Without Hop | Page 3 | Syracusefan.com

Without Hop

Interesting. So, Hop who learned everything from JB implied that what JB wanted him to do went against his grain in what he would've done if it was "his" team? He seems to be doing many/most of the same JB tendencies at UW. Him not claiming any ownership in the way we played those 9 games, to a degree, is a cop out in my opinion.

Perception is reality, whether right or wrong. And, with having absolutely zero head coaching experience, instead of shining, it appeared as he was just going through the motions. Moreover, the team played that way. Interestingly enough, when JB returned, the team suddenly played much better, all the while JB was doing the same thing he informed Hop to do.

Again, right or wrong, perceptually it didn't look good. And, without any head coaching experience, the team played poorly and uninspired. That debacle in the Garden against a pathetic St. John's team had a damning impact as we got crushed. Afterwards, St. John's went on to lose against a team called Incarnate World for Pete's sake, and a slew of other bad losses as well.

I didn't hammer Hop, but if I'm being completely transparent, I certainly had concerns and questions after the only cross sample we ever had of him in that role at the time.

He had a great rookie season at UW, we'll see how it plays out over the next few years and a larger sample size can be drawn. One thing he clearly has in his favor, is that the P12 is a pretty weak conference overall.

Posters became unhinged about the thought of him becoming head coach and now a lot of those said posters are unhinged about hiring Griffin as assistant and keeping Gmac on staff. No consistency.
 
Interesting. So, Hop who learned everything from JB implied that what JB wanted him to do went against his grain in what he would've done if it was "his" team? He seems to be doing many/most of the same JB tendencies at UW. Him not claiming any ownership in the way we played those 9 games, to a degree, is a cop out in my opinion.

Perception is reality, whether right or wrong. And, with having absolutely zero head coaching experience, instead of shining, it appeared as he was just going through the motions. Moreover, the team played that way. Interestingly enough, when JB returned, the team suddenly played much better, all the while JB was doing the same thing he informed Hop to do.

Again, right or wrong, perceptually it didn't look good. And, without any head coaching experience, the team played poorly and uninspired. That debacle in the Garden against a pathetic St. John's team had a damning impact as we got crushed. Afterwards, St. John's went on to lose against a team called Incarnate World for Pete's sake, and a slew of other bad losses as well.

I didn't hammer Hop, but if I'm being completely transparent, I certainly had concerns and questions after the only cross sample we ever had of him in that role at the time.

He had a great rookie season at UW, we'll see how it plays out over the next few years and a larger sample size can be drawn. One thing he clearly has in his favor, is that the P12 is a pretty weak conference overall.

So are we still really arguing that taking over someone else’s team vs. being handed the reigns to a program is the same thing? It’s not. These guys arent robots.

Remember when Boeheim was out with his prostate issue and we got rocked by a mediocre Georgia Tech team back in the early 00s?

Remember when Calhoun was out and a GREAT UConn team got rocked in the Dome?

An assistant filling in as coach temporarily is not the same at all. It doesn’t matter at all that Hop is using the 2-3 zone. It’s his own squad and own program and he and the players all know that. Just like everyone knew that he was a fill-in at Cuse.

Another point too...with Hop taking over for Boeheim for a bit, we were down an assistant coach now. The whole system was thrown off. Out of nowhere. In the middle of the season. Temporarily. So yeah, things didn’t work out great. That was the point. It was supposed to hurt us. That’s also why the selection committee took it into account.
 
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Well isn't that what we do on message boards? I'm just blindly speculating as everyone else is here unless u guys are at practice and can see how they are vs when Hopkins was around. All I know is effort was lacking. A coach can fix that with playing time for those he doesn't deem to be working as hard.

I can change the question to my opinion if that feels more authentic. I think Boeheim is getting old and everyone who gets old shows old age.

People don’t all age the same. If I didn’t know Boeheim’s age and didn’t know how long he’d been coaching, I’d probably guess he was a decade younger than he is.

He looks fine. He seems sharp mentally. He’s got kids who just got to college. He was a high level athlete in his day. He’s fine, IMO. Not everybody’s 73 looks the same.
 
So are we still really arguing that taking over someone else’s team vs. being handed the reigns to a program is the same thing? It’s not. These guys arent robots.

Remember when Boeheim was out with his prostate issue and we got rocked by a mediocre Georgia Tech team back in the early 00s?

Remember when Calhoun was out and a GREAT UConn team got rocked in the Dome?

An assistant filling in as coach temporarily is not the same at all. It doesn’t matter at all that Hop is using the 2-3 zone. It’s his own squad and own program and he and the players all know that. Just like everyone knew that he was a fill-in at Cuse.

Another point too...with Hop taking over for Boeheim for a bit, we were down an assistant coach now. The whole system was thrown off. Out of nowhere. In the middle of the season. Temporarily. So yeah, things didn’t work out great. That was the point. It was supposed to hurt us. That’s also why the selection committee took it into account.

No, I don't think that's the case at all, implying that taking over someone else's team is the same thing, etc. I do think though, to a degree, it can be used as a caveat. JB came to Hops defense at that time to mitigate some of the rumblings, and rightfully so in protecting his little cub. It was clearly damage control, as again, perception.

Occasionally, interim coaches get hired afterwards to be the head coach. In doing so, it's because they seemingly demonstrated, at least during the designated time frame, that they appear to have what it takes to be successful moving forward. Some how, in some way, shape or form, they manage to do it (in the trial period) using the previous head coaches same players, personnel, coaches, etc.
 
No, I don't think that's the case at all, implying that taking over someone else's team is the same thing, etc. I do think though, to a degree, it can be used as a caveat. JB came to Hops defense at that time to mitigate some of the rumblings, and rightfully so in protecting his little cub. It was clearly damage control, as again, perception.

Occasionally, interim coaches get hired afterwards to be the head coach. In doing so, it's because they seemingly demonstrated, at least during the designated time frame, that they appear to have what it takes to be successful moving forward. Some how, in some way, shape or form, they manage to do it (in the trial period) using the previous head coaches same players, personnel, coaches, etc.

I think an interim coach for the rest of the season is quite a bit different though too. At least in that case you, and the players know that you’re the man going forward for that season. Which is really all anyone is focused on when you’re in it as a player/coach.
 
I think an interim coach for the rest of the season is quite a bit different though too. At least in that case you, and the players know that you’re the man going forward for that season. Which is really all anyone is focused on when you’re in it as a player/coach.

Well, it's a fair argument that can be made I presume. In the end though, people see what they want/choose to see, especially depending upon the argument being made.
 
No, I don't think that's the case at all, implying that taking over someone else's team is the same thing, etc. I do think though, to a degree, it can be used as a caveat. JB came to Hops defense at that time to mitigate some of the rumblings, and rightfully so in protecting his little cub. It was clearly damage control, as again, perception.

Occasionally, interim coaches get hired afterwards to be the head coach. In doing so, it's because they seemingly demonstrated, at least during the designated time frame, that they appear to have what it takes to be successful moving forward. Some how, in some way, shape or form, they manage to do it (in the trial period) using the previous head coaches same players, personnel, coaches, etc.

A process no doubt facilitated by the head coach they are replacing not being on deck to return.

Despite being interim, they are the replacement head coach, not just looking over their shoulder as a fill in waiting to be tapped out.

And this goes without saying, but AC's have varying ability. Some are good teachers, or relate well to the players, but don't have the chops to run a program [there's a lot more to coordinating all aspects of a college hoops program than just what happens on the sidelines during a game]. Others [like Hop] have all the tools, but are inexperienced. Others [like, for example, Bernie Fine] don't have the same acumen. I'd warrant that those with more inherent skill are more successful than those who lack it most of the time--despite the exceptions [example: Hopkins struggling may have been as much about us having an inconsistent squad that year as it was about his coaching ability].
 
Danny Hurley will NEVER be fat then. Clown probably burns like 4,000 calories per game.

Well, in a few years when he's reeling in all that Duke type talent and UConn is going for 'one for the thumb' he'll calm down a bit. ;)
 
A process no doubt facilitated by the head coach they are replacing not being on deck to return.

Despite being interim, they are the replacement head coach, not just looking over their shoulder as a fill in waiting to be tapped out.

And this goes without saying, but AC's have varying ability. Some are good teachers, or relate well to the players, but don't have the chops to run a program [there's a lot more to coordinating all aspects of a college hoops program than just what happens on the sidelines during a game]. Others [like Hop] have all the tools, but are inexperienced. Others [like, for example, Bernie Fine] don't have the same acumen. I'd warrant that those with more inherent skill are more successful than those who lack it most of the time--despite the exceptions [example: Hopkins struggling may have been as much about us having an inconsistent squad that year as it was about his coaching ability].

I understand your points, and they are valid ones. I guess, however, one could debate your premise that an interim coach is truly a "replacement" one, especially from a long(er) term standpoint. The interim/replacement coach is still temporary/provisional (till the season plays out) as was Hop, and only became a long(er) term "replacement" if he passes the audition.
 
UConn played with more effort. But at the end of the day UConn went 12/21 from 3 vs us. In their 2 games since then (Iowa and Cornell) they went a combined 10/45.

I think that had something to do with it.


Okay...but you didn't answer the question. I think people know the point I'm getting at, but nobody will touch it.

Just wondering why.
 
Okay...but you didn't answer the question. I think people know the point I'm getting at, but nobody will touch it.

Just wondering why.
what that JB doesn't jump all over the place and act like an imbecile on the sideline?
 
what that JB doesn't jump all over the place and act like an imbecile on the sideline?

I don't know why you responded with that. When/where did I say that?

I asked a simple question, and still - no direct response.

I'll try it differently; is there any way a head coach can influence a team's performance in any way - whether a fiery halftime pep talk, in-game strategic decisions, changing neck ties, throwing folding chairs, anything, within the 2 hours of a basketball game?
 
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JB sits wincing with that constipation consternation grimace he's mastered.
 

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