Ruffin update

[Da Coach]

Yes, I can also assure fans that everything that could and should be done for Daniel has been done. Sometimes confusion arises because the reports that get out are not always accurate (for example- it's possible the MRI was not entirely negative). And maybe the appointment to see the specialist that Daniel is seeing was not able to be arranged until today.

Bradley is primarily concerned with Daniel's health and his future. There have been pro scouts at almost every Bradley game this year, and they all agree that Daniel has a pro career ahead of him. Nobody wants to jeopardize that.

[georgethedog]

Could not have siad it better myself and your stats point it out. SM is not DR but then DR is a 5th year senior and SM is a 1st year freshman. SM will be a fine point guard and yes there are many teams in the Valley that he could start on. How quick we forget 7 of the last 10 years and just give up hope because we play 2 bad games against 2 very good teams. Either one of these teams would probably win the MVC (2nd at worst) and we cry like babies. Was I disapointed in the effort, of course I was but it wasn't the end of the season by all means.

I am NOT BASHING Sam, period. So get off my back! I am just pointing out that he is a good player in a role that has him playing 10 or so per game backing up a better point guard. If he is a 35 minute a game player for us, we will be stuck in the middle of the league. Why can't someone post an opinion on this board without being attacked and accussed of bashing a player?

[Dallas Brave]

I have a partial answer for you...

Of course DRuff HAS been seeing specialists all along.
The group who serve as team docs at BU are ALL specialists, and the two orthopedic guys are highly speiclized (sub-specialized) in the area of sports medicine and injuries.

However...as you may be able to glean from the PJS story, the muscular injury DRuff has is particularly frustrating because it isn't badly damaged enough to need or risk surgery to repair, and yet there IS enough abnormality that he should not play until it heals.
The specialist Daniel is now going to see is a very top specialist "nationally", and the team wants to know what other top docs think, since Daniel is not only important to the team, but his health and recovery is also of utmost importance to his own career, and future ability to play and provide for himself and family.
So the primary goal, way above all others is to do the right thing for Daniel, and not to even consider what's important for the team and fans until and unless DRuff is healthy.

He may not play much or at all Saturday....let's just keep pulling for him to get well!

While it is always dangerous for laymen to make a prognosis, haven't we seen enough to know it is a lingering injury and will require time off (i.e., missing some games) to heal? By having DR sit the second half of the VCU game, it would appear that the injury is in worse condition than the earlier games against WSU and Butler. Given the uncertainty of the extent of the damage, I think the only real choice is to sit DR for 2-4 weeks.

[Dubl R 1]

You know what. I am sick of this board and I think I will not return.

How Un-MacArthur like.

[basketball nut]

I am NOT BASHING Sam, period. So get off my back! I am just pointing out that he is a good player in a role that has him playing 10 or so per game backing up a better point guard. If he is a 35 minute a game player for us, we will be stuck in the middle of the league. Why can't someone post an opinion on this board without being attacked and accussed of bashing a player?

I wasn't bashing you but the facts were pointed out that SM's stats are very similar to DR as 1st year players.
I am just as disapointed in some of the players as others are but SM isn't one of them and I, for one, am thankful we have him to play the point w/ DR hurt. You are right in the fact that SM should only being playing 10-15 minutes a game, under normal circumstances, but we are not under normal circumstances.
Furthermore I do not understand the love fest everyone has w/ TCS and DC. TCS plays out of control most of the time (if he hadn't had that great game in the fieldhouse this discussion of how good he is wouldn't even be coming up) and DC has the poorest set of hands I have seen in a big guy at BU (even worst the Heemskirk as a freshman).
You are entitled to your opinion just like I am and if, because we do not agree, this makes you mad then I am sorry.

[ser_solace]

I just hope Ruff can have a full recovery and a long, fulfilling pro career. Good luck to ya and hope to see you on the court soon.

[BuBraves55]

i agree w/ dallas brave. why does it seem we're the only team in the ncaa with most of our players near or above the free throw line? ever since biddy ball you are tought to go towards the basket but we decide to do it our own way. how about doing what worked in '06 w/ pob and GET THE BALL INSIDE. i realize collins isn't o'bryant but it sets up the 3 just as well as having everyone by the three line and it opens up so much more things. it's certainly worth a try

[ph]

I also wonder why the O is always seems to hug the 3 point line. Wouldn't there be more openings by setting up 5-10 feet behind the line? We just pack it in there, and wonder why there are no openings / passing lanes.

[chitown fanatic]

I think that the hope that we could have another 2005 this season has caused many to be disappointed much earlier than normal. I thought we would be 7-5 at this point, but I also thought we'd be turning the corner to getting better, and a very good conference season, and that is very much in doubt with all the recent developments. If Ruffin is out for a long period, we will drop to around 5th or 6th. I don't think we'll be worse than that, because we still have some good guards. But Les definitely needs to shorten his bench and give guys like Collins time on the floor. If the kid is worried about gettting yanked every time he steps out thee, what good does that do? I say put him out there for 25-30 minutes and let him foul out. At least he has some moves, and given time, might develop into a true inside-out presence that we desperately need. Salley just isn't capable of being this guy. I fear that Ruffin's absence makes us equal with UNI's guards tomorrow, but their bigs are better than ours.

[ghunt]

I also wonder why the O is always seems to hug the 3 point line. Wouldn't there be more openings by setting up 5-10 feet behind the line? We just pack it in there, and wonder why there are no openings / passing lanes.

Same thoughts. Jimmy has said that the big guys get out of postion on the floor, and we have made that same observation here. I think there is a reason for that, in addition to their lack of development at this point. We are guard-geared, especially for Daniel at the top of the key in order for him to see and create. Early in the season, about the only time the big guys got the ball were on slip-screens and rolls. Sam S looked good a few times on those, but who are we kidding, he, Collins, and Matt are not Princeton players or agile athletes.

If we simplified things or altered and/or added to our sets, I think that could help. In other words, set screens closer to the blocks, in the lane some, or on the baseline. By example, in years gone buy, that would mean some plays like were ran for Hersey, Aaron Zobrist, and Anthony Parker. I do not mean redoing the offense to the Pro-Turnout for Crouch a la Hawk. I don't think JC moves without the ball like any of those three (understatement), but by putting he or even any of the following through those sets--AW, SM, or Daniel, [Edit insert--or even TCS if he got consistent] it could be a thought. The big guys would be closer to the basket for posting and rebounding. However, it may be that for the big guys, they just do not play "big" in terms of postioning. Zack had similar problems and POB did, too, before he learned to use his size and feet--actually to just simply stay planted and not jump and reach--use position.

I think sometimes we have a similar analog on the defensive end. Yes, other teams sometimes bring their big guys out to lour ours away from the inside to create spacing, etc.. In fact, that is part of the reason why we do it, too. However, we also play a lot of help defense. That gets guys out of position. If we were to play straight up man more, or better, sag with Collins in the paint, I think that would help. If I remeber right, we sagged some with POB and that helped. I do like the idea of not being beholden to the help-man defense, though. We look good going to the 2-3 sometimes, and I really like it when when go full-court, although we may not be able to sustain it, but I am not thinking we need "40 minutes of Hell" Nolan Richardson style. The guys aren't stupid--throwing in some sagging man with some ocassional full-court pressure in additonl to our traditonal man and the occassional 2-3 would not blow their minds or preparation.

Just some arm-chair coaching thoughts late on Friday afternoon.

[Chico]

A lot of my opinions have been questioned and made fun of but I still keep posting. If others don't agree with me, well you know what they say about opinions. That's what makes this and other boards what they are.

[Beninator]

A lot of my opinions have been questioned and made fun of but I still keep posting. If others don't agree with me, well you know what they say about opinions. That's what makes this and other boards what they are.

Also if everybody had the same opinion, then this or any board would be boring.

[real fan]

I agree that everyone is entitled to their opinion and I believe Maniscalco is going to be a very good player in the future as he has improved a lot since his 1st game; we have played some good teams with experienced point guards lately so I think we need to see how he handles himself in the next 2 weeks when we will be counting on him to run the show.

[Bravesfan]

Same thoughts. Jimmy has said that the big guys get out of postion on the floor, and we have made that same observation here. I think there is a reason for that, in addition to their lack of development at this point. We are guard-geared, especially for Daniel at the top of the key in order for him to see and create. Early in the season, about the only time the big guys got the ball were on slip-screens and rolls. Sam S looked good a few times on those, but who are we kidding, he, Collins, and Matt are not Princeton players or agile athletes.

If we simplified things or altered and/or added to our sets, I think that could help. In other words, set screens closer to the blocks, in the lane some, or on the baseline. By example, in years gone buy, that would mean some plays like were ran for Hersey, Aaron Zobrist, and Anthony Parker. I do not mean redoing the offense to the Pro-Turnout for Crouch a la Hawk. I don't think JC moves without the ball like any of those three (understatement), but by putting he or even any of the following through those sets--AW, SM, or Daniel, [Edit insert--or even TCS if he got consistent] it could be a thought. The big guys would be closer to the basket for posting and rebounding. However, it may be that for the big guys, they just do not play "big" in terms of postioning. Zack had similar problems and POB did, too, before he learned to use his size and feet--actually to just simply stay planted and not jump and reach--use position.

I think sometimes we have a similar analog on the defensive end. Yes, other teams sometimes bring their big guys out to lour ours away from the inside to create spacing, etc.. In fact, that is part of the reason why we do it, too. However, we also play a lot of help defense. That gets guys out of position. If we were to play straight up man more, or better, sag with Collins in the paint, I think that would help. If I remeber right, we sagged some with POB and that helped. I do like the idea of not being beholden to the help-man defense, though. We look good going to the 2-3 sometimes, and I really like it when when go full-court, although we may not be able to sustain it, but I am not thinking we need "40 minutes of Hell" Nolan Richardson style. The guys aren't stupid--throwing in some sagging man with some ocassional full-court pressure in additonl to our traditonal man and the occassional 2-3 would not blow their minds or preparation.

Just some arm-chair coaching thoughts late on Friday afternoon.

Great points. This is where good coaching can really make or break a season.

And that is why I don't get paid coaching on a forum!

[it's boogie time]

So the primary goal, way above all others is to do the right thing for Daniel, and not to even consider what's important for the team and fans until and unless DRuff is healthy.

This stock answer would probably go over better if he hadn't already played three games with the injury.