Within the comments section of VaWolf82’s fantastic ACC Mid-Season Review, there was a post that prompted me to reflect on the Wolfpack’s current basketball season. In my opinion, the post – by 13OT – really cut to the heart of why we’ve seen what we’ve seen this season – the good and the bad. A choice quote:
“This team should be getting better but simply isn’t. If anything, they’re getting worse. What we have here is mainly a bunch of street-ballers who still don’t function as a cohesive team unit, can’t shoot free throws, hold on to the ball, take sensible shots, or play consistent defense.”
^I believe this is a very fair assessment. 13OT didn’t say that we had bad players or bad people, just that the group is not a cohesive team unit, among other things. I happen to agree. At the end of the post, the following opinion is offered:
“I wouldn’t want to have to coach this team, and I’m beginning to wonder if those who have to really want to.”
^If I had to guess, I’d guess that there’s merit to this line of thinking. Before I get into why I’m expressing that sentiment please bear in mind that I’m not attempting to fan the flames of a “is Gottfried responsible?” argument. It’s his team, of course he’s responsible. That doesn’t mean we can’t try to decipher why certain things may or may not be working. I’m not on the sidelines and I’m not at practice, but that doesn’t mean I can’t take some good ‘ol message board guesses (read: pretty worthless) as to what might be going on.
So, why do I feel that this unit hasn’t gelled into a team and that perhaps this season has proven problematic from a coaching standpoint? Well, I’ll first start with some general observations about this season’s team:
- There’s some good individual talent
- These all seem to be really good guys. The type you want representing your team. They seem to support one another and buy into the ‘team’ concept. All very likable.
Ok, great – we’ve got some good talent and good guys whose personalities seem to mesh … So what the hell has happened to prevent this from all coming together? If they supposedly buy into the team concept, then why do we see evidence to the contrary on the court? In my view, it breaks down as follows:
– A) There is no on-floor general. Generally speaking, it’s accepted/presumed that Trevor Lacey is the leader of the team. He is by all accounts a good guy with good leadership qualities and is a great player. I’d argue even that he is a special player, one that has the potential to lead a team to a special accomplishment.
Sometimes though, a team needs more than a good leader / potentially special player. Sometimes a group of great guys need a kick in the ass. A group of great guys need a villain. A villain who will call out missed assignments, missed plays. A villain who will goad, will motivate, will unify those around them to share a common goal: overcome the villain. Gottfried has attempted to be this team’s villain. No response. You can’t fake being that which you are not.
As much as it makes me want to vomit to say, sometimes a ‘Laettner’ is just what a team needs. That one person who will keep everyone else from straying from the plan and keep them in check. The one person who will provide the impetus for having and sharing a singular direction, purpose, and vision when the coach doesn’t always get through.
– B) When players on a team stray and wind up on different pages, they revert back to relying on their individual talents and traits and stop relying on their teammates. Even if they buy-in and believe in the team concept, if they’re all on separate pages of the same playbook it’s damn near impossible to be one cohesive unit. Then they’re just a collection of individuals, and it really doesn’t matter how talented each individual part is.
A team provides a safety net for each of it’s individuals – everyone has each others’ backs. Everyone knows their role and function – the right decisions are made at the right time. Mistakes are made up for through practice, being on one page, through discipline … Not so for individuals – each mistake is glaring to observers.
It can be even worse for unselfish individuals – which I feel we have. Being unselfish is a good trait, especially on a team. But when you’re too unselfish you can wind up trying to please and doing what is asked of you come hell or high water. What’s that one play that we run quite literally every time down the court? The one that everyone in the gym knows is coming? Oh yeah – the ‘run one guy off a bunch of screens until he can reasonably shoot a contested 3’ play.
You’re trying to be unselfish, you’re trying to do what is asked – but everyone has a different idea of what that is. There are no feints, no mis-direction, no quick reads that take advantage of athleticism. No taking advantage of a system that – when executed as one unit – utilizes and maximizes an individual’s given talents. Just bad, bad, terri-bad decision making and discipline.
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TL;DR: The team lacks motivation and a singular direction, purpose and vision. It’s greatest downfalls are a lack of discipline and some bad decision making.
^All of the above leads me to feel that maybe we should just abandon thinking – just start playing and reacting – in an attempt to salvage the season. Run full court man or some 1-2-2 trap press. Keep the transition game going. Failing that, in the half court just go 1-4 motion and break down the defense off the dribble. In limited samples, it seems the team has responded favorably and everyone is active.
Is this the right decision though? Would this be the best course for the rest of the season? As a fan, I want to win every bit as much as the coaches and players do. I want to take every opportunity and explore every avenue available that would lead to success within this season.
As a program manager and coach though it may not be quite that simple. What about the plan and vision that has been implemented? What about the core philosophy and the Pyramid of Success? Do we perhaps abandon some of these things at this point in what could be a futile effort to salvage the season? What about the future?
Hopefully, aside from the graduating seniors all of these guys will be back next season. As previously stated, there would be some really good talent returning – plus, to me, all of these guys are very likable and easy to cheer for. It’s a solid nucleus. Do you keep on keepin’ on, hoping that one day this season it will all fall into place? Or do you go all out in an effort to just win now? If you do the latter, then what do you do next season when these same guys are back?
It’s painful to lose, but I have a feeling there isn’t any question that things will continue as is for this season. Keep planning and building the foundation for the future while still trying to succeed in the present. “Know what you teach, and teach what you know.” I can respect that. Please notice that I did not say I ‘excuse’ anything, I said respect. The results, as always, will speak for themselves. The much reviled, unofficial theme of State fans everywhere may need to be uttered once again – ‘wait til next year!!!’.
What’s your take on this season and the future?
