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View Full Version : Singler Mojo



Sandman
03-15-2008, 08:27 PM
LOST: One Mojo -- extra large -- Property of Kyle Singler. Went missing on or about the time the ACC Rookie of the Year award was announced.

If found, please return by Thursday.

HUGE REWARD: Outstanding individual performance, greater team success, good chance for National Championship.

Any clues as to its location or the cause of its disappearance greatly appreciated.

obsesseddukefan
03-15-2008, 08:42 PM
This may be harsh, but I but the blame on our POOR performance solely on SINGLER. What is frustrating is the fact in yesterdays game he commited 2 fouls in less than 31 seconds! To say that I am frustrated is an understatement. What I want to know is why all of a sudden he is playing like the pressure is too much. I understand he is a freshman, but lets all be honest to ourselves, before the ACC Tourny, he wasnt playing like a freshman. Does everyone really think that we will make it out of the first and second round of the NCAA's.........my suggestion is that we start thinking about next year, and how DEEP we will be then.:(

Kewlswim
03-15-2008, 09:16 PM
This may be harsh, but I but the blame on our POOR performance solely on SINGLER. What is frustrating is the fact in yesterdays game he commited 2 fouls in less than 31 seconds! To say that I am frustrated is an understatement. What I want to know is why all of a sudden he is playing like the pressure is too much. I understand he is a freshman, but lets all be honest to ourselves, before the ACC Tourny, he wasnt playing like a freshman. Does everyone really think that we will make it out of the first and second round of the NCAA's.........my suggestion is that we start thinking about next year, and how DEEP we will be then.:(

Hi,

Duke wins as a team and loses as a team. Singler is not the only player who missed shots. Furthermore, we don't know what is transpiring in his personal life. Coach K alluded to some pressure there too.

GO DUKE!

VaDukie
03-15-2008, 09:48 PM
IMHO, Singler has been asked to do so much for this team and now he's just wearing down. He's arguably been our most important freshmen ever in terms of his responsibilities on both ends of the court. In all due respect to our other guys (namely D-Marc and Paulus), Singler has been the biggest difference between this years team and last years. Now he just looks exhausted, and I'm not sure any team in the country could handle a player of Singler's caliber physically wearing down at this point in the year.

If he's this tired and Henderson's wrist is in bad shape, then Paulus, Scheyer, and Nelson are going to have a lot of weight to carry. I honestly think this team could make a deep run, but we could also lose next weekend. It's been a fun year either way.

freedevil
03-15-2008, 09:50 PM
The meltdown must stop.

Single is an incredible player.

Saratoga2
03-15-2008, 10:03 PM
IMHO, Singler has been asked to do so much for this team and now he's just wearing down. He's arguably been our most important freshmen ever in terms of his responsibilities on both ends of the court. In all due respect to our other guys (namely D-Marc and Paulus), Singler has been the biggest difference between this years team and last years. Now he just looks exhausted, and I'm not sure any team in the country could handle a player of Singler's caliber physically wearing down at this point in the year.

If he's this tired and Henderson's wrist is in bad shape, then Paulus, Scheyer, and Nelson are going to have a lot of weight to carry. I honestly think this team could make a deep run, but we could also lose next weekend. It's been a fun year either way.

Had Singler hit a couple of baskets, we would be looking forward to playing tomorrow and no ones mojo would be questioned. He's a very good player whose has lost some accuracy. It hurts, but he will recover sometime and his shot will return.

VaDukie
03-15-2008, 10:06 PM
Had Singler hit a couple of baskets, we would be looking forward to playing tomorrow and no ones mojo would be questioned. He's a very good player whose has lost some accuracy. It hurts, but he will recover sometime and his shot will return.

Just to clarify, I didn't mean to question Singler at all. If we're lucky to have him around for 3 more seasons I have no doubt no one else will get to wear #12. He just looks exhausted.

ricks68
03-15-2008, 10:24 PM
This thread beat me to it. I was going to post on Singler hitting the freshman wall a while ago, but never got around to it. He hit the wall well before the award was announced. Just check out his stats including shooting percentages a number of games prior to the ACC tournament. He's beat, just like last year's freshmen were. Notice the big difference in stamina in Scheyer this year compared to last, etc. It's really tough to play the extended minutes of a college game, and over a much longer schedule. The more intense practices, workouts and college pressures wear out even the best of them.

Some of the other great freshman that are doing O.K. around the country, I believe, are physically bigger for the position they have been asked to play, and not overmatched like Singler has been. Beasley (sp?), Love, O.J. Mayo, etc have comparable bodies to their match-ups.

And since we're talking about freshmen hitting the wall, I believe that Nolan has a big problem with that hyperextended knee that he re-injured in the Wake game. He has been limping occasionally in every game since then.

So what's the solution? Play a lot more Zoubeck. He's much improved, and has been really good for a number of games now compared to the past. In today's game he was called for travelling twice. I think those may have been the first travelling calls he had since he got back, and maybe since the beginning of the season.

Other than that, I guess we'll have to wait until Kyle goes through a Demarcus type conditioning program over the summer, and Nolan gets his knee fixed, to see what this team can really do. With Zoubeck's and the rest of the improvements over the summer, I have a great feeling about next year. I'm not giving up on this year, however, because I am a very long time Duke fan, and hope to see us in the South Regional here in Houston.

I just have to say that I saw this coming a few weeks ago with Kyle, as he was showing signs then. I believe that his passing, moves to the basket, ball handling in traffic, and his shots were way off compared to previous games.

Maybe Kyle and Nolan will get the opportunity to get a little more rest this week. I sure hope so.

ricks

Troublemaker
03-15-2008, 10:38 PM
Nice post, ricks. I agree with you and others in this thread.

Hopefully Kyle can catch a second wind, having only played 2 games in 10 days along with whatever measures the staff is taking to rest him since it's an obvious concern of theirs right now.

Singler isn't Duke's season-long plus/minus leader by accident. His outside shooting at the 4-spot (and 5-spot when Duke goes small) keeps the court spread for penetration. I don't think it's coincidence that Duke hasn't penetrated as well recently during this period when Singler has been shooting blanks.

Duke79UNLV77
03-15-2008, 11:05 PM
Singler is a tough matchup for bigs on the perimeter, but I think he's just a pretty good, and not great, 3-point shooter at this point in his career. It seems like his slump in shooting 3's in the last 6 games (under 20%) is affecting his overall game. He looked pretty good on the one jumper today from a few feet inside the line. He's got a good spin move where he drives to the middle and then spins right, but other teams have started to scout that out. I thought he posted up pretty well earlier in the year, but we haven't tried that much lately. I don't mind him shooting some 3's, but I'd live to see a more diversified overall game.

bhd28
03-16-2008, 01:56 AM
I found this article on "the Freshman Wall" interesting.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3246075

It is a bit strange that Scheyer last year then Kyle this year had such a problem with hitting the wall. They are both pretty thin guys. Is it at all possible Coach K doesn't take "the wall" into account enough with those young (freshmen) guys that seem so important to the team winning? It does sometimes seem Duke 'peaks' earlier than a lot of other top teams. Is it because of heavier/more intense practices early in the year? Does that get this team to 'gel' and reach their stride earlier than other teams? If so, does that early intensity wear down the players by the end of the year? I don't really know.

I do think, sometimes, that the constant peak intensity Coach K instills in the players must be exhausting to maintain for 30+ games... particularly as I know the practices are similar. Must be a tough balancing act for him/them.

Sir Stealth
03-16-2008, 02:58 AM
This may be harsh, but I but the blame on our POOR performance solely on SINGLER. What is frustrating is the fact in yesterdays game he commited 2 fouls in less than 31 seconds! To say that I am frustrated is an understatement. What I want to know is why all of a sudden he is playing like the pressure is too much. I understand he is a freshman, but lets all be honest to ourselves, before the ACC Tourny, he wasnt playing like a freshman. Does everyone really think that we will make it out of the first and second round of the NCAA's.........my suggestion is that we start thinking about next year, and how DEEP we will be then.:(

I think Singler played awfully against Clemson and have no problem criticizing him freshman or not. That being said, I'd just as soon never read a post like yours. Start thinking about next year?? Putting the blame for a loss solely on one player? Again, start thinking about next year???? I'm honestly glad I don't know you and don't watch Duke games with you.

oldnavy
03-16-2008, 09:21 AM
Good grief! I hope Singler doesn't read the DBR boards. This is exactly what he needs right now after committing to come all the way across the country, helping Duke finish second in the regular season, helping us to a top ten national ranking, and winning the ROY. A bunch of armchair analyst picking him apart for a few games where he didn't hit his jumpers!

How can this possibly help -- him or us as fans?

wiscodevil
03-16-2008, 09:55 AM
I think Singler played awfully against Clemson and have no problem criticizing him freshman or not. That being said, I'd just as soon never read a post like yours. Start thinking about next year?? Putting the blame for a loss solely on one player? Again, start thinking about next year???? I'm honestly glad I don't know you and don't watch Duke games with you.

he didn't play terribly. he simply missed a bunch of open threes. he hits 2-3 of them and there is none of this talk.

he's tired, give the kid a break.

go duke. go kyle.

slower
03-16-2008, 10:06 AM
Kyle can take the heat. He's a freaking warrior and #12 WILL be hanging from the rafters someday.

Whatever happens from here on in, thanks to Kyle for a fantastic year!

Papa John
03-16-2008, 10:23 AM
he didn't play terribly. he simply missed a bunch of open threes.

He did more than just miss a bunch of open threes... There was one sequence where he made a horrendous decision to double down late on defense, resulting in a slam for Clemson, followed immediately by a dumb decision to inbound the ball to Scheyer right in the corner in the face of an already converging trap, followed shortly after by the decision on a 3-on-2 break to take a quick top-of-the-key trey when the better option was to penetrate the open lane then kick out to the corner [to a shooter whose feet would already be set] so we'd have a solid shot at the trey with somebody actually in rebounding position... There were plenty of other plays that Singler made yesterday that had me simply scratching my head, wondering who or what had possessed Kyle's body for the past two games... He simply hasn't been playing well...

Having said that, I agree with others that it simply seems Kyle has hit the wall and is mentally and physically exhausted... He's a great player who's struggling through a tough stretch right now... Hopefully, he will be able to find a second wind for the NCAAs...

The other guy whose play is frustrating me is Henderson... He's simply too talented and athletic to do these patented disappearing acts--I really believe he can be a consistently dominant player on the floor... Of course, toward the end of the game, it appeared pretty clear that he was receiving medical attention on the bench, so I'm assuming that the wrist is bothering him a lot more than we've been hearing...

This is a fun team to watch... I hope we can regroup for a solid NCAA run...

MChambers
03-16-2008, 11:37 AM
Everyone has them. Maybe that's all that's going on with Kyle, and next week he'll be raining jumpers like JJ.

I really don't understand this "freshman wall", or playing against big guys obsession so many of you have. Was Battier playing out of position his senior year? After all, he is an NBA "3", and playing "4" at Duke, often having to cover bigger players.

Lighten up, everyone.

Kewlswim
03-16-2008, 01:28 PM
Everyone has them. Maybe that's all that's going on with Kyle, and next week he'll be raining jumpers like JJ.

I really don't understand this "freshman wall", or playing against big guys obsession so many of you have. Was Battier playing out of position his senior year? After all, he is an NBA "3", and playing "4" at Duke, often having to cover bigger players.

Lighten up, everyone.

Hi,

I am too thin as it is. :D

I am done talking about Kyle. He will be fine.

GO DUKE!

obsesseddukefan
03-16-2008, 02:21 PM
I think Singler played awfully against Clemson and have no problem criticizing him freshman or not. That being said, I'd just as soon never read a post like yours. Start thinking about next year?? Putting the blame for a loss solely on one player? Again, start thinking about next year???? I'm honestly glad I don't know you and don't watch Duke games with you.

I never thought that putting my opinion on this board would warrant someone blasting another man/woman for a simple thought. What I meant when I said let's start thinking about next year was a simple statement about the amazing recruits that we have next year and a legit chance that we can win it all. We lose a great player and leader in Nelson, but lets be real...we are not going to win the National Championship. Plus the last time I checked the reason that we lost some of those close games this year was because of a tired, slumping Singler. I have the same attitude as everyone else on this great board...we win as a team and lose as a team.....but only when EVERYONE on the TEAM plays well.

Tell you what, if we make it to the National Championship game I will personally fly out there to have a drink with ya and root for our loved devils.:)

mlk
03-16-2008, 02:33 PM
It is what it is. Players have slumps. Singler is too good to not shoot his way out of it at some point. It looked to me that the team was feeding him the ball for that reason. Lets hope he gets past this slump this year. He is a great player and we need him.

dbd4ever
03-16-2008, 02:51 PM
I saw this mentioned in a thread a day or so ago but in the interview on the front page of the DBR Kyle sounds sick in his interview. Like he has the flu or respiratory sickness. IDK Just my .02.

Papa John
03-16-2008, 02:53 PM
I really don't understand this "freshman wall", or playing against big guys obsession so many of you have. Was Battier playing out of position his senior year? After all, he is an NBA "3", and playing "4" at Duke, often having to cover bigger players.

Freshman who are asked to play a significant role on a high profile team experiencing exhaustion at the end of a rigorous season is nothing new... Check out Scheyer's pre-ACC-tourney comments, where he all but says he was exhausted last season [as a frosh] heading into the ACC tourney and he feels a lot fresher this year... Also... Battier was a senior defensive POY playing out of position... Big difference between that situation and Kyle being asked to bang with older, more physical bigs as a frosh... And he's done an absolutely amazing job, too... But he's just very clearly exhausted at the moment... And if you don't believe some of the folks pointing it out on this board, then believe K, since that's pretty much exactly what he said in the post game presser yesterday...


We lose a great player and leader in Nelson, but lets be real...we are not going to win the National Championship. Plus the last time I checked the reason that we lost some of those close games this year was because of a tired, slumping Singler.

I still think that we have a shot if Kyle is able to find a second wind [and I'm pretty sure that the staff will be helping him find it] and Gerald's wrist injury is manageable... I don't see us exiting on the first weekend regardless, and think that if we can keep the demands on Kyle and Gerald relatively light during the first weekend so that they can recharge and heal further, then we'll be in good position to do some serious damage... From what I've seen this season, I'm confident that this team will let it all out on the court, so I like our chances in what will essentially be even matchups on the second weekend if we're able to get these two refreshed somewhat... And, of course, once you get to the Final Four, all bets are off...

MChambers
03-16-2008, 03:02 PM
Freshman who are asked to play a significant role on a high profile team experiencing exhaustion at the end of a rigorous season is nothing new... Check out Scheyer's pre-ACC-tourney comments, where he all but says he was exhausted last season [as a frosh] heading into the ACC tourney and he feels a lot fresher this year... Also... Battier was a senior defensive POY playing out of position... Big difference between that situation and Kyle being asked to bang with older, more physical bigs as a frosh... And he's done an absolutely amazing job, too... But he's just very clearly exhausted at the moment... And if you don't believe some of the folks pointing it out on this board, then believe K, since that's pretty much exactly what he said in the post game presser yesterday...


What did Coach K say? Did he say "wall"? Seriously, I'd like to know. My guess is that we collectively are reading way too much into whatever he said.

Papa John
03-16-2008, 03:38 PM
What did Coach K say? Did he say "wall"? Seriously, I'd like to know. My guess is that we collectively are reading way too much into whatever he said.

No, he didn't say "wall"... But do you really want to argue the semantics of 'hitting the wall' in relation to late-season exhaustion exhibited by young players? K clearly stated that Kyle has been asked to do a lot this season, particularly when Zoubek went down to injury, and that he's just exhausted right now [and I can't recall whether he used the word "exhausted" either, but the message was pretty darn clear--Kyle is freaking tired, mentally and physicaly]... He even tossed in a comparison to 1986 when he thought Dawkins and company were playing winning ball against Louisville in the championship game but it was clear from the fact that shots were hitting front rim that we simply lost our legs--he referenced that specifically in relation to Kyle's shooting the past couple of days... He also clearly stated that Kyle has done an amazing job doing exactly what has been asked of him, and that we are where we are in large part because of Kyle's extraordinary contribution in this respect... Furthermore, he made it clear that the staff needs to help rejuvenate Singler for the NCAAs, that doing so is clearly not outside the realm of possibility, and that he's excited about how the team is playing right now... I tend to have faith that this staff will do a better job this year at helping a key frosh like Kyle find his second wind, given that they have the benefit of a much more experienced core to work around than last season... But perhaps I'm simply being the eternal optimist... I suppose we'll know better in a week or two...