Hurley/Gilbert

[superjohn]

You're fighting a losing battle on here. They don't want to concede that there could've been a middle ground. They want the all or nothing. The nothing is a better fit for them now and the distant future. They don't understand how bad Temple is. Just chuckle and know you tried.

This makes zero sense.

 

[Jay-Bone]

This makes zero sense.

I had a couple high abv's. Wouldn't be the first time. Carry on. Although NYHuskies is coming through crystal clear to me. Weird.

 

[FatElvis]

Not sure what's more maddening, watching a guy who's busted his butt (and shoulder) for this team not living up to expectations, or reading posts ripping him apart because of it.

Nice win tonight, but let's not pretend some obvious truth got revealed because we beat a mediocre team at home. Dare I remind anyone we shot 35% from the field and 24% from 3. The only difference is we won.

 

[Blaneylover]

Have been critical of AG this year from his play on the court, but respect him more than anyone on the team for his loyalty and devotion to the program. Really, really hope he returns and gets an opportunity to shine.

Watching tonight, you can’t help but wonder if Hurley set Al up for disappointment through his season-long, blind loyalty and the long leash he gave him. Instead of sitting him early this season after mistakes and slowly reducing his minutes while developing Gaffney and letting JG play through mistakes, Hurley continued to make Al the focal point of the team.

And the criticism grew not just because Al struggled, but because Hurley’s stubbornness allowed Al to make a multitude of mistakes over 30+ minutes per game instead of few in 20-24 minutes. It’s hard for kids to comprehend when your coach, who continued to tell you to keep doing what you’re doing, sits you at the end of Game 19 of the season and tells you a freshman would start in Game 20. This just feels horrible mismanaged on Hurley’s part.

I don't agree with a word of this. I love AG and I was so hoping he'd pick it up this year. He has struggled and his struggles have cost us games.

Coach Hurley rallied to his defense. He tried to make him the center of the team because he is the emotional center. Sadly, he had to make a move. The Houston loss was totally on him.

I don't know the real story and certainly don't want to speculate, but if the decision for him to not play tonight was his and his alone, I've lost all respect for AG. Sid was hurt. He let his teammates down. I hope he gets over this and gets back to the team. He's gone through too much to have it end this way.

Hurley was looking at a 10-9 team with a struggling point guard who isn't going to come back and play next year. He probably should have made the move two or three games earlier but he has tried so hard to get AG to play smarter. He has grown to love the kid and has grown to admire his toughness and his resolve. This wasn't easy for him to do. It was time. Despite this, I really hope he comes back and finishes out the season with the team.

 

[Huskyfan990411]

Yes, people would be less critical if he adjusted his role sooner.

Gilbert playing 20-25 minutes a game. The ball in someone else’s hands at the end of the game. Limit his over penetration by sitting him each time he made mistakes.

You don’t just let him make the same mistakes for 19 games, tell him it’ll be fine and keep doing what he’s doing, and then basically send a message that you no longer believe in him

That’s on the coach

Were you following the team early in the year before this particular take? Gaffney was hurt to start the year and was not physically able to play all these minutes you are saying Hurley should have given him.

 

[superjohn]

I don't agree with a word of this. I love AG and I was so hoping he'd pick it up this year. He has struggled and his struggles have cost us games.

Coach Hurley rallied to his defense. He tried to make him the center of the team because he is the emotional center. Sadly, he had to make a move. The Houston loss was totally on him.

I don't know the real story and certainly don't want to speculate, but if the decision for him to not play tonight was his and his alone, I've lost all respect for AG. Sid was hurt. He let his teammates down. I hope he gets over this and gets back to the team. He's gone through too much to have it end this way.

Hurley was looking at a 10-9 team with a struggling point guard who isn't going to come back and play next year. He probably should have made the move two or three games earlier but he has tried so hard to get AG to play smarter. He is grown to love the kid and has grown to admire his toughness and his resolve. This wasn't easy for him to do. It was time. despite this, I really hope he comes back and finishes out the season with the team.

Don't lose all respect for AG, he's a good kid who has been though a ton of heartache in his career here but making Hurley out to be a bad guy here is so incredibly wrong and off-base from reality.

 

[husky429]

Refused??

He's implicitly refused by not changing his actions on the court. I doubt he's said "Coach, I refuse to stop playing selflessly." He may just not know how.

 

[gampelcrazies]

Gilbert didn't work out. It is what it is. Next man up.

 

[husky429]

Don't lose all respect for AG, he's a good kid who has been though a ton of heartache in his career here but making Hurley out to be a bad guy here is so incredibly wrong and off-base from reality.

Seriously. If anything Hurley is too nice. He takes pride in his non-transfer thing to a fault. There are guys on this team who would have been pushed out at most D1 programs. He's not a guy who cleans house--he sticks with the players.

 

[Jay-Bone]

This makes zero sense.

I remember when you wanted to run him off the team for not doing enough after the USF game when he shot 1-3 had 8 assists and 3 to's. Now thats really called making zero sense.

 

[nyhuskies13]

Don't lose all respect for AG, he's a good kid who has been though a ton of heartache in his career here but making Hurley out to be a bad guy here is so incredibly wrong and off-base from reality.

So coaching had nothing to do with it?

Hurley never adjusting Gilbert’s minutes or role until now had nothing to do with his prolonged struggles, lack of confidence, and criticism?

It’s like asking Mark Sanchez to throw 60 passes a game for 12 games, going 2-10, and finally benching him. You don’t think the coaching would have any influence on how hard that dude would get criticized???

 

[jdb50]

AG was not productive enough to keep dominating the ball. He could not improve his shooting, his free throw shooting or stop driving inside and getting stuffed or missing layups. He never adjusted his play which is on him.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I had a couple high abv's. Wouldn't be the first time. Carry on. Although NYHuskies is coming through crystal clear to me. Weird.

I've been enjoying a low stress Screwball PB Whiskey on the rocks. Much like the UConn lineup and rotation tonight, it made sense and worked. For the love of my liver's lifespan this better not be Mojo. But I will drink it Saturday.

 

[HooperScooper]

I hate the anticipation of waiting to hear officially, but the writing seems to be on the wall that he's out

From Borges:

Asked if Gilbert was doing alright, Vital simply responded: “Yeah, he’s good.“

Gilbert wasn’t at the game but is still on campus. It appears he has not left the program, and there seems to be a good chance he plays again for UConn this season.

 

[nyhuskies13]

So coaching had nothing to do with it?

Hurley never adjusting Gilbert’s minutes or role until now had nothing to do with his prolonged struggles, lack of confidence, and criticism?

It’s like asking Mark Sanchez to throw 60 passes a game for 12 games, going 2-10, and finally benching him. You don’t think the coaching would have any influence on how hard that dude would get criticized???

And that’s my point. Adjust the gameplan for that guy. Run the rock, throw shorter passes, and have quick drop backs. (Sorry Jets fans)

don’t just tell Al to keep doing what he’s doing for an entire season. I’m agreeing with most of you. Hurley’s too nice. Waited too long. Was too loyal to this idea of what Al could have been

 

[Jay-Bone]

From Borges:

Asked if Gilbert was doing alright, Vital simply responded: “Yeah, he’s good.“

Gilbert wasn’t at the game but is still on campus. It appears he has not left the program, and there seems to be a good chance he plays again for UConn this season.

Excellent news. I want him on the team and am satisfied with him coming off the bench. This could be a combination of his grandmother dying, attacks on twitter, not living up to his own expectations, and the reality of being surpassed. Love the kid and encourage him back in blue. Forget the morons.

 

[Dove]

And that’s my point. Adjust the gameplan for that guy. Run the rock, throw shorter passes, and have quick drop backs. (Sorry Jets fans)

don’t just tell Al to keep doing what he’s doing for an entire season. I’m agreeing with most of you. Hurley’s too nice. Waited too long. Was too loyal to this idea of what Al could have been

There is no freaking way Hurley encouraged AG to drive through trees to the basket over and over. He has become the worst layupper in UConn history.

 

[Kenny11]

I want Gilbert to finish the season on the team. His 4 years here have been incredibly painful and difficult and he is known as great person to his teammates, coaches and everyone that has gotten to know him. I’m fine if he starts or doesn’t start..whatever..but he should be a part of the team and have a senior night. A few years ago he was a McDonald’s all American and most likely thought he was on the path to an nba career, a good chance at acquiring generational wealth...for all of that to be taken from him because of injuries is really sad and can be damaging. He could’ve left uconn several times. He didn’t. I don’t know what happened after the Tulsa game. But it should be fixable.

 

[Jay-Bone]

There is no freaking way Hurley encouraged AG to drive through trees to the basket over and over. He has become the worst layupper in UConn history.

You understand there's something between encouraging and correcting, or not?

 

[joober jones]

I really don't like the sound of "held out of practice"

 

[Dove]

You understand there's something between encouraging and correcting, or not?

I have stated in the past...maybe once...that Vital is leaving and will want to make his mark. Will try too hard and hurt this team. This has happened.

I feel the same with Alterique. He, too, wants to make a mark on his way out. There is no correcting. Just drilling what Hurley wants and if Hurley doesn't get it then AG gets punished. It's happening.

I do not know what happens at practice or just after practice in Hurley's office. I do not know the relationships are like between Hurley's young guys and Ollie's old guys.

 

[AdamaNation]

He's implicitly refused by not changing his actions on the court. I doubt he's said "Coach, I refuse to stop playing selflessly." He may just not know how.

Your last sentence kept me from one word responding with “implicitly?” That would indicate an air of purposeful decent.

 

[Watchdog]

How long do you keep doing the same thing and losing without adjusting your approach?

I guess the answer is 19 games, a 10-9 record, and last place in the league

It just didn’t have to be all or none with Al. Hurley didn’t have to play him 35 minutes a game through this late in the season in hopes that he was right.

That's assuming you know the exact extent of Gaffney's injury and how much/little it affected his ability to move, cut, play defense, etc. It also assumes you believe BA and CV would be better at the point than AG during the time it took for JG to come back from the injury ready to play at this level.

 

[AntG168]

He deserves a senior night

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I would hate to see AG's career end like this, but if his heart is not into it, then he should go. If he wants to come back and contribute, Hurley should take him.

The part I struggle with is, Temple sucking aside, that the ball movement was much better without AG. Which raises two questions:

1) Was Hurley encouraging AG to play the way he did? And if so, why?

or

2) Was AG playing this way against Hurley's wishes? And if so, why did Hurley let this go on so long?