Bear Down Wildcats

This is why I avoid these boards after a big loss.

Chicat wrote: Fri Mar 25, 2022 7:00 am This is why I avoid these boards after a big loss.

Ripping into Tubelis after what he's done this year for this team to me is unconscionable.

We all saw what happened last night but JFC let's have just a modicum of perspective.

EastCoastCat wrote: Fri Mar 25, 2022 7:25 am

Chicat wrote: Fri Mar 25, 2022 7:00 am This is why I avoid these boards after a big loss.

Ripping into Tubelis after what he's done this year for this team to me is unconscionable.

We all saw what happened last night but JFC let's have just a modicum of perspective.

Yup. Hes a 19 year old kid who I'm sure wishes like hell that he had played better.

He's going to keep developing, get in the weight room, and be a dude. And even if hes not, these are 19 year old kids. They don't owe me a thing.

EastCoastCat wrote: Fri Mar 25, 2022 7:25 am

Chicat wrote: Fri Mar 25, 2022 7:00 am This is why I avoid these boards after a big loss.

Ripping into Tubelis after what he's done this year for this team to me is unconscionable.

We all saw what happened last night but JFC let's have just a modicum of perspective.

Trying to run off a first team conference player who has done nothing but put the team first, isn’t a bad apple, hasn’t at all done anything to embarrass the team or university, just because he had a few bad games is really just one of those things that turns my fucking stomach.

Zu had a bad couple of games.

He has some improvement to do.

But have some of you really forgotten the 30+ games of amazing play he gave us this year?

Everybody need to take a nap.

Zu love him. He didn't look 100 percent healthy to me either. It happens in basketball, do people forget some of our greatest players in the past had bad tournaments. Come on let's not overreact here. Zu is all conference and a big part of this team and we'd be lucky to have him back.

Looking forward to what CTL does with Zu and Ballo both - I think it's more mindset than physical tools with both of those guys.

Zu looking bewildered, Ballo hanging his head - the guys need to feel like monsters out there and they too often revert to mice. Especially given my belief that we lose Koloko to the draft.

Zu strikes me as the type of kid who doesn't like to keep loose ends untied. And Zu has some unfinished business, especially in the Big Dance. He didn't have a good tournament at all, but that's not reason to get down on him. We don't win 30 games without him. That killer instinct is one thing I think Zu is missing; the nastiness that is required Coach Miller talked about is something Zu doesn't have yet. But imagine if Zu somehow learns how to exert his will, even during the biggest game of the year! That's something I'd love to see.

RawleArenas wrote: Thu Mar 24, 2022 10:57 pm With a super stacked team. That may not happen for a long time, to have that group of players. And they were stacked this year and got beat by a far lesser defensive team than Houston. I've watched tons of basketball and we simply don't cut it defensively.

We have to make serious changes if we want to make deep runs. Sampson figured it out in a weaker conference, so can we.

This is a group without a 5 star player that was thrown together like a group of misfits that had promise. We had a pg with 7 games experience even though he was a soph. They lost 4 games and which one was to a far lessor team? The only team that could be considered a mild upset was Co. where we have won 2 out of 7. Your pulling this out your ass and quite frankly until the last 3 weeks we were a top 10 defensive team. Get some facts and come back when you are sober.

Lloyd said that he is going to teach Zu to use his right hand over the summer, and that has to be one of the hardest things to do, yet will make him a top player. Especially the last part of the season, Zu was extremely easy to defend against, since he normally went left, and always used his left hand even the few times he went right.

Also the defense treated him like James Keefe, where they would leave him wide open top of the key and dare him to shoot.

You can't be a stretch four if you can't make an open 3 point shot. Ended up a 26% 3 PT shooter.

Also was a 67% FT shooter, and in truth I didn't think he was that good. Seemed to miss at critical times, and especially on the front end of a 1 and 1.

He needs to be a gym rat, and have someone some walk on shag balls for him like Pastner used to do.

EastCoastCat wrote: Fri Mar 25, 2022 7:25 am

Chicat wrote: Fri Mar 25, 2022 7:00 am This is why I avoid these boards after a big loss.

Ripping into Tubelis after what he's done this year for this team to me is unconscionable.

We all saw what happened last night but JFC let's have just a modicum of perspective.

The troglodytes to whom this post is addressed do not know what the word modicum means, and they are too lazy to look it up.

Tubelis was the difference between a win and a loss against Houston and Houston gameplanned as such. Unfortunately the guy didn't have it. He has tons to work on and me thinks he'll rise to the occasion next season. He was our second best player all year and even after a high ankle sprain. It's his and Dalen's show next year.

I can't post tweets - the above just doesnt work, but FWIW:

Andy Morales
@AndyMorales8

The way Azuolas Tubelis is getting ripped by fans and media makes me glad there was no social media when Steve Kerr faced Oklahoma.

https://twitter.com/AndyMorales8/status ... FAIhmHDlZg

pc in NM wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 7:38 am I can't post tweets - the above just doesnt work, but FWIW:

Andy Morales
@AndyMorales8

The way Azuolas Tubelis is getting ripped by fans and media makes me glad there was no social media when Steve Kerr faced Oklahoma.

https://twitter.com/AndyMorales8/status ... FAIhmHDlZg

Even before social networking, and even the WWW, there were online text dial up BBSs like Cat Tracks, and even a Usenet PAC 10 group. I recall AOL groups too.

When the WWW started, Cat Tracks moved over, and Goazcats was created.

I can't recall anyone get more trashed online than Mustafa Shakur before or after.

Merkin wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 7:46 am

pc in NM wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 7:38 am I can't post tweets - the above just doesnt work, but FWIW:

Andy Morales
@AndyMorales8

The way Azuolas Tubelis is getting ripped by fans and media makes me glad there was no social media when Steve Kerr faced Oklahoma.

https://twitter.com/AndyMorales8/status ... FAIhmHDlZg

Even before social networking, and even the WWW, there were online text dial up BBSs like Cat Tracks, and even a Usenet PAC 10 group. I recall AOL groups too.

When the WWW started, Cat Tracks moved over, and Goazcats was created.

I can't recall anyone get more trashed online than Mustafa Shakur before or after.

The first groups that I participated in were on America Online. I remember defending Reggie Geary against harsh criticism at the time. His senior season ('95/'96) I posted a weekly focus on his week titled "The Geary Report" detailing his performance and stats. By the end of the year, even a couple of ucla posters admitted he was good!!

In '96-'97, I'm not sure where I was posting, but the entire team was mercilessly trashed after the regular season final weekend in the Bay Area. Four weeks later, not a singe poster would admit to questioning the quality or character of both the players and Lute!!!!

I think Tubelis can have a Pac 12 POY level player next year. Needs to improve his left hand, extend range to 3, get a bit stronger with the ball and improve on defense but all of it can be accomplished. He's a really talented kid who can be the centerpiece of a really talented 2022-23 Arizona team.

RaisingArizona wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 8:17 am I think Tubelis can have a Pac 12 POY level player next year. Needs to improve his left hand, extend range to 3, get a bit stronger with the ball and improve on defense but all of it can be accomplished. He's a really talented kid who can be the centerpiece of a really talented 2022-23 Arizona team.

His left hand or right hand? His left hand is fine and he has no right hand whatsoever.

Isn't his twin brother also on scholarship? If so, the big question becomes is AT worth 2 scholarships. 1st 2/3s of the season, yes. Last 1/3 of the season, no.

aznavcat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:37 am Isn't his twin brother also on scholarship? If so, the big question becomes is AT worth 2 scholarships. 1st 2/3s of the season, yes. Last 1/3 of the season, no.

This is silly. We left a scholarship open this year. Tautvilas isn’t standing in anyone’s way, and still won’t likely be when the IARP hands down sentencing.

Chicat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:47 am

aznavcat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:37 am Isn't his twin brother also on scholarship? If so, the big question becomes is AT worth 2 scholarships. 1st 2/3s of the season, yes. Last 1/3 of the season, no.

This is silly. We left a scholarship open this year. Tautvilas isn’t standing in anyone’s way, and still won’t likely be when the IARP hands down sentencing.

Agree his scholarship didn't affect anything this year.

If the IARP cuts 2/3 scholarships off our roster for the next couple of years he will most certainly be standing in the way. We could easily find ourselves with only 9-10 scholarships to hand out......each one will be quite valuable. That extra scholarship could mean the difference between having 7 or 8 serviceable players.

I wish there were somehow a way to explain this to Tubelis and all of our players. There are multiple types of sentiments among the Arizona fan community, but only two that apply here:

1) The more vocal but less widespread view that reduces players to individual performances game to game, and that weigh value mostly by recent performance.

2) The less vocal more but widespread view that once a player contributes in a way that shows who they are, they're a part of Arizona Basketball forever, and we'll go over the edge with them before we'd wish them cut loose to win without them.

In connection with latter view, what dominates now is our excitement over Tubelis developing in the off-season and coming back to answer to his critics and kick ass even more than last year and to take us over the threshold we're headed for.

ChooChooCat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 8:26 am

RaisingArizona wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 8:17 am I think Tubelis can have a Pac 12 POY level player next year. Needs to improve his left hand, extend range to 3, get a bit stronger with the ball and improve on defense but all of it can be accomplished. He's a really talented kid who can be the centerpiece of a really talented 2022-23 Arizona team.

His left hand or right hand? His left hand is fine and he has no right hand whatsoever.

I remember Fat Lever talking about this at a coaches clinic at my basketball camp. He said there are high school varsity and college players who's ceiling is set by being one-handed. But when the player is ready to overcome that, the coaches put them on a regimen they have to follow in practice and in every waking hour of the day, where they aren't allowed to do any one-handed activity with their strong arm: brush teeth, write, reach for things, open a door, etc. They live and breathe the other hand while the coaches train them to go left (or right in Zu's case).

dmjcat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:52 am

Chicat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:47 am

aznavcat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:37 am Isn't his twin brother also on scholarship? If so, the big question becomes is AT worth 2 scholarships. 1st 2/3s of the season, yes. Last 1/3 of the season, no.

This is silly. We left a scholarship open this year. Tautvilas isn’t standing in anyone’s way, and still won’t likely be when the IARP hands down sentencing.

Agree his scholarship didn't affect anything this year.

If the IARP cuts 2/3 scholarships off our roster for the next couple of years he will most certainly be standing in the way. We could easily find ourselves with only 9-10 scholarships to hand out......each one will be quite valuable. That extra scholarship could mean the difference between having 7 or 8 serviceable players.

There are 13 scholarships, so if we lose 3 that’s 10. We aren’t losing 4 per year. There’s no precedent for losing a quarter of your team. And if we’ve already given out the scholarship, the NCAA allows you to defer that reduction to the next year. The NCAA doesn’t want the PR problem of making programs take away scholarships from currently enrolled students.

He’s not standing in anyone’s way. And if he was, that new player would have to be better than Azoulis. You let me know who that guy is.

Chicat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 10:21 am

dmjcat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:52 am

Chicat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:47 am

aznavcat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:37 am Isn't his twin brother also on scholarship? If so, the big question becomes is AT worth 2 scholarships. 1st 2/3s of the season, yes. Last 1/3 of the season, no.

This is silly. We left a scholarship open this year. Tautvilas isn’t standing in anyone’s way, and still won’t likely be when the IARP hands down sentencing.

Agree his scholarship didn't affect anything this year.

If the IARP cuts 2/3 scholarships off our roster for the next couple of years he will most certainly be standing in the way. We could easily find ourselves with only 9-10 scholarships to hand out......each one will be quite valuable. That extra scholarship could mean the difference between having 7 or 8 serviceable players.

There are 13 scholarships, so if we lose 3 that’s 10. We aren’t losing 4 per year. There’s no precedent for losing a quarter of your team. And if we’ve already given out the scholarship, the NCAA allows you to defer that reduction to the next year. The NCAA doesn’t want the PR problem of making programs take away scholarships from currently enrolled students.

He’s not standing in anyone’s way. And if he was, that new player would have to be better than Azoulis. You let me know who that guy is.

Longhorned wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 10:03 am I remember Fat Lever talking about this at a coaches clinic at my basketball camp. He said there are high school varsity and college players who's ceiling is set by being one-handed. But when the player is ready to overcome that, the coaches put them on a regimen they have to follow in practice and in every waking hour of the day, where they aren't allowed to do any one-handed activity with their strong arm: brush teeth, write, reach for things, open a door, etc. They live and breathe the other hand while the coaches train them to go left (or right in Zu's case).

I was a computer programmer for over 30 years, and about 10 years or so ago switched my mouse hand to my non-dominant hand, being my left.

Did it for a couple of reasons, one is that I can now use my right hand to take notes with a pen without taking my left hand off my mouse, but primarily it strengthens the neural connections between the left and right hands of your brain. Therefore making your brain healthier, which is important once you get to my age.

Now I sometimes use a screwdriver with my left hand without even realizing it.


https://www.goodfinancialcents.com/bene ... n%20remote.

Chicat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 10:21 am

dmjcat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:52 am

Chicat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:47 am

aznavcat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:37 am Isn't his twin brother also on scholarship? If so, the big question becomes is AT worth 2 scholarships. 1st 2/3s of the season, yes. Last 1/3 of the season, no.

This is silly. We left a scholarship open this year. Tautvilas isn’t standing in anyone’s way, and still won’t likely be when the IARP hands down sentencing.

Agree his scholarship didn't affect anything this year.

If the IARP cuts 2/3 scholarships off our roster for the next couple of years he will most certainly be standing in the way. We could easily find ourselves with only 9-10 scholarships to hand out......each one will be quite valuable. That extra scholarship could mean the difference between having 7 or 8 serviceable players.

There are 13 scholarships, so if we lose 3 that’s 10. We aren’t losing 4 per year. There’s no precedent for losing a quarter of your team. And if we’ve already given out the scholarship, the NCAA allows you to defer that reduction to the next year. The NCAA doesn’t want the PR problem of making programs take away scholarships from currently enrolled students.

He’s not standing in anyone’s way. And if he was, that new player would have to be better than Azoulis. You let me know who that guy is.

Your argument has multiple holes ;

There are always a number of excellent players that enter the portal in the offseason

The IARP may drop the scholarship limitation at any time.......and then we are stuck with what we have

That new player only has to be better than Tautvilas.

ChooChooCat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 11:14 am

Chicat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 10:21 am

dmjcat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:52 am

Chicat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:47 am

aznavcat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:37 am Isn't his twin brother also on scholarship? If so, the big question becomes is AT worth 2 scholarships. 1st 2/3s of the season, yes. Last 1/3 of the season, no.

This is silly. We left a scholarship open this year. Tautvilas isn’t standing in anyone’s way, and still won’t likely be when the IARP hands down sentencing.

Agree his scholarship didn't affect anything this year.

If the IARP cuts 2/3 scholarships off our roster for the next couple of years he will most certainly be standing in the way. We could easily find ourselves with only 9-10 scholarships to hand out......each one will be quite valuable. That extra scholarship could mean the difference between having 7 or 8 serviceable players.

There are 13 scholarships, so if we lose 3 that’s 10. We aren’t losing 4 per year. There’s no precedent for losing a quarter of your team. And if we’ve already given out the scholarship, the NCAA allows you to defer that reduction to the next year. The NCAA doesn’t want the PR problem of making programs take away scholarships from currently enrolled students.

He’s not standing in anyone’s way. And if he was, that new player would have to be better than Azoulis. You let me know who that guy is.

Shouldn't you be over at Wildcat Authority getting some more "insider" information to pass on??

dmjcat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 11:33 am

Chicat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 10:21 am

dmjcat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:52 am

Chicat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:47 am

aznavcat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:37 am Isn't his twin brother also on scholarship? If so, the big question becomes is AT worth 2 scholarships. 1st 2/3s of the season, yes. Last 1/3 of the season, no.

This is silly. We left a scholarship open this year. Tautvilas isn’t standing in anyone’s way, and still won’t likely be when the IARP hands down sentencing.

Agree his scholarship didn't affect anything this year.

If the IARP cuts 2/3 scholarships off our roster for the next couple of years he will most certainly be standing in the way. We could easily find ourselves with only 9-10 scholarships to hand out......each one will be quite valuable. That extra scholarship could mean the difference between having 7 or 8 serviceable players.

There are 13 scholarships, so if we lose 3 that’s 10. We aren’t losing 4 per year. There’s no precedent for losing a quarter of your team. And if we’ve already given out the scholarship, the NCAA allows you to defer that reduction to the next year. The NCAA doesn’t want the PR problem of making programs take away scholarships from currently enrolled students.

He’s not standing in anyone’s way. And if he was, that new player would have to be better than Azoulis. You let me know who that guy is.

Your argument has multiple holes ;

There are always a number of excellent players that enter the portal in the offseason

The IARP may drop the scholarship limitation at any time.......and then we are stuck with what we have

That new player only has to be better than Tautvilas .

The bolded means you don’t have the brain of a small child.

If by some insane reason we lose 3 scholarships per year as a punishment and we find a guy better than Tautvilas…but not better than Azoulas…you think we’re telling both brothers to take a hike so we can get 1 guy and have an extra open slot?

That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever read…and I’ve seen a lot of stuff you post.

Merkin wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 11:25 am

Longhorned wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 10:03 am I remember Fat Lever talking about this at a coaches clinic at my basketball camp. He said there are high school varsity and college players who's ceiling is set by being one-handed. But when the player is ready to overcome that, the coaches put them on a regimen they have to follow in practice and in every waking hour of the day, where they aren't allowed to do any one-handed activity with their strong arm: brush teeth, write, reach for things, open a door, etc. They live and breathe the other hand while the coaches train them to go left (or right in Zu's case).

I was a computer programmer for over 30 years, and about 10 years or so ago switched my mouse hand to my non-dominant hand, being my left.

Did it for a couple of reasons, one is that I can now use my right hand to take notes with a pen without taking my left hand off my mouse, but primarily it strengthens the neural connections between the left and right hands of your brain. Therefore making your brain healthier, which is important once you get to my age.

Now I sometimes use a screwdriver with my left hand without even realizing it.


https://www.goodfinancialcents.com/bene ... n%20remote.

My dominant hand is my left and almost always use the mouse with my tight hand. Both feel okay. I would rather use my non dominant hand. I always deal cards with my right hand. When playing basketball I practiced shooting with both hands around the rim. Dribbled with both hands, but went to a small school on Indiana. 6’1” and played center.

Catintheheat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 11:40 am My dominant hand is my left and almost always use the mouse with my tight hand. Both feel okay. I would rather use my non dominant hand. I always deal cards with my right hand. When playing basketball I practiced shooting with both hands around the rim. Dribbled with both hands, but went to a small school on Indiana. 6’1” and played center.

My mother-in-law was left handed and went to a parochial school in CT. The nuns would hit her left hand with a ruler if she tried to write with her left hand.

“The Devil himself was considered a southpaw, and he and other evil spirits were always conjured up by left-handed gestures.”

She used her right hand to write until the day she died. Everything else was left handed.

My dad, also left handed, went to parochial school in MN but never had an issue writing left handed there.

My dad played high school basketball in Urbana, IN and was center. Think he was 6'1" too, or maybe 6'2".

This thread is getting dangerously close to having the most idiotic takes and that’s saying something.

AT and his brother are not going anywhere no matter what happens.

And it’s not about Zu getting better with his right hand. It’s about him being able to learn to go to his right which is a big difference. Nobody says anything about the hundreds of right handers using their left hand as long as they can go left and create a shot.

If he can learn to hit a little mid range turnaround or step back jumper that’s what I would like to see. He does have a fundamentally good stroke.

dmjcat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 11:34 am
Shouldn't you be over at Wildcat Authority getting some more "insider" information to pass on??

Quit being so obsessed with me Becky, I'm a married man. Take it up with Chicat though, he's the one who took your moronic ass to school. He doesn't need me to handle his light weight.

ChooChooCat wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 8:26 am

RaisingArizona wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 8:17 am I think Tubelis can have a Pac 12 POY level player next year. Needs to improve his left hand, extend range to 3, get a bit stronger with the ball and improve on defense but all of it can be accomplished. He's a really talented kid who can be the centerpiece of a really talented 2022-23 Arizona team.

His left hand or right hand? His left hand is fine and he has no right hand whatsoever.

Whoops. I meant his right hand. Thanks for the correction.

Motivated by poor NCAA Tournament performance, Azuolas Tubelis ready to show greater physicality
By Ezra Amacher Oct 18, 2022, 1:00pm PDT

Seven months later, Azuolas Tubelis is still unsure what to make of his disappointing performance at the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

“Personally, I don’t know what happened.”

“Maybe I was surprised,” he said, mulling over the increased physicality he faced against TCU and Houston. “Maybe I didn’t take it serious.”

March Madness, he learned, is a different beast mentally than anything he’s faced before.

Whatever the culprit behind Tubelis’ March malaise, he doesn’t want to feel that way again.

“I know I wasn’t good at all.”

https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketbal ... uston-ncaa

Well shit I think that means he is good.

A man amongst boys last night. Great moves. Great game.

He was dominant and so self-assured. Besides next level post moves, running the floor for easy buckets, he hit that little mid-range shot (which will be needed for zone defenses) and he didn't jack up that 3 in one possession even though nobody would have blamed him for taking it.

And he hits the boards as hard as anyone.

Only thing was his defense - his defense on those ball screens was not that great. Even though I thought I saw a bunch of moving screens that were not called (either that or only Pac12 officials call them Lol).

Two tough games coming up to really show out. Get that MVP tournament award here and he will be rolling

It's quite funny to read back on how the sky was falling last March in this thread.

threenumberones wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 12:23 pm It's quite funny to read back on how the sky was falling last March in this thread.

He looked like crap last March. Even he would tell you that.

SDST is a good test, but would like to see how he does against Arkansas assuming they make it to the Championship game.

CardiacCats97 wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 12:29 pm

threenumberones wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 12:23 pm It's quite funny to read back on how the sky was falling last March in this thread.

He looked like crap last March. Even he would tell you that.

I don't think anyone was on hard as Zu as he was on himself. His conditioning is outstanding now.

Tonight will be a big test for him and Ballo. They don't need 20/10's again but will need to guard better. Hope the guys on the outside are ready to hit.

CardiacCats97 wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 12:29 pm

threenumberones wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 12:23 pm It's quite funny to read back on how the sky was falling last March in this thread.

He looked like crap last March. Even he would tell you that.

For sure. I remember the games well. It just reminds us that some perspective is important.

Cardio and leg work

It has to be mental with him once he misses a couple east ones. It just compounds from there.

He also seems so lazy on defense. With his size and athleticism he should do more on the defensive end; especially rebounding.

Didn’t he have 19?
There was a play near the end where the rebound was coming at him but he never left the floor and a Ute cam up and deflected it.

Seems like a lot of guys get tired legs, maybe from running so much? IDK, I’m just frustrated.