Wooden Watch: C.J. Fair

[Upstate]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/co...ott-marcus-smart-jabari-parker-julius-randle/

 

[TBCuse11]

"CJ is by far our best player," says Boeheim. "He has been our best player for two years. Some people think Jerami Grant is our best player because he gets highlight dunks. Some people think Tyler Ennis is because he makes great plays. But the reason we're in a position for those guys to do that is because C.J. Fair is there for us. Sometimes we forget -- sometimes even I forget -- C.J. Fair is why we won the game. He's the reason the win, and sometimes even I don't see that."

Great paragraph. We all fall in love with Ennis, Grant... even Cooney (shakes head), but CJ makes us run. He gets doubled almost every touch.

 

[ClamOtto]

Great article. My favorite line: "He's one of the best leaders we've ever had, and he doesn't say a word," says Boeheim. "

I'm going to miss CJ. A lot.

 

[Fly Rodder]

He's been my favorite player ever since he was a frosh. Kid was nearly always in the right place at the right time. Wasn't particularly flashy, but has some highlight reel dunks and is just a gamer. Blue collar ball player with zero baggage.

 

[Oakland]

Can remember thinking in his freshman season that he was an uber Josh Pace, which is still a pretty good assessment. He continued to play very well with more minutes as a soph and I posted how glad I was that he would be with us for two more years, and then he developed into a really good shooter and star as a junior. Didn't like what I saw in the Minn game where he tried to be the go-to guy and create pts out of nothing, but he has since pulled back a little and has just been great this season. We should have a player like him every year.

He's been my favorite player ever since he was a frosh. Kid was nearly always in the right place at the right time. Wasn't particularly flashy, but has some highlight reel dunks and is just a gamer. Blue collar ball player with zero baggage.

 

[CaptainJ]

This article found a way to make me appreciate CJ even more. It's great to have a workman-like player as an anchor and hopefully role model for some of the flashier guys. I loved him quoting Jordan about finding motivation by simply thinking there might be a family seeing him for the first time and he wanted to make a good impression. And on a more selfish note, I like that his excitement is going home and devouring Breaking Bad. It's nice to see when such a standup guy has something in common with me. I think I just noticed my avatar glowing slightly more than average.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

"CJ is by far our best player," says Boeheim. "He has been our best player for two years. Some people think Jerami Grant is our best player because he gets highlight dunks. Some people think Tyler Ennis is because he makes great plays. But the reason we're in a position for those guys to do that is because C.J. Fair is there for us. Sometimes we forget -- sometimes even I forget -- C.J. Fair is why we won the game. He's the reason the win, and sometimes even I don't see that."

This may all be true, but Ennis should also be on the list.

 

[TBCuse11]

This may all be true, but Ennis should also be on the list.

i 100% agree that Ennis should be on the Wooden List.

 

[NKR1978]

"CJ is by far our best player," says Boeheim. "He has been our best player for two years. Some people think Jerami Grant is our best player because he gets highlight dunks. Some people think Tyler Ennis is because he makes great plays. But the reason we're in a position for those guys to do that is because C.J. Fair is there for us. Sometimes we forget -- sometimes even I forget -- C.J. Fair is why we won the game. He's the reason the win, and sometimes even I don't see that."

Great paragraph. We all fall in love with Ennis, Grant... even Cooney (shakes head), but CJ makes us run. He gets doubled almost every touch.

Agree that CJ is our best player, but why tear Cooney down to build CJ up? No one has ever come close to saying that Trevor is the best player on the team.

 

[RF2044]

I am greatly concerned about having to replace CJ Fair's offense next season. He is so damn consistent, last outing notwithstanding, and really unflappable.

Kid just plays, and has gotten better ever year.

 

[strumpfasaurus]

Why is Ennis lauded as the best freshman in the country yet Parker and Randle are always ahead of him on POY awards and all American lists?

 

[skurey]

Why is Ennis lauded as the best freshman in the country yet Parker and Randle are always ahead of him on POY awards and all American lists?

Simple. He's not the best freshman in the country.

 

[jordoo]

"CJ is by far our best player," says Boeheim. "He has been our best player for two years. Some people think Jerami Grant is our best player because he gets highlight dunks. Some people think Tyler Ennis is because he makes great plays. But the reason we're in a position for those guys to do that is because C.J. Fair is there for us. Sometimes we forget -- sometimes even I forget -- C.J. Fair is why we won the game. He's the reason the win, and sometimes even I don't see that."

Great paragraph. We all fall in love with Ennis, Grant... even Cooney (shakes head), but CJ makes us run. He gets doubled almost every touch.

Dude your Cooney hate is a horrible example of fandom. I wonder if you boo when he makes a shot. Its one thing to feel he's over valued our not have a particular liking for his game but its like you root against him. Its sad really.

 

[jordoo]

I love CJ and he certainly makes iteasier on the other guys which is easy to forget. JB is always going to do his best to promote his seniors and no one deserves it more than CJ. Still IMO Ennis is our best player.

 

[TBCuse11]

Dude your Cooney hate is a horrible example of fandom. I wonder if you boo when he makes a shot. Its one thing to feel he's over valued our not have a particular liking for his game but its like you root against him. Its sad really.

Dont hate anyone. that is a strong word. I think we are better when he is off the floor. You dont. It is what it is.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Dont hate anyone. that is a strong word. I think we are better when he is off the floor. You dont. It is what it is.

 

[LennX6]

Can remember thinking in his freshman season that he was an uber Josh Pace, which is still a pretty good assessment. He continued to play very well with more minutes as a soph and I posted how glad I was that he would be with us for two more years, and then he developed into a really good shooter and star as a junior. Didn't like what I saw in the Minn game where he tried to be the go-to guy and create pts out of nothing, but he has since pulled back a little and has just been great this season. We should have a player like him every year.

A point in time I saw him as a blend of Pace and Lawrence Moten.

 

[jekelish]

Dont hate anyone. that is a strong word. I think we are better when he is off the floor. You dont. It is what it is.

For what it's worth, Jim Boeheim agrees with Jordoo and the majority of us who think we're better with Cooney on the floor.

Have fun with your take on things, though.

 

[Chosen0ne]

There is a contrast between best and most important. You can argue who is who between Fair and Ennis. However, I think Ennis is clearly the most important freshman player in the country. Don't have a problem if people find other freshmen "better" than him. Important, no.

 

[jekelish]

This is not related to anything at all, but I just realized that our three most important players have last names that begin with E, F, G.

It's nice of them to alphabetize themselves like that.

 

[rrlbees]

For what it's worth, Jim Boeheim agrees with Jordoo and the majority of us who think we're better with Cooney on the floor. Have fun with your take on things, though.

There's a few people who think they know better than Boeheim.

 

[moqui]

This is not related to anything at all, but I just realized that our three most important players have last names that begin with E, F, G.

It's nice of them to alphabetize themselves like that.

The ABCs of 2013-4
Autry
Boeheim
Cooney
Dajuan
Ennis
Fair
Gbinijie
Hopkins
Jerami
Keita
Xmas

two ways to look at this: X is a wild card and can be placed anywhere . . . or there is no I in Team

 

[BlackKnight76]

Dont hate anyone. that is a strong word. I think we are better when he is off the floor. You dont. It is what it is.

wut

 

[Pitt_Fan_ACC]

Pitt fans have posted that they think Patterson should be on the list and same with Ennis from your team. They also can't stand that Craft for OSU is on this list. Here is a pretty interesting stat comparison posted by a Pitt fan on the Pitt board comparing Craft to Cam Wright. Cam Wright has develop into a solid player for Pitt but there is not a Pitt in their right mind who would expect him to be anywhere near that type of list.

"Craft is a media creation in their constant need to feed narratives.

His best year, he had an ORtg of 114.5. Cam Wright's is 112.3 this season. Cam is a good player. Nobody would claim that Cam should be included on this.

Craft's best DRtg was an 87.6 and with the implementation of the new rules (taking away his ability to clutch and grab) he's at a 91.9 this year. Cam is at a 91.8. Both have 4.2% Stl%.

This isn't to say that Craft is a terrible player. More to illustrate that this is what his tangible impact on the court has been. Good, not great player. Certainly not a building block to start a program with. And not worthy of anywhere near the media attention he's gotten. His value is almost entirely driven by media narratives about intangibles and grit and clutch and other things he doesn't appear to have any more or less of than your average floor general at a good program."

 

[cuseattle]

Craft will be a coach on the OSU bench in a couple years, and they will always love him as much as we hate him. # scrappy