Seattlehog - Delaware State

[vector4dz]

I HATE A PARADE - Delaware State 2014-15




It's a busy week for me. I'm sure you don't care but I just wanted to throw that out there.

Two basketball games and a football game in 3 and a half days.  "Project Runway All-Stars" AND "Top Chef" AND 2 episodes of "Vanderpump Rules" (that Kristin really pisses me off) demanding attention on the DVR. Lighting the lights on Fayetteville Square. Oh - and work.(All you people with coughs and drippy noses and sinus pressure - I'm sick of you. There I said it.  I feel better now.)

Plus Ellis keeps handing me catalogues with various toys and dolls circled and saying "Tell Santa" then walking off without another word.

I'm considering blowing the lid off this Santa scam early. Maybe let her tell her friends too. It would make her like some sort of preschool Super-Villain.

The lights at the Square were cool and Ellis was particularly impressed with our modern mastery of electricity. The parade was most notable because the first 3 floats featured an always creepy Ronald McDonald, the Chik-fila cows, and a Subway van pulling a sleigh. I was hoping the next two floats would be sponsored by a weight loss surgeon and diabetes meds.

Going into the game the sky had this weird apocalyptic red glow. (Ellis posited the theory that "The sky has a Boo-Boo". ) It took us a while to figure out it was coming from the stadium.

Is this a thing they do every game week? I like it. It's like a Bat Signal. Or maybe like one of those fly zappers - drawing fans to the light like zombies - only to be buzzed to death by terrible weather or trampled by overweight band members in rain ponchos. (I'm a little bitter about the football weather this season. )

Anyhoo - I will try to crank this out and get a football post out on Sunday. But remember that I'm having to stretch the jokes over 3 write-ups this week so things are likely to get a bit lame(r).




ON TO THE EVALS

ALANDISE HARRIS: The Beast may have been listening to me. Or to everyone else that has ever watched him play. He was GREAT. He took one silly fadeaway and the whole stadium groaned but other than that he was physical and opportunistic.  He scored at the rim and played under control. Please please please let this be the new Beast. I like this one.


KY MADDEN: Was borderline tremendous. He was the best of the PGs. Distributed beautifully with a couple of highlight assists.  Pushed tempo without forcing the action.  He got some nice run with the second group and I really like him there. He gives a bit of offense and might even make that pressure group BETTER defensively. 

----- They give away pizzas at one timeout and throw t-shirts at another. I'm not making demands or anything - I'm just saying that if Ellis doesn't get one of those things thrown/given to her soon she might shank a mascot. You've been warned. -----


BOBBY PORTIS: While his release is slow - his shooting from both mid-range and deep looks great. He played a consistent star level game. I think sometimes the motion offense doesn't play to his strengths in that he should be the primary option on most possessions and often he isn't. A few high or wing pick and pops would be nice too.  My only beef is that he is tipping rather than grabbing too many boards. His narrow shoulders hurt him here as people ride his back and don't get called. His ball handling has looked really good.

MIKE QUALLS: Played really really well. His 3 pointer looks great. He had a couple dribble drives with some good results. His dunks remain the starting point of almost every run.
He needs to find the ball more. He should be a GREAT rebounder not an average one. Offensive rebounds are an area he can really pick it up.

----- There is this moment, this subtle pause in time, when you are at a game and you see the floor open up.  You see Qualls or Jacorrey free - off the ball - on the wing on a break or after a steal. They are 30 feet from the rim but you see it when they do. You see the ball opposite and Ky or Jabril or Anton has it and they are looking up at the rim and they are gathering to throw a lob.

Time really does stand still I think. All the air gets sucked out of the stadium because we all see it at the same time and there is this dead silence - like an action movie has switched to slow-mo.

And then there is the catch and slam and all at once we are back to real time and real speed and the whole place rocks at the same pitch.

It's a special thing, those moments. They are the BEST thing about being at games.

(I don't have a joke here. Just wanted to share. ) -------

ANT BELL: His stat line looks better than he played.  He wasn't bad or anything but that first group gets really stagnant and they need him ripping jumpers from the get go - not getting hot in garbage time.

------ I might have some issues with the new Stat Girl. She seems to be TOO together. She had on black slacks and an untucked red blouse and a gold necklace. Her blonde hair was combed and in place. I like my stalk-ees to seem a little more unsure of themselves, a little more damaged. I feel like slightly crazy women are much more in my wheelhouse. Beautiful, self-assured, competent? Who needs that in their life? ------


JACORREY WILLIAMS: Has become part of a superhero duo with Manny. His first rotation wasn't nearly as good as recent ones but after that he was great. He touches EVERYTHING and forces weird passes that get picked off. He needs to only shoot from 8 feet in.

MANNY WATKINS: The revelation of the season so far continues to impress.  He in no way looks like a walk-on athletically. His energy is infectious to the crowd AND the team. I would love it if he could develop a reliable shot from 3 but that's just being greedy.


------ Manny is Ellis's favorite player and it isn't even close. This is because her current favorite show is "Handy Manny" featuring Wilmer Valderrama as the voice of Manny. (Watching shows like this is the WORST part of having a kid. The Disney Channel is an evil suckfest meant to drain patience and intelligence from our parental bodies.) Anyway - Manny now has a nickname. He IS Handy Manny. -------


JABRIL DURHAM: Was off. Had a horrible turnover on a flat pass across the top then blew a bunny (hehe - I said "blew a bunny") after a nice drive. It happens. I still like him a lot.

ANTON BEARD: Had a shocking number of rebounds although I think a few were off his own misses. 3 pointer wasn't there but otherwise he played well.  He defends well - oozes confidence, competence, and control.

MO KINGSLEY: (Insert standard beef about not being paired with Portis here). He is reliable and essentially makes the pressure of the second unit possible with his back-end rim protection. Has great defensive instincts.


------ Getting back to the parade on the Square - I have a question. Outside of kids 5 and under and beauty queens from unknown pageants - does ANYBODY like a parade? It's like every time I'm at one all I can do is think of the various terrorist plots that would work PERFECTLY right now. (Maybe I should keep those thoughts to myself. ) -------


NICK BABB: MORE PLEASE!!  He got his run late but MAN he looks good in every conceivable way.  I love that he is a natural shooter but his ball handling, passing, and defense (even shot blocking) looked really really good. Somebody is going to lose minutes to this kid. A guy with his size that can hit the 3 and play defense is just too valuable.

KEATON MILES: Not seeing regular rotation minutes yet. This is more just a fact of the quality of the first two units so far. He can rebound if nothing else. Hopefully we get to see more.

TREY THOMPSON: Did fine. He has really good size and seems to have nice hands if slow feet. Just isn't room for him in the current rotations.



Unlike other seasons this one doesn't have prolonged runs of chumps.  I'm not sure what to expect on the road in Dallas or Ames. What I hope for is PRESSURE and not caving to the "slow it down on the road" stuff. We will learn a lot. I think we beat SMU and lose at ISU but we will see.

I'm excited - these guys are good and fun and have lots of room to improve.

Until Next Time
Seattle

Twitter: @seattlehog

http://seattlehog.org/

[HF#1]

Indeed.  I hope that attempted lob off the backboard was the low light of Durham's year.  He can only go up from there, right?

[JenksHawg]

Seattlehog - love your commentary, I'm thinking you should apply for Bill Simmons' job when ESPN gives him the imminent boot!  Or, are you really Bill Simmons undercover? Yes, I'll admit I'm a big Sports Guy fan.

[mhuff]

Great post.....

I am really wanting to see Thompson play for many reasons. If Portis goes pro, we are going to need a player with ability in there. We really need Kapita to not miss a beat inside.