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VinyVango

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Posts posted by VinyVango

  1. I think the difference the past few games has been Coleman starting to find a consistency groove and reducing some of DO and Roach's time on the floor to keep them fresh, hungry, motivated, etc...  Fewer stupid 3's from DO and Roach has also been a big key.  When Coleman, DO, AND Roach were all wallowing, we sucked.  We can still win when two of those three are mentally checked out since Febres, Ramey, Long and Hamm seem to be playing fairly well. 

    The injury to Simms is a non-factor since he hasn't really produced boards or points all year. 

    I wish someone could coach up Hepa a bit more and remind him know how tall he is so he might attempt a few more options on offense and improve his positioning on defense.  He's seemed on the decline a bit, but still seems positive and energetic.  I hate to see him waste away into a one-trick, predictable 3-point shooting pony.

    Things look a lot better than they did a couple weeks ago.  A win in a trap game in Stillwater where Okie Lite has owned us with even inferior talent (on paper) moreso than not would be a good sign.

    I agree we need our guards to ratchet up the three point defense a notch or two in this one.

  2. 2 minutes ago, Neonmoon said:

    Is Leitao not an option? I remember 9.95rs hailing him as early contributor, but haven’t seen his name called yet

    I believe he's definitely in the mix for next year (his sophomore campaign).  We'll know by about mid season if he's ready to share time / compete with Cade Brewer.  I think the incoming freshmen TEs are all going to need a redshirt year, but if we see one of them getting snaps over Leitao and him getting no play as a situational blocker, I think that's the beginning of his end here and likely he ends up transferring in today's environment.

  3. 10 hours ago, Goo Punch said:

    I am extremely interested in finding out what Kerwin Roach has done to go from UNC hero All American badass to whipping boy in six weeks. One of the more strange developments of my lifetime following the program. Justin Mason wore down over time, but this is our best, most senior player who came into the season hoping to be an All Conference player and NBA draft pick, and by all accounts he's a good kid who doesn't have a ton of baggage or work ethic issues. For him to go from hero to doghouse so fast is very strange. Particularly since Shaka doesn't really have any history of putting anybody in the doghouse once he's established his place in the team. 

    I have admittedly scratched my head over Shaka's player rotations a lot, but Roach has earned some bench / dog-house time this year with his inconsistent focus and attitude and bouts of poor shot selection, poor leadership, moping on the court when even the slightest thing doesn't go his way, and lapses into junior high level court awareness.  That said, when he comes on and is ready to D up and drive the paint, he's a great asset, and I am cool with him taking 3-5 three point shots a game.  He needs to act like a senior and remember his value and strengths.  When he does that, there's no logical excuse for the "setting and example" benching, aside from Shake trying some Readers Digest psychology or wanting to groom his young guys. 

    • Like 3
  4. I'd start Ramey, Long, Febres, DO, and Hayes. 

    Sub Coleman and Roach in liberally for Ramey, Long and Febres and go with the three of that group who are playing best after the half.

    Give DO, Hepa, and Hamm as close to equal time in the first half and slant 2nd half playing time based on 1st half performance.

    If Simms plays poorly when he comes in to spell Hayes, use DO and/or Hamm as the backup Center and let Hepa get more run at Forward. 

    Throw Liddell in the mix too if Febres, Roach, Hepa and DO are not getting it done.

    Since there has been little consistency in performance from game to game (save maybe Hayes), I think you have to start the 5 guys who played best the previous game for the next several games until someone earns a permanent spot in the rotation.  Starting Coleman, Roach, Febres, DO and Simms multiple games with certainly hasn't shown any point differential, chemistry, iq or passion benefits...  So, time to open the depth chart up (as should have been done after the first lackluster performance) on a game to game basis for a while.

     

  5. So Sims sat the entire second half. Roach looked perfectly capable of playing. Hamm doesn't play all year except a few minutes of garbage time, then gets 14 minutes against Providence. Is Brock Cunningham gonna start the next game and play 33 minutes? 

    Hamm played well... probably the third best horn on the court after Hayes and Ramey


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  6. The interior artwork reeks of poor perspective and poor lighting.  Who ever decided that image was the one to "sell" the setup needs to get into a real arena and see a game or two.  Way too flattened out... 20 rows up looks like it puts you in 60 yards away... It's really hard to tell what I'm looking at.  It's definitely not a huge "wow" compared to the FEC setup and absolutely not an intimate vibe like Kansas, Duke, Indiana, etc...  I guess they are shooting for something like Rupp Arena?... but that's a stretch.

  7. I liked Roach coming off the bench vs. GC.  And Long played well starting.

    Ramey is really starting to give Coleman a run for minutes... as Hayes has already done to Sims.  I like the competition and the fact that Shaka didn't hesitate to play Ramey and Hayes good minutes.

    DO plays much better in the 4th or 5th option, outside the spotlight, role.

    I think Hamm should get a few mins more the next couple games to see if he is a viable sub option, as Hepa is a currently liability on the boards and defense.

    Hepa, bless his heart, needs to add 2nd layer to what he's doing.  I like him and his enthusiasm, and he has shown he can shoot an open three.  But, he is very poor on defense and plays like he is about 6'2" in the paint on offense and defense.  I'd like to see Shaka run a few plays (if they exist) to get Hepa a couple inside looks on pick and rolls or off ball screens since everyone is overplaying him at the 3 point line now.  He's still just a freshman.... patience.

    • Like 1
  8. It was kind of sickening to hear the announcers pumping up the should be drafted this year hype for Hayes.  I am really hoping he'll be here at least 3 years and dominate, but I don't blame him jumping if the $ is on the table.

    Is Hamm still dinged up a bit?... or, has the decision been made he doesn't deserve as look in live action and needs to transfer or red-shirt?

  9. Roach has been an example of poor fundamentals throughout the season so far.  Out of control shots... dribbling into double teams without even looking in the direction of the open teammate… releasing the ball on the way down... standing around on offense at the 3-point line... etc... 

    His previous calling card, good defense, has even slipped a few notches this year.  Even if he's a sensitive type that has needed a lot of coddling over his career, he's a senior now and it's time to give him and DO a stern earful to clean up the stupid and timid play.  We have young guys that will play with passion... Give them a shot and see if they can take smart shots and turn it over less. 

  10. That last game was as painful as watching those Duke beatdowns in the past... and we lost by just 1 point!  So many sloppy turnovers.  So much panick and confusion (from the top down). 

    On a positive, Hayes is playing well.  Sims and Febres have shown some positive things.

    Ramey started the loose and playing well and now seems to be confused.

    Hepa is promising.  Good energy and outside shot.  Poor defender...really bad lateral movement and interior defense.  He needs to add a 2nd play to his offense so he's not so easy to defend/predict.  Pump and drive the lane... or roll hard to the basket every once in awhile after a screen.

    DO is infuriating at times (more oft than not).  He can do some garbage work on both ends, but the offense should not run through him.  He needs less minutes and a very limited stand around and shoot long shots allowance. 

    Roach needs to get back to driving the lane.  His game sense slips to junior high level for large chunks of each game.  He's not Steph Curry.  He's bad running the point.  He's an off ball guard.  His game is flying up and down the court, but when he gets the ball he slows things down and seems totally lost.  When he starts standing around and settling for the long three, we are sunk.

    Roach and DO just aren't giving off the right energy or showing any leadership.  They have their tails between their legs and heads down when they should be encouraging the younger guys.  There is no confident, reliable, experienced presence on this team.  There is not guy you can rely upon to not turn the ball over and get a decent look and/or draw a foul in a tight situation.

    Sadly, some of these earlier games were missed opportunities to see what Hamm and Liddell could offer, and really work on driving the lane and feeding the ball inside.  Instead, everyone except the Center was allowed to stand around outside and jack up 3 pointers at an alarming rather.  As Derka noted, it's sheer insanity to stress and/or allow the shooting of so many first option threes as part of the game plan when we shoot them so poorly.

    We have no idea what to do on offense aside from the first option of a big setting a screen while everyone waits to shoot the 3.  There needs to be a lot of off ball movement and screening.  In the very least, that makes the opposition spend a little energy defending.

    One of our staff needs to step up and instruct the players what to do when the opponent is aggressively over-hedging on our screens.  I hate seeing our screeners just standing at the 3 point line by the hedging defender and the ballhandler fighting backwards just to run the same damn thing over again.  Offensive schemes are drawn up with several options.  It seems like ours all include just one option and if that doesn't work, we run that same 1 option play over again before doing some panicked ad-lib Roach heave.

    Every position is up for grabs essentially and minutes and the privilege of getting to start need to be earned at this point.  I think Hayes plays with the right fire in his belly.  Hepa tries.  Sims is coming on.  Coleman is showing a glimpse, but needs to get out of his slump. 

    This team probably has < 5 sure wins left on the schedule and every other game is a coin flip at best.  Our home court is not exactly being defended and doesn't provide any advantage.

    I have a bad feeling the team schleps its way to a 16 to 17 win season. I hope someone lights a fire and gets these guys playing hungrier and smarter so I can be proven wrong.

    • Like 4
  11. 1 hour ago, Goo Punch said:

    At least Lemons and Penders were characters- they always at least had gbat going for them. I don't pretend remember the Wleltlich era personally, but I was made very aware by my parents that the Penders era was a much more lively and colorful affair than things under Kaiser Bob. I remember Coach Penders one time running out into the court just jumping up and down, waving his arms, and gesticulating towards the officials until they finally T'd him up and tossed him. IIRC it worked too! I wanna day we're down by like 12 or 13 when he did it and we came back and won the game. 

    back in those dates, it was unheard of for coaches to get a 2nd technical and get tossed when things were going south as a last ditch effort to fire up team and crowd... seems to happen less frequently nowadays.

  12. 14 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

    Hancock’s is one my favorites. I like it better than Blanton’s, and I love Blanton’s. Really tough to find though. It’s about $50 retail. 

    I really enjoyed it when I tried it.  It had some great flavor notes and was super smooth on the back end.

    Was able to finagle a bottle (like pulling teeth) from a liquor store using a distributor friend of an acquaintance in that $50 range and was debating whether to keep it corked until a special occasion with bourbon appreciators present or just dive in for Tx-OU conference championship sipping.  The later is my inclination.

  13. Have any of you aficionados with the fine-tuned bourbon palates ever sampled Hancock's President's Reserve Single Barrel?

    I tried it when out drinking one night and thought it was pretty darn good, very much so for the price, though I was a few drinks deep when I first sipped it. 

    Salut!

     

  14. Mich St made a key defensive adjustment at half (aggressively hedging the screen) that worked well and we didn't have a plan "B" other than jacking up the 3's.  We were getting scorched by their three point shooters and playing a zone allowed for some easy open looks.  Roach and Coleman seemed tired/frustrated after the half and tried to long range shoot their way out of the funk moreso than drive the paint.  DO rarely rolled to the basket when his defender cheated up to aggressively hedge the dribbler.

    Sims has definitely played himself to a non-starter role for the next few games.  His strength is supposed to be defense and rebounding and he's letting himself get caught too far under the basket or out of position to get those jobs done.  I like him as a fresh, energetic presence off the bench.

    Coleman needs to quit trying to do too much.  Roach can be great, but not taking 10 three-pointers a game.  It's a win for the other team when he falls in love with jacking up the long shots.

    I am cautiously optimistic about the team so far after the first few games, but they can't fall in love with the long ball and slip back into the standing around on offense bad habits. 

    • Like 1
  15.  I like starting Long or Ramey over Febres and Hayes over Sims.  The leash on DO and Roach and Coleman should be short.  If they don't show poise and aggression, I like Ramey, Hepa, and Ramey being subbed in soon to provide energy.  I do like the connection that Hayes and Ramey seem to be developing, so I like them on the court together as much as possible.

    I'd like to see more of what Hamm and Liddell have to offer, but preferably not at the expense of the freshmen's minutes.  Maybe Hamm could be told to go put Sims and DO on notice that he's hungry for some of their minutes, and Liddell could do the same for Febres and Roach. 

    When Roach is aggressive, he can be the best guy on the court.  When he decides he's going to model his shot selection after Trey Young's, I prefer he be on the bench with a smelling salt being waving under his nose.

    DO has been showing a little life, but he still seems uninspired and slow.  He is playing less minutes and he does seem to be more selective with his shots, which is a plus.  He needs to cut down the turnovers and step it up a bit on the interior defense. 

    This season is heavily on Roach and Coleman's shoulders.  We will be scratching to make it through conference on the + side of .500 if Coleman cannot average around 9-10 points (shooting above 40%) with 5-6 assists a game, and if Roach gets comfortable standing on offense and heaving up 10+, 3-point attempts a game.  Coleman, Ramey, and Long are all WAY better with the ball in their hands early in the shot clock than Roach. 

    The good news is we have great depth at guard.  So, there's no reason for player loyalty and lack of viable options to trump the hook when the game is on the line. We don't need to let someone who is repeatedly making the same mental mistakes "play through it".

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