BCG's opinion of individual players, opinion

[DRCATFAN]

It seems pretty obvious to me that BCG has strong feelings about the players. It seems some can do no wrong, while others can't seem to get out of the dog house. Here's the way I see it, agree, disagree, opinions?

I've sort of listed them in the order I think he likes them:

Patterson - best player, leader, team will be built around him
Jasper - hard to tell since he's not been playing, but every interview BCG keeps saying Jasper was the one player we couldn't afford to lose, and that he is strong, smart, and plays with passion
Meeks - BCG is hard on him but because he realizes his potential
Coury - a player that plays the way BCG wants them to play, but just dosn't have the god given physical talents of others
Porter - BCG sees something in this kid that I can't. BCG sticks with him through lots of mistakes
Bradley - seems to have good days and bad days with BCG. Bradley can play with passion, but can make bonehead plays also
Stevenson - doesn't deserve a lot of love, but can't seen to get any
Crawford - the red-headed stepchild. If Joe says the sky is blue, BCG says it's gray. There is obviously a problem in this relationship
Stewart - What can we say about sleepy boy
Legion - Don't let the door hit you in the a$$ on the way out

[scathendo]

seems like a pretty solid take.
the only thing i would add to what can we say about stewart is we could say a lot more if our team and coach would say more.

[Brian McCat]

Carter?

[SamKat]

Coach Gillispie seems very unimpressed by the two seven footers. I am no coach, but Williams impressed me in Big Blue Madness. Little jumpers and a lot of hustle. His start at UK is very similar to Stevenson's last year. Stevenson blocked so many shots and played so well in the Miami of Ohio game and the coach hardly gave him a touch thereafter.

Some things happen in practice that we fans don't have the insight to.

[Brian McCat]

Some things happen in practice that we fans don't have the insight to.

True. There are 2.5 million basketball coaches at the University of Kentucky, but only one draws a paycheck for the job. :shock:

[UKBOO]

While I can understand how some might view Coach as having "favorites", I think there is a lot we do not see. He seems to have a basis criteria. Do it the way we want you to in practice and do it that way in a game. And no matter what, do it all out.

This is easiest for 2 Pat. I watched him in high school and he played the same way. All out and all for the team.

I don't really think we can make a call on how he sees Meeks and Jasper fitting in with this line of thought, but based on last year, I would say they may be next.

The other thing we see is Coach saying, I don't care who has more God given ability, its the ones that do it the way we want that will play.

Hence Porter and Coury.

I think Crawford and Bradley have the hardest time with this. On the other side, Coach has to look at the player's game and build a scheme around that. Crawford is deadly coming off the screen at the top, for instance. Hes a catch and shoot. Run one or two for him and get him going.

Stewart, Carter and Williams job is rebounding. If they do not get boards in practice, then they will not play. I talk with an ex player who gets the skinny, and Williams is coming along. I thought he may get the call in the UAB game. Maybe Houston?

I don't think its fair to say that Legion was the "least thought of". He was 6th on the team in minutes.

I think the bottom line here is, UK has to put a team on the floor that plays together. All five guys have to be on the same page. We saw the best half of the year against UAB. Problem is, you play two.

[CatKroboth]

If Williams can come in and take up space on D, Rebound and be a threat for 8-10 points, that will take some pressure of Paterson and allow him to move some more around the floor. I believe then we will see Paterson's completed game. Another thing that will help is Jasper handling the ball, and letting Crawford play the 3 and Bradley the 2 their natural positions.

Williams has the desire, but his talent is Raw.. I think Coach G is the coach that can extract that talent. Williams is also strong as an OX, I don't see many players ripping a rebound out of his hands.

Chalk me up as a Williams fan, I think he could make a difference given time.

[UKBOO]

Williams is strong as an OX. He doesn't move quickly enough yet, but otherwise he seems to have some tools. He needs work on positioning and following the ball. He does post up well.

I very much agree with you in regards of getting 2 Pat where he can help the most. He would be a much better post up player if he had the smaller guy on him. If someone did put their bigger guy on him, that means Williams would have a much smaller guy on him. You go to whichever is matched up best.

[scathendo]

I don't think its fair to say that Legion was the "least thought of". He was 6th on the team in minutes.

excellent point

[cateng]

How does everyone know so much about Williams? He never enters the game. We have to assume that his talent is raw, unless you all are at the practices. At this point I dont see how him entering the game can hurt us at all, or anyone else on the bench for that matter.

[AugustaDan]

I think Crawford and Bradley have the hardest time with this. On the other side, Coach has to look at the player's game and build a scheme around that. Crawford is deadly coming off the screen at the top, for instance. Hes a catch and shoot. Run one or two for him and get him going.

Stewart, Carter and Williams job is rebounding. If they do not get boards in practice, then they will not play. I talk with an ex player who gets the skinny, and Williams is coming along. I thought he may get the call in the UAB game. Maybe Houston?

It doesn't appear to me that Crawford has enough movement on offense to take advantage of that skill. Vaden was running Porter all over the court and continually trying to rub him off of screens. I just don't see Joe doing that. I can imagine many reasons for this other than "Joe doesn't play hard enough" so don't think I'm just bashing Crawford here. My primary guess is that we don't have anyone who actually sets a good screen. As far as I can tell, the only player we've had in the last 3 years who could set a screen was Sheray Thomas (which is why I think he got so many minutes).

Also, didn't Gillispie make a comment once when asked about getting Carter and Williams in for rebounding that "they reviewed the tapes and Carter and Williams only had 3 rebounds in practice all week, combined".

[UKBOO]

How does everyone know so much about Williams? He never enters the game. We have to assume that his talent is raw, unless you all are at the practices. At this point I dont see how him entering the game can hurt us at all, or anyone else on the bench for that matter.

An ex UK player posts on another board and watches some practices. I get tid bits from him.

Coach also said a week or so ago himself that Williams was "coming along".

I also watched Williams at the Derby Classic this year. Its a game not suited for project type players, but he showed a few things. I watched him in warm up. The kid had a ball in each hand and was waving them around like they were tennis balls. He had no problem at all bullng to his spots and keeping guys off of theirs. Only rebounded what came right to him, but soft touch and shoots well in traffic.

That's what I base my post on.

[UKBOO]

It doesn't appear to me that Crawford has enough movement on offense to take advantage of that skill. Vaden was running Porter all over the court and continually trying to rub him off of screens. I just don't see Joe doing that. I can imagine many reasons for this other than "Joe doesn't play hard enough" so don't think I'm just bashing Crawford here. My primary guess is that we don't have anyone who actually sets a good screen. As far as I can tell, the only player we've had in the last 3 years who could set a screen was Sheray Thomas (which is why I think he got so many minutes).

Also, didn't Gillispie make a comment once when asked about getting Carter and Williams in for rebounding that "they reviewed the tapes and Carter and Williams only had 3 rebounds in practice all week, combined".

All valid points. I've always been of the opinion that Crawford is too slow and can't handle well enough for the two and is too small for the three. His game reminds me of Bogans, but he doesn't have Bogans' Motor. Very interesting point on Thomas. I have to say that could be the very reason. He did pick well. Coach did say that Carter and Williams had only X number (I think the number was 8) of rebounds in practice a few weeks ago. More recently he has said Williams is, "coming on".

There is an interesting article about the Hood kid that UK is recruiting. His coach talks of a switch that flipped. There are several UK players that could make a heck of a difference if someone can find their, "switch". Williams is one of them.

[Josh]

Carter?

Apparently, no opinion. :icon_lol::icon_lol:

[KennesawCat]

Apparently, no opinion. :icon_lol::icon_lol:

Don't think he'll be here in January. No info in particular, just MHO.

[kjscott17]

Great Take!!!!!

[catsfan20]

How does everyone know so much about Williams? He never enters the game. We have to assume that his talent is raw, unless you all are at the practices. At this point I dont see how him entering the game can hurt us at all, or anyone else on the bench for that matter.

I think BCG has made it very clear that the players who work hard in practice will get the minutes in the game. And, I do mean all of the minutes. If you are not working hard in practice, you simply will not play. I personally love this philosophy. As Coach has said several times, he has never seen a player practice poorly and then play well. It just doesn't work that way. The players will eventually adjust to this, and then they will control their own playing time thru hard work. When they realize this and start buying into BG's system. You will see why he has won everywhere he has been.

JMO

[bret1555]

All valid points. I've always been of the opinion that Crawford is too slow and can't handle well enough for the two and is too small for the three. His game reminds me of Bogans, but he doesn't have Bogans' Motor.

I don't think Joe's speed is a problem, but he doesn't have a really good first step. His handle isn't great, but it is adequate for a two.

I think the Bogans comparison is intriguing, but his handle was better than Joe's, mainly because he had a better first step. Joe levitates better than Kieth ever did. . . It is funny to hear people talk about Bogans' "motor," because he was unfairly given a hard time by a lot of fans, much like Joe, for having a little "dog" in him. Funny how time changes perspectives, isn't it?

[boomdaddy]

It sure seems to me that the players are working very hard in practice to master the art of the turnover. I think the team has just about perfected it. BCG is really teaching them the finer points of the game.

[UKBOO]

I don't think Joe's speed is a problem, but he doesn't have a really good first step. His handle isn't great, but it is adequate for a two.

I think the Bogans comparison is intriguing, but his handle was better than Joe's, mainly because he had a better first step. Joe levitates better than Kieth ever did. . . It is funny to hear people talk about Bogans' "motor," because he was unfairly given a hard time by a lot of fans, much like Joe, for having a little "dog" in him. Funny how time changes perspectives, isn't it?

Valid points on his step and his handle. I do think his speed and lateral is lacking. He doen't outrun anyone down court. And his handle is suspect for a two. I agree with you on Bogans. He did not have the hops. I guess the comparision is where they both BULL into the lane. Bogans was a better "coast to coast" guy and in my mind a better finisher.

People talk about the "dog" in joe. I think that is a little mis-aligned. If Joe did the same things, and got 25 a game, we would be talking about how UK should be going to him more. I think he fails to execute his "game" more than he dogs. Prime example is the last shot the other night...

[CatFanInTheBathtub]

It seems pretty obvious to me that BCG has strong feelings about the players. It seems some can do no wrong, while others can't seem to get out of the dog house. Here's the way I see it, agree, disagree, opinions?

I've sort of listed them in the order I think he likes them:

Patterson - best player, leader, team will be built around him
Jasper - hard to tell since he's not been playing, but every interview BCG keeps saying Jasper was the one player we couldn't afford to lose, and that he is strong, smart, and plays with passion
Meeks - BCG is hard on him but because he realizes his potential
Coury - a player that plays the way BCG wants them to play, but just dosn't have the god given physical talents of others
Porter - BCG sees something in this kid that I can't. BCG sticks with him through lots of mistakes
Bradley - seems to have good days and bad days with BCG. Bradley can play with passion, but can make bonehead plays also
Stevenson - doesn't deserve a lot of love, but can't seen to get any
Crawford - the red-headed stepchild. If Joe says the sky is blue, BCG says it's gray. There is obviously a problem in this relationship
Stewart - What can we say about sleepy boy
Legion - Don't let the door hit you in the a$$ on the way out


Ramon Harris ? he only started against uab. apparently BG likes him a bunch, or he practiced well or something.

[UKBOO]

^^
Harris has started in almost every game he's played in.

[catdmd]

I don't understand how Harris could start ahead of anyone. I can't figure out our coach and probably never will. We have several players who are absolutely no threat of offense. This was demonstrated when Patterson went out of the game on Saturday. Bradley and Crawford were absolutely "frozen" and did not attack the basket. The only thing Harris did on Saturday was feed the post, which it seems like no one else is willing or able to do.
I think we need a miracle from God.

[UKBOO]

I think he attempts to do what they want from him more than others attempt to do what is required of them.

He hasn't lit it up. He hasn't played well. But I think he has stuck to the game plan. Coach needs these guys to remeber that it only takes one guy off the game plan to mess things up.