The Tweak

Wildcat3232

Junior
Dec 9, 2016
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Is this year’s tweak that Cal is taking cellphones and staying in hotels? I’m all for the team staying focused and getting rest. Keep doing it if it’s working as long as he keeps playing the Benny lineup. GO BIG BENNY!
 
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K_TIME

Heisman
Jan 2, 2003
18,370
25,644
113
Is this year’s tweak that Cal is taking cellphones and staying in hotels? I’m all for the team staying focused and getting rest. Keep doing it if it’s working as long as he keeps playing the Benny lineup. GO BIG BENNY!
It's Wheeler getting injured and missign Tennessee game...and what do you know...we have our biggest win. So it was more dumb luck than anything Cal is about.
 

JST390-2

All-American
Nov 1, 2015
5,225
8,095
113
The tweak was benching Wheeler. I honestly feel bad for Wheeler but sadly this is the truth.
Me too …Cal told him often last year to “lead us” …so I’m assuming he’s a leader on the team if not the main one …my question is, how is he accepting this new role ? Is he grumbling or positive ? …I would like to know how he feels about this and I would also think moving forward it is important for him to be supportive and positive
 

UKAlum88

All-Conference
Dec 1, 2020
1,432
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Me too …Cal told him often last year to “lead us” …so I’m assuming he’s a leader on the team if not the main one …my question is, how is he accepting this new role ? Is he grumbling or positive ? …I would like to know how he feels about this and I would also think moving forward it is important for him to be supportive and positive

I liked to know! If I was in Wheeler’s shoes, I’d probably be upset honestly. I would still support my teammates but it would be hard, IMO.
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,481
70,672
113
Isn't it Livingston to PF and Reeves to SF?
That's the final tweak that needs to happen.

Cal won't do it though, because the Livingston camp doesn’t want it.

I mean stop the madness. He starts Livingston at the 3, we fall into a hole, he puts Reeves in and we pull ahead.

He just needs to tell the Livingston family that Chris is a college 4 and he will thrive there.

This "it's not fair to him, because I haven’t played him there" is a ******** lie that he's telling us, because he’s too chicken **** to face the Livingston camp and tell them how it's going to be.
 

Cats_2010

Heisman
Jan 8, 2010
11,702
19,835
103
That's the final tweak that needs to happen.

Cal won't do it though, because the Livingston camp doesn’t want it.

I mean stop the madness. He starts Livingston at the 3, we fall into a hole, he puts Reeves in and we pull ahead.

He just needs to tell the Livingston family that Chris is a college 4 and he will thrive there.

This "it's not fair to him, because I haven’t played him there" is a ******** lie that he's telling us, because he’s too chicken **** to face the Livingston camp and tell them how it's going to be.
I mean if Livingstons camp think this year has been good for his draft stock they are complete morons as it is. Either way his camp should not have a damn say about his position, they don’t like him playing 4 then pull him from the team. If cal lets outside forces force his hand (which we know he does) then he’s lost complete control of the program and just another reason it’s time for him to go. Grow some balls cal!!!!
 

cats#1again

All-Conference
Nov 27, 2011
8,011
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It's Wheeler getting injured and missign Tennessee game...and what do you know...we have our biggest win. So it was more dumb luck than anything Cal is about.
Ok, then why didn't the lineup work in the first half against Texas A&M? If it's as simple as just making a lineup change?
The truth is, yes the lineup is playing good together and the coaching staff is making good adjustments at the right times aswell.
Whether it was chin in the UT game or whoever , the staff has been better
 
Jul 19, 2012
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Benching wheeler and playing shooters despite some defense shortcomings by his standards. Inserting Cason as lead guard. He did the same with Maxey at the end but then covid. Cal needs big guards. Cason isn't prototypical but neither was SGA and neither was Maxey.
 
Jul 19, 2012
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You can make up for Frederick's defense with Cason in the game. He's a load. Wheeler Frederick couldn't be on the same floor because they would get abused. You have to respect Cason shot and drive. You didn't have to guard wheeler at all.

May not win us anything worth hanging in the rafters but it makes us a better more formidable team. See what happens now
 

Cats_2010

Heisman
Jan 8, 2010
11,702
19,835
103
Ok, then why didn't the lineup work in the first half against Texas A&M? If it's as simple as just making a lineup change?
The truth is, yes the lineup is playing good together and the coaching staff is making good adjustments at the right times aswell.
Whether it was chin in the UT game or whoever , the staff has been better
I could be wrong but I don’t think the 5 got very much time together during the first half. Cal needs to start the B5 to maximize their time together on the floor. We are starting every single game very slow. We have 4/5 on the floor but missing Reeves makes a big difference.
 

Marleydogg

Heisman
Dec 8, 2005
6,910
26,510
113
Benching wheeler and playing shooters despite some defense shortcomings by his standards. Inserting Cason as lead guard. He did the same with Maxey at the end but then covid. Cal needs big guards. Cason isn't prototypical but neither was SGA and neither was Maxey.

Dude, cason is 6'4 and sga was 6'6. How big a guard you think he needs?
 

Cowtown Cat

Heisman
Aug 23, 2015
23,969
54,344
100
I could be wrong but I don’t think the 5 got very much time together during the first half. Cal needs to start the B5 to maximize their time together on the floor. We are starting every single game very slow. We have 4/5 on the floor but missing Reeves makes a big difference.
Huge difference. He’s taking a senior that’s a 40% + 3 point shooter off the floor for a freshman that has been shaky with his shot all season. Don’t get me wrong, I think Livingston can shoot just fine, but he’s not nearly as deadly as CJ and Reeves.
 
Jul 19, 2012
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Dude, cason is 6'4 and sga was 6'6. How big a guard you think he needs?
And wheeler is 5'7. My point was he needs a bigger lead guard especially this yr to overcome some of the other roster. Wheeler couldn't do that.
Derrick rose John wall Harrison twins sga Maxey Cason Wallace have a lot more in common than wheeler and ulis. And ulis was a alpha dog. Brandon knight wasn't huge but he was a great defender and great shooter.
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,481
70,672
113
I mean if Livingstons camp think this year has been good for his draft stock they are complete morons as it is. Either way his camp should not have a damn say about his position, they don’t like him playing 4 then pull him from the team. If cal lets outside forces force his hand (which we know he does) then he’s lost complete control of the program and just another reason it’s time for him to go. Grow some balls cal!!!!
I agree, but these are things coaches end up promising these entitled kids and partially explains some of the head scratching lineups we see.
It’s a stupid game that Cal desperately plays to continue this farm system.
And you're right, Chris isn’t exactly burning it up at the 3. He would be killing it at the 4 in most games and the team would be a notch better.
At this rate, he'll be back in college next year. Yeah, he has potential, but he's not really showing it.
And Cal with his "it's not fair to him, because I haven’t played him there" bs excuse. At best, that excuse makes Cal look even more like he has no idea what he's doing.
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,481
70,672
113
Ok, then why didn't the lineup work in the first half against Texas A&M? If it's as simple as just making a lineup change?
The truth is, yes the lineup is playing good together and the coaching staff is making good adjustments at the right times aswell.
Whether it was chin in the UT game or whoever , the staff has been better
The lineup did work. We were down 2 at halftime.

Oscar was in foul trouble the entire first half, picked up his first foul 15 seconds into the game and on top of that, our shooters were missing wide open shots.

Did you read that last part? The shots were wide open. Oscar was triple covered and in foul trouble. The lineup did work, our guys just didn't make shots.

I mean, do you understand why that lineup works and the Cal lineup doesn't? Explain it to me, because I don't think you know.

If Cal played his favorite lineup, we would have been down 15 at halftime.
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,481
70,672
113
Huge difference. He’s taking a senior that’s a 40% + 3 point shooter off the floor for a freshman that has been shaky with his shot all season. Don’t get me wrong, I think Livingston can shoot just fine, but he’s not nearly as deadly as CJ and Reeves.
Yup, he keeps starting Livingston at the 3, then after a few minutes, he has to put Reeves in, we start to gain traction, then he pulls Reeves again so he can play Livingston at the 3, then Reeves plays most of the 2nd half and we win.
 

Cowtown Cat

Heisman
Aug 23, 2015
23,969
54,344
100
The lineup did work. We were down 2 at halftime.

Oscar was in foul trouble the entire first half, picked up his first foul 15 seconds into the game and on top of that, our shooters were missing wide open shots.

Did you read that last part? The shots were wide open. Oscar was triple covered and in foul trouble. The lineup did work, our guys just didn't make shots.

I mean, do you understand why that lineup works and the Cal lineup doesn't? Explain it to me, because I don't think you know.

If Cal played his favorite lineup, we would have been down 15 at halftime.
Yep. The best looks we’ve gotten all season! Just about every single 3 was WIDE THE **** OPEN! When our guys start knocking them down, we’re gonna be dangerous. We’ve yet to see CJ and Reeves be on in the same game. Also yet to see the trio of: Reeves, CJ and Wallace all be on at the same time.
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,481
70,672
113
Yep. The best looks we’ve gotten all season! Just about every single 3 was WIDE THE **** OPEN! When our guys start knocking them down, we’re gonna be dangerous. We’ve yet to see CJ and Reeves be on in the same game. Also yet to see the trio of: Reeves, CJ and Wallace all be on at the same time.
I dont know what cats#1again was looking at. Seems to me, he’s always in such a hurry to defend Cal that he overlooks what’s right in front of him.
That offense was the best it has looked all season. Guys were cutting, the ball was moving and we had wide open looks all game long.
 

Cowtown Cat

Heisman
Aug 23, 2015
23,969
54,344
100
I dont know what cats#1again was looking at. Seems to me, he’s always in such a hurry to defend Cal that he overlooks what’s right in front of him.
That offense was the best it has looked all season. Guys were cutting, the ball was moving and we had wide open looks all game long.
Mainly (not entirely, but mainly) because the ball is NOT sticking in Wheeler’s hands for 20-25 seconds!
 

BBNWildcat

All-Conference
Jan 9, 2023
757
1,424
0
Ok, then why didn't the lineup work in the first half against Texas A&M? If it's as simple as just making a lineup change?
The truth is, yes the lineup is playing good together and the coaching staff is making good adjustments at the right times aswell.
Whether it was chin in the UT game or whoever , the staff has been better
Sheesh. This basketball ignorance is why you'll never be a head coach, Brad.
 

NC Weasel

All-Conference
Dec 30, 2002
18,602
2,027
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The other thing with Wheeler, and I love the young man. He plays all out, all the time. But his size isn't just exploited when he gets shot over by his man ..... his size was getting exploited in the pick-and-roll and making it the much easier to exploit Oscar's weakness defending the pick-and-roll too. While the other PG options are taller and can make that pass just a little harder and therefore less accurate. Protecting Oscar just a little more.

Since we HAVE to have Oscar, we are forced to sacrifice Wheeler. In doing so we lose some assists and penetration ability on offense. But we're a better defensive team without him.

And I agreed, the ball has been stuck in Wheeler's hands too much. Without him, we actually are less predictable.