1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Team USA: Coach K's initial message misses the mark

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by TracyMcCrazyeye, Jul 20, 2006.

  1. TracyMcCrazyeye

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2006
    Messages:
    744
    Likes Received:
    5
    this is from espn insider.

    what is chris sheridan nit-picking about? he pretty much concluded that coach k has been failing as a coach for usa based on one comment gilbert arenas said? i mean come on, of course these players know that the competition is going to be tough. of course they know not to hang their heads down after a loss-these guys are professional basketball players. they face that type of situation night in and night out. they can't focus on a previous loss.

    this team is different from last year. they know that the stakes are high. they won't underestimate competition. they are a team comprised of superstars and roleplayers unlike last years clutter of players who don't fit.

    coach k sent the team the right message by telling them that they must dominate all quarters, to not be careless and allow no room for mistake. sheridan is just a fool trying to stir up soem controversy and get people to read his article.
     
  2. KaiSeR SoZe

    KaiSeR SoZe Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2003
    Messages:
    8,395
    Likes Received:
    39
    thats dumb.
     
  3. weslinder

    weslinder Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2006
    Messages:
    12,983
    Likes Received:
    291
    Hell, he's not even right. There is no other country in the world that has enough fire power to deal with the US. If anything, he might have a problem with one word, "dominate". This team is easily the best team in international competition since 1996. With them playing together until the '08 Olympics, we might see the kind of dominance that the US Team was known for by '08.
     
  4. today

    today Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 1999
    Messages:
    2,123
    Likes Received:
    1,051
    Wow, this is really nit-picky. Almost like Sheridan was looking for an opportunity to bash Coach K due to some other beef in the past...
     
  5. Dark_Tower

    Dark_Tower Contributing Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2006
    Messages:
    286
    Likes Received:
    11
    I can't really agree with Mr. Sheridan in this case. What Mr. Sheridan seems to be taking umbrage with is the term "domination", and the implict assumptions seemingly inherent therein (i.e. the US is supposed to run over the world like the 1992 Dream Team). The only problem with that is that everyone knows that that's not the case anymore. Coach K wouldn't be coaching the team if there were still an All-Star mentality about USA Basketball, nor would there be a tryout process. Domination doesn't have to mean a 50 point blowout, but just playing your best basketball at all times.

    In addition, Sheridan seems to argue for a rigorous training regimen, similar to a football training camp. That really isn't necessary...and just because they are training in Vegas doesn't mean the team will be soft.

    One thing that galled me about the article was the assertion that the roster was "bereft of America's best big men and shooters". Whom are we missing that wanted or is able to play, save Kobe and Chauncey Billips? Tim Duncan and Ben Wallace's games aren't suited for FIBA basketball, TMac's back is still in a precarious state, and Micheal Redd is on this squad. Whom am I forgetting? (serious question)

    As was stated before, this was a nitpicky article which seems out of place so soon in the WC/Olympic process.
     
  6. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 1999
    Messages:
    61,246
    Likes Received:
    28,751
    they should look to DOMINATE
    don't even let them think they have a chance

    Rocket RIver
     
  7. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2002
    Messages:
    55,883
    Likes Received:
    47,582
    If Rudy T can take college kids and CBAers and win the bronze at the the Worlds - then this all-star squad should look to dominate. Period.
     
  8. A_3PO

    A_3PO Member

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2006
    Messages:
    42,226
    Likes Received:
    5,569
    Either Sheridan feels very strong about his opinion which explains his bluntness or he wrote this article to get a reaction. I partially agree with him but he goes way off the deep end. We don't have the psycho-neurotic LB as coach and the players on this squad are much better than our failed Olympic team. Domination MUST be the goal. We all know it's not 1992.
     
  9. ima_drummer2k

    ima_drummer2k Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2002
    Messages:
    35,570
    Likes Received:
    7,457
    His editor probably told him to write a story that would get people talking, so that's what he did. Unfortunately, that's how the media seems to operate these days. :rolleyes:

    Anyway, like some others are saying, this team knows what's at stake and they know not to underestimate their opponents anymore. They know what happened at the last Olympics and I hope to God that they're pissed about it. I'd like to see them play with a chip on their collective shoulder.
     
  10. YallMean

    YallMean Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2003
    Messages:
    14,277
    Likes Received:
    3,807
    I think Sheridan's got a point. After two setbacks, US is not the dream team of 92 anymore. The Athens squad included Duncan, Wade, Odom and whole bunch other allstars. They were beaten squarely and fairly. The mentality has to be about winning this time, not dominating. I agree with that kind of mentality, it's hard for the US team to win when things are not going their ways. This world cup, the Brazilian team has the best players in the world, but they lost. They were out there for domination and when France resisted, they crashed. Lesson is never underestimate your opponent.
     
  11. YallMean

    YallMean Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2003
    Messages:
    14,277
    Likes Received:
    3,807
  12. steddinotayto

    steddinotayto Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2001
    Messages:
    19,116
    Likes Received:
    20,867
    It's funny because this:

    is just a pansy way of saying this:

     
  13. YallMean

    YallMean Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2003
    Messages:
    14,277
    Likes Received:
    3,807
    No they are different.

     
  14. steddinotayto

    steddinotayto Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2001
    Messages:
    19,116
    Likes Received:
    20,867
    I'm assuming that playing at your peak in 7 weeks means dominating the opposition for 56 quarters. Maybe I'm wrong? Sheridan's blowing this way out of proportion. Maybe he should go back and see what kind of attitude/mentality Larry Brown brought to that disaster of a team before he tries and kills Coach K over one second hand comment.
     
  15. yaoluv

    yaoluv Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2006
    Messages:
    1,381
    Likes Received:
    4
    This is why coach K is one of the most storied coaches in basketball and sheridan just writes stories.

    You don't motivate a team by saying 'ok ladies its ok if we lose a few early games, you dont have to try hard if youre not in the mood, we can win eventually'
     
  16. DieHard Rocket

    DieHard Rocket Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2000
    Messages:
    9,382
    Likes Received:
    1,107
    What I want to know is what has Coach K done to make Sheridan not like him so much?

    It's alright though, Sheridan is a douche anyway.

    And just for the record, I'd believe in Coach K's message before Sheridan's. Being relaxed and waiting to "peak" at exactly the right time can get you in trouble. You want to establish rythm and build confidence, so when those crucial games come along you are confident that you will come through. If they jack around up until then, they'll get themselves in trouble when the time comes.

    EDIT: Just saw this was from Espn insider. I STILL can't believe people pay for that garbage.
     
  17. StupidMoniker

    StupidMoniker I lost a bet
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2001
    Messages:
    15,052
    Likes Received:
    2,091
    The 2004 team was flawed in the way it was put together. The problem was not that they didn't have enough talent. While it would have helped to have more time together, that was not the biggest problem with the team either. The biggest problem is that most of the players had basically the same skillset. The ones getting all of the minutes were a bunch of guys that are offensively minded whose offensive game was all facing the basket and taking guys off of the dribble, plus Tim Duncan. If you already have LeBron James and Shawn Marion in the lineup, adding Carmelo Anthony, Lamar Odom, Richard Jefferson, Amare Stoudamire, Dewayne Wade and Allan Iverson is redundant. Then, to make matters worse, to run the team they took Starbury as their only point guard. How about having some guys on the team that are long range shooters like Ray Allen? How about having a pass first point guard to set up his teammates like Jason Kidd?

    The 2004 team seems like it was put together by the NBA's marketing department instead of someone that knows anything about basketball, which is why the could be beaten by Puerto Rico. The theory that the rest of the world has caught up to the US is bull****. There is a reason that Puerto Rico only had three guys on NBA teams and none of them were starters, they just were not as good as the US players. They did field an actual team though instead of Duncan, Starbury, and 10 copies of the same non-shooting SF skillset.

    The new team has 5 real PGs to pick from in Chris Paul, Gilbert Arena, Chauncy Billups, Kirk Hinrich and Luke Ridnour. They have shooters like Michael Redd, JJ Redick, Kobe Bryant, and Adam Morrison. They still only have one real post player in Elton Brand (they should have brought Duncan back). They also took some defensive minded guys in Shane Battier and Bruce Bowen. It remains to be seen how they will construct the final roster, but this group has a lot more diversity of skill than the 2004 unit they ran out. With the talent advantage of the US team and now making an actual long term commitment to building a cohesive unit, anything less than dominance is unacceptable.
     
  18. JunkyardDwg

    JunkyardDwg Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2000
    Messages:
    8,699
    Likes Received:
    835
    That's exactly the type of thinking that got Team USA into so much trouble in the first place; such a relaxed attitude. It's ok we're facing [insert country], we don't have to be dominate as long as we step it up in when it counts.


    This is exactly what the team needs to be thinking. To play your best every minute of every quarter of every game. Nowhere there does it say they EXPECT to dominate the competition. All it says is they NEED to dominate. That's a killer instinct every team should have.
     
  19. Dark_Tower

    Dark_Tower Contributing Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2006
    Messages:
    286
    Likes Received:
    11
    I agree with the vast majority of this post. We SHOULD have Tim Duncan again, but he doesn't ever want to play international basketball again. After 2004, he was overheard to have said "FIBA sucks" as he was leaving the court after the bronze medal game, and has mentioned his distaste for FIBA officiating multiple times.
     
  20. Invisible Fan

    Invisible Fan Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2001
    Messages:
    43,147
    Likes Received:
    25,187
    If players play their best during exhibitions, they have a chance to gel easier. This about getting the best experience and information under fire in the shortest amount of time before it really matters.
     

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now