Husky Basketball

The below was posted on the Seattle Times Husky Basketball Forum, and a thread titled: Disgrace to the program and embarrassed to be a Husky.


The original poster was over the top, and I deleted a bunch of my own complaining about him. What was left is below, and is my response to the recent downturn in the Husky BB fortunes.

I thought Romar's explanation was perfect. This is his fault. He accepted the blame, and yet most of you want to put it on the players. Some of you think coaching is easy, and have the
simple but PERFECT answer to every problem Romar faces.

Yes, it can get frustrating watching our team dismantled by seemingly inferior players. However, if I honestly approach the problem, I cannot think of easy answers. We only have one post
player who can reliably catch the ball. The opponents have learned to remove him from the game and force us to shoot threes.

So what is the answer? Put Suggs, Wilcox, IT, Ross, and MBA in game and bombs away? That was easy. Oh, but rebounding, and defense also comes into the equation. Wilcox, Ross, and Suggs are still developing their defensive skills.

Other than IT getting sloppy, which is a mental error, I thought the team gave a good effort. The first game Duke lost, coach K was very wise. He said, our team gave a good effort, but the other
team gave a better effort. They played really well. They were coached really well. ....that was about all he said, publicly.

Motivating and teaching young athletes is no science. Romar is learning just like everyone else. He is doing fine in my book. Not great, but fine. Let him do his job, and we should do our job which
I suppose does include pretending we are coach and offering ideas. Try to keep it inspirational. Or rationale.

Here is my coaching tip: Next practice, spend half the time allowing everyone to practice their three point shooting. Maybe one on one. The defender giving varied defense from open shots to loosely defended. Maybe a drill where the team plays one minute scrimmages and then immediately goes into the three point shooting practice. Other than Suggs, the entire team is shooting bricks. They are way too tense. They have lost confidence. They need to relax!
Please relax!

Aziz needs to practice CATCHING the ball in the post. Until he learns that he cannot be part of a half court offense. MBA cannot dish off to him when triple teamed. Anyone 7 foot tall
and athletic enough to be playing at the major college level is hoping to get rich in the NBA. Aziz will never make it until he can catch the ball more reliably. Maybe he will never make it, but if he is going to he will have to dedicate himself to putting in the work.

Good luck Huskies! Please spend 20 minutes relaxing before each game. Zen or prayer, it doesn't matter. Then hype yourself up for BATTLE.

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Then after the game on the game thread of Percy Allen's Seattle Times Husky Basketball Forum, I wrote the following comment after the Huskies lost a close game to the University of Quack. (Oregon U.)

Soggyblogger said:


"Good effort. Well played except for the early turnover problem. OK, the rest of the country is catching up to the leaders all over the country. Everybody is stepping it up and improving their games. That's what this is all about. Why cry about it? We made progress. I think we turned a corner. Now I think they will accept that nothing is going to be handed to them. Work hard on those things which you can control. Rebounding. Good D. Take care of the ball better.

Thomas was sloppy early, but clearly took control in the second half. I think he is mentally tough and will fight through this. Ross and Suggs are growing every game. Keep rebounding and take care of the ball and I think this team will mature into a top competitor. MBA was great, but either lost his focus or tired out at the end.

It isn't that we are less than we were, but others have turned up the heat and we need to make that next step to being tough AND talented. Go Huskies."

**********

Other fans felt similar, and quite a few are filled with despair. Lots of blame. How sad. If the Huskies cannot get themselves together it is not a life changing problem for me. I will not need prozac. My goodness, it's shocking. Total despair over a college basketball team. Not good mental health. 

When people's happiness is based upon a sporting event or season, they need to re-evaluate their priorities, and they are missing the best thing about being a fan of sports. Regardless of what happens, I will take pleasure in the Huskies successes  and shrug my shoulders when they lose. Either they will help make me happy or I will find happiness somewhere else. Any other attitude seems self-destructive to me. 

Oh, well.... [shrug]

Soggyblogger