Seth Davis: Barro "uninspired"

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Don't forget Matthews being handed Chapman's starting role and Crean then saying Chapman wasn't "acting like a senior" before the season started. Maybe if you treated him like a senior, he would've acted like one.

I know full well that Wesley is probably a better player than Joe was, but not as a freshman. There is no reason he couldn't have come off the bench for significant minutes. As it turns out, WM got hurt, but Joe should have started from the get-go.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

By the way, this was about 7 months after a puking, weakend Chapman fought through the flu to lead MU past St. Louis when wins were extremely tough to come by. Game of his life and a testament to his heart!

[bma725]

Say what you want about it being wrong, but it worked with Chapman.  The kid got his head out of his rear and really improved as a senior.  His defense was markedly better, his rebounding improved, assists to turnover ratio improved, FG, FT and 3 Point% all increased as well.  Some kids need that kind of motivation.

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

Now this digresses to another issue: we constantly nail Crean about not recruiting talent to complement the existing players but yet we also believe that starting jobs should belong to Seniors and that first year players should rarely play and learn their roles? That seems opposite. How are we going to recruit the talent that will satisfy us if we, and they, know they won't get the opportunity to play straight away?

People will point to Wisconsin since they are the closest program but really those prospects are almost so unique that they only fit a system like Ryan's. Besides, how frustrating does it have to be for a player to sit on the bench for a Big Ten season when you know only 2 of the games will be competitive and there should be ample garbage time to get in and play.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Rarely play? I specifically said Wesley could have gotten significant minutes off the bench. If a player is clearly the best option -- as I believe DJ and McNeal were as freshman, fine. Start them. I don't think that was the case with Chapman who had been contributing since his freshman year.

[ChicosBailBonds]

It's curious that the grunts get all the criticism -- Hutchins wasn't exactly a grunt -- while the guys with all the turnovers and bad shots get trips to New York and the cover of the pocket schedule.

I would assume the players taken to New York would be players the media is interested in talking to at the B.E. media day.  Those would be your star players typically.   Those guys with "all the turnovers and bad shots" are also the guys with all the assists, steals, and top point scorers too.

As for the grunts getting all the criticism, I don't keep score on that but if you say so. 

My guess is that a coach will deal with different players differently, just like O'Neill would publicly kill Robb Logtermann but would treat other players different.  Or how Deane would treat Richard Shaw vs Chris Crawford.  Coach's know their players and use different approaches to each.

However, I have certainly heard Crean shower a ton of praise on "stars" and role players and criticism as well.  Whether it's more slighted toward some then others, I cannot say.

[ecompt]

If Crean is punishing Barro for going home over the summer that's assinine and incredibly short-sighted.

[4everwarriors]

adjectives seem appropriate.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Don't forget Matthews being handed Chapman's starting role and Crean then saying Chapman wasn't "acting like a senior" before the season started. Maybe if you treated him like a senior, he would've acted like one.

I know full well that Wesley is probably a better player than Joe was, but not as a freshman. There is no reason he couldn't have come off the bench for significant minutes. As it turns out, WM got hurt, but Joe should have started from the get-go.

I actually like favoring seniors as well... but when a player is better, he should start. Wes was good enough as a frosh. to start.

AND

In another thread  (titled "we are simply not talented"), you claim MU doesn't have enough talent. Well, MU didn't have much talent 3 years ago. Crean brought in 3 talented players and started them, now you complain about it.

You can't complain about not having talent, but then complain when new, more talented players come in and take minutes away from less talented upperclassmen.

You just don't like Crean... it doesn't matter how he conducts his business.


I definitely understand the frustration of all of the fans, but it's crazy to think that the second best coach at MU is taking so much heat.

He's not immune to criticism, but the sweeping generalizations regarding his lack of performance are shocking.

If MU blows out ND, is everybody going to come here and provide glowing reports of Crean going back to the final 4? Nope.

If MU loses again, we're in for another week of "Crean can't recruit a big man... etc. etc."


Fans are a curious bunch.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

It's curious that the grunts get all the criticism -- Hutchins wasn't exactly a grunt -- while the guys with all the turnovers and bad shots get trips to New York and the cover of the pocket schedule.

I would assume the players taken to New York would be players the media is interested in talking to at the B.E. media day. 

I'm talking about before their freshman year...when they hadn't played a minute at Marquette. Not a single reporter was interested in talking to them. This year? Of course, it made perfect sense.

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

It's curious that the grunts get all the criticism -- Hutchins wasn't exactly a grunt -- while the guys with all the turnovers and bad shots get trips to New York and the cover of the pocket schedule.

I would assume the players taken to New York would be players the media is interested in talking to at the B.E. media day. 

I'm talking about before their freshman year...when they hadn't played a minute at Marquette. Not a single reporter was interested in talking to them. This year? Of course, it made perfect sense.

I think that's a bit of an exaggeration. I have a friend who works for the Big East conference and he told me that the media found it curious that Crean brought Freshmen (especially with MU being a new school) but they were touted to be a pretty good bunch. They didn't fawn over them but they certainly didn't ignore them as you suggest. Again, it's more in the middle of the two.

[HarveysWallbangers]

I think Novak went to that one, too, but there's no doubt that sent an awful message to the rest of that team.

[mu-rara]

I am anything but a Crean hater, but he needs to be accountable.

His teams always struggle at the end of the year (exception 2003) and he has mismanaged the recruiting process (no decent big men, all guards)

I will be the first to say I'm wrong if this season turns around, but TC has had 9 years.  Its not like he hasn't had time.

I am a Warrior all the way, and if TC turns it around, I'll be the happiest guy around,  but the time is NOW!

[AlumKCof93]

What Crean said is that when you play a zone tne center has to direct the players on court. He is like the point guard on defense. Barro was not doing that. I expected a lot out of Barro this year and he has mostly been non- existent. I think missing the summer hurt him. Crean starts players based on practices. I think Barro expected Mbakwe to start and was just satisfied to play out his senior year. He did not put in the effort and that is why he does not start. If you look at history it appears that Crean tries to motivate returning players by telling them they will lose their starting job to the incoming recruit. The tactic does not work. He recruits Novak and Blankson leaves instead of competing. He recruits the 3 guards and Mason leaves instead of competing. He recruits Mbakwe and Barro stops trying and goes home for the summer. Starting jobs should belong to seniors unless they are beaten out. UW is successful because they generally do not play first year players. It actually amazes me that more of their players do not transfer out. However, they are like McGuire teams were the seniors are the stars and that is promised to the young players who are not playing.

If this is true, it also explains why we have lack veteran leadership.  By the time a player is a senior, he typically plays with a certain calm.  Our seniors play scared of making a mistake or missing a shot.  If this is how Crean is motivating his returning players, now I know why they play that way. 

[bartmiller#1]

Chapman as a senior was not as good as Matthews as a frosh.  It's that simple.

No one has entitlement minutes.  Same reason Fitz doesn't start at the 4 this year.  Lazar is better. 

As for the media day, I don't know.  I guess I wonder why it matters who Crean brings.  I suspect that it means more to us than it does to the players on the team.  Novak was at the first BE Media Day.  He was obviously the most well-known player on the team.  The incoming frosh guards were widely touted as being a very good class.  The Three Amigos and all that.  Knowing Crean, he was probably trying to create some sizzle around the program as it entered a group of teams that are mostly basketball titans. 

Not saying it's right or wrong (or even accurate), but it makes sense.

Should he have also taken Grimm to NYC?  Chapman was a solid player.  He worked hard.  He played in a lot of big games.  I liked him a lot.  He played his guts out in the game you mentioned when he had the flu, but even with all of that-- it doesn't add up to make him a certain starter or the guy who gets taken to media day. 

He was a glue guy. 

[HarveysWallbangers]

The point is that Novak should have been the only player taken there. I'm not sure those kids had earned that kind of treatment right out of high school...as a matter of fact, I'm not sure they have to this day.

That was 3 years ago, so discussing it now is probably irrelevant. But it may have simply set a tone of entitlement for them and resentment by others.

Something to consider, since other threads are discussing something being "not right." 

[bartmiller#1]

I don't see where D.J., McNeal, and Matthews act entitled.

By all accounts, they work their butts off.  They play tough defense.  They appear to be good teammates and support their teammates when they're on the bench.  Wes plays out of position about 90% of the time.

You see what you want to see, I guess.  But I don't think our recent problems indicate that the 3 junior guards are entitled.  Am I missing something? 

[RJax55]

I don't see where D.J., McNeal, and Matthews act entitled.

By all accounts, they work their butts off.  They play tough defense.  They appear to be good teammates and support their teammates when they're on the bench.  Wes plays out of position about 90% of the time.

You see what you want to see, I guess.  But I don't think our recent problems indicate that the 3 junior guards are entitled.  Am I missing something? 

Agree, 100%. As for Barro, Crean was right to criticize him against Louisville. He did a horrible job communicating when MU went zone. As pointed out early, when they go 2-3, Barro must be the quarterback of the defense and he did a very poor job on Monday night.

I agree with Crean that playing time should be earned in practice. I don't care if you are a senior or not. If Barro didn't work hard over summer because he thought Trevor was going to take his starting spot, well that Barro's fault, not Crean. Its up to Barro to embrace that challenge and work harder, instead of backing down.

[SqueallyDRyan]

I love what OOZe does offensively for us but there is no denying that on Monday he looked like he had never played a zone defense before