Woodbury

[Biggusblockus]

Woody is an Iowa kid that deserves better than to be ripped apart by a bunch of morons who couldn't run up and down the court five times without passing out. I'm sure no one is more disappointed than him. It's upsetting to lose they way that they did, especially to Iowa State but let's get some perspective here. Rip on Fran all you want he's the only one getting paid. These are still "kids" and most are giving 100%.

 

[trj]

Yes, he is a disappointment in terms of what he was rated coming out of HS, I'll give you that argument all day. But for all intents in purposes we've known what we've had in him for the four last years. He's a serviceable defensive center that has been a part of some pretty solid teams. The thing that has been frustrating is year in and year out people on here think over the offseason he is going to become Kareem the dream, and then we have these threads pop up. He's never going to be an overly athletic guy, he's never going to have long arms, and anyone with any basketball sense could see that from day one. Over the offseason all I heard on these boards is, Woody has to give us 10-12 PPG and stay out of foul trouble. Well (knock on wood) he's stayed out of foul trouble so far and is averaging about 10 pts, with his better games, in terms of scoring, coming against the better competition, so he's pretty much met expectations. Again, if you learn to temper expectation for AW, and just see him for what he is, he will actually pleasantly suprise you with his defensive effort and screening. Then you'll still have time left over to laugh at his uncoordinated lay ups, his bi-gamely skirmishes (that he always causes), and ask yourself the daily question "can he even dunk."

Guilty as charged. I am starting to realize the way game is played right now with teams spreading the floor; unless you have Shaq or something resembling a dominant big man, the big fellas become almost liabilities if they do not have any perimeter skills........coordination issues or not.

 

[Jazzmonkey]

I am so glad there are sane people left in the Iowa fan base. After the first page I was really wondering...

Is Woody a top 50 player in college basketball, as he was a top 50 recruit? No. That is obvious.

Is he playing the best Basketball of his career? Yes. Better than most expected coming into the season? Absolutely. He is shooting and scoring better than ever and is a solid passer and at least an average defensive center.

Other teams are not scared of him. He is not an All-American. Nobody is arguing with you, Woody haters. He is awkward, not smooth. Not someone you marvel at., but what he is, is a solid contributor on a likely tournament team at this point. And somebody who dives on the court, makes the hustle play. To suggest he is the reason we lost that game is ridiculous. We lost that game because we stopped answering their runs and became passive against a top 5 team on the road. And because we couldn't inbound the ball and left a timeout in our pocket through two turnovers and a broken last play.

If you're in this thread looking for a scapegoat, you're looking in the wrong place.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

I am DONE with these irrational and ignorant hatred of Woodbury threads. So he hasn't lived up to your lofty expectations? Deal with it. The team is better with him than without.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

MG and Sapp have been inconsistent scorers for 3+ seasons. Woody is who he is and he is very good at what he can do. We have 2 reliable scorers and no bench. But, MG and Sapp are also extremely good defenders and good at getting to the rim. But, they are average ft shooters. Uhl is becoming more consistent on offense and I think he is the key to how the season ends up. He needs to become a legitimate scoring threat. We need 3 scorers and we need a bench. Part of what happened Thursday night is the team got tired; that's lack of a bench.

 

[HawkPrdatr40]

Woody is an Iowa kid that deserves better than to be ripped apart by a bunch of morons who couldn't run up and down the court five times without passing out. I'm sure no one is more disappointed than him. It's upsetting to lose they way that they did, especially to Iowa State but let's get some perspective here. Rip on Fran all you want he's the only one getting paid. These are still "kids" and most are giving 100%.

Morons? Speak for yourself Big I've played Basketball most of my life and at the age of 46 still play twice a week on a regulation full court at the local High School in the Winter Months, with kids half my age.

 

[HawkPrdatr40]

MG and Sapp have been inconsistent scorers for 3+ seasons. Woody is who he is and he is very good at what he can do. We have 2 reliable scorers and no bench. But, MG and Sapp are also extremely good defenders and good at getting to the rim. But, they are average ft shooters. Uhl is becoming more consistent on offense and I think he is the key to how the season ends up. He needs to become a legitimate scoring threat. We need 3 scorers and we need a bench. Part of what happened Thursday night is the team got tired; that's lack of a bench.

If that team got tired than that's on Fran. Wagner could have filled a nice roll Weds Night, but never left the bench!

 

[ohhawk]

I think both teams were tired but I think ISU with more quickness to start with made Iowa look more fatigued in the end. If you look at the box score the starters for both teams played generally equal minutes. Actually three of ISU's starters had more playing time than any of Iowa's starters.

I think McCaffery is still trying to figure out the best plug and play options for this year's mix and no argument that we need more from our bench.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

Woody is an Iowa kid that deserves better than to be ripped apart by a bunch of morons who couldn't run up and down the court five times without passing out. I'm sure no one is more disappointed than him. It's upsetting to lose they way that they did, especially to Iowa State but let's get some perspective here. Rip on Fran all you want he's the only one getting paid. These are still "kids" and most are giving 100%.

So we have to be basketball players to have an opinion? OK.

And they are not kids... They are young men.

Regarding Woodbury, I'd rather have him than not, but he was certainly overrated coming out of high school, and he didn't have a great game the other night. He's way too weak with the ball and gives it up far too easily. He does some good things, but his limitations are what they are.

 

[WindsorHawk]

I think both teams were tired but I think ISU with more quickness to start with made Iowa look more fatigued in the end. If you look at the box score the starters for both teams played generally equal minutes. Actually three of ISU's starters had more playing time than any of Iowa's starters.

I think McCaffery is still trying to figure out the best plug and play options for this year's mix and no argument that we need more from our bench.

Fran has already said he should have played the bench more in the 2nd half. He will settle on a rotation by conference play...pretty much has already. I think he tried to squeeze a bit more out of the starters knowing they have a long break.

 

[Knight78]

Morons? Speak for yourself Big I've played Basketball most of my life and at the age of 46 still play twice a week on a regulation full court at the local High School in the Winter Months, with kids half my age.

Playing basketball does not translate to understanding the game. Look at the best players in history. How many of them are even average coaches? I played well into my 50's and held my own with kids younger than my own children, but my playing days are over now. But apparently what you see and what I see when we both watch the same game are two entirely different games.

 

[HawkPrdatr40]

Playing basketball does not translate to understanding the game. Look at the best players in history. How many of them are even average coaches? I played well into my 50's and held my own with kids younger than my own children, but my playing days are over now. But apparently what you see and what I see when we both watch the same game are two entirely different games.

You are 100% right Knight. But I was responding to Big who said Woody doesn't deserve to be ripped apart by morons who can't run up and down the court 5 times without passing out. 1 I'm not a moron and 2 I'm not passing out after 5 trips down the court .

and


We must apparently see things differently when it comes to Woody. I'm assuming that's what you meant and I'm fine with that as well.

 

[WindsorHawk]

Playing basketball does not translate to understanding the game.

Well said.

 

[AIRHAWK]

Well said.

Being 7' tall doesn't mean you are a good basketball player either. I'm sure Woody has been told his whole life he was good...because he was so much taller than anyone else. I remember Les Jepsen being a clumsy 7' player in his early years at Iowa. I thought at the time there is no way he ever contributes. Well he did. Woody has not progressed in any way shape or form IMHO.

 

[lightning1]

IF we make the tourney, it will be inspite of Woodbury. And Gesell. Man, for 4 year starters, those two are absolutely atrocious. Once a game gets tight, those fools turn into a couple turnover machines.

It's this kind of situation that always makes me wonder which would be the better way to coach. Let the SR continue to play or spread the minutes between underclassmen?

 

[WindsorHawk]

Woody has not progressed in any way shape or form IMHO.

In your humble opinion? How about facts? Below are some facts! These are stats (facts) rather than opinions...for Woodbury.

FR - 51% from the line, 4.9 PPG and 4.8 RPG

SO - 71, 5.7 and 3.9

JR - 57.6, 6.6 and 5.2

SR - 84.4, 9.5 and 6.8

 

[HawkPrdatr40]

In your humble opinion? How about facts? Below are some facts! These are stats (facts) rather than opinions...for Woodbury.

FR - 51% from the line, 4.9 PPG and 4.8 cRPG

SO - 71, 5.7 and 3.9

JR - 57.6, 6.6 and 5.2

SR - 84.4, 9.5 and 6.8

I guess if Baby steps count Windsor. You try so very hard and that's okay. The reality is this all saying we better with him than without are the minority! That's just being honest. Airhawk is very close to spot on, very close because Woody has slightly improved, but barely..

 

[tksirius]

I guess we should just be glad that he's better than Greg Helmers. Too soon?

 

[OingoBoingo]

We're up 4 instead of 14 at the half without Woodbury. Remove Woodbury and the NCAA is off the table this year IMO.

Agreed.. Woody had a solid 1st half otherwise.

 

[OingoBoingo]

In your humble opinion? How about facts? Below are some facts! These are stats (facts) rather than opinions...for Woodbury.

FR - 51% from the line, 4.9 PPG and 4.8 RPG

SO - 71, 5.7 and 3.9

JR - 57.6, 6.6 and 5.2

SR - 84.4, 9.5 and 6.8

decent numbers. What has been a glaring problem discussed here countless times-- his blocked shots/game average going down steadily the last 4 seasons . Last year .4/game ? My lord

 

[lightning1]

In your humble opinion? How about facts? Below are some facts! These are stats (facts) rather than opinions...for Woodbury.

FR - 51% from the line, 4.9 PPG and 4.8 RPG

SO - 71, 5.7 and 3.9

JR - 57.6, 6.6 and 5.2

SR - 84.4, 9.5 and 6.8

I'm not sure if his numbers have typically declined once the conference season got going or not. I feel like they have. I'm not sure posting his SR numbers are representing anything, at this point in the season. Unless you want to go back and calculate his first 3 OOC stats and compare them to this season.
Objectively looking at his development, here's my take: His defense has improved. He isn't getting hit with that moving screen foul at the top of the key anymore. That's good. He has developed a 10' jumper, kind of. Hasn't improved his post moves. Hasn't improved his ability to make a layup. His FT shooting has improved but he doesn't get to the line nearly enough for a 7'1 Center.
In a nutshell, he's made marginal improvements but I would have to say that I expected more from a guy his size and with his incoming hype.