FWIW (Nothing) My thoughts on Vital

[UofCT]

Next year's Denham Brown or Rashad Anderson. I like it. Hope he comes back.

Easy with the comparisons. Brown and Anderson were impact Huskies on arguably 2 of the all time great college teams we will ever see. Vital on the other hand tries hard and rebounds well. Let's not get carried away.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

I was unduly harsh toward CV. I apologize for my comments about him.

You're not allowed to apologize on the boneyard dot com.
You are only allowed to keep burying yourself deeper and deeper in your bad take until everyone hates you.

 

[Fishy]

I doubt he’s not starting the kid in the hopes that next year someone else may push them down in the rotation. I strongly suspect that there are things Hurley wants Christian to do that CV isn’t doing.

FWIW As much as Al is Hurleys duly appointed “leader” CVs going to be the biggest leader next year. He’s got a big personality and will be a senior.

He's being pushed into a reserve role for a reason - it's not to motivate him.

He's being relegated to clear the deck for Gilbert and the newcomers. Hurley is serious about changing the culture of the team...this is what that looks like.

 

[TheChamps990411]

For all his flaws, CV is one of 2 guys we have that would get any real burn on a top 20 team.

This is a very sad statement about where this program is right now.

 

[CL82]

He's being pushed into a reserve role for a reason - it's not to motivate him.

He's being relegated to clear the deck for Gilbert and the newcomers. Hurley is serious about changing the culture of the team...this is what that looks like.

It’s tough to see any reasonable reason for doing that while the season continues. It’s easy enough to break the news to him over the summer.

 

[uconnbill]

I think he wants to be the man, and he isn't on this team even with Jalen out. This has become Alterique's team with Josh picking up the slack.
He needs to know his limits and play into his strengths from here on out.

 

[HuskyHawk]

He's being pushed into a reserve role for a reason - it's not to motivate him.

He's being relegated to clear the deck for Gilbert and the newcomers. Hurley is serious about changing the culture of the team...this is what that looks like.

Yeah, that’s clear. What is less clear is why Vital, when Hurley went to some trouble to describe him as one of the guys who plays with the intensity he’s seeking. My only guess is that while CV generally plays hard, and is playing smarter than the prior two years, he still doesn’t exhibit the kind of basketball IQ you’d hope to see.

 

[olehead]

You think Hurley isn't trying the best he can win games this year? You can really watch the way he coaches, and see how much harder he has many of these kids playing than they did a year ago, and think he doesn't desperately want to win each game he coaches?

I find those to be silly conclusions. Vital is coming off the bench because as much as he does a lot of things that helps this team be better, he just makes too many mistakes to be counted on and Hurley is trying to make him focus by making him want his minutes back. And, when you saw the foul in the last minute yesterday, you have to wonder if Vital will ever play with enough smarts that you really want him on the floor at the end of games.

I don't want to bash the young man. He seems likeable enough and he plays damn hard. But there are reasons beyond next year why he isn't starting.

I am in agreement w/ businesslawyer. Benchings like this are common at every level, particularly at the college level. Coaches will bench top players for failing to lead in the locker room. You want your best players to be first for workouts and practice. You want them to demonstrate leadership in film session, and on the road. A standard of excellence is primarily built behind the scenes and maybe this is where Vital and Coach Hurley do not have a meeting of the minds.

 

[JB75]

I was never a vital fan but this year he grew on me a bit. However , strange that Hurley benches vital from starting and, in turn, Vital has seemed to play more reckless and more “head scratchingly” , like he’s reverting back to last year. Either he’s panicking or doing it on purpose(forcing the ball, jacking up crazy threes etc...) Interesting - or I’m reading too deep into it

 

[Crank]

I think there is a lot of good conjecture in this thread.
Fishy's point rings true . . . the message being sent is that CV is going to be a reserve guard next year.
Some pointed out, why now? Why not wait until summer.
There are at least two reasons that I can conjure that make now better than summer:

1. It allows CV to make the decision to either stay or go. Although I am sure it's very hard on CV to come off the bench, in the end it's much better for him, and for the team, to make the move late in the year like this. This move allows CV to experience his role next year right now. Being told in the summer would not give him the opportunity to determine how a reserve role will sit with him. Perhaps it's not as bad as he imagined, and he decides to stay and be the new RJ. That's a win/win. On the flip side, if he abhors it, these last handful of games confirms it, and he moves on - - that's a win/win as well. He finds greener pastures and DH doesn't have an unhappy camper.

2. On Feb 8, Jalen Adams goes down. A few days later, it becomes clear he's not coming back until very late, if at all. The only chance left for an NCAA birth probably is gone at that point. In any event, odds of winning AAC tourni drop darn near close to zero with no JA or with a rusty JA. Within 2 weeks, #1 is on the bench. At some point during the intervening 2 weeks, DH may well have gone all-in on next year. Maybe took 2 games just to confirm there was no real chance of a fluke chemistry and a run. And why not move on to next year? CV started until he didn't because, prior to Cinci, him starting gave us the best chance to win this year. After Cinci, this year didn't matter anymore, and him not starting gives us the best chance to win next year.
That's the Bill Bellichek approach, and I'm completely comfortable with it. Every player coming in needs to breath that mantra - we do what we have to do to win - we don't do favors for old times sake or to avoid hurting feelings.

I love CV and what he has brought. I hate him sitting. I love DH moving on to next year. I hate that CV may not play a big role in next year. It is what it is. Breaking eggs and omelets, after all.

 

[intlzncster]

? CV started until he didn't because, prior to Cinci, him starting gave us the best chance to win this year. After Cinci, this year didn't matter anymore, and him not starting gives us the best chance to win next year.
That's the Bill Bellichek approach, and I'm completely comfortable with it. Every player coming in needs to breath that mantra - we do what we have to do to win - we don't do favors for old times sake or to avoid hurting feelings.

If by the BB approach, you mean setting aside feelings for the betterment of the team, then yes. But in general, BB will try to win the next game over anything else, no matter who is suiting up or not Next year doesn't matter a lick. That's like the core of his philosophy.

 

[bmayuc]

He's being pushed into a reserve role for a reason - it's not to motivate him.

He's being relegated to clear the deck for Gilbert and the newcomers. Hurley is serious about changing the culture of the team...this is what that looks like.

Exactly.

Hurley was openly speculating about whether we were playing "to win something" this year before Jalen went down. Boom. The decision was made for him.

Immediately after that he started non-stop repping AG, switched the rotations to get Brendan Adams more time, demoted CV, we lose 6 strait for the first time in like a million years. Anyone who doesn't see what's happening can't see the forest for the trees here.

 

[intlzncster]

Immediately after that he started non-stop repping AG, switched the rotations to get Brendan Adams more time, demoted CV, we lose 6 strait for the first time in like a million years. Anyone who doesn't see what's happening can't see the forest for the trees here.

We lost 6 games in a row because we lost our best player. It's not any harder than that. Rotations have nothing to do with it.

 

[Palatine]

We lost 6 games in a row because we lost our best player. It's not any harder than that. Rotations have nothing to do with it.

Rotations have something to do with it.

 

[bmayuc]

We lost 6 games in a row because we lost our best player. It's not any harder than that. Rotations have nothing to do with it.

I mean, just read the article man.

As Dan Hurley tries to build a culture club at UConn, who’ll be along for the ride?

 

[Fishy]

Yeah, that’s clear. What is less clear is why Vital, when Hurley went to some trouble to describe him as one of the guys who plays with the intensity he’s seeking. My only guess is that while CV generally plays hard, and is playing smarter than the prior two years, he still doesn’t exhibit the kind of basketball IQ you’d hope to see.

Christian has the game of a 6'6" wing and the body of a 6' point guard.

He's not overly talented at the position he's built for - he plays very hard and he's as competitive as anyone on the team. But that leads him to do things he can't do consistently - he gets about two steals a game, but he's often left in space after cheating for a steal and gets blown by. Or, like Sunday, he ends up fouling a guy 88' from the basket defending a three-point lead. He takes long threes early in the shot clock - sometimes they go in, but they often result in long rebounds and transition.

If Christian was a soldier, he's be 2/3rds of the way across the battlefield before William Wallace finished his speech. Admirable quality in life - he's going to be a winner - but iffy in basketball.

 

[intlzncster]

I mean, just read the article man.

As Dan Hurley tries to build a culture club at UConn, who’ll be along for the ride?

I read it. Before I posted. We got worse because we lost our best player. If Vital were starting, and playing 30+, I don't think we've got any more wins.

I think Christian tried (and is trying) to pick up too much slack when Jalen went down. He's just not good enough to do that. And he knows nothing about playing within himself. He reverted to old habits.

 

[mussels]

He's being pushed into a reserve role for a reason - it's not to motivate him.

He's being relegated to clear the deck for Gilbert and the newcomers. Hurley is serious about changing the culture of the team...this is what that looks like.

Hurley will want/need show progress in the wins column next year and Vital is just too productive to relegate him to second class citizen. (leads the team in minutes played, points scored, steals, free throws made and is within an eyelash of having most boards. Shoots 39% from the 3 and 79.6% free throw) No one can reasonably expect a couple of freshmen to replace that in addition to the what will be lost with Jalen.

My take is that Vital isn't doing things on the court that Hurley has asked, and Hurley is showing that there are consequences. He's doing not to let him know he's out, but to turn him around, because he knows he needs Vital playing at full capacity to his full potential next year.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Hurley will want/need show progress in the wins column next year and Vital is just too productive to relegate him to second class citizen. (leads the team in minutes played, points scored, steals, free throws made and is within an eyelash of having most boards. Shoots 39% from the 3 and 79.6% free throw) No one can reasonably expect a couple of freshmen to replace that in addition to the what will be lost with Jalen.

My take is that Vital isn't doing things on the court that Hurley has asked, and Hurley is showing that there are consequences. He's doing not to let him know he's out, but to turn him around, because he knows he needs Vital playing at full capacity to his full potential next year.

I think Fishy probably has this right. I have never thought that Vital was a starting caliber player for a UConn team. He was thrust into that role as a freshman and sophomore due to Al's injuries. This year he was really starting because Sid didn't really have a starter-ready game and neither did Brendan Adams.

I like that he plays hard, rebounds very well and is playing smarter this year than the last two. But his ball handling is so-so, his court vision and awareness is sub-par and almost all of his offense is created by others. He's a decent spot up shooter if he receives a pass and has an open look. But the absence of Jalen has highlighted his deficiency in generating offense with the ball in his hands. He's a useful guy for energy off the bench.

 

[JB75]

Vital is a stat filler. He reminds me of a fantasy football qb who throws for 4 tds , but also throws three picks and fumbles the ball once or twice.

 

[RF79]

I like Vital. I truly root for the him. I guarantee that Hurley loved his effort. CV has that basketball tenacity that every coach in the country wants but, he’s like an wild stallion most of the time on the court on both ends. Not easy to control, he plays at times very reckless and in crucial moments Hurley can’t have that. So now Hurley is controlling him the best way that he can by his minute play. I reminisce many times with my friends on how Calhoun would’ve been yanking Vital in and out of the game like an yo-yo bc he wouldn’t stand for that kind of play from his player.

 

[Stainmaster]

Fueled by everyone's haterade. Get it, Sniper.

 

[Crank]

CV - MPG 29.5, PTS 13.6, RBS 5.8, AST 2.4, STL 1.6, TO 2.3, FG 44.3, FT 79.6, 3% 39, GP - 29, SP - ~3.
AG - MPG 29.5, PTS 13.0, RBS 2.9, AST 3.7, STL 1.3, TO 2.3, FG 38.8, FT 77.5, 3% 35, GP - 24, SP - ~1.

I love both of these guys, and what they have given and are giving to the program.
Not sure why CV got benched.
But if you aggregated the comments on both guys, you'd see CV getting killed here as a wild, crazy shot taking, out of control, low BBall IQ player. AG shoots a horrid FG% and does not take the same ridicule.
Anybody find +/- yet? Would love to see how CV is doing compared to the rest of the team.

I believe a lot of the flak that CV gets here is based more on the "if he just did ____ better, he'd be ______."
It's a shame, really. Kid was the loudest voice trumpeting the arrival of Hurley, and has never waivered in his support of UConn.

Criticism of his weaknesses on the Court is fair - that's why we're here.
But the unending drumbeat knocking this kid for 1. Lack of Ballhandling. 2. Poor decision making. 3. Turnovers. 4. Bad fouls. is worn.

Jalen Adams going down was the worst thing that could have happened to CV, because it put him back in the role of having to handle the ball more and play more 1, which is not what he is, and not what he'll ever be.

 

[superjohn]

I like Vital but also recognize the fanbase overrates him more than almost any player we've had. He plays hard and plays with a chip on his shoulder (evidenced by his rebounding) but he's at the end of his junior year and still has a bunch of flaws a starting guard at this level isn't supposed to have.

He was never meant to be a starter here so much of it isn't his fault. I hope Christian is willing to be coached because that's what Hurley is doing with him. If he accepts it he will become a better player and person and will have an important role as a senior, if not he might make a boneheaded decision.

 

[UConnDad]

It's hard to deny he's better than Brendan or Sid at this point.