Reusse: Lionel finds it hard to watch son Austin muddle through low-scoring battles

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I don't know Matt, there are some gems in this article--you just have to read between the lines:

"That's one thing I was not shy about -- shooting. That's why it's hard for me to watch my son, because he doesn't shoot much. Tubby would've been grabbing me with a hook, because I'd be putting them up."

or this one:

"I liked Bill -- he was a great guy -- but I couldn't see myself playing for him," Hollins said. "He led the nation in defense every year, but they never took a shot. It would be hard to play without taking shots."

or this one (just hits the nail on the head):

"Every player has to make his choice. He has to go to a school where he feels comfortable. When you get people pushing him somewhere -- AAU coaches saying, 'Go here' -- that's when you get players transferring, going to two, three schools."

Lionel Hollins sounds like he is rather hands-off regarding his son and I think that's a good thing. Means Austin is playing the game because HE wants to, not because of parental pressure.

Just wish Austin (and some other Gopher guards) would take his father's attitude and just keep shooting the ball when he's got the open shot. That is something the Gophers are lacking this season.
 

I am not going to judge lionells parenting strategy or down talk his choice to not watch. I will say though, in a pretty bad game for the gophers many gopher fans watched Austin have a great game playing for a great coach.
 


Drex96 said:
I don't know Matt, there are some gems in this article--you just have to read between the lines:

"That's one thing I was not shy about -- shooting. That's why it's hard for me to watch my son, because he doesn't shoot much. Tubby would've been grabbing me with a hook, because I'd be putting them up."

or this one:

"I liked Bill -- he was a great guy -- but I couldn't see myself playing for him," Hollins said. "He led the nation in defense every year, but they never took a shot. It would be hard to play without taking shots."

or this one (just hits the nail on the head):

"Every player has to make his choice. He has to go to a school where he feels comfortable. When you get people pushing him somewhere -- AAU coaches saying, 'Go here' -- that's when you get players transferring, going to two, three schools."

Lionel Hollins sounds like he is rather hands-off regarding his son and I think that's a good thing. Means Austin is playing the game because HE wants to, not because of parental pressure.

Just wish Austin (and some other Gopher guards) would take his father's attitude and just keep shooting the ball when he's got the open shot. That is something the Gophers are lacking this season.
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There's a difference between being hands off and being selfish. If he can't suck it up for 40 min (or 32? min in high school) and watch his son then that is being selfish and IMO, an asshole. The section of the article below screams selfish to me and is beyond the realm of simply being hands off IMO.

Hollins was asked if he was hoping to find a TV to catch some of his son's game.

I'm not," he said. "I don't watch him play."

Because? "I don't like college basketball," he said.

Hollins paused for a second, and you wondered if he was getting ready to couch that remark. Not really.

"He was my son in high school and I didn't watch him then, either," Hollins said.
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"In college, especially in the Big Ten ... I watched Wisconsin and Minnesota play down the stretch and I couldn't take it. They just hold the ball and hold the ball, and try to get a shot with 10 seconds on the clock."

-He obviously picked the wrong game to watch. I can't watch Wisconsin either when they aren't playing the gophers.

"I didn't influence Austin," he said. "He made the choice. Tubby was more like a father figure, which he was used to. Other coaches, they tried to be his buddy, and he wasn't impressed with that."

-I agree Drex. It does sound like Lionel wanted Austin to make his own decisions. That is great in an age of parents trying to take money in exchange for a kid's LOI. It looks like Austin made a wise pick with Tubby. That being said I'm not sure I'd wanna be at their dinner table.
 


That is kind of sad that a father wouldn't watch his son's games. I mean WTF, that's your boy out there, and how the hell could you not want to see that, if not for your own sake then for his?
 



I don't think Lionel understands that the majority of America is fed up with the NBA's BS product they are trying to push.

NCAA basketball is one of the greatest sporting institutions still around. I would say the NFL is close with the parity year in and year out, but it doesn't get any better than March Madness for any sport.

The guy sounds like a tool and an asshole.
 

Hey, let's be careful here. Not to be the board police, but this is a father of a current Gopher. There are times where it might be prudent to keep opinions of something to oneself. I sure hope Austin doesn't frequent the board and see Gopher fans making judgements about his father based on one 10-inch newspaper column. This is his dad people. Take it easy.
 

MotherNight said:
"I didn't influence Austin," he said. "He made the choice. Tubby was more like a father figure, which he was used to. Other coaches, they tried to be his buddy, and he wasn't impressed with that."
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Interesting. If I recall correctly Cory Joseph made some comments about the Texas coaching staff as being funny and easy to talk to, the 'buddy' method. To each his own.
 

PeanutButterTubbyTime said:
I don't think Lionel understands that the majority of America is fed up with the NBA's BS product they are trying to push.

NCAA basketball is one of the greatest sporting institutions still around. I would say the NFL is close with the parity year in and year out, but it doesn't get any better than March Madness for any sport.

The guy sounds like a tool and an asshole.
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Lionel isn't talking about the product, he's talking about pure basketball. I agree with him, the love of basketball is the free flowing, ability to create, aspects of it. Wisconsin's style does not include that and to a certain extent neither does Tubby's. Gosh you go out and play if you miss a few who cares. It's not everybody's style but I think it is part of why I can't stand the Gophers offense.
 



These comments were shocking to me when he said he had to struggle through watching him in high school and doesnt even try to watch him in college. If he doesn't like the college game thats fine but I bet my parents didn't like watching 5th grade basketball but when I played they showed up.

As a pro coach Lionel sees plenty of ball and he is accustomed to the up and down, 1 on 1 style of the NBA. Thats fine, but as a coach I would expect him to be open to other ideas. Bo Ryan can probably understand why teams run up and down, Jim Boeheim can understand why teams play man to man and I would think Lionel could. Even though it was a short interview his comments were still alarming.

No one likes the NBA. I have 1 friend who follows the Timberwolves closely. I will check out the box score sometimes but would rather read threads on here than watch an actual NBA game and I think more and more people are going that way. The NBA is in serious trouble where the college game is growing in popularity.
 

khoffman43 said:
No one likes the NBA. I have 1 friend who follows the Timberwolves closely. I will check out the box score sometimes but would rather read threads on here than watch an actual NBA game and I think more and more people are going that way. The NBA is in serious trouble where the college game is growing in popularity.
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I do the same thing, check some box scores sometimes and wait for the second-third round of the playoffs to start.
 

tjgopher said:
Hey, let's be careful here. Not to be the board police, but this is a father of a current Gopher. There are times where it might be prudent to keep opinions of something to oneself. I sure hope Austin doesn't frequent the board and see Gopher fans making judgements about his father based on one 10-inch newspaper column. This is his dad people. Take it easy.
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I agree
 

fwiw, watched a few timberwolves games (because my father would have them on---mainly during garnett era). the most i have watched of the nba in the past 5-6 (maybe more) yrs is when i would come across one while "channel surfing"---and, that "blip" on the screen would be it!

i'd much, much rather watch/attend college bb.
 

I don't know a lot about hockey, but I remember that when Lemaire was the coach of the Wild, a lot of media figures complained about the neutral zone trap that he plays and how it was so boring and bad for the game. But Lemaire has had great success with that system.

If you look at the Ken Pom tempo-free stats right now, Wisconsin is #2 in the entire country in his offensive ratings. And they pretty much lead or are very near the top of the Big Ten in points per possession every single season. So it's hard to argue with the system -- even if you don't like to watch it, it's undeniably effective.
 

Basketball is only 1 part of Austin (and presumably Andre's) life. They are complete people with other activities and interests in their lives even if we only see them on the court. There were plenty of areas in my life where my father was not exceptionally involved as I grew up but that doesn't mean he wasn't there for me, teaching me things or loving me. Without knowing the big picture I find it unreasonable to judge their father.
 

All I can say to Austin is shoot, shoot, and shoot some more; Mbakwe will get the rebound if you miss

To Lionel I say thanks for being a Gopher Parent

Go Gophers
 


Hate to say it...

But i agree with Lionel, the Gophers and the big ten in general is a hard nosed, physical game that does not usually promote high scoring.

Many gopher games over the years have been unbarabley slow, boring, with low point totals for individuals and teams.

We pay for all these players education and can never seem to find a scorer...somethin has got to give or else even Tubby wont be able to save our program in the long run.

Gopher players Nolen(if he returns), Hoff, Hollins, & williams need to do a better job attacking the rim and shooting with confidence.
Gophers staff need to do a better job evaluating talent and recruit a few scorers
or else next season will always be our year.
 

khoffman43 said:
No one likes the NBA. I have 1 friend who follows the Timberwolves closely. I will check out the box score sometimes but would rather read threads on here than watch an actual NBA game and I think more and more people are going that way. The NBA is in serious trouble where the college game is growing in popularity.
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I like the NBA. I'm an Atlanta Hawks fan, which is somewhat akin to being a Chicago Cubs fan so far as level of fan frustration and lack of championships (or even serious chances at being contenders) go, but I can see where a lot of people wouldn't. It's very much becoming a league of the 'haves' and the 'have-nots', even more so than it was before. And the player collusion that fricken Wade and Bosh and LeButthead pulled off in landing in Miami together just really kind of makes me sick. And I actually feel sorry for a team like the Timberwolves. Kevin Love though, what a player. I really wish they'd trade him to the Hawks. :)
 

tjgopher

tjgopher said:
Hey, let's be careful here. Not to be the board police, but this is a father of a current Gopher. There are times where it might be prudent to keep opinions of something to oneself. I sure hope Austin doesn't frequent the board and see Gopher fans making judgements about his father based on one 10-inch newspaper column. This is his dad people. Take it easy.
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I agree.

I have stayed away from this thread for these reasons.

I will say this however, I would rather watch Austin Hollins play for the Gophers than any NBA game.

:clap::clap::clap:
 

Best line in the article:
The "fourth quarter" reference confirmed that Lionel's attention to the college game has waned.
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Glad we have Hollins and nice Pat made reference to his recent game.
I think it would be better if people did not express such harsh opinions of L.Hollins. Period.
but, he did give the interview and he must have known that interviews get printed. If he is that opinionated and blunt, he's not likely to be too thin skinned.
 

Moonlight said:
Best line in the article:


Glad we have Hollins and nice Pat made reference to his recent game.
I think it would be better if people did not express such harsh opinions of L.Hollins. Period.
but, he did give the interview and he must have known that interviews get printed. If he is that opinionated and blunt, he's not likely to be too thin skinned.
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Yes he did give that interview, and thus left himself open for comment and/or criticism for a viewpoint that many people would find to be almost unthinkable. Personally, there is NOTHING I wouldn't do for a child of mine, even if I found that activity to be a bore or a drag. If I were in his shoes and disliked youth or high school or college basketball that much, I would *still* go just to root for my boy and cheer him on and offer my support to him like that, but that's just me, and he obviously has the right to his own opinion and to do what he wants.
 


I used to coach 7-9 grade girls. Their games were insufferable at times, but I loved it. When my kids get older, there is no way I won't watch their games of any kind no matter what my thought of the sport is, even soccer.

I cannot relate to Mr. Hollins. It's weird.
 

khoffman43 said:
No one likes the NBA. I have 1 friend who follows the Timberwolves closely. I will check out the box score sometimes but would rather read threads on here than watch an actual NBA game and I think more and more people are going that way. The NBA is in serious trouble where the college game is growing in popularity.
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NBA television ratings are actually up significantly pretty much across the board.
 

There's so much we don't know......

about Hollins comments. Do people really think he (L. Hollins) doesn't know his audience here. He may not want to put any pressure on his son, may wonder why he should tell this chubby reporter anything personal. And what about Reusse.....he is not above embelishment...when he hears something somewhat shocking he chooses to emphasize it rahter than anything else thatmay have been said. His column made for an interesting read, and that's what he strives for.
 

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