Shonn Miller is the Alpha Dog

[gtcam]

I agree SM is a talented player but he is not the Alpha BUT he could be if:
He decides to play 100% while he is in the game. Watch him in person. He hides at times. He leaves his defensive assignment way to often and in many instances his mark is quick and these moves leave SM in the dust and he gets lazy after that.
At 6'6" to 6'8" depending on what you read, he is woefully short on rebounding many times. Where was he when the Temple guys were killing UConn on the board?
On offense he has to understand the glass is his best friend. He misses way too much within 8 feet of the hoop trying to finesse the ball into the hoop cleanly. Everything he throws up from that distance needs to hit glass ala McHale. If he did he would shoot 90% from there.
Again on the offensive end he needs to keep moving and when the ball handler needs an outlet SM needs to step to the ball instead of turning his body with one hand in the air.
These are observations I have made from isolating on him at games - you can't see this on TV
believe me, I am not a SM basher, he has so much upside and is a physical presence - I am glad he is a Husky
He just doesn't do enough of the little things to be the Alpha from the 4 position.

 

[Chief00]

Shouting and swearing with an Irish accent is what increases a team's chance of winning? It makes player perform better?

Chief, you're full of bologna.

Stairmaster, quite frankly that Boston Irish accent at high decibels was pretty successful at motivating players at UConn for 25 years

 

[Stainmaster]

Stairmaster, quite frankly that Boston Irish accent at high decibels was pretty successful at motivating players at UConn for 25 years

Quite frankly, you must have failed every single statistics class you've ever taken. "Association does not equal causation" was the first thing I learned in my first ever course on the subject.

 

[David 76]

Stair,
I agree. Shonn is our most consistent, professional player. Doesn't seem to get rattled.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Shonn is our most mature and reliable player.
However, I still believe this team goes as far as Daniel Hamilton goes. When he's got confidence and is playing in control, that trickles down throughout the entire team- Purvis, Brimah, Adams, etc. When he's not hitting shots, he starts being passive and playing out of control, and that is a domino effect on the whole team leading to guy passing up a good shot to the next guy who doesn't want to take the shot and eventually a brick with 3 seconds left on the shot clock.
Hamilton can do it all for us, he's just got to get his head out of his ass sometimes.

 

[Chief00]

Quite frankly, you must have failed every single statistics class you've ever taken. "Association does not equal causation" was the first thing I learned in my first ever course on the subject.

I actually took a graduate business course in statistics. Does that make my basketball argument right? - No, but Calhouns decades of winning seasons do!
A friend of his once asked him why he did what you criticize - His response with a smile and yes a Boston Irish accent that you seem to have a problem with - Sometimes you have to say M.F. ers to just get their attention!

In short, he knew what he was doing.

 

[Stainmaster]

I actually took a graduate business course in statistics. Does that make my basketball argument right? - No, but Calhouns decades of winning seasons do!
A friend of his once asked him why he did what you criticize - His response with a smile and yes a Boston Irish accent that you seem to have a problem with - Sometimes you have to say M.F. ers to just get their attention!

In short, he knew what he was doing.

Calhoun was a master tactician and teacher of the game. That has to figure hugely in any explanation of this program's success. If the verbal stuff was really what made the players great, then why aren't half of the posters on this board Hall of Fame coaches? Some of the folks here would give JC himself a run for his money if they were locked in a room with our players.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I agree SM is a talented player but he is not the Alpha BUT he could be if:
He decides to play 100% while he is in the game. Watch him in person. He hides at times. He leaves his defensive assignment way to often and in many instances his mark is quick and these moves leave SM in the dust and he gets lazy after that.
At 6'6" to 6'8" depending on what you read, he is woefully short on rebounding many times. Where was he when the Temple guys were killing UConn on the board?
On offense he has to understand the glass is his best friend. He misses way too much within 8 feet of the hoop trying to finesse the ball into the hoop cleanly. Everything he throws up from that distance needs to hit glass ala McHale. If he did he would shoot 90% from there.
Again on the offensive end he needs to keep moving and when the ball handler needs an outlet SM needs to step to the ball instead of turning his body with one hand in the air.
These are observations I have made from isolating on him at games - you can't see this on TV
believe me, I am not a SM basher, he has so much upside and is a physical presence - I am glad he is a Husky
He just doesn't do enough of the little things to be the Alpha from the 4 position.

-are you watching miller or purvis/gibbs?
-miller posts up shields his man and the dont give him the ball he comes out and sets picks rolls to the hoop and gets nothing...

he is the most efficient player on the team, get's his shot at will, rebounds great, great ft shooter... get him the ball every time down... the only reason people dont complain about him is bc he isnt on the floor a lot due to foul trouble

 

[UConnSwag11]

The last few games they go to shonn early in the game and then again right out of half time. It works more often then not, but they stop doing it for some unholy reason. KO has 2 grad transfers on this team and for some reason he's choosing to showcase the wrong one.

usually has to do with shonn picking up bs fouls