LET SAPP LEAD!!

[bigtymehoya]

I am writing this because I think it needs to be said: LET SAPP LEAD! Are you kidding me? This is the same guard (along with John Wallace) who was good enough to LEAD us to the Final Four not too long ago. Now all I read are some negative posts about his game. To quote someone else: “Sapp has not all of a sudden forgotten how to play basketball.” It is clear that JTIII has his favorites, but Sapp is our only fighter. As Jay Bilas once proclaimed, Sapp is the ONLY current Hoya that could play with the Hoyas of the 80s. However, JTIII doesn’t think Sapp is good enough to lead us anymore, let alone close out games??? Give me a break.

Here are the facts: Jessie Sapp has been a devoted member of this team for the past three years and paid his dues. Then all of a sudden JTIII thinks it is best to strip him of his leadership duties and hand them off to turnover prone Chris Wright (we can throw Clark in there as well). Wright does NOT run the offense properly. Have any of you been watching these games? The reason Sapp is in a “slump” is because half the time he doesn’t get shots he is accustomed to getting when the offense is run properly.

Chris is a score first point guard that does not run the Princeton offense. Everyone else has excelled because they too do not run the offense. There is too much one-on-one as opposed to a team game. Sapp ran the offense well against Seton Hall and is one of our best rebounders (hence the 9 rebs against SH), but JTIII won’t even let him close out games when that is the moment we need an experienced guard and some rebounding. So for all those that criticize Sapp for “not showing up,” in actuality, he is the only run trying to run our offense properly (that includes JTIII). I would be frustrated too if my coach wouldn’t allow me to run the team and treated me like a freshman. JTIII keeps Sapp on the bench for his own reasons (quite possibly because the last couple of years have seen a number of Sophs transfer). That is the reason why Sapp and Wright got into it at the Duke game—Wright won’t run the offense and Thompson encourages this every time he puts Chris back in the game.

Yet JTIII thinks it is best to play Wright, Clark, and sometimes Wattad over Jessie Sapp. That is ridiculous and very disrespectful to a senior that has given his all to the program (18 minutes against Cincinnati??). Sapp deserves the right to lead us and fight for us. Did anyone else notice he was the first to come to DaJuan’s defense when he was knocked over during the Seton Hall game? This is why our team struggles currently—we need our leader and fighter. JTIII won’t let us have him.

Any thoughts to this long message?

[royski]

Sup Jessie, go get'em on Saturday!

[Nevada Hoya]

Well, welcome to the board. It seems as if Jessie (as well as some others) have lost their confidence. To regain it, he has to play more, but he doesn't play more, because he is not playing well. I don't know what is going on in practice, because that dictates the playing time of each player, along with the tempo of the game.

[daytonahoya31]

thanks for checking in, Jessie

[kellycpcm]

Jessie needs to talk to III one to one. III gets into a pattern and forgets to change it. He admitted it at the BB banquest two years ago when he was talking about Tyler. Remember Tyler was startinmg and he got sick, when he came back he didn't even get rotation minutes, Baby Doc got the minutes. He basically forgot about Tyler's contribution.

[Bando]

Who exactly is this message to? JTIII doesn't read this board.

[prhoya]

Why not?! We're losing when he isn't leading anyway. Let's try Sapp leading the first half and see what happens.

[gojeffgoroyunder7]

I have a feeling it's not Jessie, but someone related to Jessie or very very close. We ask each other (now all too often) why we have been losing games? Doesn't this provide some decent evidence? Our starting 5 doesn't trust each other, and who even knows if they like each other. I love this team, and I love Jessie. I also love Chris. I love that both of them are tough and have a lot of confidence. We wondered who would replace PE Jr.'s attitude, and many of us thought Jessie and Chris. They have attitude. Please, I will never forget Jessie getting up in Dudley's face and letting him know what was up. Jessie is a warrior. I would pick him first in a street fight and in a basketball game.

But, Chris is going to be very good as well. I am tired of threads trying to draw us apart, when all we need to do is become a unit--start trusting each other. Jessie, if you think Chris is doing the wrong thing, throw him in the film room. We need each other---fans, coaches, players. Jessie wont be the guy we know and love without Chris and vice versa.

Come on guys. Come on Chris and Jessie. You guys need each other. The school needs you. Jessie, take Chris under your wing (and into the film room) and treat him like a little brother. Teach him like J-Wall taught you.

Hoya Saxa. I believe.

[hobokenhoya]

Dude, I absolutely love this thread and your post. I agree with a lot of what you wrote, but also would like to see the guys come together and stop any infighting. But I love Jessie and I agree that Coach is making a mistake not handing him the reigns.

[3xhoya]

I have been thinking this for a long time. Clearly this team will be better served when there is no internal strife, but for now Jessie has earned the right to lead. These are the cards we have been dealt and to have success for this year Jessie will be a key part. By not playing one of our only experienced players the team would basically be packing it in and may as well forfeit the rest of the way. There are still a lot of games left and if they get to the tourney anything is possible. The best way to get there will be to use the experience and leadership of the lone scholarship senior.

[bigtymehoya]

For those that are wondering: I am not Jessie Sapp (I am pretty sure the Hoyas are a little too busy right now to be reading this stuff). Also, I don't know Sapp either. I have just been watching the Hoyas for years. More importantly, I have seen the way they have been playing these last couple of years and you can see a difference with this year. I also felt like I had to say something because a lot of people have gotten on Sapp for things I think are not in his control. This team is very talented, but there clearly is something wrong with a coach not playing reliable players. Clark is still learning. Wright is still learning. There is clearly some value to watching how Sapp runs the offense so that they can continue in the same fashion in the coming years. Players don't usually leave Georgetown early because they all pay dues. The game against Cincinnati was no time to have your only senior on the bench. That just isn't good basketball.

[daytonahoya31]

dude,

I was kidding. joke, joke, joke....


welcome to the board, though

[bhoyas]

I totally disagree with the original post, I do not know which Jessie Sapp or Georgetwon team have you seen play since the start of this season because JT3 has given Sapp all the chances in the world through vast playing time throughout the season and he has not responded, in fact he has hurt us; therefore is really unjust to blame his struggles to JT3. He has not been able to hit a shot, he has not been able to create for his teammates, he has not been able to defend, he has been slower than last year, as he does not have that first step explosiveness that characterized him and worst of all he can't pass the ball in the post.

Unfortunately, he has not led because he does not want to, in tough times leaders excel and show their determination. Remember last year when Wallace struggled, he kept fighting and doing other things other than shooting while his shot came back, but kept his head hi, led and refused to lose. If you have watch any of our games, even at the beggining of the season Sapp's demeanor has not been positive, in fact it says it all, he has no confidence, he is not motivated, he is not fired up or even urging his teammates to excel as a Senior should do. Leaders lead by example and merit, and this year Sapp has no merit. A team and a player cannot be glorified just because last year or the year before he did this or that, the bottomline is that this year was his year to excel and he has not been able to. A lot of people are waiting for the real Jessie Sapp to show up...in my opinion you will keep waiting and hoping; he is just not ready physically or mentally to lead and this not JT3 fault.

[daytonahoya31]

wow

[Bando]

Jan 30, 2009 0:37:22 GMT -5 bhoyas said:

I totally disagree with the original post, I do not know which Jessie Sapp or Georgetwon team have you seen play since the start of this season because JT3 has given Sapp all the chances in the world through vast playing time throughout the season and he has not responded, in fact he has hurt us; therefore is really unjust to blame his struggles to JT3. He has not been able to hit a shot, he has not been able to create for his teammates, he has not been able to defend, he has been slower than last year, as he does not have that first step explosiveness that characterized him and worst of all he can't pass the ball in the post.

Unfortunately, he has not led because he does not want to, in tough times leaders excel and show their determination. Remember last year when Wallace struggled, he kept fighting and doing other things other than shooting while his shot came back, but kept his head hi, led and refused to lose. If you have watch any of our games, even at the beggining of the season Sapp's demeanor has not been positive, in fact it says it all, he has no confidence, he is not motivated, he is not fired up or even urging his teammates to excel as a Senior should do. Leaders lead by example and merit, and this year Sapp has no merit. A team and a player cannot be glorified just because last year or the year before he did this or that, the bottomline is that this year was his year to excel and he has not been able to. A lot of people are waiting for the real Jessie Sapp to show up...in my opinion you will keep waiting and hoping; he is just not ready physically or mentally to lead and this not JT3 fault.

I'm much more agreement with this. I don't know what alternate reality the OP is living in where Sapp a) hasn't gotten a chance and b) has performed excellently, but I sure want to live there. I'm loathe to tell the man who brought us to a Final Four and two league titles that he has no idea what he's doing.

[the_way]

leaders aren't allowed to lead

doesn't make sense.

you don't grant permission for someone to lead.

they just do it....lead.

[3xhoya]

Just to throw this out there but stats wise Sapp has the second best three poin percentage on the team right now at 34.9% (behinds Summers' 38.9%). He is second on the team in A/TO at 1.3 to 1. While this is not a great number it is better than a lot of the other options they have right now. He is also the best rebounding guard (Austin plays the 3 so I am not counting him in this) pulling down 4.1 rebounds per game (about the same as Summers). He is second behind Monroe on the team with steals. I can understand that he hasn't been playing as well as he has in the past, but to say he is hurting the team is flat out ridiculous. I don't think he doesn't want to be the leader, in fact I think quite the opposite. I feel he tries to lead but the players don't listen to him. He is the only one trying to run the offense, something the rest of the team doesn't seem interested in. I would be pretty frustrated too as a player who knows how well the system can work, and then all of a sudden being part of a team that isn't quite ready to buy into it yet.

[NCHoya]

Welcome to the board bigtyme, you summarized what I consistently have wirtten all year, Sapp is being thrown under the bus by this board for the struggles of a young team. Whether he is a natural leader or not means nothing, what means something is he is always ready for a fight and I never have to question his effort. I have no clue what some posters are saying about him hanging his head, the only time he does this is after JT3 pulls him out of the game and keeps him on the bench most of the 2nd half. I would hang my head to if as a competitor that has demonstrated gamemanship for 3 years, I was told to remain on the bench in crunchtime.

Even Barker Davis made this a point of his article prior to the SHU game, the team needs Sapp. He is the only one who actually knows what it takes to win in the BE. I am sorry but CW is a great college shooting guard, but as a point guard he struggles to create, run the offense or calm his teammates during tough times. Not saying Sapp can do all of these things well, but he does them better than CW at this point.

Also, thanks 3xhoya for putting out the stats I have been looking at all year and scratching my head when people say Sapp is underperforming. Who exactly is he underperforming? At least he can rebound a ball and play like he cares. The guy did not forget how to play. The problem is he knows how to play in JT3's offense, and our young guys do not run our offense, hence the struggles. This is JT3's problem not Sapp's. JT3 still has not gotten the kiddies to buy into his way of doing things.

I feel bad for Sapp, this is a terrible way to go out as a senior.

[Bando]

Shooters, just keep shooting
Leaders, just keep leading
Defenders, don't stop defending
Cause it won't be too long

I'm so darn glad Jessie's trying again
Cause his last time playing he lived a whole world of sin
BigTyme knows more now than JTIII knew then
Gonna keep on trying
Till I reach the highest ground

[Dhall]

I agree with the original post wholeheartedly, but at the end of the game against Seton Hall down by 1 or 2 points Sapp threw up an airball from well beyond the three-point line. That was weak (just like Freeman's shot against the side of the backboard). If Sapp makes that shot, all the wounds would have been healed I think. Too bad, but he only has himself to blame for that one.