IU Fan, Sampson is a really, really good player but mismanaged by Tubby

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Gopher Warrior said:
Absolutely agree with CoachNol. What is also frustrating is that when you looked at this team before the year even began, it was clear that to be successful (more specifically, to exceed expectations of being more than a bubble-ish team) this year Ralph would have to be used more in the offense. The Gopher staff knew or should have known this, but they haven't acted accordingly.

I also appreciate the recognition of Ralph's gutty performance at the Old Spice Classic (and since then).

I understand why many Gopher fans get down on Ralph, but for folks who are able to view the team with their emotions saddled, he's a very good player.
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Maybe it's posts like that lead to the call for GW to be coach on the other thread. I would recommend minngg to be one of your assistants.
 


balds said:
I've mated and settled down. Probably been to 80 games over the last 13 years. Does that diminish my opinion?
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you mean you have less free time than someone who lives in their mom's basement?
 


Good morning guys. Zambam, good question on the double in the post. I think Sampson is strong enough for what the team needs and actually has really good passing instincts in the post. He does need to get stronger, but you’re going to have some turnovers in the post when they send the double regardless. (Did you see that Ohio State-Mich State game and how awful Sullinger looked when doubled hard, and he’s a Nat’l Player of the Year candidate?) (And there are some games when the entire Minny team was just awful, like the Iowa game zone debacle and the first half of the Mich State game in Lansing.) The post double is like stacking the box in football, but it opens up other options, and you have to go to it consistently and take a broader view than a couple turnovers in the course of a game. If you look at Sampson’s stats, they tell you he shoots a good percentage and has a positive assist to turnover ratio. Couple those two with his length to see over the top and overall good passing vision, and it says pound the post until they double, then have your gameplan set for kickouts to good shooters and secondary passes.

One way you beat the double is spacing and ball movement, surrounding your ball side post with at least one good shooter and spreading the off block offensive player so the blind side defender can’t sneak the back side steal (I’ve seen that happen to Sampson and that’s not on him). On the other hand, the pinch down double that is visible to Sampson requires him to see and react, and he’s gotten caught there which is pretty typical for any team to have a couple wobbles. But this team ignores that post option too much; I’m not saying the post should be the only option, just suggesting it should be resulting in 10-15 shots/game, not 5, which would result in more people involved in your offense, your best post much more engaged in the game, better balance and better outcomes.
There is also plenty the coaching staff could do to take pressure off the double, like:

*how about a simple down screen on the block for Sampson, then a cross screen at the elbow, for a curl at the foul line and wide open 15-17 ft jumper, with Rodney cutting to the rack on the off-side with a back screen as an Option B lob or bounce pass if Sampson doesn’t have the jumper? He’s one of the best shooters on the team and I’ve never seen one shooting screen ever run for him. A big man defender could never trail those screens closely enough, and Sampson would simply shoot over a switching guard. If you have a player like him, you can’t just put him on the floor and expect good things to happen magically, you’ve got to structure some plays around him, and that doesn’t seem to happen much.

*If the defense is showing a double, I’d speed up Sampson in practice to go quickly if he put the ball on the ground. You try to teach big men patience in the post, and he has it, but sometimes he just needs a very quick spin move or drop step right. The scouting report on him has been pretty straightforward: he will kill you with a left shoulder hook (or even right) so sit hard on his left and overplay it (generally that means overplay middle), crowd and push him the moment he crosses the top of the key, and come hard and fast with a double if he dribbles. There are multiple counters to this, and actually, Sampson seems to be doing more of them lately, including drop steps, quick spin and goes, but he just doesn’t get a lot of touches to continue developing those moves in game situations. It’s clear Gary Williams (the national championship Md coach now on the B1G channel; yes, another IU connection, his team beat us for the championship in 02) loves Sampson, and can’t stop raving about his “unstoppable” post moves -- so much so I’m convinced he’s on the Minny payroll! So my only point is that Sampson is a good post option that should be used more, whether single or double covered, because this team’s subpar half-court offense needs that additional dynamic.

I’m off to coach but will be DVR’ing the game and watching later. Good luck you guys, will be interesting for sure! If you can run off the next winnable 3 games, including against my Hoosiers, and beat fellow bubble team Northwestern in the tourney, and maybe a second win, I think you have a good shot at the dance at 21-12 or 22-12.
 


GophersInIowa said:
Nope, that hasn't happened. The only people who's intellect are questioned are those that deserve it.
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Yikes.

balds said:
I've mated and settled down. Probably been to 80 games over the last 13 years. Does that diminish my opinion?
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I'm certain there are many regulars at the Barn who are married with children, but you're missing the point. You made up statistics in an attempt to bolster your 'argument'. When you were called on trying to pass off made up numbers as facts, your response was to accuse me of not watching games -- I didn't think it was likely you were a regular, but instead of assuming and/or accusing I asked the question. Thanks for clearing that up.

For the record - no, not attending games in person does not diminish your opinion. Making up numbers and trying to pass them off as facts may, however.
 

Coach --
For Ralph to get the ball in the post, he needs to STAY in the post, rather than hanging out at the arc all day. He also needs to WANT the ball in the post; when has he aggressively posted up anyone? (this goes for everyone, just not Ralph). And for anyone to get open, we need to actually SET a screen. Most of the time we just run by people or stand around.
I appreciate your analysis, but obviously you have not watched Ralph for 4 years as many of the rest of us tortured souls have.
 

Coach was right. We need a new coach! I wonder if he/she is available to coach at the U of M?
 

Carlson 79 said:
Coach was right. We need a new coach! I wonder if he/she is available to coach at the U of M?
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Is he Shaka smart?
 



Until Sampson THE STUD gets a NBA gig then the coach is blowing hot air. and Sampson the STUD is really Sampson the serviceable Big ten player
 


This COCACHNOL seems to know a lot about Tubby's tendices. That's all I will say now.
 

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CoachNol said:
Good morning guys. Zambam, good question on the double in the post. I think Sampson is strong enough for what the team needs and actually has really good passing instincts in the post. He does need to get stronger, but you’re going to have some turnovers in the post when they send the double regardless. (Did you see that Ohio State-Mich State game and how awful Sullinger looked when doubled hard, and he’s a Nat’l Player of the Year candidate?) (And there are some games when the entire Minny team was just awful, like the Iowa game zone debacle and the first half of the Mich State game in Lansing.) The post double is like stacking the box in football, but it opens up other options, and you have to go to it consistently and take a broader view than a couple turnovers in the course of a game. If you look at Sampson’s stats, they tell you he shoots a good percentage and has a positive assist to turnover ratio. Couple those two with his length to see over the top and overall good passing vision, and it says pound the post until they double, then have your gameplan set for kickouts to good shooters and secondary passes.

One way you beat the double is spacing and ball movement, surrounding your ball side post with at least one good shooter and spreading the off block offensive player so the blind side defender can’t sneak the back side steal (I’ve seen that happen to Sampson and that’s not on him). On the other hand, the pinch down double that is visible to Sampson requires him to see and react, and he’s gotten caught there which is pretty typical for any team to have a couple wobbles. But this team ignores that post option too much; I’m not saying the post should be the only option, just suggesting it should be resulting in 10-15 shots/game, not 5, which would result in more people involved in your offense, your best post much more engaged in the game, better balance and better outcomes.
There is also plenty the coaching staff could do to take pressure off the double, like:

*how about a simple down screen on the block for Sampson, then a cross screen at the elbow, for a curl at the foul line and wide open 15-17 ft jumper, with Rodney cutting to the rack on the off-side with a back screen as an Option B lob or bounce pass if Sampson doesn’t have the jumper? He’s one of the best shooters on the team and I’ve never seen one shooting screen ever run for him. A big man defender could never trail those screens closely enough, and Sampson would simply shoot over a switching guard. If you have a player like him, you can’t just put him on the floor and expect good things to happen magically, you’ve got to structure some plays around him, and that doesn’t seem to happen much.

*If the defense is showing a double, I’d speed up Sampson in practice to go quickly if he put the ball on the ground. You try to teach big men patience in the post, and he has it, but sometimes he just needs a very quick spin move or drop step right. The scouting report on him has been pretty straightforward: he will kill you with a left shoulder hook (or even right) so sit hard on his left and overplay it (generally that means overplay middle), crowd and push him the moment he crosses the top of the key, and come hard and fast with a double if he dribbles. There are multiple counters to this, and actually, Sampson seems to be doing more of them lately, including drop steps, quick spin and goes, but he just doesn’t get a lot of touches to continue developing those moves in game situations. It’s clear Gary Williams (the national championship Md coach now on the B1G channel; yes, another IU connection, his team beat us for the championship in 02) loves Sampson, and can’t stop raving about his “unstoppable” post moves -- so much so I’m convinced he’s on the Minny payroll! So my only point is that Sampson is a good post option that should be used more, whether single or double covered, because this team’s subpar half-court offense needs that additional dynamic.

I’m off to coach but will be DVR’ing the game and watching later. Good luck you guys, will be interesting for sure! If you can run off the next winnable 3 games, including against my Hoosiers, and beat fellow bubble team Northwestern in the tourney, and maybe a second win, I think you have a good shot at the dance at 21-12 or 22-12.
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No logical and well thought-out posts permitted on this board, Coach!! You'll see more pitchforks coming as you did in the first 5-10 responses!!
 



jamalo said:
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No logical and well thought-out posts permitted on this board, Coach!! You'll see more pitchforks coming as you did in the first 5-10 responses!!
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No GophersinIowa said that never happened.
 

CoachNol said:
I have watched alot of MN bball since Tubby arrived, and simply point out as an outsider that it seemed crystal clear that the move should have been to feed the horse that got you up 8 points against the #2 RPI team in the country that was rolling teams and playing extremely well, in game you desperately needed to win. Michigan State had no answer for him in the post, which was obvious to the announcers, to observers, to Izzo, but not to Tubby in the most critical time of the game. The fact that your one mismatch repeatedly gets 5 shots or less in games is a coaching issue more than a player issue. A big man can't feed himself, and I've seen plenty of times with my own eyes -- in person and on TV -- your guards miss the angle, the feed, the seal, and/or the hockey entry to the post, which is like ignoring running the ball in football. Whether that player makes a shot half the time is irrelevant to the importance of opening the outside game, opening cutting lanes, and keeping defenses honest. In any event, it's just my view as someone who's watched alot of games and germane to tomorrow's game given a strategic error by a Coach who could have gotten you to the dance with a big win. While I really like Minny, I hope Tubby makes the same mistake tomorrow.
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I haven't pounded on Ralph on this board because I agree that he has been mismanaged by Tubby, though the mismanagement has been more psychological than tactical. Whether defended one on one or double teamed, Ralph is a very, very slow decision maker and his running hook shots rarely go in. He's generally been very easy to defend because he's not aggressive, not quick to his move, not accurate and not strong. He's a good passer once he makes his decision, he sees the court well and he had a nice fifteen foot shot until he lost confidence in it earlier this year. I think that there is a quicker more aggressive player in there but Tubby couldn't get that out of him. Ralph regressed badly this year partially because the loss of Trevor forced him inside and I suspect that he got tired of this whole situation.

I don't think that you have an accurate assessment of Ralph at all, though we agree that he has been mismanaged by Tubby and is operating in a system that highlights the things he doesn't do well.

Having said all of that, Ralph is the one guy from that class who stuck it out and, yes, he did have options because big guys with skills are always in demand. From what I've read and heard he is a bright and nice young man. He should be thanked and respected for persevering in what appears to be a difficult environment.
 

jamiche said:
I haven't pounded on Ralph on this board because I agree that he has been mismanaged by Tubby, though the mismanagement has been more psychological than tactical. Whether defended one on one or double teamed, Ralph is a very, very slow decision maker and his running hook shots rarely go in. He's generally been very easy to defend because he's not aggressive, not quick to his move, not accurate and not strong. He's a good passer once he makes his decision, he sees the court well and he had a nice fifteen foot shot until he lost confidence in it earlier this year. I think that there is a quicker more aggressive player in there but Tubby couldn't get that out of him. Ralph regressed badly this year partially because the loss of Trevor forced him inside and I suspect that he got tired of this whole situation.

I don't think that you have an accurate assessment of Ralph at all, though we agree that he has been mismanaged by Tubby and is operating in a system that highlights the things he doesn't do well.

Having said all of that, Ralph is the one guy from that class who stuck it out and, yes, he did have options because big guys with skills are always in demand. From what I've read and heard he is a bright and nice young man. He should be thanked and respected for persevering in what appears to be a difficult environment.
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Great post. Ralph was indeed damaged by the loss of Mbakwe who would have eliminated the doubles on Ralph and allowed Ralph to shoot jumpers and operate with confidence.
 

minngg said:
No GophersinIowa said that never happened.
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Point to me where he's been ripped to shreds and people have questioned his intellect as you stated earlier. A few people thought he hadn't watched enough of Sampson to have the opinion, and one person said it was stupid thread. If that's your definition of getting ripped to shreds and being called stupid, then I don't know what to tell you.

I swear there could be 99 out of 100 posts agreeing with him, and you would only point to the one post ripping on him.

People don't get ripped for having a different opinion nearly as much as you think. It's when their opinion is different and they act like 12 year olds.
 

Some good points in the post. Biggest misconception is that other than a couple of games this year, Sampson has been horrible in the post on offense. He gets pushed out of position, he tries hook shots that are way off, he fades away, or he dribbles and gets it stolen.

Sampson is really exposed with an undersized pf. He needs a Trevor type pf who is phyisical, and a strong rebounder playing next to him. Sampson is played at the high post because his lack of physicality is least exposed here.

I think Rodney has been playing far worse the last few weeks than Sampson. Rodney suprised me when Trevor went down, he gave up size to other pf but he outworked and outquicked them. Now he doesnt ever even try to drive to the rim... what happened??

So many players just seem to regress under Tubby, more than usual.
 

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