Players or Coaching?

[ER3]

Well, JL said on his radio show a couple of years ago that AT was the most talented big man he'd coached next to POB. I've heard AT might not work as hard all the time as he needs to, but if he's as talented as JL said, shouldn't that at least garner him some minutes? What does Sam Singh give you that AT couldn't?

Myself and the people in my section at home games have been asking ourselves this same question for two years now.
I don't have an answer to that question...but the coaching staff has gotten the opportunity to watch these two guys play on the same floor in practice every day for 2+ years now...and for 2 years now in games, the answer has never been "AT" when Les looks down the bench for meaningful minutes in the middle.
I am with you in the sense that it is 'sink or swim' time for AT...Play him now...give him minutes now and expose him in one way or another so you know what to do with his spot heading into next year....minutes now will give him the chance to show that he has some value heading into next year or the minutes will show that he is simply not ready to be a D-I player and we can move on...We simply have no depth anywhere on this team...and we can't go into next year with a scholarship tied up in a guy like AT that has given us nothing more than walk-on minutes for two years.

[thefish7]

I think AT looks quite a bit better than SS every time he steps on the floor. It has to be that he's not earning playing time in practice... and if that's the case, I respect the coach's decision on the matter. If you reward poor effort with playing time, you'll end up losing the whole team altogether.

[real fan]

I watch A.T. when he comes into a game and he needs to be a lot more physical then he is at this level as he lets himself get pushed around, he is never in good position to play defense or rebound, the offensive rebound he got at ISU fell into his lap about 4ft. away from the basket, he should be able to get above the rim for putbacks if he was playing full tilt , he is plenty quich enough and has great jumping ability but he just does not seem like he wants to mix it up inside which is what he needs to do if he expects to play.

[thefish7]

The difference being that this season even when a rebound falls in SS's lap, he's not getting them. I really don't know what's going on with Sam. He was serviceable last year, but it's just not working this season.

[tornado]

That was a rather irresponsible comment on Les' part, IMO, that has come back to haunt.

I am not so sure this was JL's exact quote...can you cite where this comment was ever referenced?
If it's just a circulating rumor that he said this, then I would tend to be skeptical...

[BuAlum03]

I am not so sure this was JL's exact quote...can you cite where this comment was ever referenced?
If it's just a circulating rumor that he said this, then I would tend to be skeptical...

Im not trying to be combative T, but asking somebody to cite a comment made on a radio show is asking for a higher level of proof than is realistic. Unless somebody out there is recording, cataloging, and saving every JL radio show, or written transcripts that are publicly archived and searchable exist, this is pretty much impossible.

I didn't hear the comment personally, but enough people seem to have that I will take their first-hand accounts at their word.

Now perhaps we're putting too much stock in an off-hand comment made years ago, and maybe JL was speaking of raw, undeveloped talent. I think holding JL to the fire over something like this is a bit nitpicky, myself.

[tornado]

I know, and neither am I but the way I actually heard about the supposed comment was this way...

That perhaps AT was a bit further along in his development when he arrived, than POB was when he arrived...

That's not the same as comparing their talents....I think what was meant was independent of talent, AT at least had received some good coaching in HS and AAU, where POB had NOT...

...but as I said.... I have never heard JL say anything on this topic myself, but I have heard others cite him as saying this...
I was even hopeful early on when AT was a redshirting freshman, that maybe it was true...but since I have really never heard JL say this himself, I guess I remain skeptical of what was actually said.......

[Da Coach]

The closest I can find to a verification of what was said by Coach Les is in this old thread. -

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?p=70571#post70571

Posts suggest he said something like, "Offensively AT is the 2nd best big man he's ever coached" "He has equally good moves right, left, hookshots."

I suspect he was referring to his natural athleticism and potential, rather than his accomplishments at that point.

[SFP]

The closest I can find to a verification of what was said by Coach Les is in this old thread. -

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?p=70571#post70571

Posts suggest he said something like, "Offensively AT is the 2nd best big man he's ever coached" "He has equally good moves right, left, hookshots."

I suspect he was referring to his natural athleticism and potential, rather than his accomplishments at that point.

Whatever was said the kid is here and is not close to where we and I'm sure the coaches wish he was at. On the other side of the coin I never wish to see a player pushed out of a program unless it is due to some type of behavioral problem or they can't cut the grade or they are not trying one bit to improve their game. I would think AT is not going anywhere and he has 2 more years and maybe a late bloomer. It has happened before.

[houstontxbrave]

I would think AT is not going anywhere and he has 2 more years and maybe a late bloomer. It has happened before.

Bayo and Funches come to my mind... but they both played minutes where Thompson sits and sits.

Les I think plays Singh because he trusts Singh. He has no trust in Thompson or Milos. You have to ask why does he give minutes to Eastman and not Milos... I think it comes down to trust and who is going to do what JL wants.

That trust has gotten him a 10-11 extremely average record and zero depth off of his bench.

[LittleBrave]

When's the last time Singh hit a lay-up from 2 feet away? He does draw the foul, but his free-throw shooting is horrible this year.
I thought he'd be used more to teach the younger players rather than soak up minutes with little production.
I'd rather see AT get more PT - from the limited time I've seen from him, he's better than Singh. But yeah - must be a trust-thing. But AT would get more boards IMO.

[Skut Farcus]

Maybe Sam will do better next year, in his what 7th or 8th year? Has he been there longer than Les?

[Da Coach]

Maybe Sam will do better next year, in his what 7th or 8th year? Has he been there longer than Les?

He just needs more time to develop.

Actually, Sam was in the same recruiting class (2004) as Patrick O'Bryant, Jeremy Crouch, Lance Stemler, and Lawrence Wright.

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=9&c=8&cfg=bb&toinid=511&yr=2004

[SFP]

I was not able to watch the ISU game because it was not streamed so I have no idea how SS played but prior to that game I have seen an improvement from him. This though is not the same SS we had last year. Last year's SS could hit his FT, hit a jumper from inside the key and he even dunked. I'm betting that his body is just not taking to kindly to all the pounding it has taken.

[Braves4Life]

...... I have no idea how SS played but prior to that game I have seen an improvement from him.

He has shown some improvement but he is what he is. Unfortunately, out of necessity, he has been asked do more than he is physically capable of. It is not his fault that he has been thrust into a role he is not athletically capable of. The ideal situation would be for SS to spell a POB-type center 5-10 mpg.