rossi?

[truth219]

Why doesn't alex rossi have a role on our team?

[justducky]

Why doesn't alex rossi have a role on our team?

I do not know that "role" is the best word for this but getting only 31 minutes of playing time in 8 games does raise some questions. I have not yet seen enough of his play to say anything but that  his shot looks great and his defense looks a little suspect, but I would like to know more either by seeing him play and making  mistakes or by the staff speaking directly to the issue. If Rossi only deserves 5 minutes per game in 6 appearances now, then obviously he should vanish completely when Dority starts playing.

Or maybe he is to be the Tommy Kurth medical mystery story of 2012-2013 in which case I would now declare that we should let the "needless speculation" begin.  For added entertainment maybe Milan and I can start a brand new ****ing match with me pretending this year to be Alexs grandfather instead of last year being Tommys. 

[vubballfan10]

Why doesn't alex rossi have a role on our team?

To me, at least, its quite simple.  Jordan Coleman and Ben Boggs are getting more minutes on the perimeter than most people probably expected before the season started.  The two of them are probably taking 10-15 minutes away from Alex Rossi right now.

[StlVUFan]

Why doesn't alex rossi have a role on our team?

To me, at least, its quite simple.  Jordan Coleman and Ben Boggs are getting more minutes on the perimeter than most people probably expected before the season started.  The two of them are probably taking 10-15 minutes away from Alex Rossi right now.

I think the question being asked here is: why?  My sense is that we have not heard much of anything about him from the coaching staff, positive or negative.  My guess would be that he's not earning the additional playing time, and we're probably never going to find out why.

[Smj]

Wouldn't reporters be asking the question usually?

(I have been asking tbe question for some time.   I think its the defense but we have other players with obvious weaknesses that still play?)

[StlVUFan]

Wouldn't reporters be asking the question usually?

(I have been asking tbe question for some time.   I think its the defense but we have other players with obvious weaknesses that still play?)

Good point.  I myself am kicking myself I didn't ask about him last Saturday when Bryce was fielding questions.

[HC]

He doesn't play any defense would be my guess.  Even in his garbage time minutes he looks lost defensively.  I don't know if its lack of effort or ability.  I imagine once they see improved defense in practice/garbage time he will get more looks during the important parts of the game.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Ah, material cause

To me, at least, its quite simple.  Jordan Coleman and Ben Boggs are getting more minutes

vs formal cause

his defense looks a little suspect

[StlVUFan]

Ah, material cause

To me, at least, its quite simple.  Jordan Coleman and Ben Boggs are getting more minutes

vs formal cause

his defense looks a little suspect

How very 16th century of you  8)

[Smj]

Sure sounds like everyone thinks it is defense but I think we have other players with weaknesses and they can still find a time in a game where they can work around the weakness.   Sure would like to see a little more time from him or an article about his contributions/future plans.   Got to be hard for him as well - he seems like a good kid.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

How very 16th century of you

ahh, Lutherans...

shockingly, i know, amazing and wonderful things happened in the world before 1517.

that's 4th century...BC.  Aristotle--and there's a guy who could shoot AND defend.  Very much "the man in Form".

[crusadermoe]

I'm hoping that defense is not the issue for Alex.     My memory from HS senior ranking as a recruit was that his defense was 2nd best asset after shooting.  He looks a little smaller than 6'5" to me. 

[valporun]

His defense in high school could be suspect based on the style of play in high school, competition played, and how good the programs were that he played against. He might not be as ready has his high school numbers and inflated internet ranking say he really is now?

[FWalum]

inflated internet ranking

Is there some reason you threw this into the conversation?

[valporun]

Because most internet ratings are inflated based on regional guest bloggers or eyes who sent in information to the main writer of the website. These scouts inflate things for the good of getting hits to their websites, and might have never really seen the player they rated based on words from some regional guy who sent in information.

[StlVUFan]

How very 16th century of you

ahh, Lutherans...

shockingly, i know, amazing and wonderful things happened in the world before 1517.

that's 4th century...BC.  Aristotle--and there's a guy who could shoot AND defend.  Very much "the man in Form".

Right, my bad.  But it was used during the reformation, and also during the controversy in the early 1970s here in St. Louis.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Because most internet ratings are inflated based on regional guest bloggers or eyes who sent in information to the main writer of the website.

But inflated rankings in "most" cases would almost entirely cancel itself out...i.e. if almost everyone's inflated, then it balances.

"Inflated rankings" don't explain why he received a full ride to one of the most successful Pac 12 programs this side of UCLA.

[wittynamehere]

His defense in high school could be suspect based on the style of play in high school, competition played, and how good the programs were that he played against. He might not be as ready has his high school numbers and inflated internet ranking say he really is now?

Understanding that you said "could be", I thought I'd try to address these points since I followed Alex Rossi (and HS Bball in the North Shore) pretty closely:
1. New Trier played in one of the toughest conferences in the state, Waukegan, Evanston, Maine South were all very good while he was there
2. Rossi was conference POY over a McDonalds All-American (Jeremy Richmond, Waukegan)
3. New Trier is known for annually playing one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the state.  They routinely play the best teams from the Chicago Public league, they play in the Proviso West Holiday tournament and all this on top of playing in one of the largest school conferences in Illinois
4. Rossi played on one of the best AAU programs in the nation (Rising Stars), he was also a starter and key contributor on that team with players who have done extremely well in college including (Lenzelle Smith, starter for OH St, Rayvonte Rice who was dominate at Drake and is currently sitting at Illinois due to a transfer and Ben Brust, WI (who actually played behind Rossi)
5. Rossi had offers from ND, Virginia, Stanford, many big 10 schools and several pac 12 schools as well other High Majors

Finally, it's my guess that Bryce is content to "save" Rossi for next season, get him stronger (since he's essentially playing his freshman year right now) and play the many seniors he's got at the same position.  That being said, I think at some point we need to score and with Kenney, Boggs and Bogan not doing much of that we could see Rossi get more mins (assuming he's healthy).

just my 

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Finally, it's my guess that Bryce is content to "save" Rossi for next season, get him stronger (since he's essentially playing his freshman year right now) and play the many seniors he's got at the same position

Thanks for this post/analysis.  I am glad to hear it, not just because it confirms my suspicions. 
However, to repeat myself once more, it's (ironically!  I know!) bad for VU and perhaps for Alex too that the NCAA granted his hardship waiver.  Otherwise he could be "saved" for next season without loss of eligibility, and hey!  Free Master's degree too!

Alex Rossi in 2015-16 >>>> Alex Rossi this year, right?  But we'll never know now.  OK, I'll never repeat myself again.

I'll never repeat myself again.

[chef]

I don't think Rossi would have gained another year by sitting out this year. You have to complete your 4 years of eligibility during a 5 year period. This is his 3rd year thus the 14-15 season is/was going to be he's final season of college basketball.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I don't think Rossi would have gained another year by sitting out this year. You have to complete your 4 years of eligibility during a 5 year period.

If that were strictly true, then Greg Tonagel, Scott Martin, etc., would never have been given a 6th year.

[vusupporter]

I don't think Rossi would have gained another year by sitting out this year. You have to complete your 4 years of eligibility during a 5 year period.

If that were strictly true, then Greg Tonagel, Scott Martin, etc., would never have been given a 6th year.

Greg was granted two injury redshirt years, Scott Martin's injury redshirt year came after his transfer redshirt.  I don't believe any player has ever been granted a sixth year who had already missed a year due to injury and then chose to transfer.

[valporun]

Yes, in most cases, 6th years are granted to players that stay at the same school, no transfers are usually allowed for that.

[truth219]

Hey rossi got 25 seconds tonight....

[bbtds]

Hey rossi got 25 seconds tonight....

He was in there for the 14 point play devised just for Alex.

Why do coaches put guys in the game with less than a minute to go with no chance of winning during mop up time? What good does that do? Most of the time is spent watching FT's shot and trying to foul.