Rosiak Article on EWill and Mellow

[GGGG]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/goldeneagles/115613994.html

There is this quote for those who think we have to give more minutes to the likes of Gardner so he can gain experience:

"Mellow is going to be a really good player," said Williams. "He's like most freshmen, the intensity of practice, the value of a possession on the road in a Big East game. He understands that but he hasn't been given the opportunity to execute that. I defend that, but I don't want to put him in a position where we're hurting our team so that he can experience that opportunity.

+1 Buzz.

[DaCoach]

It seems to me that we had a number of opportunities to get court time for Mellow and EWill in some of our blowout games.

[rocky_warrior]

It seems to me that we had a number of opportunities to get court time for Mellow and EWill in some of our blowout games.

In our last blowout (DePaul), they both did get minutes. 
http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=310180269

Also, in the romp against ND at home, they both played as well:
http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=310100269

Prior to that, against Miss Valley State, they both got double digit minutes:
http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=303550269

So what other blowouts were you looking for them to get minutes in?  Since those three we haven't won any other game by more than 10 points. 

[tower912]

We could have played them when we were up 18 against Louisville.   

[Boone]

Buzz says he loves all of his players -- even the ones who transfer mid year. Would have been interesting to read the players' side of their benching and if they're accepting of their situation or depressed by it.

[radome]

We could have played them when we were up 18 against Louisville.   

I think that you are kidding but we did and he missed a lay-up.

[Boone]

Buzz did play Erik for a minute in the last 10 minutes of the Louisville game. Erik blew a bunny layup, committed a foul, allowed an offensive rebound and was promptly banished back to the end of the bench.

[tower912]

I was being sarcastic and had completely forgotten that EWill got in, missed a layup, got beaten for a rebound, etc.    Oops.    ZFB nailed it on the scout board, BTW.   Why is it when freshmen and sophomores sit the bench at Wisconsin, it is a sign of what a genius Bo is, waiting until they are ready to play them, but when Buzz sits young guys and goes with experience it is a sign he can't coach and can't recruit?      Good call, ZFB

[Marquette84]

Jones was ranked #74 in the RSCI.

I think its fair to compare him to other 6'5" to 6'8" WF/WG freshmen that were ranked between 75 and 100 in the RSCI.

#96 CJ Fair - Syracuse
#90 Dwayne Polee - St. Johns
#89 Jarel Eddie - Virginia Tech
#82 Bryce Jones - USC
#77 Jason Morris - Georgia Tech
#74 Jamail Jones - Marquette

http://bit.ly/gC1ThF

The question is why were Jones' peers more ready to contribute this year?

Is it that Jones just wasn't as good as advertised?  Is it a development issue?  Is it just a comfort level issue?  

I don't buy the "he might cost us a win" argument--St. Johns and Virginia Tech are in the same spot we are relative to a potential NCAA bid, and yet Polee and Eddie are getting significant minutes and are part of the primary rotation with their teams.

[Skatastrophy]

The question is why were Jones' peers more ready to contribute this year?

Who would you replace in the lineup, Crowder or Butler?

[GGGG]

Buzz says he loves all of his players -- even the ones who transfer mid year. Would have been interesting to read the players' side of their benching and if they're accepting of their situation or depressed by it.

What would you expect them to say?  Even if they felt differently, they will say the "right" thing.

[StillAWarrior]

Jones was ranked #74 in the RSCI.

I think its fair to compare him to other 6'5" to 6'8" WF/WG freshmen that were ranked between 75 and 100 in the RSCI.

#96 CJ Fair - Syracuse
#90 Dwayne Polee - St. Johns
#89 Jarel Eddie - Virginia Tech
#82 Bryce Jones - USC
#77 Jason Morris - Georgia Tech
#74 Jamail Jones - Marquette

http://bit.ly/gC1ThF

The question is why were Jones' peers more ready to contribute this year?

Is it that Jones just wasn't as good as advertised?  Is it a development issue?  Is it just a comfort level issue?  

I don't buy the "he might cost us a win" argument--St. Johns and Virginia Tech are in the same spot we are relative to a potential NCAA bid, and yet Polee and Eddie are getting significant minutes and are part of the primary rotation with their teams.

 
I don't think you can do this analysis without at least considering a team's other options at the position.  I don't honestly know much about the other options at SJU or VT, so I can't comment on those.  But you can't just look at things in a vacuum.  Even though a freshman "might cost us a win" because we have other players ahead of him at his position, he might be a starter and/or playing major minutes on another that is weak at his position.

[nyg]

Buzz says he loves all of his players -- even the ones who transfer mid year. Would have been interesting to read the players' side of their benching and if they're accepting of their situation or depressed by it.

I agree.  Nice article though.

[mu89]

i think they should have been used earlier in the DePaul thrashing. we were up by almost thirty and you could have put one of them with the other 4 starters and worked the other in as one came out.

[NotAnAlum]

i think they should have been used earlier in the DePaul thrashing. we were up by almost thirty and you could have put one of them with the other 4 starters and worked the other in as one came out.

I think Buzz was sending a message in that game.  Recall that was the game right after the Louisville melt down.  Buzz was telling the starters "Even though you may think the game is won, you must keep playing like it is tied"  Its more important to insist the guys who are going to control our destiny this year know they have to execute to the end, then it is to give the young guys a few more minutes against what was effectively a "pre-season" team.  Their time will come, next year and whether they played against DePaul will make very little difference.

[mu89]

I think Buzz was sending a message in that game.  Recall that was the game right after the Louisville melt down.  Buzz was telling the starters "Even though you may think the game is won, you must keep playing like it is tied"  Its more important to insist the guys who are going to control our destiny this year know they have to execute to the end, then it is to give the young guys a few more minutes against what was effectively a "pre-season" team.  Their time will come, next year and whether they played against DePaul will make very little difference.

apples and oranges.

i hear you about driving home the message but i feel to compare the depaul game to the louisville situation doesn't really make sense. buzz took full responsibility for the loss to louisville, he didn't blame the players. he should send a message to himself to be a better coach. if that means keeping starters in up by 30 against a winless depaul, then so be it. but i think they should've been out there earlier.

[GGGG]

Toward what end?  I'm not exactly sure that mop-up duty against an overmatched team is really relevant experience.

[mu89]

you don't think it would be slightly better than sitting on the bench until there's, say, 2 minutes left? i'm sure there's some psychological effect on a player. especially to have a home crowd cheer for you for being out there. i know if i were a player on the far end of the bench, i would love to be out there. but that's just me. i see both sides. that's just my opinion.

[GGGG]

I'm sure they would love to be out there.  In fact, if they didn't, they shouldn't be playing.

I just think from an experience point-of-view, junk minutes in a blow out don't do any good.  I can't see how it would help either one of them grow into better contributors next year and down the line.  The only valid reason to play them IMO is to get your regular guys some rest.

[mu89]

i hear you. i guess i'm just a little worried of another transfer. i want them to stick it out and actually become contributors.

[GGGG]

i hear you. i guess i'm just a little worried of another transfer. i want them to stick it out and actually become contributors.

But playing people because they might leave means you probably don't want them to begin with.  Honestly, I have given Buzz a lot of grief over the transfers, but of all the people who have left after signing LOIs, do you miss any of them?  Tyshaun Taylor is the only one I can think of, and that was most definately a unique situation.  If they leave because of lack of undeserved playing time, then, well...good luck to them.

[mu89]

great point.

[StillAWarrior]

But playing people because they might leave means you probably don't want them to begin with.  Honestly, I have given Buzz a lot of grief over the transfers, but of all the people who have left after signing LOIs, do you miss any of them?  Tyshaun Taylor is the only one I can think of, and that was most definately a unique situation.  If they leave because of lack of undeserved playing time, then, well...good luck to them.

I guess a question is what is "undeserved playing time"?  What does a guy have to do to "deserve" a couple of extra minutes of playing time in a blow out?

You said in an earlier post that you thought the only valid reason to play one of these players is to give the regular guys some rest.  I think another valid reason to play them in this scenario is to reward them for hard work by letting them play.  Even if this won't help them become contributors, I think it's a valid reason to put them on the floor.  Even if they would never dream of transferring, I think it's valid to let them get out there and run because they'd love to be out there.

Why does Buzz ever play Frozena?  Is it because that last 45 seconds of the game is giving one of the regular guys a rest?  Is it to help him become a contributor down the line?  I don't think so.  I think it's a reward for his hard work because Rob loves to be out there.  I personally don't see any problem with giving our younger scholarship players a few extra minutes in trash time for the same reasons.  In fact, I think it's a great idea.

[Pakuni]

But playing people because they might leave means you probably don't want them to begin with.  Honestly, I have given Buzz a lot of grief over the transfers, but of all the people who have left after signing LOIs, do you miss any of them?  Tyshaun Taylor is the only one I can think of, and that was most definately a unique situation.  If they leave because of lack of undeserved playing time, then, well...good luck to them.

I miss On Court Trevor Mbakwe.
Off Court Trevor Mbakwe ... not so much.

[GGGG]

I guess a question is what is "undeserved playing time"?  What does a guy have to do to "deserve" a couple of extra minutes of playing time in a blow out?

You said in an earlier post that you thought the only valid reason to play one of these players is to give the regular guys some rest.  I think another valid reason to play them in this scenario is to reward them for hard work by letting them play.  Even if this won't help them become contributors, I think it's a valid reason to put them on the floor.  Even if they would never dream of transferring, I think it's valid to let them get out there and run because they'd love to be out there.

Only if the game is well in hand.  Otherwise, the only way any player should be on the floor is if they help you win.  JJ and EWill don't do that right now...and Buzz alludes to this in the article.