Attention AG Bashers

[ucp990411]

Do you really think I said something wrong? Seriously?

It's easy to answer your question and talk about what we all saw, but I'd be going down a path I choose to avoid

None of us knows what it takes to have a winning program. For someone who is a fan of 2 programs that have 15 titles between them to think he knows is wrong. That is unless you are part of either program.

 

[Castlevania]

Posting on the yard about frustrations is all fine and well, but @ing a kid on social media about it is pretty lowblowish, grow up and support the young men through the ups and downs. Dan Hurley is completely justified in calling out those certain fans who ripped Al on Twitter, of course he is going to protect his student athletes. if you can't take the criticism, don't dish it out yourself.

 

[Husky25]

I'm not going to criticize AG for his effort. What I do what him to do is be more efficient with his penetration which has been perilous at best. AG doesn't have to drive the length of lane and potentially get blocked. Instead, he can get into the lane and take a 12 footer (almost at will) or change pace and then kick back out to a shooter.

BTW... the same things goes for Vital. Although he constantly gets fouled on his drives, I feel like teams are eventually going to let him go because he can't to finish most of those drives especially with shot blockers in the lane.

There was a lot to be critical about after St. Joes and it didn't end at Gilbert. Heck, I was critical of Gilbert about driving into the bigs with no back up plan vs. St. Joes, but it looked like he made a concerted effort to "change pace and then kick back out to a shooter." At the very least in the opening minutes of games since. Was that change made because of a message board post? Probably not, but as long as the criticism is about the game, not the person, I don't see much of an issue. Personal nasties DM'edv via Twitter, Instigram, Facebook, etc. is a different story altogether.

One thing has become apparent this weekend: James Bouknight is really freaking good. Should he be starting? Possibly, but I like him off the bench this year. I, for one, am going to enjoy every game he plays, because if this weekend is any indication, I doubt he celebrates his 21st birthday in Storrs.

 

[willie99]

None of us knows what it takes to have a winning program. For someone who is a fan of 2 programs that have 15 titles between them to think he knows is wrong. That is unless you are part of either program.

An internet fighter, eh? Have fun

 

[Stinger92860]

My first thought when I saw Hurley's tweet was that it was partially fueled from scars that may have opened up from his own point guard playing career ("You're-Not-Bobby!"). Probably not but that was my first thought.

And my second thought was how many of us remember the abuse Taliek took during his time at UConn? There was no social media but I can remember him getting boo'd off the court back then.

I don't see any issue with criticizing AG's play, but also can only imagine how difficult it is playing point guard at this high level. You can't just throw anyone in there. Just like JC needed Tailiek leading up to 2004, Hurley needs AG.

This is a good observation.

 

[HuskylnSC]

I really don't believe that as the team huddled for the last shot. The coach said, "I want Al to drive down the lane and get his shot blocked again."

Al was criticized by me for making the same move several times. Each time the results were disastrous, either a blocked shot or a wild fling at the hoop. A smart player will learn to make in game adjustments. Those adjustments were not made in the Xavier game. Be it on coaching or the player, repeatedly running a failed option is not UConn basketball.

I like a coach standing up for players. I haven't read Dan Hurley's article. Unless he can explain why Al's repeated disastrous play was good basketball, criticism is warranted. I understand Dan Hurley is trying to build a different culture. He wants his team to bond and stand together and he is demonstrating that for Al. Hoping that the rest of the team falls into line. They will.

Once you play the games and have so many people invested, we give ourselves over to being criticized. Some people can't handle it. Sonny Gray is not pitching for the Yankees.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

Sorry if I don't conform to your little boys club. I have been part of the UConn family for 45 years - starting in high school - I dont need your acceptance.
But I won't stop offering my thoughts and opinions. If you don't like what I have to say put me on ignore.

Boys club??? I’m absolutely good with you offering your thoughts as long as they don’t become personally derogatory to me or others on this board. What I said when referencing you in my prior post was done in jest. I thought that was obvious. I should’ve added the “in jest” smiley face. Sorry about that.

 

[browndog319]

Take a look at posts on here about AG and CV - people on here are brutal
'AG & CV 4-25 from the field'
'Time to bench AG'
'Gilbert and Vital'
Things said in the chat room
The way people have dumped on these kids is uncalled for, and I admire Hurley for calling them out and protecting his players. I just learned more about the type of person he is then I knew before and have much more respect for him. He chose to keep them and he has enough faith in them to continue to start them. For all the admiration on this board for Hurley I would think you would trust his judgement more.
I am sorry that this team has not lived up to your expectations over the last few years but in my view being a fan is being supportive through ups and downs and being patient throughout the rebuilding process. I've been there before and believe me it was worth the wait - hopefully it will be this time also.

Do you think no one saying/pointing out the 4-25 down the field makes it less true?
You can point those things out and still be a supportive fan. Do you think we want AG to struggle? Don’t you think we want CV to find his offensive game again? Multiple things can be true.

 

[browndog319]

I’ve been protective of AG and understanding of the situation. I’ve also stated that to be good as a team, AG needs to play and play well. I don’t expect Danny to give me a shout out because I agree with him.

I also don’t expect him to call fans clueless because they were critical of a situation that clearly warranted criticism. The fans wanted AG to play like he did against Miami. He did, it worked. Yes, saying things like “AG is trash“ is ridiculous, but that was just a few people and I think it was mostly on the game chat.

I think that the best sports analogy here is pitching. You can have Verlander start and you count on him to deliver 7 innings of pretty flawless ball, maybe a run or two, but that’s a rarity. If he is giving hits up in the 3 and 4 and people are getting on base, you don’t let him figure it out. You know he’ll be Verlander again in a few days. It’s not saying he now sucks it means today he doesn’t have his stuff.
In these situations, getting yanked has to be viewed like Verlander views getting pulled early. He would rather win and if his stuff isn’t getting them there, put someone else in. AG needs to be okay with that and it’s okay for us to want him yanked when he doesn’t have his stuff. It doesn’t mean we want him off the team. It means find another guy who has his stuff while AG gets his stuff back.

 

[ctchamps]

Ok, that's wrong, and they're not very good fans. I think we all agree with that. Those specifics were omitted from his quote posted o this forum. But there are idiots in this world, AG has to learn how to ignore their chatter

Agree he has to learn how to ignore the verbal abuse and harassment. Easy to say. Hard to do. The argument could be made that fans should be able to filter a bad game, player or play before expressing their vitriol. How many people do you think can do that?

I think everybody in this forum agrees that going after Gilbert on social media with the intent of abuse and harassment crosses the line and is wrong. I was glad Hurley had Gilbert's back. I don't care how tough someone is. Getting ridiculed or dumped on by many people, even if it's only a small percentage of fans, is disheartening at best. What value does that attack have in accomplishing the goal the harassing fan wants which is a winning season? None. If anything it will only make the chances for success worse because it will be on the kids mind the next game possibly causing him to play flat or press harder to prove people wrong. It's stupid as well as wrong.

This forum went after Christian and Alterique for volume shooting. Constructive criticism would be to indicate that those players need to take less shots and distribute the attempts among more players. Constructive analysis would take this suggestion one step further and evaluate the circumstances that existed during that play before determining if it could have been avoided. That requires more knowledge and more examination and I certainly don't expect the majority of posters to consider this.

What I would love to see is far less negative descriptors such as a player plays "hero ball" or "selfish play". Even if accurate it's judgmental with the added intent to insult or demean someone. And it certainly won't help the situation outside of allowing the person making the derision feel better. It's a weak and flawed behavior. Yes we all do it. Myself included. It's a "normal" human reaction but one that is counterproductive and the world would be better if it were eliminated.

It's almost a universal sentiment in The Boneyard to be upset with a player who plays out of control. But how about the lack of control of what we express - the derision, the blaming, the attacking, the insistence others are doing it wrong with out the reflection of how we do things. I find those behaviors worse than a player playing out of control. In a game a player has the excuse because he/she are in the heat of a contest and need to react reflexively. We as fans do not have someone trying to steal our voice or take our keypad away. In other words we have the ability to pause before reacting.

 

[UconnFanNVa]

I'm not going to criticize AG for his effort. What I do what him to do is be more efficient with his penetration which has been perilous at best. AG doesn't have to drive the length of lane and potentially get blocked. Instead, he can get into the lane and take a 12 footer (almost at will) or change pace and then kick back out to a shooter.

BTW... the same things goes for Vital. Although he constantly gets fouled on his drives, I feel like teams are eventually going to let him go because he can't to finish most of those drives especially with shot blockers in the lane.

Or how about not picking up your dribble when the only shot is a layup that is 99 percent sure to be blocked? And you obviously don't have that option if you dribble the clock down to 5 seconds before you make your move. Again it's AG and just as much if not more Dan Hurley. I like Dan Hurley but that is a flaw in in game coaching. Learn from it and make that mistake less in the future that's all. AG can penetrate all the wants and create for others and that is great for the team, just keep your dribble unless you are sure you have a pass or you can make the layup or at least draw a foul.

 

[HuskyHoosier]

Agree he has to learn how to ignore the verbal abuse and harassment. Easy to say. Hard to do. The argument could be made that fans should be able to filter a bad game, player or play before expressing their vitriol. How many people do you think can do that?

I think everybody in this forum agrees that going after Gilbert on social media with the intent of abuse and harassment crosses the line and is wrong. I was glad Hurley had Gilbert's back. I don't care how tough someone is. Getting ridiculed or dumped on by many people, even if it's only a small percentage of fans, is disheartening at best. What value does that attack have in accomplishing the goal the harassing fan wants which is a winning season? None. If anything it will only make the chances for success worse because it will be on the kids mind the next game possibly causing him to play flat or press harder to prove people wrong. It's stupid as well as wrong.

This forum went after Christian and Alterique for volume shooting. Constructive criticism would be to indicate that those players need to take less shots and distribute the attempts among more players. Constructive analysis would take this suggestion one step further and evaluate the circumstances that existed during that play before determining if it could have been avoided. That requires more knowledge and more examination and I certainly don't expect the majority of posters to consider this.

What I would love to see is far less negative descriptors such as a player plays "hero ball" or "selfish play". Even if accurate it's judgmental with the added intent to insult or demean someone. And it certainly won't help the situation outside of allowing the person making the derision feel better. It's a weak and flawed behavior. Yes we all do it. Myself included. It's a "normal" human reaction but one that is counterproductive and the world would be better if it were eliminated.

It's almost a universal sentiment in The Boneyard to be upset with a player who plays out of control. But how about the lack of control of what we express - the derision, the blaming, the attacking, the insistence others are doing it wrong with out the reflection of how we do things. I find those behaviors worse than a player playing out of control. In a game a player has the excuse because he/she are in the heat of a contest and need to react reflexively. We as fans do not have someone trying to steal our voice or take our keypad away. In other words we have the ability to pause before reacting.

Might be the best post I've ever read here.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Nobody here is rooting against AG, we all want him to succeed. And I'm sure Hurley's conversation with him wasn't just that all the people on social media are idiots. Hint: Look how he played the first 5 games, and look how he played tonight

All the more reason to hope that some posters can be coached up.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I don't like this look by Hurley.

Hurley gave Gilbert and Vital the green light to take some of those terrible shots, and I think any player's shot selection is fair game. I think it is also fair to be critical of the team not showing up ready to play St. Joe's. This is the big time. If the players or coach don't like the spotlight, there are about 150-200 D1 programs where they can play or coach that draw friends and family to games and don't have fan message boards.

I do not like a coach taking shots like this at a fan base, especially early in what is looking like a promising year. Hurley can defend his players without going after the fans.

The fans can express unhappiness in better or worse ways too. It's all in (re-) formation during a coach's 2nd year of a rebuild. Everybody benefits from a more expansive perspective.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Or how about not picking up your dribble when the only shot is a layup that is 99 percent sure to be blocked? And you obviously don't have that option if you dribble the clock down to 5 seconds before you make your move. Again it's AG and just as much if not more Dan Hurley. I like Dan Hurley but that is a flaw in in game coaching. Learn from it and make that mistake less in the future that's all. AG can penetrate all the wants and create for others and that is great for the team, just keep your dribble unless you are sure you have a pass or you can make the layup or at least draw a foul.

I had to look at the time stamp on this one.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Might be the best post I've ever read here.

This is pretty much why I'm more likely to criticize a poster than a player.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

And, on a greater scale, I've found the point of this forum is to build relationships with like minded people where you can share the highs and help live through the lows as a collective group.

So, using your super powers to melt people in a good way, I see
Thx.