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Jim Larrañaga | Media Availability | 7.31.19

Gables Canes said:
L's preseason predictions/declarations are often overstated. I remember him saying Tonye Jekeri would be a first round pick. I remember him saying Jaquan Newton was gonna average double digit assists.

There's absolutely no way in **** Rodney Miller averages a double double this season. Heck, getting 6 ppg and 5 rpg out of him would be a miracle.
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Great point. It is that time of year I guess.
 
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I'm usually a pessimist in my posts. Just my nature.

In flipping that mindset around, when it comes to Gak an optimistic view would be that Deng turns out to be a very effective "eraser" inside and is among the leaders in the ACC in blocked shots. As for Miller, maybe Coach L is correct in saying Rodney can score with either hand with a devastating baby hook shot. Sorta like a poor man's Reggie Johnson?

Wonder who Gak, at this stage, compares to? Sounds like he is more advanced on the offensive end than Jekiri was in his first year. Of course, that's not saying much. If he's more like Izundu in his third season (5 ppg, 4 rpg), that would be OK as a career start. If he's like Ebuka as a true frosh, we're in trouble.
 
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Thanks all for being revealing and realistic. I hope it's not as bad as it sounds.
 
Sam and Miller starting at the 4 and 5 is downright scary. Walker should see lots of early playing time.

Head scratching roster management. Again.
 
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He really dropped a best shape of his life on us.

Rodney Miller shot 16% from the free throw line last year. If he's not an improved free throw shooter this year, they should test him for ALS.
 
IncaneInTheBrain said:
He really dropped a best shape of his life on us.

Rodney Miller shot 16% from the free throw line last year. If he's not an improved free throw shooter this year, they should test him for ALS.
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I guess we can expect a lot of "Hack-A-Shaq" to hold our prolific scorer Mr. Miller down. ;)
 
I guess Coach L will figure it out in Italy that Brooks needs to get a waiver for this season because Rodney is currently the only 5 on the roster. Coach L will probably submit for the waiver after Rodney is in foul trouble for all 4 games in Italy. We are all hoping Gak is healthy but being healthy and being ready to play are two totally different things. At least if Brooks has the waiver, they are not rushing Gak and we don't have to see Sam at the 5. Also factor in the Stone may not be ready by November and it is easy to get the feeling of here we go again.
 
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Last month, I posted a thread about Billy Donovan becoming the next head basketball coach at Miami. Granted, at that time, it was more of a fantasy than reality as multiple dominoes would have to fall for that to happen. A month later, Westbrook has been traded and OKC is definitely rebuilding. The only question left is will Billy Donovan stay to get fired before Christmas or will he resign to join the SEC Network for one year before he returns to college basketball.

I am still a believer in Coach L and thankful of how he has changed the culture of Miami men's basketball. I still expect this team to win 20 plus games, compete for the ACC championship and make the NCAA tournament with atleast one or two wins (health being the key). But after reading some of your comments and thinking about this interview after watching it. Some of you have almost convinced me that this is Coach L's last season.
 
IncaneInTheBrain said:
3 minutes in, the dude's already complaining about depth issues. I can't
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When a coach is finished it's obvious. It was obvious with Jim Morris. It was obvious with Richt (actually it was obvious with Richt before we even hired him), and it's now obvious with L. We clearly are in for an NIT (or worse) season this year, and then hopefully L will go out classy like Richt did.
 
jkdood said:
Thanks all for being revealing and realistic. I hope it's not as bad as it sounds.
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Yes and no.

No if all 11 scholarship guys were healthy and available to play in Italy later this month and at the start of basketball season.

Yes because after last season with only 7 scholarship players to have depth issues before the following season is sad especially when you have the option of adding two more grad transfers as Miami has two available scholarships and over 200 grad transfers still in the transfer portal. For Coach L to mention depth issues when he knows Gak and Stone is recovering from knee, Brooks may need knee surgery but Coach L will not comment on the transfer waiver and after a redshirt year, Rodney Miller is going to be a double double guy when he has probably never played double digit minutes in a game while at the University of Miami. That is alarming.

Coach L sounds like the person who complains about their job not paying them enough but they never apply nor interview for a new job.

Most of us if not all of us still support Coach L to the fullest but after seeing Mark Richt fizzle out after last season, you have to wonder if Coach L is about to do the same thing.
 
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tcgrad1014 said:
When a coach is finished it's obvious. It was obvious with Jim Morris. It was obvious with Richt (actually it was obvious with Richt before we even hired him), and it's now obvious with L. We clearly are in for an NIT (or worse) season this year, and then hopefully L will go out classy like Richt did.
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The sad part is we (all of the people commenting on this thread) know Miami has two available scholarships and there are over 200 kids in the transfer portal but Coach L has not mentioned and probably not attempted to add anyone else to the roster. Yet and still, he complains about depth issues.
It is almost unbelievable.
 
Can anybody remember the last time we had 0 proven high major caliber front court players going into a season? Was it the 80s?
 
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