Questions and Answers: With Pico Dulce from Rumble in the Garden
In honor of the game tomorrow, I kicked it on email with one of my favorite people I don't actually know, Pico Dulce, aka @ECoastBias. He has an interview with me up on his site, Rumble in the Garden. Only wrote jungle twice. Before we get to his answers, look at those short shorts on Chris Mullen! Damn man. Good thing the basketball is there, because I don't want to see what's under it.
Oh, and before we start, Pico knows a girl who acted on Gossip Girl, and I mention it all the time. In fact, I asked him if he would have an actress on Gossip Girl help him with the questions.
Will an actress from Gossip Girl be helping you with these questions?
Answers! I couldn't get Leighton Meester to answer questions - she says she only watches Jai Alai - so you just get me. (I don't know Leighton, just her sartorial choices: http://www.google.
Just as I started buying the St John's stock, they started getting pounded. What's happened? Just running into good teams? Or something else?
Were you trying to buy low? I mean, the stock market is an uncertain game, and despite talk of the economy turning around, we live in uncertain times! As for the Red Storm's recent losses, the Johnnies played a pair of excellent teams and the very good Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Thing is, the Red Storm are a little flawed; there's talent on the roster, but maybe a little less than some other teams. So the margin for error is skinny like Blake Lively. When the Johnnies lose control of the game, it gets ugly, like that time when Chuck - what am I doing, I don't actually WATCH Gossip Girl.
St John's is running the dangerous route of playing without a true PG. It looked like it hurt last night (against Louisville). UC likes to press, do you think the Storm can handle it?
Maybe? I think they can? Louisville has a lot more talent than people think they do, and Pitino is well-versed in chaotic pressure defense. Is Cincinnati's pressure as good? I don't know if it is. Despite the opponents, the Red Storm are playing a dangerous game, putting their best five on the floor without a true point guard, letting Dwight Hardy bring the ball up. But the true point guard Malik Boothe is sometimes limited by a lack of shooting ability and height, though he has been good in limited time this year.
But pressing is a problem for offenses as a whole, not just the point guard. An excellent PG can dribble in and out of pressure, but still has to give the ball up; the other four players have to move into spaces to help out, accept the ball, and push it against the spread out defense. St. John's has been mediocre at that; their turnovers come from bad passes and a lack of concentration. I think they can be okay against a press.
I think.
Justin Brownlee has impressed me quite a bit. What's turned on with him?
Time on the court. he's always been pretty effective, though the staff has him driving less and posting up more. But the difference with him is that he has almost twice as much time on the court, bumping his numbers accordingly.
How has year 1 of Steve Lavin gone in your opinion?
Follow up. Gene Keady's hair. Discuss.
Steve Lavin and his staff have done an excellent job with the team. They play under control in wins, have some more defensive tools in the arsenal, and play well despite not being able to hit from outside consistently. Lavin has brought hope, a hot recruiting class, and the gift of gab to the program. And Gene Keady covers his hair with a Yankees cap. I would prefer if he used a Mets cap. But he and his hair are still unrepentant, fun, and interesting. I want to meet him, Lavin, and Tom Izzo. Seem like good chaps, all. (ED: They do.)
The Johnnies and Bearcats both seem to need this game badly. How can St John's lose to Cincinnati?
St. John's needs it more!
How can the Johnnies lose? Poor shooting and turnovers. The shooting has been just bad in the 3 league losses, but that also has to do with an inability to play their game - getting the ball into the paint, drawing fouls. And part of that comes from turnovers minimizing their chances to get the ball into the paint. I think if Cincy's pressure D gets them easy shots and disruptions, and Justin Burrell and Justin Brownlee can't get their shots popping, it could be an ugly loss.
Thanks to Pico once again. Remember to visit his blog to see what I said. Thank you.
Thanks to Pico once again. Remember to visit his blog to see what I said. Thank you.
