Johnson, Finney-Smith’s mom discuss player’s exit

[Root4tech]

Berman interview with both Finney-Smith mom and JJ. Finney-Smith's mom dropped the line of 'i wasn't happy'...what was she not happy about. Oh well, best of luck to Finney...hope you don't have to play any more power forward.

http://blogs.roanoke.com/courtside/

[bfloyd89]

Berman interview with both Finney-Smith mom and JJ. Finney-Smith's mom dropped the line of 'i wasn't happy'...what was she not happy about. Oh well, best of luck to Finney...hope you don't have to play any more power forward.

http://blogs.roanoke.com/courtside/

Some interesting snippets from that article:

The firing of Greenberg did not help matters.

“I had issues before they even did that,” she told the Virginian-Pilot. “[Finney-Smith] said after Seth left he almost knew he wanted to leave. There was just stuff going on.”

So the firing was the dagger in the heart it looks like.

Finney said her son has not been happy since a Feb. 21 loss to Virginia. He had a costly turnover in the final seconds of the game.

“He hasn’t been happy since the UVa game,” Finney told the Virginian-Pilot. “One of the things was he played out of position at [power forward], which is not the position they recruited him to play.”

John Richardson, the assistant who helped Greenberg woo Finney-Smith to Tech, left last month to rejoin the ODU staff. But Finney-Smith’s mother said her son does not want to transfer to ODU.

Puts the ODU thing to rest.

[jarrowsm]

Some interesting snippets from that article:



So the firing was the dagger in the heart it looks like.





Puts the ODU thing to rest.

No...I think the most telling part is that he wasn't happy playing out of position- which I can understand. You have four years to audition for pro scouts. It must be frustrating to not be allowed to develop and play the position that you will play in the pros. I think Jeff Allen had similar difficulty here- and when you look at it objectively, under different circumstances, Allen could have been an NBA player- but he spent his 4 years here playing center and power forward and never dribbled the ball.

[reestuart]

No...I think the most telling part is that he wasn't happy playing out of position- which I can understand. You have four years to audition for pro scouts. It must be frustrating to not be allowed to develop and play the position that you will play in the pros. I think Jeff Allen had similar difficulty here- and when you look at it objectively, under different circumstances, Allen could have been an NBA player- but he spent his 4 years here playing center and power forward and never dribbled the ball.

Yeah, it almost doesn't make a lot of sense. He wasn't happy to be playing out of position, so firing the coach that had him playing out of position was the last straw? He was playing there out of need, but there was no guarantee that was ever going to change.

[Hubman]

No...I think the most telling part is that he wasn't happy playing out of position- which I can understand. You have four years to audition for pro scouts. It must be frustrating to not be allowed to develop and play the position that you will play in the pros. I think Jeff Allen had similar difficulty here- and when you look at it objectively, under different circumstances, Allen could have been an NBA player- but he spent his 4 years here playing center and power forward and never dribbled the ball.

Still, to this day, I think Jeff Allen was the most talented player under Seth Greenberg. It is such a shame that the coaches could not develop him and figure out his niche on the court.........Jeff didn't help matters by any means, but had he had a little more guidance and direction, it may have helped.........

[Hubman]

Yeah, it almost doesn't make a lot of sense. He wasn't happy to be playing out of position, so firing the coach that had him playing out of position was the last straw? He was playing there out of need, but there was no guarantee that was ever going to change.

His mom was unhappy, but she has been unhappy everywhere he has played ball. You should have wittnessed this woman at the AAU tournaments in Hampton. My Lord. She had coaches wanting to punch her. Yes, physcially punch her. She has quite the reputation in the 757, and I applaud Seth for dealing with it.......

[Femoyer Hokie]

Unless you play for an upper tier school you often have to play out of position a LOT. Also, as a player, you are often a "tweener", without a true natural position. It is just the nature of the beast. This won't be changing at Tech for a while and JF-S knows this.

[Edgeman]

Still, to this day, I think Jeff Allen was the most talented player under Seth Greenberg. Jeff didn't help matters by any means, but had he had a little more guidance and direction, it may have helped.........

Unfortunately Jeff sealed his fate in the ACC by that one action, and it followed him throughout his VT career. Hard to believe the refs would continue to hold that against him year after year, but it seemed very clear they continued to call him very tight... probably tighter than any other player in the league. Unless that guidance came before that bump, it wouldn't have mattered to the refs.

I also feel that JA was one of, if not the most talented player in the SG era. He had the quickness of a much smaller player, so if he had a guy who was as quick as him, he could just post up & shoot over him. When they put a taller player on him, Jeff could just go around him. Jeff was a match-up nightmare for all of our opponents, so they were lucky to have the refs on their side for almost all of his ACC games.

[Chris Coleman]

FYI: Rev asked that his post be deleted, so I took it off and also deleted all replies to his post. Just in case anyone started wondering where their posts went.

[neergt81]

coaches leave everyday to get a better situation. Why do kids get criticized for doing the exact same thing. JJ transferred twice in three weeks. Many coaches do. If I can get a better job I will put my two weeks in and leave if I'm not happy