Brimah

[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!

 

[huskyrob1]

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.

Brimah does even more to hurt the team in a game than some realize. Perfect case in point was during the Houston game with 2 or 3 minutes left and Gray dribbled the ball down the court to right of his basket outside the key, Brimah was there on that side waiting for him outside the key. Facey was right behind but at the top of the key. Gray went around Brimah like he wasn't even there, I mean Brimah's presence didn't slow Gray down one nano-second. Gray went around him and drove to the hoop for the score. Facey, seeing this turns on the jets but it's too late, he tries to valiantly block the layup from behind, and gets called for his 4th or 5th.

 

[JSM1970]

I'll root for AB for the next number of games, but honestly can't wait to never see him again, and will always remember him for him St Joe's game

 

[yukonyc212]

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.

I'm sorry but we only have 1 shot here and you and everyone else knows it. What makes you think we can beat both Cincy and SMU... whom both absolutely destroyed us earlier in the year?? Cincy could have beat us by 30 but stepped on the breaks with 8 min left in the game. I'm sorry to tell you, the season is lost and I would much rather the freshman get more PT at this point.

 

[dogpause]

The two things that really soured me on AB was his failure to repeat last year's technique and progress at the FT line, and his overall failure to improve in all other aspects of the game. I may be wrong, but to my eyes he just appears to not be willing to put in the effort, or is simply spoiled and lazy. When he loses his visa, perhaps he will realize that he squandered his opportunity.

However, I also give the coaches some blame for not holding him accountable sooner. Only recently has Ollie begun to apply a bit of tough love.

 

[Onions]

And your a self righteous bag. You're probably the only guy on this entire board that would rather Brimah play out the string here than have Enoch get more playing time and more confidence for the future... since you know... the year is lost and all. Some people are just completely lost to reality.

No, he's not the only guy on this board that would rather play Brimah than Enoch. And what's more important KO would rather play Brimah than Enoch, but maybe that's because nobody has told him that the season is over. Maybe you should send him a text and let him know.

 

[Huskygamble19]

whenever I see Ab,Kelis Fisher and RP. I just have to envision the fat pasty faced Emmert with a big grin. these 3 players are what we came up with from the slim pickings offered us. Brimah is what he is. an average center with some improvement in the 5 yrs and Facey has improved measurably from where he started. We plugged in 2 graduate students to save our season last year and now they are gone and we have the 3 seniors from the lean years of the sanctions. I am really excited to see that Brimah is leaving because we have that incoming superstar....Umm..er...Uh...Can't think of his name. Brimah has been some times good and sometimes not so good especially against Houston, but i go back to the situation we were in when these 3 were recruited and just accept where we are now. Gilbert,Larrier and Diarra injuries added to the piling on of misfortune.

 

[ctchamps]

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...

Could you imagine how they'd treat Amida if he was six inches taller?

 

[ctchamps]

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.

I agree with some of your points but it makes me laugh anytime someone makes a statement they can see things objectively!

I don't care what color glasses any of us are wearing all any of us are doing is expressing opinions.

Heck I enjoy debating and expressing my opinions as much as anyone but even though I know I'm superior to the lot of you my humility prevents me from declaring it and telling everyone they are full of doo doo!

 

[ctchamps]

I'm sorry but we only have 1 shot here and you and everyone else knows it. What makes you think we can beat both Cincy and SMU... whom both absolutely destroyed us earlier in the year?? Cincy could have beat us by 30 but stepped on the breaks with 8 min left in the game. I'm sorry to tell you, the season is lost and I would much rather the freshman get more PT at this point.

The odds of getting into the NCAA are small but not zero. The odds of getting into the NIT are decent. I'd rather KO continue to coach for this season and not give up on it because that would be a horrible message to send to his players.

The only thing worse than losing is quitting and your post reeks of quitting!

 

[yukonyc212]

The odds of getting into the NCAA are small but not zero. The odds of getting into the NIT are decent. I'd rather KO continue to coach for this season and not give up on it because that would be a horrible message to send to his players.

The only thing worse than losing is quitting and your post reeks of quitting!

Hardly quitting, we're nit bound regardless. Don't you want the underclassmen to get post season experience? What's the use for Brimah & co to try to win the NIT tournament? He already has an NCAA title. I'd rather the underclassmen gain that valuable experience at this point in the season.

 

[JSM1970]

He gave up 500+ put backs to get those blocks. He has zero understanding of basketball and limited to no skills.

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...

 

[ctchamps]

Hardly quitting, we're nit bound regardless. Don't you want the underclassmen to get post season experience? What's the use for Brimah & co to try to win the NIT tournament? He already has an NCAA title. I'd rather the underclassmen gain that valuable experience at this point in the season.

If the team was guaranteed NIT bound I'd be on the fence about it. They are not guaranteed if a .500 w-l number is needed. They would have to win two out of the next four games.

Even if they exceed that number, an argument can be made that watching a team progress through a tournament is better than a one and done in which they play. I'm not saying it's preferable. It's supportable. And of course we have no way of knowing if playing them there would be more than one and done and in sitting them the team can progress deep into a tournament.

Which is why, sitting at our digital devices it's easy to make arguments that we know can't be tested and therefore judged.

 

[Pudge]

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!

I disagree.

Brimah is flawed. Not a net liability. This team - these 4 years - plays best when he is good. Of course, hes been foul-prone & wildly inconsistent.

 

[UConnDan97]

He gave up 500+ put backs to get those blocks.

The best way to win an argument is to make up stats, apparently...

 

[Travelman6]

This season could have turned out a lot worse. Look at Texas who is now 10-18 and Oklahoma to a lesser extent, who is 9-18 but no one expected they would be THAT bad. Uconn could have really crashed and burned after that 0-2 start or after they lost to Tulsa to start the aac season 0-3. They have been fighting, no doubt.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

There something wrong with this program, either from a recruiting big men standpoint, or coaching big men standpoint. Or in my view, both.
Brimahs negatives far out weigh his positives, even after having the benefit of starting for 4 years.
It's scary that this program could not recruit anyone in 4 years that is better.
The focus o this program on guards and small forwards is fine.
The singular lack of focus on big men can't continue if UConn wants to continue being UConn.

 

[JSM1970]

Yes, Brimah never goes for low % blocks and is out of position for rebounds

The best way to win an argument is to make up stats, apparently...

 

[MuchoDogYears]

[QUOTE="mauconnfan, post: Wish he was as good as so many think, we'd have 20 wins. [/QUOTE]

It took 3+ years but I'm now 100% in agreement with mauconnfan's assessment of Brimah.

Also in agreement with those who've also gave laid blame at the feet of our "big men" coach. Why is Miller on this staff? Is he the best we can hope to do at that position? I hope Benedict asks that question of KO

 

[yukonyc212]

The odds of getting into the NCAA are small but not zero. The odds of getting into the NIT are decent. I'd rather KO continue to coach for this season and not give up on it because that would be a horrible message to send to his players.

The only thing worse than losing is quitting and your post reeks of quitting!

We aren't winning the AAC tournament.... and we prob end the season 16 - 16. Not sure if that's enough to get into the NIT?

 

[ctchamps]

We aren't winning the AAC tournament.... and we prob end the season 16 - 16. Not sure if that's enough to get into the NIT?

13 -13 currently with games against SMU, Cinci and first round of tournament that are potential losses. Win against Chaminade doesn't count.