TST said:
You're missing my point. He should be getting at minimum Collins minutes. Collins is a waste of space.
When we don't know anything about what is going on behind the scenes, in terms of how the kid is doing in practices, whether he is doing what he is supposed to be doing in terms of going to class and taking care of academics, the conversations between him and the staff, etc....it is hard to form a 'qualified' opinion on this sort of thing.
I know this is a message board and fan opining is what message boards are for, and that is obviously fine. Sports fan message boards do what they do. But at the end of the day, we also have to realize that as fans we often have access to only a small percentage of the information. Generally, that information is limited to what we see during games at Reed or on the television screen. Occasionally, maybe some extra 'insider' scoop info is available, but that is the exception rather than the rule.
I can say, regarding this Caleb Smith/Collins/Chase Carlton thing etc., as a fan who reads a bunch and follows the team enthusiastically as a fan, I don't have much that has given me much insight on this. Other than I know that Chase hit is head really bad in that game vs. CSUN out in California, requiring stitches, and had a concussion apparently, and that is why you didn't see him play again in that tournament after that. Also, it seems obvious that Collins has earned the staff's trust to an extent, perhaps because of how he came in and did a serviceable job playing at the top of a zone in that Virginia Tech game.
I know that in general a coaching staff can often be pretty risk adverse when they go to the bench, in terms of leaning towards putting players out on the floor who they most 'trust' to play consistent fundamentally sound defense and not make careless turnovers on offense. Those characteristics can be more important to them than putting the player out there who has the most talent.
It *seems* like Collins generally does both those things. He played 36 minutes total vs. Virginia Tech, TAMU-CC, and Denver...and had only 1 turnover total in 36 minutes. He can't do much on offense, but he doesn't turn the ball over and he is generally trying to do the right thing defensively.
Against the really good teams, I'm not sure honestly whether this will matter much, if the UCLA game was any indication. The staff REALLY shortened their rotation in that game, basically playing 6 players: Gilder, Hogg, Davis, Williams, Trocha, Hampton. They had a few spot minutes for Vila whom I sense is the one they are most hoping to be able to really bring up to speed, but as of now, my sense is when we play Arizona, you'll probably the same thing happen again if a close game. Unless there is some serious foul trouble, we are going to play about 6 maybe 7 guys and that is it.
