Gator Basketball Stokes finally listens

[ChiefGator]

Stokes beginning to realize potential for UF - GatorSports.com

“(Coach White) has been telling me year-round, all the time. He’s the one who sat me down and gave me the man-to-man talk and told me how it is,” Stokes said. “It was just my decision if I’m going to do it or not, and I finally bought into it.”

Getting closer to his goal weight of 250 pounds, Stokes said the key was cutting out certain foods.

Apparently he liked eating stuff more than playing, as usual many things are only addressed by the players, not the coach.

Comment as you desire.

 

[rogdochar]

Bravo. Now, have Stokes watch film of appropriate "big men" manipulating the defender. He seems to have a good touch. He needs something to enhance his quickness - maybe get him on a gymnastics trampoline with that safety halter < just joking > And of course, how much better does he get at each lesser weight stage? Slenderize that guy.... and next year don't let him hurt Omer Payne.

 

[rogdochar]

P.S.>> Hook Stokes up with the Shands bariatric doctors and physiologists. If he has a girlfriend, secretly meet with her and teach her to manipulate him toward slender ... maybe a personal relationship with Marie Osmond? Eat toast or you're toast.

 

[GatorBart]

Dude's been here for 1.5 years and now he's getting it?!
I'm sorry, I know it's a free country and all, but the coaching staff should have played hard ball from the beginning and had someone assigned to monitor Stokes on a continual basis concerning what he is/was putting into his body on a daily basis. He's giving up rice at Chipotle now as one measure and it sounds like he thinks that's health food. I don't eat rice in my burritos either and I never knew I was eating health food.
For the record, I don't eat at Chipotle.

 

[NavetG8r]

Dude's been here for 1.5 years and now he's getting it?!
I'm sorry, I know it's a free country and all, but the coaching staff should have played hard ball from the beginning and had someone assigned to monitor Stokes on a continual basis concerning what he is/was putting into his body on a daily basis. He's giving up rice at Chipotle now as one measure and it sounds like he thinks that's health food. I don't eat rice in my burritos either and I never knew I was eating health food.
For the record, I don't eat at Chipotle.

Rice is fattening? Who knew? Asians are never fat, or rarely anyway...

 

[t-gator]

Dude's been here for 1.5 years and now he's getting it?!
I'm sorry, I know it's a free country and all, but the coaching staff should have played hard ball from the beginning and had someone assigned to monitor Stokes on a continual basis concerning what he is/was putting into his body on a daily basis. He's giving up rice at Chipotle now as one measure and it sounds like he thinks that's health food. I don't eat rice in my burritos either and I never knew I was eating health food.
For the record, I don't eat at Chipotle.

He spent alot of his first year recovering from an acl injury. He was probably limited in what he could do.

 

[divits]

No offense to the OP, but I'm a little jaded about these "the light goes on" stories. If the light hasn't already gone on by the time you sign a LOI to play big time college sports then it usually never does.

I hope this is one of those rare cases.

 

[deuce]

Never passed up a Big Mac.......

BTW: You can now get Bacon on a Big Mac........ the END is near!

 

[GatorTruth133]

He spent alot of his first year recovering from an acl injury. He was probably limited in what he could do.

^ This. Plus, he had been out of the game for a little while before that. It takes some time to knock of the rust, much less grow accustomed to the speed of the game.

Don't get me wrong, White deserves plenty of criticism like why the hell do you not play Allen the last 5+ minutes at home against Tennessee, but when your only big man is Hayes...any team is in trouble. Early in the year this year, especially.

 

[GatorBart]

He spent alot of his first year recovering from an acl injury. He was probably limited in what he could do.

Except for eating.

 

[rogdochar]

Let him realign himself. Let's see how much he can support his team, starting eerr soon ?
I'll take a late bloomer on the inside, anytime. Time's up.

 

[Frozen Gator]

P.S.>> Hook Stokes up with the Shands bariatric doctors and physiologists. If he has a girlfriend, secretly meet with her and teach her to manipulate him toward slender ... maybe a personal relationship with Marie Osmond? Eat toast or you're toast.

 

[ChiefGator]

No offense to the OP, but I'm a little jaded about these "the light goes on" stories. If the light hasn't already gone on by the time you sign a LOI to play big time college sports then it usually never does.

I hope this is one of those rare cases.

I agree it was intended to show that in many ways the players must do their part, the coach can't play, can't make them eat correctly, or much of anything.

Now he was injured so perhaps that is part of the story.

 

[InstiGATOR1]

No offense to the OP, but I'm a little jaded about these "the light goes on" stories. If the light hasn't already gone on by the time you sign a LOI to play big time college sports then it usually never does.

I hope this is one of those rare cases.

The "light" often goes on for players, but rarely is it they started listening to their coach. The light often goes on for players when the catch up to the speed of the game at a higher level. Then it may seem like they are listening to their coach when in fact they are now just reacting quickly enough to do what their coach wants. I think players may say they started listening to their coach because in this day and age they do not want to admit their physical skills do not allow them to just step in at the UF level, but of course all players need to adjust and get better at each level.

As for Stokes, to be a player at UF he needed in order to:

1. Heal from his torn ACL
2. Lose weight and get in shape for the college game.
3. Learn that this was not AAU and he could not just fog up threes nearly like he reportedly did in AAU ball.
4. Adjust to the speed of the game.

I guess 3 and 4 are somewhat related.

So I am not sure why anyone is surprised it took him a bit longer to get it compared to a frosh who came to UF healthy, in shape and playing the type of game he would be asked to play at UF.

 

[ChiefGator]

The "light" often goes on for players, but rarely is it they started listening to their coach. The light often goes on for players when the catch up to the speed of the game at a higher level. Then it may seem like they are listening to their coach when in fact they are not just reacting quickly enough to do what their coach wants. I think players may say they started listening to their coach because in this day and age they do not want to admit their physical skills do not allow them to just step in at the UF level, but of course all players need to adjust and get better at each level.

As for Stokes, to be a player at UF he needed in order to:

1. Heal from his torn ACL
2. Lose weight and get in shape for the college game.
3. Learn that this was not AAU and he could not just fog up threes nearly like he reportedly did in AAU ball.
4. Adjust to the speed of the game.

I guess 3 and 4 are somewhat related.

So I am not sure why anyone is surprised it took him a bit longer to get it compared to a frosh who came to UF healthy, in shape and playing the type of game he would be asked to play at UF.

I agree with a big addition, his team can and should demand the best from each player. Tebow was great in leadership and I bet we lack that on this team. Not only leading by talking but by performance which is essential.

 

[rogdochar]

IDK, what change gets labelled "the light" can vary. I'd certainly say a light came on for all Gators concerning hitting their free-throws.
Aren't we all awaiting for the "light" where most teammates become great at readiness for Nembhard's tricky dishes.
This current win-streak represents the light going on to all that we score more favorably by going inside the arc for higher % shot attempts.

Glad Stokes found a light.

 

[Frozen Gator]

Last year I said the first half of the season we seemed to be practicing to do well in the tournament, the SEC championship regular season be damned. I want us to do well in the NCAAs too but I've been around watching the Gators since around 1960, I haven't seen enough SEC banners hanging in the gym. To me that's pretty important as well.

 

[aka]

Going very light or cutting out carbs and still staying active will make a difference. I did and wasn't trying to lose weight but can tell I have.

 

[DaRealGayta]

Dont understand why mw like 195lb center hell we need that weight c'mon mw give us a better excuse fo r not playing the man

 

[Tay Bang]

Dont understand why mw like 195lb center hell we need that weight c'mon mw give us a better excuse fo r not playing the man

You didn’t read the article did you...