HOOPS: Deeper Trouble Brewing Under The Surface........(Long)
Posted By: Texas_Ute_Fan
Date: Saturday, 13 April 2002, at 2:34 p.m.
While some fell we have beat this topic to death.....I don't think so.
I feel there is some very deep trouble under the surface of the Utah Basketball program. We should pay close attention to the recent defections from the program. I feel more (and possibly higher visibility) departures are coming.
I know that many of the players that have left the program have not gone on to distinguished careers. But I would have liked to have seen David Jackson stay on. He was athletic and had Championship Game experience. Might he have made a difference the following season against Miami? I know he was an uncontrollable malcontent, but athletic players with tournament experience have historically been in short supply at the U.
Take this for what it is worth, do your own homework and make up your own mind.
Out of curiousity, I sent an e-mail message to the person that posted on this board earlier this week claiming to be Cameron Goettsche. I too have been deeply concerned about the defections from the program and wanted to gain some (any)potential insight. You make up your own mind whether you believe that poster was Cameron, but I think it was.
Out of respect to the alleged Cameron Goettsche, I will not state here the specifics of his/(her?) response other than to say that many of the players are not happy and many are considering their options, if they have any. I don't know what they are not happy about, but I sense they are just not having any fun playing for Rick. This person also said that other defections during the off-season are a real possibility.
Purely speculating, I think Chris Jackson may be the next to go. This, in my mind would be devastating. After watching a lot of games on TV last season, it was PAINFULLY obvious to me that the lack of any respectable inside presence is Rick's greatest problem. Perimiter shooting can only take you so far. I would agree that guard play (read Andre) can take you deep in the tournament. However, how many of you think we would have gone deep in 98 without Doleac and/or Mottola??
I sense real trouble brewing in Uteland and I think it has a lot to do with the way Rick treats the players.
I for one, have grown very fatigued of the constant criticism of players in the press. You can just imagine what its like behind closed doors. Constantly poor mouthing the team and its chances to do anything in the conference or the NCAA's. The constant criticism of Brittons "heart". The quick hook when a player makes any little mistake (read Phil Cullen). Questioning whether Britton was deserving of the MVP. Now I admit that I privately "think" some of the same things that Rick "states." Maybe Rick is just a brutally honest person and speaks his mind....no matter what the consequences. Planting little "seeds of doubt" in his players heads. After a while it has got to take its toll. I'm amazed these guys accomplish as much as they do for Rick.
I think Rick could employ a little better judgement and psychology with his players. Is it really necessary to bad-mouth the players all of the time. A little praise once in a while (deserved or not)would be a welcome change to the constant criticism. Hell, I wouldn't want to play hard for someone that brow-beat the shit out of me all the time, no matter what I did.
Just some food for thought. Now I know I'm probably going to get royally flamed for even questioning the tactics of the God of Utah Basketball, but I sense this is a more precarious situation than any of us know. I would hate to see the program get set back 10 years.
Go Utes!!!!!
HOOPS: I'm really growing tired of hearing....
Posted By: Paladin
Date: Saturday, 13 April 2002, at 5:45 p.m.
about players are not having fun playing for Rick. Not everything is supposed to be fun. If it were we'd all be living in Disneyland. If it's true then by all means if they don't want to be here they should leave and stop wasting their time and the time of those that want to stay. If they came to Utah and didn't do their homework to find out what kind of program Rick runs then that is their own fault. He's been here for 13 years and I haven't seen much change in the way he runs things: defense, rebounding, screens and hustle. And if they think Rick's language is the extreme rather than the norm they should try playing at Maryland, Georgetown, Duke or any other high profile program. I would venture a guess that most of the same adjectives and their derivatives are used. (When you think about it there really aren't that many to choose from to begin with.)
I've heard Rick say that playing basketball is a privilege not a right. If all a person is playing for is to have fun that sounds a little selfish to me. If he wants to play to have fun he should stick to city ball or church ball.
And while I'm still pissed off, has anyone heard Craig Bolerjack finish one sentence without using a cliché or catch phrase? Just wondering.
Go Utes!!
If all a person is playing for is to have fun that sounds a little selfish to me. ?????
Posted By: Gilly
Date: Sunday, 14 April 2002, at 8:28 p.m.
In Response To: HOOPS: I'm really growing tired of hearing.... (Paladin)
Unfortunately, I bet most people agree with that statement.
Why else would anyone else play a sport? I know, the argument that they are trading their ability for a free education. But I would argue that basketball should be fun. That doesn't mean it can't be lots of work. Work and fun are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
Although it is a business, college basketball is an extra-curricular activity. While demanding, it should be fun.
Tom Kite was once praised for being one of the hardest-working golfers on tour, and he said "I don't consider it work."
There's a difference between working hard and not having fun.
But at the same time...
Posted By: Diehard
Ute
Date: Sunday, 14 April 2002, at 9:08 p.m.
In Response To: If all a person is playing for is to have fun that sounds a little selfish to me. ????? (Gilly)
not everything you do in life is going to be fun. There's a lot of things that aren't fun at all, even if it is, or has been, something you enjoy.
If you always dump things just becuase you aren't having fun, you're not going to do all that well when life gets tough, IMO.
I'd say about half my classes in college weren't fun....perhaps I should have asked to transfer into something else?
HOOPS: Why I believe Texas Ute Fan is wrong...
Posted By: Mr.
Crimson
Date: Saturday, 13 April 2002, at 7:19 p.m.
Teams that hate their coach and are unhappy don't play the way the Utes did. This team had no size, no inside game, lost their best player and came 1 more timeout to call another play away from winning a conference title against what was a much better team on their court where no one wins.
Teams that hate their coach play like last years team did against Air Force and Memphis and while this team lost some games they never quit and frankly I believe gave us all they had.
Now I could be wrong but I don't think so.
...in addition...
Posted By: UndispUTEd
Date: Sunday, 14 April 2002, at 5:56 p.m.
In Response To: HOOPS: Why I believe Texas Ute Fan is wrong... (Mr. Crimson)
why would a guy like Marc Jackson want to come back here so badly if coach was so unlikeable? Granted, he spent most of his freshman year playing for Coach Dick (who some guys actually didn't play hard for), but he did go through Majerus' preseason.
Also, what about a guy like Phil Cullen? He gave up his scholarship voluntarily and stayed with the team for two years when he could have just concentrated on school and baseball.
Clearly, the Majerus experience is not for everybody, but apparently it's worth something to someone.
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