On a More Serious Note with Townes

[Ross U (HDHF)]

I also was at the game, missed the Townes affair, did not miss Townes, Hill showed hustle,effort, Ervin pleasant surprise, couple of the coaches after the players finally, loud enough to hear it up in the thin atmosphere. Go Hogs, get after Alabama Saturday

Good post.  That's pretty much the same thing I observed (Hill playing his guts out, Ervin playing under control, coaches getting after it).

[GorillaJMonsoon]

Townes is emotionally fragile.  He has to be handled with kid gloves by the coaches.  If he misses his first shot, he gets into a funk.  He is not a come-from-behind-type player.  He has to have everything go his way in order to do well.  If he struggles early, he gives himself no chance to overcome it mentally later in the game.  Its probably a character trait that was present before he came to Arkansas.  He needs a coach like Bob Knight but wouldn't stick around long enough to learn from him.  I remember Wimp Sanderson calling some UALR player "sweet milk" a few years back , and from now on, that is what I will call Darian "Sweet Milk" Townes.

That being said, I thought we played well as a team and showed a lot more energy and motion on offense than I have seen in a while.  They looked good last night.  Congrats to Heath and the Hogs. 

[hogfankb]

While townes may be a head case and inconsistant. He is very capable of giving you 15 points on any given night. He is a offensive threat in the post which we desperately need even though this team is so "tall". Hunter and Hill aren't options on the block. Washington looks like he could turn into a threat down there but is still working his way into the college game.

I will withhold judgement on the punishment until I hear the full story but only because I think we are going to need him this season. (Yeah I know it is a double standard)

[silvertip]

I was at the game tonight and set behind the scorers table but I did not hear the tongue lashings.
I completely missed the whole thing but my wife said she see that he walked off but she thought that
he might have had to go take a S#$%.
I was to busy yelling at the refs tonight because they were bad at times.

I will agree with Footballref since I, too, have absolutely no idea what's going on.

[Biggus Piggus]

People deserve an opportunity to correct their mistakes, one does go to college to learn (I know a stupid thought)

Not the first mistake.

[HawgG]

Townes is emotionally fragile.  He has to be handled with kid gloves by the coaches.  If he misses his first shot, he gets into a funk.  He is not a come-from-behind-type player.  He has to have everything go his way in order to do well.  If he struggles early, he gives himself no chance to overcome it mentally later in the game.  Its probably a character trait that was present before he came to Arkansas.  He needs a coach like Bob Knight but wouldn't stick around long enough to learn from him.  I remember Wimp Sanderson calling some UALR player "sweet milk" a few years back , and from now on, that is what I will call Darian "Sweet Milk" Townes.

That being said, I thought we played well as a team and showed a lot more energy and motion on offense than I have seen in a while.  They looked good last night.  Congrats to Heath and the Hogs. 

This is a whole new era of college athletics.Gone for the most part are the old school coaches that run their teams and university like a DICTATOR. Bob knight may still be around with his antics, but he has not won at the same rate he use to 10-12 years ago.This generation of young players are spoiled and pampered long before they ever step on a college campus.Part of a coach's job these days is know how to carefully manage a player's ego while getting the best out of that player on the court or the field.That is why you see the college coaching profession getting younger and younger, because they know what say and most importantly are willing to say the right things to these kids that thank they are born to be KINGS.If old school is not willing to change then old school is out.

[Hogtropolis™]

I remember in 1988-89 when Mario Credit left the team for a couple of days.  Most never heard about it but he was getting pushed a little hard and needed some time away.  He came back and finished out the season.

I say all that to say sometimes we don't know the whole story.  Maybe something is going on in Townes' life right now that makes him react this way.  Maybe not.  I will leave the discipline of the team up to Heath.

Bacon out...

+1
Very well put Bacon

[upperdeck_hawg]

I weathered 9-19 and 12-16 seasons with barely a complaint against Stan Heath.

I wasn't happy when he declined the NIT, but I decided to abide.

I was pleased with last season.

I don't know a great deal about the technical aspects of basketball. I leave that to the guys like Niels and ImHogginIt. As a result you will very rarely see me criticize Heath on pure basketball.

However, if Townes is allowed to return to the team this season after walking out in the middle of a game, I'm done with Heath.

Conversely, if Heath acts decisively I'm with him 100%.

That kind of thing cannot happen without serious consequences. Simply cannot. 

 

if for no reason than it frees up a scholie for a POINT GUARD, i say don't let the door hit townes on his way out

[little pigee]

Was that Darien's mama I saw walking into Frank's office??

Seriously, let's allow Stan to do his own laundry.  I think his NIT decision shows he has the backbone....

[elksnort]

Was that discipline we saw employed by an Arkansas coach? 

People deserve an opportunity to correct their mistakes, one does go to college to learn (I know a stupid thought)

If he apologizes to the coach, the team and publically to the fans, (as his display was in public during a game) and straightens his rear up, then keep him~but on a short probation leash.

If he doesn't, then don't let the door knob hit him where the dog shoulda' bit him.  That will mean more than any 4 games for which he might make a difference. 

Fair enough.

[oswilliams]

Townes does have an issue...He is frickin' Bi Polar!!!

I bet you can spot those a mile a way.

[bricklayer]

The bottom line is that Townes has all the ability in the world but he's lazy and selfish.  He pouts when he doesn't get the ball in the post but does NOTHING on defense for his team.  You can tell he's not a team player just from watching his body language on the court and on the bench.  If something doesn't go his way, he pouts.  He doesn't bow up and play and make something good happen, he pouts.  That's selfish and unacceptable.  If he did walk off the court on his own, he CAN'T be allowed remain on the team.  He's never gonna give any more effort than he's giving right now.  Heath himself said on the pregame show last night that Townes wears his emotions on his sleeve and he's not going to change.  You can't let a player walk off the court and remain on the team!  If he was told to go to the locker room, you bury him on the end of the bench behind Cyrus and make him an EXCLUSIVE practice player until he either quits or changes his attitude.  That's the only way to deal with a kid like Townes.

[311Hog]

We have enough players in the post, let Townes go.  He may have the best offensive low post game of all our big men, but he plays zero defense, and he plays soft.  And not just soft, he plays so weak it embarasses me to watch him get man handled by players 4 to 5 inches shorter then he is and a few lbs lighter.  Every team i have seen the hogs play this year has pushed townes around, that is prolly why townes has such a good fade away jumper because he has no power game and is always being pushed away from the basket.

Last nite's Tulsa game i was quiet proud of the Hogs, they showed marked improvement against a pretty good team.  They took care of the basketball, they forced turnovers, Patrick Beverly and Weems showed up to carry the scoring. And hell i rather have Hill and Manimal in the low block then Townes at least they will rebound and play D.

[Jim Harris]

I weathered 9-19 and 12-16 seasons with barely a complaint against Stan Heath.

I wasn't happy when he declined the NIT, but I decided to abide.

I was pleased with last season.

I don't know a great deal about the technical aspects of basketball. I leave that to the guys like Niels and ImHogginIt. As a result you will very rarely see me criticize Heath on pure basketball.

However, if Townes is allowed to return to the team this season after walking out in the middle of a game, I'm done with Heath.

Conversely, if Heath acts decisively I'm with him 100%.

That kind of thing cannot happen without serious consequences. Simply cannot. 

 

I remember the night Willie Cutts walked out on Eddie Sutton. In essence, he walked right into prison, because that's where he eventually ended up.

[Hog in MO]

This should'nt be a surprise to anyone that has paid any attention since Townes got here.  He has always had a piss poor attitude and a lazy streak.  I'll take Bacon's post under advisement and hold final judgement until everything comes to light, but its going to take a darn good excuse for me to forgive Townes for this one. 

[Temprees]

I can live with a Steven Hill struggling while trying his best than having Townes come back and being somewhat of an inside scorer.

And I will reserve my judgment until the whole story comes out. Good point.

Agree.

[fourthcrusade]

At what point of the game did this happen?  Wife taped the game, so I would like to go back and see if it was shown on TV.

his poor play starts around 14 min left in 1st half, timeout around 12? min 1st half, he's pulled.  he's P.O.ed in the TO.

he's benched, wedged between coaches and getting talks to, then, he's gone, and the usher looks back to the locker room