Carino article on Senegal/Portugal trip

[MiloTalon13]

I'm only reporting facts sir....tell me where it says anything else other than what was reported/quoted.

Do you think that we should completely ignore everything the player says in an actual interview......a player that is a Top 20 to 50 national recruit??

Explain it to me or how it would work with Cam Spencer on the roster, based on the exact quotes the player stated in the interview.....did I make the interview up myself???

Do you think Gavin would refuse to play with Noah and Cam? Or any other combination like that of smaller players?
Do you think Gavin will always be the 2nd smallest player on the court this season for Rutgers?
He's listed at 6'8", is that even possible?
He said he sees himself as a guard not that he's going to refuse to play unless there are 3 guys on the court bigger than him.

It's a bizarre point to cling to, especially considering - there was virtually no difference in the offense last season between "2" and "3" "positions" and tons of teams go with 3 guards - it's a goofy argument from both sides.

 

[MiloTalon13]

You can't possibly believe he got 400K....LMAO.....nowhere close to that amount.....the absurd rumors that people grasp onto. Is there a document that supports him getting 400K.....NO.....

He has value, but if you listened to the podcast yesterday and others from the last weeks, you already know the 400K is 100% BS and he was never capturing anything close to that amount.

If so, why was he asking to return to RU....??

Please stop, get back to reality and support your statements with actual documented information.....I have already done so.....where's your work???

Andrew Slated tweeted a while back about "up to" NIL numbers players were being promised. My guess is that Paul was told he might command "up to" $400K.

"If/when asked, I’d recommend players /families focus on the guaranteed money, not the “up to,” with respect to NIL. Generally, they should expect the guaranteed $ plus 15-20% of the “up to.”"

 

[cm_13]

Do you think Gavin would refuse to play with Noah and Cam? Or any other combination like that of smaller players?
Do you think Gavin will always be the 2nd smallest player on the court this season for Rutgers?
He's listed at 6'8", is that even possible?
He said he sees himself as a guard not that he's going to refuse to play unless there are 3 guys on the court bigger than him.

It's a bizarre point to cling to, especially considering - there was virtually no difference in the offense last season between "2" and "3" "positions" and tons of teams go with 3 guards - it's a goofy argument from both sides.

It’s a completely nonsensical argument.

Gavin will supposedly only play guard, and yet the starting five this year is likely going to be:

Fernandes
Simpson or A. Williams
Gavin
Mag
Cliff

This is somehow drastically different to Gavin as opposed to if the starting lineup were:

Fernandes
Spencer
Gavin
Mag
Cliff

Make it make sense…

 

[RUtrumpet92]

Guys on the official 2023-24 roster as tall as GG: Oskar Palmquist

Guys listed as taller: Cliff, Woolfolk, Chol, Ogbole

Logical conclusion: GG will almost never be the 2nd shortest guy on the floor for Rutgers thus season. Three of those five would have to be out there with him. Even Mag is shorter than GG.

 

[FinalFourOrBust]

Oh give me a break.

What’s wrong little buddy?

 

[RUBOB72]

Really! Now that's a crock. Now the big orange psychopath there's one big lie telling machine.

Really …you think # 46 doesn’t lie… make up BS. Well I see you are are being objective… lol.

 

[Scarlet83]

Not to support EVERYTHING Hawk says, but I think he has many good points.

This one in particular - IF you watched much of Griffiths play in HS or AAU, you wouldn't say he played forward. He handled the ball a ton, bringing it up the floor, running PnR etc.
If you watched him a bunch, you'd all him a guard or maybe a wing if you were determined not to call him a guard.
That's not to say he can't play 3 or even 4, I'm just saying what I saw.

On Expressions AAU he played a lot with a lineup of 6'10" Taylor Bowen, 6'10" Matas Buzelis, a small guard and a 5. Which I'd imagine is where the line about liking being the "second smallest" came from.

Straightforward question. Who do you believe GG would defend better, a B1G 2, or a B1G 3?

 

[Scarlet83]

There was literally no chance that roster was capable of any championship whatsoever.

You cannot play games in the high 50s or low 60s and win consistently. And by the end of January, this same team when healthy lost to

Ohio State
Temple
Seton Hall (home)
Iowa (home)

Also, a good team that has depth, can play at that level. Playing 20 games is not the same as playing 35 games. Any team can have a good 1st half of a season.

The depth on last year's roster was not B1G level caliber. That has been remedied with the upgrades this summer across all 5 positions.

Your last point in regards to Gavin Griffiths is 100% incorrect. The player himself views himself as a guard and was just quoted with the following statement he made.

"One notable thing to watch with Griffiths is where he plays on the floor, while he was listed as a small forward in high school, Griffiths is listed as a guard on the Scarlet Knights' official roster."

I think that I have the ability to handle the ball a lot on offense, and I'm working on my foot speed,” Griffiths said. “I know you can really play what position you guard, so I want to be on a team where I'm the second smallest guy when they need to do that, which is shooting guard.”

These are not my words, these are the words coming from the highest rated recruit RU has officially signed. If a player of this caliber can play anywhere in the country (Michigan Iowa UConn etc) and he wants to play shooting guard, he's going to play and start at shooting guard.

This is why it becomes very clear to me that the upgrades were needed to expand how we play. When Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey and others arrive in 2024, Gavin Griffiths is going to be in his 2nd full season at shooting guard.

There was and literally ZERO chance Cam Spencer is a better player than Gavin Griffiths. I watched Griffiths play in person in April and his game screams out shooting guard. And there is no chance I would dedicate starters minutes to Cam Spencer and slow down the growth and development of Griffiths.

There also is a bigger picture involved and it's important that RU has some returning scoring and experience on the upcoming 2024-25 roster, when Harper, Bailey, Dortch and Sommerville arrive. Griffiths, Davis and Simpson along with Ogbole, Woolfolk, Mag etc, will have a full year of experience to help when the frosh arrive.

Straightforward question. Who do you believe GG would defend better, a B1G 2, or a B1G 3?

 

[Scangg]

It’s a completely nonsensical argument.

Gavin will supposedly only play guard, and yet the starting five this year is likely going to be:

Fernandes
Simpson or A. Williams
Gavin
Mag
Cliff

This is somehow drastically different to Gavin as opposed to if the starting lineup were:

Fernandes
Spencer
Gavin
Mag
Cliff

Make it make sense…

Lol exactly

Prepare for 10 paragraph nonsense That veers completely off topic justification

 

[Scangg]

You can't possibly believe he got 400K....LMAO.....nowhere close to that amount.....the absurd rumors that people grasp onto. Is there a document that supports him getting 400K.....NO.....

He has value, but if you listened to the podcast yesterday and others from the last weeks, you already know the 400K is 100% BS and he was never capturing anything close to that amount.

If so, why was he asking to return to RU....??

Please stop, get back to reality and support your statements with actual documented information.....I have already done so.....where's your work???

He was told that at the time. It sounds like it's not actually happening which made Paul unhappy but that's a different point

If you listen to the mods, you are wrong about all this btw. They repeatedly said 400k and laughed about your forced out it was a plan all along conspiracy

 

[MiloTalon13]

Straightforward question. Who do you believe GG would defend better, a B1G 2, or a B1G 3?

What is the difference? Vs Purdue last year for example? Who were their 2s and 3s? Or Indiana?
I think we will see much more switching this season and he’ll defend 2-4. Maybe more

 

[Scarlet83]

What is the difference? Vs Purdue last year for example? Who were their 2s and 3s? Or Indiana?
I think we will see much more switching this season and he’ll defend 2-4. Maybe more

Of course there is switching. But I asked a simple question. Can you please answer it?

 

[MiloTalon13]

Straightforward question. Who do you believe GG would defend better, a B1G 2, or a B1G 3?

Another way to answer is I think like any FR he’ll have some lapses but overall he’ll be a better defender vs 2s or 3s than Cam was and Cam was a 2? Right?

 

[MiloTalon13]

Of course there is switching. But I asked a simple question. Can you please answer it?

I don’t understand your definition of 2s and 3s so I asked for some examples.

 

[MiloTalon13]

Another example: if he’d played against Rutgers last season he’d have been effective guarding Cam or Caleb

 

[Scarlet83]

Another way to answer is I think like any FR he’ll have some lapses but overall he’ll be a better defender vs 2s or 3s than Cam was and Cam was a 2? Right?

That is another answer. But not to my straightforward question. You can just drop it. Being that we are both huge Gavin fans, I was looking forward to your answer. I highly doubt Hawk answers the question either.

I have my opinion, but we will see soon enough.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

What’s wrong little buddy?

I mean, it does seem pretty doubtful Pike was referring to his current team being a refreshing change from guys like Tez and JY who haven’t been on the team for 3-4 years.

 

[MiloTalon13]

That is another answer. But not to my straightforward question. You can just drop it. Being that we are both huge Gavin fans, I was looking forward to your answer. I highly doubt Hawk answers the question either.

I have my opinion, but we will see soon enough.

How straightforward is it if you can’t give examples or a definition of the biggest part of the question?

I know the answer. He’ll defend both and it will depend on who is on the floor both on his team and the other team.

 

[Scarlet Blind]

 

[RU84]

Just because Gavin is 6'7" - 8" doesn't make him a 3. There are college and NBA shooting guards that tall. If Gavin wants to play professionally it's as a shooting guard. Even if he's on the floor with Fernandes and Simpson you can call him a 3 but it'll be more like positionless basketball ... he'll still be closer to a shooting guard.

 

[Nycrusupporter]

Just because Gavin is 6'7" - 8" doesn't make him a 3. There are college and NBA shooting guards that tall. If Gavin wants to play professionally it's as a shooting guard. Even if he's on the floor with Fernandes and Simpson you can call him a 3 but it'll be more like positionless basketball ... he'll still be closer to a shooting guard.

In the NBA, the most athletic players are the shooting guards. Even with lots of development he would get eaten alive trying to guard the top 15 shooting guards in the NBA. He is a 3, his path to playing in the NBA is as a 3.

 

[GillesDeleuze]

There was literally no chance that roster was capable of any championship whatsoever.

You cannot play games in the high 50s or low 60s and win consistently. And by the end of January, this same team when healthy lost to

Ohio State
Temple
Seton Hall (home)
Iowa (home)

Also, a good team that has depth, can play at that level. Playing 20 games is not the same as playing 35 games. Any team can have a good 1st half of a season.

The depth on last year's roster was not B1G level caliber. That has been remedied with the upgrades this summer across all 5 positions.

Your last point in regards to Gavin Griffiths is 100% incorrect. The player himself views himself as a guard and was just quoted with the following statement he made.

"One notable thing to watch with Griffiths is where he plays on the floor, while he was listed as a small forward in high school, Griffiths is listed as a guard on the Scarlet Knights' official roster."

I think that I have the ability to handle the ball a lot on offense, and I'm working on my foot speed,” Griffiths said. “I know you can really play what position you guard, so I want to be on a team where I'm the second smallest guy when they need to do that, which is shooting guard.”

These are not my words, these are the words coming from the highest rated recruit RU has officially signed. If a player of this caliber can play anywhere in the country (Michigan Iowa UConn etc) and he wants to play shooting guard, he's going to play and start at shooting guard.

This is why it becomes very clear to me that the upgrades were needed to expand how we play. When Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey and others arrive in 2024, Gavin Griffiths is going to be in his 2nd full season at shooting guard.

There was and literally ZERO chance Cam Spencer is a better player than Gavin Griffiths. I watched Griffiths play in person in April and his game screams out shooting guard. And there is no chance I would dedicate starters minutes to Cam Spencer and slow down the growth and development of Griffiths.

There also is a bigger picture involved and it's important that RU has some returning scoring and experience on the upcoming 2024-25 roster, when Harper, Bailey, Dortch and Sommerville arrive. Griffiths, Davis and Simpson along with Ogbole, Woolfolk, Mag etc, will have a full year of experience to help when the frosh arrive.

Honestly I don’t agree with everything you’re saying but I don’t think you’re far off here. Let’s say last year’s team loses to Purdue. Are we the consensus #2 team in the league with home losses to Iowa, Seton Hall, a loss to Temple, and a loss to Miami (not a bad loss I will concede)? A loss (yes should have been a win) against an awful OSU team, alongside a terribly close OT home game?

How different is the narrative about the team then? Our most impressive win would be @Northwestern.

 

[RUChoppin]

Honestly I don’t agree with everything you’re saying but I don’t think you’re far off here. Let’s say last year’s team loses to Purdue. Are we the consensus #2 team in the league with home losses to Iowa, Seton Hall, a loss to Temple, and a loss to Miami (not a bad loss I will concede)? A loss (yes should have been a win) against an awful OSU team, alongside a terribly close OT home game?

How different is the narrative about the team then? Our most impressive win would be @Northwestern.

You going to take the best win off of every other conference team before making your comparison, or is it just Rutgers that would need to be compared against its peers without its best game?

We had a well-balanced team built on chemistry and defense that was greater than the sum of its parts, and were primed for a great year. What we severely lacked was quality depth and we needed to thread the health needle all season to make noise in the tournament, and once one of the key pieces went down there wasn't an easy path to recovery.

This year wasn't going to have that same chemistry and balance regardless - losing McConnell from that squad would have been even more impactful than losing Mag, even if Spencer/Mulcahy had come back. This was always going to be a different team that would need to win in a different way.

 

[RutgersChow]

To add more details, Spencer and Mulcahy don't add value in other areas, if they aren't making shots (Spencer) or have the ball in their hands (Mulcahy).

If both stayed, what would either player add value, if they go 1 for 7 from the floor shooting??

Can you ask Spencer to defend the opposing point guard.....NO

Can you ask or expect Spencer to play plus 1 on 1 defense, without help.....NO

Can you ask Spencer to initiate the offense as a lead guard.......NO

Mulcahy could at least do all of those things better than Spencer and his play was so erratic and inconsistent, that he didn't add value or enough value to return.

Austin Williams, Jeremiah Williams, JaMicheal Davis, Derek Simpson, Noah Fernandes and Gavin Griffiths as a backcourt adds more options on offense, defense, shooting, passing, scoring, playmaking and playing at a faster pace than the backcourt last year.

There's more likely to be consistent defense on the ball with this backcourt, which will reduce the need for Mawot Mag to hold the entire defense together. Losing Caleb is a significant factor on RU being able to defend at a high level, Simpson, Davis, Fernandes along with Austin Williams will be better defenders, in transition and off the dribble.

These guards are a necessity to bring out the best in Gavin Griffiths as a transition shooter, before the defense gets set up. It doesn't mean Gavin won't be effective in a slow tempo offense like last year, it's just not ideal or sustainable winning basketball with Mulcahy and Spencer at 30+ minutes a game.

Don't dispute much of what you say, but we did win 19 games with Cam and Paul, and without Mag down the stretch. With Mag healthy, Cliff, the addition of GG, and with Paul and Cam having another year of experience this was going to be a 20+ win team. Will this team exceed that? I hope so, but I wouldn't guarantee it.