5 Observations from tonight

[keefe]

Thank you for your service. However, what does that have to do with Gardner's stamina in a college basketball game vs your stamina in pick-up games?

Uh, I wasn't speaking of basketball stamina

[MUSF]

Honestly, I think a lot of it depends on the type of game that is being played.  It was a great move by Buzz to go big against the zone, but that might not work every game.  But it's nice to have options.

Yup. It's also somewhat risky. With Gardner, Otule, and Wilson out there together you could have foul trouble or stamina issues later in the game. That said, I was thrilled to see Buzz try it, and even more thrilled at how well it payed off. Cuse had zero answer for our size and strength with that lineup.

[🏀]

6.) This team has a large set of balls. Could have called it a game when down big but fought back.

[kmwtrucks]

Its one to say Mayo was only 2-6 but I think 3 of those were he got passed the ball with 2 seconds left on the shot clock, at about 25 feet. He Goes 1-3 on those that is not bad at all.  better to have someone take that with a 33% chance of making it and the possiblity for a rebound then just having someone not even get a shot off.  

[MUSF]

We were calling in A-10 air strikes between Tikrit and Samarra in support of some Stryker units that were doing a sweep of the highway along the Tigris River. This was the heart of the Baathist insurgency when Salah Al-Din was hotter than a pistol. That day the Tangos figured out our tactical position and we started getting our asses kicked, we were getting hammered with some heavy crew served stuff, so we beat feet and took cover in the reeds along the river. One of the guys kicked open a nest of the suckers. There were 6 in our JTAC team and four of us got bitten. Hurt like a mother but our corpsman was on it with needles and rubber hose. Meanwhile our ROMAD, despite having been bitten on his hand, had the presence of mind to call in two F 16 CJs to lay down a load of Snake and Nape that made the bad guys keep their heads down and we hitched a ride on a passing Black Hawk to Balad AB which was only about 12 minutes away. I still have the two fang hole scars in my thigh and the skin looks as if I have a bruise.

slow clapping

[keefe]

6.) This team has a large set of balls. Could have called it a game when down big but fought back.

Several times. They clawed their way back into it at least three times before they actually took the lead. It would have been easy to say eff it tonight but they didn't.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Mayo is one of the two most talented players on the team. Anytime his minutes are limited it's because of issues completely unrelated to the game at hand. I am telling you people, if you don't understand and appreciate this, you don't understand Buzz or this team. He's our best shooter and one of our best defenders. Figure it out.

[Niv Berkowitz]

Don't forget...free throws! We have GOT to practice them! That's on Buzz!

[Dr. Blackheart]

Mayo 2 out of 5 on threes, or 40%.  Coach put him in for the first time in the 2nd half with 8:05 minutes to go, MU down 53-46. Hits a three at 7:21. Has an assist and hits a second three to put MU up 59-54 with 3:58 to go. Has another assist at 2:48 to put MU up 63-57. Steal by Mayo at 1:30 and a then fouled with two free throws to put MU up 65-57. MU goes from 7 down to 8 up in that span.

Jamil with 7 assists.  Ox with the SOTG by just wearing down Cuse.

Junior was stellar getting behind the defense, which is what he does best.  

Steve Taylor being Steve Taylor.

Hello Jake Thomas.  Huge four.  Great move by Buzz.

[LloydMooresLegs]

How did you come to be bitten by a viper?  

AZ Warrior:  the problem w ignore function is when you quote him and then I read the insufferable ... sigh

[keefe]

Its one to say Mayo was only 2-6 but I think 3 of those were he got passed the ball with 2 seconds left on the shot clock, at about 25 feet. He Goes 1-3 on those that is not bad at all.  better to have someone take that with a 33% chance of making it and the possiblity for a rebound then just having someone not even get a shot off.  

That is correct. Mayo threw up a couple Hail Mary's that should not count against him.

[JakeBarnes]

That is correct. Mayo threw up a couple Hail Mary's that should not count against him.

And one of those hail mary's was a sick dagger after which Marquette never looked back.

[keefe]

The thing I notice (and appreciate) about Mayo is that he can effectively feed the high post vs a zone.  He'll be at the top of the key extended, and he will fake like he's passing to his right, causing the zone to shift a bit to Mayo's right, opening up a passing lane into the high post, which Mayo utilizes.

I can't say I never see any other MU players employ this (pretty damn basic, really) tactic against the zone, but it's rare.  I see Mayo do it regularly.  I'd really like to see it from the rest of the team as well.

You actually make a great point. Mayo's court sense and BB IQ are exceptionally high. I have no idea about any off court issues but I am damn glad to have him on the floor.

[keefe]

Alright dude give it a rest. Beating everyone over the head with your service on a message board isn't very befitting of a true operator IMO. I wonder if a CCT would be so quick to blow his own horn.

It's also a completely apples oranges comparison. Two completely different types of fitness.

The Special Tactics Squadron guys are the ballsiest guys in blue. No question. CCTs actually augment TACP/JTACs for reasons that need no explanation. There is no bluff or bluster in any of these stories. I see them as a dispassionate recounting of events that continue through today. Chicos relates conversations held around the office water cooler and, since he works in Sports Marketing/Broadcasting, his opinions as well as those of his colleagues have relevance. Read through this thread and I think you will see that my comment was merely insight on training and conditioning. Since you seem to know a CCT you will know the warrior culture is obsessive about strength, will power, and conditioning. I have no idea of the fitness level of some posters here but, from my informed perspective, I find it absurd that these kids cannot go at full speed for a 40 minute game.

As for the stamina question, I do call BS on the notion these 18-22 y/o's are bushed with only 48 hours rest between games. These guys have perpetual hard ons and if you can't recharge and reenergize with 48 hours rest then you need to take up billiards.   

As for fitness, you are right that 12 days in the mountains is different than playing hoops for 40 minutes crammed into two hours. But there are situations in war that crams that 40 minutes of adrenaline into a few minutes. And one's physical response can mean the difference between life and death.

By the way, the surest way to smell bullshit coming is when a pilot begins a war story with the dreaded, "There I was!" The perpetrator is almost always an Eagle Driver whose sole function in life has been reduced to flying MiGCAP.

[GGGG]

My observation is that it is a real pleasure to have a coach once again who makes in-game adjustments that work!

Yeah, I think Buzz did a real good job tonight of playing the type of player they needed.  Sometimes that will be Lockett...sometimes that will be Mayo.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Thanks for basically proving the point that Mayo would give you more than Lockett - sorry, I'll take 7ppg more in 40 minutes over 3.5 rebounds.  Todd has had very few extended runs - where he gets to play 7-10 minutes straight - he's been on a pretty short leash, and its harder to get in a rhythm when your minutes are hard to come by, or you get pulled fairly quickly.  Todd is a much better on ball defender than Lockett as well.  This is not me hating on Trent or anything either - Todd is simply the more dynamic player.

I think Todd has more offensive upside then Trent (eye test), but he's not really THAT much more efficient. He shoots a lot, but his percentages aren't great. (trent doesn't shoot much, and his percentages also aren't great).

With all of this said, I think Buzz uses Todd perfectly. In the right match-ups, he's been good. On other occasions he's been below average. He gets the minutes he earns. IF he continues to make shots and defend, he will get 15-20min. per game. If he misses shots and makes mental mistakes, he will get 5-8min. Buzz uses Taylor, Juan and Otule the same way. Play well, you will stay in. When your rotation is 9-10 guys, you have the ability to play the "hot hand" in any given game.

Great coaching tonight. Buzz was really moving the chess pieces around. Crowd brought a ton of energy and you can tell that the guys really feed on that.

Saturday is going to be insane.

[muhoops1]

Did you go constantly go 100% while carrying 300 pounds on your frame and get shoved, scratched and bumped by 250-pound guys on every single possession?

A couple of broadcasts pointed out one of MU's statistical observations that Gardners productivity decreased dramatically when he played more than 20 min.

[GGGG]

With all of this said, I think Buzz uses Todd perfectly. In the right match-ups, he's been good. On other occasions he's been below average. He gets the minutes he earns. IF he continues to make shots and defend, he will get 15-20min. per game. If he misses shots and makes mental mistakes, he will get 5-8min. Buzz uses Taylor, Juan and Otule the same way. Play well, you will stay in. When your rotation is 9-10 guys, you have the ability to play the "hot hand" in any given game.

Which is exactly why you play 11 guys in a night.

If anything you can't simply say "Todd is better than Trent."  Just a week ago against Seton Hall, Todd played like crap and Trent played fantastic.  Let's just be happy this team has multiple parts that Buzz can plug into a game as needed.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

A couple of broadcasts pointed out one of MU's statistical observations that Gardners productivity decreased dramatically when he played more than 20 min.

Somewhat related:

Am I the only one who thinks Gardner looks thinner since the beginning of the season? I know he's trimmed up from last year, but he even looks trimmer since Oct. His jersey looks a little looser (maybe just a different jersey?)

Either way, the kid has the best hands and feet I have seen in a long time. Drop another 20lbs and see if he can be a little more explosive, and I think he could more consistent on a nightly basis. Plus, that might allow Buzz to play him more at the 4, which really creates match-up problems for some teams.

[MUSF]

The Special Tactics Squadron guys are the ballsiest guys in blue. No question. CCTs actually augment TACP/JTACs for reasons that need no explanation. There is no bluff or bluster in any of these stories. I see them as a dispassionate recounting of events that continue through today. Chicos relates conversations held around the office water cooler and, since he works in Sports Marketing/Broadcasting, his opinions as well as those of his colleagues have relevance. Read through this thread and I think you will see that my comment was merely insight on training and conditioning. Since you seem to know a CCT you will know the warrior culture is obsessive about strength, will power, and conditioning. I have no idea of the fitness level of some posters here but, from my informed perspective, I find it absurd that these kids cannot go at full speed for a 40 minute game.

As for the stamina question, I do call BS on the notion these 18-22 y/o's are bushed with only 48 hours rest between games. These guys have perpetual hard ons and if you can't recharge and reenergize with 48 hours rest then you need to take up billiards.   

As for fitness, you are right that 12 days in the mountains is different than playing hoops for 40 minutes crammed into two hours. But there are situations in war that crams that 40 minutes of adrenaline into a few minutes. And one's physical response can mean the difference between life and death.

By the way, the surest way to smell bullcrap coming is when a pilot begins a war story with the dreaded, "There I was!" The perpetrator is almost always an Eagle Driver whose sole function in life has been reduced to flying MiGCAP.

Look, If you want to compare military fitness to elite basketball fitness, fine. I think it's not a valid comparison, but go ahead and make it. That said, don't pretend that your original response was a simple comparison of fitness, endurance, and stamina between the two. There was a fair amount of chest beating in there.

The problem I have with this is two fold. One, it takes away from the conversation because very few posters will want to disagree or counter your point because they don't want to seem disrespectful of your service. Two, telling unsolicited war stories to strangers on a message board comes across as self-promoting and exposes people to information they don't really need.

Where I come from we pride ourselves on being quiet professionals. It's called SELFLESS service. You and the SEALS should keep this in mind.

Now, in the interest of good MU BBALL discourse, I will disengage from this.

[CTWarrior]

Somewhat related:

Am I the only one who thinks Gardner looks thinner since the beginning of the season?

Its funny, because I was thinking just the opposite.  It seems to me he may have actually put on a little weight since the beginning of the season.  If he can play extended minutes with energy like last night that bulk is an asset, because something tells me that even if he was 50 pounds lighter he wouldn't be that much better an athlete/jumper, etc.

[MerrittsMustache]

Uh, I wasn't speaking of basketball stamina

You brought up Gardner's conditioning in relation to your own personal conditioning while playing basketball at that age. I pointed out that Big East basketball is different than pick-up basketball. You then discussed stamina in terms of your military background. I guess I just don't follow. Are we talking about a college basketball player or a soldier? Perhaps you're going Walter Sobchak on us and there's not a literal connection...

[MerrittsMustache]

That is correct. Mayo threw up a couple Hail Mary's that should not count against him.

Should we count the Hail Mary that he made?

[NersEllenson]

I think Todd has more offensive upside then Trent (eye test), but he's not really THAT much more efficient. He shoots a lot, but his percentages aren't great. (trent doesn't shoot much, and his percentages also aren't great).

With all of this said, I think Buzz uses Todd perfectly. In the right match-ups, he's been good. On other occasions he's been below average. He gets the minutes he earns. IF he continues to make shots and defend, he will get 15-20min. per game. If he misses shots and makes mental mistakes, he will get 5-8min. Buzz uses Taylor, Juan and Otule the same way. Play well, you will stay in. When your rotation is 9-10 guys, you have the ability to play the "hot hand" in any given game.

Great coaching tonight. Buzz was really moving the chess pieces around. Crowd brought a ton of energy and you can tell that the guys really feed on that.

Saturday is going to be insane.

As you know I'm a huge Buzz fan, but his usage of Mayo this season is an area where I'm critical of Buzz.  A player rarely plays well when on a short leash as you describe above - miss a shot, or have a 1 mental breakdown and get yanked - no player thrives in that kind of role...which is the way its been for Todd.  Give him some good run and a little slack and his efficiency will go up.  Period.  

As for mental mistakes - Lockett has made some of the most idiotic mental mistakes of the year fouling 3 point shooters....Georgetown game...and after he got bailed out as kid missed one of the 3 free throws...when we go to the other end and miss our FT..and GTown player rebounds and flings it 85 feet...Lockett almost fouls the kid.  There have been others..those two just the most egregious.  

Also - It's looking pretty tight on our bet...Mayo and Vander are neck and neck for PPG per 40...could be trending my way.  Regardless, I'm glad the bet is this close as it bodes well for the MU team.

[MerrittsMustache]

As you know I'm a huge Buzz fan, but his usage of Mayo this season is an area where I'm critical of Buzz.  A player rarely plays well when on a short leash as you describe above - miss a shot, or have a 1 mental breakdown and get yanked - no player thrives in that kind of role...which is the way its been for Todd.  Give him some good run and a little slack and his efficiency will go up.  Period.  

Mayo doesn't get yanked if he misses a shot or has 1 mental breakdown. He may get yanked if he forces a shot or takes a bad shot, something Buzz has been harping on with him. He may also get yanked if he makes the same mental mistake that he's been making over and over and that the coaching staff has been stressing. Mayo is the prototypical "volume scorer." He can get hot and pour in points. He can also get cold, take bad shots and pout. Buzz is using him perfectly this season, especially considering he provides something different than Lockett and their games can compliment each other very well.

Also, as much as people talk up Mayo's offensive prowess, the offensively challenged Vander Blue actually has a higher career FG% (42.8% to 41.2%).