Obekpa

Quote from: Tha Kid on April 15, 2014, 04:29:16 PM

Quote from: Marillac on April 15, 2014, 03:46:51 PM

He clearly improved.  That doesn't mean he turned into Wilt Chamberlain.  We were a better team with him on the floor on both ends at the end of the season.

When me and Marillac are constantly agreeing, and Dave, PMG and Baldi are agreeing, you know things are wacky in the Jungle!

I find it hard to believe you guys noticed 0 improvement when the kid scored in double figures 4 out of 5 games in January/February when he had never scored in double figures before at St. John's.  His footwork and touch seemed improved.  Like Marillac said, he wasn't a stud, but he was better than a total non-option for once.  The last 10 games of the season (omitting Providence and NIT where he barely played and was clearly not himself) he averaged nearly 7 ppg and 6 rpg.  If Whitesell had any effect on the guy, and can continue to, I assume you'd all agree that we'd be ecstatic with 7-8 ppg, 6-7 rpg to go with his blocks next year, right?  That's what I envision from Obekpa at a minimum IF he gets his head on straight.  If he doesn't I don't want him around, but have to think he is if he's coming back.  I think he has realistically has the potential for 8-9 ppg, 8-9 rpg and the blocks if he really dedicates himself next year.

I think he is better than given credit but probably not as good as he thinks he is. It is tough being a big man because sometimes you're jostling for position only for a guard to not give you the ball and clank a long jumper. I can see how that would be frustrating.

During that stretch guys were feeding him some more and gaining some confidence in giving him the ball. If he can play like that with just a little more focus on rebounding then wow!

No matter what he has to be more mature. He can't have the D-Lo eye roll if things aren't going his way. Has to figure out a way to overcome and play his game. Jeez I feel like this can be said for every player on this team. So frustrating.

You have to establish the post to be successful.  It's like the running game in football (for Mase and Moose).  You have to go to it early even if it isn't working at first to open things up later in the game.

When the big fella gets position...get him the ball.  60% chance he makes it...good chance he gets fouled...and very good offensive rebounding potential if missed.

I am excited CO is coming back.  If he keeps putting in the work in the weight room, he could really make a big jump. 

Quote from: redstorm212 on April 16, 2014, 12:07:12 PM

No one is saying Lavin is not accountable for the team's struggles. Absolutely no one.

Absolutely no one except the head coach, who accepts no responsibility for anything. Among the excuses he cited this year were his own cancer, 5 deaths related to his student athletes, his father's death, attendance at candle light vigils and open casket funerals, an injury to Obekpa, the Sanchezes having a baby, and his teams reliance on freshmen and underclassmen. Last year we were the youngest team in America and Phil Greene was injured and Harrison rolled his eyes and blah blah blah. It's a shame he failed to heed the words of his alleged mentor and former best man, John Wooden:

“Never make excuses. Your friends don't need them and your foes won't believe them.”
 

That situation doesn't get enough scrutiny around here:  how bloated of an ego do you have to have to make 90-year old John Wooden your best man?        That tells me all I need to know about Steve Lavin.   

Quote from: Foad on April 16, 2014, 12:30:39 PM

Quote from: redstorm212 on April 16, 2014, 12:07:12 PM

No one is saying Lavin is not accountable for the team's struggles. Absolutely no one.

Absolutely no one except the head coach, who accepts no responsibility for anything. Among the excuses he cited this year were his own cancer, 5 deaths related to his student athletes, his father's death, attendance at candle light vigils and open casket funerals, an injury to Obekpa, the Sanchezes having a baby, and his teams reliance on freshmen and underclassmen. Last year we were the youngest team in America and Phil Greene was injured and Harrison rolled his eyes and blah blah blah. It's a shame he failed to heed the words of his alleged mentor and former best man, John Wooden:

“Never make excuses. Your friends don't need them and your foes won't believe them.”
 

That situation doesn't get enough scrutiny around here:  how bloated of an ego do you have to have to make 90-year old John Wooden your best man?        That tells me all I need to know about Steve Lavin.   

If you read the commentary about Lavin by UCLA fans this is the one that seems to stick most in their craws: Lavin was too much the opportunist not to ask Wooden to stand up for him and Wooden was too much the gentleman to refuse.

Quote from: Foad on April 16, 2014, 12:30:39 PM

Quote from: redstorm212 on April 16, 2014, 12:07:12 PM

No one is saying Lavin is not accountable for the team's struggles. Absolutely no one.

Absolutely no one except the head coach, who accepts no responsibility for anything. Among the excuses he cited this year were his own cancer, 5 deaths related to his student athletes, his father's death, attendance at candle light vigils and open casket funerals, an injury to Obekpa, the Sanchezes having a baby, and his teams reliance on freshmen and underclassmen. Last year we were the youngest team in America and Phil Greene was injured and Harrison rolled his eyes and blah blah blah. It's a shame he failed to heed the words of his alleged mentor and former best man, John Wooden:

“Never make excuses. Your friends don't need them and your foes won't believe them.”
 

That situation doesn't get enough scrutiny around here:  how bloated of an ego do you have to have to make 90-year old John Wooden your best man?        That tells me all I need to know about Steve Lavin.   

Was Keady in the wedding party as well? Was the movie LAST VEGAS based on Lavin's bachelor party? So many questions. They should have taped this. Who wouldn't watch Lavin, Wooden and Keady trying to play Black Jack then hitting a strip club?

 Get Him!    I propose hanging the man in effigy outside the Louie Dome next season...

Quote from: Foad on April 16, 2014, 12:30:39 PM

Quote from: redstorm212 on April 16, 2014, 12:07:12 PM

No one is saying Lavin is not accountable for the team's struggles. Absolutely no one.

Absolutely no one except the head coach, who accepts no responsibility for anything. Among the excuses he cited this year were his own cancer, 5 deaths related to his student athletes, his father's death, attendance at candle light vigils and open casket funerals, an injury to Obekpa, the Sanchezes having a baby, and his teams reliance on freshmen and underclassmen. Last year we were the youngest team in America and Phil Greene was injured and Harrison rolled his eyes and blah blah blah. It's a shame he failed to heed the words of his alleged mentor and former best man, John Wooden:

“Never make excuses. Your friends don't need them and your foes won't believe them.”
 

That situation doesn't get enough scrutiny around here:  how bloated of an ego do you have to have to make 90-year old John Wooden your best man?        That tells me all I need to know about Steve Lavin.   

Just like reading continuous post from certain posters tells all I need to know about them

Somehow, the Fire Lavin Freeway merged into the Obekpa Expressway.  All roads lead to the same destination.

Quote from: Dave on April 16, 2014, 02:42:52 AM

Quote from: Tha Kid on April 15, 2014, 04:29:16 PM

Quote from: Marillac on April 15, 2014, 03:46:51 PM

He clearly improved.  That doesn't mean he turned into Wilt Chamberlain.  We were a better team with him on the floor on both ends at the end of the season.

When me and Marillac are constantly agreeing, and Dave, PMG and Baldi are agreeing, you know things are wacky in the Jungle!

I find it hard to believe you guys noticed 0 improvement when the kid scored in double figures 4 out of 5 games in January/February when he had never scored in double figures before at St. John's.  His footwork and touch seemed improved.  Like Marillac said, he wasn't a stud, but he was better than a total non-option for once.  The last 10 games of the season (omitting Providence and NIT where he barely played and was clearly not himself) he averaged nearly 7 ppg and 6 rpg.  If Whitesell had any effect on the guy, and can continue to, I assume you'd all agree that we'd be ecstatic with 7-8 ppg, 6-7 rpg to go with his blocks next year, right?  That's what I envision from Obekpa at a minimum IF he gets his head on straight.  If he doesn't I don't want him around, but have to think he is if he's coming back.  I think he has realistically has the potential for 8-9 ppg, 8-9 rpg and the blocks if he really dedicates himself next year.

I think he is better than given credit but probably not as good as he thinks he is. It is tough being a big man because sometimes you're jostling for position only for a guard to not give you the ball and clank a long jumper. I can see how that would be frustrating.

During that stretch guys were feeding him some more and gaining some confidence in giving him the ball. If he can play like that with just a little more focus on rebounding then wow!

No matter what he has to be more mature. He can't have the D-Lo eye roll if things aren't going his way. Has to figure out a way to overcome and play his game. Jeez I feel like this can be said for every player on this team. So frustrating.

You have to establish the post to be successful.  It's like the running game in football (for Mase and Moose).  You have to go to it early even if it isn't working at first to open things up later in the game.

When the big fella gets position...get him the ball.  60% chance he makes it...good chance he gets fouled...and very good offensive rebounding potential if missed.

I am excited CO is coming back.  If he keeps putting in the work in the weight room, he could really make a big jump.

CO needs to put work in the footwork around the basket for seal off and power step moves in the low post (the ball gets taken away far too much once he puts it on the floor), and footwork for getting into betting position to rebound.  But yes, weight room and footwork/agility can go a long way towards unlocking untapped potential.

Quote from: RedVet on April 15, 2014, 11:23:13 PM

I don't recall Lavin ever "blaming his professional failures" on his prostate cancer. Perhaps you give us a quote or two.

I'd be happy to supply you with an example - although if you haven't heard Lavin's prostate being batted around you haven't been paying attention. Until poor Cap snuffed it it was all anyone talked about:

Steve Lavin spent much of a March 2014 appearance on the FAN with Fat Mike Francesa campaigning - begging really, it was quite unseemly - for an NCAA berth. Toward the end of the interview, around the 13 minute mark, in discussing the program's progress  (try saying that three times fast, it's impossible) during his tenure, Coach Tesla noted that SJU has made the post season in 3 of the 4 years since he'd been named head coach, "and the one year we didn't make it, I was out with cancer."

(That splat you just heard was Mike Dunlap being run over by a bus.)

Thus did Steve Lavin blame a professional failure on his prostate cancer.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/?podcast_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.podtrac.com%2Fpts%2Fredirect.mp3%2Fnyc.podcast.play.it%2Fmedia%2Fd0%2Fd0%2Fd1%2Fd4%2FdU%2FdT%2Fd0%2F14UT0_3.MP3%3Fauthtok%3D5562348664789625599_YVmBkpFlgNlVoECBpEfC0jUrm4&podcast_name=Mike+Francesa+with+Steve+Lavin&podcast_artist=Mike+Francesa&station_id=62&tag=pages&dcid=CBS.NY

Let me make a prediction: you're going to argue that that quote does not mean what it says because blah blah blah in context he meant yadda yadda yadda according to White and Strunk blah blah blah Chicago Manual of Style etcetera etcetera etcetera. Let me make a further prediction: I will not answer because I don't care. Having proved my case beyond a reasonable doubt I retire ...

Proved your case beyond a reasonable doubt? Far from it. The man said the one year the team didn't make post-season play at St. John's, he had prostate cancer. A simple statement of fact, no more, no less. If that bothered you, fine. But nowhere did I hear him "blaming his professional failures [plural]" on his cancer. In a prior post, you even retracted your initial comment, saying "First off, I wasn't even referring to his cancer." And now you went back to making it. In closing -- and I, like you, am not interested in pursuing this topic -- your "funny" crack about a man's battle with cancer was tasteless and you should be man enough to admit that you overreached with it. Instead you come back with the "aren't-I-clever" Humpty Dumpty blah blah blah, which I mercifully deleted.

Quote from: Foad on April 16, 2014, 12:30:39 PM

Quote from: redstorm212 on April 16, 2014, 12:07:12 PM

No one is saying Lavin is not accountable for the team's struggles. Absolutely no one.

Absolutely no one except the head coach, who accepts no responsibility for anything. Among the excuses he cited this year were his own cancer, 5 deaths related to his student athletes, his father's death, attendance at candle light vigils and open casket funerals, an injury to Obekpa, the Sanchezes having a baby, and his teams reliance on freshmen and underclassmen. Last year we were the youngest team in America and Phil Greene was injured and Harrison rolled his eyes and blah blah blah. It's a shame he failed to heed the words of his alleged mentor and former best man, John Wooden:

“Never make excuses. Your friends don't need them and your foes won't believe them.”
 

That situation doesn't get enough scrutiny around here:  how bloated of an ego do you have to have to make 90-year old John Wooden your best man?        That tells me all I need to know about Steve Lavin.   

Desco, you're just a frustrated admitted hater of Lavin.  It must be a let down that he's still here.

Quote from: desco80 on April 16, 2014, 12:37:58 PM

Quote from: Foad on April 16, 2014, 12:30:39 PM

Quote from: redstorm212 on April 16, 2014, 12:07:12 PM

No one is saying Lavin is not accountable for the team's struggles. Absolutely no one.

Absolutely no one except the head coach, who accepts no responsibility for anything. Among the excuses he cited this year were his own cancer, 5 deaths related to his student athletes, his father's death, attendance at candle light vigils and open casket funerals, an injury to Obekpa, the Sanchezes having a baby, and his teams reliance on freshmen and underclassmen. Last year we were the youngest team in America and Phil Greene was injured and Harrison rolled his eyes and blah blah blah. It's a shame he failed to heed the words of his alleged mentor and former best man, John Wooden:

“Never make excuses. Your friends don't need them and your foes won't believe them.”
 

That situation doesn't get enough scrutiny around here:  how bloated of an ego do you have to have to make 90-year old John Wooden your best man?        That tells me all I need to know about Steve Lavin.   

If you read the commentary about Lavin by UCLA fans this is the one that seems to stick most in their craws: Lavin was too much the opportunist not to ask Wooden to stand up for him and Wooden was too much the gentleman to refuse.

Good - nothing wrong about sticking something in the craw of UCLA fans. 

In a prior post, you even retracted your initial comment, saying "First off, I wasn't even referring to his cancer." And now you went back to making it.

I interrupt your learned semantic discourse only to point out that I didn't say what you have quoted above, that was poster Desco. Don't be discouraged though, following conversations can be hard. You'll get the hang of it someday. Now that we've straightened that out please continue explaining to me what words mean, because I'm rapt.

If Lavin made the tournament last year would Wooden be his best man be such a big deal? If Lavin was more successful at UCLA have spun the that Wooden being the best man shows how close the basketball program really is?

Is Lavin full of himself, yes (like most coaches are) is he an opportunistic, I would say yes (again, like most coaches are) If it is true that Lavin only chose Wooden to be his best man for better career advancement, it certainly blew up in his face....

The stuff that he says is annoying, especially when the team under achieves, but his comments are not as bad when Boheim attacked potential victims while an investigation was going on...

If Lavin starts winning all his personality quirks will not be as annoying as they are now...

If Lavin made the tournament last year would Wooden be his best man be such a big deal? If Lavin was more successful at UCLA have spun the that Wooden being the best man shows how close the basketball program really is?

Is Lavin full of himself, yes (like most coaches are) is he an opportunistic, I would say yes (again, like most coaches are) If it is true that Lavin only chose Wooden to be his best man for better career advancement, it certainly blew up in his face....

The stuff that he says is annoying, especially when the team under achieves, but his comments are not as bad when Boheim attacked potential victims while an investigation was going on...

If Lavin starts winning all his personality quirks will not be as annoying as they are now...

I agree. Lavin is under the microscope now that he's clearly underachieved. Some of the reasons why, such as cancer and player injuries are out of his control. Some like to hide behind a message board and make this far personal than it should be.

He did a bad job organizing his team. He wasn't ready to set a rotation until the team was already in an 0-5 hole. His game coaching, without Dunlap to do the job he should have always been able to do was incredibly inconsistent, and in many ways, childish and without direction.

Let's blame him for a lousy job on the floor. His f'n wedding, and IDK, maybe his cancer too, should be off limits. And to those who think the players should be blamed for the way the season ended, you're not wrong. Guys like Sampson, Harrison, Greene, Obekpa and Pointer have enough experience that they should have been ready for Providence, but they weren't. Thing is, they are amateurs. And Lavin is the pro making over a million dollars a year. So, fair or not, he gets the blame, and he should man up, and take responsibility for his faults. At the very least, it would help make his Twitter BS feel less like BS.

In the last month, Lavin and Fratto have been incredibly quiet. It wouldn't be as necessary to go into hiding if they Tweeted less, and stopped pumping up average players like they were Baron Davis and Jason Kapono. Now, we've got a clueless Jakarr Sampson who actually thinks he's good enough to play in the league.

I am looking forward to Baldi claiming he was in the room on Lavin's wedding night and we will get a first hand critique of Lavin's performance in the sack.

Some like to hide behind a message board and make this far personal than it should be

[...]

Let's blame him for a lousy job on the floor. His f'n wedding, and IDK, maybe his cancer too, should be off limits.

As long as you're suggesting setting the boundaries of polite discourse, should it be off limits for you to call the players "pussies"?  When you do that in this forum are you hiding behind a message board and making it more personal than it should be? Or can we assume that you've told Jakarr Sampson to his face that you find him effeminate.

Quote from: Poison on April 17, 2014, 10:53:16 AM

Some like to hide behind a message board and make this far personal than it should be

[...]

Let's blame him for a lousy job on the floor. His f'n wedding, and IDK, maybe his cancer too, should be off limits.

As long as you're suggesting setting the boundaries of polite discourse, should it be off limits for you to call the players "pussies"?  When you do that in this forum are you hiding behind a message board and making it more personal than it should be? Or can we assume that you've told Jakarr Sampson to his face that you find him effeminate.

Did anyone ever wonder what the origin of vagina being a put down is? I mean why should that be a diss? It is most guys favorite thing in the world. Like if some one called you a beer or a steak would you be insulted?

Quote from: Poison on April 17, 2014, 10:53:16 AM

Some like to hide behind a message board and make this far personal than it should be

[...]

Let's blame him for a lousy job on the floor. His f'n wedding, and IDK, maybe his cancer too, should be off limits.

As long as you're suggesting setting the boundaries of polite discourse, should it be off limits for you to call the players "pussies"?  When you do that in this forum are you hiding behind a message board and making it more personal than it should be? Or can we assume that you've told Jakarr Sampson to his face that you find him effeminate.

Calling a player a pussy or soft, as I have done repeatedly, isn't very nice. Noted, Foad. With some time in the weight room, and the gym, Sampson might have developed into a player that doesn't actively avoid contact.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't find your cancer "humor" to be very funny. If other people do, please speak up, and I'll happily give you all the credit for your insight and comedy that you are clearly looking for.

Deal?

This has been a fun offseason so far. And to think it just started!

God, I love message boards!

Maybe it's just me, but I don't find your cancer "humor" to be very funny. If other people do, please speak up, and I'll happily give you all the credit for your insight and comedy that you are clearly looking for. Deal?

You overestimate slightly my interest in obtaining your approval: it's closer to zero than what you suppose. My interest here consists entirely of casting my little spoofs and monkeyshines upon the waters; if they make it up the flag pole and whether they hunt or not is less of a concern.  I take joy in having written them, not in having them read. By the time most of them are out of my mouth I've already forgotten what I said.

Admittedly I'm not a delicate sort, as evidently are you. I'd never have guessed. If you find my words offensive should perhaps you butch up a bit? Act more manly and so on, as you so often exhort others to. These are after all just words. Failing that by all means continue to use me as the people of Salem used witches: as an exemplar by which to measure your own goodness.