Brimah

[Okafour rings]

Hand-eye coordination is one of those things that can't really be taught. You can't blame Brimah for this.

I beg to differ. Just Google "How to improve hand-eye coordination" and you get all sorts of hits regarding drills that can be performed to improve that skill, such as:

4 Easy Drills to Improve Hand-Eye Coordination | Outside Online
4 Easy Drills to Improve Hand-Eye Coordination

How to Improve Hand Eye Coordination - Bodyomics
www.bodyomics.com/articles/hand_eye_coordination.html

Exercises to Improve Hand-Eye Coordination | LIVESTRONG.COM
www.livestrong.com › Diseases and Condition

We're talking big-time college basketball here. Improving his skillset could have meant millions of dollars to Brimah. The lack of improvement over 4 years is striking.

 

[yukonyc212]

I beg to differ. Just Google "How to improve hand-eye coordination" and you get all sorts of hits regarding drills that can be performed to improve that skill, such as:

4 Easy Drills to Improve Hand-Eye Coordination | Outside Online
4 Easy Drills to Improve Hand-Eye Coordination

How to Improve Hand Eye Coordination - Bodyomics
www.bodyomics.com/articles/hand_eye_coordination.html

Exercises to Improve Hand-Eye Coordination | LIVESTRONG.COM
www.livestrong.com › Diseases and Condition

We're talking big-time college basketball here. Improving his skillset could have meant millions of dollars to Brimah. The lack of improvement over 4 years is striking.

I hate banging on the kid because he's been a good ambassador for the program... a good student...never been in trouble etc... but how do you do something every single day for 4 years and not get better at it? It's not like he had any physical setbacks. I just don't understand. Have we ever had a player that gets as much PT as he does not improve 1 iota from freshman year to senior year.... unfortunately the only other parallel I can see is in the starting lineup right next to him.

 

[HooperScooper]

Hand-eye coordination is one of those things that can't really be taught. You can't blame Brimah for this.

I'd dispute that. There are drills and exercises you can do to improve hand-eye coordination. Some people are already blessed with that but you can definitely improve those skills if you're not already good at it.

 

[mauconnfan]

I'd dispute that. There are drills and exercises you can do to improve hand-eye coordination. Some people are already blessed with that but you can definitely improve those skills if you're not already good at it.

I'm going to say this is a 50-50 "argument"...guys who naturally have good hands (hand eye coordination) have a tremendous gift and needed for so many sports. Those who don't have really good hands may be taught to be "better" but rarely will someone suddenly have great hands. Those with atrocious hands will never have good hands no matter how much they work on it. Maybe the Allie Sherman treatment on Rocky Thompson kick returner where he had him go to Mexico in the off season and jump off cliffs into the ocean with the football in his hands LOL

 

[Pudge]

I just thank god the Brimah era is winding down. I'll always be greatful for his season saving and1 in 14, but that's pretty much been it for him in the highlight department in 4 years. It's frightening that 2 of our 3 seniors are exactly the same player they were when they stepped foot on campus for the first time. I just hope that isn't the norm going forward for player development or else we are screwed.

This is short-sighted.

And ... a lesson for many fans. Rodney Purvis is a far better fuller player than when he arrived; but, as I have said many times, his physicality dominance probably waned after about 10th grade. He must have been a wonder as a Soph in HS. At this level, he knows the game better and is a better shooter and a more accomplished mature person. As a UConn hoop player, there hasn't been that steep a upswing in his development. There ... that is the point. Like they say about Asperger's kids, you see one Asperger's kid ... you have seen one Asperger's kid. EACH is different. Brimah is limited. That is the story. We all should have seen that SO, JR years as well. He is a very good rim protector (yet still hasn't learned the Bill Russell subtleties of retaining the ball for his Team); he is not a great rebounder even when he has position. And he doesn't naturally turn to get position. That is infuriating at the high Major level. But that is Brimah. He has no post moves ... except one that might work on instinct. You are not going to find him 5 years out playing in Israel or Spain ... and far better. This is it. He is damn good in some games as he is a energy driver. Facey can progress to a far higher level IMHO. He can grow into his skill set well into his mid 20s. That is why this crap about the NBA ONLY drafts at this younger age is true ... but stupid. Lots of guys are on NBA rosters after developing through their 20s in some foreign or minor pro league. And I think Facey is going to get better.

YES ... Kevin Ollie, Miller et all watch lots of film. They think all this. That is what we should expect. Thinking that they haven't tried all the Thabeet methods or talked to JC or others on how to improve every darn kid is just not in my thoughts. KO is living this HC assignment and has a large stakeholder group that he talks to.

This year has been a good one for development. And saying that, I reiterate my thoughts of the other night: Kelvin Sampson has a good Houston team. They could be a good MM team in the brackets if they ever made it. YES ... I think they are wildly better than Syracuse or Wake or GA Tech. It is nuts to just believe the national press on some of this ACC dominance.

 

[polycom]

Of the people who are saying the coaches never worked with Brimah exactly how many UConn practices have you been to where Brimah was present? How much time have you spent around the time? Watching the game on tv or in the stands is much different than being around practice. There are players who are great free throw shooters in practice and just can't figure it out during the game. (Watch tape on Dwight Howard) AB has put in a ton of work he just isn't a very good basketball player, it happens. He isn't the first and won't be the last player to not improve...

 

[yukonyc212]

This is short-sighted.

And ... a lesson for many fans. Rodney Purvis is a far better fuller player than when he arrived; but, as I have said many times, his physicality dominance probably waned after about 10th grade. He must have been a wonder as a Soph in HS. At this level, he knows the game better and is a better shooter and a more accomplished mature person. As a UConn hoop player, there hasn't been that steep a upswing in his development. There ... that is the point. Like they say about Asperger's kids, you see one Asperger's kid ... you have seen one Asperger's kid. EACH is different. Brimah is limited. That is the story. We all should have seen that SO, JR years as well. He is a very good rim protector (yet still hasn't learned the Bill Russell subtleties of retaining the ball for his Team); he is not a great rebounder even when he has position. And he doesn't naturally turn to get position. That is infuriating at the high Major level. But that is Brimah. He has no post moves ... except one that might work on instinct. You are not going to find him 5 years out playing in Israel or Spain ... and far better. This is it. He is damn good in some games as he is a energy driver. Facey can progress to a far higher level IMHO. He can grow into his skill set well into his mid 20s. That is why this crap about the NBA ONLY drafts at this younger age is true ... but stupid. Lots of guys are on NBA rosters after developing through their 20s in some foreign or minor pro league. And I think Facey is going to get better.

YES ... Kevin Ollie, Miller et all watch lots of film. They think all this. That is what we should expect. Thinking that they haven't tried all the Thabeet methods or talked to JC or others on how to improve every darn kid is just not in my thoughts. KO is living this HC assignment and has a large stakeholder group that he talks to.

This year has been a good one for development. And saying that, I reiterate my thoughts of the other night: Kelvin Sampson has a good Houston team. They could be a good MM team in the brackets if they ever made it. YES ... I think they are wildly better than Syracuse or Wake or GA Tech. It is nuts to just believe the national press on some of this ACC dominance.

Rodney is a better shooter? He's shooting 38% fg on the year, down from 44% last year and 43% his soph year. 3 pt % is also down.

 

[HooperScooper]

AB has put in a ton of work he just isn't a very good basketball player, it happens. He isn't the first and won't be the last player to not improve...

So you have been to practice and at AB's individual workouts to see first hand the hard work AB has put in to improve his game? Besides being a participant at practices, let us know what he's done because I would be interested to know.

I'm not saying he didn't put in the work but just found it ironic you said we don't know what he's done and then proceed to tell us he's "put in a ton of work..." So how do you know that?

 

[Jaker]

Brimah is awkward.

 

[Pudge]

Rodney is a better shooter? He's shooting 38% fg on the year, down from 44% last year and 43% his soph year. 3 pt % is also down.

We all can play this game ...

Recently, he went 15 of his last 22. That is a better percentage.

The truth - unless you want to argue until the cows come back to Storrs - is that Rodney Purvis is a very streaky rhythm shooter and shoots best when the TEAM is in sync and the offense gets him shots where he is comfortable. For about 4 games that happened.

My point remains ... these kids develop under Kevin Ollie as well as they ever have at UConn. Each Player is different. Brimah is what he is. I did not enter 2016-2017 thinking that Brimah improvement was going to be a key factor. We had three primary guys that needed to be good - Adams, Larrier, Gilbert. Two of them were gone for the year within the first 20 days. Secondarily, Enoch, Durham, Vital, Jackson, Facey would have to climb up from their evident potential to solid college players. Facey has. Jackson and Vital have been better and contributed more than expected. And I am reasonably hopeful on Durham and Enoch. Can we make a big leap - LEAP - up in 2017-2018. YES.

Gilbert, with a suitable medical recovery, with Adams and a really improved Vital with Langford grafted on may be amongst the BEST guard bunch we see next year. I don't think we saw anyone we played this year with better.

Larrier CAN be a key scorer/defender at 3 & 4. I am excited about Jackson and think he can be a smoother floor player on offense and will know his ability to defend.

The big IF ... is what we get from Enoch or Durham or Carlton or maybe someone else.

 

[polycom]

So you have been to practice and at AB's individual workouts to see first hand the hard work AB has put in to improve his game? Besides being a participant at practices, let us know what he's done because I would be interested to know.

I'm not saying he didn't put in the work but just found it ironic you said we don't know what he's done and then proceed to tell us he's "put in a ton of work..." So how do you know that?

Yes, I've been to practice this was two years ago, but AB was took drop step layups, hundreds of them. Also the coaches worked with tennis balls a lot. I don't remember exactly, but AB works incredibly hard.

 

[jibsey]

I couldn't disagree more. This season is a lost cause. About 10 games ago Brimah should have been glued to the bench the entire game so we could get Enoch 30 min of burn per night.

Also to your point about the games we won because of him.... I think the bigger question is how many games were lost "because of him." I would venture to guess that he contributed to far more losses than victories this season. In a season where we desperately needed him to step up. I'll just look at the non blowout losses. Houston 24 min 3 fouls 4 points 8 rebounds. Georgetown 6 min 5 fouls 3 points 3 rebounds. Auburn 27 min 3 fouls 6 points 2 rebounds. Ohio St 18 min 5 fouls 8 points 6 rebounds. Tulsa 37 min 3 fouls 8 points 9 rebounds. Oregon 26 min 3 fouls 11 points 5 rebounds. Oklahoma St 22 min 4 fouls 4 points 6 rebounds. North Eastern 26 min 3 fouls 5 points 7 rebounds. Wagner 26 min 4 fouls 4 points 5 rebounds. In looking over the box scores of all of these games if Brimah has a decent game and is grabbing boards like he did against Memphis we have a shot, but that has been an outlier this year, not the norm. If he has his usual game of 25 min 4 fouls 6 points and 5 rebounds we lose to any halfway decent team. Several things pop out here that everyone here already knows. He's a fouls machine that can't stay on the court, can't grab rebounds and can't score??? Outside of an occasional highlight reel block, I'd much rather see Enoch in there the entire game at this point.

Thanks for supplying the stats and it's amazing but it's our big games where it always seems he plays the worst. Just when you want to see him banned to the bench he will come up with a good game. I agree with many on this board that his hands have been such a huge factor both rebounding and offense. No cure for that.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Your post is the perfect example of what I've been talking about.

Ranting about how many fouls he picked up which removed him from games where he could have made a difference, and at the same time, saying that he doesn't make a difference. Great stuff. So which is it? Is he worthless? Or is he not on the court enough because of foul trouble?

You can't have it both ways. If he sucks, why would you care that he's on the court less?? Yeah, I know...

This is a fair criticism of his argument. Here's my attempt to cut through the apparent contradiction.

1) Brimah is not a great player, and we should be getting more out of the center position. Relative to an "average" center, he is a net liability and very frustrating.
2) That said, because of poor frontcourt recruiting and development, despite these weaknesses, he's still occasionally the best option we have, and his propensity for foul trouble does hurt the team.

Some of this is an indictment of Brimah himself, some of it is on the coaching staff.

 

[yukonyc212]

This is a fair criticism of his argument. Here's my attempt to cut through the apparent contradiction.

1) Brimah is not a great player, and we should be getting more out of the center position. Relative to an "average" center, he is a net liability and very frustrating.
2) That said, because of poor frontcourt recruiting and development, despite these weaknesses, he's still occasionally the best option we have, and his propensity for foul trouble does hurt the team.

Some of this is an indictment of Brimah himself, some of it is on the coaching staff.

At this point, with the season lost... wouldn't it be better to get the freshman more PT than another night of 6 points 5 boards 4 fouls?? I know everyone here is optimistic about the AAC tournament, but we just aren't winning 3 - 4 games in a row against SMU / Cincy / Houston home or not.

 

[HooperScooper]

Yes, I've been to practice this was two years ago, but AB was took drop step layups, hundreds of them. Also the coaches worked with tennis balls a lot. I don't remember exactly, but AB works incredibly hard.

Thanks. It's good to know he's put in the work. If someone puts in the work and doesn't see full results you can't fault them at all.

Using tennis balls is probably a hand/eye coordination drill.

 

[Pudge]

This is a fair criticism of his argument. Here's my attempt to cut through the apparent contradiction.

1) Brimah is not a great player, and we should be getting more out of the center position. Relative to an "average" center, he is a net liability and very frustrating.
2) That said, because of poor frontcourt recruiting and development, despite these weaknesses, he's still occasionally the best option we have, and his propensity for foul trouble does hurt the team.

Some of this is an indictment of Brimah himself, some of it is on the coaching staff.

I don't agree with YOU or yukonyc212.

Season is NOT lost. Never was. It changed in tone and direction when we lost 2 of our top 3 & Diarra. It was always going to be about development; it probably was always going to be fairly difficult for the 11 kids that Ollie had in September to make March Madness out of the AAC. First, Cincinnati has a very good team for them. Acknowledging that they are better offensively than they have been, they have a good 8 players. I think they may go farther in MM than previous years; but, won't be surprised at all if we see them out before the Sweet 16. SMU is better than I thought they'd be. A good solid 6 players and probably better than we have a right to have expected for our group that hadn't played together at all.

Seniors? They have been fine. Facey far better than you had a right to expect. Purvis has been very key through the last 11 games. Brimah is NOT a net liability. Just no. He is a solid rim protector that makes playing UConn far tougher than we'd be without him; watch this next year. Rebounding, he is just not good. Yes he has poor hands and when the ball hits his hands ... the probability he retains it is not good. Enoch, for instance, has outstanding quick hands for a big guy. Both Brimah and Enoch, though, just simply are not good instinctually playing basketball. They don't have high BB IQ. Enoch can get better. Brimah is what he is. In the middle of a defense (and NOTE we can't play UConn traditional Man because we have limitations in numbers and fouls), he is solid. We get great energy when he plays well.

Some of us have enjoyed these last few weeks. No whining any longer. Vital is getting fun to watch; Jackson is better; we can see some Durham/Enoch rising; Adams provides hope for a super Junior year; and it is nice to see Purvis & Facey close out well.

 

[UConnDan97]

Brimah is NOT a net liability. Just no. He is a solid rim protector that makes playing UConn far tougher than we'd be without him; watch this next year.

Bingo!

He's a flawed player. Nobody will argue against that. But the idea that he is a "net liability" against an average center is just wrong. It's blatantly wrong. It's amazing that I have to continue to defend a Husky on this board that has over 350 blocks in his career, placing him near the top 25 shot blockers of all time in the college game (#25 = Tim Perry [Temple - 392]). He is a defensive game-changer. People are mostly mad because he has turned out to NOT be an offensive game-changer. But it just amazes me that the people who give him the hardest time are the ones who are supposedly fans of the program...

 

[mauconnfan]

Bingo!

He's a flawed player. Nobody will argue against that. But the idea that he is a "net liability" against an average center is just wrong. It's blatantly wrong. It's amazing that I have to continue to defend a Husky on this board that has over 350 blocks in his career, placing him near the top 25 shot blockers of all time in the college game (#25 = Tim Perry [Temple - 392]). He is a defensive game-changer. People are mostly mad because he has turned out to NOT be an offensive game-changer. But it just amazes me that the people who give him the hardest time are the ones who are supposedly fans of the program...

Sorry he has been a defensive game changer sometimes but also has been the other way. Shot blocking aside he's not a good defender at all. He's not that intimidating I'm not sure if people note how many times guards and smaller centers who are bulky score easily on him also. Love reading ya Dan but the best he does is negate his errors with some blocked shots, not sure that's a game changer. He was a game changer the other night on D, for Houston and let's not pretend this is the first time ever. I'm a fan of the program and there's no doubting that whatsoever. I like the kid, yeah I wish he was more than he is, he sure as hell should be so in that case he's frustrating. But let's not try to make him more than he is because he's not. For now he's the best of a group of bigs who aren't very good yet. He is out of time I hope Steve and Juwan find a way to improve unlike he did.

Agree to disagree!

 

[jibsey]

Our team's performance actually looks acceptable and even decent lately but we have to imagine what it would be in a quality league. As we stand shorthanded, we would be bottom dwellers in the ACC and even the NBE IMO. Or reverse it, what would Pitt's record be in the AAC this season? Right there with Cincy and SMU I think.

 

[UConnDan97]

Sorry he has been a defensive game changer sometimes but also has been the other way. Shot blocking aside he's not a good defender at all. He's not that intimidating I'm not sure if people note how many times guards and smaller centers who are bulky score easily on him also. Love reading ya Dan but the best he does is negate his errors with some blocked shots, not sure that's a game changer. He was a game changer the other night on D, for Houston and let's not pretend this is the first time ever. I'm a fan of the program and there's no doubting that whatsoever. I like the kid, yeah I wish he was more than he is, he sure as hell should be so in that case he's frustrating. But let's not try to make him more than he is because he's not. For now he's the best of a group of bigs who aren't very good yet. He is out of time I hope Steve and Juwan find a way to improve unlike he did.

Agree to disagree!

It's okay if we disagree, so long as you understand that you're wrong.

In all seriousness, I really wish that someone kept a stat of "altered shots". They never show up in the box score, and he changes multiple shots per game. The second thing that his swatting ability does is allows the guards to really get up on their man to man defense. Most importantly, for any criticism that he might deserve, there is no doubt that he is by far our best center on the roster as of right now, which should be all that really matters...

 

[mauconnfan]

It's okay if we disagree, so long as you understand that you're wrong.

In all seriousness, I really wish that someone kept a stat of "altered shots". They never show up in the box score, and he changes multiple shots per game. The second thing that his swatting ability does is allows the guards to really get up on their man to man defense. Most importantly, for any criticism that he might deserve, there is no doubt that he is by far our best center on the roster as of right now, which should be all that really matters...

I'm not. And there are so many stats you don't want to see either I assure you, like rebounds he doesn't get that most 5's would, how many times the team scores immediately after he blocked a shot because why, oh yeah he swatted it OOB's not even thinking about keeping it in play like a "game changer' would. And how many easy lay ups are made in his zone because he runs out to meet a fast guard who flys past him because he didn't take the angle a game changer or good defender would - this happens numerous times. Wish he was as good as so many think, we'd have 20 wins.

In case you didn't notice you're not getting the last word until you call a truce - I'm all for it.

 

[UConnDan97]

I'm not. And there are so many stats you don't want to see either I assure you, like rebounds he doesn't get that most 5's would, how many times the team scores immediately after he blocked a shot because why, oh yeah he swatted it OOB's not even thinking about keeping it in play like a "game changer' would. And how many easy lay ups are made in his zone because he runs out to meet a fast guard who flys past him because he didn't take the angle a game changer or good defender would - this happens numerous times. Wish he was as good as so many think, we'd have 20 wins.

In case you didn't notice you're not getting the last word until you call a truce - I'm all for it.

Nobody hates it more than I do when he picks up a foul 20 feet from the basket, or when he gets out maneuvered on the boards by a smaller player. But getting upset because his swat doesn't make it to a teammate is ridiculous. I never heard that criticism with Thabeet, who was notorious for sending the ball into the fifth row.

Calling a truce would imply that we're at war. We're not. Brimah is the best center on the team right now, I'm sure you would agree...

 

[yukonyc212]

Bingo!

He's a flawed player. Nobody will argue against that. But the idea that he is a "net liability" against an average center is just wrong. It's blatantly wrong. It's amazing that I have to continue to defend a Husky on this board that has over 350 blocks in his career, placing him near the top 25 shot blockers of all time in the college game (#25 = Tim Perry [Temple - 392]). He is a defensive game-changer. People are mostly mad because he has turned out to NOT be an offensive game-changer. But it just amazes me that the people who give him the hardest time are the ones who are supposedly fans of the program...

I hate to say it but ur just plain wrong. I can see things for the way that they are. You call him a "great defensive player / game changer." He's in foul trouble almost every single game. Blocking shots doesn't make you a great defender if you don't block out or get good position for a rebound. His man constantly burns him on the offensive glass. The white center for Houston was bullying him like a rag doll, and he's no Shaq. Just because I dont distort the facts to fit a rosy colored narrative doesn't mean im not a true fan. As I mentioned before I've been to pretty much every single big game aside from the 04 final 4 (work obligation) in the past 30 years. I also mentioned that Brimah has been a great ambassador for the program, but if they had a WAR statistic for college bastetball I'm fairly confident he'd be in the negative.

 

[huskyrob1]

It's okay if we disagree, so long as you understand that you're wrong.

In all seriousness, I really wish that someone kept a stat of "altered shots". They never show up in the box score, and he changes multiple shots per game.....

I wish we had a stat called a negative assist on defence that results in a basket for the other team, or a negative assist on offense that results in a shot clock violation or some other TO. If we did Brimah would hold the school record. He's a game changer alright, for the other team.

 

[mauconnfan]

Nobody hates it more than I do when he picks up a foul 20 feet from the basket, or when he gets out maneuvered on the boards by a smaller player. But getting upset because his swat doesn't make it to a teammate is ridiculous. I never heard that criticism with Thabeet, who was notorious for sending the ball into the fifth row.

Calling a truce would imply that we're at war. We're not. Brimah is the best center on the team right now, I'm sure you would agree...

Sadly I do agree (not always lol) and we are not at war. We just need him to average 15/12/3 the rest of the way. Actually you know even I would love for the young man to go out playing as well as he can or we think he can. Not asking for more than he is capable just more than he has shown as of late. He deserves that and probably even more deserves me to say I am impressed with his finish!