UConn Post Game Discussion

My patience is wearing thin.  This team has loads of potential but for whatever reason can't ever get consistent play from everyone.  We have 10 guys that can contribute but that doesn't mean we need to sub 5 for 5.  It also doesn't mean that everyone needs to get burn.  First, Boothe is terrible.  No one will convince me differently.  He absolutely got worked by Kemba tonight.  He brings zero offense and not much on the defense seeing he gets blown by 50% of the time.  Second, Sean Evans should be benched until he decides to pull his head out of his ass.  He is bringing nothing right now.  Okay he pulls down a couple rebounds but the rest of the time he is getting in the way or taking horrible shots.  Third, we need to run an offense that doesn't consist of shit screens with guys not rolling to the basket hard and the man with the ball dribbling with his head down.  It looks pitiful and my old high school could run a 10 times better offense.  Fourth, Boothe, Coker and Evans should never be on the court together.  We have too many offensive weapons to have that anti-offense threesome on the court together.  Fifth, can we hire an offensive coach that can draw up and out of bounds play that actually works? Wow i have so many more points I could make but I have already wasted too much of my time on this disgrace of a team.  I don't blame it on the players they play hard and for once we have some talent that could compete in the Big East.  So to end this rant: Norm Roberts should be fired, one would think after 6 years of this crap would be enough.  Anyone else agree?

I bet Depaul beats us in Chicago.

9 turnovers was good.

11% from 3 was not.

Norm stopped what would have been our only uncontested breakout basket with an ill-timed timout.

Evans has learned his lesson and is no longer going coast to coast but had a guard moment when he went with the behind the back dribble which confused him into throwing it to the other team for an easy dunk.

Early on when Ucan't couldn't buy a bucket they went 5 for 5 from the line to keep them in it.  We would have gone 1 for 5 and lost contact.

There top 3 were better than our top 12.

There shot blocking doesn't seem to miss Thabeet all that much.

Tighter rotation tonight.  Don't know why JB2 was odd man out with 5 boards in 11 minutes.

How I fu**ing hate that team.

I was at the game tonight and just got back.  I actually think the environment there was terrible.  UConn fans sit on their hands pretty much the entire game. 

I don't understand why Brownlee was out either.  We didn't contest enough of their jump shots.  Many, many uncontested looks.  Also, we tended to swipe at the ball when UConn would grab a defensive rebound, and that led to some fast break opportunities.  Just really dumb play. 

We also had bad shot selection.  I don't understand why Norm left Malik Boothe on the floor after he got his 4th foul with about 7 minutes to play.  Malik played nervous defensively because of the foul trouble, and Kemba absolutely WORKED him.

The game was never in doubt in the second half against a mediocre UConn team.  Very, very disappointing.  I've had enough of the moral victories.  We need victories, and we were farrrrrr from one tonight.

  I don't understand why Norm left Malik Boothe on the floor after he got his 4th foul with about 7 minutes to play.  Malik played nervous defensively because of the foul trouble, and Kemba absolutely WORKED him.

Norm was secretley hoping he would foul out so he wouldnt have to take him out. It is obvious he doesnt have the guts to bench the guy who he has told us is the floor general. Everyone can see by now that all boothe brings to the table is missed jumpers and matador defense.

the bottom line is their players are much better than ours.  someone has to start recruiting studs who can carry the team.

norm just isn't that guy.

UCOnn was hitting everything they threw at the basket, no matter how good we played we werent winning this game. How many 2 on 1,3 on 1 fast breaks  did they have?

We can't run the break, but Norm seems to think we need get out in transition to score. Wrong.

Anyone watch Horne throw it down court to Boothe in the first few minutes?

Boothe was rejected by Oriahki.

Typical.  Solid first half, halftime adjustments are made (or not made), game over.  This has been a predictable pattern in the Norm Roberts Error and in year 6 this should be the nail in the coffin.

Team looked disorganized, players were doing things they should be coached not to (like boothe shooting pull up js), etc.

Norm is a horrible horrible coach and I pray these kids get a chance in their senior year under someone better.

I disagree w some posters that this team isn't talented enough to beat this uconn team. Our guys try hard and their disorganization and mental lapses are a reflection on the coach, not them.  For Norm to win, he'd need studs.  But all these players need is a DECENT coach who is good at xs and os and I think you could be loooking at a tourney bubble team. These kids have won despite norm.

If we enter february like we all think we will, johnnyjungle fans need to organize and let our message be heard.  These rising juniors deserve a new coach for their senior season.

And so do we.

Quote from: TONYD3 on January 20, 2010, 09:56:57 PM

Quote from: Dave on January 20, 2010, 09:16:08 PM

Quote from: Poison on January 20, 2010, 09:09:49 PM

Fire Roberts.

Come on talk about the game. If there is something you didn't like that Norm did (or failed to do) this game then talk about it.

I am sorry Dave. I am tired of losing. I am tired of not being competitive. I am tired of reading the Post and Daily News and reading about Jim Calhoun being sick, and nothing about our team. I want to believe but this coaching staff gives us nothing. Lost again not even a game. Great game DJ. Dele played well early. not enough minutes for  Hardy. Burell once again not enough chances. Very disappointing.

Oh you can be all that. I just want you to talk about it in fuller detail. More or less why do you feel that way. What in the game indicates all this to you. I just don't want the board filling up with a bunch of idiots saying "fire norm" and nothing else because that accomplishes and establishes nothing.

Dave, with all due respect, what else is there to talk about anymore?  Sure, we can break down the game and talk about certain strategies and substitution patterns.  But at the end of the day, the team still lost by 16 to UConn.  We're in year six of the Norm regime and we still cannot compete with any competitive Big East program.  They have upcoming games against Villanova and Pitt, which we all know are going to be ugly to watch.  As posters have repeatedly said, our talent does not measure up to the talent on some of these other teams.  And our coaching talent (from Norm down to his assistants) does not even come remotely close to others within the conference.

Until change is made, we are going to continue to be bottom dwellers in this conference.

Dave, you saw the game. There were no good signs. What else is there to talk about? We are a badly coached team.

It might do us all justice to spend the next two months thinking of a way to get Norm fired. Can we send a stripper to his hotel
room in Pittsburgh? I'd chip in.

Exactly, Poison....  No offense to Dave, as he's done a good job with this site (I really like the recruiting section) and all....  But, on the other hand....  These post game discussions are basically a waste. 

Go back 3 years ago and come up to the current status and you'll think it's Groundhog Day all over again.  It's not gonna change unless Norm gets the Cleveland Cavs team posing as the Johnnies.  Heck!  I still won't be so sure whether he could win with that team. 

He's just awful, as a coach.  We need to put all of our energy into trying to rid him of being the coach at St. John's.  This season will be over in a couple of weeks....  Take it to the bank.

For any of you who continue to watch this jive....  You must love watching train wrecks.  Or, just gluttons for punishment.  LOL 

I'm done for this season, as far as watching games.  And, will be done for good, if the W.C.E. is brought back.

Let's try to get rid of him, as Poison mentioned.

Ok, a few points -

I think the team didn't play horribly for what they are.  I think St. John's really needed to hit some shots from the outside to make this a close game, because U Conn always goes on a run, and against St. John's, they just go on these crushing runs and St. John's responds badly.  Been that way for, what, like 10 years?  Even when St. John's would win against them back in '02.

There were good signs in the first half.  Some decent basketball.  Dele Coker was solid in the first half - inspired play by him.  Justin and Mase were aggressive.  Justin was aggressive and whipped out the jump shot everyone wanted to see... but it didn't fall.  Mase was decent and I like his defense; I don't know that he actually took too many shots, esp since he was deferring to others in the first half.  I think he took a lot of late game shots.

The team didn't hold it together for the last 12-14 minutes of the game.  But they have to balance crazy scrappy energy with much smarter play to come back on a team like that.

I saw a lot of jump shots with players moving forward as they shot; that messes up accuracy.  And you have to admire the team working to get the ball into the lane against the shot blockers, but the shot blockers are better than St. John's shot makers.

I didn't think the team could really contain Kemba and Dyson, and they didn't.  They shot 15-26 combined.  Robinson had a good game... because he had a number of finishes on fast breaks.  Add him to the above two and the three of them shot 22-35.  So St. John's didn't stop their main players.

At the end of the day, U Conn - yes, like a lot of other Big East teams in the league - is just more talented.  The best way to make up talent disparity is with really crisp play and outside shooting for those points in the game where your team is overwhelmed by their size/ skill (or by generating turnovers, but this team hasn't been doing that), and St. John's didn't have that tonight.

So, what is it, Peter?  Either, we're not talented enough....  Or, not coached properly?  Personally, I think it's partly the former and a whole lot of the latter.

I think it's a load of BS to say we're not talented enough.  We have 10+ able bodies.  Sure we dont have a stud, but with the right coach, I wholeheartedly believe this team would be doing some things, just like upperclassmen-laden mid-majors do...except we have WAY more talent than those teams often do!

There is no excuse for a team of 9 juniors in the BE to not be better.  It's not the talent.  Say it all together now, "It's the Coaching, Stupid!"

Uconn scores on easy baskets and we don't because we do not run plays.

My patience is wearing thin.  This team has loads of potential but for whatever reason can't ever get consistent play from everyone.  We have 10 guys that can contribute but that doesn't mean we need to sub 5 for 5.  It also doesn't mean that everyone needs to get burn.  First, Boothe is terrible.  No one will convince me differently.  He absolutely got worked by Kemba tonight.  He brings zero offense and not much on the defense seeing he gets blown by 50% of the time.  Second, Sean Evans should be benched until he decides to pull his head out of his ass.  He is bringing nothing right now.  Okay he pulls down a couple rebounds but the rest of the time he is getting in the way or taking horrible shots.  Third, we need to run an offense that doesn't consist of shit screens with guys not rolling to the basket hard and the man with the ball dribbling with his head down.  It looks pitiful and my old high school could run a 10 times better offense.  Fourth, Boothe, Coker and Evans should never be on the court together.  We have too many offensive weapons to have that anti-offense threesome on the court together.  Fifth, can we hire an offensive coach that can draw up and out of bounds play that actually works? Wow i have so many more points I could make but I have already wasted too much of my time on this disgrace of a team.  I don't blame it on the players they play hard and for once we have some talent that could compete in the Big East.  So to end this rant: Norm Roberts should be fired, one would think after 6 years of this crap would be enough.  Anyone else agree?

Your patience is just getting to the "wearing thin" point, eh?  Continue to watch these games and your patience will go overboard....  Like mine. 

1) I've been saying Boothe couldn't cut it in this conference since his freshmen season.  I bet COACH wished he had secured Armstead's services now.  Boothe wouldn't see the court with the majority of the teams in the conference.

2) Sean Evans....  He plays too wild and out of control.  I haven't seen a game since the Providence debacle.  Does Evans still think he's Magic Johnson and Penny Hardaway?  He would either see very limited minutes or be glued to the bench of most conference teams.

3) Do not worry about seeing anything of semblance when it comes with this coach.  If, you do....  It's basically attributed to luck moreso than skill.  Cover your eyes and hide the women and children when watching his coaching.

4) I agree!  But, you have to remember who is coaching them.

5) Hire an offensive coach?  Sure....  But, we need to get rid of the head coach first then I'll be fine with hiring an offensive and defensive coach....  And, I hope he's a heckuva recruiter and talent evaluator, as well. 

I think it's a load of BS to say we're not talented enough.  We have 10+ able bodies.  Sure we dont have a stud, but with the right coach, I wholeheartedly believe this team would be doing some things, just like upperclassmen-laden mid-majors do...except we have WAY more talent than those teams often do!

There is no excuse for a team of 9 juniors in the BE to not be better.  It's not the talent.  Say it all together now, "It's the Coaching, Stupid!"

I do not think we're basement-bottom talent wise.  I also do not think we have upper-echelon talent, either.  I think we have ok-to-decent talent.  That's about it. 

But, we have RIDICULOUS coaching.  So, what you're gonna get is mediocre-to-bad results.

So, what is it, Peter?  Either, we're not talented enough....  Or, not coached properly?  Personally, I think it's partly the former and a whole lot of the latter.

In truth, you are right - it's a combination of both.  I think Norm could win some games with a lot more talent (and a point guard who could shoot).  I don't think they were unprepared, exactly; they played a solid first half, though Boothe should know better than to take jumpers.  I think our guards need to be more talented to contain their guards with the way the team plays. 

Two things that really lost the game: confidence and not getting the hand up on defense.  In the second half, the Huskies got comfortable shooting on the outside.  At least hit one of those poor-shooting free throw guys.  Let them know you'll be coming.  BAD JOB from the players, and the coaches should have let them know that after they let a three fly by without a hand up.

As for confidence, when U Conn started making a run, the guys just tried stupid drives, looking for foul calls.  I like aggressive plays, but they needed to slow it down.  And someone mentioned the reaching (I think it was Theo) on defense - that was fundamentally poor ball, and it's because they lost their heads.  That's on the players, but a reflection of the coaching staff, for sure.  That reaching - and having 4-5 guys reach for offensive boards like they have no system for determining who stays back - really let the game get out of control.  Conn could have gone cold.  It could have been a closer game.

And you guys know why Brownlee rode pine?  Watch his defense, I think middle of the second half, against... Dyson?  One of the U Conn player stroked a pair of threes from the same area.  He was the closest defender and didn't even get his damn hand up.

Last nights game turned at the 6:52 mark in the 1st half.

We had moved to a 6 point lead at 21-15. Out of the time out we play 34 seconds of great D and Kemba hits a lucky double pomp jump shot. DJ turns the ball over on a dumb pass for a break away lay up by Kemba. We then run the offense again only to get a bad last second shot by Boothe. UConn get a dips do reverse layup by their Center who has scored 4 point in the last 3 games. 21 to 21.

We had UConn down and doubting themselves and we let let get confidence.

The 2 3's by Dyson at the end of the half when Norm decided to play zone hurt us. Brownlee was very lacks on getting out on Dyson 2x in a row.

2nd half UConn just made shots when we did not. Give them credit.

In everyone of our loss we had an opportunity with the lead to step on our opponents throat and did not do it.

Quote from: Dave on January 20, 2010, 10:07:50 PM

Quote from: TONYD3 on January 20, 2010, 09:56:57 PM

Quote from: Dave on January 20, 2010, 09:16:08 PM

Quote from: Poison on January 20, 2010, 09:09:49 PM

Fire Roberts.

Come on talk about the game. If there is something you didn't like that Norm did (or failed to do) this game then talk about it.

I am sorry Dave. I am tired of losing. I am tired of not being competitive. I am tired of reading the Post and Daily News and reading about Jim Calhoun being sick, and nothing about our team. I want to believe but this coaching staff gives us nothing. Lost again not even a game. Great game DJ. Dele played well early. not enough minutes for  Hardy. Burell once again not enough chances. Very disappointing.

Oh you can be all that. I just want you to talk about it in fuller detail. More or less why do you feel that way. What in the game indicates all this to you. I just don't want the board filling up with a bunch of idiots saying "fire norm" and nothing else because that accomplishes and establishes nothing.

Dave, with all due respect, what else is there to talk about anymore?  Sure, we can break down the game and talk about certain strategies and substitution patterns.  But at the end of the day, the team still lost by 16 to UConn.  We're in year six of the Norm regime and we still cannot compete with any competitive Big East program.  They have upcoming games against Villanova and Pitt, which we all know are going to be ugly to watch.  As posters have repeatedly said, our talent does not measure up to the talent on some of these other teams.  And our coaching talent (from Norm down to his assistants) does not even come remotely close to others within the conference.

Until change is made, we are going to continue to be bottom dwellers in this conference.

I don't want the board filling up with nonsense posts like "FIRE NORM" if you disagree with something he did then say that as the reason he should be fired. I want intelligent conversation.

This post below is the discussion I'm looking for in the post game discussion....

Last nights game turned at the 6:52 mark in the 1st half.

We had moved to a 6 point lead at 21-15. Out of the time out we play 34 seconds of great D and Kemba hits a lucky double pomp jump shot. DJ turns the ball over on a dumb pass for a break away lay up by Kemba. We then run the offense again only to get a bad last second shot by Boothe. UConn get a dips do reverse layup by their Center who has scored 4 point in the last 3 games. 21 to 21.

We had UConn down and doubting themselves and we let let get confidence.

The 2 3's by Dyson at the end of the half when Norm decided to play zone hurt us. Brownlee was very lacks on getting out on Dyson 2x in a row.

2nd half UConn just made shots when we did not. Give them credit.

In everyone of our loss we had an opportunity with the lead to step on our opponents throat and did not do it.

He states specific times and plays that occurred in the game and I agree with him that was a huge turning point in the first half. We had them on the ropes and then we let them get comfortable. I didn't mind playing zone except it doesn't look like we practice zone ever. If we ran a tighter zone then I wouldn't be opposed to it but we got worked over anytime we've been in zone this season.

I want intelligent conversation.

You're in the wrong place my friend.  May I suggest you try the book club at your local library?