Shot Selection, Toughness, and other random thoughts...

[Rambunctious]

I'll try to call - - but I am sure they'll screen out any tough questions...especially on his first show.

 

[Pavarotti]

After we obliterate Drexel, you can call in and congratulate him on learning from mistakes, and how you look forward to us doing the same to Delaware on Saturday.

 

[Ramdog]

no one will call...much easier to coach from here.

I have seen legit questions posted here...i will be listening tomorrow night for you to call
and they do not screen calls...about a 5 sec delay but no screening

 

[Mercury]

no one will call...much easier to coach from here.

I have seen legit questions posted here...i will be listening tomorrow night for you to call

I may or may not call, it depends on the play of the team Tomorrow.

 

[Wolfpack Ram]

no one will call...much easier to coach from here.

I have seen legit questions posted here...i will be listening tomorrow night for you to call
and they do not screen calls...about a 5 sec delay but no screening

They read the boards. They should already know what the questions are. This board is like their 24/7 performance evaluation!

 

[Ramdog]

They read the boards. They should already know what the questions are. This board is like their 24/7 performance evaluation!

no way they could go through all the "boycott the homecoming" and "look a like threads' and find the one or two legit basketball questions

 

[Wolfpack Ram]

It's funny. During the post game last night prior to Mike Ellis going to the locker room to interview Shaka, Robby was asking Mike how he was going to ask the question to Shaka regarding how is he going to get Larry to stop shooting 3's.

 

[BradRamFan]

Shaka needs to grow a pair and rip into this team. You're the coach and leader, act like it

While I agree that something needs to be done, do we know that Shaka isn't doing this in practice or after the game? Perhaps he just doesn't do it during the game.

But regardless - and a number of us have been saying it for more than a couple of games - Larry needs to do his work around the basket rather than 10+ feet away from it. Heck, I think Joey took more shots closer tot he basket than Larry did last night!

But also - someone (presumably the coaches in practice, etc) are the ones sending Larry 10+ feet way to set pick and stuff.

Larry can shoot and hit but should be working closer to the basket. Santil and Skeen are both scoring and looking good around the basket. Gavin and Burgess aren't hitting well at this time from outside. I say we rotate the ball inside to Skeen, Santil, and Larry for the score....how about we spend half a basketball game doing that - the high percentage shot - If any of those 3 are more than 5 feet from the basket they are not allowed to shoot the darn ball!

 

[G-Man]

For me this a defining moment in Coach Smart's coaching ability. This team is spinning out of control with absolutely no dicipline and he and the coaching staff need to gain control ASAP. And, yes, it starts with Larry coming out of the locker room wearing a VCU jersey. Even Nixon was sitting on the bench during intros last night without his jersey on. Coach Smart needs to start walking the post game interview talk he's giving to Mike Elis and the press after every game. Over half of this team has had a ton of success at VCU in the past 2-3 years and I fear they now think that success is automatic. Grant was a diciplinarian and Capel was also to somewhat of a lesser degree. Shaka trying to be the players' coach is not going to work.

Wow, somebody agrees with me!

What about Gavin wearing that gold shooting shirt? Everytime I see him, I think that he's the quarterback who's not supposed to get hit during practice.

Seriously, it is very much about discipline and having guys who are not out for themselves. I think that Shaka deserves some slack, being a rookie head coach...but this is where he has a challenge to meet.

As some others have said, Larry's got to put out better effort...both mental and physical. How he only gets 2 rebounds in 19 minutes against UNCW, as many shots as they missed, I don't know. In many cases, he doesn't appear to try with nearly the same passion or agressiveness that others do. Maybe this is a result of an over emphasis or reaction to foul concerns.