Well Beyond Injury and Into Total Dysfunction: Cards Lose to Providence by 31
Posted by frankpos on January 10, 2012
What can be said?
Enough blather about injuries. This was an effortless, heartless– yes, gutless– performance.
Anyone with eyes and a modicum of basketball IQ knew some foul brew has been cooking for a while on this team. Now it has come to full boil.
This is not just Siva. This is not just the players. This is a total indictment of the team and coaches.
Other coaches and teams have had us sliced and diced for several games now. And with little adjustment by us, by either our players or coaches.
Over 40 years of watching Card Bball, I have seldom seen such a gutless, futile effort against a foe whose players represent rejects by us–and who was a 7 point underdog to us. It’s gutless when a mediocre rebounding team pounds you on the boards by a 40-25 margin. That’s just lack of heart.
This is not a pure talent issue. While I have never thought we were a top 10 team and have said so since watching the first few games this season, I do firmly believe we are a top 15-20 team in terms of sheer talent.
It’s something else. And a big part must be team chemistry–or rather, lack thereof.
How do you solve this issue now– in mid season, and mid-meltdown? Hell, I don’t know.
And judging from his stunned and confused look in his C-J post game interview video, I frankly doubt Coach Pitino knows how either….
Don't worry, be happy...the LadyBirds are here to make it all feel better....
Dave (@wmdaveh) said
Is this where to post our ideas to fix the team and win a ticket? Hope so, because here’s mine lol.
I think there is some truth in many different things different fans are tossing around: CRP’s scheme is too complicated for some players; Siva’s head and ankle are going to prevent him from being the Siva he was last year; we don’t have great 3 point shooters, etc etc.
Since many of these various symptoms affect the team’s success obviously in a perfect world we fix them all. But in the meanwhile, my idea is the team itself needing leadership and chemistry. I’d immediately initiate a number of team-building exercises. Not the basketball kind – the kind where they are forced to talk to each other and build up their rapport, friendship and trust. This team can only overcome numerous challenges through profound teamwork and team spirit — which evidently is not in place right now. ANd without that, no one player (or coach) is going to get them beyond all the obstacles.