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Leadership of this team


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This is a free post from Stephen Hooks. He's one of the big time boosters in the program & has deep access inside FWIW.

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Watching this team from both the outside and from the inside I have noticed an issue that IMHO has grown ever more problematic and that is leadership on and off the court. 

Let me explain what I mean. We all know how young this team is. The core group that gets significant minutes are 5 freshman and two sophomores. There are only four others seeing any real playing time. Two are grad transfers and one is a senior (although only been playing with the program a year and a half) while the other is the sole junior on the team. Normally in a program that is not being rebuilt from the ground up you would find players throughout the classes who over time have carved strong personas on and off the court. This program simply doesn't have that as the foundation is has only arrived in the last 1.5 seasons. 

There are zero seniors on this program that could or would provide leadership for two reason. Grad transfers are risks taken when a program is needing to be rebuilt and quick bodies are required. Johnson and Smith are basically hired guns. They came here expecting to play a great deal and in the case of Johnson he expected to easily beat our Harper and play the lion share of the PG minutes. This has not happened so you deal with an older young adult who has not bonded seriously with the young kids and at this point will not. Smith didn't come here expecting to start or play massive minutes but he is older and a passing through journeyman. Bottom line no on court leadership happening. 

Next you look at Dunnas. TJ is an introvert and a guy dealing at times with his own demons (tough upbringing, young father and pressures to make it so he can make some money playing hoops). TJ Dunnas again I believe cannot be the type of leader one needs on a freshman laden team. 

Next on the list is TJ Lang. TJ is a solid student and person but TJ is more of an introvert than Dunnas. TJ prefers a world with his headphones where is can stay to himself. On the court is role is more limited in minutes and excels when able to spot up for the three ball. This season has been rough on him as his injury in the early preseason set him back. He hasn't been the same player since and lost ground in rotation. This all happened right before the Chattanooga preseason game. Bottom line not a on court nor locker room leader. 

Now we get to the two sophomores. Lets just say its not been the season on or off court these two would like to remember. Both are bouncing back but personality wise again not natural born leaders. 

And we now are left with five freshman one of which a few weeks ago was in high school! This group has natural born leaders. Heron, Harper and Purifoy to a point all posses real ability to lead on and off the court. Give them time and they will but its a huge thing to ask them to already be able to take over as THE team leader when one is 17 or 18 years old and there are guys on the roster who are 23 years old!

The coaches of course know all this but its a challenge to solve quickly. What I do like is the real leadership this staff continues to show at every turn. We are in good hands. 

I really believe much of the breakdowns in D and effort lately are more related to leadership than at first obvious to what is going on with this team. There is not an excuse as wins must come if this group can take a step forward this season and as they prepare for on paper should be an even better roster and team next year. 

The locker room post Vandy was a tough place to be but hopefully progress was made among the guys and they will take steps forward starting tomorrow night against Ole Miss. 

 

 

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My post yesterday at 4 am. Im not a booster....But once again basketball was my life. In the trenches from playing to coaching. I'm not making stuff up in my posts

 

Young team, up and down. The upper classmen are two year players....the best players are the young players....we have talented guys but not so talented they change a team by themselves....the young guys are going to hit a wall around SEC play....stuff I keep posting before the season started but I'll keep on as it actually happens....

Now as far as something new that can be ignored, but is actually another intangible thing to think about.... playing out of a hole is 95% something you learn and lean on from more mature players, and something you learn to do from experience and it helps you as you continue playing.....I'm pretty sure we don't have anybody on the roster that have been battle tested and won like this. Nobody to lead....

And nope, can't blame a court.

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1 hour ago, cole256 said:

My post yesterday at 4 am. Im not a booster....But once again basketball was my life. In the trenches from playing to coaching. I'm not making stuff up in my posts

 

Young team, up and down. The upper classmen are two year players....the best players are the young players....we have talented guys but not so talented they change a team by themselves....the young guys are going to hit a wall around SEC play....stuff I keep posting before the season started but I'll keep on as it actually happens....

Now as far as something new that can be ignored, but is actually another intangible thing to think about.... playing out of a hole is 95% something you learn and lean on from more mature players, and something you learn to do from experience and it helps you as you continue playing.....I'm pretty sure we don't have anybody on the roster that have been battle tested and won like this. Nobody to lead....

And nope, can't blame a court.

Was not discrediting you. Just didn't see your post. We all know you are a basket-baller.

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I was just showing how this guy said what I said. I actually have two more post I started to quote from November that is the same as this as well but it would be an over kill. 

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Just my opinion but a person who is truly an introvert can't be a strong leader.  

  1. 1.
    a shy, reticent person.
adjective

It describes a person who tends to turn inward mentally. Introverts sometimes avoid large groups of people, feeling more energized by time alone. The opposite of an introvert is an extrovert, who finds energy in interactions with others

In a team sport whether it is swimming or volleyball you need a vocal leader that holds himself and his teammates accountable.  Players can tune out coaches but they can't tune out their peers.  Young people need to hear from their peers that certain things are unacceptable and that losing, lack of effort, and selfishness will not be tolerated.  A true introvert does not have the ability to do these things.  They can be brilliant people.  They can be hugely successful.  But they are not going to rally the troops in a team sport.  Once again just my opinion. 

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1 hour ago, NorthGATiger said:

Just my opinion but a person who is truly an introvert can't be a strong leader.  

  1. 1.
    a shy, reticent person.
adjective

It describes a person who tends to turn inward mentally. Introverts sometimes avoid large groups of people, feeling more energized by time alone. The opposite of an introvert is an extrovert, who finds energy in interactions with others

In a team sport whether it is swimming or volleyball you need a vocal leader that holds himself and his teammates accountable.  Players can tune out coaches but they can't tune out their peers.  Young people need to hear from their peers that certain things are unacceptable and that losing, lack of effort, and selfishness will not be tolerated.  A true introvert does not have the ability to do these things.  They can be brilliant people.  They can be hugely successful.  But they are not going to rally the troops in a team sport.  Once again just my opinion. 

That's a gross oversimplification and distortion  of introverts. Many introverted people can be very assertive when needed and can be very effective in part due to being listened to when they speak up. One of best NBA leaders over the last 20 years was one of the most introverted:

https://www.google.com/amp/www.foxsports.com/nba/story/tim-duncan-san-antonio-spurs-nba-survey-gms-best-leader-retired-101816%3Famp%3Dtrue?client=safari

Now, the particilular introverts mentioned on the AU team may not be strong leaders, but neither are most extroverts.

 

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His initial premise is flawed. He says "normally in a program NOT being built from the ground up you have...." (insert here all the things he accurately says we don't have). 

We ARE for all intents and purposes being built from the ground up.

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2 hours ago, TexasTiger said:

That's a gross oversimplification and distortion  of introverts. Many introverted people can be very assertive when needed and can be very effective in part due to being listened to when they speak up. One of best NBA leaders over the last 20 years was one of the most introverted:

https://www.google.com/amp/www.foxsports.com/nba/story/tim-duncan-san-antonio-spurs-nba-survey-gms-best-leader-retired-101816%3Famp%3Dtrue?client=safari

Now, the particilular introverts mentioned on the AU team may not be strong leaders, but neither are most extroverts.

 

Like my first sentence stated.....Just my opinion.  The NBA is different than a college team full of youth.  Anyone can be a leader... by example, by work ethic, by not settling for less than the best.  Maybe I was wrong, and I will admit it, in my wording that a true introvert CAN'T be a leader.  I still don't believe this particular team, under these circumstances, will find a leader from an introvert.

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The last 3 games have been extremely difficult to watch. Our defense is autrocious! The ups and downs were certainly to be expected with so many talented freshman. But the most frustrating part about this team is the lack of development and leadership of our upperclassmen. TJ Lang has regressed if anything; Bryce Brown has disappeared; and you never know what you are getting from TJ Dunans on any given night. Lang & Brown are supposed to be our three point specialists, but they are both having a terrible shooting year. 

Tonight when Harper was on fire, Dunans may have cost us the game by taking the ball out of Harper's hands with 2 minutes to go and driving to the basket himself. He missed the shot, and then gave up two free throws by committing a stupid foul. That was a four point swing that we couldn't overcome that late in the game. 

I truly believe that this team will go as far as Lang, Brown, and Dunans take us. Harper, Heron, Purifot, and Wiley can't do it all.

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6 hours ago, TexasTiger said:

That's a gross oversimplification and distortion  of introverts. Many introverted people can be very assertive when needed and can be very effective in part due to being listened to when they speak up. One of best NBA leaders over the last 20 years was one of the most introverted:

https://www.google.com/amp/www.foxsports.com/nba/story/tim-duncan-san-antonio-spurs-nba-survey-gms-best-leader-retired-101816%3Famp%3Dtrue?client=safari

Now, the particilular introverts mentioned on the AU team may not be strong leaders, but neither are most extroverts.

 

I agree, if nothing else some lead by example. But being vocal is the most effective IMO.

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Honestly this has been an issue the last two years. In BP's first year, even though the team didn't have the talent or depth to win consistently, I feel like we had great leadership from guys like KT, mason, Cim, etc. I really wish we had a guy like KT. Even though that team didn't have the best talent they knew they had to give full effort every game, even though most of the time it ended in a loss. If this team could find a leader, we could go so far with the talent we have 

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3 hours ago, milehighfan said:

I wish someone would explain how this team beat Oklahoma and UCONN on successive nights but is 0-3 in conference play.

Those teams are bad and they could not hit the broad side of a barn against us.......caught them at a good time.

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11 hours ago, CameronCrazy said:

The last 3 games have been extremely difficult to watch. Our defense is autrocious! The ups and downs were certainly to be expected with so many talented freshman. But the most frustrating part about this team is the lack of development and leadership of our upperclassmen. TJ Lang has regressed if anything; Bryce Brown has disappeared; and you never know what you are getting from TJ Dunans on any given night. Lang & Brown are supposed to be our three point specialists, but they are both having a terrible shooting year. 

Tonight when Harper was on fire, Dunans may have cost us the game by taking the ball out of Harper's hands with 2 minutes to go and driving to the basket himself. He missed the shot, and then gave up two free throws by committing a stupid foul. That was a four point swing that we couldn't overcome that late in the game. 

I truly believe that this team will go as far as Lang, Brown, and Dunans take us. Harper, Heron, Purifot, and Wiley can't do it all.

Dunans does this is innalmost every single close game we play. He had one nice shot to win a game (after goaltending a shot that wasn't going in to give the other team the lead with a few seconds left), and other than that one shot he is a severe liability at the end of games. We'd be better off playing Wadell.  If we seriously just taken Dunans out at the end of the game, we likely have 2 or 3 more wins. 

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So far, the best candidates to be leaders are either Heron or Harper. I'm more inclined to say Harper because there's a better chance he'll be here 4 years and he's the PG (the QB of the court). The question is...does he have it in him to be a leader?

The coaches need to sit all 3 of the freshman (DP, Heron, and Harper) down and explain to them that they need to be the leaders of this team.

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I agree with the idea of Harper being the leader since he'll most likely  be here for 4 years. Let's hope the guys come out fired up vs Missouri. We'll take our medicine vs Kentucky and go from there

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58 minutes ago, AUTigersfan89 said:

So far, the best candidates to be leaders are either Heron or Harper. I'm more inclined to say Harper because there's a better chance he'll be here 4 years and he's the PG (the QB of the court). The question is...does he have it in him to be a leader?

The coaches need to sit all 3 of the freshman (DP, Heron, and Harper) down and explain to them that they need to be the leaders of this team.

I agree with cole that you don't designate leaders, but I also can see a case here where some guys might need a little shove in that direction to understand that it is them whom have to become leaders and they can't just expect someone else will step up. Sometimes up and coming leaders need a little extra direction from a coach or mentor to take that next step. 

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2 hours ago, FoundationEagle said:

I agree with cole that you don't designate leaders, but I also can see a case here where some guys might need a little shove in that direction to understand that it is them whom have to become leaders and they can't just expect someone else will step up. Sometimes up and coming leaders need a little extra direction from a coach or mentor to take that next step. 

That's pretty much what I'm getting at. I think the fact they are freshmen are making them apprehensive to the idea of being a leader. Perhaps a coach can step in and say that it doesn't matter their age or class. Just from demeanor alone, I think Heron would make a great leader. He's well spoken, and is the best on the team. If he leaves after 2 or 3 years, the team can be Harper or Wiley's to command.

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A guy who seems like he would be a great leader is Patrick Keim. From everything I've seen on social media he really seems like a good and mature person that would make a good leader.  I guess he can't take on a leadership role though since he's a walk on who doesn't play.

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Leadership in athletics can be tricky.  Ultimately the most ideal leader will be older, have supreme work ethic, be good at an important position, be a difference maker during play ... and have a solid personality.  If they are charismatic amongst their teammates then that is a bonus.  Notice I didn't say "liked" necessarily ... but must be respected.

you can have people be leaders by example but there needs to be a vocal leader.

a coach can empower a player to be a leader, but ultimately players have to sort it out.  Someone has to do it ... otherwise the "leadership" will regress to the mean.

the freshmen this year can't do it till later on in the season and then they may ruffle some feathers, but it is part of the process.

its that nebulous "team chemistry" thing that can make teams play above themselves if they have it and below themselves if they don't.

 

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You don't say hey let's pick this guy to be a leader because he'll be here for 4 years, you don't pick a guy and say he'll be the leader 2 years from now. The leader will be the guy who isn't scared to play against big time opponents, the guy who wants the ball in crunch time. The guy who's most competitive. A leader is just the leader, nobody can really dictate it, it just happens

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52 minutes ago, tombigbeetiger said:

no leadership material...too many selfish players

It's not that simple. There are too many dynamics to just write this off as selfish play. I think we have a couple guys capable of being leaders, but they're freshmen, which makes that really difficult.

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