GDT: vs Mercer

[HoosierPal]

27 minutes ago, cheeseman said:

These are kids - young men to be exact - and trying to read their body language during a game is a bit risky.  Now if you see it all the time and at practice then maybe there is a problem.  I think the issue last night simply was a young player like Nesbitt and Traore simply would have been lost in that game.  Even or more seasoned players were having a problem with defense for awhile.  Ford simply stuck with what was working and ultimately that is what a coach is suppose to do.

Last year Earl Austin said, "It's not the coach's job to make the players happy.   It's the player's job to make the coach happy." 

Coach needs to make sure we get the W and not worry about everyone getting a participation ribbon.

[SLUMS81]

Not getting playing time should motivate high quality players,  not discourage them.

[almaman]

20 minutes ago, HoosierPal said:

Last year Earl Austin said, "It's not the coach's job to make the players happy.   It's the player's job to make the coach happy." 

Coach needs to make sure we get the W and not worry about everyone getting a participation ribbon.

another pearl from Earl.

[billiken_roy]

I always told my kids " don't give the coach a reason not to play you. "  Feeling sorry or pissed off on the bench and showing such is basically telling the coach you aren't mentally going to be able to help, pick someone else.

[3star_recruit]

1 hour ago, slu72 said:

I believe you can tell a lot about a player’s commitment to the team by watching their actions on the bench. Sorry to read that about Traore displaying a sour attitude. Has anyone observed Williams reactions? I’m assuming he’s probably wondering why he came here but don’t really have any proof of that. He was a major player at his two previous schools and now he’s a pine rider. Can’t be an easy pill to swallow. 

This is one of those generational things where we'll just have to agree to  disagree.  Rah rah guys give fans warm and fuzzies but there is a segment of young men these days that is quite introverted.  It doesn't mean that they're not committed to the team.

[dlarry]

25 minutes ago, 3star_recruit said:

This is one of those generational things where we'll just have to agree to  disagree.  Rah rah guys give fans warm and fuzzies but there is a segment of young men these days that is quite introverted.  It doesn't mean that they're not committed to the team.

Especially when we have no idea what is going on. Maybe he was giving pep talks in the huddle, maybe he was sick, maybe he was told he was benched and going to use that as motivation going forward. 

[AnkielBreakers]

Fred Thatch looked like he was having an attitude problem this year, until yesterday. 

[brianstl]

I don’t think the board, coach or anything else like that had an impact on Thatch having a great game.  Fred Thatch had a gear last night that wasn’t there in the other games.  He looked far more athletic yesterday. He had bounce to his game.

I think the situation with Fred and his condition is one where he is going to have that gear some days and not others.  Probably a situation where Fred doesn’t even know until he gets into the game and has played for a while.

[3star_recruit]

I thought Fred looked quite athletic when he grabbed 9 rebounds and had 3 assists in only 19 min against Eastern Illinois.  His shots just did not go in.  As a glue guy, he doesn't get the opportunity to shoot and shoot until he gets hot.  Glue guys have to convert early or the offense will quickly move to other options.  So while I'm glad Fred had a great shooting game, I'm not sure that's the best way to measure his value to the team.

[almaman]

that streak of  layups  he had  in first half  should  be  looked @ by foe &  team  a like they were all beautiful. Almost seemed slowed down. 

[brianstl]

30 minutes ago, 3star_recruit said:

I thought Fred looked quite athletic when he grabbed 9 rebounds and had 3 assists in only 19 min against Eastern Illinois.  His shots just did not go in.  As a glue guy, he doesn't get the opportunity to shoot and shoot until he gets hot.  Glue guys have to convert early or the offense will quickly move to other options.  So while I'm glad Fred had a great shooting game, I'm not sure that's the best way to measure his value to the team.

Fred had to settle for jumps shots in the EIU game because he didn’t have that gear to get to and score at the rim like he did yesterday.  Fred had a great game yesterday because he had the athletic ability to operate in traffic, getting to the rim with the ball, controlling passes to him in traffic in the lane and grabbing offensive rebounds to get second chance points.  Sorry, but to my eyes Fred was a completely different player yesterday.  One that we haven’t seen to this point this year.  

[cheeseman]

4 hours ago, brianstl said:

I don’t think the board, coach or anything else like that had an impact on Thatch having a great game.  Fred Thatch had a gear last night that wasn’t there in the other games.  He looked far more athletic yesterday. He had bounce to his game.

I think the situation with Fred and his condition is one where he is going to have that gear some days and not others.  Probably a situation where Fred doesn’t even know until he gets into the game and has played for a while.

Good point I have actually thought that he hadn't look like he was in a condition to compete the way he has or wanted to.  I figured that he was having some health issues that had cropped up.  You may be right - it may come and go for him.