What I want for Christmas

[GMUgemini]

If I could have anything for Christmas it would be:

Taking some of Okoloji's fire and putting it into Vaughn Gray and some of Corey Edward's perimeter shooting ability and putting it into Bryon Allen. THEN we'd have something.

 

[Patriotfan49]

It surprises me about the fire/competitive ness or lack there of in some of the guys. You would think that D1 athletes have to have a pretty strong competitive desire to get to where they are. Not everybody being Kobe Bryant or Tom Brady, but at least some external show.

Its almost as if our roster is loaded with normal college kids who just happen to be 6-4 or 6-8 and pretty skilled at bball.

 

[Patriot Lawdog]

I've thought a lot about this supposed lack of "fire". Honestly, I think it's the worst thing that you can say about an athlete. It is my belief that the majority of our guys do not lack "fire".

I've seen it in other sports and I think it applies even more so in basketball, but often times confusion or overthinking can cause tentativeness that appears to be a lack of "fire" or caring. Guys become confused or late to react and it looks like they're not trying. Perhaps the system being run is too complicated for the players within it. It's the coaches job to find a system that the players can run well and understand. There is nothing more infuriating to me than a coach saying "I just don't have the players to fit my system." Coaching is adapting.

Simply put, I refuse to believe that our players lack "fire." Anyone who watched Sherrod Wright last night in the 2nd half would say otherwise. Was it any coincidence that when the gameplan became more simplified on both ends of the floor that the team played better?

 

[patriot2000]

I've thought a lot about this supposed lack of "fire". Honestly, I think it's the worst thing that you can say about an athlete. It is my belief that the majority of our guys do not lack "fire".

I've seen it in other sports and I think it applies even more so in basketball, but often times confusion or overthinking can cause tentativeness that appears to be a lack of "fire" or caring. Guys become confused or late to react and it looks like they're not trying. Perhaps the system being run is too complicated for the players within it. It's the coaches job to find a system that the players can run well and understand. There is nothing more infuriating to me than a coach saying "I just don't have the players to fit my system." Coaching is adapting.

Simply put, I refuse to believe that our players lack "fire." Anyone who watched Sherrod Wright last night in the 2nd half would say otherwise. Was it any coincidence that when the gameplan became more simplified on both ends of the floor that the team played better?

This

But either way it ends up looking like really uninspired basketball. I miss the days where it always appeared our guys were having fun

Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk

 

[Scythe]

We need a "yeller" like Morrison/Pearson/Thomas to get the team fired up.

For Christmas I'd like a real post-presence/inside game.

 

[GSII]

Amen lawdog. What you wrote was a deep fear of mine when he was hired. Its a nightmare coming true now.

 

[gmutom]

Was it any coincidence that when the gameplan became more simplified on both ends of the floor that the team played better?

lawdog, I'd love to hear more one what exactly you think changed in the second half other than Sherrod taking over. We still played man-to-man defense and we still pressed, both of which led to us digging ourselves a 17-point deficit at halftime. Nothing was simplified at all in terms of scheme, coaching or strategy.

 

[gmujim92]

Well Tom, to be fair, it doesn't get much simpler than "The rest of you guys, give the ball to Sherrod and get the F out of the way."

 

[gmutom]

Well Tom, to be fair, it doesn't get much simpler than "The rest of you guys, give the ball to Sherrod and get the F out of the way."

Jim, I'm pretty sure that's the gameplan every game. Unfortunately, we've dug big holes the last two games in part because Sherrod got off to very slow starts in both. He just decided he finally had enough in the second half last night. To act like anything was simplified on either end of the court in the second half is ridiculous and is giving way too much credit to the coaches. The difference was Sherrod scored 18 of his 27 points after intermission.

 

[Patriotfan49]

It never gets old watching Tom think that he has the answer for absolutely everything.

 

[gmutom]

It never gets old watching Tom think that he has the answer for absolutely everything.

If you disagree with my analysis, provide your own rather than taking personal jabs. I disagree with lawdog's assessment that there were any adjustments made by halftime, because there were none. Hewitt stubbornly refused to stop pressing or to go to a zone defense. The sole reason we tied the game is because Sherrod took over. Period.

 

[Haxormax]

what's gonna happen when sherrod is no longer with us?

 

[Scythe]

I'm reserving judgement on the adjustments since I had no live feed to watch -- but historically Hewitt doesn't really make any "big" adjustments like changing up defenses, presses, etc... He has the mindset of just letting the players play it seems.

Sherrod is really the only reason the team had a chance.

 

[Patriotfan49]

It wasnt a personal jab, just an observation. Sensitive today huh Tommy. When I provide my analysis and opinions its too "negative" for you and you divert into your negative speech.

 

[gmujim92]

Well, if our game plan every game really is "Sherrod drive, others watch," somebody should alert our other players. They don't seem to have received the message.

 

[Patriotfan49]

Also not sure I want to pay a coach as much as we do Hewitt if that is the gameplan every game.

 

[gmutom]

It wasnt a personal jab, just an observation. Sensitive today huh Tommy.

Not sensitive at all, P49. Just not big on making things personal. I don't pretend to have all of the answers, but I do know that nothing was done to simply our offense or defense last night in the second half. Anybody who watched saw that we made no adjustments at all.

Warning: I am taking my kids to a Disney movie at lunchtime, so I might be in bad mood when I return. haha

 

[Patriotfan49]

My intent wasnt making it personal, just as you frequently call me and others negative it was just my own observation.

 

[Haxormax]

pf49, you're a bad person, a bad fan, and a bad lay.

im bored at work today if you people couldn't tell.

 

[Patriotfan49]

it is pretty empty in the ole office today.