Carino Article with Cliff Quotes

[The RUT]

See, here we go again. Assuming Cliff is being truthful with his comments, why is the first reaction to trash the player.

The amount of times we've heard comments like this from former players is enough to consider it to be a pattern, not a coincidence. Maybe we should start taking these comments more seriously and ask what is happening at places like Oregon, Alabama, UConn, etc. that's not happening here.

I mean all of those teams have been pretty consistent winners, so they're doing something right.

 

[cm_13]

Also said this, which I think is a fair point.

“Alabama is the closest to any college when it comes to NBA-style, with the fast pace," Omoruyi said. "So I feel like I like I learned a lot offensively and defensively to prepare me for what I will experience wherever I play next.”

People need to calm down a bit. The guy was crying on senior night his last game here. Some pretty mild comments shortly after his last college basketball game shouldn’t have people here saying “**** him, he’s dead to me”

 

[Mr. Magoo1]

Everyone looks at his raw stats and says oh he was worse at bama

His per 40 min output was WAY better at bama and I think he was self aware of his strengths and weaknesses by going there

He will carve out a good career in Europe and got a chance to play for a well run program and an excellent modern day basketball coach

It also easier to accept your limitations when you have a better coach, a better chance at winning, and a boatload of money.

 

[RAC’emUp]

So it turns out Pike wasted a lot of effort on Cliff’s offense and posting him up when all Cliff really wanted was to stand in the corner out of the way and set screens.

 

[RUsojo]

It also easier to accept your limitations when you have a better coach, a better chance at winning, and a boatload of money.

The only one who didn’t accept cliffs “limitations” (read: not be efficient with usage offensively) was Pikiell, not Cliff.

 

[Caliknight]

I’m more interested to hear the comments of whoever got robbed for that $1MM seeing the guy he purchased sitting on the bench because he can’t play at that level.

I bet he has some interesting thoughts.

 

[Rhuarc]

The only one who didn’t accept cliffs “limitations” (read: not be efficient with usage offensively) was Pikiell, not Cliff.

Disagree. The last year that Cliff was at RU, they ran more offense through Cliff because that was part of his effort to get drafted. It was a colossal failure by most metrics. At least Bama used Cliff correctly and to his strengths.

 

[RUBlackout]

Wow a kid beloved by many for choose Ng RU and giving us 4yrs helping us make NCAAs

Now it changes due a transfer and some comments taken out of context. This NIL era blows just for that. Same **** with Mulcahy too. Terrible we won’t appreciate anyone anymore

 

[Caliknight]

Disagree. The last year that Cliff was at RU, they ran more offense through Cliff because that was part of his effort to get drafted. It was a colossal failure by most metrics. At least Bama used Cliff correctly and to his strengths.

Yea, sitting him on the bench in the biggest game.

 

[Caliknight]

Wow a kid beloved by many for choose Ng RU and giving us 4yrs helping us make NCAAs

Now it changes due a transfer and some comments taken out of context. This NIL era blows just for that. Same **** with Mulcahy too. Terrible we won’t appreciate anyone anymore

They are pros. They are just being treated as such.

 

[jerzeyguy]

No growth in Pike. This well be repeated over and over - when players leave

 

[ChipBanks89]

Disagree. The last year that Cliff was at RU, they ran more offense through Cliff because that was part of his effort to get drafted. It was a colossal failure by most metrics. At least Bama used Cliff correctly and to his strengths.

Disagree. The last year that Cliff was at RU, they ran more offense through Cliff because that was part of his effort to get drafted. It was a colossal failure by most metrics. At least Bama used Cliff correctly and to his strengths.

We lost Paul and Cam at the last minute in his final year at RU. It did not work, but in that year, who else were we going to run the offense through?

 

[RAC93]

I’m not hating on Cliff for comments made to Carino. Doesn’t change the fact that he committed to Rutgers as a highly recruited player who had other options, but chose Rutgers. Doesn’t change the fact that Cliff played his butt off and became a great rim protector for us. Doesn’t change the fact that he did the right thing for himself and his family by securing NIL money during an offseason when the value for Big Men was skyrocketing. He states of Alabama “every player wants to compete every day”……that should make people more angry at Pike than Cliff as it is an indictment of the coach and his staff. Constructive criticism that Pike can learn from or he will no longer be coaching here without some improved results.

 

[Caliknight]

No growth in Pike. This well be repeated over and over - when players leave

That’s crazy. A number of guys got much better as they graduated or moved on. Geo, Ron Harper, Caleb and even EO.

 

[Caliknight]

I’m not hating on Cliff for comments made to Carino. Doesn’t change the fact that he committed to Rutgers as a highly recruited player who had other options, but chose Rutgers. Doesn’t change the fact that Cliff played his butt off and became a great rim protector for us. Doesn’t change the fact that he did the right thing for himself and his family by securing NIL money during an offseason when the value for Big Men was skyrocketing. He states of Alabama “every player wants to compete every day”……that should make people more angry at Pike than Cliff as it is an indictment of the coach and his staff. Constructive criticism that Pike can learn from or he will no longer be coaching here without some improved results.

Watching that last game looks like he should have competed harder. Dude didn’t sniff the court in the biggest game of the year

 

[Scangg]

Watching that last game looks like he should have competed harder. Dude didn’t sniff the court in the biggest game of the year

He got hurt

 

[Scangg]

Why wouldn't Cliff pick Bama if he could do it all over? Pretty logical statement

Cliff is a hero for coming to Rutgers and staying 4 years. He had other options

 

[Caliknight]

He got hurt

Is that what he’s going with lol?

 

[Rokodesh]

Our fan base is so damn soft

 

[Caliknight]

This whole discussion is irrelevant now anyway. If your goal is to develop players, all you are doing is developing them for another program. Get the developed players, don’t develop them for someone else.

 

[anon1753890747]

I want to read it that way too, but the part about "if I were to do it over" is pretty damning. He didn't have to say that to answer the question...but he did

Another indictment of Pike

 

[anon1753890747]

His comment pretty much aligns with Eugene Omoruyi, Jacob Young, and Cam Spencer.

RU has a problem its PIKE, and the inept mentality that has infested this university for 50 years that hired him

 

[RAC93]

Why wouldn't Cliff pick Bama if he could do it all over? Pretty logical statement

Cliff is a hero for coming to Rutgers and staying 4 years. He had other options

Plenty of other options, the fact that such a highly rated recruit chose Rutgers should mean he always is considered fondly by RU fans. Not to mention the fact he was part of a group that got us back to the NCAAs for the first time in years.

 

[RUbacker]

Maybe instead of being so thin-skinned and insulted, Rutgers and its fans should realize we need to improve our coaching, team culture and approach to things in basketball. Take it as a word to the wise. Cliff strikes me as a pretty honest and intelligent guy. In business we self assess all the time to foster improvement and people have to take some criticism sometimes for their failings. It’s how you get better

Decent amount of ex players over the last few years have said some pretty damning things about pike and staff

 

[RUbacker]

I’m not hating on Cliff for comments made to Carino. Doesn’t change the fact that he committed to Rutgers as a highly recruited player who had other options, but chose Rutgers. Doesn’t change the fact that Cliff played his butt off and became a great rim protector for us. Doesn’t change the fact that he did the right thing for himself and his family by securing NIL money during an offseason when the value for Big Men was skyrocketing. He states of Alabama “every player wants to compete every day”……that should make people more angry at Pike than Cliff as it is an indictment of the coach and his staff. Constructive criticism that Pike can learn from or he will no longer be coaching here without some improved results.

I have heard a few ex players question people not being held accountable under pike

 

[mugrat86]

If this is classless than he is more of a Rutgers man than we even thought given the comments this board has made about him for a year.

Cliff was Pikes biggest recruiting win in his first 8 years and I will always be thankful Cliff took a leap and graduated at RU.

Basketball wise he was not a fit for how Pikiell forced his offensive usage and at Bama he had his best season by far. It’s not surprising he’s gracious for that.

He would have pouted big time had Pike used him similar to the way he was used this year. I think he was a big disappointment given the hype he had in high school. Btw, Oates never was able to teach him how to catch the ball either

 

[Caliknight]

Cliff got paid a $1MM to be a below average SEC center. I’d pick Alabama all over again too if I were him. That’s a no brainer

 

[mugrat86]

So it turns out Pike wasted a lot of effort on Cliff’s offense and posting him up when all Cliff really wanted was to stand in the corner out of the way and set screens.

This! He would have been miserable if Pike didn't try to develop his post skills. Did he ever try and post up his man at Bama? How many games in his career was he the best player on the floor? He often came up small in big games last night not excluded

 

[RUsojo]

If you’re not going to discuss in good faith there is no reason to continue. Gg

 

[Caliknight]

Him coming back (he had no real option) his last year at RU was a mistake. Pike tried to get him the ball and develop his basketball skills but he doesn’t have that skill set. Hes got brick hands, no touch, and inability to use post moves. He can’t shoot and is nothing more than a dunker.

 

[KevH]

What he says doesn’t shock me but still sucks to read. Before I understood the money situation and didn’t have an ossue outside of it being disappointing.

In the postgame locker room, Omoruyi was asked what he thought of his year in Tuscaloosa.

“It was a great experience for me," he said. "If I was to make my decision from the start of where to go to college to better myself, I’d pick Alabama over any team. Great coaching staff, everyone is a hard worker there, every player wants to compete every day."

Yikes!

 

[S_Janowski]

What he says doesn’t shock me but still sucks to read. Before I understood the money situation and didn’t have an ossue outside of it being disappointing.

In the postgame locker room, Omoruyi was asked what he thought of his year in Tuscaloosa.

“It was a great experience for me," he said. "If I was to make my decision from the start of where to go to college to better myself, I’d pick Alabama over any team. Great coaching staff, everyone is a hard worker there, every player wants to compete every day."

If Cliff didn’t get over $1 million this year to play at Alabama I wonder if he would have made the same statement….

 

[LotusAggressor_rivals]

See, here we go again. Assuming Cliff is being truthful with his comments, why is the first reaction to trash the player.

The amount of times we've heard comments like this from former players is enough to consider it to be a pattern, not a coincidence. Maybe we should start taking these comments more seriously and ask what is happening at places like Oregon, Alabama, UConn, etc. that's not happening here.

I mean all of those teams have been pretty consistent winners, so they're doing something right.

Maybe we should start taking these comments more seriously and ask what is happening at places like Oregon, Alabama, UConn, etc. that's not happening here.

I've wondered this for over 40 years.

 

[RUby RED]

13 minutes and 4 points. I guess he likes it on the bench. He was a star here and a role player there. I don’t think he was utilized properly there, especially in his last game.

He was utilized perfectly at Bama. He’s a rim-protecting, rim-running 5 who shouldn’t touch the ball outside of lobs / putbacks. We allowed him to play outside his strengths — post ups, mid-range jumpers, etc.

Bama just had other capable center’s they could rotate him with, that’s why he played less

 

[motorb54]

I saw it as more of a shot at his former teammates.
HERE everyone competes every day, as opposed to at Rutgers where not everyone did.

 

[Mholinko]

Maybe we should start taking these comments more seriously and ask what is happening at places like Oregon, Alabama, UConn, etc. that's not happening here.

I've wondered this for over 40 years.

Notice how many people on here want to blame the player and pound their chest for Rutgers pride instead of being introspective

 

[mugrat86]

I saw it as more of a shot at his former teammates.
HERE everyone competes every day, as opposed to at Rutgers where not everyone did.

How did Cliff compete against his old team? Guy is a fraud. 15 minutes, 6 points, 4 rebounds, no blocks. Ogbole had better stats

 

[RedChucken123]

In summary, in my opinion…

- Pike and staff can develop you in the early stages, but at a certain point, it’s questionable whether he can take you to the next level
- once you do get to a respectable level, he might not be able to pay you market value (whether that’s his fault or not is a separate question)
- he might have a culture problem (I might actually believe that. I always question his rotations at times. Ron was good, but he always had his baby fat. Could have been even better than he was. Paul had an incredibly long leash even though he self destructed towards the end of his RU career. JWill is the clumsiest, sloppiest RU player I’ve seen and IMO had no business being a starter. Sixth man at best.) IMO, he played his favorites, warranted or not.

 

[RAC93]

I saw it as more of a shot at his former teammates.
HERE everyone competes every day, as opposed to at Rutgers where not everyone did.

Doesn’t the daily competition come from an ingrained culture, and the type of an ingrained culture that exists within a team also comes from its coach??? Thus, if Rutgers did not exhibit daily competition it was not something that was part of the culture created by its coach (Pike).

 

[bitnez]

Notice how many people on here want to blame the player and pound their chest for Rutgers pride instead of being introspective

Thankfully we have you around to make sure that the fans don’t take pride in their school. Talk about lacking introspection…