For the 100th time why Omar over Giffey?

[ctchamps]

From what I've heard, it's to keep Calhoun happy. Calhoun has a BIG ego and if he doesn't start it may negatively affect his game. While Giffey is better, he also is a better impact off the bench then if Calhoun were to reverse roles.

I trust Ollie to manage this team and individual personalities.

A big ego or a fragile ego? Big difference, same problem. I'm suspecting OC gets down on himself and KO is just trying to encourage the kid. NG, on the other hand, is just smooth! He's perfectly content with the role of coming off the bench.

So I agree with you about trusting Ollie to manage this team and the individual personalities. I just disagree about the diagnosis.

 

[UConnSwag11]

read the other threads!!! giffey provides great energy and mismatches when he comes off the bench

 

[Joobie]

A lot of what the coach(es) decide to do during games is based on what happens in practice. Maybe Omar is having better practices than Neils. Maybe, like some of you said, Omar is having a confidence problem right now. At this point, Neils has a STRUT. He's oozing confidence. I noticed it when he came back from playing on the German National team this Summer. Maybe it's actually Niels' idea for Omar to start in his place. Whatever the reason at 8-0, I won't question it.

 

[businesslawyer]

Give it a rest. We'll need both before it's over.

This. If we were starting the post season today, Omar wouldn't be starting or getting major minutes. News flash -- the post season is still over three months away. At this point in the season, making your team better is just as important as winning an extra game or two. By not burying Omar on the bench, KO is trying to give him time to come out of his slump and help the team be a force in March.

Unless letting Omar play through this is endangering our season, talk to me in about mid February.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

I don't recall Omar being in the game for at least the last 8 minutes, and it was probably more than that. Prather was killing him and KO responded and took him out, not sure what game you were watching but he definitely wasn't in there for the crucial minutes.

Its all relative determining crucial minutes. I'm not sure but my guess is he could be referring to the run Florida went on to open up a five point lead before Giff entered the game near the 13 min mark in the 2nd half. The lead quickly went to 7 (danger zone) and then Giff hit that big 3 to start the 10-0 run to put UConn up 3. The game changed soon after he entered and hit that shot. I haven't watched tape so I could be off on when Giff entered.

 

[UConn3432]

omar gets buckets - sure he's in a rut right now but he'll figure it out. the problem is more on the defensive end. the starting lineup of bazz, boat, calhoun, daniels and nolan is one of the worst defensive lineups they can put out there. if omar doesn't figure it out friday, i'd experiment with kromah in the starting lineup. it puts a stopper out there to take pressure off the other guys. bring giffey and omar off the bench for kromah/daniels and bazz/boat and you keep size and defense on the floor.

 

[Sky ball]

I know we will need Omar to be a big part of this team if we want to reach our potential but he is absolutely killing us, his shot is way off and he is a disaster with the ball, Giffey is a far better player than him at this time and needs to get more minutes.

I agree..what is KO thinking? Is Ollieworld going to his head? We should be 9-0 darn it. Let's start a Fire Ollie Thread...Geez

 

[Dribbles]

Yep and then the naysayers will realize why they are anonymous people writing on a blog instead of coaching at the level of KO. There's something to be said about the ability to b*tch and not having any consequences associated with it. Of course if the b*tching proves correct then they can strut around as if they are important. And they will. Which is the beauty of this type of fan. They win no matter which way things turn out.

The problem is they win in their mind but not necessarily in life.

Absolutely! No point at all in a fan base. Cancel the board - just sit there and shut *k up!!!!

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

From what I've heard, it's to keep Calhoun happy. Calhoun has a BIG ego and if he doesn't start it may negatively affect his game. While Giffey is better, he also is a better impact off the bench then if Calhoun were to reverse roles.

I trust Ollie to manage this team and individual personalities.

Not for nothing, but I call bull on your source, although it's a salacious rumor to spread I suppose. It basically contradicts everything I've heard about Omar from people who know the kid and his family from NYC basketball circles.

 

[Joobie]

Not for nothing, but I call bull on your source, although it's a salacious rumor to spread I suppose. It basically contradicts everything I've heard about Omar from people who know the kid and his family from NYC basketball circles.

Would have to agree Ern. If you had said "Boatright has a BIG ego", I might nod my head in agreement (tho IMO,he has gotten better in that regard). Omar, like the rest of the guys on this team, don't consider themselves to be the center of the universe. We have had players like that...I don't think we do now. I think they have all bought into the "team first" philosophy Kevin Ollie is preaching.

 

[upstater]

I don't recall Omar being in the game for at least the last 8 minutes, and it was probably more than that. Prather was killing him and KO responded and took him out, not sure what game you were watching but he definitely wasn't in there for the crucial minutes.

The thing is, he played better D on Prather in the first half than the rest. He got the charge and was also the guy who forced a travel (blown whistle for a travel, the other dang ref overruled it, even though they stopped play--I never saw that one before). I didn't pay attention to his defense in the second half.

 

[ctchamps]

Absolutely! No point at all in a fan base. Cancel the board - just sit there and shut *k up!!!!

Never!!! There is far too much to learn about human behavior from all this! Sometimes we're more noble, and sometimes we're more base.

One issue is confusion about what constitutes constructive criticism versus vitriol. Constructive criticism is breaking down a team or a players strengths and weaknesses. It isn't personal. Vitriol is demeaning and mean spirited. It is intended to insult someone because an individual doing the insulting feels slighted. There is a difference in pointing out someone is not athletic vs. a player "stinks". And pointing out someone is not athletic can be done in an objective manner without belittling the player.

Now certainly my statement can be construed as insulting. However it was a general statement about behavior as opposed to targeting someone specifically. There are definitely people who need to blame others when they do things wrong as opposed to themselves, and take credit for what others do when someone outside themselves does something special, even though they contributed nothing to the accomplishment. This isn't healthy imo.

This forum has a lot of people who have decent critical thinking skills and some people who are emotionally immature imo. In life, I think it is far more important to develop emotional maturity than it is to develop the ability to make a basketball shot.

Arguments can be made about what makes us emotionally mature and immature. I happen to be in agreement with Kita that there is far too much "what's in it for me at this moment" type fan as opposed to a fan who wants to evaluate things over the long haul. I would certainly understand the risk reward evaluation of situations in the moment if people would express them in a civil manner. But when people want to demean others, they are making an objective argument subjective. It isn't about the player or team. It's about themselves.