Ralph is not a bad player at all....

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Costa Rican Gopher

Costa Rican Gopher

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Ralph is frustrating to most because he's Sugar Ray Leonard & we want him to be Roberto Duran. That said, he needs to be appreciated for what he is. A mobile big man, who passes very well, blocks shots well, has nice shooting touch & can draw his defender away from the basket to open up the lane for Mbakwe (& earlier this season Al Nolen). He played every well tonight & I think he's just the type of player who'll make a marked improvement next season as a Senior.

Tonight's line......5-9 fgs, 10 pts, 7 rebs, 3 assts, 3 blks, 2 tos.
 

Agree. I think people give him too much crap sometimes. Sure, he isn't even going to be a "beast" like Trevor, but he's developed a nice outside shooting game and can pass the ball pretty well for a big.
 

Costa Rican Gopher said:
Ralph is frustrating to most because he's Sugar Ray Leonard & we want him to be Roberto Duran. That said, he needs to be appreciated for what he is. A mobile big man, who passes very well, blocks shots well, has nice shooting touch & can draw his defender away from the basket to open up the lane for Mbakwe (& earlier this season Al Nolen). He played every well tonight & I think he's just the type of player who'll make a marked improvement next season as a Senior.

Tonight's line......5-9 fgs, 10 pts, 7 rebs, 3 assts, 3 blks, 2 tos.
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True enough, but the play of the game was him getting beat for an offensive rebound with :30 left in the game. He HAS to get that ball. That is what is frustrating about him. Grab that ball like it is your sister's life at stake, get the ball up the court, and shoot for the win. Instead, they are shooting FTs 3 seconds later.
 

Hes a role player on a good team, nothing more. I thought he would be much better this far into his career.
 

Costa Rican Gopher said:
Ralph is frustrating to most because he's Sugar Ray Leonard & we want him to be Roberto Duran. That said, he needs to be appreciated for what he is. A mobile big man, who passes very well, blocks shots well, has nice shooting touch & can draw his defender away from the basket to open up the lane for Mbakwe (& earlier this season Al Nolen). He played every well tonight & I think he's just the type of player who'll make a marked improvement next season as a Senior.

Tonight's line......5-9 fgs, 10 pts, 7 rebs, 3 assts, 3 blks, 2 tos.
Click to expand...

Ralph has not been our problem. His lack of agression is maddening. But he stil has upside and he could be good next year.
 


Ralph has lots of skills. Unfortunately they are small forward skills and he doesnt have that quickness. We get fustrated because if he had just a pinch of what Trevor has he could be all big ten. Anyway I am very happy to have Ralph.
 

Great passer? What are you drinking? His lazy passes in the backcourt led to the run by Sparty that cost us the game. He does not protect the ball.
 

He has his particular game. He isn't a banger and we shouldn't expect him to be one. He has a nice outside shot that is very useful.
 

I'm critical of him, not because I think he sucks or something, but because he has all the tools to be very good, but just doesn't seem to give his all.
 



RolGnav said:
I'm critical of him, not because I think he sucks or something, but because he has all the tools to be very good, but just doesn't seem to give his all.
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My friend described his facial expression as the "my dad is making me play basketball, I don't want to be here" look. He did play very well last night, though.
 

tjgopher said:
True enough, but the play of the game was him getting beat for an offensive rebound with :30 left in the game. He HAS to get that ball. That is what is frustrating about him. Grab that ball like it is your sister's life at stake, get the ball up the court, and shoot for the win. Instead, they are shooting FTs 3 seconds later.
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What's frustrating is that earlier he went up and snatched a rebound like he actually wanted it. It's that potential thing. His passing at the end left something to be desired also.

Also, interesting how often he's being quoted now. Either Blake and Trevor said the hell with it, or Ralph is really a good guy who feels sorry for Myron and talks to him.
 

He is in my opinion the 2nd best player on the team and unless you are completely biased against him it is tough to rate him lower than 3rd.

It'd be nice if he was better. But it would be nice if anyone was better.
 

gopherbadgerman said:
Hes a role player on a good team, nothing more. I thought he would be much better this far into his career.
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I'm curious what kind of player you thought he'd be? Did you watch his tape coming out of High School? This is exactly where I thought he'd be. I just wish he would do it consistently.
 



People who dont think he is playing well don't understand that he is a finesse power forward playing center for a team with terrible guards. They think he should be his dad. He isn't.
 

freshtrout said:
Great passer? What are you drinking? His lazy passes in the backcourt led to the run by Sparty that cost us the game. He does not protect the ball.
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Correction: Great passer for his size. Obviously, you never want to make a 6'11" player handle the ball in the back court. That aside he's an excellent passer for a big man. His pass to Chip down the left side of the lane, where he led him coming off the cut was a beauty & he's had several show stopping, one-timers to Trevor this season. Overall I stand by that statement, Ralph is a great passer for a big guy.
 

A few ontimely turnovers does not make one a bad passer. If so Hoff would be called a bad passer, and he is great at it. Ralph is a very good passer for his size. Strong with the ball he is not. But he knows to throw the pass away from the defender. It's amazing how many college players still don't understand this.
 

Costa Rican Gopher said:
I'm curious what kind of player you thought he'd be? Did you watch his tape coming out of High School? This is exactly where I thought he'd be. I just wish he would do it consistently.
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I thought by his Junior year he would be an all B10 level player. Maybe not 1st team, but at least 2nd team or HM or so. Maybe a 14-15 point, 8-9 reb per game player. He is a 10-11pt and 5-6 reb player right now, so I guess maybe I had too high of hopes. I think my biggest surprise is that he has not turned into a more aggressive player. But he is waht he is. In no way do I think he is a poor player, I just thought he would be a little more...
 

I always felt the same way

about Dan Coleman. Had the potential to be very good, but not the demeanor or intensity to rise above average.
 

I'm pretty sure that people get frustrated with Ralph because there are lacks of effort in places. I believe Gopher fans accept him being more skilled than aggressive. The problem is missed boxouts, missed defensive assignments, etc. Those are effort things. They were present against Illinois and Michigan State. Not so much in some of the other games especially the second half of Ohio State when Dakich took him to task constantly.
 

gopherbadgerman said:
I thought by his Junior year he would be an all B10 level player. Maybe not 1st team, but at least 2nd team or HM or so. Maybe a 14-15 point, 8-9 reb per game player. He is a 10-11pt and 5-6 reb player right now, so I guess maybe I had too high of hopes. I think my biggest surprise is that he has not turned into a more aggressive player. But he is waht he is. In no way do I think he is a poor player, I just thought he would be a little more...
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You realize that if he was 15 and 9 he'd be on track to be the favorite for national player of the year next season (assuming he came back)? You realize it's difficult to have the big tens 2 leading rebounders on the same team (which Sampson would be 2 or 3 if he was between 9 and 10)?

No wonder you are disappointed, you are expecting an all American HM at worst with that stat line. Sullenger is 17 and 9.9 and is top 3 for national POY and you are disappointed that Sampson isn't 15 and 10? Are you serious? You are expecting sampson to be 2 points better than Mbakwe currently is while matching his rebounding?

Get used to disappointment.
 

Rosemountian said:
You realize that if he was 15 and 9 he'd be on track to be the favorite for national player of the year next season (assuming he came back)? You realize it's difficult to have the big tens 2 leading rebounders on the same team (which Sampson would be 2 or 3 if he was between 9 and 10)?

No wonder you are disappointed, you are expecting an all American HM at worst with that stat line. Sullenger is 17 and 9.9 and is top 3 for national POY and you are disappointed that Sampson isn't 15 and 10? Are you serious? You are expecting sampson to be 2 points better than Mbakwe currently is while matching his rebounding?

Get used to disappointment.
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Sampson is a better offensive player than Trevor, and I dont think it is really that close. He is not as strong of a rebounder though. At 15 and 9 I dont think he would be Nat. Player of the year cantidate, and you are taking my high end. I would have been happy with 14 and 8. A good post player, nothing more, nothing less.
 

He already is a good post player. If he was averaging those numbers you gave (even the low end) he would be on all the national POY watch lists for next year.
 

Rosemountian said:
He already is a good post player. If he was averaging those numbers you gave (even the low end) he would be on all the national POY watch lists for next year.
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I dont think 14 and 8 on a team on the bubble gets you into the conversation for POY. Just my opinion. Then again if he was a better player, we might have a better record...

I am curious to hoe many big guys average in that neighborhood, I'll look it up later. Maybe I am wrong, but I would think there are quite a few...
 

Ralph

Ralph is the 3rd best player on this team and if Nolan was healthy he would be the 4th best/most valuable. You could replace Ralph easier then the other 3 thats been proven.

Amazed that someone can say he is a good low post player. McCarville would push Ralph off the box.

Ralph is not playing center if you WATCH the game he plays on the perimeter most of the time. He gets space because of Trevor. Ralph is a finesse small forward who is 6'11.

Ralph is a decent college player who will never take the next step to be a force its just a reality and I have accepted it. I tip my hat to him in this regard he appears to be doing fine in school and there has been no drama off the court plus he seem like a nice kid.

A good low post player- thats some funny $-hit!
 

Oops, I had those games wrong. Meant to say that I believe Ralph had strong efforts all around against Illinois and Michigan State for the most part. Said that backwards.
 

I think he would be a beast next year He needs some time!
 

Better? I don't know about you, but I'll take more effective over more talented. I don't care how Trevor gets it done, he scores more than Sampson and he puts the other team's players on the bench. He's saying if he averaged 15 and 9 (and 2.1 blocks which he currently averages) he'd be a preseason candidate for player of the year the following year. That's not that unrealistic if we had a really good team (obviously he'd never have those numbers). One might expect a player to improve those numbers to around 19, 10, and 2.4). He'd at least be in the discussion depending on how our team did.

gopherbadgerman said:
Sampson is a better offensive player than Trevor, and I dont think it is really that close. He is not as strong of a rebounder though. At 15 and 9 I dont think he would be Nat. Player of the year cantidate, and you are taking my high end. I would have been happy with 14 and 8. A good post player, nothing more, nothing less.
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underground629 said:
Better? I don't know about you, but I'll take more effective over more talented. I don't care how Trevor gets it done, he scores more than Sampson and he puts the other team's players on the bench. He's saying if he averaged 15 and 9 (and 2.1 blocks which he currently averages) he'd be a preseason candidate for player of the year the following year. That's not that unrealistic if we had a really good team (obviously he'd never have those numbers). One might expect a player to improve those numbers to around 19, 10, and 2.4). He'd at least be in the discussion depending on how our team did.
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I agree with you that I would take effective over talent, and Trevor is a more effective player, I just think that Sampson has better "skills". Probably a poor choice of words on my part. I do agree if he was 15 and 9 and the best player on a very good team he would be in the mix, but in the teams current state, I think 14 and 8 puts him in a 2nd team all B10 tier (maybe 1st team) but not a National POY tier...
All this discussion has been interesting, I hope he can be a 15 and 9 player next year, but to my initial thoughts, I think he is a good role player on a top 15 type team. Maybe the 4th option...
 

Did some research -

11 players from major programs fit the at least 14 and 8.

I would consider two of Sullinger and Williams from Arizona to be POY cantidates.

I thought there would be more...I was wrong. There are a ton from smaller schools.
 

That would be unreal to have two guys on the verge of double doubles. Not in the Big Ten, that's nearly impossible. If Trevor is here and doing his 14 and 10 thing again, no way Ralph touches 15 and 9. Maybe the 15, but not the 9, just don't see it happening.
 

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