Amelia says Joey King and Carlos Morris "aren't expected to hold major roles" next yr

[BleedGopher]

Amelia says Joey King and Carlos Morris "aren't expected to hold major roles" next yr

per Amelia:

"Well next year we're going to get a lot younger. And that's not necessarily a bad thing because now we can truly be able to play those guys and give them all types of experience that they need to get, much like Northwestern [which is playing a lot of youth] is going through this year."

Currently, the Gophers have four freshman pegged to join Minnesota after the season, but Pitino and his staff have three other scholarships to play with. The coach is also hoping to get more experience for current raw freshmen Bakary Konate and Gaston Diehdiou, as well as freshman Nate Mason, JUCO transfer Carlos Morris and redshirt sophomore Charles Buggs. Minnesota will have just two seniors next year -- Joey King and Morris -- both of whom aren't expected to hold major roles.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/293692891.html

Go Gophers!!

 

[cjbfbp]

Wow! That's a fairly bold statement (no pun intended). Wonder if that's her own inference or she was told something more specific?

 

[SelectionSunday]

Wow! That's a fairly bold statement (no pun intended). Wonder if that's her own inference or she was told something more specific?

Was thinking the same thing. Has to be her own inference. Pitino not going to be real happy with her either way.

 

[e.bigelow]

Wow! That's a fairly bold statement (no pun intended). Wonder if that's her own inference or she was told something more specific?

I would think that is her own inference also.

 

[ruppertflywheel]

Maybe Joey was told that before the Wisconsin game. It was his worst game of the year.

 

[bga1]

per Amelia:

"Well next year we're going to get a lot younger. And that's not necessarily a bad thing because now we can truly be able to play those guys and give them all types of experience that they need to get, much like Northwestern [which is playing a lot of youth] is going through this year."

Currently, the Gophers have four freshman pegged to join Minnesota after the season, but Pitino and his staff have three other scholarships to play with. The coach is also hoping to get more experience for current raw freshmen Bakary Konate and Gaston Diehdiou, as well as freshman Nate Mason, JUCO transfer Carlos Morris and redshirt sophomore Charles Buggs. Minnesota will have just two seniors next year -- Joey King and Morris -- both of whom aren't expected to hold major roles.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/293692891.html

Go Gophers!!

That's terrible writing. I'd like to cut her some slack, but that's something you either have to put in quotes - if it is a quote (which I highly doubt) or you have to make it known that it's your opinion only.

If they are the best players on the team at their positions- then they will play major roles. If not- then they won't. Period.

 

[nasa35]

Rick should be fired for how many minutes Kings gets.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

Well- this could just be Amelia floating some speculation --- OR, someone inside the program could be feeding it to her. Wouldn't be the first time a coach used the media to send a message to the players. I doubt that she just pulled it out of mid-air - the idea came from somewhere. My bet is on one of the coaches.

 

[golfing18now]

Rick should be fired for how many minutes Kings gets.

Yeah....the one guy that was intended to spell him didn't speak enough English until recently and the other guy is in California. Maybe they should have just played five on four?

 

[bga1]

Well- this could just be Amelia floating some speculation --- OR, someone inside the program could be feeding it to her. Wouldn't be the first time a coach used the media to send a message to the players. I doubt that she just pulled it out of mid-air - the idea came from somewhere. My bet is on one of the coaches.

If we were short schollys then I could see the possibility of Pitino and staff floating that idea. However, they would be nuts to let that out there considering that they already have 3 open schollys. There is no way on earth they want to go into next year with 8 or 9 new guys and no one with any serious starting time other than Mason. No way. This is almost certainly her own opinion based on the staff saying to her that they would play a lot of young guys- which they will regardless of King or Morris' role. She should clarify.

 

[Calgoph]

That's terrible writing. I'd like to cut her some slack, but that's something you either have to put in quotes - if it is a quote (which I highly doubt) or you have to make it known that it's your opinion only.

If they are the best players on the team at their positions- then they will play major roles. If not- then they won't. Period.

Maybe Coach Pitino has already told King & Morris that if they don't improve in certain areas by next year they will unlikely play significant roles. And maybe Amelia doesn't use quotation marks as a professional courtesy that gives the coach some wiggle room if he needs it. That would tend to build mutual trust, I think.

 

[bga1]

Maybe Coach Pitino has already told King & Morris that if they don't improve in certain areas by next year they will unlikely play significant roles. And maybe Amelia doesn't use quotation marks as a professional courtesy that gives the coach some wiggle room if he needs it. That would tend to build mutual trust, I think.

Then she should say that they won't play major roles unless they improve in certain areas. Big difference. I just don't think you can throw out there what she did. More attrition would not be good. We need those two guys, whether as depth or as starters. If those two both get beat out by new guys on the merits of their play- I'd be ecstatic. We'd have a pretty good team in the making. Both Morris and King would be excellent Big Ten bench players.

 

[BleedGopher]

Then she should say that they won't play major roles unless they improve in certain areas. Big difference. I just don't think you can throw out there what she did. More attrition would not be good. We need those two guys, whether as depth or as starters. If those two both get beat out by new guys on the merits of their play- I'd be ecstatic. We'd have a pretty good team in the making. Both Morris and King would be excellent Big Ten bench players.

Not to mention, those conversations are almost always held after the season. I can't imagine Coach Pitino talking to the players about a potentially decreased role a year from now, when he's already worried about fragile confidence.

Go Gophers!!

 

[MadtownGopher]

I could totally see Pitino going with all young guys in the starting line up next year. I think he sees next year as the first year in building the foundation of the program. All but one of the players will be his and there will only be two seniors. He'll finally have the guards to play the type of press and run system he prefers. I think he'll want to have the young nucleus play and grow together, so that in two years they'll be ready to compete at the top of the conference. Just my gut feeling.

 

['13Gopher]

I could totally see Pitino going with all young guys in the starting line up next year. I think he sees next year as the first year in building the foundation of the program. All but one of the players will be his and there will only be two seniors. He'll finally have the guards to play the type of press and run system he prefers. I think he'll want to have the young nucleus play and grow together, so that in two years they'll be ready to compete at the top of the conference. Just my gut feeling.

This seems to make sense but sheesh, I am not looking forward to all of this rebuilding.

 

[bga1]

Not to mention, those conversations are almost always held after the season. I can't imagine Coach Pitino talking to the players about a potentially decreased role a year from now, when he's already worried about fragile confidence.

Go Gophers!!

Excellent point. No way he said this to her that way.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

Whoever he picks to play a big role next year, he better win more games than he has this year. If he brings in guys good enough to beat out Joey and Squirrel, then great, if not, play whoever gives you the best shot to win.

 

[tinyarch]

This seems to make sense but sheesh, I am not looking forward to all of this rebuilding.

When have the Gophers NOT been rebuilding? Trace the number of players that have left the program and caused turmoil over the past 10 years. This program has been "rebuilding" almost every year of its existence since the Archambault disaster.

 

[tinyarch]

Amelia has to have something on the editors at the Strib. It's the only explanation for why she hasn't been canned.

 

[cjbfbp]

Then she should say that they won't play major roles unless they improve in certain areas. Big difference. I just don't think you can throw out there what she did. More attrition would not be good. We need those two guys, whether as depth or as starters. If those two both get beat out by new guys on the merits of their play- I'd be ecstatic. We'd have a pretty good team in the making. Both Morris and King would be excellent Big Ten bench players.

I agree that what she wrote showed questionable judgement from the standpoint of the program, but I wouldn't say that either of those guys is facing ideal transfer circumstances. Iverson did find a quality program to give him a two year scholarship for one year of playing but he was a big man. If Pitino cut them loose outright that would appear to be borderline crazy.

 

[cjbfbp]

Whoever he picks to play a big role next year, he better win more games than he has this year.

Lucky for him that this year's team set a pretty low bar for success. If he finishes the next regular season at 18-13 with a mostly new cast of characters, that will look like a relatively successful year.

 

[howeda7]

That's terrible writing. I'd like to cut her some slack, but that's something you either have to put in quotes - if it is a quote (which I highly doubt) or you have to make it known that it's your opinion only.

If they are the best players on the team at their positions- then they will play major roles. If not- then they won't. Period.

Yes. It struck me as an incredibly lazy off-the-cuff statement.

 

[howeda7]

Amelia has to have something on the editors at the Strib. It's the only explanation for why she hasn't been canned.

She's better than her predecessor. Granted that's a low bar to clear. But Jerry Kill could have done half of what he's done and still be secure in his job. When the guy before you is a joke, it doesn't take much to look good.

Richie doesn't have quite the same luxury. Tubby was at worst a competent Power 5 basketball coach. He was no Tim Brewster or Myron P. Metcalf.

 

[Shaqfu14]

I said on a different thread how much I admire king for his effort but on a good team he would be the 7th or 8th person in the rotation. Morris struggles this year like most JUCO kids in their first year and should be better next year. His offseason will be key for him along with Buggs, Diediou and Konate. They've seen a season of Big Ten ball and will know how hard they need to work. You add in long athletic guys and I am looking forward to next year. I often say that fear is a good "motivator" but you can't let it "paralyze" you. Too many times at the end of games this year we were "paralyzed" and afraid to screw up. Walker, Elliason and Hollins weren't recruited to play like Pitino wants to play and he is coaching to what he has right now. Next year he should be able to open it up some. Like cjbfbp said in the earlier thread they will have to be able to play a half court game at some point but its a lot to coach that then to coach kids to be quicker and more athletic. Maybe its my M&G glasses...

 

[Gopher Warrior]

Wow.. shots fired? Maybe she's angry with Joey and Los?

 

[Costa Rican Gopher]

Something doesn't make sense. Why is Pitino trying to get more minutes for Morris, along with Bakary, Gaston, Mason and Buggs, if he's not expected to have much of a role next year?

 

[GophersInIowa]

I could totally see Pitino going with all young guys in the starting line up next year. I think he sees next year as the first year in building the foundation of the program. All but one of the players will be his and there will only be two seniors. He'll finally have the guards to play the type of press and run system he prefers. I think he'll want to have the young nucleus play and grow together, so that in two years they'll be ready to compete at the top of the conference. Just my gut feeling.

While I agree, I still find it hard to believe neither senior will play much. Even if it's 15 minutes a game, that is still a "major role" in my opinion.

 

[thesanfordman]

This is quite mind-boggling. Carlos Morris is the best (and only) small forward on the team. I know that Buggs started the last two games but that was more for motivation/matchups. This team doesn't have another 3 nor is one committed. For as ugly as Carlos Morris' shot selection is, his offensive efficiency ratings actually aren't all that bad.

And "aren't expected to hold major roles?" So you're saying Morris wouldn't even be a scoring 6th man to come off the bench? Lol.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

Lucky for him that this year's team set a pretty low bar for success. If he finishes the next regular season at 18-13 with a mostly new cast of characters, that will look like a relatively successful year.

I think we should keep the bar where he had it after his first year here. I don't believe in letting coaches claiming success just because they have managed to drop the bar by losing too many games.

 

[maxwellsmart]

I said on a different thread how much I admire king for his effort but on a good team he would be the 7th or 8th person in the rotation. Morris struggles this year like most JUCO kids in their first year and should be better next year. His offseason will be key for him along with Buggs, Diediou and Konate. They've seen a season of Big Ten ball and will know how hard they need to work. You add in long athletic guys and I am looking forward to next year. I often say that fear is a good "motivator" but you can't let it "paralyze" you. Too many times at the end of games this year we were "paralyzed" and afraid to screw up. Walker, Elliason and Hollins weren't recruited to play like Pitino wants to play and he is coaching to what he has right now. Next year he should be able to open it up some. Like cjbfbp said in the earlier thread they will have to be able to play a half court game at some point but its a lot to coach that then to coach kids to be quicker and more athletic. Maybe its my M&G glasses...

Morris must acquire vision and learn to share the ball or getting shots will get very difficult.