The Official 2015 "Running Commentary of Every Single Game" Thread

[jeebs9]

Re: The Official 2015 "Running Commentary of Every Single Game" Thread

Now this morning I'm hearing/reading that Coach Cal didn't have his players watch any film of Wisconsin?!? Is that true?

If it as (and as a HS coach myself), that is absolutely stupid. You're playing the most efficient offense since they've been keeping track of the PPP stat, and you don't study tendencies, etc?!? Just do what you do because you're good enough.

Switching screens killed UK in the post. Kaminsky and Dekker abused Booker down low. Pick and pop? Miscommunicate how you're going to handle it and let Hayes, Koenig, Dekker rain 3s. Double Duje in the post (why anyone would do that is beyond me!)? He'll kick out to open shooters.

No solid defensive gameplan and stall ball into 1-4 iso sets resulting in 3 straight shotclock violations doomed Kentucky.

Now...can Bucky finish running the gauntlet (seriously, UNC, Arizona, Kentucky, and Duke all in a row?!? Are you insane?!?), and avenge one more loss? Honestly, I'm a bit worried tonight, but if Sconnie can pull it off, the entire state of Wisconsin (save a small area around Marquette ) will party like you've never seen before.

Go Bucky!

Where did you get that info from? I'm pretty sure that can't be true. Unless you have an article. I just can't believe you. Sorry, it's just though to hear a coach who has coached in the pros and college not watch any tapes.

UK had nine. Wisconsin had zero though Dekker was a very highly rated recruit, Top 10 in some publications.

It's not all that uncommon to see a disparity like that, the McD AA game is kind of a sham. They generally wait for kids to pick the four main bluebood schools (UK, UNC, Duke, Kansas) and then select them as an AA for marketing/ratings/etc.

UConn has 9 AA's since 1990 but has more titles than UNC, UK or Kansas during that stretch. Those three schools have a combined 109 AA's in that span.

UConn did not have any AA's on their roster for last year's championship team so if Wisconsin wins tonight that'll be two straight champs without a single AA. Wonder if that's happened in the modern era.

Fun stats to look through here...

http://statsheet.com/bhsb/mcplayers_by_college

Thanks for the link!!

[dbeth]

Re: The Official 2015 "Running Commentary of Every Single Game" Thread

Where did you get that info from? I'm pretty sure that can't be true. Unless you have an article. I just can't believe you. Sorry, it's just though to hear a coach who has coached in the pros and college not watch any tapes.

Unbeaten Kentucky takes unique approach to prepping for foes

[ehh]

Re: The Official 2015 "Running Commentary of Every Single Game" Thread

Where did you get that info from? I'm pretty sure that can't be true. Unless you have an article. I just can't believe you. Sorry, it's just though to hear a coach who has coached in the pros and college not watch any tapes.

Jalen Rose said similar things about Pringles in Phoenix...

Then there's more insight than some Suns fans might want into 2007, which is the year Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns thought they would win a title, but lost to the Spurs in a horribly controversial suspension-riddled second-round series. The Suns, as we knew them, would never be the same again.

Jalen Rose was on that Suns team, which he brought up after I asked him about Rick Carlisle, whom Rose once played for:

He made sure we ran hard at shootaround. He made sure we broke a sweat. He made sure we're prepared for the other team's sets. We knew if we were doubling the post. We knew how we were playing pick and roll. Are we hedging on this player, going under on that one. Are we double-teaming? How are we going to play those down screens certain players are coming off ...

We knew everything.

When you've played for a coach like that, it must be hard to play for a coach who doesn't have those same qualities.

I played for the Phoenix Suns. 2007. My last season. As were playing against the San Antonio Spurs. And I remember us coming to our first practice before Game 1. And we brought it in. And we were excited about our playoffs getting started. And Coach D'Antoni put in some film. It was Steve behind the back. Amare slam dunk. Shawn Marion with the block. Raja Bell with the charge. It was a highlight film of our team. They have showed me making a shot on there, and I was barely even playing.

So after that he as like all right, we're going to run and down, go through our set plays and whatnot, and we're going to get out of here.

And I looked at Kurt Thomas. I hit him with an elbow. I'm like hold on. I gotta say something.

So I did my Arnold Horshack from "Welcome Back, Kotter."

I'm like "ooh, ooh, ooh, hey coach. I gotta ask a question. Are we going to talk about how we're going to defend Tim Duncan on the post? Are we going to talk about Manu Ginobili in pick and roll? Keeping Tony Parker out of the paint?"

He looked at me in front of the entire team and coaching staff and said: "We're not worried about what they do. If we play to the best of our abilities, and do what we're supposed to do, there is no way they can beat us. We don't mind if Tim goes off. If Tim goes off, that means everybody else is quiet."

[roadman]

Re: The Official 2015 "Running Commentary of Every Single Game" Thread

I heard somewhere in the game telecast that KY didn't watch any film on WI.

[jeebs9]

Re: The Official 2015 "Running Commentary of Every Single Game" Thread

Unbeaten Kentucky takes unique approach to prepping for foes

Jalen Rose said similar things about Pringles in Phoenix...

I heard somewhere in the game telecast that KY didn't watch any film on WI.

Yea I just read that article (thanks). But I can see what they are trying to do. And he's not doing it because he has a superstar team. He's worried about their team only. I try to think about basketball as this organic thing that changes all the time. Where in football you need to watch tapes to at least understand your opponent. But basketball is a little different in my opinion. But I agree with what someone said in a post before. Not setting up a defensive game plan is by far the dumbest thing I've heard. Watching Booker get switched on to Frank several times for great looks is bad. You would think with those awesome mobile big man that they would hedge all the pick and rolls (Duke did that vs State).

Also... can't really question John C. He's coached some great players and he's won a championship. If that's what he does. Then that's what he does. It's working for him smh. But this is why basketball is so organic to me.

[ehh]

Re: The Official 2015 "Running Commentary of Every Single Game" Thread

He's worried about their team only. I try to think about basketball as this organic thing that changes all the time. Where in football you need to watch tapes to at least understand your opponent. But basketball is a little different in my opinion. But I agree with what someone said in a post before. Not setting up a defensive game plan is by far the dumbest thing I've heard. Watching Booker get switched on to Frank several times for great looks is bad. You would think with those awesome mobile big man that they would hedge all the pick and rolls (Duke did that vs State).

There is no excuse for what he did, it's Coaching 101 in basketball. You create your offensive and defensive scheme and then tweak it game-to-game based on your opponent. Your goal is almost always to take away what the opposition does best, or at least make it much more difficult, since basketball is not like football and you aren't going to flat out stop great players/teams. Coach K has done this very well throughout his career.

I played college basketball and a huge chunk of game prep was spent on the opposing team. We know our offensive stuff and what we do well, there's no point in spending much time on it. Every now and then the staff would put in a new quick-hitter that they felt could take advantage of a weakness in the opposition. Mostly though you don't tweak your offense from game to game. Defensively though - we go over personnel, tendencies and plays (including inbounds plays) of the opposition. Know thy enemy. Our morning shoot-arounds were almost entirely dedicated to the opposition.

We never had universal rules for switching or hedging, it was always in a player and matchup-specific situation. Some guys you go under screens, some over. Some times you hedge, some times you trap, some times you switch. You never do the same thing universally, that's horrible coaching.

For Calipari to elect to NOT include that as part of his game prep is embarrassing. It's arrogant, it's stupid, it's any other negative adjective you want to throw in there. I would be so angry if I was a UK fan. In a tight game like that the smallest bit of prep/knowledge that you instilled in your team can make a difference. Maybe a UK defender recognizes which play/action Wisconsin is running and jumps a passing lane. As for adjusting, after Wisconsin exploited Booker on a switch more than once it's time to adjust. Get him out of the game or stop having him switch screens set by Kaminksy. Something along those lines could be the difference between a win and a loss.

The coaching landscape of college basketball is a bizarre place. After the ability to recruit perhaps the biggest differentiator is game-planning and in-game adjustments. There are some big programs and big names that simple don't adjust mid-game or are horrible at it.

[dbeth]

Re: The Official 2015 "Running Commentary of Every Single Game" Thread

Also... can't really question John C. He's coached some great players and he's won a championship. If that's what he does. Then that's what he does. It's working for him smh. But this is why basketball is so organic to me.

But...then again, how many championships has he won vs. times to the Final Four (let's not even get into those that were vacated)?

Gameplanning becomes much MUCH more vital the farther you get in the tournament, and that may be a clue why he has failed to deliver multiple championships with the rosters he assembles. Routinely having the best record at the end of the season without a championship has to sting...and he may have to adjust.

That being said, I look forward to the coaching chess match between Coach K and Bo tonight.

[ehh]

Re: The Official 2015 "Running Commentary of Every Single Game" Thread

The only title he's won was when he had a generational player in Davis. He's Jim Boeheim.

[superjames1992]

Re: The Official 2015 "Running Commentary of Every Single Game" Thread

The only title he's won was when he had a generational player in Davis. He's Jim Boeheim.

It's amazing that he couldn't even get to the Final Four with his NBA squad in 2010. A team that starts John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, Patrick Patterson, and DeMarcus Cousins can't beat a team whose best NBA player was Devin Ebanks (who isn't even in the NBA anymore) and has no current NBA players.

[daflyboys]

Re: The Official 2015 "Running Commentary of Every Single Game" Thread

Look guys... I don't know if you guys have been through the AAU system or played basketball from a very young age. But after each every game. They make everyone shake hands after the game. But Badger were celebrating on the court. And only a few players didn't shake hands. I get all the class stuff. But I could understand being very mad in that moment and walking off the court. You just lost the game to go to the Championship. You were undefeated. Some people need to cool down. What they did wasn't right. But I understand how they felt.

No..I didn't play AAU as I didn't know about it, but probably could have. That doesn't have anything to do with it. I understand mad too, but that doesn't mean I'm changing my point.

[PhantomPain]

Re: The Official 2015 "Running Commentary of Every Single Game" Thread

It's amazing that he couldn't even get to the Final Four with his NBA squad in 2010. A team that starts John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, Patrick Patterson, and DeMarcus Cousins can't beat a team whose best NBA player was Devin Ebanks (who isn't even in the NBA anymore) and has no current NBA players.

I am not here to defend Cal or his game prepping tactics. I was a bit surprised myself that he didn't show them any game film before the game. He has always said he shows very little, like 8-10 minutes worth but they don't analyze. But for the Wisconsin game they said he didn't show any. That makes me scratch my head.

As for the post in quotes above, it is amazing that his 2010 UK team didn't win it all. But the problem with looking back is you are tainted by the way players are today and not then. Wall, Bledsoe and Cousins were freshmen. They aren't even in the same stratosphere as the players they are today. Yes, they were great in their one year of college but they aren't what they are today. Not to mention, and this is why everyone always said you can't win it all with one and dones, is that they were freshmen! If you think about that fact, and the fact that the team had no reliable 3 point shooter, you can see how they lost. Huggins threw a defense at UK that they hadn't seen before (Huggins said he stumbled on it like the week or a few days before they played UK so UK couldn't prepare for it either even if that was Cal's philosophy) AND was perfect for a team that couldn't shoot well from the outside. Which is why they went 0-20 on their first 20 three point attempts.

That team could have played West Virginia 100 times and won 98 of them IMO. But in the tournament, you lose you're out. Had Jodie Meeks stayed that year, that team would have won the championship IMO. But he didn't and they didn't. C'est la vie....

[jda1202]

Re: The Official 2015 "Running Commentary of Every Single Game" Thread

I got Duke pulling it out by 4 over Wisky

[ehh]

Re: The Official 2015 "Running Commentary of Every Single Game" Thread

As for the post in quotes above, it is amazing that his 2010 UK team didn't win it all. But the problem with looking back is you are tainted by the way players are today and not then. Wall, Bledsoe and Cousins were freshmen. They aren't even in the same stratosphere as the players they are today. Yes, they were great in their one year of college but they aren't what they are today. Not to mention, and this is why everyone always said you can't win it all with one and dones, is that they were freshmen! If you think about that fact, and the fact that the team had no reliable 3 point shooter, you can see how they lost. Huggins threw a defense at UK that they hadn't seen before (Huggins said he stumbled on it like the week or a few days before they played UK so UK couldn't prepare for it either even if that was Cal's philosophy) AND was perfect for a team that couldn't shoot well from the outside. Which is why they went 0-20 on their first 20 three point attempts.

Yeah, that wasn't THAT huge of an upset at the time. Wall had plenty of critics, Bledsoe wasn't that big of an impact player and everyone questioned Cousins' maturity. Plus as you said they had no shooters.

[dbeth]

Re: The Official 2015 "Running Commentary of Every Single Game" Thread

...which is why it's been fun watching these Badgers grow for me these past 2-3 years. They've formed bonds over the years with their teammates (both on and off the floor). They've been disappointed by results, and vowed to make up for them. They've grown as players and as a team, and learned to handle diversity in situations.

I get sooooooo sick of Coach Cal saying "but they're 18 & 19 year olds!" No crap. Quit using it as an excuse if that's how you want your roster built. Don't be upset and surprised when savvy 3 & 4 year vets exploit that inexperience. Josh Gasser has played in 147 college games. He's ready. Wall, Bledsoe and Cousins could also have made this choice, but chose not to (and Cal expected it).

That's maybe what upsets me most about Cal getting into the Hall and not Bo. Bo coaches...Cal recruits.

For all the talent Cal has had (even at the time they were in college), has has drastically underachieved.
For all the talent Bo has had (what we in WI like to call Culver's All-American's--burger chain started in southern WI), he has drastically overachieved.

Bo is 10-2 in Final Fours in his lifetime (D3 and D1), and Cal get the nod...smh.

[jeebs9]

Re: The Official 2015 "Running Commentary of Every Single Game" Thread

There is no excuse for what he did, it's Coaching 101 in basketball. You create your offensive and defensive scheme and then tweak it game-to-game based on your opponent. Your goal is almost always to take away what the opposition does best, or at least make it much more difficult, since basketball is not like football and you aren't going to flat out stop great players/teams. Coach K has done this very well throughout his career.

I played college basketball and a huge chunk of game prep was spent on the opposing team. We know our offensive stuff and what we do well, there's no point in spending much time on it. Every now and then the staff would put in a new quick-hitter that they felt could take advantage of a weakness in the opposition. Mostly though you don't tweak your offense from game to game. Defensively though - we go over personnel, tendencies and plays (including inbounds plays) of the opposition. Know thy enemy. Our morning shoot-arounds were almost entirely dedicated to the opposition.

We never had universal rules for switching or hedging, it was always in a player and matchup-specific situation. Some guys you go under screens, some over. Some times you hedge, some times you trap, some times you switch. You never do the same thing universally, that's horrible coaching.

For Calipari to elect to NOT include that as part of his game prep is embarrassing. It's arrogant, it's stupid, it's any other negative adjective you want to throw in there. I would be so angry if I was a UK fan. In a tight game like that the smallest bit of prep/knowledge that you instilled in your team can make a difference. Maybe a UK defender recognizes which play/action Wisconsin is running and jumps a passing lane. As for adjusting, after Wisconsin exploited Booker on a switch more than once it's time to adjust. Get him out of the game or stop having him switch screens set by Kaminksy. Something along those lines could be the difference between a win and a loss.

The coaching landscape of college basketball is a bizarre place. After the ability to recruit perhaps the biggest differentiator is game-planning and in-game adjustments. There are some big programs and big names that simple don't adjust mid-game or are horrible at it.

I guess I understand his thinking behind the whole thing. Do I agree with it... hell no lol

No..I didn't play AAU as I didn't know about it, but probably could have. That doesn't have anything to do with it. I understand mad too, but that doesn't mean I'm changing my point.

I wasn't trying to make you change your point lol... I guess like I said above. Just trying to get everyone to see the other side of the story.

I am not here to defend Cal or his game prepping tactics. I was a bit surprised myself that he didn't show them any game film before the game. He has always said he shows very little, like 8-10 minutes worth but they don't analyze. But for the Wisconsin game they said he didn't show any. That makes me scratch my head.

As for the post in quotes above, it is amazing that his 2010 UK team didn't win it all. But the problem with looking back is you are tainted by the way players are today and not then. Wall, Bledsoe and Cousins were freshmen. They aren't even in the same stratosphere as the players they are today. Yes, they were great in their one year of college but they aren't what they are today. Not to mention, and this is why everyone always said you can't win it all with one and dones, is that they were freshmen! If you think about that fact, and the fact that the team had no reliable 3 point shooter, you can see how they lost. Huggins threw a defense at UK that they hadn't seen before (Huggins said he stumbled on it like the week or a few days before they played UK so UK couldn't prepare for it either even if that was Cal's philosophy) AND was perfect for a team that couldn't shoot well from the outside. Which is why they went 0-20 on their first 20 three point attempts.

That team could have played West Virginia 100 times and won 98 of them IMO. But in the tournament, you lose you're out. Had Jodie Meeks stayed that year, that team would have won the championship IMO. But he didn't and they didn't. C'est la vie....

Yeah, that wasn't THAT huge of an upset at the time. Wall had plenty of critics, Bledsoe wasn't that big of an impact player and everyone questioned Cousins' maturity. Plus as you said they had no shooters.

Agree..