Smiling and Laughing

[sledog]

"Edmund Saunders would have. Rod Sellers. Probably ahead of your guys even."


Back in the day, Saunders was lovingly described here as a 'thug'. Along with Freeman, and also Jake, no one got away with attacking the rim w/o retribution. Add the rest of team examples noted above, and you clearly see the deficiency this year.

So who exactly is responsible for not implementing the 'nails' diet this year???? I've got plenty of iron pills from my hip replacement surgery, and nails in the basement, if KO needs them.

 

[UCweCONN]

And mugging for Saunders and Dickie, that was Trimble and then Stone. Let me pose a question. If they tried that against a Jim Calhoun team wouldn't they be lying on the hardwood bleeding after waltzing up the lane? Nothing illegal, just hard fouls that send a message. We have fouls to give. Now granted, our inside players are not exactly enforcers but everyone from the guards on up have to get some attitude going, help defensively and then hammer if necessary.

The one game I wish we had Rock Lubin.

 

[Kitaman]

Come to think about it, I can't recall a hard foul this season on an opposing player.

Can anyone with better memory name an instance?

 

[willie99]

I would have loved a Rod Sellers moment

"now that's something to be proud of"

and I'd be moaning less about our 24/45 rebounding advantage

 

[UConn_Top_Dog]

Selvie was the toughest and best power forward who ever laced them up for Uconn, I would give my left testical to have him on this team.

Jeff Adrien might have something to say about that

 

[aceboon]

Its college basketball, who is out there bloodying guys up and going upside someone's head to deliver a foul? I'd prefer our guys actually care about defending someone on the perimeter instead of giving up open lanes to the rim but please stop with the fantasy that guys are getting bodied out there. John Chaney got ran out of college basketball after he employed goon tactics in a game against St Joes and that was like a decade ago, whatever fantasty you have going on in your head surely isn't happening in 2015.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

I had the thought watching the game last night and realizing we are soft as Charmin. I love KO as coach, he has turned around our off the court issues and is moving the program forward in a honorable manner. But man, are our kids too nice? He talks about doing things "the right way" and getting kids who want to be at UConn. I mean that is good thing I guess but there is no chip on the shoulder, no swagger, no willingness to fight back when getting punched in the mouth. The only kid on the team with some street swagger seems to be Adams. UConn teams were tough. This team is soft (at least right now) . On paper we should be way better than last year, but we are not, for one reason: Boat. Say what you will about Boat, but he was a fighter, tooth and nail. And that is a 2 way thing. Not just punching back at other team, but being tough with your own team when it needs fire. We have no one that the rest of the team can look to for toughness and leadership. We look so meek and tentative.

I dont want to hear about "comebacks" .

1) The kids shouldnt wait until the game is out of reach to start playing fearless basketball. (and make no mistake, this season we play meek and with tentative fear until the score dictates that we can throw caution to the wind. Then all of a sudden we take and make 3's, we go to the hoop strong, we defend with abandon)
2)Looking at "comebacks" is fools gold. They dont exist in a vacuum. Other teams tend to let up a bit with big cushions.

Said this all along how much this team was going to miss Boat. He's severely underappreciated on here, especially for how great he was last year with the lack of talent that was on that team. Fearless, great defender, got to the basket whenever he wanted, developed into a very good outside shooter. If Boat were a year younger I say we'd be the favorites for the NC.

 

[intlzncster]

Its college basketball, who is out there bloodying guys up and going upside someone's head to deliver a foul? I'd prefer our guys actually care about defending someone on the perimeter instead of giving up open lanes to the rim but please stop with the fantasy that guys are getting bodied out there. John Chaney got ran out of college basketball after he employed goon tactics in a game against St Joes and that was like a decade ago, whatever fantasty you have going on in your head surely isn't happening in 2015.

I simply want our guys to stay with their guy in man to man defense. It's not to much to ask really.

 

[intlzncster]

Said this all along how much this team was going to miss Boat. He's severely underappreciated on here, especially for how great he was last year with the lack of talent that was on that team. Fearless, great defender, got to the basket whenever he wanted, developed into a very good outside shooter. If Boat were a year younger I say we'd be the favorites for the NC.

I agree with this. It happens all the time on the Yard. We always get excited for next year's potential, but when a team loses that guy, the next year's team struggles. Lost Kemba...next year struggle. Lost Shabazz...next year struggle. Lost Boat...next year struggle. I know there's an overlap with Bazz/Boat there, but that is, as you said, due to a lack of talent and/or guys ready to play.

 

[Rico444]

"Edmund Saunders would have. Rod Sellers. Probably ahead of your guys even."


Back in the day, Saunders was lovingly described here as a 'thug'. Along with Freeman, and also Jake, no one got away with attacking the rim w/o retribution. Add the rest of team examples noted above, and you clearly see the deficiency this year.

So who exactly is responsible for not implementing the 'nails' diet this year???? I've got plenty of iron pills from my hip replacement surgery, and nails in the basement, if KO needs them.

Mamadou next year, that's my hope.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

I agree with this. It happens all the time on the Yard. We always get excited for next year's potential, but when a team loses that guy, the next year's team struggles. Lost Kemba...next year struggle. Lost Shabazz...next year struggle. Lost Boat...next year struggle. I know there's an overlap with Bazz/Boat there, but that is, as you said, due to a lack of talent and/or guys ready to play.

He doesn't get the respect he deserves because he played 3 years in Bazz's shadow which was already so briefly removed from what Kemba did. He'd be looked at a lot more favorably if he weren't following up arguably the 2 best PG's in UConn history.