Game 28, AT GW, Sunday, March 2nd, 1 PM, NBCSN

[gmutom]

Name a Hewitt big man who hasn't been. It's how their coached to play. Even Chris Bosh is soft.

This honestly could be one of the silliest things you've ever said. God knows there are dozens of things to criticize Hewitt for, but rebounding is all will, strength and desire. They are soft because they are soft, not because they are coached to play soft.

 

[EXpatriot13]

Hey, WillLebario..go f*** yourself. we're not in the mood.

 

[Masonfan3]

This honestly could be one of the silliest things you've ever said. God knows there are dozens of things to criticize Hewitt for, but rebounding is all will, strength and desire. They are soft because they are soft, not because they are coached to play soft.

I won't criticize Hewitt for that but i will criticize the coaching staff as a whole. Rebounding is desire and will but when your entire group of bigs can't box out/jump/show no fight or fire then there has to be something else going on. You would think that a Philly kid (Copes) would play with fire and bully people around but that's just not the case. If they don't show the fight/fire when they walk through the door then it's the job of all the coaches to make them.

 

[Vurbel]

Yea me too. I was thinking about this last night when Calipari got ejected...if Hewitt were to get tossed who would coach this team? Not like they could do any worse than Hewitt but no one on our staff is capable of coaching.

I vote for Bill Rohland.

 

[Patriot Lawdog]

This honestly could be one of the silliest things you've ever said. God knows there are dozens of things to criticize Hewitt for, but rebounding is all will, strength and desire. They are soft because they are soft, not because they are coached to play soft.

Actually, it's not. It's what you get when you want to have "Euro" style bigs and you want them to play on the perimeter all of the time. For any Hewitt big man that you could come up with that was "tough", I can name 10 soft ones....I would bet my mortgage that we don't have any Tom Izzo style rebounding drills in practice.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

I cannot stand this loss - we should have beaten them but didn't. And now I have to look forward to about 10 inches of more f**king global warming.

 

[EXpatriot13]

There's just a major disconnect between the coaches (or lack thereof) and players. But, once Hewitt gets all of his guys in next season, we'll be good to go!!!

 

[Masonfan3]

Actually, it's not. It's what you get when you want to have "Euro" style bigs and you want them to play on the perimeter all of the time. For any Hewitt big man that you could come up with that was "tough", I can name 10 soft ones....I would bet my mortgage that we don't have any Tom Izzo style rebounding drills in practice.

The players take after the style of their coach. Hewitt and his assistants are laid back guys who show little emotion so that's what you get. Just look down the road to that school in Richmond and how they play..no one ever questions the toughness or fight in those players.

 

[Patriotfan49]

This honestly could be one of the silliest things you've ever said. God knows there are dozens of things to criticize Hewitt for, but rebounding is all will, strength and desire. They are soft because they are soft, not because they are coached to play soft.

Disagree, while those are parts....positioning and proper boxing out are big factors as well. Things that can/should be taught by coaches.

You can easily out rebound somebody bigger than you if you are smart about it and get in position. At the rate that all our bigs stand around flat footed staring at the ball, you would think somebody would pick that up on tape. Of course, that would require one to watch tape.

 

[Patriot Lawdog]

The players take after the style of their coach. Hewitt and his assistants are laid back guys who show little emotion so that's what you get. Just look down the road to that school in Richmond and how they play..no one ever questions the toughness or fight in those players.

Look, there are some coaches who are not fire and brimstone and succeed. To me its more the style of play than the personality of the coach. Hewitt coaches a pro-style and brings in guys who fit that style. These guys are going to tend to be perimeter oriented. They're not gonna be used to battling under the basket. This needs to be taught if you want them to do that. Same as you would teach a "true" big man to shoot a 15 foot jumper.

I'm less focused on his personality than others. To me, it's just that the way he wants to do things is not going to work.

 

[Patriotfan49]

IMO no matter your system, to fully feature every night guys not doing the basics and fundamentals of bball.....just reflects poorly on coaching...as a whole.

 

[Masonfan3]

Look, there are some coaches who are not fire and brimstone and succeed. To me its more the style of play than the personality of the coach. Hewitt coaches a pro-style and brings in guys who fit that style. These guys are going to tend to be perimeter oriented. They're not gonna be used to battling under the basket. This needs to be taught if you want them to do that. Same as you would teach a "true" big man to shoot a 15 foot jumper.

I'm less focused on his personality than others. To me, it's just that the way he wants to do things is not going to work.

I can agree with you on the pro style system and his players being perimeter oriented. So as you said, battling under the basket will need to be taught to them. The question is, who on this staff is doing that? I don't mind Hewitt being laid back as long as he has someone on his staff that can bring the fire.

 

[gmutom]

Disagree, while those are parts....positioning and proper boxing out are big factors as well. Things that can/should be taught by coaches.

P49, I don't disagree that there are fundamentals that can make a player a better rebounder. My problem is when J2 has the ball ripped from his hands three times under the GW basket despite having perfect position. Their guy just wanted it more.

Jenkins was in a similar battle, but he refused to let go of the ball until the ref finally called a jump ball. Sadly, it was one of only two boards he had all day. I should give Copes some props for his work on the boards today. Although he drives me nuts with his missed layups, he did hit the glass hard today with 12 rebounds.

 

[Patriotfan49]

J2 is pretty soft, and that seems to happen frequently to him. I think with him it's more lack of awareness, than desire. Copes grabs a board and deploys his elbows immediately and puts the ball in his chest. J2 treats it like a loaf of bread.

 

[gmutom]

J2 is pretty soft, and that seems to happen frequently to him. I think with him it's more lack of awareness, than desire. Copes grabs a board and deploys his elbows immediately and puts the ball in his chest. J2 treats it like a loaf of bread.

Well said. I wish our players would watch video of Kenny Sanders and Will Thomas, who were two of the best rebounders ever at Mason. Kenny was only 6-5 but he once grabbed 20 rebounds in a game, and Will's first name perfectly described his approach. He never cared about the height or size of an opponent -- when the ball came off the rim, it was his.

 

[MasonCrew]

I went to take a shower at halftime with us down 1, came out and we were down 11, went to smoke a cig and we were down 1. Basically sums up my experience with Mason over the past three years.

 

[EXpatriot13]

It's going to be the same story over and over again while Hewitt is here. Win a few games in a row, get some movement in the pants woohoo...then drop a game or two or seven in a row. His teams just don't play well enough together and lack serious cohesion. Up and down, up and down. It sucks.

 

[sigmanorm]

Can we get a halftime locker room cam? Not sure what we do, but it isn't working.
My halftime theories on what happens now.
1. Naps, lots of naps
2. Cookies and milk (lots of milk)
3. Watching Sleepless in Seattle or some other chick flick
4. Checkers games for the coaches and Uno for the players
5. Battle Royale Wrestling matches Guards vs Forwards
6. Math homework and tutoring

What we should do
1. Diagram what is working and how the other team will try to stop it. Then discuss what our adjustments will be to keep it working.
2. Diagram what is not working and figure out why it isn't
3. Check on TO and foul situations
4. Hydrate and stretch
5. Check injuries and assess players
6. Talk to Copes and Marko about how to play more like Jenkins

 

[Jamason]

Look, there are some coaches who are not fire and brimstone and succeed. To me its more the style of play than the personality of the coach. Hewitt coaches a pro-style and brings in guys who fit that style. These guys are going to tend to be perimeter oriented. They're not gonna be used to battling under the basket. This needs to be taught if you want them to do that. Same as you would teach a "true" big man to shoot a 15 foot jumper.

I'm less focused on his personality than others. To me, it's just that the way he wants to do things is not going to work.

HEY BOSTON!? You want Hewitt?? We'll take Stevens...

 

[psyclone]

Washington Post coverage of the game:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...76a444-a256-11e3-84d4-e59b1709222c_story.html