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Full Version: What the **** is wrong with running some zone?
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It doesn't have to be Gillispie's primary defense. I know his coaching defensive philosophies are a strong man to man defense with a "few variations of man to man." But why does he limit this team to just a man to man defense all the time?

Why not throw out a zone "occasionally" to confuse the defense, force a poor shooting team to knock down some outside shots, stop the penetration, or slow down the backdoor screens, or slow the pace of the game to give our best players a breather instead of them constantly chasing their man all over the court, protect those in foul trouble, and/or give opposing teams more to prepare for. I just don't get it.

It seems "some"zone sure would have helped us today. I mean it couldn't have hurt, Fredrick and Downey had no trouble whatsoever with the man to man, they beat everyone we threw at them off the dribble all evening. If the man to man is not working, why not switch it up coach?

I respect coaches worth ethic and recruiting, however, his lack of defensive adjustments is very puzzling to me. I am obviously no coach, but I am smart enough to realize that mixing things up could only benefit us. No one needs a coaching degree or years of experience to realize this. Just turn on your television and watch some of the top teams around the nation. Their coaches will mix it up.

Another thing that bothers me about him is his arrogance, why is he so arrogant? I could see if had multiple final fours and/or a national title or two, but he doesn't.
torQQue Wrote:It doesn't have to be Gillispie's primary defense. I know his coaching defensive philosophies are a strong man to man defense with a "few variations of man to man." But why does he limit this team to just a man to man defense all the time?

Why not throw out a zone "occasionally" to confuse the defense, force a poor shooting team to knock down some outside shots, stop the penetration, or slow down the backdoor screens, or slow the pace of the game to give our best players a breather instead of them constantly chasing their man all over the court, protect those in foul trouble, and/or give opposing teams more to prepare for. I just don't get it.

It seems "some"zone sure would have helped us today. I mean it couldn't have hurt, Fredrick and Downey had no trouble whatsoever with the man to man, they beat everyone we threw at them off the dribble all evening. If the man to man is not working, why not switch it up coach?

I respect coaches worth ethic and recruiting, however, his lack of defensive adjustments is very puzzling to me. I am obviously no coach, but I am smart enough to realize that mixing things up could only benefit us. No one needs a coaching degree or years of experience to realize this. Just turn on your television and watch some of the top teams around the nation. Their coaches will mix it up.

Another thing that bothers me about him is his arrogance, why is he so arrogant? I could see if had multiple final fours and/or a national title or two, but he doesn't.
Truer words have not been spoken.
Zone is the lazy mans defense.
Aslan Wrote:Zone is the lazy mans defense.

Is that you Coach G?Smile
My God. I'm like you I respect his recruiting ability, but I'm starting to question his coaching ability.. This is the third game I've watched that Ky. has blown a decent lead. They still won in two of those games, but still. I agree a little zone now and then won't hurt, cause God knows these some of these guys don't know how to play defense.. And I don't even want to get started on the offense...
Aslan Wrote:Zone is the lazy mans defense.

Maybe that could slow the game down a little and who knows they may win
QQ I couldnt agree with you more about the arrogance thing. He really has nothing to be arrogant about. IMO the sucess has gotten to him just a lil bit. Just because He was 5-0 in one of the worst basketball conferences in D-1, or just because you had one guy having superstar like stats in one game. Well those things dont give him the right to be so arrogant. Maybe he will turn it around?
Some zone would help, some offense. The kid is king and everyone on here wants that. IMO he takes the big bucks and goes pros and we do what we should have in the first place.
There is many things I think of Billy G but I will not post them I have before and I got jumped by everyone on here.
Real Badman Wrote:QQ I couldnt agree with you more about the arrogance thing. He really has nothing to be arrogant about. IMO the sucess has gotten to him just a lil bit. Just because He was 5-0 in one of the worst basketball conferences in D-1, or just because you had one guy having superstar like stats in one game. Well those things dont give him the right to be so arrogant. Maybe he will turn it around?

I hate to even use the word arrogant because it sounds it a little harsh, but I don't know what else to call it, and I do want the man to succeed here. Other than being stubborn/arrogant he seems like a good man, as we have seen for his generous donations, and helping people out in the community.

I am pulling for him to turn around. I realize some people/fans may not see him as arrogant, but I do. I find it arrogant when he places the blame on the players for losing, and not putting some of the blame on his back. As a previous poster mentioned, blame starts from the top. It's okay to admit your mistakes. Everyone makes them.

I also think it is arrogant of him to believe no other defense except man to man would benefit this team. Arguably, man to man is the best defense if you have the athleticism, speed, and talent that exceeds, or is at least equivalent to your opponents. The problem is, we don't at this time. A zone from time to time, with our long but slower guards could "potentially"help us from getting beat off the dribble so much. What would it hurt to at least experiment a little with some occasional zone, and see what happens? Why can so many other teams succeed and slow down teams running zone, but we can't? Pitino runs zone occassionally, and no way can you make a legitmate argument that Gillispie is a better coach(at this time) than Pitino.

I am not that upset about the loss today, we lost to a quality opponent that is well coached. What bothers me is the accumulation of losses to poor competition. And I am not being unrealistic in my expectations of Coach G and/or this team. I understand we got a lot of work to do, inorder to get back to being a final four type team. No one can convince me that teams like VMI and Gardner Webb's are more talented than Kentucky, even when we are down. Sure major upsets are going to happen occasionally, but over the last two years these "occasional losses" has become more of the norm for us.

Something is not right somewhere.
HawksRule Wrote:There is many things I think of Billy G but I will not post them I have before and I got jumped by everyone on here.

Don't worry about other people. You have a right to your own opinion, whether it is right, wrong, popular or not. They may not agree with you, and that is fine. Don't ever let anyone intimidate you into not posting or expressing how you feel, because their no better, nor do they know anymore than anyone else. If they did, they would not be posting on message boards, they would be busy preparing/managing their Division 1 team for next weeks game.
torQQue Wrote:I hate to even use the word arrogant because it sounds it a little harsh, but I don't know what else to call it, and I do want the man to succeed here. Other than being stubborn/arrogant he seems like a good man, as we have seen for his generous donations, and helping people out in the community.

I am pulling for him to turn around. I realize some people/fans may not see him as arrogant, but I do. I find it arrogant when he places the blame on the players for losing, and not putting some of the blame on his back. As a previous poster mentioned, blame starts from the top. It's okay to admit your mistakes. Everyone makes them.

I also think it is arrogant of him to believe no other defense except man to man would benefit this team. Arguably, man to man is the best defense if you have the athleticism, speed, and talent that exceeds, or is at least equivalent to your opponents. The problem is, we don't at this time. A zone from time to time, with our long but slower guards could "potentially"help us from getting beat off the dribble so much. What would it hurt to at least experiment a little with some occasional zone, and see what happens? Why can so many other teams succeed and slow down teams running zone, but we can't? Pitino runs zone occassionally, and no way can you make a legitmate argument that Gillispie is a better coach(at this time) than Pitino.

I am not that upset about the loss today, we lost to a quality opponent that is well coached. What bothers me is the accumulation of losses to poor competition. And I am not being unrealistic in my expectations of Coach G and/or this team. I understand we got a lot of work to do, inorder to get back to being a final four type team. No one can convince me that teams like VMI and Gardner Webb's are more talented than Kentucky, even when we are down. Sure major upsets are going to happen occasionally, but over the last two years these "occasional losses" has become more of the norm for us.

Something is not right somewhere.

I agree with that 100%.

As for the zone personally I don't like it but I think we should use a zone press at times i think a switch to pressing more would help the team out and get the energy up.
torQQue Wrote:It doesn't have to be Gillispie's primary defense. I know his coaching defensive philosophies are a strong man to man defense with a "few variations of man to man." But why does he limit this team to just a man to man defense all the time?

Why not throw out a zone "occasionally" to confuse the defense, force a poor shooting team to knock down some outside shots, stop the penetration, or slow down the backdoor screens, or slow the pace of the game to give our best players a breather instead of them constantly chasing their man all over the court, protect those in foul trouble, and/or give opposing teams more to prepare for. I just don't get it.

It seems "some"zone sure would have helped us today. I mean it couldn't have hurt, Fredrick and Downey had no trouble whatsoever with the man to man, they beat everyone we threw at them off the dribble all evening. If the man to man is not working, why not switch it up coach?

I respect coaches worth ethic and recruiting, however, his lack of defensive adjustments is very puzzling to me. I am obviously no coach, but I am smart enough to realize that mixing things up could only benefit us. No one needs a coaching degree or years of experience to realize this. Just turn on your television and watch some of the top teams around the nation. Their coaches will mix it up.

Another thing that bothers me about him is his arrogance, why is he so arrogant? I could see if had multiple final fours and/or a national title or two, but he doesn't.

This is beautiful. Coach G should read some of this.
Totally agree on everything you said torQQue, especially about telling the guy not to let anyone tell him not to post what he thinks. The thing is, coach wont change a thing he does, his pride apparently means more to him than this team playing right and winning. Also, he is the most arrogant piece of work I have ever seen, I cant stand him and I never will like him, hes doing nothing but destroying UK basketball. I bet Ford or Pelphry are both looking real good to the people that hired this guy.
torQQue Wrote:Don't worry about other people. You have a right to your own opinion, whether it is right, wrong, popular or not. They may not agree with you, and that is fine. Don't ever let anyone intimidate you into not posting or expressing how you feel, because their no better, nor do they know anymore than anyone else. If they did, they would not be posting on message boards, they would be busy preparing/managing their Division 1 team for next weeks game.

Thanks
I disagree, we do a terrible job of playing weakside Defense today. A Zone exposes that more. One skip pass and dribble penetrate opens up the inside of the D for a baseline pass or kick-out, and then we are worse off than what we already have today.