3 Hottest Takes

[temery]

Yeah go to the mattresses and get ready to grind out every day like it might be your last.

and maybe rethink practice without refs or anyone calling fouls. Doesn't see to have a positives, at least at this point, with this team.

 

[my2cents]

Obviously, UConn fans are spoiled and believe the last two years are our new normal, and alas, that's not to be.
I would look at new defensive schemes.
Use our depth to zone press from 90 ft and see what happens.

 

[HuskyHawk]

1. Turkey is fine. Preferably smoked. Chicken is better. Duck is greasy and gross.
2. When you’ve already got the biggest bullseye on your back since Florida went back to back, yapping it up about why you should be. #1 is a dumb strategy. Shut up. Go about your business quietly and professionally. Reduce the temperature. Talk about how amazing it is were ranked so high given what we lost.
3. UConn basketball will be fine. It may not be fine in 2024-25. Making the tournament would be a success story.

 

[mussels]

There was zero buzz on this board all week leading up to Thanksgiving about what to serve and how to serve it.

Check it out for yourself.

Do a word search for "spatchcock" and see what you get for results.

Dressing vs stuffing. Nada.

Cranberry sauce. Home made or from the can?

Hurley's aggressions turns refs against us? Look at FT shooting disparity for all three games.

Heritage turkeys? You wouldn't even know that's a thing from reading this board.
Random ethnic recipes for Poles or Italians? Didn't read it here.
Brining before roasting??? Deep fried??
Who did Hurley pass over before grabbing Mahaney? What previous successful UConn guard under Hurley was the comp?
What type of pies to serve and why pumpkin is the worst and not even really pumpkin but a squash.
Green bean casserole? The grossest of the gross whose sole benefit is to let you know from your stool when it passed through you.
Samson Johnson. Four years in and more career fouls than career rebounds.
What is the serving arrangement. Sit down country-style, buffet line? Arranged seating or first come first serve.

Big Ed is right. Arrogant and spoiled.

What to do today with leftovers??

This.

We all need to look in the mirror before we start pointing fingers at Hurley and the team.

 

[Kenny11]

We have too many guys. When you have a deep team where starters don’t create separation from bench players and vice versa the chemistry is never going to be good until there are a couple injuries or the coach decides to eliminate a couple players from the rotation. Basketball is always going to be a game of rythym.

 

[Chin Diesel]

We have too many guys. When you have a deep team where starters don’t create separation from bench players and vice versa the chemistry is never going to be good until there are a couple injuries or the coach decides to eliminate a couple players from the rotation. Basketball is always going to be a game of rythym.

Almost like tou pay a staff to do exactly that.

I am a firm believer some hard discussions need to be hard to the players about PT. Game film don't lie.

 

[gtcam]

3 hot takes:
1-Reed, Jr scoring 23 pts/40 min--same as Sanogo and Clingan
2-Reed, Jr rebounding 26/40 min--more than Sanogo (12) or Clingan (22)
3-Reed, Jr shot blocking is even competitive--3.2/40 min compared to 1.9/40 Sanogo and 4.8/40 Clingan

Reed is not Sanogo or DC - thats my take

 

[gtcam]

We have too many guys. When you have a deep team where starters don’t create separation from bench players and vice versa the chemistry is never going to be good until there are a couple injuries or the coach decides to eliminate a couple players from the rotation. Basketball is always going to be a game of rythym.

This is why UConn pays Dan Hurley and the staff their salaries - to coach
Maybe no more practices without calling legit fouls might be a good step 1 - bring in some refs (like Dan Hurley has any he can call and ask!!!!) to watch a serious intersquad practice game and point out areas of concern?

 

[businesslawyer]

Reed needs to start as the more physical presence just like Adama and Clingan. He doesn’t have Adama’s offensive skill, but he’s bigger and more athletic. I don’t know why Hurley hasn’t tried it. Many of us have been calling for it for a while now. I get that he wants to be loyal to Samson but there’s no way they’re seeing him as the clear starter in practice. I trust that the defense will come together and lineups will be figured out, but it’s not going to be an easy road, and each hard lesson will hurt tournament seeding. We are so much more talented than Colorado and Dayton; there’s no way we should have lost those games.

Until either of them proves they can play more than 24 minutes or so without fouling out, it makes little difference who starts.

 

[RuffRuff]

Until either of them proves they can play more than 24 minutes or so without fouling out, it makes little difference who starts.

Not sure I agree. The backup has a better chance of playing other teams backups for a higher majority of minutes. The starter is on a more “regular” schedule and goes out there knowing he’s the “guy”.

It doesn’t matter much but Samson loses every tip. Can we win one for gods sake just to set a little tone?

Samson got 26 to Tarris’13 minutes last game and not due to fouls. He had an ok game but 6’8” Key on Dayton was 15/9, and was a better player. Hard to get a read on the staff directionally with the 5. Very limited ceiling on this team if he remains the guy all year, and he’s honestly hard to watch sometimes as just waiting for some goofy screw up.

The lob is a nice sweetener when the rest of the stuff is going well, but would prefer to see the foundational stuff established the immediate.

 

[controlfade]

Not sure I agree. The backup has a better chance of playing other teams backups for a higher majority of minutes. The starter is on a more “regular” schedule and goes out there knowing he’s the “guy”.

Not sure I agree with this either. This is only true if you are playing situational based on the other teams subbing. Quite honestly, who starts or doesn’t really doesn’t matter. It’s who is playing the majority of minutes.

 

[RuffRuff]

Not sure I agree with this either. This is only true if you are playing situational based on the other teams subbing. Quite honestly, who starts or doesn’t really doesn’t matter. It’s who is playing the majority of minutes.

Knowing your role in sports is fairly important in my book. Why some guys are better as starting pitchers and some guys closers. There has been a lot of banter around Diarra being better “off the bench”, so then does it matter whether he starts or not? You usually want to start a game strong and set tone. I’d rather do that with physicality, maybe get their 5 into early foul trouble with a strong low post presence like Reed.

 

[businesslawyer]

Not sure I agree. The backup has a better chance of playing other teams backups for a higher majority of minutes. The starter is on a more “regular” schedule and goes out there knowing he’s the “guy”.

It doesn’t matter much but Samson loses every tip. Can we win one for gods sake just to set a little tone?

Samson got 26 to Tarris’13 minutes last game and not due to fouls. He had an ok game but 6’8” Key on Dayton was 15/9, and was a better player. Hard to get a read on the staff directionally with the 5. Very limited ceiling on this team if he remains the guy all year, and he’s honestly hard to watch sometimes as just waiting for some goofy screw up.

The lob is a nice sweetener when the rest of the stuff is going well, but would prefer to see the foundational stuff established the immediate.

Not defending Johnson’s play. His lack of strength generally and hand strength particularly is shocking, and given his quickness and hops his inability to rebound outside of his zone is hard to believe. But to be fair, his backup was invisible the last two games after playing great on Monday.

 

[Rico444]

1. Turkey is my least favorite poultry.
2. The sophomore class is grossly overrated.(I contend Stewart still has highest upside)
3. This team will have an uphill battle to make to make the tournament.

We need to find a way to get Stewart more minutes. He defends and rebounds, and his offensive potential is obvious.

 

[RuffRuff]

Not defending Johnson’s play. His lack of strength generally and hand strength particularly is shocking, and given his quickness and hops his inability to rebound outside of his zone is hard to believe. But to be fair, his backup was invisible the last two games after playing great on Monday.

The hands kill me - like I don’t know how anyone can play the 5 without strong hands, possibly a top 3 requisite of the position. Can’t be fumbling entries, rebounds and loose balls nonstop.

 

[Spaceman213J]

The hands kill me - like I don’t know how anyone can play the 5 without strong hands, possibly a top 3 requisite of the position. Can’t be fumbling entries, rebounds and loose balls nonstop.

He was a little undersized, but the issue with the hands remind me of Kirk King. He got his hands on a lot of balls, but fumbled a bunch away or had them knocked away. I think one game, Billy Packer was even commenting on how small his hands were. With Johnson though, it almost seems like nerves. He appears jumpy and seems to have a real hard time from moving on from the previous play.

I really thought, watching tape of him in high school, that he was going to be an absolute star at UConn. He's been a nice piece... an important piece... but to think he could ever fill the hole created by the departures of Sanogo and Clingan is a big mistake. Both guys were walls on the defensive side and aside from Edey, what 2 centers the last two years had as good of or better footwork than Sanogo and Clingan.

I think Stewart needs to get more time. He seems to have some basketball instincts and abilities to make plays.

 

[RuffRuff]

He was a little undersized, but the issue with the hands remind me of Kirk King. He got his hands on a lot of balls, but fumbled a bunch away or had them knocked away. I think one game, Billy Packer was even commenting on how small his hands were. With Johnson though, it almost seems like nerves. He appears jumpy and seems to have a real hard time from moving on from the previous play.

I really thought, watching tape of him in high school, that he was going to be an absolute star at UConn. He's been a nice piece... an important piece... but to think he could ever fill the hole created by the departures of Sanogo and Clingan is a big mistake. Both guys were walls on the defensive side and aside from Edey, what 2 centers the last two years had as good of or better footwork than Sanogo and Clingan.

I think Stewart needs to get more time. He seems to have some basketball instincts and abilities to make plays.

I love Stew - always looks super enthusiastic on the bench, bleeds the uniform and always comes in looking like he wants to kick butt. His leash is super short right now for some reason. He’s built like a dude and has felt like he’s trying to do more around what he’s built to do. Hopefully the leash extends a bit as the rotation firms up.

Hard to know with SJ and his hands - as a lot of his movements on the floor look a little clumsy outside of shooting up off the floor for lobs, which he’s a stud at. He has no base at all, the lower half isn’t designed to check or pick, and he doesn’t have great balance as a whole. One thing that has gotten massively better is his free throw form, he just doesn’t get to the line much given lack of physicality.

 

[FreeKlaiber]

We need to find a way to get Stewart more minutes. He defends and rebounds, and his offensive potential is obvious.

I keep coming back to this as well. He is an excellent passer, and has offensive upside, ready right now. I assumed the Ross talk from Dan Hurley was being used to motivate both Ross and Stewart. But now I'm thinking there is a defensive deficiency in Stewarts rotation that Dan Hurley must see?? I see glaring defensive mistakes across the board with all the perimeter defense, but I can't figure out why else he wouldnt get more run. Against Dayton, Liam powering through injury, playing 3 days in a row, and 0-9, and Stew got 7 minutes? I'm thinking if not Stewart now, or after the Memphis first half, then when?

 

[AllHusky]

3 hot takes(OK 4)

1. Hurleys excessive exuberance for his players hurts them with unreasonable expectations(Ross might be the best/worst example). Calm down and be more centered.

2. Watched defense closely 2nd half of Dayton. It can flip from a negative to a positive with better anticipation, footwork and foul discipline. All can be learned through teaching, drilling and experience(except Samson who cannot figure it out).

3. Hurley seems to make decisions about athletes roles/usage and stay with those decisions doggedly, even if appears that they are negatively impacting team. Examples
Reed doesn't start
Nowell and Stewart don't get enough minutes
Mahaney is a point guard

4. Toughness/heart remain a question overall

Won't even hazard a guess at the final result, but there are fixable things that transcend talent. All except #4. Are you tough and do you have heart are pretty much what you are is what you'll be. Don't know how much those attributes can be changed.

Hope you all are coming out of your Tryptophan induced comas ok(yeah, maybe a little bit of wine in there too)

 

[dennismenace]

1) Turkey is awesome. It's the perfect blank canvas for what you're really after anyway - salt, fat, and sugar! And its very blandness is what allows you to mix and match the Holy Trinity to your personal culinary delight.

2) Donovan Clingan covered up a major flaw in Dan Hurley's defensive scheming. If you funnel drives to your shot blocker (yes, we do this, it's partly why our guards look like turnstiles on 'd'), that shot blocker better be physical enough to handle the confrontation. Clingan was that guy. Johnson will never be that guy.

3) We're still going to win the Big East regular season title.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

But wait, with positionless basketball I thought we weren't supposed to need a physical, shot blocking big. Isn't that "old school".

 

[dennismenace]

3 hot takes(OK 4)

1. Hurleys excessive exuberance for his players hurts them with unreasonable expectations(Ross might be the best/worst example). Calm down and be more centered.

Agree. Interesting point. I just watched the rerun of the Dayton game and in the ESPN "Jay Bilas 94 ft walk with Alex Karaban" he asked if having a coach as tough as Hurley is in every practice got players down and Karaban replied: He's just the opposite on game day in the shoot around when he pumps everyone up and tells them he's got their back. That's an interesting take.

 

[bendm]

Not sure I agree with this either. This is only true if you are playing situational based on the other teams subbing. Quite honestly, who starts or doesn’t really doesn’t matter. It’s who is playing the majority of minutes.

So Starting Ross and stew over Liam and Alex wouldn’t matter? Nonsense. We’d be in a double digit hole by the first tv timeout. Starting poorly matters. Early foul trouble matters.

 

[444JR]

Hot take rotation to get more size on the court and go all in on investing in Ahmad Nowell..

Starters:
Nowell - point guard
McNeeley - position-less wing
Stewart - position-less wing
Karaban - position-less wing
Reed Jr. - center

Bench:
Diarra - 6th man
Samson - rotation center
Ball/Mahaney - bench scoring
Ross - rotation wing

Waiting in the wings:
Abraham - really think he’ll be useful
Singare

 

[controlfade]

So Starting Ross and stew over Liam and Alex wouldn’t matter? Nonsense. We’d be in a double digit hole by the first tv timeout. Starting poorly matters. Early foul trouble matters.

Lol, just cause you start the game does not mean you are playing the first 10-15 minutes.
We have been in early foul trouble already and starting poorly.

 

[Icehawk]

I like that 444. If they are getting burned early bring Diarra in but I think our strongest players are primarily wings. Can Stewart handle a guard?

SJ shouldn’t start because of his tendency to foul quickly (like 20s in!) which sets a bad tone and kills momentum. He has always been good coming in and changing up what the other team expected with his relative speed.

I think they should simplify, go back to some more basic schemes that the team can nail and then work up to some of the more sophisticated ones as the team gels and they get game experience.

Our coaches are good and I trust the only thing on their minds is how to right the ship, it’s still early and the season is far from over. Can’t wait to see how this plays out.

 

[444JR]

I like that 444. If they are getting burned early bring Diarra in but I think our strongest players are primarily wings. Can Stewart handle a guard?

SJ shouldn’t start because of his tendency to foul quickly (like 20s in!) which sets a bad tone and kills momentum. He has always been good coming in and changing up what the other team expected with his relative speed.

I think they should simplify, go back to some more basic schemes that the team can nail and then work up to some of the more sophisticated ones as the team gels and they get game experience.

Our coaches are good and I trust the only thing on their minds is how to right the ship, it’s still early and the season is far from over. Can’t wait to see how this plays out.

Totally agree, especially the defensive rotation to Diarra if we’re getting burned by shifty guards. Tarris and Jaylin seem to have great chemistry and playing inside out through Reed should help set up better looks for McNeeley and Karaban.

I think the coaching staff gets it right. Dan can only torture himself so much before he adjusts. The adjustment, whatever it is, will have this team competing on all fronts for the championships that really matter: Big East Regular Season, Big East Tournament, NCAAT.

I have an unyielding belief that this team will scrap its way to a respectable season that lays a foundation for more rings in the 2025-2027 seasons.

 

[bendm]

Lol, just cause you start the game does not mean you are playing the first 10-15 minutes.
We have been in early foul trouble already and starting poorly.

The first tv timeout is after 4 minutes And Samson always has at least 1 foul by then. Maybe if we start reed and get some easy basketball we won’t keep starting poorly. when there’s a clear difference in quality between the players in question, which there is here, it matters who starts

 

[August_West]

What to do today with leftovers??

Throw them in the garbage and find something edible.

 

[uconngb]

It’s probably a bigger knock on BE than compliment to UConn.

This

The conference is a MESS

 

[Kolumbo]

There was zero buzz on this board all week leading up to Thanksgiving about what to serve and how to serve it.

Check it out for yourself.

Do a word search for "spatchcock" and see what you get for results.

Dressing vs stuffing. Nada.

Cranberry sauce. Home made or from the can?

Hurley's aggressions turns refs against us? Look at FT shooting disparity for all three games.

Heritage turkeys? You wouldn't even know that's a thing from reading this board.
Random ethnic recipes for Poles or Italians? Didn't read it here.
Brining before roasting??? Deep fried??
Who did Hurley pass over before grabbing Mahaney? What previous successful UConn guard under Hurley was the comp?
What type of pies to serve and why pumpkin is the worst and not even really pumpkin but a squash.
Green bean casserole? The grossest of the gross whose sole benefit is to let you know from your stool when it passed through you.
Samson Johnson. Four years in and more career fouls than career rebounds.
What is the serving arrangement. Sit down country-style, buffet line? Arranged seating or first come first serve.

Big Ed is right. Arrogant and spoiled.

What to do today with leftovers??

I think I'd rather see a turducken, the Madden variety, than a spatchcock. That just seems a little too weird. It also reminds me, when at a restaurant, if I ask for wings, don't ask me "bone-in or boneless." Wings are wings, tenders are tenders.