Game 7: GMU (4-2 / 0-0) vs UMass (2-2 / 1-0) on Wednesday, December 30, at 6PM.

[gmujim92]

Jesus, 1 win and you guys are blinded again. There is a problem in the locker room, and his name isn't Javon.

Was the team happy after a win? Yes. Are they happy with DP? No.

Who is they? The only guy who’s acting like a spoiled baby is Javon. And if he can’t suck it up and compete for playing time against a true freshman who has 7 games of college experience, real life is gonna be a rough ride for him.

 

[gmujim92]

If Javon does leave the program, he’ll be the second senior to do so this year. Not a good look for a coach to lose guys who’ve made it that far, especially mid season. Makes me continue to question really how disciplined is Paulsens program? Did we give him too much credit up front for building a disciplined program just because it was a clean program?

Boyd never really came back. His heart wasn’t in it.

 

[FreeGunston12]

Who is they? The only guy who’s acting like a spoiled baby is Javon. And if he can’t suck it up and compete for playing time against a true freshman who has 7 games of college experience, real life is gonna be a rough ride for him.

And Ian, and Jaire, and AJ's parents pointing to issues felt by him too. But sure, ignore the preponderance of evidence.

 

[sleeperpick]

DP clearly escalates it and the escalation hurts the team. Just look at OT last night for the example. Who gives the team a better chance to win, Greene or Polite? And we've watched it for the past couple years in the way that DP publicly and repeatedly yells and screams at Javon during games. There is a different way to respond to a player in these situations that can be equally effective without escalating the conflict. They both need to manage their emotions better, but one is 22 and one is 56.

I grew up with coaches like that so I guess I’m a little inclined to be ok with it. The main problem is he has favorites that he never yells that way at. AJ and Javon have always been two of the guys he goes way too far in yelling at. Never yells at Jamal or Goanar Mar like he does them. If he keeps it fair and yells at everyone I doubt the certain few that seem to take the brunt would be so upset. My former coaches like DP yelled at the star all the way down to the 11th man with the same vigor and we all respected him for it.

 

[Pablo]

If Javon does leave the program, he’ll be the second senior to do so this year. Not a good look for a coach to lose guys who’ve made it that far, especially mid season.

I'm not a Dave Paulsen fan, but players have to be tough at this level. I remember how pissed Coach L would get with Raoul Heinen who was very deliberate in running the point (which evidently was the style in Europe). One game he took him out and chewed him out in front of everyone at the Patriot Center and replaced him with a walk-on.

 

[sleeperpick]

Who is they? The only guy who’s acting like a spoiled baby is Javon. And if he can’t suck it up and compete for playing time against a true freshman who has 7 games of college experience, real life is gonna be a rough ride for him.

Problem with this is he’s not taking Javons minutes with the offense DP runs. We need both out there for it to be successful IMO. Jamal was red hot but you can’t tell me you wouldn’t have rather had Javon and Kolek out there during crunch time than Jamal. XJ can’t shoot so he was promptly put on the bench which was a good call

 

[tblack33]

I'm not a Dave Paulsen fan, but players have to be tough at this level. I remember how pissed Coach L would get with Raoul Heinen who was very deliberate in running the point (which evidently was the style in Europe). One game he took him out and chewed him out in front of everyone at the Patriot Center and replaced him with a walk-on.

But L would do that top to bottom. How many boneheaded plays have we seen out of Paulsens favorite with no response? Only to watch AJ or Javon or Jaire get reemed for the same thing or less. I’m all for that style of coaching, but you have to apply it equally, from starter to walk on. You don’t get to pick favorites.

 

[gmujim92]

And Ian, and Jaire, and AJ's parents pointing to issues felt by him too. But sure, ignore the preponderance of evidence.

Dave yelled at Otis louder and harder than any player on the roster for most of 4 years. While I’m sure he didn’t always enjoy it, at this level you have to have a thick skin because 99.9% of coaches are gonna blast you when you eff up.

 

[FreeGunston12]

I grew up with coaches like that so I guess I’m a little inclined to be ok with it. The main problem is he has favorites that he never yells that way at. AJ and Javon have always been two of the guys he goes way too far in yelling at. Never yells at Jamal or Goanar Mar like he does them. If he keeps it fair and yells at everyone I doubt the certain few that seem to take the brunt would be so upset. My former coaches like DP yelled at the star all the way down to the 11th man with the same vigor and we all respected him for it.

I'm fine with all that. But if you go picking a fight with a player and he fights back, don't suspend him for it. That hurts the team. DP's got to be the one to control the situation and only let it go so far. There is a lesson in conflict management for DP to learn is all I'm saying.

 

[sleeperpick]

I'm fine with all that. But if you go picking a fight with a player and he fights back, don't suspend him for it. That hurts the team. DP's got to be the one to control the situation and only let it go so far. There is a lesson in conflict management for DP to learn is all I'm saying.

I agree with you on that. He seems very quick to hit the suspend button. With a hair trigger. It’s very odd

 

[FreeGunston12]

Dave yelled at Otis louder and harder than any player on the roster for most of 4 years. While I’m sure he didn’t always enjoy it, at this level you have to have a thick skin because 99.9% of coaches are gonna blast you when you eff up.

You're taking my complaint way out of context. I don't care about the yelling. I care about his conflict management ending in hurting the team rather than helping it.

 

[sleeperpick]

Dave yelled at Otis louder and harder than any player on the roster for most of 4 years. While I’m sure he didn’t always enjoy it, at this level you have to have a thick skin because 99.9% of coaches are gonna blast you when you eff up.

Well we saw how bad OTis was his senior year. We always have really bad seniors or seniors that underperform. At some point it has to be more than a strange pattern. Marquise and Shevon were the last two seniors to be really good. And they only had Paulsen for one season

 

[gmujim92]

I'm fine with all that. But if you go picking a fight with a player and he fights back, don't suspend him for it. That hurts the team. DP's got to be the one to control the situation and only let it go so far. There is a lesson in conflict management for DP to learn is all I'm saying.

Good point. The back and forth between L and Pearson was legendary but L could take it as well as he dished it out.

 

[tblack33]

You're taking my complaint way out of context. I don't care about the yelling. I care about his conflict management ending in hurting the team rather than helping it.

I think we all agree this roster is better with Javon on it than not. He led the team in scoring, assists and steals last season. He’s our best on ball defender guard. Even if he’s not starting, this team needs Javon.

 

[gmujim92]

Well we saw how bad OTis was his senior year. We always have really bad seniors or seniors that underperform. At some point it has to be more than a strange pattern. Marquise and Shevon were the last two seniors to be really good. And they only had Paulsen for one season

Otis was destroyed physically after backpacking an entire program for 4 years but I’m not disputing your broader point.

 

[sleeperpick]

Otis was destroyed physically after backpacking an entire program for 4 years but I’m not disputing your broader point.

Like what’s the point of having a senior led team if the seniors all kinda suck by the time they get there. Greg has quietly improved this year but he’s still not good enough to shout about. AJ and Javon have been wicked disappointing even if they have both showed stardom in small spurts

 

[FreeGunston12]

Good point. The back and forth between L and Pearson was legendary but L could take it as well as he dished it out.

Furthermore if he was going to teach Javon to play more disciplined by screaming at him on the sideline, then Javon would've learned it by now. There are just some guys that don't respond to that type of coaching. Javon seems to be one. Jaire another. If DP wants to have success as a coach at this level, he is going to have to learn how to manage these types of personalities. There is another way to be just as effective. And by a player's senior year, you shouldn't be getting in to fights with your players that end in them missing time.

 

[Pablo]

Well we saw how bad OTis was his senior year. We always have really bad seniors or seniors that underperform. At some point it has to be more than a strange pattern. Marquise and Shevon were the last two seniors to be really good. And they only had Paulsen for one season

Marquise played 2 years for Paulsen. And, he accepted Paulsen's coaching because he knew it made him a better player.

 

[dr. gunnie]

Before each season, all my position players had to take a personality test from a company that specifically looked at how players are motivated and how they respond. It took about 20 minutes, but as a coach it would tell you who they guys you need to jump, and who you had to handle with kid gloves. I’m sure the staff has something similar and more detailed. Point is, by his senior year, they should know what works for him and what doesn’t.

 

[tblack33]

I agree with everyone. Javon needs to be tougher, Dave needs to be a better leader and know his people better. Both can be true.