Nah..I wasnt making a player comp, thatd be silly. I was making a fan base comp. We gave up on AJax and relegated him to the end of the bench. January-february 23 we were going through an awful time where Hurley was scared for his job and our #1 player target was AJax.You need to stop saying that. The Andre-Solo comp is so bad, its all-time bad comp. Andre brought defensive, rebounds, assists, energy. He was our heart and soul. Never was an offense first guy. Solo is exclusively an offense guy. And he has not been elite this year. That said, Solo got better around the rim. And his defense is not awful, all the time, like it used to be. And the kid plays hard. I love him. But after 17 games, I think its time we wonder if last year's version of Solo will make an appearance this year.
Christmas Adventurer side questThe great Jim Downey was at the game with Bill last night. Downey is one of the funniest people ever, if you know you know...
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I see your point now. But I disagree that any sane person wanted Alex on the bench. We dont win in 23 without him.Except I wasnt making a player comp. I was making a fan base comp. We gave up on AJax and relegated him to the end of the bench. Did you sleep through January '23?
We are doing the same thing to solo... and during a winning streak!
You're both right and wrong. Many people here wanted him on the bench but few of them were saneI see your point now. But I disagree that any sane person wanted Alex on the bench. We dont win in 23 without him.
People down on Solo Ball are not real fans. There, I said it.Trust me. There’s nothing I want more than for Solo to return to form. And I believe he will. But right now … I actually thought he was good on the defensive glass tonight.
He still hasn't talked to Jeff Epstein the New York financier.Christmas Adventurer side quest
21/9/3(with a bunch of points left at the line) vs a pretty good C tandem in Payne/Hines with them hanging all over his back during the game, he was anything but soft last night.Dan said he was fully healthy last night. I know his numbers were good except free throws but I felt he played “soft” last night. He had a chance to power dunk a few last night and didn’t. Don’t get that. Big dunks can lift a team! I totally understand Dan wanting him to “unleash the bear” but don’t think we’ll see that from him unfortunately. The lack of beast mode is what is holding him back from being all american caliber player. The question I don’t know the answer to is why?
Nicely written story, including some unique quotes that I hadn't seen elsewhere.Much more to come, but this is the first piece:
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UConn casts a winning spell, breaks losing streak at Seton Hall
Dan Hurley and UConn exorcise demons Tuesday as Huskies won at Seton Hall for first time since 2021. (Photo by Frank Franklin II/Associated ...dalydoseofhoops.blogspot.com
It also bothered me that the refs missed about 10 foul calls on Tarris, so on my personal stat sheet I'm marking him down for 29 missed FTs. Going to be tough to win if he keeps that upSo if it bothers you more, than it is worse than just one miss. More than 1 is 2. Simple math. I'm not saying he missed 9 FT, I'm saying it was worse than just missing 8 FT's. Call it 8+ or whatever you like. The point is it is worse than just missing 8.
I agree it is akin to a TO, but the stat sheet doesn't list it as a TO either, so stats don't tell the whole story. I was trying to tell the rest of the story. But you weren't the only one to balk at my comment so maybe I'm the dumb one. But it makes sense in my warped mind.
was there too:I was at the game. The refs were fine. We complain about the refs after every game. They are not out to get us.
Wow, I guess I'm in the minority here. I found that guy entertaining as hell, he was making me chuckle all night.I was so pissed I was like shut the hell up everytime the guy opened his mouth
100% that's what's so troubling. The thing that I truly think matters (as much as college sports matter) is that judging from player comments in interviews they actually do read the boneyard. I know every fan base has people who are overly harsh to some players but given our level of success and the anamoly that UConn is compared to other schools who dont develop 3-4 year guys who bleed their colors, i think we owe Solo more than what we are giving.I see your point now. But I disagree that any sane person wanted Alex on the bench. We dont win in 23 without him.
You’re right, he did play through being hacked most of the night. Guess soft was the wrong word. But I’d like see some statement Slams! He seems to want to be a finesse player when beast mode might be more fitting. Coach has been talking about unleashing the beast for 2 years. Maybe this is him at his best, but it seems with his size and build a Forceful Tarris is in there….somewhere. Does he ever get angry? I hope we get to see him play with more physicality.I don't know why he isn't dunking but don't confuse not dunking with playing soft. Tarris most certainly didn't play soft last night. He had guys hanging on him the entire game and he was scoring through contact and drawing fouls all night and he erased a few that looked like easy Seton Hall scores.
I hate keyboard commandos calling players "soft". Nobody on this team is soft. Still, Tarris is good for 3-4 missed bunnies a game and I'd like to see him bring that number down a bit.21/9/3(with a bunch of points left at the line) vs a pretty good C tandem in Payne/Hines with them hanging all over his back during the game, he was anything but soft last night.
Wrong word, my bad. Would like to see him play more forcefully. We’ve seen flashes. Could just be a personality thing.I hate keyboard commandos calling players "soft". Nobody on this team is soft. Still, Tarris is good for 3-4 missed bunnies a game and I'd like to see him bring that number down a bit.
Missed free throws are essentially turnovers.Exactly. We missed out on 2 points, not just one. I know the stat sheet doesn't record it that way but that's how I always think of it in my mind. But I'm getting a lot of push back on that so maybe I'm crazy.
That’s not the complaint. You are right. They are not out to get us. But the do permit much more clutching and grabbing and bumping than other leagues do. That hurts a team like UConn that relies on motion, ball movement and passing rather than just giving the ball to somebody to take it to the rim. And it was not just last night. You see the same crap in every NBE game. Now we have more talent than everybody else so we can overcome the football style defenses.I was at the game. The refs were fine. We complain about the refs after every game. They are not out to get us.
Nice. That made me laugh. But that wouldn't be fair to Tarris as missed calls were not his fault, while missed front ends are.It also bothered me that the refs missed about 10 foul calls on Tarris, so on my personal stat sheet I'm marking him down for 29 missed FTs. Going to be tough to win if he keeps that up
That's exactly what Ed Cooley said when he was at PC and his preparation. Basically stated that they had no way to handle all the plays, cuts, screens etc. He said their plan would be "to muck it up" by physically overplaying and disrupting (grabbing, fouling etc.......whatever the refs give us). He did not define what "mucking it up" was but it wasn't any tactical response you could diagram.I guess when you don’t have superior talent, you goon it up.
Thank you. That's how I grew up thinking of it too. Those first 3 single bonus foul shots always made me extra nervous, one miss = TO. I'm glad I don't have to shoot FT's for a living.I didn’t balk at anything. I just laughed when I read BigErn’s comment “you don’t,” in response to you saying, “…if you count that as two…”
I totally get where you’re coming from and find it more frustrating when a player misses the front end, but at the end of the day the free throws made and attempted are what they are. I’m sure certain outfits keep track of missed front ends nowadays so you could just follow that because that’s exactly what it is. It feels like two missed shots, it feels like a turnover, but objectively it is not those things.
Edit: to be clear, how you think of it does make sense to me and I think of it similarly, going back to when I played and my high school coach described it that way.
It was an interesting reaction. He is quite the character. I wonder what he is like when not acting. Haven't seen him other than these reaction images the past few years. He played so many laid back characters. Even when the role called for concern, there was an underlying indifference. "Cats and dogs living together!"I know, but the pic still works for the 2nd half situation.
Plus, it's Bill Murray in UConn gear. Gotta acknowledge it.