re: Eric Williams

[bird <birdwl@earthlink.net>]

> From: "Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>
>
> Anyone else concerned by Obie's hints about more playing time for Eric
> Williams? One of the great upshots of the draft, I thought, was that we'd
> see less and less of Williams. I'm no fan of his at all.

Yes.  I, too, am very concerned about this.  I think the C's have tried to 
find a role for him (under Pitino it was designated three point shooter, 
under Obie it's defensive stopper (see below)), but he's basically one of 
those threes who plays like a four, only is too short to play that 
position (though that doesn't stop the coaching staff from playing him 
there at times.

> He allegedly plays good defense, but I've never noticed him shutting 
> anyone
> down exactly. He probably plays better defense than any of the rookies, 
> but
> does that justify increased playing time when weighed against his other
> shortcomings? I'd rather see McCarty on the floor than Williams.

I don't know if I'd go that far, but in regards to defensive ability, I 
would have to go with McCarty over EW.  The "defensive stopper" label 
found him last year and has stuck (even heard it from a respected poster 
on this list recently) but for the life of me, I don't see it.  It's a 
role that has been assigned to him rather than he having earned it, if you 
see my meaning here.  They _say_ he's one, so he is one.  Well, I ain't 
buying it.  He's just not that good a defender, is streaky (to say the 
least) from outside, and has a good inside offensive game (oh, and he can 
slash to the basket pretty well, too), but he stagnates the offensive like 
some critics of Walker think Antoine does: the ball goes to him and that's 
it.  That, and he has no real floor game: doesn't pass very well and is a 
poor rebounder.  I can't figure out why the coaching staff seems so 
enamored of him.  It's a very bad sign if he gets a lot of minutes at the 
expense of those rookies who are less polished but more talented right now 
(K. Brown, maybe Forte).  If EW is the sixth man on this team I'll do 
something rash.

> Seems
> to me preseason games were not included in the NBA League Pass. Is that
> right?

Can someone confirm this?  I seemed to recall watching preseason games 
last year, but that could be a delusion.  Certainly was hoping to catch 
them this time around.


(The Celtic "Tird",
  Celticus "tirdius")