Mike Anderson - Recruiting, Coaching, Etc.
- Thread starter JohnnyFever
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beast of the east
Active member
Over the years we've had a lot of guys who were good, but could be invisible for long stetches, especially in crunch time. The ability to want the ball, demand the ball, and come through in big moments is what differentiates the best players from the merely good.ctstorm" post=413328 said:
Beast of the East is right on. SJU hasn't had a player who demands or even wants the ball in his hands in crunch time. The players all stand around the three point line at the end of games letting someone else make a move. For the last two seasons it usually ends up with Dunn forcing his way to the rim.
It seems Anderson should devise a play especially at the end of games that the players know just when to start the last play , who has the ball and what are his options.
It seems Anderson should devise a play especially at the end of games that the players know just when to start the last play , who has the ball and what are his options.
You mean other than Dunn last year, Figueroa the year before that, Ponds before him, Lovett before that ...?
I don't disagree that there are guys who want to have the ball in their hands at the end of the game and guys who don't. I also don't disagree that Greg (like Champagnie) plays like a coach's son - he takes his shot when it's there and moves the ball when it isn't - and that Greg would benefit from being more assertive (as I've posted before).
But to say that St John's hasn't had guys who are willing to take the game in their hands at crunch time is amnesia. No question their relative SUCCESS in doing that is a different matter, though.
I don't disagree that there are guys who want to have the ball in their hands at the end of the game and guys who don't. I also don't disagree that Greg (like Champagnie) plays like a coach's son - he takes his shot when it's there and moves the ball when it isn't - and that Greg would benefit from being more assertive (as I've posted before).
But to say that St John's hasn't had guys who are willing to take the game in their hands at crunch time is amnesia. No question their relative SUCCESS in doing that is a different matter, though.
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beast of the east
Active member
Great points, and I love the coache's son analogy. Both WIlliams and Champaignie are effective by playing within themselves and letting the game come to them. I believe Ponds was undone in his final seasons by his frustration with his teammates poor shooting in the 2nd half of the season, and tried to take everything in his own hands ill-advised. If he didn't force it up so damned much, he was definitely the guy you wanted with the ball in his hands.lawmanfan" post=413341 said:
If this year's CMA team had to play Mullin's 4 teams consistently, I think we'd see the following results
Mullin's Year 1 team: loses consistently to our current CMA team
Mullin's Year 2 team: toss up
Mullin's Year 3 team: wins more than loses to current CMA team
Mullin's Year 4 team: wins consistently over current CMA team
Mullin's Year 1 team: loses consistently to our current CMA team
Mullin's Year 2 team: toss up
Mullin's Year 3 team: wins more than loses to current CMA team
Mullin's Year 4 team: wins consistently over current CMA team
I know it's only one (big) win against a middle of the pack(without Bouknight) UCONN team, but I'm starting to feel like this team may just have a bit more potential then I thought. Still think CMA needs to solidify a rotation of players. He pulled out a win with what he did today, and so the end justified the means, but I was once again scratching my head over his substitution patterns and distribution of minutes. It's reminding me a bit of Norm's last year when I felt like he wasn't best utilizing the talent he had on the team. And Lavin proved that to be true. Still think the starting 5 need to be;
Posh
Dunn
Williams
Champ
Roberts
With Wusu, Earl, Cole and Moore as 6-9, in no particular order. Mcgriff and Toro should only be used sparingly. They both try hard, but neither is going to contribute much this year. If CMA can solidify a rotation and stop with the line changes, and if we continue to improve, maybe we can steal a few more unexpected wins along the way and salvage the season.
Posh
Dunn
Williams
Champ
Roberts
With Wusu, Earl, Cole and Moore as 6-9, in no particular order. Mcgriff and Toro should only be used sparingly. They both try hard, but neither is going to contribute much this year. If CMA can solidify a rotation and stop with the line changes, and if we continue to improve, maybe we can steal a few more unexpected wins along the way and salvage the season.
Cma is a good coach. Our main weakness right now is talent and recruiting IMO. UConn fans are railing about how Hurley was outcoached. Anderson has plenty of coaching chops and a great style. I question his ability to bring in big talent more than anything.
beast of the east
Active member
Monte, you win the new BP fan of the week award. Sponsored by BP Gas, the award goes to the most bi-polar fan over the previous week.
Your gushing over this team is a great performance, following your weekend rant of how the team would suck with or without our AD. Truly a double double!
Congratulations! There were mire than 100 close runners from redmen.com, but you pulled out a win.
Just kidding. I dont Want the next award to you be the also new, "I have a mob guy's temper award"
Your gushing over this team is a great performance, following your weekend rant of how the team would suck with or without our AD. Truly a double double!
Congratulations! There were mire than 100 close runners from redmen.com, but you pulled out a win.
Just kidding. I dont Want the next award to you be the also new, "I have a mob guy's temper award"
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otis" post=413864 said:
otis" post=413864 said:
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beast of the east
Active member
I think the word you used over the weekend to evlauate our team was "sucks". You had 14 games to decide "we suck", and that was on the heels of a one possession loss to Marquette, a team projected to finish 5th in conference. Yesterday we won a one possession game. Essentially on the basis of a single play or two, either could have been wins or losses. For a team projected to finish 9th, beating the 23rd ranked team, and losing narrowly to a team that had one of the best incoming recruiting classes in the country, I would say tht was a reasonably good couple of games.. Cragg has little to do with the performance of this years team, except to say he wasinstrumental in bringing CMA here.Monte" post=413868 said:
I'll say this. Since Jack Kaiser retired we have not had a single AD that left here to go to a better athletic program. If MC were to be offered the Duke job, or even if he is considered a serious contender for the job, that puts him miles ahead of anyone else we've had in the position. All the AD can do is put all our teams in the best position to be successful in competition. Hire the right coaches, improve fund raising, and make sure our facilities are rasonable as good as what competing schools are offering.
If you want to hold your ground and say Cragg would be no big loss, that's your prerogative, and we can disagree. But my point is that on Saturday you said we sucked, and on the basis of one close win, are rethinking that. That's all.
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Coaster1955
Member
AlexSTJ" post=413879 said:
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The problem with the progress of the players and the program is that it sometimes feels like the progress is glacial, when we want rocket speed. We're headed in the right direction, but some of us are getting a little long in the tooth. Patience Grasshopper.