides. Frank is really neither a one or a two. He doesn't shoot well enough to be a pure two, and he doesn't break down D's adequately enough or have a good enough handle to be a pure one. His ideal role should be backcourt sixth man, but I think mentally he feels like he needs to be a starter. Due to overall team limitations he tries to do too much.

As much as we criticize Frank, many of his issues relate more to the overall state of the program than they do to him personally as a player.

 

[Trueblue25]

Looking at his stroke i think Frank is above adequate to contibute at the 2 for our team.

 

[albanycuse]

Frank shouldn’t be a starting pg in the ACC, he should be the 6th or 7th man off the bench. Thank GOD he improved leaps and bounds or else we would be under.500. We seem to always have someone not a pg groomed into playing pg .

 

[Briancuse]

Frank has made great strides and hopefully it continues with that said his first two years were a disaster on and off the court.

 

[SUGIANT]

SU fans, so called, a.ways need 1 player to trash. Frank Howard is in the position because of his past issues. He’s that guy and will be til he leaves, ala Todd Burgan, Jason Hart etc... I try to ignore the idiocy.

 

[albanycuse]

SU fans, so called, a.ways need 1 player to trash. Frank Howard is in the position because of his past issues. He’s that guy and will be til he leaves, ala Todd Burgan, Jason Hart etc... I try to ignore the idiocy.

Because you’re not realistic. Hes in a public position where he’s going receive praise/ criticism. Take your orange colored glasses off. This is the real world. Nothing said that i read is personal, it’s just describing his game through rational/ unbiased eyes.

 

[kcsu]

No doubt that Frank has made tremendous strides. Frank is really neither a one or a two. He doesn't shoot well enough to be a pure two, and he doesn't break down D's adequately enough or have a good enough handle to be a pure one. His ideal role should be backcourt sixth man, but I think mentally he feels like he needs to be a starter. Due to overall team limitations he tries to do too much.

As much as we criticize Frank, many of his issues relate more to the overall state of the program than they do to him personally as a player.

Agreed frank is a tweener

 

[Briancuse]

Because you’re not realistic. Hes in a public position where he’s going receive praise/ criticism. Take your orange colored glasses off. This is the real world. Nothing said that i read is personal, it’s just describing his game through rational/ unbiased eyes.

Yup if you don't like scrutiny go play at Colgate where no one cares.

 

[SUGIANT]

Because you’re not realistic. Hes in a public position where he’s going receive praise/ criticism. Take your orange colored glasses off. This is the real world. Nothing said that i read is personal, it’s just describing his game through rational/ unbiased eyes.

I am realistic, Howard is a good player and fans that pick on college kids are idiots. No Orange needed.

 

[albanycuse]

I am realistic, Howard is a good player and fans that pick on college kids are idiots. No Orange needed.

So scrutinizing his game isn’t allowed? Sorry chief that’s how the sports world works except for people living in a bubble. Everything people said is true.

 

[tbonezone]

just keep in mind when comparing frank's stats to those of his acc peers that minute wise he plays an extra 3 games a year.

 

[albanycuse]

just keep in mind when comparing frank's stats to those of his acc peers that minute wise he plays an extra 3 games a years.

How about the peers that make a run in the tourney?

 

[jgeorge322]

Frank Cant dribble well but he does have very good vision in my opinion.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Frank Cant dribble well but he does have very good vision in my opinion.

Agreed. Most teams don’t have SGs who can pass. He would be a valuable contributor in that role. That way he can contribute more without handling the ball too much.

 

[rrlbees]

just keep in mind when comparing frank's stats to those of his acc peers that minute wise he plays an extra 3 games a year.

Is that why he gets so many turnovers?

 

[FrancoPizza]

Agreed frank is a tweener

Yes his handle is better than a 3 but worse than a 2.

 

[rrlbees]

Yes his handle is better than a 3 but worse than a 2.

This stuff is getting stupid. SUGIANT is right.

 

[Ghost]

I have no idea what to make of Frank. I was more impressed by him his Frosh year.

He seemed to have good vision, and be pretty good instinctually in spite of some very erratic play. He doesn't seem to have that vision any more. I suppose as a Frosh though he was taking more risks with his passing, and we also had better players. It was also limited minutes so hard to draw up huge conclusions......Anyway, maybe if we had better players this year things would look up. Nevertheless, we have last year mashed in between, and that was just a cluster**** of awful.

He does seem a bit slow - I mean, everyone abuses Kyle Guy. I think he's serviceable at PG though, the bigger issue is the rest of the team. Lots of standing around, and the 4/5 spots are disasters. They drop a ton of passes, and generally provide zip on offense. I'm not sure how you create much with what he's tasked with.

 

[ORRange]

Frank plays PG because we have no other options.
It doesn't matter the reasons.
He can do anything he wants and he and the staff know it.
But he has improved his shooting but his attitude and his inability to drive North and South have not.
He can't drive past my mother, pounds the ball into the court and makes two side line passes before ever getting this team into an offensive set. Then we are left with 12 seconds left on the shot clock. Every possession. That's we are scoring in the 50's against Pitt, Ga Tech, WF and Va. Just wait until you see the sheetshow he will put up in the remaining games. Lville, NC, Duke,Miami, Clemson, NC St, BC. They've all watched the film. It's going to get bad . Look at his stats the last three games. The inability to get a real PG will continue to haunt this team, because JB has senioritis. Princeton scored 100 points Saturday and we scored 44. We can't score that many in two games. Let that percolate . Princeton......Our PG dictates the pace we play at. Bees and Trueblue can't seem to see he's the main culprit. We need to get up and down the court because our half court sets are unwatchable.

 

[SUGIANT]

So scrutinizing his game isn’t allowed? Sorry chief that’s how the sports world works except for people living in a bubble. Everything people said is true.

Scrutiny is fine, but I’m not talking about that and neither were u. Oh well.

 

[iommi]

Frank plays PG because we have no other options.
It doesn't matter the reasons.
He can do anything he wants and he and the staff know it.
But he has improved his shooting but his attitude and his inability to drive North and South have not.
He can't drive past my mother, pounds the ball into the court and makes two side line passes before ever getting this team into an offensive set. Then we are left with 12 seconds left on the shot clock. Every possession. That's we are scoring in the 50's against Pitt, Ga Tech, WF and Va. Just wait until you see the sheetshow he will put up in the remaining games. Lville, NC, Duke,Miami, Clemson, NC St, BC. They've all watched the film. It's going to get bad . Look at his stats the last three games. The inability to get a real PG will continue to haunt this team, because JB has senioritis. Princeton scored 100 points Saturday and we scored 44. We can't score that many in two games. Let that percolate . Princeton...Our PG dictates the pace we play at. Bees and Trueblue can't seem to see he's the main culprit. We need to get up and down the court because our half court sets are unwatchable.

Fantastic post. Absolutely spot on.

Also: Why does he walk the ball up when not pressured? Does he not realize we have trouble getting shots off. If he hustled it up past halfcourt, especially when not guarded in the backcourt, that would give us a few more seconds to work with. It's more of a pet peeve, considering how inept the offense is, but little things add up.

If we don't look to run after working on fast break drills all offseason, well, I wouldn't know what to think.

 

[rrlbees]

Frank plays PG because we have no other options.
It doesn't matter the reasons.
He can do anything he wants and he and the staff know it.
But he has improved his shooting but his attitude and his inability to drive North and South have not.
He can't drive past my mother, pounds the ball into the court and makes two side line passes before ever getting this team into an offensive set. Then we are left with 12 seconds left on the shot clock. Every possession. That's we are scoring in the 50's against Pitt, Ga Tech, WF and Va. Just wait until you see the sheetshow he will put up in the remaining games. Lville, NC, Duke,Miami, Clemson, NC St, BC. They've all watched the film. It's going to get bad . Look at his stats the last three games. The inability to get a real PG will continue to haunt this team, because JB has senioritis. Princeton scored 100 points Saturday and we scored 44. We can't score that many in two games. Let that percolate . Princeton...Our PG dictates the pace we play at. Bees and Trueblue can't seem to see he's the main culprit. We need to get up and down the court because our half court sets are unwatchable.

Yea, Franks the sole reason for our lack of offense.

 

[rrlbees]

Fantastic post. Absolutely spot on.

Also: Why does he walk the ball up when not pressured? Does he not realize we have trouble getting shots off. If he hustled it up past halfcourt, especially when not guarded in the backcourt, that would give us a few more seconds to work with. It's more of a pet peeve, considering how inept the offense is, but little things add up.

If we don't look to run after working on fast break drills all offseason, well, I wouldn't no what to think.

Ask boeheim why frank doesn’t push the ball up the court. Some of you guys are nuts.