Carino Article with Cliff Quotes

babbs09

Heisman
Aug 13, 2008
149,511
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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."
 

fatsam98

Heisman
Mar 23, 2005
43,390
37,856
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Yeah that's not great, and not the first time we've heard these sentiments about the coaching staff.

But it's also kind of annoying. It makes it sound like Cliff didn't value his time here? He was in tears at Senior Day.

Look, I have zero doubt Oates is a better coach than Pike and runs a tighter, more professional ship. But come on, it's not like Cliff took a big step at Bama this season either.
 

wheezer

Heisman
Jun 3, 2001
169,833
25,517
113
Yeah that's not great, and not the first time we've heard these sentiments about the coaching staff.

But it's also kind of annoying. It makes it sound like Cliff didn't value his time here? He was in tears at Senior Day.

Look, I have zero doubt Oates is a better coach than Pike and runs a tighter, more professional ship. But come on, it's not like Cliff took a big step at Bama this season either.
No problem with those quotes
You always talk up the program you are at more than anything else, and I don't see much anti RU sentiment

He had a real chance to make a difference last night, but blew several dunks
again
 

fatsam98

Heisman
Mar 23, 2005
43,390
37,856
113
No problem with those quotes
You always talk up the program you are at more than anything else, and I don't see much anti RU sentiment

He had a real chance to make a difference last night, but blew several dunks
again
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
 

Mholinko

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Apr 25, 2023
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Wow Cliff. Well I agree with you about the coaching staff, that was totally unclassy esp as we cheered huiu on for four years. You are now persona non grata at Rutgers. Best wishes not playing in fhe NBA.
These guys are giving player speak just like coaches have coach speak … you glow about wherever you are at that moment

My takeaway is this is not the first time a high profile player has said something like this
 

BG1973

Junior
Oct 5, 2024
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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

No problem with those quotes
You always talk up the program you are at more than anything else, and I don't see much anti RU sentiment

He had a real chance to make a difference last night, but blew several dunks
again
His quote was a thinly veiled shot at Rutgers program. He could have easily phrased differently but IMO his true feelings came out
 

RutgersClassof2004

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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."
What a dick statement
 

Shelby65

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Apr 1, 2008
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His quote was a thinly veiled shot at Rutgers program. He could have easily phrased differently but IMO his true feelings came out
No, not a shot at RU at all. No reason for him to. He enjoyed his year at UA those were only his words to voice that.
 
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Captain Hogleg

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Jan 26, 2006
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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
 

fatsam98

Heisman
Mar 23, 2005
43,390
37,856
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Wow Cliff. Well I agree with you about the coaching staff, that was totally unclassy esp as we cheered huiu on for four years. You are now persona non grata at Rutgers. Best wishes not playing in fhe NBA.
I still hope he makes it back to the RAC for a couple games, assuming he isn't over in Europe.

Would be pretty damning/sad if he's not a part of "the knighthood" going forward.
 

Shelby65

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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
Overanalyzing. No lesson to learn. He wasn’t criticizing. He was merely noting he enjoyed his year at Alabama.
 
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Pils86

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Sep 21, 2008
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He could have offered up something positive to RU, like "I had a good experience at RU" and then went into his comments, as he was treated well and got more playing time than he would at a lot of other schools. The reality though is these quotes don't matter much, money is everything now. Good players will come to RU if there is a pile of cash.
 

RutgersClassof2004

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He could have offered up something positive to RU, like "I had a good experience at RU" and then went into his comments, as he was treated well and got more playing time than he would at a lot of other schools. The reality though is these quotes don't matter much, money is everything now. Good players will come to RU if there is a pile of cash.
Yep. Classless.
 

djrc89

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Aug 4, 2001
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I think it’s a one on one with carino in nj, right? If so, I don’t see how to take it any other way than as a shot at his time here.
 
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babbs09

Heisman
Aug 13, 2008
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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
I dont think thats my point. Not gonna cry because Cliff said mean things. Its the vibe and context behind it. We have now had our two biggest profile transfers vocally say not positive things or talk up where they went more than where they came from. Its a bad look. Whether its ******** window dressing or not. There is proof in the pudding this staff and team have failed in multiple ways. It certainly won’t make what was essentially impossible any easier. And that is depressing.
 
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RutgersClassof2004

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Cliff could have been like Julian Reese and help built a lock NCAA team this year alongside Harper and Bailey. In fact, Reese's move was even more selfless because he was sharing the ball with Queen, another big. I am sure Reese had other options if he had entered portal. Instead, Cliff bolted, and ends his career trashing RU.
 

BG1973

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Oct 5, 2024
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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

I dont think thats my point. Not gonna cry because Cliff said mean things. It’s the vibe and context behind it. We have now had our two biggest profile transfers vocally say not positive things or talk up where they went more than where they came from. It’s a bad look. Whether it’s ******** window drssi f or not. There is proof in the pudding this staff and team have failed n multiple ways. It certainly won’t make what was essentially impossible any easier. And that is depressing.
100% agree.
 

Mholinko

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Cliff could have been like Julian Reese and help built a lock NCAA team this year alongside Harper and Bailey. In fact, Reese's move was even more selfless because he was sharing the ball with Queen, another big. I am sure Reese had other options if he had entered portal. Instead, Cliff bolted, and ends his career trashing RU.
Maybe Julian Reese didn’t enter the portal because he believed in the coach and direction of the program
 

RUsojo

Heisman
Dec 17, 2010
29,405
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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.
 

Mholinko

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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.
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
 
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Yeah that's not great, and not the first time we've heard these sentiments about the coaching staff.

But it's also kind of annoying. It makes it sound like Cliff didn't value his time here? He was in tears at Senior Day.

Look, I have zero doubt Oates is a better coach than Pike and runs a tighter, more professional ship. But come on, it's not like Cliff took a big step at Bama this season either.
He was in tears because he knew he was outta here getting a big bag.
 

Danielson381

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Mar 25, 2016
33
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It doesn’t matter what Cliff says about his “development”. You’re either an NBA talent or not. Pike will serve his plate of revenge when he makes his two cameos in June within the first 3 picks of the draft. Sorry Clifford. You just wasn’t NBA material. You got overpaid to dunk and alter shots. At Rutgers, you did too much because they allowed you to.
 

wheezer

Heisman
Jun 3, 2001
169,833
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I dont think thats my point. Not gonna cry because Cliff said mean things. Its the vibe and context behind it. We have now had our two biggest profile transfers vocally say not positive things or talk up where they went more than where they came from. Its a bad look. Whether its ******** window dressing or not. There is proof in the pudding this staff and team have failed in multiple ways. It certainly won’t make what was essentially impossible any easier. And that is depressing.
Is it typical for a transfer to talk badly about their previous school?

Here, we have a minor diss,

I would think a lot of transfers, that had success after transferring, make subtle remarks
 

LETSGORU91_

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Success and money bring happiness to college basketball players. Cliff would have loved to have been paid handsomely for 5 years at Alabama and win with consistency. To me, this is what he was saying.
 
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RuSnp

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Yeah that's not great, and not the first time we've heard these sentiments about the coaching staff.

But it's also kind of annoying. It makes it sound like Cliff didn't value his time here? He was in tears at Senior Day.

Look, I have zero doubt Oates is a better coach than Pike and runs a tighter, more professional ship. But come on, it's not like Cliff took a big step at Bama this season either.
This is the third time by my counting. Cam was critical (of holding players to account, work ethic etc), Eugene O was critical (how Altman was such a better offensive coach etc), and now Cliff. Not a good look.
 

Shelby65

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That part largely unnecessary but whatever. All about money now anyway.
He’s not sophisticated. He was marginally productive and often an afterthought on offense. He only wanted to convey he had no regrets about transferring. It was absolutely not a dig.
 
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APKnight

All-Conference
Nov 21, 2013
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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.