Terry Larrier as a 2 guard

[Stainmaster]

I'm not saying it's definitely going to happen, but Enoch definitely has a lot of talent, and Brimah clearly hasn't progressed to where we'd hoped he would. It would take Brimah continuing to be inconsistent and Enoch really breaking out, but it's definitely a possibility in my eyes. Probably not likely.

"Where we hoped he would be"

Many on this board wanted him at an Okafor/Thabeet level by junior year. "Where we hoped he would be" was just plain unrealistic. Moreover, you don't bench someone because they aren't playing at an NPOY/Top 2 draft pick level. Not even Kentucky does that.

Much of the criticism of Brimah here has very little to do with his abilities on the court, which have been proven in statistical analyses conducted by members of this board to be very helpful to the team. Instead, they tend to deal with

1. Aesthetics - people don't like seeing centers who aren't big and beefy. Brimah's body type prevents him from being this, thus people are angry at seeing something they don't find visually pleasing.
2. Rawness - people are mad that in hindsight, KO recruited a project big man instead of someone who is ready from the get-go. "We're UConn, we recruit players who come in at a high level right off the bat." Again, this is no fault of AB's -- he was given a scholarship to an outstanding university and accepted it.
3. Playing time given mistakes - people are nostalgic for the Calhoun days when one dumb move would result in someone being glued to the bench for the rest of the half. KO doesn't do this with Brimah, therefore it's a departure from what people were used to, and people just don't like change in general.
   
4. Behavior on the court (smiling and wagging the finger) - people use this to conjecture that he doesn't take the game seriously. Maybe they also don't like that players show joy on the court when they, the fans associate our games with feeling anxious and nervous for the outcome. "He doesn't have a right to be happy when I'm stressing out for 40 minutes!"
5. Status within the program - people (well, namely a couple) were upset at his being named a captain due to his performance on the court and are upset at seeing a player they view as "fundamentally unsound" receiving accolades and special titles (Conference DPOY adds to this)
6. Xenophobia - people want the homegrown Connecticut kid to succeed and are upset that someone from another continent is standing in his way.
   
7. There is another reason for people to dislike him, but it is best left on the cesspool.

Furthermore, if you think that Enoch's ability surpasses Brimah's, I invite you to defer to the man who is being paid millions of dollar to make said determination and is exposed to both of them for multiple hours a day in practice: Kevin Ollie. Remember, last year people were clamoring for Rakim Lubin to take minutes using the argument "well, he can't be worse than the guys we have in now". And guess what? He was. Now, Enoch is much better than Lubin, but there is a reason he is on the bench and Brimah is getting minutes.

 

[champs99and04]

You don't think we'll see Enoch and Brimah on the floor at the same time? Would be nice to redshirt the kid this year if so.

I just have a tough time seeing two 6'10+ kids on the court at the same time. One of the two would have to dramatically improve their skill set to make that viable, IMO.

 

[mauconnfan]

Not this again...

Yep Stair and you know what.......nevermind

Better yet, Rico has a point although he did say he doubts it and I agree it more than likely won't happen. We saw the same slow reactions AB has with Steve vs UM except no long arms and shot blocking ability to make up for this as Ab has. I will say this, with a year in Storrs and next summer under his belt I could see him make things very tough for Ab to stay on the court next year, that of course if he improves as he has since his Jr year in HS. Never know - as far as the 2 of them on the court at the same time, why not? Not this year but maybe next year.

 

[James]

brimah has gotten better every year and is KOs best center option, there is not much left to argue about. The idea that any other of the bigs are 'better' is preposterous, they are all pretty inadequate.

And terry larrier is a shooting guard/perimeter player, he loves to get up jumpers. loves to score/drive, his rebounding is comparable to someone like omar. it will be news to me if i see him out there guarding the second big next year

 

[CTBasketball]

G: Adams, Gilbert, SC Jr.
G: Purvis, "A Re-Classified Hammy Diallo "
F: Hamilton, Larrier, Jackson
F: Facey, Durham
C: Brimah, Enoch, Diarra

 

[Matt1010]

G: Adams, Gilbert, SC Jr.
G: Purvis, "A Re-Classified Hammy Diallo "
F: Hamilton, Larrier, Jackson
F: Facey, Durham
C: Brimah, Enoch, Diarra

Yes please!!

 

[TheChamps990411]

Larrier won't be playing the 2, even if Purvis is gone.

LOl! Purvis gone? Not picking on your post just find it funny that anyone is even considering that a possibility. If Purve is considering it hes getting really bad adavice.

 

[intlzncster]

LOl! Purvis gone? Not picking on your post just find it funny that anyone is even considering that a possibility. If Purve is considering it hes getting really bad adavice.

Not really. Kid will be able to play overseas or in the D league. He graduates this year, and will be old for a prospect if he stays an extra year, which is not good for pro aspirations.

 

[champs99and04]

brimah has gotten better every year and is KOs best center option, there is not much left to argue about. The idea that any other of the bigs are 'better' is preposterous, they are all pretty inadequate.

And terry larrier is a shooting guard/perimeter player, he loves to get up jumpers. loves to score/drive, his rebounding is comparable to someone like omar. it will be news to me if i see him out there guarding the second big next year

Larrier's rebounding rate last year was roughly that of DeAndre Daniels' his freshman year. The fact that Larrier is perimeter-oriented offensively obviously means nothing in regards to where he'll play.

I'm guessing a lot will depend on how much muscle he can put on between now and next fall. He as a stick figure at VCU, but then again, so was Daniels.

 

[Matrim55]

Not really. Kid will be able to play overseas or in the D league. He graduates this year, and will be old for a prospect if he stays an extra year, which is not good for pro aspirations.

While this is true, it's also not a bad thing to get a master's degree and a(nother) chance at a Final Four run.

I'd probably go pro if I were in Rodney's shoes, but it's not a 100% no-brainer. There are two sides to the scale.

 

[mauconnfan]

brimah has gotten better every year and is KOs best center option, there is not much left to argue about. The idea that any other of the bigs are 'better' is preposterous, they are all pretty inadequate.

And terry larrier is a shooting guard/perimeter player, he loves to get up jumpers. loves to score/drive, his rebounding is comparable to someone like omar. it will be news to me if i see him out there guarding the second big next year

Why are you reacting like that James - no one said any other bigs were better did they? They spoke about potential scenario's only and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

 

[Horatio]

No but he will start over Facey and cause alot of mismatches

Possible. I didn't realize Larrier is listed as 6'8".

 

[whaler11]

Oh good next year's lineup. Why bother to enjoy the current season when we can worry about who might get playing time next year.

 

[Matt1010]

Oh good next year's lineup. Why bother to enjoy the current season when we can worry about who might get playing time next year.

You clicked on a thread about a player who isn't eligible until next season, what exactly did you expect?

 

[David 76]

Fact of the matter is, even without DHam & Purvis, we have talent and flexibility. With them, we are loaded.

 

[whaler11]

You clicked on a thread about a player who isn't eligible until next season, what exactly did you expect?

It was at the top. Potentially news about him? Should I expect an Enoch/Brimah debate about next season's playing time?

 

[jibsey]

I'm no NBA expert but dear Lord, in what universe does Rodney sit on an NBA bench? One more year would not hurt his ability to play overseas and if he made a vast leap next year maybe he could at least get tryouts.

 

[caw]

I'm no NBA expert but dear Lord, in what universe does Rodney sit on an NBA bench? One more year would not hurt his ability to play overseas and if he made a vast leap next year maybe he could at least get tryouts.

He might be able to get on an NBA roster as a 3-D guy. He has shown the ability to shoot from the college 3 pt line and deeper and is a solid defender most times. He also has the athleticism and strength to play in the NBA. He has issues with FT shooting and has a relatively weak handle, but it's not worse than some other 3D guys.

 

[CTBasketball]

Oh good next year's lineup. Why bother to enjoy the current season when we can worry about who might get playing time next year.

The thread is discussing a player who will not log minutes until next November. Relax.

 

[Rico444]

"Where we hoped he would be"

Many on this board wanted him at an Okafor/Thabeet level by junior year. "Where we hoped he would be" was just plain unrealistic. Moreover, you don't bench someone because they aren't playing at an NPOY/Top 2 draft pick level. Not even Kentucky does that.

Much of the criticism of Brimah here has very little to do with his abilities on the court, which have been proven in statistical analyses conducted by members of this board to be very helpful to the team. Instead, they tend to deal with

1. Aesthetics - people don't like seeing centers who aren't big and beefy. Brimah's body type prevents him from being this, thus people are angry at seeing something they don't find visually pleasing.
2. Rawness - people are mad that in hindsight, KO recruited a project big man instead of someone who is ready from the get-go. "We're UConn, we recruit players who come in at a high level right off the bat." Again, this is no fault of AB's -- he was given a scholarship to an outstanding university and accepted it.
3. Playing time given mistakes - people are nostalgic for the Calhoun days when one dumb move would result in someone being glued to the bench for the rest of the half. KO doesn't do this with Brimah, therefore it's a departure from what people were used to, and people just don't like change in general.
   
4. Behavior on the court (smiling and wagging the finger) - people use this to conjecture that he doesn't take the game seriously. Maybe they also don't like that players show joy on the court when they, the fans associate our games with feeling anxious and nervous for the outcome. "He doesn't have a right to be happy when I'm stressing out for 40 minutes!"
5. Status within the program - people (well, namely a couple) were upset at his being named a captain due to his performance on the court and are upset at seeing a player they view as "fundamentally unsound" receiving accolades and special titles (Conference DPOY adds to this)
6. Xenophobia - people want the homegrown Connecticut kid to succeed and are upset that someone from another continent is standing in his way.
   
7. There is another reason for people to dislike him, but it is best left on the cesspool.

Furthermore, if you think that Enoch's ability surpasses Brimah's, I invite you to defer to the man who is being paid millions of dollar to make said determination and is exposed to both of them for multiple hours a day in practice: Kevin Ollie. Remember, last year people were clamoring for Rakim Lubin to take minutes using the argument "well, he can't be worse than the guys we have in now". And guess what? He was. Now, Enoch is much better than Lubin, but there is a reason he is on the bench and Brimah is getting minutes.

This is such a garbage post. Re-read my post, and try making an argument based off of what I said, and not what you want me to say. You build up all these strawmen, and I'll give you credit, you did a great job of knocking them down. Now I'm xenophobic because I think Brimah has some flaws? Give me a f&*king break dude. Maybe you've been spending touch time on the cesspool, but calling everyone a racist isn't a good way to win arguments in the real world.

If you want to read my previous post over and maybe not jump to extreme conclusions, I'll be happy to debate my point further. Otherwise, you can f-&k off.

 

[Stainmaster]

This is such a garbage post. Re-read my post, and try making an argument based off of what I said, and not what you want me to say. You build up all these strawmen, and I'll give you credit, you did a great job of knocking them down. Now I'm xenophobic because I think Brimah has some flaws? Give me a f&*king break dude. Maybe you've been spending touch time on the cesspool, but calling everyone a racist isn't a good way to win arguments in the real world.

If you want to read my previous post over and maybe not jump to extreme conclusions, I'll be happy to debate my point further. Otherwise, you can f-&k off.

Perhaps it was inappropriate for me to sandwich a general critique of the board's non-legitimate Brimah criticism in response to your specific post. I stand by the notion that the "strawmen" I created are effectively how a significant number of people here feel. Obviously they don't reflect your argument, which I should've specified. Regardless, what I said needed to be said because a lot of people here have really ridiculous ideas concerning Brimah, which I think is BS.

Aside from that section, I think that I did present specific, legitimate arguments to your points.

"Many on this board wanted him at an Okafor/Thabeet level by junior year. "Where we hoped he would be" was just plain unrealistic. Moreover, you don't bench someone because they aren't playing at an NPOY/Top 2 draft pick level. Not even Kentucky does that."

"I invite you to defer the man who is being paid millions of dollars to make said determination and is exposed to both of them for multiple hours a day in practice: Kevin Ollie. Remember, last year people were clamoring for Rakim Lubin to take minutes using the argument 'well, he can't be worse than the guys we have in now'. And guess what? He was. Now, Enoch is much better than Lubin, but there is a reason he is on the bench and Brimah is getting minutes."

Claiming that Brimah not reaching unrealistic expectations isn't cause to bench him and that Kevin Ollie sees a lot more of him and Enoch than we all do are both pretty sober arguments, IMO.

 

[Rico444]

Expecting Brimah to reach the Okafor/Thabeet level is unfair. I'll admit I had hopes that he might get there a year or two back, but that's not the current bar against which I'm comparing him. He's been wildly inconsistent his whole career. Against Gonzaga, he was a non-factor early. Then he started the 2nd half, left Wiltjer wide open for a 3, and got benched again for a few minutes...and then, he was a force the rest of the game, and we came back from 20 down. Against Maryland, he was bad pretty much the whole game, Stone abused him early on. I have been one of Amida's biggest supporters for awhile, but his inconsistency is maddening, and he's not a freshman anymore. When he's on, he raises the team to another level, but who the heck knows which Brimah is going to show up? By the way, Brimah has only played around 20 minutes per game this season, so I'm not so sure KO has as much confidence in him as you think.

Enoch isn't ready to take Brimah's minutes yet, but there's no denying he has a lot of talent. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a much better player in March than he is now. Remember Jeremy Lamb? His minutes were minimal in 2011 until about mid-january.

Bottom line, I want this team to win, and I love Amida. I hope he shuts me up and starts playing great from tip to buzzer. I'm just not as optimistic we ever see a consistent Brimah, not after 2 and a half years of this.

 

[selles]

Against Maryland, he was bad pretty much the whole game, Stone abused him early on.

That really didn't happen. That's one of those things that could become part of the whole 'Brimah doesn't show up against good teams' meme around here so it's important to note - IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

 

[Rico444]

That really didn't happen. That's one of those things that could become part of the whole 'Brimah doesn't show up against good teams' meme around here so it's important to note - IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

If you say so.

 

[mauconnfan]

If you say so.

He's averaging 21.6 minutes, 6.4 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocked shots vs the 5 real opponents we played which are Michigan, Cuse, Zags, Terps and Buckeyes. Obviously you aren't correct in your assessment Rico as you can see there has been a vast improvement just by the numbers alone.