Leadership this coming season

[mauconnfan]

One senior leader (Boatright) isn't enough. Look back to '13-14 and you'll realize that Bazz had two other seniors who had been through extreme highs and lows (Giffey and Olander), a grad transfer who already had a degree (Kromah) and two respected upperclassmen who contributed heavily on the court (Boat and D). That's a huge amount of leadership to lose over the course of an offseason. It doesn't matter how good or bad of a leader Boat was, he didn't have anyone behind him and that's what hurt us.

This ^^^^^

And this squad has plenty of "leaders" now so whether you're a captain or not you can lead. This team will find chemistry and when they do it will be fun to watch.

 

[OkaForPrez]

Pretty sure the other guy was playing his balls off also. Hurt or not if you're not listening and someone needs to do something to ensure you are then do it. It's not tittly winks it's a national championship and they're big boys. There was a reason for it nonetheless and since we don't know, hard to call. Both were quite important to the result so I could care less about a passionate exchange.

I mean its pretty obvious Boat had made an error because 1) Bazz called the set, 2) Bazz had the ball and 3) Boat was close enough to be shoved which means he was in the completely wrong area of the court. So there's no debating the justification of the action.

 

[Palatine]

Pal just stop. I don't recall Boat missing FTs in the Championship game. When's more important than that?!

This conversation is about 2015 not the championship year.

 

[Kitaman]

This conversation is about 2015 not the championship year.

No its about Boat and responsing to him not hitting FTs when it matters. Those FTs validated his abilities to hit FTs in close games, regardless of his 2015 performance.

Therefore FTs as a part of his leadership is not an issue.

 

[CallMeBruce]

This conversation is about 2015 not the championship year.

But it puts the lie to your ridiculous contention that Boatright is somehow incapable of hitting important free throws. A national championship game is an incredibly high-pressure situation. He went 4-4. He was a career 79% FT shooter, and he hit an exceptional 85% as a senior. Criticizing his free throw shooting is idiotic.

 

[Ricker]

Re: Oakz query
I saw Adams in person 5x for Brewster Academy last year against South Kent, ST Thomas Moore, New Hampton, Montrose (B Team), and Vermont Academy. On TV in the All Star game vs Briscoe, and then just online clips of misc games that for the most part were edited. The home games for Brewster Academy only have 100 to 150 fans and half of those or more are other kids that go there and live with these players in a small environment. Chatting with a few of the kids and team manager types at half time and pre game, they give you some insight into the kids. From their prospective Adams was respected and liked by his teammates and from appearances was a leader among stars. That contrasts by the way with conversations I had about the South Kent and Vermont teams where there didn't seem to be harmony and "ten toes in" for the team according to conversations with a couple people who traveled with the teams. Leadership of course is just my impression but on the court I have thought we wouldn't want to trade for anybody else. Think of the play where Bazz ran off the court and yanked Kromah to his feet and ran back on D, we'll see that from Adams. My Briscoe comments came from twitter dialogue that was posted about the attitude between the Brewster kids and Briscoe. 3 Brewster kids played in that All Star game and there was obviously something extra between them and Briscoe friends.

 

[David 76]

Score the basket, help Kromah up and get back on defense is one of my all time favorite plays!

N. Dakota, I read it very different. He said "leaders" not " a leader". I think Mau got it right.

If anyone was expecting more of a point guard from Boat, you forgot who the guy was his first 3 years. He exceeded all expectations. If you felt that Boat lacked leadership, you watched a different player than I did. Yes, he made some faces. Far, far less than he did previously. But ripping his heart out and leaving it on the floor every game more than compensated.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

https://instagram.com/p/6SVWwTRevz/?taken-by=larrybratcherjr

Rodney Purvis...grinding this summer.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Dam that looks hard. I'm about Ray's age. Saw Ray working out frequently all around the various athletic facilities. Running, stadiums, etc... At the time I didn't realize he had a compulsive disorder that manifested into a workout fanatic. Lucky us I suppose.

 

[MexicoHusky]

You guys could be right about Donny's leadership statement. I just don't see it. Regardless of what Donny meant to say, it would be foolish for Donny to say such a thing without realizing it's a major shot at Boat. I don't think Donny is that dumb. Has Donny attempted to clarify his statements?

 

[BlueMAB]

I love this board. Donny says the team was lacking leaders, and some people interpret that as a shot at Boatright. It's laughably stupid. He used the plural, leaders. Here is what Ollie thinks about Boatright's leadership:

“Our captain," Ollie began, via the Hartford Courant. … The boat is not going anywhere if he’s not leading it. He’s doing a wonderful job. I’ve seen his growth over the last four years. We’re going to expect a lot from him, handling the ball. He’s going to be an extension of me. During the summer, I had him involved in [moderating] a conference call with everybody. He’s a great leader, and a great leader is a great listener, he’s listening to his teammates.”

 

[MexicoHusky]

What you have provided is the filtered KO. Donny is claiming to have access to the unfiltered KO. I also think those quotes are from the beginning of the year...could be wrong about that.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

If you're going to parse over and read into Donny's statement so much, how about acknowledging that he didn't say we lacked "a leader" last year, he said we lacked "some leaders".....with an "s" on the end.

Last year we had one senior and two juniors. Now we have four seniors and four juniors. That's what this whole thing is about. It's not about Ryan Boatright, who Ollie praised 1,000 times for never missing a single practice in his first three years, "quitting" on his team by sitting out an NIT game in which he was injured. That is one of the more ridiculous things I've ever seen here. The kid played 36 minutes per game as the only real ball handler and the focal point of every defensive scheme - often playing through injuries, mind you - and you think his teammates and coaches were rubbed the wrong way when he finally sat out? That's absurd.

 

[mauconnfan]

I am going to be "OkaFor'd" for this one but part of the leadership issues, if there were any at all, is on KO too. The early decision to have AB as a captain is and was questionable. While raw passion for the game is a wonderful thing and he has that, the thing you need from a leader is understanding the game. He can't be hard on a teammate when and if he's wrong about something. I am not even saying this existed but it couldn't be easy for Boat to really be the only guy from a captain standpoint. AB isn't smart enough on the court, or hasn't been I shall say, to be offering advice or to even have anyone listen. Anyone who was a captain knows it's important to have everyone on board and if you don't know what you're talking about half the time or understand situations during the game no one is listening.

Boat was on his own island pretty much and hopefully no one is alone this year and leadership comes from all the experience we've acquired.

 

[MexicoHusky]

No, it's not absurd. It's very possible.

I also don't see the difference between leader and leaders. Either way, Boat is a significant part of that equation. As mauuconnfan suggests, KO is also a significant part of that equation, but I doubt Donny had KO in mind when he made the statement. If Boat reads those statements he's probably offended. If Boat's family reads those statements, they are probably offended. Regardless of whether the statement reads leader or leaders.

To be honest, I'm not really sure what we are arguing, but I'd like to propose a scenario for you. You are the lead engineer on a project team of 15 other engineers. There are a few other senior level engineers on the project, but you are the most senior and the lead. After a lackluster year of missed deadlines and being over budget you run into the CEOs good friend of 20+ years. The good friend says, I frequently talk to the CEO and he thinks the project lacks leadership. If I was the lead engineer I just might see that as a criticism of me. Now as others have suggested, the problem may not actually be a leadership problem. It may actually be a engineering skills problem. Maybe the project is the electronic system for GMs new hybrid vehicle and nobody knows about engines. Regardless, the criticisms made by the CEO certainly includes the lead engineer. In fact, the CEO was probably thinking about the lead engineer when he made the statement.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

No, it's not absurd. It's very possible.

So it's "very possible" that the UConn family was offended by Ryan Boatright, basically the very definition of an iron man, sitting out the first and only game of his career due to an injury? If that's the case, what in the world must they think of the six scholarship players who sat out multiple games last year without having to endure anything resembling the wear and tear that Boatright endured every game?

Donny Marshall is the only person who really knows what he meant by his comment, but your theory about Boatright and the NIT game isn't anywhere close to reality.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I think we're spending way too much time dissecting the comments of a guy who absolutely loves to hear himself talk. I love Donny Marshall as much as the next guy, but if Kevin Ollie openly criticized Ryan Boatright's leadership to Donny Marshall, I will eat my hat.

 

[MexicoHusky]

The theory didn't just include the last game. It included not graduating. That in particular may have rubbed graduates like KO and Donny the wrong way.

And Bruce is right. Donny is a huge ham. In addition he works for the media so creating stories is his profession. It's probably bs. It's possible that Donny worded his statement the way he did just to remind people he and KO are boys. Donny is proud of Connecticut background and will take any opportunity to remind others who he is and where he's from.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

The theory didn't just include the last game. It included not graduating. That in particular may have rubbed graduates like KO and Donny the wrong way.

I get that it's a message board so everyone is an expert in their own mind but these posts, where someone just spins a web based on speculation and parsing offhand comments, are the absolute worst.

 

[tcf15]

The theory didn't just include the last game. It included not graduating. That in particular may have rubbed graduates like KO and Donny the wrong way.

A lot of players that go on to train for the NBA don't graduate. A lot was made about Kemba Walker graduating in three years, but, spoiler alert, he never actually graduated.

 

[Stainmaster]

@NDakotaHusky, cut it out with the amateur psychology. You're trying to find mud where there isn't any.

 

[Stainmaster]

I am going to be "OkaFor'd" for this one but part of the leadership issues, if there were any at all, is on KO too. The early decision to have AB as a captain is and was questionable. While raw passion for the game is a wonderful thing and he has that, the thing you need from a leader is understanding the game. He can't be hard on a teammate when and if he's wrong about something. I am not even saying this existed but it couldn't be easy for Boat to really be the only guy from a captain standpoint. AB isn't smart enough on the court, or hasn't been I shall say, to be offering advice or to even have anyone listen. Anyone who was a captain knows it's important to have everyone on board and if you don't know what you're talking about half the time or understand situations during the game no one is listening.

Boat was on his own island pretty much and hopefully no one is alone this year and leadership comes from all the experience we've acquired.

No disrespect Mau, but who else should've gotten that captain's role? RP after not having playing a single minute for the team? Facey or Nolan?

 

[MexicoHusky]

When games start I'll talk about games. Until then I'll talk about nonsense

 

[aceboon]

I see boneyarders are still doing that thing where they try to say who should and shouldn't be a captain despite not spending a single second around the team...

 

[MexicoHusky]

I see boneyarders are still doing that thing where they try to say who should and shouldn't be a captain despite not spending a single second around the team...

Hold on my friend. I think you need to read this....

1. At a party I told Ray Allen his dunk on Otis Hill was duck**** awesome
2. I once played in a pick up game that Ray also played in. I was pretty much a non factor, but at one point Ray threw the ball right at my head and I stole it...still the highlight of my basketball career.
3. One time I told Rip Hamilton he looks like Sanford from Sanford and Son. He was walking around in bathroom slippers
4. Played Mike Leblanc in some basketball video game many times. Mike had some gaming skills
5. Smoked a joint with Khalid El-Amin (no joke)
6. Stood behind KO in a line at a convenience store
7. In 98 I told the core of the 99 championship (Khalid, Rip, Kevin Freeman) team they represented my favorite team very well. They appreciated the complement. Can't remeber exactly how I said it.
8. ....maybe some other stuff

I think I have made my point. Brimah was a fine choice

 

[aceboon]

Hold on my friend. I think you need to read this....

1. At a party I told Ray Allen his dunk on Otis Hill was duck**** awesome
2. I once played in a pick up game that Ray also played in. I was pretty much a non factor, but at one point Ray threw the ball right at my head and I stole it...still the highlight of my basketball career.
3. One time I told Rip Hamilton he looks like Sanford from Sanford and Son. He was walking around in bathroom slippers
4. Played Mike Leblanc in some basketball video game many times. Mike had some gaming skills
5. Smoked a joint with Khalid El-Amin (no joke)
6. Stood behind KO in a line at a convenience store
7. In 98 I told the core of the 99 championship (Khalid, Rip, Kevin Freeman) team they represented my favorite team very well. They appreciated the complement. Can't remeber exactly how I said it.
8. ....maybe some other stuff

I think I have made my point. Brimah was a fine choice

cool stories bro, wasn't referring to you tho

 

[MexicoHusky]

I know, but like Donny I sometimes like to blow my own horn

 

[mauconnfan]

No disrespect Mau, but who else should've gotten that captain's role? RP after not having playing a single minute for the team? Facey or Nolan?

Non taken. I agree who else? Nolan? Not sure. But I do know its hard for a player to look at a "captain" who doesn't know the game as well as he or understand it and reach out as a sign of respect. Did we ever see him pointing out to people where to be or anyone asking him such things? I like the kid it's not a knock, I just think KO jumped the gun because of his passion rather than thinking it out. But KO knows a heck of a lot more than I for sure.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

Non taken. I agree who else? Nolan? Not sure. But I do know its hard for a player to look at a "captain" who doesn't know the game as well as he or understand it and reach out as a sign of respect. Did we ever see him pointing out to people where to be or anyone asking him such things? I like the kid it's not a knock, I just think KO jumped the gun because of his passion rather than thinking it out. But KO knows a heck of a lot more than I for sure.

Which big man on last year's team "knows the game" so much better than Brimah? You think Rakim Lubin or Kentan Facey scoffed at Brimah whenever he spoke up because those guys think they know the game so much better than he does?

I think Brimah was named captain because he's a hardworking kid with an outgoing personality - and I also think Ollie used it as a way to challenge him as he took on a bigger role last year.

But the bottom line is if our offense wasn't a grease fire, we grabbed a few more rebounds, and our opponents didn't make some ill-timed corner threes, we wouldn't have so many hot takes about leadership and captain choosing.

 

[mets1090]

No disrespect Mau, but who else should've gotten that captain's role? RP after not having playing a single minute for the team? Facey or Nolan?

Incidentally, this right here answers this whole debate. The fact that this team only had one guy who should have reasonably been named a captain tells you all you need to know about the overall leadership. Boat was not the problem.