The Giffster.......

[mauconnfan]

You know I was talking about Niels role this year with my brother the other day and realized what a great kid we have at Storrs.....

Going back to last week or thereabouts, I remembered a quote from Leon T about why he came to UConn.........he said he was a huge college basketball fan along with the fact he was a friend of Niels and they talked about Storrs and how great it was, and how JC and his staff made you work hard to become the best you can be.......

Think of those words and then remember who this is coming from.........it's not coming from a kid who the last 2 years played 25 minutes a game and shot the ball 15 times a game....not close. It comes from a kid who has had some minor successes in games he's played, some games he hasn't played or games in which he had caught the wrath of JC's temper coming off the court. What does this tell you about this kid's character? If you don't see what kind of kid the Huskies have here you're crazy. This kid of maybe 8-10 minutes a game in 2 years told his friend to come from Germany over to Storrs to be better. Maybe not for the NBA but for the European leagues and do that even if you are not getting PT but working hard in practice, enjoying your teammates and the campus life.

I love the fact he did this and love the fact we have him on this team. His game is solid and with some confidence still can be a real key to this years team. He makes 3's, doesn't make many mistakes if any and is always around the ball, especially on D where he works his butt off.

Wish a couple others who chose to leave had the same pride in Storrs..........

But the character of this kid from Germany is stated simply by telling his "buddy' to come to Storrs to play for the best. If you're not rooting for this guy to get some time and be a key player the next 2 years you're not a fan!!!!

 

[Dogbreath2U]

I am waiting for Niels to get more comfortable and play more aggressively....I could see him becoming an important player on the team if he can make the step up to a more confident leader type. He's got to become more willing to take chances...maybe without JC screaming at him for every miscue, he can make some plays. It is great that he has stayed the course.

 

[61cygni]

Rooted hard for him last year and will this year. Love the guys who cheer from the bench rather than sulk for lack of minutes. If he polishes up his passing and handle I think he can be solid for us, usually makes good decisions erring on the side of caution.

Ollie needs to take up the Calhoun method and tell us that Giffey is shooting lights out and has put on 15 pounds of muscle.

 

[CTFIRERETIRED]

I would like to hope that Giffey becomes a poor mans Detlef Shrempf. Those of you that remember Shrempf recall his gym rat attitude. 6-8 6-9 good passer, shooter, rebounder etc. Was the glue for the University of Washington in the 80's. Had a decent pro career. Some likened him to be a "poormans" Larry Bird. If Giffey can morph into that kind of a ball player, I'd be happy.

 

[Waquoit]

He's a great guy. He played 24 minutes in the NCAA finals. He just not that good. He's pretty good.

 

[Bezzz]

I think this had a profound influence on his love of all things Husky:

 

[aceboon]

Yea assuming Ollie doesn't have the same quick hook method as JC, I think Giffey could actually benefit from playing looser and not being fearful of being pulled for the first mistake, or sometimes like we have seen the past couple of years being pulled for not making a mistake at all. I still remember the WVU game in 2011 where Giffey got the start, throws a perfect post entry past into AO that would've led into either a dunk, or more than likely a blown layup or AO taking 30 seconds to gather himself and getting fouled, but instead AO doesn't even move his feet and the pass sails out of bounds. Giffey got pulled and lit up when it wasn't his fault for the turnover. I think we see more of the Maui/Final 4 Giffey this season.

I am waiting for Niels to get more comfortable and play more aggressively....I could see him becoming an important player on the team if he can make the step up to a more confident leader type. He's got to become more willing to take chances...maybe without JC screaming at him for every miscue, he can make some plays. It is great that he has stayed the course.

 

[Waquoit]

Yea assuming Ollie doesn't have the same quick hook method as JC...

That will be something to watch in KO's development. How he makes the transition from good cop to bad cop, so to speak.

 

[CAHUSKY]

I would like to hope that Giffey becomes a poor mans Detlef Shrempf. Those of you that remember Shrempf recall his gym rat attitude. 6-8 6-9 good passer, shooter, rebounder etc. Was the glue for the University of Washington in the 80's. Had a decent pro career. Some likened him to be a "poormans" Larry Bird. If Giffey can morph into that kind of a ball player, I'd be happy.

Shremph was more than "glue guy". He was a 2nd team all America at Washington, a three time nba all-star who scored almost 16,000 points. I'd be ecstatic if Giffey morphed in to half that kind of a player!

 

[mauconnfan]

That will be something to watch in KO's development. How he makes the transition from good cop to bad cop, so to speak.

That's a great point Waq and agree it will be interesting.......

Question I have the board, how much can he afford to tone it down or as you say, be a good cop!?? I'm still a believer in "friends off the court" but on the court you get it done or sit.....having said that I believe he will be "more patient" in that system without a doubt and it may reflect on certain personalities stepping their confidence up!!

 

[CTBasketball]

Niels has so much potential.

 

[huskiesnyc]

He's got nice range from 3 and plays good hard defense. His best game was against Kentucky in Maui when he put up 14 points. I think we will see more performances like that this year, he just needs to be aggressive and stop passing up shots. If some of the quitters from last year had half Niels character we would have won 5-7 more games.

 

[CL82]

That will be something to watch in KO's development. How he makes the transition from good cop to bad cop, so to speak.

Agree. I people hate Calhoun's quick hook but love his three championships. I doubt we get one without the other. That said, I am sure KO will have own approach. I believe that he will be successful in driving these young men to give more than they thought they had and be more than they hoped they could be.

 

[Waquoit]

Agree. I people hate Calhoun's quick hook but love his three championships. I doubt we get one without the other.

I always thought the quick hook was overrated. JC never gave KEA the quick hook. He knew that KEA wouldn't put up with it. And without KEA we don't get that first one.

 

[aceboon]

I always thought the quick hook was overrated. JC never gave KEA the quick hook. He knew that KEA wouldn't put up with it. And without KEA we don't get that first one.

Nothing really to do with "putting up with it", JC has always had either his favorites or guys that you couldn't afford to have on the bench for long that were immune to the hook. KEA was one of em.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

I always thought the quick hook was overrated. JC never gave KEA the quick hook. He knew that KEA wouldn't put up with it. And without KEA we don't get that first one.

He also did not give Andre Drummond the quick hook when he probably should have early in the year. I didn't mind it so much in general, but there were times when it seemed to be overdone and certain players who got too much and others none at all. Giffey, however, got reamed when he did nothing at all more than once. He does not need motivating to work harder, he needs to calm down and play looser. Quick hooks don't seem likely to help in that situation.

It will be very interesting to see how Ollie handles things like "to quick hook or not to quick hook." Also, how will he deal with refs who make stupid calls (i.e. calls against our team).

 

[Kitaman]

After surviving Calhoun's loving wrath for two seasons I wouldn't be surprised to see Giff much more confident and explode this season. He may have been one of those players that just didn't get comfortable under Calhoun's quick hook and short leash. I expect to see a new and improved player, unless of course Kevin mimics Calhoun.

 

[blackbird]

Amazing that Giffey feels that way, considering he got more crap from JC than pretty much anyone I've seen.

In fact, Calhoun annoyed me with his treatment at Giffey. His freshman season we were consistently a better team when Giffey was on the floor. And the quick hook really pulled Giffey out of his game.

Good for Giffey for realizing Calhoun's only trying to make him better.

 

[uconnfan68]

Nothing really to do with "putting up with it", JC has always had either his favorites or guys that you couldn't afford to have on the bench for long that were immune to the hook. KEA was one of em.

That's pretty much it... he always had his favorites and they could make a mistake or 2 without finding the bench. Others? Not so much.

 

[Waquoit]

JC has always had either his favorites or guys that you couldn't afford to have on the bench for long that were immune to the hook. KEA was one of em.

And he wouldn't put up with it.

 

[TheChamps990411]

i dont know about you guys but i cant wait for the season to start. so curious to see ko on the sideline. i wonder if he can be fiery when he needs to be. can he get on a ref? can he yell at a kid on the bench?