Oohah, I don't know if this is true but I'm proposing it as a possiblity. What if Larry wanted to give Lee more rep's in practice at the 3 and more drilling on fundamentals before exposing him to the position in a regular season game? Lee was just quoted as saying that he never shot from the outside in college and has been working on it like crazy. It's only the first 25 games of his rookie year after all. And the guy played mostly 5 and some 4 in college.
Marv, That might be legitimate if there was someone decent in front of him. But the fact of the matter is, Lee was placed in the lineup not because he magically became "ready" the other day, but because the team was playing terribly and LB had to do something different.
Props to Lee for working on his shot, but I don't think LB came up him 4 days ago, and said: "Son, I now deem thee ready". In addition, if you look at Lee's game log, anytime he has played decent minutes he has performed: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3956/gamelog;_ylt=AnkIB7NtyB0Tr2jPClyfNbCkvLYF And that goes back all the way to the early season.
It's a shame that so many people don't see this. It's about setting standards and sticking to it. Those people that never have set standards and are handed everything underachieve. You can call it jerking around but let's see how David Lee and Channing progress.
What have you seen, specifically, that I haven't? Are you telling me that Rose and Ariza have reached some sort of standard that Lee didn't, and that is why he hasn't gotten time yet? Rose and Ariza earned playing time that Lee had not?
How about Frye? He has been the most consistent player on the team. Are you telling me he hasn't earned steady playing time?
Also, how does yoyo-ing a player's minutes and playing worse players ahead of them help them progress?
Enlighten me.
As for Calhoun not asking lottery talent to transfer, I don't think you know the guy very well. Doug Wrenn who I know well, was a lottery talent that did not feel like he had to earn anything. He was "asked" to transfer after several off-court and in practice incidences. Even before his off-court trouble he was being run out of the program. He then went to Washington where he Loooooooooooooooooooooooooooved the coach. why? because the coach let him do whatever he wanted. Where is he now?
I am sorry coach Bips that I am not sooooo well connected as you that I don't understand the game. Perhaps young Mr. Wren just wasn't as good as his pub and Calhoun decided he was not worth the trouble. Something tells me if he really was a lottery talent he would get his shot at the NBA regardless if he played for Uconn or Washington.
Don't let the media's handling of the Marcus Williams situation fool you.
Please tell me why A.J. Price and Marcus Williams are still on the team. Tell me why Khalid-El-Amin did not get thrown off the team!
Let me put up the example of the entire college game vs. your one example. Players of very high talent historically have been able to get away with murder at the college level. There are a few programs that have so much talent coming in that they can afford to cut an NBA talent level player. Uconn is now at the point where they don't have to depend on any one player, so please don't make it into an teaching or integrity issue. And by the way, I have been watching the Huskies since they were terrible so please don't attempt to educate me on their program, even if you do eat dinner with their staff once a week.
When Channing and Reezy and David and the rest do things LB's way they will never leave the court. Until then it's all up to them. They have to earn it. It will hurt our team today and tomorrow but in the future you will thank LB. Just like Chauncy does.
I guess AD and Rose are doing things LB's way. Could you please describe what that is. I guess Eddie Curry has been quite the example of hard work, defense, and cosistency under LB, since he always gets the start until jst the other day.
I think he purposely made the line ups crazy just for that reason. He didnt want guys to get a rythem and be comfortable, because they werent where he wanted them yet. So he made them think every minute they were on the floor.
This is jumping through mental hoops to explain the unexplainable: "Yeah LB wanted us to be 21/8! That way we would face adversity and come together as comrades!"
I'm resigned to this season essentially being lost for the sake of learning. If we come out of this with Curry in shape and Frye/Lee/Nate starter caliber players than its a success IMO
The sign of a team learning is that they get better, not worse. If LB starts playing the best players, and pushes the ball some more, then I will be satisfied that LB is learning.
I dare anyone to explain to me what LB is doing and how it will forge starting caliber players.
Yeah I think LB came into the post TT/Sweetney trade knowing that he was going to have to rely on rookies. I think he came in with the attitude of lets get these guys ready for two, or three years from now. I think he is extremely hard and impatient on them now because he is turning them into his guys. He wants mentally tough guys that not only can handle a benching with professionalism but actually come back from it with a vengeance. Who is going to respond? The guys that respond are the guys you know that you can go to war with. The rest, who cares. Anyone that goes in the tank is probably not going to be a big time player anyway. You think LB ruined Darko? Players ruin themselves by how they handle adversity. Darko lost confidence because he is young, fragile and wasn't ready. Well guess what he would have done in the playoffs.
Bippity, for the sake of your team I hope you aren't recycling this behavior towards them. Yes, there is something to tough love, but you have to be a decent human being as well.
Why is it the Pistons are just as happy to see him gone? Why didn't Iverson beg LB to stay, threaten the Sixers to try and keep him? Because he is an ass. A great coach (Historically), but an ass nevertheless.
It sucks watching this team but I can guarantee their is a method to his madness. I've done some crazy things when I have young dumb teams. You have to break habits and you can't do that simply by playing guys. You have to make them learn. If that means smashing them over the head with it with benchings and revolving rotations until they get it. So be it.
Then please tell me what the "method" is! Educate me! Because if he starts plaing the young ones now, and the team starts winning at a decent pace, my opinion is that he should have played them earlier. I don't buy that Lee just became good 4 days ago.
A lot of people said LB was crazy for starting guys in their hometown. To me the message was obvious and clear. He was sending a message to his team that noone has earned a starting job, and until they do he will continue to do these things until someone steps up and takes it.
Does LB ever make a wrong move? You really think he was sending a message by starting guys in their hometowns? That'll teach them! How do you figure Frye hasn't earned a starting spot?
LB said Ariza knows why he was benched. NOne of us no why, but I guarantee Ariza knew and still knows and is in no way confused. His ego is hurt and that's why he reacted the way he did. It could be something very small that he needs to fix. Something that can get him back in the line-up and us calling LB an idiot in two practices. But he definitely knows what it is. Just because the papers don't know doesn't mean there is no communication. LB did not lose it overnight.
In what way did Ariza freak out? Bench him fine. But why is it better to treat people like garbage? What is the upside? Is it possible he is simply a jerk? Bippity, please tell me. Enough generalisms, tell me how this works!
The only guys on our teams that have earned starting positions are Curry, Marbury, Q and AD based on their career achievements. They get the benefit of the doubt by default. The rest of the guys must not only take them from the vets but must continually step up their games in order to hold onto them. This level of competition will only make them stronger when we are ready to compete.
Ridiculous. So why hasn't Penny been starting? He has more past acheivements than anybody on the team. You just explained why the team is terrible so far. Spots are earned not on past acheivements but what you can do now, if you want to win some game.
Yes I know, we are losing now to win later. Except nobody can explain how that actually works.
There is a reason Craw doesn't jack up every shot available,
Because he is scared. I actually like that.
there is a reason Marbs smiled during last game,
Because they finally ran and won.
there is a reason David Lee went for 23 and 15,
Because he finally got to play, and the team played a style he can excel in. Finally. Unless you buy the theory that Lee only got good this weekend, which I don't.
Guys are learning they must give full effort to play. They value playing time and for the first time they are learning the only way to play is to play harder.
Lee didn't play hard? Channing Frye doesn't play hard? Who are you referring to?
Soon those listless performances that happen on a weekly basis will be eliminated.
You mean we are cutting the old-timers? Because I have never seen listlessness from Frye, Lee, Robinson or Ariza.
When you ask yourself why, I have th answer for you. LB!!!
I think I know who your hero is, the infallible Larry Brown. Bippity, if LB spit on your cupcake and told you it was icing, would you believe him?
oohah
1/5/2006 6:09 PM
