napier might be out for pitt game

[husky99]

http://borgesblognhr.blogspot.com/2013/01/shabazz-napier-sidelined-by-shoulder.html?m=1

 

[willie99]

probably was pile driven into the ground on one of them there "no calls"

 

[Perspective]

Well, the article appears to say he's a go, and that's good. Very good. Good like when your wife brings home a snickers blizzard from Dairy Queen and you weren't expecting it.

There would be one upside to him being out tomorrow however. And that would be that, after getting completely obliterated at the Petersen Events Center, every witness to the slaughter would have all doubt removed as to how very good, and how very critical to our success, Shabazz Napier is.

 

[patrick]

Another upside if he is out is that we have more then a week off till our next game against Rutgers. Should be plenty of time to get better. That being said I think he will play tomorrow Shabazz is a GAMER!!!!

LOVE KO'S LINE "NEXT MAN UP!"

 

[CL82]

Another upside if he is out is that we have more then a week off till our next game against Rutgers. Should be plenty of time to get better. That being said I think he will play tomorrow Shabazz is a GAMER!!!!

LOVE KO'S LINE "NEXT MAN UP!"

“We have a motto around here: Next man up,” said Ollie. “If he’s not feeling well, not able to play to the level that we think he needs to play at, then R.J.’s got to play a bigger role, Brendan’s got to be ready to come off (the bench). We’ll find a way, like we’ve been doing the whole season.”

Interesting that he didn't mention Omar.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Interesting that he didn't mention Omar.

I would assume it's because he was talking about guys filling in a position that Omars not going to play.

 

[Fishy]

Interesting that he didn't mention Omar.

Only up until the second you realize that he's referring to his fellow point guards.

 

[ctchamps]

Huge SN fan but there are legitimate limitations to his superman abilities. The injury was severe and not of the hangnail variety. His self criticism of his poor play following that injury are self defeating imo. I would criticize him only if he chose to make light of the injury keeping out a qualified person from entering the game. But there wasn't. As ineffectual as SN was following the injury, he still was probably more effectual than all but one other UConn player on that court. He was just ineffectual relative to his normal healthy self.

He took this similar approach to last years injury - the broken foot. And it had the negative effect of causing the uninformed or the jaded fan of foisting unnecessary criticism on SN which only changed after everyone realized the problem with last years team wasn't SN.

We have the idea we shouldn't make excuses for our limitations. I think this is bs. SN should be the last person down on himself for how the game changed after the injury. I think we are so jaded by people making excuses for their miserable lives or performances we sometimes go to the other extreme.

SN, you kept UConn in the game when healthy. I will go on the limb and say you most likely would have kept UConn in the entire game if you had not been hurt. I know I'm only preaching to a bunch of lost souls, but if this can some how reach you, I hope you don't get down on yourself every time you get hurt.

 

[caw]

Well if SN is hindered UConn would be forced to play a bigger lineup. I can't imagine Evans starting.

I guess it would be Boat, Calhoun, Giffey, Daniels, Olander?

Pitt has a lineup with decent height. They have been playing a lot of guys with 10 guys playing in most games and all playing over 12 minutes.

PG - Woodall (6')
SG - Robinson (6'3), Zeigler 6'5), Wright (6'4)
SF - Patterson (6'5), Moore (6'6)
PF - Zanna (6'9), Johnson (6'6)
C - Adams (7'0), Taylor (6'9)

Woodall is a pretty good PG, not outstanding but solid. Not nearly as good or quick as the UL guards.

Robinson is a decent freshman and plays the second PG position for Pitt. He's a solid PG, but not great offensively.

Patterson is pretty physical and typical Pitt thug player.

Adams/Zanna are like a poor man's version of Dieng/Behannan.

Taylor has been a bust, but he is big.
Moore and Johnson are pretty athletic for Pitt players as is Zeigler.

Solid defensive team, has trouble with quick guards is pretty much Pitt. They may play some zone, but won't likely press a ton. They have a well rounded scoring bunch, but nobody you really worry about going off for 20+ on most nights.

 

[CTBasketball]

This should be a good game. Hopefully Napier is ready to go.

 

[Horatio]

I hope Shabazz plays but if he doesn't I'd like to see Brendan Allen get some minutes and do well.

 

[aboogieee]

As much as I would like to see Brendan Allen, this game may very well be right up R.J. Evans' alley. I'd imagine it will be very physical and to what my friends refer to Big East basketball as "Jail Ball". Evans will be able to charge the lane and just throw the ball at the backboard as he often does and nobody will notice.

Shabazz please be OK!

 

[aboogieee]

UConn Men's Hoops ‏@UConnMBB
#UCONN: Shabazz Napier went through practice with some discomfort. Will get treatment tonight, tomorrow. Status will be gametime decision

 

[OkaForPrez]

UConn Men's Hoops ‏@UConnMBB
#UCONN: Shabazz Napier went through practice with some discomfort. Will get treatment tonight, tomorrow. Status will be gametime decision

He practiced, he's playing.

 

[champs99and04]

Huge SN fan but there are legitimate limitations to his superman abilities. The injury was severe and not of the hangnail variety. His self criticism of his poor play following that injury are self defeating imo. I would criticize him only if he chose to make light of the injury keeping out a qualified person from entering the game. But there wasn't. As ineffectual as SN was following the injury, he still was probably more effectual than all but one other UConn player on that court. He was just ineffectual relative to his normal healthy self.

He took this similar approach to last years injury - the broken foot. And it had the negative effect of causing the uninformed or the jaded fan of foisting unnecessary criticism on SN which only changed after everyone realized the problem with last years team wasn't SN.

We have the idea we shouldn't make excuses for our limitations. I think this is bs. SN should be the last person down on himself for how the game changed after the injury. I think we are so jaded by people making excuses for their miserable lives or performances we sometimes go to the other extreme.

SN, you kept UConn in the game when healthy. I will go on the limb and say you most likely would have kept UConn in the entire game if you had not been hurt. I know I'm only preaching to a bunch of lost souls, but if this can some how reach you, I hope you don't get down on yourself every time you get hurt.

Maybe I'm mis-interpreting what you're trying to say, but I disagree with your take here. If Shabazz isn't kicking himself with the way he played the other night, he's not a competitor. He didn't take the Rasheed Wallace "both teams played hard" approach. He was thoroughly disappointed with his play. This type of dedication and self-critique is something you see in every great athlete when their team loses, regardless of how much the odds were stacked against them. Accountability is something Ollie has been preaching, and although Shabazz was one of the more level-headed players on the team coming in to college, it's clear that Ollie has had a positive influence on him.

Don't get me wrong - Shabazz's self-examination is obviously harsh. The fans are as happy with the way this team has performed this season given the roster restraints as they have been with any UConn team in recent memory. These kids play their asses off, and nobody plays harder than Shabazz. He plays 35-40 minutes per game, through injury, all the while having to burden the massive responsibility of leadership. He's a true warrior, and when he has an off day like he did Monday, he's naturally going to be pi**ed off and disappointed. That's what separates those who take the elevator from those who take the stairs.

 

[ctchamps]

Maybe I'm mis-interpreting what you're trying to say, but I disagree with your take here. If Shabazz isn't kicking himself with the way he played the other night, he's not a competitor. He didn't take the Rasheed Wallace "both teams played hard" approach. He was thoroughly disappointed with his play. This type of dedication and self-critique is something you see in every great athlete when their team loses, regardless of how much the odds were stacked against them. Accountability is something Ollie has been preaching, and although Shabazz was one of the more level-headed players on the team coming in to college, it's clear that Ollie has had a positive influence on him.

Don't get me wrong - Shabazz's self-examination is obviously harsh. The fans are as happy with the way this team has performed this season given the roster restraints as they have been with any UConn team in recent memory. These kids play their asses off, and nobody plays harder than Shabazz. He plays 35-40 minutes per game, through injury, all the while having to burden the massive responsibility of leadership. He's a true warrior, and when he has an off day like he did Monday, he's naturally going to be pi**ed off and disappointed. That's what separates those who take the elevator from those who take the stairs.

It's a fine line between realistic expectations and unrealistic expectations. And that line differs for each and every one of us and for each and every situation. And it is a fine line between motivation and non motivation. The problem is we can't measure this quantitatively. I'm all for ten toes in. But injuries limit players. I don't see anyone who is limited by an injury making excuses for himself if the injury is legitimate. And both of SN injuries, last year with the broken foot, and the last two games with the shoulder contusion, were limiting injuries to SN's performance. Should he be bummed out that circumstances limited his play. Absolutely!! But why take it out on himself. SN played through those injuries. He should be proud of himself that he gutted things out, not down on himself that he couldn't play up to his standards. That isn't ten toes in. That's someone who thinks he's superman when he's not.