Pitino on Hollins "Hes not an elite, elite player & I dont think hes ever going to be

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Pitino on Hollins "Hes not an elite, elite player & I dont think hes ever going to be

per the STrib:

On Monday's Big Ten conference call, one Iowa beat reporter asked whether Hollins was primed to reach the next level and pick up a struggling team. Pitino hedged.

"I don't think Andre is really that type of a player," he said. "Doesn't mean he's not a good player, he is. But I don't think the type of guy who can just put the team on his shoulders and carry us. He's never done that in the two years I've been here."

Later, in a press conference, the coach reiterated that idea.

"He's a good player and he works hard," Pitino said on Monday. "He's not an elite, elite player and I don't think he's ever going to be that. And that's not to say I don't like him on my team, I do. It's not turf toe. Everybody keeps talking about that. He's giving good effort."

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/288570411.html

Go Gophers!!
 

Wow, he didn't say anything shocking, but he doesn't sugar coat anything. Not sure that's the best way to inspire your most likely high scorer. I have to think there have been some differences of opinion or troubles buying into the system.
 


Gold Vision said:
Wow, he didn't say anything shocking, but he doesn't sugar coat anything. Not sure that's the best way to inspire your most likely high scorer. I have to think there have been some differences of opinion or troubles buying into the system.
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Hollins already knows he's not an elite, elite player. He experiences it everytime he plays a game in the B1G. Like Hoffarber, Hollins is a good player who fits a role and a niche. If Hollin's can't handle that assessment, then the man is extremely soft. Hollins is a man. He can take the honest assessment.
 

Then Andre and Richard can call it even. He's not an elite coach, either. Might be someday, but no solid evidence pointing that way yet.
 


SelectionSunday said:
Then Andre and Richard can call it even. He's not an elite coach, either. Might be someday, but no evidence of that yet.
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Fair point. But, like his teams, he's working hard. Hard work at your trade generally pays off in the long run. I like little Richard. He's certainly an improvement over Tubby's standing offense.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Then Andre and Richard can call it even. He's not an elite coach, either. Might be someday, but no solid evidence pointing that way yet.
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Honest question: Who has the better chance to be elite, at this point, SS?
 

tinyarch said:
Fair point. But, like his teams, he's working hard. Hard work at your trade generally pays off in the long run. I like little Richard. He's certainly an improvement over Tubby's standing offense.
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I like what I've seen of him (as a coach) as well. As others have pointed out, the current Gopher struggles will be a good test for a young coach.
 

tinyarch said:
Fair point. But, like his teams, he's working hard. Hard work at your trade generally pays off in the long run. I like little Richard. He's certainly an improvement over Tubby's standing offense.
Click to expand...

Calling for a Dpo response in three....two....one
 






Gold Vision said:
Wow, he didn't say anything shocking, but he doesn't sugar coat anything. Not sure that's the best way to inspire your most likely high scorer. I have to think there have been some differences of opinion or troubles buying into the system.
Click to expand...

Maybe this is the best way to inspire him.
 



Hollins is a bit of a mystery, an enigma. How much of his problem is physical, and how much is something else? Did he respond better to Tubby's coaching style than to Pitino's? Smith was pretty tough on him, but maybe that's what he responds to, and he was a more confident player then. In contrast, Pitino has been pretty easy on him - and at the same time tough on other players (and coaches, it seems). What's going on here? Where are our insiders with insider information?
 

BarnBoy said:
Maybe this is the best way to inspire him.
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Little Dre, maybe. Andre doesn't seem like the 'I need a chip on my shoulder' kind of guy. But his best game was when he decided to show up Memphis, so I could be wrong.
 

Bad Gopher said:
Hollins is a bit of a mystery, an enigma. How much of his problem is physical, and how much is something else? Did he respond better to Tubby's coaching style than to Pitino's? Smith was pretty tough on him, but maybe that's what he responds to, and he was a more confident player then. In contrast, Pitino has been pretty easy on him - and at the same time tough on other players (and coaches, it seems). What's going on here? Where are our insiders with insider information?
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I'm with ya
 


As a sophomore scored over 20 points 10 times. Scored 28 vs UCLA and 25 vs Florida in the NCAA. Scored 41 against Memphis.

As a freshman went over 20 points six times.

He has regressed but he once was very much an elite player. His regression coincides with Pitino's arrival.

Kind of disappointed Pitino was so negative.
 


Moonlight said:
I'm guessing the old man factor
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Nope, Moonlight, I kinda' like Rick. Can never know for sure what's inside a person, but I think Rick was really humbled by that previous situation. I've sensed some genuine humility from him in his dealings with the media since that time (that's all we really get to know about public figures as human beings).

Humility is a good quality to have. In fact, I think recently Rick said if he had it to do all over again he would have been a much more humble person when he was a younger man. (For the record, I think Richard showed some humility after the tough loss last night, when he apologized to the media for being curt with them after the Michigan game)
 

I have no problem with what Pitino said. Sometimes guys need to understand their role and how they best can help the team succeed. IMO, Andre is a very good shooter and average in a lot of other aspects of the game. As a person, teammate, and friend I agree that he is elite. But at times I feel he presses a little bit and forces things that go against his strengths. As an on the ball defender I think he has struggled this year. When he tries to create off the dribble I think he has struggled as well. His foot speed just isn't there for whatever reason. For fans to expect more from him than being a knock down perimeter shooter is unrealistic. That's what I've seen the last two years. Just trying to be honest.
 

Winnipegopher said:
As a sophomore scored over 20 points 10 times. Scored 28 vs UCLA and 25 vs Florida in the NCAA. Scored 41 against Memphis.

As a freshman went over 20 points six times.

He has regressed but he once was very much an elite player. His regression coincides with Pitino's arrival.

Kind of disappointed Pitino was so negative.
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His regression has coincided with his move to shooting guard... along with the loss of Trevor and Rodney Williams
 

If you can't dribble with your left and you have lost a step over the years due to injury...it is going to be tough to be elite
 

Miss those almost automatic free throws..

I agree. I would add one of his old strengths was drawing contact and getting to the free throw line. His lost step has cost him quite a few of those as well.


dtrain19 said:
I have no problem with what Pitino said. Sometimes guys need to understand their role and how they best can help the team succeed. IMO, Andre is a very good shooter and average in a lot of other aspects of the game. As a person, teammate, and friend I agree that he is elite. But at times I feel he presses a little bit and forces things that go against his strengths. As an on the ball defender I think he has struggled this year. When he tries to create off the dribble I think he has struggled as well. His foot speed just isn't there for whatever reason. For fans to expect more from him than being a knock down perimeter shooter is unrealistic. That's what I've seen the last two years. Just trying to be honest.
Click to expand...
 



tinyarch said:
Fair point. But, like his teams, he's working hard. Hard work at your trade generally pays off in the long run. I like little Richard. He's certainly an improvement over Tubby's standing offense.
Click to expand...

I don't have any reason to disagree with you, but as an old boss once told me "It doesn't matter how hard you work if you don't make any money." In the end, he will be judged on success rather than effort. His lack of experience means he didn't have the same number of trials and errors before arriving here. That's why you don't see many 32 year old Big Ten coaches.
 

I'm curious

I'm curious about what you need to be to be considered an elite coach? One NCAA title or more than one?
One NIT title or are you penalized for that? Could it be one state title or would more than one qualify?
Can you be elite in your mind in your third year as a head coach? Could you be an elite coach as an assistant?

I'm surprised more people don't see the scaricity of playing talent versus blaming the coaching strategy.
Curious about that.

Also curious why some believe Pitino is a bad person and Hollins is a good person? They both seem like
pretty good people to me but if I was forced to choose who I want in a foxhole with me...I'll take Pitino.
 


Winnipegopher said:
As a sophomore scored over 20 points 10 times. Scored 28 vs UCLA and 25 vs Florida in the NCAA. Scored 41 against Memphis.

As a freshman went over 20 points six times.

He has regressed but he once was very much an elite player. His regression coincides with Pitino's arrival.

Kind of disappointed Pitino was so negative.
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Honestly, Hollins is not an all-over-the-court defender. Pitino is forcing him to be one, and Hollins is not only out of his comfort zone, but he looks fatigued as well. He's playing too fast for his style, which is more methodical. This is more of a case where Pitino is implementing a system and everyone is to fit into it - damned be the talent. Jerry Kill did the same thing. Those kind of transitions tend not to have much success in the short term, but in the long term, they tend to be more successful. We continue to - quite obviously - be in a transition period.
 

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