PennFan10
Postdoc
Posts: 3590
Reg: 02-15-15
|
04-16-15 11:32 AM - Post#188198
Many have seen it but in case you missed it, the DP ran an article that has Coach Donahue responding to questions via twitter:
http://www.thedp.com/article/2015/04/penn- basketba...
He answers questions about the Turnover bug, transfers, and player development
Edited by PennFan10 on 04-16-15 11:32 AM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
|
DM06
Freshman
Posts: 9
Age: 40
Reg: 01-09-13
|
04-16-15 11:42 AM - Post#188200
In response to PennFan10
Donahue's been quite active on Twitter, beginning six days ago. He appears to be making a concerted effort to connect with the Penn community.
His handle is @Coach_Donahue, for anyone who's interested.
|
Penn90
Masters Student
Posts: 575
Reg: 11-22-04
|
04-16-15 12:26 PM - Post#188211
In response to DM06
It wouldn't surprise me if it was ghost-written by a Penn flak, or at least monitored.
Nonetheless I think this is a great step. What's next -- Pinterest? 
|
Penn90
Masters Student
Posts: 575
Reg: 11-22-04
|
04-16-15 12:28 PM - Post#188212
In response to Penn90
It's also very interesting to read that he is meeting with Penn students to look into advanced analytics. Really smart -- and a great story for the DP (are you listening?).
|
Silver Maple
Postdoc
Posts: 3781
Loc: Westfield, New Jersey
Reg: 11-23-04
|
04-16-15 01:02 PM - Post#188219
In response to Penn90
It wouldn't surprise me if it was ghost-written by a Penn flak, or at least monitored.
I'd be surprised. His responses aren't written well enough.
I was interested in his POV that he wants to avoid over-emphasizing turnover reduction, as that could hamstring the offense.
|
TheLine
Professor
Posts: 5597
Age: 60
Reg: 07-07-09
|
04-16-15 01:03 PM - Post#188220
In response to Penn90
This may all be not so meaningful in the end, but the change in tone is refreshing and I suspect will wind up being meaningful. Using 'us against the world' techniques will only get you so far.
|
palestra38
Professor
Posts: 32875
Reg: 11-21-04
|
04-16-15 01:22 PM - Post#188223
In response to TheLine
What he says makes perfect sense, and the confidence in his ability to do so is refreshing. Whether or not he was the "best" candidate to be Penn coach is irrelevant at this point---he certainly has the coaching cred to have earned the job and he knows how to coach. I'm sure the turnover numbers will improve with the same players.
|
PennQ
Freshman
Posts: 79
Age: 49
Reg: 01-03-15
|
04-16-15 02:17 PM - Post#188227
In response to palestra38
Refreshing view on the turnover situation. I hope that Donahue can create a more positive culture on the team. I think over half of the turnover situation was the negative pressure and influence of JA.
|
fdiapmf
Masters Student
Posts: 590
Reg: 08-03-05
|
Coach D responds to Twitter
04-16-15 10:55 PM - Post#188269
In response to PennQ
I applaud his hands on approach. And looks like he's hit the ground running. Excited for next year. any word on if we are in the hunt for any transfers?
|
rbg
Postdoc
Posts: 3065
Reg: 10-20-14
|
04-21-15 10:12 AM - Post#188428
In response to Penn90
A good article at today's DP regarding the coach and AD:
http://www.thedp.com/article/2015/04/penn- basketba...
|
TheLine
Professor
Posts: 5597
Age: 60
Reg: 07-07-09
|
04-21-15 10:32 AM - Post#188430
In response to rbg
Some interesting stuff.
Donahue also reached out to Penn students through math professor Nakia Rimmer, looking to build a staff of undergraduates that can work on analytics. Between 30 and 50 students signed up according to Donahue, giving the new coach a wealth of talent from which to choose.
“I’d be foolish not to utilize the resources here and the type of kids you get at this place,†he said.
I've always wondered why coaches don't do this. It's free resources and with analytics taking on greater significance in the pro game it's an opportunity for enterprising students to tack something on theit resume. Kudos to Donahue. Does this mean we can get the Godfather of Basketball analytics, Stu Suss, back in the fold?
Donahue explained that he wants his players looking for layups or dunks where there is a 90 percent chance or better that they score or get fouled. If that’s unavailable, standstill three-point shooting and offensive rebounding become focal points.
And on the defensive end, Donahue preaches the reverse: preventing easy shots at the rim, three-pointers and those pesky offensive rebounds.
Again, kind of obvious stuff but something Penn hasn't been particularly good at for years. At least the coach understands what the goals are.
|
Silver Maple
Postdoc
Posts: 3781
Loc: Westfield, New Jersey
Reg: 11-23-04
|
04-21-15 11:07 AM - Post#188432
In response to TheLine
The article mentions that the men's team will now have its own director of basketball operations. The team certainly seems to have been organizationally challenged over the past several years, so this is clearly a good move. Of course, it also brings up an obvious question: why on earth would the previous AD have thought his men's basketball team didn't this position, considering that pretty much every other D1 team has one?
|
palestra38
Professor
Posts: 32875
Reg: 11-21-04
|
04-21-15 12:43 PM - Post#188433
In response to Silver Maple
Because the former AD thought along the lines of "Oh, Jerome lived in Italy for 10 years---let's save some money and let him plan our Italian tour."
|
Silver Maple
Postdoc
Posts: 3781
Loc: Westfield, New Jersey
Reg: 11-23-04
|
04-21-15 01:20 PM - Post#188435
In response to palestra38
Either that or he thought something like "I'm so much smarter than all those other ADs. I don't need no damn director of basketball ops."
|
palestra38
Professor
Posts: 32875
Reg: 11-21-04
|
04-21-15 01:45 PM - Post#188437
In response to Silver Maple
Hey don't knock Bilsky---after all, would there be a coffee shop on the North Stands of Franklin Field if it weren't for Bilsky?
|
Silver Maple
Postdoc
Posts: 3781
Loc: Westfield, New Jersey
Reg: 11-23-04
|
04-21-15 01:55 PM - Post#188440
In response to palestra38
Probably not. But how's the coffee?
|
palestra38
Professor
Posts: 32875
Reg: 11-21-04
|
04-21-15 02:00 PM - Post#188441
In response to Silver Maple
No idea. It's 5 blocks from the heart of campus. I can't believe it does all that much business---except for people working in Weightman Hall, no one is close.
|
fdiapmf
Masters Student
Posts: 590
Reg: 08-03-05
|
04-21-15 07:28 PM - Post#188464
In response to palestra38
there's a full time coffee shop in franklin field?
|
section110
Masters Student
Posts: 847
Loc: south jersey
Reg: 11-22-04
|
04-21-15 08:22 PM - Post#188467
In response to fdiapmf
It's a light meals very small restaurant, near the Weiss Pavilion.
|
gopenngo
Masters Student
Posts: 487
Reg: 01-30-06
|
04-21-15 10:24 PM - Post#188471
In response to section110
A lot of healthy crap - not much to eat.
|
section110
Masters Student
Posts: 847
Loc: south jersey
Reg: 11-22-04
|
04-22-15 08:33 AM - Post#188479
In response to gopenngo
I didn't say it was good. I just said it was there.
|
Silver Maple
Postdoc
Posts: 3781
Loc: Westfield, New Jersey
Reg: 11-23-04
|
04-22-15 09:23 AM - Post#188483
In response to section110
Wasn't it Woody Allen who said that 80% of success is just showing up?
|
section110
Masters Student
Posts: 847
Loc: south jersey
Reg: 11-22-04
|
04-22-15 10:24 AM - Post#188486
In response to Silver Maple
It was. And at least on football Saturdays, the place does a quite good business.
|
Glenflesk
Freshman
Posts: 67
Loc: Subr Phila
Reg: 11-20-08
|
04-22-15 01:56 PM - Post#188496
In response to section110
Penn Basketball has always had its own Director of Basketball Operations, Julie Greger-Grant. However, prompted by this discussion topic, I went to the pennathletics link for basketball coaches and see that Julie is no longer listed there as Dir. BB Ops. What's going on here? Are we being fed this inch by inch?
Also does Stu Suss have any comment on how the proposed student contribution in BB analytics will compare to what he has been doing up to this past year?
Is all this just posturing?
|
AsiaSunset
Postdoc
Posts: 4366
Reg: 11-21-04
|
04-22-15 05:32 PM - Post#188502
In response to Glenflesk
Didn't Julie also handle those duties for WBB?
|
PennFan10
Postdoc
Posts: 3590
Reg: 02-15-15
|
04-22-15 06:49 PM - Post#188506
In response to AsiaSunset
That's what the article said. The current ops person worked for both MBB and WBB. This new position is exclusive for MBB.
|
Stuart Suss
PhD Student
Posts: 1439
Loc: Chester County, Pennsylva...
Reg: 11-21-04
|
04-22-15 07:13 PM - Post#188507
In response to PennFan10
>>Also does Stu Suss have any comment on how the proposed student contribution in BB analytics will compare to what he has been doing up to this past year?
I am happy to hear that Coach Donahue, unlike his predecessor, recognizes the value of analytics. I have no information as to the specifics of the prospective student contribution.
|
Glenflesk
Freshman
Posts: 67
Loc: Subr Phila
Reg: 11-20-08
|
04-22-15 09:23 PM - Post#188509
In response to PennFan10
Julie had been Dir. of BB Operations for both men & women. She's currently not listed with the 2015-16 coaches for either the men or the women.
|
QuakerShaker
Freshman
Posts: 59
Loc: West Coast
Reg: 02-04-10
|
05-04-15 07:38 PM - Post#188934
In response to Silver Maple
I would agree if our TOs were the result of trying to force passes inside, but they are frequently more related to sloppy play, not trying to thread the needle. In any case, when you're at 15+ TPG, something needs to change (call me Captain Obvious).
| When are we going to put in Solomito? |
|
