Folks, Calm Down on Ervin....

[jeffreyw]

He won the game for us in overtime when no one else would. Show the man some love when he does right. We are 2-0 in the SEC and 13-3 overall - find some happiness please.

[merccedes]

I agree, there have been many times I wish he wasnt on the floor, hell even on the team, but today he was the difference down the stretch.

[jacksonhawg]

I wanted to freaking hug him!!

[31to6]

He is a good defender. Just makes some of the most frustrating mistakes possible on offense--particularly against zone defenses. Wish we had a better PG because I think he'd look A LOT better as a '2' than he does trying to carry the PG load for 32 minutes.

[jgphillips3]

He made some terrible decisions in the game.  He made some outstanding plays in the game too.  Typical Ervin - Inconsistent.  You want to choke him one minute and hug him the next.  Congrats on hitting the basket(s) that sealed the deal for us though, he definitely deserves his props for that.

[porkenstein]

kids got huge balls and never quits.

[Brand X Hog Fan]

That's why in the Gary Ervin poll thread I voted "hate to love him." Should be mad as hell at the kid but he always redeems himself. I know he is playing his heart out every time he's on the floor. That is all we can ask of him. Good Job Gary. Pass the Maalox, please.

[Maverick Razorback]

Great job Ervin. I know he makes his share of mistakes..but no doubt he plays his hardest.

[Bohawg]

He plays with no fear and no brains.  It just means he's gonna do some good things and some not.  You just hafta hope the dumb ones don't cost us the game, and the good out weighs the bad.  Unfortunatley he is the best we have right now.  I would like to see more of Britt.  There won't be as much good stuff but hopefully he would not do some of the really foolish stuff.

[Smokehouse]

great in overtime, but he didn't show up until then. We're going to be playing some teams that won't let him wait that long to get going.

[Tomhog™]

He had a nice string of plays on OT.  He put the team on his back and carried them to the win for those 5 minutes.  The first 40 weren't anything I'd expect of a senior PG.  But he did make up for it. 

[ConwayHog]

Have to give him a pat on the back this evening.  I wanted to kick him out of the gym with the turnover at three minutes.  I honestly think he is better at spotting up than trying to drive.  He seems to get himself into trouble.  If he'll just play under control and take a few jumpers as they come to him, we can definitely get some decent minutes. 

While we're talking about point guards, Welsh needs to ease up on the jumpers without even making a pass to start the offense.  He's still stuck in shooting guard mode. 

But hey, I'm not griping too much.  It's great to be 2-0 in conference play.  Seems like we were always starting 1-3 these last few years.

[rosser33]

can't knock the kid's heart...i found myself screaming no! then jumping up and down wondering why he cant do what he did at the end of the game the whole time...he seemed a little more under control and the shots he took weren't quite as forced like the usual drive and hope to get fouled circus shots...im glad he did good...he was def the man this evening..GO GARY!!

[parrishw]

He won the game for us in overtime when no one else would. Show the man some love when he does right. We are 2-0 in the SEC and 13-3 overall - find some happiness please.

Had he not made so many boneheaded plays in regulation we would not have been in overtime so why should I show him any love?

His bull s**t plays costs us at least 8 points in regulation.

I said a few days ago that I was off his back because he seemed to be doing a better job and making better decisions with Pel's coaching and then he comes into BWA and regresses back to his stupid self looking like a Freshman again.

If I had the power he would have not come out from the locker room after half time and he would lose his schollie today.

I would rather lose without him than win with him.

He is an idiot and he got lucky in overtime. That's all

[arkjay19]

I'm pretty sure everyone was giving Ervin respect after that performance.  But for the rest of the game and in a lot of other games he is a liability jacking up shots (of course that is a common thing on this team), making bad decisions, mishandling the ball, etc. 

He played great in overtime, but that was an exception, not an example.

[HawgAdvocate]

Had he not made so many boneheaded plays in regulation we would not have been in overtime so why should I show him any love?

His bull s**t plays costs us at least 8 points in regulation.

I said a few days ago that I was off his back because he seemed to be doing a better job and making better decisions with Pel's coaching and then he comes into BWA and regresses back to his stupid self looking like a Freshman again.

If I had the power he would have not come out from the locker room after half time and he would lose his schollie today.

I would rather lose without him than win with him.

He is an idiot and he got lucky in overtime. That's all

Jeez, tell us how you really feel. I'm damn glad you aren't coaching. You'd end up running off the whole team.

[porcine1]

Had he not made so many boneheaded plays in regulation we would not have been in overtime so why should I show him any love?

His bull s**t plays costs us at least 8 points in regulation.

I said a few days ago that I was off his back because he seemed to be doing a better job and making better decisions with Pel's coaching and then he comes into BWA and regresses back to his stupid self looking like a Freshman again.

If I had the power he would have not come out from the locker room after half time and he would lose his schollie today.

I would rather lose without him than win with him.

He is an idiot and he got lucky in overtime. That's all

No more an idiot than you are.

[parrishw]

Jeez, tell us how you really feel. I'm damn glad you aren't coaching. You'd end up running off the whole team.

No I would not and I am glad I am not coaching also. I don't have the patience I once had with players like Ervin.

[parrishw]

No more an idiot than you are.

Well............thank for your obviously well thought out contribution.

[jeffreyw]

I'd rather lose without him, than win with him??? C'mon man. That is absurd.

[parrishw]

I'd rather lose without him, than win with him??? C'mon man. That is absurd.

I know.....a little strong................but I am so tired after the last several years of watching bad point guard play that I lose all sense of reason myself sometimes.

Too many years of really good basketball at BWA has me expecting to see a Freshman make boneheaded mistakes and a Junior and a Senior to play like they are ready to at least play in Europe if not the NBA.

I am sure that Gary Ervin believes every time he takes the ball into the frontcourt that he has a legitimate chance to score.

So, how many times does he have to have his ass handed to him before he figures it out. I played point, 2 guard and finally the 3/4 position as I got taller and heavier. I knew better than to do that kind of thing and I expect somebody that has a scholarship to play DIV-1 to be smarter than I was.

Against Baylor and Auburn he looked like he was finally getting it then he regressed to looking like a Freshman against the Tide.

Then, in an overtime that we should not have had to play, he get's lucky and he looks like a Senior leader a little bit, Thank God.

So, if I were the coach and had left his young ass sittin' in the locker room after the first half to make a point and get his attention we might have lost.

Good thing he has Pel workin' with him instead of an middle aged, impatient guy like me.

So, call me an idiot and disagree with me all you want but I want a National Championship again sometime in my lifetime and I really don't have time for people that do the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.

That is a clear sign of idiocy and one of the narrow definitions of insanity.

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein

When he or any player other than a Freshman does that kind of thing it drives me up a wall so I will vent from time to time.

If it bothers you then pay no attention to the grayheaded guy behind the curtain.

Go Hogs

[HawgAdvocate]

So, call me an idiot and disagree with me all you want but I want a National Championship again sometime in my lifetime and I really don't have time for people that do the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.

That is a clear sign of idiocy and one of the narrow definitions of insanity.

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein

But Ervin didn't do the same thing this time...this time he made the clutch shot and the clutch free throws to help seal the win...

Another Einstein quote:"The truth of a theory is in your mind, not in your eyes."

[parrishw]

But Ervin didn't do the same thing this time...this time he made the clutch shot and the clutch free throws to help seal the win...

Another Einstein quote:"The truth of a theory is in your mind, not in your eyes."

Well said and lucky for us that this time he did not miss the entire backboard as he did in the Auburn game.

and give the kid this..........he makes clutch free throws. I said a few days ago that I figured he missed that last free throw in the Auburn game on purpose because Pel probably told him to since we had a two possession advantage and 11 or 12 seconds on the clock. Missing it kept the clock running and Ervin rarely misses a free throw of any kind. I was then, and remained convinced now, that he missed that one on purpose.

My problem with him is the times it looks like he is not doing what a smart coach would have him do. Like he is just doing whatever with no theory in his mind as you say.

and if I thought he actually had a theory in his mind rather than just having a narrow tunnel vision that leads him in to making poor decisions with a basketball we would not be having this discussion.

At this stage in his career I think he should............and I do not believe he does.. IMHO

[hogturtle]

I know I'm not the sharpest chisel in the tool pouch; but, I have a sense that Pelphrey might be. Even though I lose my patience with Ervin multiple times during a game (resulting in much loud screaming), I'm gonna go with the coach on this. I believe Ervin is the best we've got, I believe Pelphrey will get all out of him that is possible, and, therefore, I believe he gives us our best chance to win. What else you gonna do?

[Rhog]

He makes a lot of mistakes; however he does have the guts to pull the trigger when other do not.  That was an incredible shot with a lot of pressure.  Thanks you Gary for that one!

[parrishw]

I know I'm not the sharpest chisel in the tool pouch; but, I have a sense that Pelphrey might be. Even though I lose my patience with Ervin multiple times during a game (resulting in much loud screaming), I'm gonna go with the coach on this. I believe Ervin is the best we've got, I believe Pelphrey will get all out of him that is possible, and, therefore, I believe he gives us our best chance to win. What else you gonna do?

I agree.  I trust Pelphrey, but I still scream as you do and this board is where I vent.

and I don't just scream at Ervin believe me. I was down on Weems for the last few years and thought he was not living up to his billing.

As the season continues I see more and more positives every game. I just kinda felt like Ervin let us down a little against Bama after looking so much improved against Baylor and Auburn and although I came into the season thinking we might get an NIT bid I had begun to think we might just get an at large to the dance.
We will not make it with any lapses by anyone.

That is a lot of pressure on these kids and on Pel. A wise old man told me once the hardest virtue to acquire was patience. I have to agree with that and I will try to think about that before I go off on a player in the future.

I coached a few basketball teams to modest success in my younger days and I had kids like Ervin that drove me to distraction. I would swear up and down that I was gonna bench them for good but by the time the next practice rolled around I was right out there working with them again.

I kept telling myself that 'They are just kids"......and they are

God love 'em

Go Hogs

[jeffreyw]

Hogturtle... I agree. I have asked myself the same question. Here are three things I have thought about - I would be open to everyone's thoughts.

1. Stefan Welsh is talented, but too selfish and does not know when to make the extra pass. He is talented but not there yet. He is learning.
2. I will take Ervin over McCurdy anyday. The LSU game (I think it was) shook that dude.
3. Pelphrey has a basketball mind. He knows that Gary is going to have his turnovers and he is coaching him through them, but Ervin has SEC 'speed' that we need. I would like somone to do a breakdown of Ervin's TOs and the team TOs to see what the research really says. Heck, an Ervin TO is just as bad as a 7 footer not rebounding on the offensive or defensive end.

People like Pelphrey because he is honest, he will chew when they need chewing and he will praise them when they need praise. He is not going to blow smoke at you because this is to serious. Pitino and Donovan are the same way. Time will tell.

[HawgAdvocate]

Hogturtle... I agree. I have asked myself the same question. Here are three things I have thought about - I would be open to everyone's thoughts.

1. Stefan Welsh is talented, but too selfish and does not know when to make the extra pass. He is talented but not there yet. He is learning.
2. I will take Ervin over McCurdy anyday. The LSU game (I think it was) shook that dude.
3. Pelphrey has a basketball mind. He knows that Gary is going to have his turnovers and he is coaching him through them, but Ervin has SEC 'speed' that we need. I would like somone to do a breakdown of Ervin's TOs and the team TOs to see what the research really says. Heck, an Ervin TO is just as bad as a 7 footer not rebounding on the offensive or defensive end.

People like Pelphrey because he is honest, he will chew when they need chewing and he will praise them when they need praise. He is not going to blow smoke at you because this is to serious. Pitino and Donovan are the same way. Time will tell.

I agree with everything except #1 regarding Welsh. I don't think he's to selfish, but I think he's to timid. I don't think he really enjoys playing PG, because he rarely tries to create...he's a catch and shoot guy who happens to know his role is to pass, and not score. If he was selfish, he'd be taking a lot of unnecessary shots. But he's only attempted 20 shots in his last six games (average 3.33 FG attempts/game, 2.83 dimes/game, & 22.67 minutes/game).

I'm sure he's ready for Fortson and Clarke to get here so he can focus more on stretching the defense and less on sharing the sugar.

[parrishw]

I agree with everything except #1 regarding Welsh. I don't think he's to selfish, but I think he's to timid. I don't think he really enjoys playing PG, because he rarely tries to create...he's a catch and shoot guy who happens to know his role is to pass, and not score. If he was selfish, he'd be taking a lot of unnecessary shots. But he's only attempted 20 shots in his last six games (average 3.33 FG attempts/game, 2.83 dimes/game, & 22.67 minutes/game).

I'm sure he's ready for Fortson and Clarke to get here so he can focus more on stretching the defense and less on sharing the sugar.

I think you both are making valid points and I agree Welsh is playing and understandin his role even though his instincts would lead him to do other things.

Nice article in The Morning news this morning about Gary Ervin and I have to agree with it that he has kept a good attitude even though losing the starting role. The article read like Ryan Malashock might have been reading this thread over the last few days.
I feel almost chastised for the attitude I have displayed.

No TV for the South Carolina game.........that stinks