An Olive Branch

[Mike-McD]

I admit I came down on Edwards and DJ like a ton of bricks.

I won't apologize for it, but I'll make you guys a deal.

No more bashing until after the Miami game. You guys say they need "time to develop" or fix their issues, fine.

The next three games are too easy for DJ and Edwards to shine. The Miami game will show if they really improve.

If they lay an egg in that game then all bets are off.

But if they deliver, then I'll eat crow.

Fair enough or not?

 

[azubuikefan]

You're not perfect, Sport, and let me save you the suspense: this team that just started, they're not perfect either.

 

[St.PatterSoN-54-]

You're not perfect, Sport, and let me save you the suspense: this team that just started, they're not perfect either.

Stealing lines from Good Will Hunting......I love it.

 

[Louis_Skunt]

Wagner is the weak link right now. Why apologize for it? Either he gets better or he turns into a head case too scared to attack.

 

[track42]

Wagner is the weak link right now. Why apologize for it? Either he gets better or he turns into a head case too scared to attack.

Pretty much.People are so sensitive if you tell the truth about how a player has looked.

 

[Wonky]

You're not perfect, Sport, and let me save you the suspense: this team that just started, they're not perfect either.

Quit with the hyperbole. Nobody’s asking for perfect. We’re asking for these projected lottery picks to play as good as a boy from Laurel County on the big stage. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.

 

[azubuikefan]

Quit with the hyperbole. Nobody’s asking for perfect. We’re asking for these projected lottery picks to play as good as a boy from Laurel County on the big stage. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.

Lmao.

 

[westerncat]

Wanger & Edwards are trying to hard right now they just need to relax and the game will slow down for them. I have seen this happen over the years. They will be fine,.

 

[WildcatforLife1965]

The weak link is standing on the sidelines with his arms folded. Nothing thus far has shown me that he has changed one bit. We constantly have pieces of the puzzle sitting out due to mysterious circumstances. I could literally have walked out my door in June, broke both my legs and one arm and be ready to play by now. Not pointing fingers but it’s obvious we have some on this team with no heart. No team concept just a me concept. Sick of it.

 

[bbncal02]

Quit with the hyperbole. Nobody’s asking for perfect. We’re asking for these projected lottery picks to play as good as a boy from Laurel County on the big stage. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.

It may be too much now. But in a month? Nah, it shouldn't be too much at AT ALL.

 

[bbncal02]

The weak link is standing on the sidelines with his arms folded. Nothing thus far has shown me that he has changed one bit. We constantly have pieces of the puzzle sitting out due to mysterious circumstances. I could literally have walked out my door in June, broke both my legs and one arm and be ready to play by now. Not pointing fingers but it’s obvious we have some on this team with no heart. No team concept just a me concept. Sick of it.

Now THIS. This is a whopper. You would NOT be 100% on the court by now. You would be back to practicing and warming up. Which is where Bradshaw reportedly is.

No heart? Did you even watch last night? The guys out their fought like crazy. Wagner and Edwards were our only flops last night. And it's hard to say what's going on after three games.

The fact we're ready to throw the towel after losing by 5 points and basically two plays is insane.

 

[DelayableMil]

I would maybe suggest giving them until the start of conference play to really get a good idea of what they are.

Expecting a team of young men who were mostly in hs 6 months ago to magically look like title contenders in late November is a little much. Particularly when 3 of the players we will be relying on to be our center aren't even playing yet.

Patience is evidently a virtue many no longer possess.

 

[Mike-McD]

I would maybe suggest giving them until the start of conference play to really get a good idea of what they are.

Expecting a team of young men who were mostly in hs 6 months ago to magically look like title contenders in late November is a little much. Particularly when 3 of the players we will be relying on to be our center aren't even playing yet.

Patience is evidently a virtue many no longer possess.

The trouble is, Maxey spoiled us. He rose to the occasion in the very first game and never really folded. Is it too much to ask for these other superstars to at least play decently?

 

[Big BlueBeard]

The weak link is standing on the sidelines with his arms folded. Nothing thus far has shown me that he has changed one bit. We constantly have pieces of the puzzle sitting out due to mysterious circumstances. I could literally have walked out my door in June, broke both my legs and one arm and be ready to play by now. Not pointing fingers but it’s obvious we have some on this team with no heart. No team concept just a me concept. Sick of it.

Oh I think this team battled and fought its ass off. No heart? Can’t agree with that at all, BUT I did see some pouting. I’ll give ya that.

 

[Louis_Skunt]

The weak link is standing on the sidelines with his arms folded. Nothing thus far has shown me that he has changed one bit. We constantly have pieces of the puzzle sitting out due to mysterious circumstances. I could literally have walked out my door in June, broke both my legs and one arm and be ready to play by now. Not pointing fingers but it’s obvious we have some on this team with no heart. No team concept just a me concept. Sick of it.

Give it a break. If Shep hit that 3 its a different story. But yeah, lets bash Cal some more for nearly beating the #1 team with 7 guards and a forward....totally rational.

 

[UKortho]

I admit I came down on Edwards and DJ like a ton of bricks.

I won't apologize for it, but I'll make you guys a deal.

No more bashing until after the Miami game. You guys say they need "time to develop" or fix their issues, fine.

The next three games are too easy for DJ and Edwards to shine. The Miami game will show if they really improve.

If they lay an egg in that game then all bets are off.

But if they deliver, then I'll eat crow.

Fair enough or not?

Nice post and fair. You probably know this, but there is a few folks here that just love to argue and attack. Every single day. I overlook most of it until it gets really personal. Then I just assume they don’t have much going for them.

 

[IL Wildcat]

I admit I came down on Edwards and DJ like a ton of bricks.

I won't apologize for it, but I'll make you guys a deal.

No more bashing until after the Miami game. You guys say they need "time to develop" or fix their issues, fine.

The next three games are too easy for DJ and Edwards to shine. The Miami game will show if they really improve.

If they lay an egg in that game then all bets are off.

But if they deliver, then I'll eat crow.

Fair enough or not?

Mike, they were awful last night. At times they try to do too much and at times they are too passive. It's a strange combination. DJ needs to figure out what we does best and do it. He needs to stop jacking up long distance shots when they're not falling. Same thing is true for Edwards. I remember a guy named Gilchrist who struggled early with the same things. He missed a ton of open shots early on. He learned that he needed to basically play like a garbage man- grab boards, tip dunks, play defense well, and be one of the least shooters on the team. That's what he did and he became a great teammate. I think Edwards can be that same guy. I'm not quite as sure about DJ. His shot is also broken but he doesn't have the "garbage man" skills Edwards has. I think DJ just needs to drive and finish or drive and dish, and learn when is the right time to do those things.

I do agree, generally speaking for those guys, they mainly just need time. Both are used to being THE man on their teams and need to find their niche. I think it will come in time, though it may require more bench time for a while. We also need Dillingham and Sheppard to control the fouls and stay on the floor.

 

[DelayableMil]

The trouble is, Maxey spoiled us. He rose to the occasion in the very first game and never really folded. Is it too much to ask for these other superstars to at least play decently?

Maxey had his struggles as well. He only had 9 pts and 4 turnovers against EKU right after the MSU game. He went 2 of 6. He had another 3 game stretch in OOC where he didn't go above 7 points.

Every player, regardless of age, is going to have cold spells and down games.

I get being down after a loss, particularly after the last few years, but there is a reason even the national media is talking up this team after last night. Everyone sees we have a lot of potential. We probably havr a higher ceiling than anyone in the country. We haven't been able to say that in a few years.

Just be a little patient and let's get everyone healthy and some experience, then we can judge them more accurately.

Even with a loss, there is no denying this team has the IT factor. Let's just hope it finally all comes together at the right time.

 

[bbncal02]

Maxey had his struggles as well. He only had 9 pts and 4 turnover against EKU right after the MSU game. He went 2 of 6. Had another 3 game stretch in OOC where he didn't go above 7 points.

Every player, regardless of age, is going to have cold spells and down games.

I get being down after a loss, particularly after the last few years, but there is a reason even the national media is talking up this team after last night. Everyone sees we have a lot of potential. We probably a higher ceiling than anyone in the country. We haven't been able to say that in a few years.

Just be a little patient and let us get everyone healthy and some experience.

Even with a loss, there is no denying this team has the IT factor. Let's just hope it finally all comes together at the right time.

And I believe I called it when I said, Dilly is going to have moments where we wonder what the hell? That happened.

I think I also said Reed would have some moments where we go, wth? Whelp that happened last night too.

They're freshmen. Freshmen make mistakes....hell, seniors make mistakes in big, tight games.

I'm pissed we choked that away. But to act like our guys all of a sudden suck is literally bat ish crazy. And that kind of negativity this early is unwarranted, uninformed, and frankly unwelcome. Take shots at Cal all you want, believe me I will. But dumping on our guys this dam early is awful. Yes, DJ and Edwards had terrible games. But we're not at the point wher we can say they aren't good yet.

 

[Mike-McD]

Maxey had his struggles as well. He only had 9 pts and 4 turnover against EKU right after the MSU game. He went 2 of 6. Had another 3 game stretch in OOC where he didn't go above 7 points.

Every player, regardless of age, is going to have cold spells and down games.

I get being down after a loss, particularly after the last few years, but there is a reason even the national media is talking up this team after last night. Everyone sees we have a lot of potential. We probably a higher ceiling than anyone in the country. We haven't been able to say that in a few years.

Just be a little patient and let us get everyone healthy and some experience.

Even with a loss, there is no denying this team has the IT factor. Let's just hope it finally all comes together at the right time.

If DJ only plays up to the level Maxey did in 2020 we have a shot at a FF. But I have my doubts. Maxey didn't have a broken jumper.

 

[DreadLox]

Pretty much.People are so sensitive if you tell the truth about how a player has looked.

Not really. I think people get irritated at the blue million repetitions of it. It's not only suspect evaluation. It quickly gets BORING. I remember back in the dawn of civilization. There were people who drank too much. Or who smoked a of grass. And that was all they talked about. Just last month, I was at a gathering of people I'd vaguely known 50 years previously. Their talk was still drugs and/or booze.

Think different things. Say different things. Don't be dull.

 

[SemperFiCat]

I'm actually a lot more concerned about Edwards than Wagner. I can see what Wagner 'can' be good at, and I think Cal figures out how to use him. With Edwards, I don't see what he's going to give us. The college level seems way too much for him, IMO.

 

[DelayableMil]

If DJ only plays up to the level Maxey did in 2020 we have a shot at a FF. But I have my doubts. Maxey didn't have a broken jumper.

Honestly, because of the options we have at guard, he doesn't even have to be that good. He can be more like Teague, Briscoe or so forth and we can be just fine. He just can't have shooting nights like last night. He still took good care of the ball with 0 turnovers. He grabbed a couple rebounds, had an assist, showed toughness with his D for a good chunk of the game, got a steal and only had 2 fouls. The shooting is literally the only thing I can gripe too much about. He needs to drive to the rim more for layups and floaters and draw fouls. That's his game.

Just give him a little time.

 

[Mike-McD]

Honestly, because of the options we have at guard, he doesn't even have to be that good. He can be more like Teague, Briscoe or so forth and we can be just fine. He just can't have shooting nights like last night. He still took good care of the ball with 0 turnovers. He grabbed a couple rebounds, had an assist, showed toughness with his D for a good chunk of the game, got a steal and only had 2 fouls. The shooting is literally the only thing I can gripe too much about. He needs to drive to the rim more for layups and floaters and draw fouls. That's his game.

Just give him a little time.

I would argue that a missed layup counts as a turnover, but maybe I'm splitting hairs.

 

[ManitouDan]

I'm actually a lot more concerned about Edwards than Wagner. I can see what Wagner 'can' be good at, and I think Cal figures out how to use him. With Edwards, I don't see what he's going to give us. The college level seems way too much for him, IMO.

One things for sure , kid has a ton of hype .

 

[DelayableMil]

I would argue that a missed layup counts as a turnover, but maybe I'm splitting hairs.

If that was the case, most players would have a lot more turnovers.

Also, younger guys needs to be humbled like we got last night. They need to be shown the shit they got away with in HS don't work at this level. Would you rather them learn that early or later in the season?

 

[Mike-McD]

If that was the case, most players would have a lot more turnovers.

Also, younger guys needs to be humbled like we got last night. They need to be shown the shit they got away with in HS don't work at this level. Would you rather them learn that early or later in the season?

I would rather Cal treat all his players fairly. How come Rob and Shep have to earn minutes, but DJ and Edwards don't, even if they crap the bed? Why do we always have to lose a game for a player to 'learn' something? Why can't a player 'learn' something on the bench while the hot players carry the load?

 

[DelayableMil]

I would rather Cal treat all his players fairly. How come Rob and Shep have to earn minutes, but DJ and Edwards don't, even if they crap the bed? Why do we always have to lose a game for a player to 'learn' something? Why can't a player 'learn' something on the bench while the hot players carry the load?

Rob fouled out. That wasn't Cal limiting his minutes, thems the rules.

Reed also made mistakes at the end that hurt our chances. So the outcome likely wasn't changing either way. Reed is going to have some freshman moments and poor games. Wagner got 25 minutes to Reeds 16. That's not a massive discrepancy. Reed also had more fouls than Wagner.

Edwards had to play because of the size disadvantage we were up against.

 

[jjsomer]

I admit I came down on Edwards and DJ like a ton of bricks.

I won't apologize for it, but I'll make you guys a deal.

No more bashing until after the Miami game. You guys say they need "time to develop" or fix their issues, fine.

The next three games are too easy for DJ and Edwards to shine. The Miami game will show if they really improve.

If they lay an egg in that game then all bets are off.

But if they deliver, then I'll eat crow.

Fair enough or not?

I'm not falling for it...you don't seem like the kind of person that ever eats crow. Based on your standards, you must piss excellence.

 

[CatsFanIL]

I know we all already know this, but not all 5-stars are created equally. A 5-star from 2019 doesn't mean it's the exact same level for a 5-star from 2023. It is what it is - not all classes have the same talent level.

Every single college in America would have signed Wagner and Edwards, and every single one of them would still take them both.

I've said in another post, but I'm interested to see whether Edwards gets the "BJ Boston treatment" or if he gets the "EJ Montgomery treatment" - EJ finished his freshman season playing 15 mins per game

 

[cats#1again]

I admit I came down on Edwards and DJ like a ton of bricks.

I won't apologize for it, but I'll make you guys a deal.

No more bashing until after the Miami game. You guys say they need "time to develop" or fix their issues, fine.

The next three games are too easy for DJ and Edwards to shine. The Miami game will show if they really improve.

If they lay an egg in that game then all bets are off.

But if they deliver, then I'll eat crow.

Fair enough or not?

I don't think anyone really cares if one of our idiotic fans complains.... You are one of the many that expect undefeated seasons. If you don't agree with that.... How are you complaining about losing to #1 with half your team.

 

[CatPhight]

Mike, they were awful last night. At times they try to do too much and at times they are too passive. It's a strange combination. DJ needs to figure out what we does best and do it. He needs to stop jacking up long distance shots when they're not falling. Same thing is true for Edwards. I remember a guy named Gilchrist who struggled early with the same things. He missed a ton of open shots early on. He learned that he needed to basically play like a garbage man- grab boards, tip dunks, play defense well, and be one of the least shooters on the team. That's what he did and he became a great teammate. I think Edwards can be that same guy. I'm not quite as sure about DJ. His shot is also broken but he doesn't have the "garbage man" skills Edwards has. I think DJ just needs to drive and finish or drive and dish, and learn when is the right time to do those things.

I do agree, generally speaking for those guys, they mainly just need time. Both are used to being THE man on their teams and need to find their niche. I think it will come in time, though it may require more bench time for a while. We also need Dillingham and Sheppard to control the fouls and stay on the floor.

If Wagner had tried to dish out assists as much as he jacked up triples, there's a very good chance we squeak by last night... Wagner needs to be the team distributor and Edwards needs to toughen up quick.

The $EC is no longer the cakewalk it was in the past...teams will be looking to punch us in the mouth and when they smell blood, it won't be pretty, especially on the road.

I'd love to see UK hire Cousins as a consultant and let him run a breakfast boot camp for the bigs...he'd be a perfect fit and not afraid to crack a few skulls if need be...

 

[NociHTTP]

Now THIS. This is a whopper. You would NOT be 100% on the court by now. You would be back to practicing and warming up. Which is where Bradshaw reportedly is.

No heart? Did you even watch last night? The guys out their fought like crazy. Wagner and Edwards were our only flops last night. And it's hard to say what's going on after three games.

The fact we're ready to throw the towel after losing by 5 points and basically two plays is insane.

I don't think he was talking about kids that actually played.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I'm fine with this. Maybe DJ and Edwards aren't those guys. That's very possible.

 

[NociHTTP]

I would rather Cal treat all his players fairly. How come Rob and Shep have to earn minutes, but DJ and Edwards don't, even if they crap the bed? Why do we always have to lose a game for a player to 'learn' something? Why can't a player 'learn' something on the bench while the hot players carry the load?

That's the way it SHOULD be. Back before all this nonsensical 1-and-done that's where you were, on the bench, learning. And if that wasn't good enough for a player, than he was out of basketball or playing in NAIA.

 

[NociHTTP]

One things for sure , kid has a ton of hype .

I think much of the hype was centered around who his dad is, and where he could have gone to school. Wouldn't shock me a bit if things don't go his way here, that he transfers there.

 

[kybassfan]

I admit I came down on Edwards and DJ like a ton of bricks.

I won't apologize for it, but I'll make you guys a deal.

No more bashing until after the Miami game. You guys say they need "time to develop" or fix their issues, fine.

The next three games are too easy for DJ and Edwards to shine. The Miami game will show if they really improve.

If they lay an egg in that game then all bets are off.

But if they deliver, then I'll eat crow.

Fair enough or not?

Are you a kid? Not your place to rag on a child, or nearly so, in the first place. Your job is to support the team as a fan, not rip on them like they owe you something. These are young athletes, not politicians. To the sport, they owe their best effort. To you or any other fan (using the term loosely for some), they owe nothing.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

 

[kybassfan]

If Wagner had tried to dish out assists as much as he jacked up triples, there's a very good chance we squeak by last night... Wagner needs to be the team distributor and Edwards needs to toughen up quick.

The $EC is no longer the cakewalk it was in the past...teams will be looking to punch us in the mouth and when they smell blood, it won't be pretty, especially on the road.

I'd love to see UK hire Cousins as a consultant and let him run a breakfast boot camp for the bigs...he'd be a perfect fit and not afraid to crack a few skulls if need be...

MKG…..

 

[bbncal02]

I don't think he was talking about kids that actually played.

Then who? Bradshaw is close to returning but still out. Z is NOT CLEARED. And Ugo is behind Bradshaw in recovery time.

So, we're really declaring Bradshaw an SS situations by Game 3. We've lost our collective damn minds if so. Now, if don't see him by the start of December. I'm going to start to worry.