What is the first rule of secret scrimmages? Don’t talk about secret scrimmages.
Roy Williams did indicate UNC’s play against Vanderbilt this past Sunday rated somewhere between the mutt who keeps knocking your trash can over and what you might find in the diaper of a newborn.
“…we just didn’t play well at all. We were just ugly. We were yucky. … But since then, we’ve gotten a lot better. I think the seriousness has hit them, the recognition of how good other people are that they might not have ever heard of. I think that was a good slap in the face for us, as opposed to waiting until the season started.”
If there is one complaint I have about Roy’s teams is how often the proverbial “slap in the face” is required to shape them up. Heck, the 2009 champs needed said slap 2-3 times or so it seemed.
On the injury front. Ed Davis has a bum shoulder but has returned to contact and should be fine. Will Graves on the other hand is not fine. Graves is struggling with a back injury that has required multiple shots. As a result his conditioning is below where they want it and his weight is up 15 lbs which in turn causes the back to hurt more. Got that?
Heels take on Belmont-Abbey is an exhibition on Friday at 7:30 PM.
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Can Deon start following Graves around and take pictures of his food to ensure he is not making 3 trips to the buffet or eating at a Waffle house 3 times a day?
Oh Lordy, here we go again. It seems the injury bug is going around again though the epidemic is not as bad as last season. Looking forward to Friday!
From what I understand, much of the reason the scrimmage went ugly was because a) it was at Vandy, where it is tough for outside shooters to get into a flow, b) because Roy was trying a lot of lineups constantly to get an idea of who worked together, which prevents them from getting a rhythm and c) because he was trying different offenses, which also hurts their rhythm.
I’m not worried. We’ll be awesome this year.
We probably looked like myceconium
Williams did sound a bit down on Will Graves in his press conference. Preparation and discipline are what you expect from your returning players. The issues he raised about Graves are not news to the coaching staff or the player. So it seems there likely hasn’t been a response to the good.
Count Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski among the objectors to the new rule that specifies an unmarked zone under the basket where referees will call only blocks, not charges, on offensive players. “It’ll be a joke, because it will become a joke,” Krzyzewski said at the ACC’s Operation Basketball media event Sunday afternoon. Krzyzewski agrees with the intent of the rule, because he believes players shouldn’t be called for charging underneath the basket. But he said the no-charging zone – which extends from the backboard to the front of the rim – should be marked on the floor.
Charlotte Observer
Wow, going for more calls even before the season starts. Or maybe he wishes those calls were going to Duke that used to.
DSchwind –
I’m with you. I tend to be something of a worrywart about things, but this scrimmage is being overblown. We’re going to have an exciting and successful team.
No worries from me. Not like we lost to a division II school on our home floor…..
On another note, UNC could have won the game, but in an “ugly” fashion. And since we’re not allowed to know the details of a closed scrimage, who knows? As THF said, it always takes a slap in the face during the season the past two or three years to get things to kick in. Maybe the slap now could prevent a lot of disappointment later.
Andy in Omaha: No score was kept.
WB3:
Did you mean “meconium”? As in don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. I am pretty excited that both of next week’s games are on TV out here in Arizona!
On a different note:
I was wrong. Harrison Barnes will announce next Friday where he will be attending college for his only season. I suspect that he will go to Duke, and quite frankly, I don’t think it woudl hurt UNC that much. The Heels are going to be stacked next year, regardless.
THF,
Sorry to kind of threadjack here but…
Now that Thee Blog is officially gone (It was a very sad moment for me when I tried to check it this morning and I was sent to espntriangle), is there anymore news about you and some of the guys starting it back up again?
Two words: Santa Clara. In other words: Don’t panic. I’m not worried about UNC struggling early in the season, in fact with this many new players I expect them to struggle early in the season. As long as they improve throughout the course of the season, I’ll be happy. Remember, we are transitioning to a new group of starters this year, so there are going to be hiccups. And if any of other fan bases want to yap about those hiccups, kindly direct their attention to the new banner that hangs from the rafters of the Dean Dome and then enjoy their silence.
“And if any of other fan bases want to yap about those hiccups, kindly direct their attention to the new banner that hangs from the rafters of the Dean Dome and then enjoy their silence.”
Great advice!
I look at this year a lot like 2006 except that group spoiled me. I truly wasn’t expecting them to be THAT good. Every win was a celebration, especially the ones we weren’t supposed to win (like the first of four in a row on Danny Green court at the Hansbrough Indoor Stadium in Derm). If this years team comes close to what the 2006 group did then I call them a success. I’m cautiously optimistic that 2010 can be a repeat of 2006 with a better ending.