I agree with outplayed, in a sense. I rewatched the game today and, unfortunately, I don't think we played that badly. We just don't have the talent to overcome a physical defense and a bad shooting night. I'm still excited to see how this year plays out, but I'm prepared for .500 in conference and a middling seed. Next year I think we'll have a better idea what to expect from Pope's tenure.
Post game Pope
- Thread starter billoliver40
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The missed dunks were backbreaking, frankly, but I think just a fluke. The softness is a bigger issue. It was really epitomized late in the game when he and an OSU player went up for a 55/45 ball, Robinson had slightly better position, and the OSU player got it from over his back and Robinson ended up on the ground. Oweh is probably the closest thing we have to an enforcer, physically and temperamentally, but he's really not one.
I don't want to project too far ahead, but given how nice a guy Pope is it'll be interesting to see if his teams have enforcer-type guys on them consistently. I think back to Cal's first season yelling at the Louisville player who got into a scuffle with Bledsoe, that he messed with the wrong mfer! Pope obviously wouldn't do that, but it's also obvious no one on this team would warrant him yelling that about.
Edit -- I left out Kerr, who clearly has the most aggressive "enforcer"-type personality. But he's not imposing, he plays like 15 mins a game, and who knows when we'll see him again anyway with his injury.
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I think Kerr is a big missing part. His personality is greatly needed in the heat of battle.
My wife is from the West, she loves western basketball so I have watched a bunch of BYU games over the last few years. For Popes offense to work properly he needs a athletic center who can pass the ball. This team does not have that Carr being the closest to what we need. Boy if Bradshaw had stayed,with his improvement we would rocking. When we play physical teams our centers are too slow,Williams, or talented enough to pull it off. Then our cutters have nobody to pass them the ball on the right spots. Robinson isn't quick enough to play the 1 or2 defensively. So the 3 is the only spot you can really play him against good teams. That leaves us currently 2 players for the 1and1 and 2 spots. Owen and Butler freshmen are not ready,Kris a is hurt. If I was Pope I would start Carr at the 5. I would also play Alamos more as he moves better than our other options. Brea is a wildcard, IF HE CAN Get OPEN, and is shooting well he is a game changer, but if he isnt, a huge liability on defensive end.
If we have been as successful as we have with not quite the right players, imagine the future with talent we can get…
He coached inferior talent in many cases...and yes, a lot has changed since then, too. There was NO 3pt line, for one.
The game was bad from the start but where I thought it really turned was when we were coming back and had cut the lead to 6 and had the ball.
Then we turned it over and they scored.
Seemed the air went out of the room when that happened. Who knows what would have happened if we had cut it to 3 or 4 on that possession?
But it felt like a game changing moment.
Then we turned it over and they scored.
Seemed the air went out of the room when that happened. Who knows what would have happened if we had cut it to 3 or 4 on that possession?
But it felt like a game changing moment.
He is correct, when the move the ball and cut they score, when the stop and start playing what I consider Cal ball which is I got it I take it they struggle, They need to stick to the offense. Now defense, I think at times we need more zone because Ohio St, took us off the dribble all day long, and unless Williams or Garrison become a Davies type of shot blocker teams with 3 ball handlers who can get to the basket will destroy our man, Butler and Kerr are the only guys with the lateral speed to stay in front of a good ball handler.
Maybe if his foot wasn't broken?
Unfortunately, IMHO it's Robinson who most needs more pine-time. That's got to be hard on Coach Pope. But I have complete confidence in Coach Pope to "handle it" - however it needs to be handled.
Go 'Cats ! ! !
Williams is the one player who most needs to receive more bench time. It is one thing to play hard and make mistakes or just simply not be successful; it is another thing to not be productive because you are not giving much effort. Time and time again the camera highlights Williams never leaving the floor to at least possibly alter a shorter player's shot attempt. About the most emotions shown by him came when he was pushed in the back hard enough to cause whiplash.
For the most part, Robinson has played really good defense this year. Only when he started having to defend the really quick point guards has he struggled. Defense is half the equation. Just because some of you thought he was going to be THE GUY who would get us a bucket when we need it and that has not come to fruition, you don’t just take him out of the minutes equation. We don’t have anyone on the bench who brings what Robinson brings. We have already seen that Brea struggles to get his shot off and he definitely struggles on defense. So, don’t start the “backup Quarterback” nonsense. He needs to get better in big moments, but he is still one of the best we have.
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