DearRock, Cato DID bulk up. It was a conscious effort to add muscle mass in the offseason after 99-00 and before the 00-01 season. Everyone, including Clutch, was "impressed" with the difference. Of course, I may not be qualified to use the term <I>"bulking up"</I>. It's too complicated a concept for my wee brain to grasp. At any rate, I prefer Kemp Lite to the full-bodied Kemp we enjoy today. Griffin will put on weight as his body matures. But it is possible to add too much muscle and lose some of your athleticism.
While I agree that putting on weight did effect Cato's shotblocking adversely, Jermaine O'Neal did the same thing, and he has turned into an amazing player who still blocks shots a great clip. I see Griffin doing what O'Neal has done. Putting on weight, but not so much as to effect the explosiveness.
Jeff, Tb-Cain Are correct Eddie has to put on some STRENGTH . There is a differnece between gaining more STRENGTH and BULKING UP . Bulking Up is basically gaining a lot of weight for mass... such as Football players. Most people who Bulk up Basically lift their MAX with very few reps on every workout..... Adding Strength is increasing your muscle with out adding the enormous weight.... Add Strength you lift HALF your MAX but with lots of reps... Eddie's case he would also do a lot of stretching afterwards... And the best way for a Baskeball player to stretch their arms after a work out is too go shot for about 30 to 45 minutes... If Eddie does this workout correctly not only will he increase his strength but he will also increase his range.
I don't like it when people talk about how a certain position is supposedly changing, and we need to adjust our roster accordingly. That may be true, but that's only because there are less good players around. All the postions may be becoming more athletic now, but that's only because guys can't shoot anymore. Teams may be going with smaller, more athletic centers, but that's because there are no good big men. Unathletic guys with rebounding and shooting skills like Moses Malone and Larry Bird would still kick butt in the league today, and teams would still take them over all these tall, athletic guys that can jump, IF they were available. The center position is evolving, true -- it's evolving to where there are no good ones anymore. Having said all that, of course Griffin should be the center. You don't have to worry about him getting posted up, that's what a zone defense is supposed to be for, or so I thought.
Originally posted by TheFreak I was thinking the same thing ... but what does it matter to us? We're in the same boat as everybody but LA and maybe SA and Miami in crying for a great big man. So like it or not, EG may be our best shot at the 5. That said, I think our sharting lineup next year should be Francis Mobley Rice Thomas Cato Reasons: the first three are obvious, assuming Rice is something like the old Rice after surgery. Rice's salary and ego also demand a starting spot, but not necessarily big minutes. Thomas is the starter because he hustles and rebounds and has earned it. Cato needs the ego boost, and he is playing moderately well as the starter. With luck, improved confidence and off season work will bring his blocks up. Finally, he and Thomas complement each other well. In the same way. Taylor and Griffin should complement each other off the bench: Taylor has reboundophobia and Griffin will gladly swallow everything he leaves behind. With only TMo remaining in the frontcourt, there will be 140 or so minutes to split among Thomas, Cato, Rice, Taylor, and Griffin, which should work. Griffin will start eventually, but right now his ego doesn't demand it, and Rice's and Cato's do.
ricealum: So you still think Rice can contribute meaningful minutes? If he could, I'd want him to start at SF, too. But I really don't anticipate him being able to manage that.
I would rather EG start at PF with Taylor coming off the bench to replace Cato, and moving EG over to the center position. Leave Taylor in to finish off both the 2nd and 4th quarters. This would give him about 30-35 min. a game which is the same as a starter. It would provide a nice scoring punch of the bench and would allow EG to go up against the reserve center of the opposing teams which he should be able to manhandle. This is similar to what the rockets did with Mobley and Cassell early on in their careers.
Originally posted by haven Call me a wild-eyed optimist, but yes, I do. I think the hideous display we saw from him this year was him attempting to play through pain. He's determined to prove his worth after the last year in NY and the trade. He'll work hard and come back next year as out top 3 point shooter. Or not ....
Just a different type of Center... Lambier was a high pick and roll jump shooter at Center, as was Cowens. Griffin will be Griffin, and that is fine with me. DaDakota
