Assumed some reporter would ask or at least dig into it, but that doesn't seem forthcoming. Can any of our insiders shed some light?
So what was the deal with Manga, anyway?
- Thread starter chickenbox
- Start date
Or the people who report on Seton Hall have a boat load of more interesting things to investigate and report on than a struggling bench player getting a few DNPs. That is if they are given the budget to investigate anything surrounding a .500 basketball team after the season ends.
A non story at best. This is a kid who unfortunately struggled after getting a lot of chances for us. All you need to know is his assist and turnover totals for the year. 6 assists to 24 turnovers for the year. He averaged 2.6 points per game. Why is his DNPs being questioned after getting a lot of chances during the season to show what he could do. I would not have minded him getting in there for a minute but common are we really arguing about a deep bench player? Ridiculous. Let's wish him well and hope he can continue to play maybe in Europe and have a good career.
Exactly, 75 - thank you. I'm not interested from the perspective I thought he could help us win the game and Willard's minute allocations blew it. We weren't winning that game no matter what. I'm asking because I want to know why, yes, he couldn't even get a minute of the most garbage time of all garbage times, as a senior, in his final game. Maybe there was a good reason - he was injured, he refused to check in, he violated an important team rule, who knows? The answer so far is "no one," at least no one who will say publicly. And I want to know, to be fair to Willard, because if there was a good reason, he shouldn't be trashed. But if there wasn't, he absolutely should be, because I agree that some things are bigger than basketball, and this would be one of them.
This post was edited on 3/15 1:06 AM by chickenbox
This post was edited on 3/15 1:06 AM by chickenbox
Another result of the insane personnel management on this team. Starters to DNP's are pretty typical for Willard. And vice versa.
Nuts. No consistency, no dependability.
Not putting your Seniors into that BET game on Wednesday just shows you how aloof Willard has become.
Nuts. No consistency, no dependability.
Not putting your Seniors into that BET game on Wednesday just shows you how aloof Willard has become.
This is simply piling on in my opinion. Yea it would have been nice if he played his last game but in the big picture he was a deep bench player. We have much bigger fish to fry. This thread is just stupid IMO and piling on. I get the record stinks and the recruiting and that is why I want a change to be made. But this??? Common. Just bitching for bitching sake. Some of these threads are now looking under every rock for something to criticize the coach about. Wins and losses and recruiting - that is where the true failings are.
You're right, 112. Who cares about Manga? He wasn't good enough at basketball for us to concern ourselves with his welfare. Maybe if he scored more points or turned the ball over less frequently, sure, but look at his stats! He clearly doesn't matter.
Of course he matters but he was given a lot of minutes early in the year and he did not produce. What about the other players that were better that also did not see the floor? How about Ish who has more talent than Manga in my opinion? This is a nonissue and every year there are teams with kids on the bench with DNPs. Get over it. I guess you are from the generation that thinks every kid deserves a trophy. Well that ain't life my friend.
I felt for Ish and Ajou too in the last game, but more so for Manga since it was his last game. And if I'm from that generation, I guess Willard really must be because he thinks even players from other teams deserve not only to play in their final shot but to be allowed to score undefended, too.
This post was edited on 3/16 1:37 AM by chickenbox
This post was edited on 3/16 1:37 AM by chickenbox
It is a common courtesy and a standard practice to play a senior in that situation. It is an insult and Willard should be made to explain his beharior. Period.
Exactly. It is standard courtesy to your seniors. He gives the courtesy to a GT player on his last game, but won't give it to his own players. What was he thinking? Oh, that's right , thinking is not one of his better attributes.
This post was edited on 3/16 6:45 AM by deheremike
This post was edited on 3/16 6:45 AM by deheremike
While I think the DNP is a nonissue, I do believe Coach Willard was completely lost at the end of the BE Tourney game explaining why he did not put in the seniors or the walkons or whomever. The real issue (not the DNP) was he looked like he had completely given up. Is this the guy who you want leading these young players in the future when he looked completely lost at the end of that final season game? What a terrible memory and feeling to go into the off season with.
This post was edited on 3/16 8:25 AM by Section112
This post was edited on 3/16 8:25 AM by Section112
Not to mention the brilliant "Keep fighting, I know it's hard when you are getting your asses kicked" statement as if Willard had nothing to do with it and he was an outsider.
Clueless.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Clueless.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Of coarse try and win the last game but when you knew it was a lost cause, play the seniors, what do you have to lose..no brainer...well for some.
I disagree. Lots if bitching has just been piling on. But this was a very odd, and I say disrespectful, decision. Maybe Manga did something to deserve this treatment. If so, congrats to the coach for keeping that quiet. But given what I know, it should have been all hands on deck. Go run around the MSG floor for a couple of minutes. No excuse for DNPs in final game of the season blowouts.
I think the blindness to the human impact of this decision is worrisome, and given the way our team crumbles more and more as the season progresses, it is worthy of discussion.
I agree it would have been nice if he played the seniors for two minutes or the bench players. It was the right thing to do but I don't think its the biggest issue we should be worring about though. That is my point. And I could be wrong but do you really think Manga would have been happily skipping away had he played two minutes at the end of a game already decided? Seriously? My point is our players deserve better - we should not continue graduating classes that have never tasted the NCAA tournament. Wins, losses and recruiting are the issue with this coach. By and large he has done a good job with issues like this - not this time but by and large the history with these types of issues has been just fine. I'm just trying to be fair where lots of posters are piling on here. I want a change but if you look at Willards history this has not been an issue in the past.
A
anon_4htvdezyfe7k9
Guest
I agree, we have much bigger fish to fry. And the possibility exists that there was a specific reason he didn't play. But it's kind of funny that this one of the few things we can point to that Willard has generally done well.
I see a lot of folks labeled this as a pointless thread but I think it really raises an interesting question and there are some interesting thoughts on it posted here.
First, it's pretty unconscionable not to play a senior in his last game, especially when the outcome is already determined.
But it's even more strange that the senior he didn't play was one he deemed worthy of starting not long before. I agree absolutely with Pirate Sal that Karlis should have been starting those games, and Karlis' play through the last few games really showed that he deserved to have been starting...he was a valuable contributor at both ends of the floor.
As I wrote in a different post a while back, it was really unimpressive that Willard didn't even know the talent (and I'm not saying great talent) he had in Karlis, despite having him for 4 years. And then belatedly Willard comes out of his stupor and notices the kid can actually play. Meanwhile, he thinks not long before that Manga has the talent and deserves the start. But then he flip-flops a few games later. True, Willard has only has Manga for 2 years, but that should be enough.
I am just left with the conclusion that Willard really doesn't know about the talent he has in his locker room. He is just clueless.
Regardless, unless Manga did something really wrong it was incredibly wrong to keep him out of his last game. As someone else posted here, the "do the right thing" element was one of the few things Willard was supposed to be good at, but it sure didn't happen that way here.
First, it's pretty unconscionable not to play a senior in his last game, especially when the outcome is already determined.
But it's even more strange that the senior he didn't play was one he deemed worthy of starting not long before. I agree absolutely with Pirate Sal that Karlis should have been starting those games, and Karlis' play through the last few games really showed that he deserved to have been starting...he was a valuable contributor at both ends of the floor.
As I wrote in a different post a while back, it was really unimpressive that Willard didn't even know the talent (and I'm not saying great talent) he had in Karlis, despite having him for 4 years. And then belatedly Willard comes out of his stupor and notices the kid can actually play. Meanwhile, he thinks not long before that Manga has the talent and deserves the start. But then he flip-flops a few games later. True, Willard has only has Manga for 2 years, but that should be enough.
I am just left with the conclusion that Willard really doesn't know about the talent he has in his locker room. He is just clueless.
Regardless, unless Manga did something really wrong it was incredibly wrong to keep him out of his last game. As someone else posted here, the "do the right thing" element was one of the few things Willard was supposed to be good at, but it sure didn't happen that way here.
Hey, now I have around three or four posts---I am getting up there, so don't beat me up.
I was told his mom, the Georgetown fan, was at the game, hoping to see him play one last time before he returns home to France.
I really don't understand Willard, but at this point nothing that is said here is going to change the embarrassment, frustration and hurt I am sure Manga and his family felt.
I was told his mom, the Georgetown fan, was at the game, hoping to see him play one last time before he returns home to France.
I really don't understand Willard, but at this point nothing that is said here is going to change the embarrassment, frustration and hurt I am sure Manga and his family felt.
