Very quick stuff (UVA game)...

[gobblercalls]

The returns are early and probably too early to make any declaration. Again, remember that a Withers starting at the 4 led to like 20 pt halftime deficits in the early part of the season. Maybe that was more on Washington, but Withers was part of that lineup. The returns are early. But at least they're positive.

and an RJ starting at the 2, and EC starting at 1, and so on and so on. Why point out that Withers was starting? 4 others were also starting!

Just for thought, why do you believe hd hasn’t ran with this lineup? In my thoughts it’s foul trouble, inconsistency, and boneheaded moments.

too much $$ invested in RJ. I know EC is no Dudley Bradley, but I see RJ's defense as a much bigger problem than EC. Well, I should say, if RJ actually played any defense. I'm in the group that thinks we'd have been better off w/o RJ coming back this year, but that's just my opinion.

 

[DSouthr]

As I said, I don't mind HD benching EC after 2 fouls; I mind him sitting on the bench for long stretches. What does that teach? Let him calm down for a minute. Let Marcus talk it over with him for a minute. Then back in the game.

I often like the phrase "he benched himself" - but in this case I question it. Let him play through these mistakes, not sit because of them.

I think he'd be farther along if he played through his mistakes more.

Cadeau tends to pick up his fouls in bunches rather than space them out. He should have the mindset to treat picking up his 2nd first half foul as if he already had 2 and could pick up #3 before the break. I would pull Cadeau after his second foul in a first half to because it is more likely that he will pick up #3 before the half. But there is as well the other problem of Cadeau "defending" not wanting to pick up that 3rd foul. He is not a great defender any way but him backing off even more gives wide open driving lanes to the ball handler, you really don't want to see that happening.

RJ on the other hand, I would play him with 2 first half fouls, why, because you do not pick up many fouls guarding a ball handler when you are reading the number on the back of his jersey... For those that may not understand what I mean by that, it was not a compliment.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

We'll see. The difference may have been Syracuse, NC State, and Virginia are all no good.

They're playing well now. Hopefully, they play well in their next game and go from there. I don't think there should be any expectation of being a "threat." Just stack up good performances and live in the moment. Then hopefully things can take care of themselves.

They should beat Florida State. They're a road favorite against a pretty mediocre team. Just focus on putting together a performance worthy of a victory. This team hasn't earned the right to look ahead and imagine what they can be, lol.

I don't know if it's still true, but I always think of FSU as a tough road foe. So I'm nervous.

Even with us playing big, FSU is slightly bigger.

As much as I'd like to think we are finally seeing the "real" JWit, I don't really expect him to be able to deliver 3 games that good in a row. I hope he proves me wrong.

 

[DSouthr]

and an RJ starting at the 2, and EC starting at 1, and so on and so on. Why point out that Withers was starting? 4 others were also starting!

too much $$ invested in RJ. I know EC is no Dudley Bradley, but I see RJ's defense as a much bigger problem than EC. Well, I should say, if RJ actually played any defense. I'm in the group that thinks we'd have been better off w/o RJ coming back this year, but that's just my opinion.

I felt all season that the money we spent on RJ and Tyson would have been better spent bringing in a wide shoulders physical big man and a back up real PG for Cadeau. With who we already had, replacing RJ was rather easy, start either Seth or Jack and in a pinch Drake could have played some 2. Game 1 this season I would have started Cadeau at the point, Jack at the 2, Drake at the 3, JWit at the 4, and JWash at the 5.

 

[alabamaheel]

and an RJ starting at the 2, and EC starting at 1, and so on and so on. Why point out that Withers was starting? 4 others were also starting!

too much $$ invested in RJ. I know EC is no Dudley Bradley, but I see RJ's defense as a much bigger problem than EC. Well, I should say, if RJ actually played any defense. I'm in the group that thinks we'd have been better off w/o RJ coming back this year, but that's just my opinion.

I agree about his defense but I know this sounds far fetched but I think some of it is the fact that he knows he can’t get into foul trouble. I can’t imagine both he and EC having to sit. Shew.

 

[alabamaheel]

I felt all season that the money we spent on RJ and Tyson would have been better spent bringing in a wide shoulders physical big man and a back up real PG for Cadeau. With who we already had, replacing RJ was rather easy, start either Seth or Jack and in a pinch Drake could have played some 2. Game 1 this season I would have started Cadeau at the point, Jack at the 2, Drake at the 3, JWit at the 4, and JWash at the 5.

Bs real pg crap. Talk about narrative Dav. You’ve drank the koolaid. Jk maybe

 

[alabamaheel]

I felt all season that the money we spent on RJ and Tyson would have been better spent bringing in a wide shoulders physical big man and a back up real PG for Cadeau. With who we already had, replacing RJ was rather easy, start either Seth or Jack and in a pinch Drake could have played some 2. Game 1 this season I would have started Cadeau at the point, Jack at the 2, Drake at the 3, JWit at the 4, and JWash at the 5.

And rather easy? I’d bet a dollar to donuts there’s games we don’t win without RJ. Even if it’s closing out games with fts. Y’all forget waaay too easy. And dang it man look at the first half when your easy replacement of RJ of a team was out there lol. They was zero defense played. Maybe around the 11:00 to 7min mark. Ugly

 

[2DDIMOND]

And rather easy? I’d bet a dollar to donuts there’s games we don’t win without RJ. Even if it’s closing out games with fts. Y’all forget waaay too easy. And dang it man look at the first half when your easy replacement of RJ of a team was out there lol. They was zero defense played. Maybe around the 11:00 to 7min mark. Ugly

We lose our opener to f’ing Elon without RJ. That’s enough said.

 

[gobblercalls]

We lose our opener to f’ing Elon without RJ. That’s enough said.

You have no way of knowing that. Had RJ not come back, and Ian gotten all of the reps with the starters in preseason practices, Ian may have scored 30 against Elon. RJ bailed us out that game, no doubt, but who knows what the situation would have been had he not returned?

 

[DSouthr]

Bs real pg crap. Talk about narrative Dav. You’ve drank the koolaid. Jk maybe

Because you do not agree does not make my opinion BS, it is just as easy for me to call your opinion is BS when you suggest RJ is a PG. You are better than that bama, I know you are, have exchanged to much with you to not realize that you can express yourself without being crude.

 

[DSouthr]

And rather easy? I’d bet a dollar to donuts there’s games we don’t win without RJ. Even if it’s closing out games with fts. Y’all forget waaay too easy. And dang it man look at the first half when your easy replacement of RJ of a team was out there lol. They was zero defense played. Maybe around the 11:00 to 7min mark. Ugly

And yet we will never know will we, so doesn't a bet of dollars to donuts on something that now can not happen strike you as lacking merit? I can't know how the line up I suggested would have played out any more than you or anyone else can. But I can point to the last couple games where we have FINALLY started trying to match up size wise and the success that has brought.

 

[DSouthr]

You have no way of knowing that. Had RJ not come back, and Ian gotten all of the reps with the starters in preseason practices, Ian may have scored 30 against Elon. RJ bailed us out that game, no doubt, but who knows what the situation would have been had he not returned?

It is a classic straw man argument, speculate what may have happened and then trying to hold it up as proof. You are exactly right, who knows how this would have played out had RJ not returned, we very well may have had much larger margins in some of those close wins and maybe some of those close losses could have gone our way had we matched up size better. I do have 1 game I can easy point to where RJ was not available and Seth went off, that actually happened, was not speculation. I as well have a string of games where Seth was either out or not 100% from that concussion where we struggled against teams we should not have struggled with. And of course there is as well the fact that opposing guards have abused our tiny back court all season, that is not speculation either.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I felt all season that the money we spent on RJ and Tyson would have been better spent bringing in a wide shoulders physical big man and a back up real PG for Cadeau. With who we already had, replacing RJ was rather easy, start either Seth or Jack and in a pinch Drake could have played some 2. Game 1 this season I would have started Cadeau at the point, Jack at the 2, Drake at the 3, JWit at the 4, and JWash at the 5.

I agree, except that we could have kept RJ, gotten Cade, AND had a top big man. I see no good reason to believe that we had to lose either of those players to get the rest of what we needed.

It's easy for anyone to see that neither RJ nor Cade has had the seasons we expected (so far), but that simply wasn't what most of us thought would happen.

Related question: if we had a GM during the last portal season, do we honestly believe we'd have done better? If you believe that, why do you believe that? And if you do think having a GM would somehow have made the outcome better, how much better? I mean we went after some really good bigs (although not all of them have lived up to their hype). And apparently we offered pretty big money at the end, but struck out. So, again, what does the GM add that would have translated into any big improvement?

Obviously I have only the loosest sense of what a GM does, so please educate me. I'm assuming having a GM doesn't free up more money (and, in fact, will cost money). And I'm also assuming Hubert would have targeted the same people in the portal. So unless the GM's job is to override Hubert's player preferences - and maybe it is - I'm not clear how having a GM would have changed much.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

RJ on the other hand, I would play him with 2 first half fouls, why, because you do not pick up many fouls guarding a ball handler when you are reading the number on the back of his jersey... For those that may not understand what I mean by that, it was not a compliment.

Not merely "not a compliment" but a lazy attack. We're not talking about RJ as a frosh or soph. He'll never be an elite defender like Seth can be, but he's OK.

The reason RJ doesn't pick up fouls is because he plays like the experienced, self-controlled player he is. He's always played under control. That deserves praise, not bashing.

 

[alabamaheel]

Not merely "not a compliment" but a lazy attack. We're not talking about RJ as a frosh or soph. He'll never be an elite defender like Seth can be, but he's OK.

The reason RJ doesn't pick up fouls is because he plays like the experienced, self-controlled player he is. He's always played under control. That deserves praise, not bashing.

My thoughts too. I do think he could be a little more physical sometimes for sure. On the other hand he knows someone has to be on the court without foul trouble lol. I think that’s part of it too.

 

[DSouthr]

As for this game,

I agree, except that we could have kept RJ, gotten Cade, AND had a top big man. I see no good reason to believe that we had to lose either of those players to get the rest of what we needed.

It's easy for anyone to see that neither RJ nor Cade has had the seasons we expected (so far), but that simply wasn't what most of us thought would happen.

Related question: if we had a GM during the last portal season, do we honestly believe we'd have done better? If you believe that, why do you believe that? And if you do think having a GM would somehow have made the outcome better, how much better? I mean we went after some really good bigs (although not all of them have lived up to their hype). And apparently we offered pretty big money at the end, but struck out. So, again, what does the GM add that would have translated into any big improvement?

Obviously I have only the loosest sense of what a GM does, so please educate me. I'm assuming having a GM doesn't free up more money (and, in fact, will cost money). And I'm also assuming Hubert would have targeted the same people in the portal. So unless the GM's job is to override Hubert's player preferences - and maybe it is - I'm not clear how having a GM would have changed much.

GREAT question about the GM!

First, want to say this, good pick in Tanner, could maybe even say great pick. It is my sincere preference that Tanner report not to Hubert but to Bubba, the GM does need to be on page with the coach. Also, it isn't just bringing in the GM, it is bringing in a college version of a front office, 2 examples would be UNC football and duke basketball.

Had Hubert went in to the last portal with a built out front office and GM he would have had many more options early and a far better break down on how those options may have helped us than he had. I would suggest Wolf and/or Golden would have been treated with more priority, maybe earlier and more priority contact with Omouryi. The front office headed by the GM not only finds other prospects that may fit what Hubert needed but it breaks them down in depth and both finds out what the $$$ looks like but let's Hubert know the fiscal ability he may or may not have in a recruitment. Hubert would as well be able to have a more solid understanding of just how likely we would be to get a visit, not just portal guys but high school guys as well, allows Hubert to work with the kid to get him to visit knowing what may be in the way of it. That allows Hubert to only recruit guys he has a reasonable shot at and not used so much as a bargaining chip for a kid to get more money from the school he was going to pick any way.

 

[DSouthr]

Not merely "not a compliment" but a lazy attack. We're not talking about RJ as a frosh or soph. He'll never be an elite defender like Seth can be, but he's OK.

The reason RJ doesn't pick up fouls is because he plays like the experienced, self-controlled player he is. He's always played under control. That deserves praise, not bashing.

It isn't a lazy attack after watching it for over 4 seasons now. RJ gives way more consistent work on the offensive end. He does at times put in good effort on the defensive end but he is going to drop under screens rather than fight over them far to often. Opposing guards have torched him all season, not just him but including him. Makes it even more glaring for me to see him playing the 2 in contrast to Seth at the 2, it is night and day to me.

Sorry but I am going to consider a kid by his over all play, not just how many points he scores in the final box score, I see RJ as a minus defender, his best defensive games I would consider OK but just OK. Just my opinion but I expect more from a 5th yr All American candidate. Now I am not expecting RJ to be able to defend like Seth any more than I expect Seth to start hitting step back treys but I should be able to expect our 2 guard position to not be torched every night either. Just my opinion...

 

[Archer2]

It isn't a lazy attack after watching it for over 4 seasons now. RJ gives way more consistent work on the offensive end. He does at times put in good effort on the defensive end but he is going to drop under screens rather than fight over them far to often. Opposing guards have torched him all season, not just him but including him. Makes it even more glaring for me to see him playing the 2 in contrast to Seth at the 2, it is night and day to me.

Sorry but I am going to consider a kid by his over all play, not just how many points he scores in the final box score, I see RJ as a minus defender, his best defensive games I would consider OK but just OK. Just my opinion but I expect more from a 5th yr All American candidate. Now I am not expecting RJ to be able to defend like Seth any more than I expect Seth to start hitting step back treys but I should be able to expect our 2 guard position to not be torched every night either. Just my opinion...

He’s a grown man getting big money to play at UNC. If he can’t take criticism, he should just hang up his UNC jersey and go play in a rec league. If he’s honest, I’d bet even RJ would say that the main reason he’s at UNC now is for the doh-ray-me. Now that they are professionals, I view them in a different light. I still want them to succeed because that means UNC succeeds. But I have very little emotional investment in college athletics these days.

 

[DSouthr]

He’s a grown man getting big money to play at UNC. If he can’t take criticism, he should just hang up his UNC jersey and go play in a rec league. If he’s honest, I’d bet even RJ would say that the main reason he’s at UNC now is for the doh-ray-me. Now that they are professionals, I view them in a different light. I still want them to succeed because that means UNC succeeds. But I have very little emotional investment in college athletics these days.

I honestly believe that RJ did not have better options, the NBA just isn't thrilled about a 5'11" volume shooting 2 guard that isn't shooting a monster % from trey. And frankly, doubt there were many NCAA teams willing to spend on RJ what we were willing to.

 

[alabamaheel]

You have no way of knowing that. Had RJ not come back, and Ian gotten all of the reps with the starters in preseason practices, Ian may have scored 30 against Elon. RJ bailed us out that game, no doubt, but who knows what the situation would have been had he not returned?

True and Ian may have just started the season like he did and tanked. I honestly think we would be ok without RJ because of reps for others to get better. But we know what he’s capable of and he’s done it. The others were question marks.