rossi?

[StlVUFan]

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.

Um... to avoid piling on, to rest a starter when the game has been decided...

This concept is new to you? 

[Smj]

Um... to avoid piling on, to rest a starter when the game has been decided...

This concept is new to you? 

24 seconds - why bother...      I watched this game and was really thinking Rossi would get a couple minutes at the end so I could analyze his play - no such luck....

[StlVUFan]

That was a pretty rediculous response STLVU.

It was snarky, I'll cop to that.  How was it ridiculous?  I guess I don't understand the question.  "Garbage time" is a fairly common practice, for the reasons I cited.  Am I wrong?

I guess you could say, yes, there is no point to it, but I don't understand the point of questioning it, either, I guess.  What does it matter?  The game's over.

[StlVUFan]

Um... to avoid piling on, to rest a starter when the game has been decided...

This concept is new to you? 

24 seconds - why bother...      I watched this game and was really thinking Rossi would get a couple minutes at the end so I could analyze his play - no such luck....

I see your point there.  Having sat on the end of bench many times, I was thrilled just to get in, but that was 8th-10th grade and this is much different.  I can see where Alex might say "why bother".  I'm sure he didn't come in with 2 minutes to go because Bryce still had hopes of a comeback at that point.

OK, OK.  I surrender

[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.

Um... to avoid piling on, to rest a starter when the game has been decided...

This concept is new to you? 

No, not at all new to me. Just puzzling. Unless your team is out of players on the bench why put in a player who is fresh off the bench for less than a minute when you have another player who has already played during the game, but is not a starter, and is obviously better than the player who is fresh off the bench. What benefit is gained by that bench player seeing the floor for less than a minute?

[HC]

It's not about the benefits for the bench player in this case.

[VULB#62]

It's not about the benefits for the bench player in this case.

What is it about?  This whole thing is quite weird. From a distance, nothing seems logical.  In exhibitions wasn't he involved and didn't he drain like three treys in a row in one game. Now only splinters and DBP-CD?

[milanmiracle]

It's not about the benefits for the bench player in this case.

What is it about?  This whole thing is quite weird. From a distance, nothing seems logical.  In exhibitions wasn't he involved and didn't he drain like three treys in a row in one game. Now only splinters and DBP-CD?

Actually it's quite normal. Lots of teams do this. As an example I bring up Chris Halvorsen, a transfer from Valpo. I don't know if you remember him or not, but he came in with great credentials (albeit from Minnesota) and didn't play much at Valpo. He averaged 1 pt and 4.4 minutes a game here. He then decided to return home and walk on at Minnesota, where last year he played a grand total of 15 minutes over nine games and scored A point. Yep, one. The point being...even though there might be nothing that jumps out at you, he did not have what they need or he might be as good as he's going to get and not worth developing further. There's only so many minutes to go around, and if somebody does more things to help the team than you do, they're going to play.

All that being said, I think he could have a roll on this team, and a few minutes here and there wouldn't seem outlandish.

[StlVUFan]

It's not about the benefits for the bench player in this case.

What is it about?  This whole thing is quite weird. From a distance, nothing seems logical.  In exhibitions wasn't he involved and didn't he drain like three treys in a row in one game. Now only splinters and DBP-CD?

That's a different question, and quite a good one, although I would assume that there must be a valid reason why he doesn't play more.

[valporun]

At this rate, with Rossi, he might just have to bide his time because there are only so many guard minutes, and Bryce doesn't seem to be going away from the lack of productivity on a regular basis from Boggs/Buggs/Bogan to give Rossi anymore minutes than he's already receiving. It's possible that Bryce has talked with Rossi about this for next year, as he could be our 6th man next year to replace Kenney with all the "highly touted" young pups that are supposed to get minutes next year, and score "lights out", as some posters have gone "gaga" over in the recruiting thread. Unless Rossi does something to change Bryce's mind, or an injury happens to one of the starting three guards, Rossi will be enjoying some time communicating with Nick Shelton at the end of the bench.

[StlVUFan]

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.

Um... to avoid piling on, to rest a starter when the game has been decided...

This concept is new to you? 

No, not at all new to me. Just puzzling. Unless your team is out of players on the bench why put in a player who is fresh off the bench for less than a minute when you have another player who has already played during the game, but is not a starter, and is obviously better than the player who is fresh off the bench. What benefit is gained by that bench player seeing the floor for less than a minute?

None.  There is no in-game benefit to be gained by anything you do at that point.

<shrug> It's a long tradition.  Because there's no reason not to.  Because there's nothing to be gained by putting in someone else who has already played -- because the game is over.

Why have coaches done this since the beginning of time?  Other than the reasons I cited in my initial reply, the only other one I can think of is: they love to get everyone some playing time.  They apologize to the end-of-benchers for not being able to give them a little more.

I think it's just traditional.  I guess I'm taken aback by the question.

[Smj]

If the plan for Rossi is to play next year it would make sense to get him a little "experience" to bring to next year's young team.   I think all of us are assuming something is keeping from playing....   We just enjoy speculating and analyzing our team.   I know there is a reason - just wish I knew what it was...

In a game where you aren't getting much bench scoring he seems like an option worth trying - those 3 threes in exibihition just created more mystery for us to speculate about.   Rossi is a scholarship player that"seems" like we could use at times.

(on a side note - his basketball success in the past makes me feel a bit bad for him because I am thinking that he thought he would be playing here.)

[milanmiracle]

If the plan for Rossi is to play next year it would make sense to get him a little "experience" to bring to next year's young team.   I think all of us are assuming something is keeping from playing....   We just enjoy speculating and analyzing our team.   I know there is a reason - just wish I knew what it was...

In a game where you aren't getting much bench scoring he seems like an option worth trying - those 3 threes in exibihition just created more mystery for us to speculate about.   Rossi is a scholarship player that"seems" like we could use at times.

(on a side note - his basketball success in the past makes me feel a bit bad for him because I am thinking that he thought he would be playing here.)

I feel bad for anybody who doesn't get to play. I am sure he works just as hard as everyone else in practice, but doesn't get the rewards of playing in the game. He could be injured? Maybe? There was a rumor on the Cal blog that he might not have recovered from his hernia, so could that be true? I don't know? That goes all the way back to April so it's purely speculation.

[StlVUFan]

If the plan for Rossi is to play next year it would make sense to get him a little "experience" to bring to next year's young team.   I think all of us are assuming something is keeping from playing....   We just enjoy speculating and analyzing our team.   I know there is a reason - just wish I knew what it was...

In a game where you aren't getting much bench scoring he seems like an option worth trying - those 3 threes in exibihition just created more mystery for us to speculate about.   Rossi is a scholarship player that"seems" like we could use at times.

(on a side note - his basketball success in the past makes me feel a bit bad for him because I am thinking that he thought he would be playing here.)

I feel bad for anybody who doesn't get to play. I am sure he works just as hard as everyone else in practice, but doesn't get the rewards of playing in the game. He could be injured? Maybe? There was a rumor on the Cal blog that he might not have recovered from his hernia, so could that be true? I don't know? That goes all the way back to April so it's purely speculation.

Rossi had hernia surgery too?  Did not know that.

[Smj]

Rossi had hernia surgery too?  Did not know that.

Interesting ...  If that is it maybe he is still recovering...   

As for the thoughts about defense I think it contradicts with Cal's thoughts about recruiting him and his history if it is accurate...  http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/rossi_alex00.html

[milanmiracle]

If the plan for Rossi is to play next year it would make sense to get him a little "experience" to bring to next year's young team.   I think all of us are assuming something is keeping from playing....   We just enjoy speculating and analyzing our team.   I know there is a reason - just wish I knew what it was...

In a game where you aren't getting much bench scoring he seems like an option worth trying - those 3 threes in exibihition just created more mystery for us to speculate about.   Rossi is a scholarship player that"seems" like we could use at times.

(on a side note - his basketball success in the past makes me feel a bit bad for him because I am thinking that he thought he would be playing here.)

I feel bad for anybody who doesn't get to play. I am sure he works just as hard as everyone else in practice, but doesn't get the rewards of playing in the game. He could be injured? Maybe? There was a rumor on the Cal blog that he might not have recovered from his hernia, so could that be true? I don't know? That goes all the way back to April so it's purely speculation.

Rossi had hernia surgery too?  Did not know that.

I don't know that he had surgery, just going off speculation on a Cal blog...

http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/4/10/2939253/california-golden-bears-emerson-murray-alex-rossi

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I don't know that he had surgery

I do:  http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2011/02/01/basketball-alex-rossi-has-surgery/

...and that is what made me figure that he could get a transfer redshirt since the first 'shirt was injury-related.

BUT the NCAA -- it now strikes me thus -- must have telegraphed their desire NOT to allow him a 6th year by granting him a hardship waiver.  Thus, they can now perhaps be construed to be saying, "you won't be given a 6th year, so we'll split the difference and declare you immediately eligible."

Here's CaliforniaGoldenBlog's take:
http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/4/10/2939253/california-golden-bears-emerson-murray-alex-rossi

... hard to say what happened with Rossi. Scuttlebutt is that there was a family emergency back home and he's heading back to a school closer to Illinois. It's also quite possible that there's an unofficial reason: That his hernia injury never recovered to the point where the coaches thought he'd be able to play at a high level the next several seasons. We'll probably get our answer if Rossi transfers to another D-I program or not.

Whatever the case, it's a bigger blow than Murray, as a healthy Rossi could've provided the Bears with another shooting option to pair alongside Crabbe to free both up for better looks. Rossi has a good shooting stroke that could've opened up the three point line for us.

(No word on whether Goyle returns to be a low-post threat...)

EDIT: !!!!!!!
BONUS HARRY POTTER REFERENCE IN THE COMMENTS TO THE ABOVE BLOG

I was looking forward to making signs showing how similar Rossi looks to the actor who plays Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter movies, but I suppose that is someone else's burden now

by Thetravesty on Apr 10, 2012 10:49 PM PDT

[vuweathernerd]

oh, dear lord. that's funny right there. (the hp references, for the record.)

[LaPorteAveApostle]

i figured you meant HP.  the only thing funny about hernias is
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Living With A Hernia

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I was looking forward to making signs showing how similar Rossi looks to the actor who plays Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter movies, but I suppose that is someone else's burden now

by Thetravesty on Apr 10, 2012 10:49 PM PDT

Here you go, TheTravesty, here you go:

http://www.valpofanzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=1024.msg21400#msg21400

[justducky]

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).

Our choices for possible answers are
1 That he has been somewhat to vastly overrated in the past.
2 That he is essentially a freshman trying to compete with talented upperclassmen for very scarce minutes on the floor.
3 That he is not fully healthy or recovered.
4 That there is some combination of the above.

Until I am told otherwise my personal opinion is that his health or recovery has something to do with it, and that a direct question to Bryce or the staff might gain us some insight. If they once again lapse into the "working through some issues" song and dance, non- answer type answer routine then I will not be optimistic that he can make any significant contribution to the team this season.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Given post #17 on this thread (which you are quoting) I would have to say we can eliminate 1 as a possibility.  Now, in 2012, maybe he's been passed by on the developmental scale because of a) injuries or b) hitting the peak of his talents in HS or c) a ton of late bloomers who blossom with improved college coaching, but I don't think there's a legitimate case to be made that he was overrated in 2010.  Not in Chicago, not with extensive AAU, not especially in this day and age of 24-7 RECRUITZ!!! reporting/website/analysis.

I suppose it could still be 3. Obviously hernias can be vastly different in severity, so it's not fair to compare him to Bobby, or your uncle Louie or whoever you know that had one.  But in February he was playing and saying this after a game (in which he was 1-3 3-pt with an assist in 7 min): http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/020412aag.html

On his injury recovery
"I feel good. I haven't had any hiccups, the last couple weeks. Today, when I went out there, I felt athletic. I need to work on my strength, but I am making good progress and coming along, quickly."

This is a year after his surgery.  He only played 16 min over 3 games last year, so clearly, strength/stamina were issues.  I also don't feel that we can discount family "issues"--it's not as if he left Cal solely because of PT--he was granted a hardship waiver to come much, much closer to home, and there was talk of some type of family problems.  I hope and pray, as I'm sure we all do, that those issues have been resolved, but maybe there's mental hurdles to overcome as well as physical ones.  Certainly no one could blame him.

What seems the most logical in the light of all this is that 2...he's simply squeezed for minutes by people like Bogan, who is like 20 years older than he is, and next year we will all look back on this and laugh.

2:12 minutes in the last 4 games, though, people.  All garbage time.  Yikes.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Bonus:  Working backward, ladies and gentlemen, Alex Rossi, this is your season!!!

UNM:  entered for Vashil for the last 25 sec.

IPFW:  DNP-CD

STL:  entered for Boggs for the last 56 sec.

B-C:  entered for Broekhoff for the last 51 sec.

CSU:  entered (w/Bogan) for Vashil or Buggs at 13:10, 1st half. (probably Vashil as Bogan at point?) Picked up nothing but a foul in 3:02 exited for Buggs at 10:08.
entered (w/Coleman) for Bogan or Kenney for the last 3:54, 2nd half.  Missed a 3 and had a TO.

KSU: DNP-CD

NEB: entered (w/Buggs) for Kenney or Coleman at 11:32, 1st half.  No stats in 2:12. exited for Kenney or Coleman at 9:20.
entered for Boggs at 5:12. Missed a 3-ptr in 1:34.  exited for Boggs at 3:38.
entered for Kenney or Coleman at 9:21, 2nd half. (probably Kenney because exited for him later) A turnover in 1:29. exited for Kenney at 7:52.

NIU:  entered for ? at 8:57, 2nd half.  Bunch of stats. Does not show him exiting, but he is only credited with 7 min in the box.  Of course, it also claims that he entered with DAVID CHADWICK, so clearly, 7 AM starts=tired scorekeepers.

GSU:  entered (w/Buggs) for Bogan or Kenney for the last 11:26 (probably Kenney b/c Bogan backup point again) Bunch of 3s and such.

DOUBLE BONUS PRESEASON ACTION:

RMU:  entered for Buggs at 4:15, 2nd half.  Some things happened.

SJC:  entered (w/Buggs) for Broekhoff or Bogan at 14:10, 1st half.  (again, probably Broekhoff, b/c Bogan point yada.) Preseason stuff happened.  exited (w/3 others) probably for Kenney or Coleman at 11:05.
entered (w/Bogan) probably for Boggs at 6:30. (Buggs = Bogan etc.) Preseason fever catch it exited (w/3 others) probably for Kenney or Boggs.
entered (w/2 others) for Broekhoff or Coleman at 13:23, 2nd half. exited (w/3 others) probably for Broekhoff at 10:43.
entered (for ?) at 7:58. exited for Vashil at 4:02.
entered again for Kenney at 3:17.

TAKEAWAYS:
Call him "the Closer"--he's finished 8 of the 9 games in which he's played (NIU maybe not).
He had good games vs. NIU and GSU (great vs GSU, really).
Otherwise...no real discernible patterns (has subbed in for EIGHT different people; been subbed for only 6, but then again, he's always closing, so not being subbed).

[truth219]

The fact that we don't know the story about this kid is dumb. Why don't the coaches say what's going on with this young lad.

[humbleopinion]

I've heard some rumors about discipline issues (I have no idea if that's off the court or during practice or what), but seeing him dressed like Chadwick for a second game and hints about health issues, I would bet that we'll hear an announcement about medical redshirt before long.  Boggs was going to sit tonight, but he still was in uniform, while Alex wasn't.  If anyone else has a different explanation, I'd like to hear (or read) it.