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Post by blb on Jul 29, 2006 15:19:36 GMT -6
I thought you were a kindred spirit, groundchuck.
Thanks for the back-up.
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Post by coachcalande on Jul 29, 2006 15:47:36 GMT -6
I would suggest that any one who believes they can go anywhere and win because of their determination and/or Xs and Os read The Right Kind of Heroes by Kevin Horrigan, about Coach Robert Shannon and the East St. Louis Flyers. Bob Shannon is THE MAN! I heard a story about him. They went up to some suburban school in the playoffs and the coach from the other team thought they would win. He told Shannon "Your a_ _ is grass and we are the lawn mower." So after th Flyers dismantled this suburban team Shannon shook the coach's hand after the game and, you guessed it, said "You better buy a new lawnmower." dont ya just love playing those coaches and teams that talk trash...confidence is one thing...trash talking and lame intimidation tactics are another.
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Post by groundchuck on Jul 29, 2006 18:38:09 GMT -6
I thought you were a kindred spirit, groundchuck. Thanks for the back-up. I am ever the optimist which is what sucked about leaving that job. It just got to the point where it was time to cut bait. I had a lot of time and emotion invested in that program and we were getting better before taking a giant leap backward (which I had no control over). I had to step back and see that it was no longer worth my time to try and fix this broken school system. What it taught me is what to really look for when taking a job. I mean the dirty stuff no one tells you and does thier best to hide from you. I learned who to talk to to find out the past and find out the real stuff about dirty administrators and parents etc. The experience has made me a better coach.
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Post by coachjd on Jul 29, 2006 21:47:27 GMT -6
Here is a qoute form cstv on Bobby Knights first recruiting class at Texas Tech. I'm not try to say he is a bad coach, but it looks like he drastically improved his team by signing JC transfers. Looks to me like he improved the ingrediants for his chicken salad.
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Post by khalfie on Jul 30, 2006 0:16:14 GMT -6
Well yes... he did change the ingredients... but was that it... I mean... those Juco's were out there for anyone to pick up...
And in regards to Coach Knight getting rid of most of last years squad... that's what every coach does when entering a new situation... get rid of the kids that don't want to be there, won't buy into the system, and then work with the kids that do...
Mind you, however, the core of his team were the 4 kids that had been their previously... 4 out of the 5 starters had been there?
Beginning the year with a roster filled with relative unknowns, the Red Raider players figured to be a meaningless sideshow for the circus that is their high-profile coach. But as it turns out, that couldn't be farther from the truth.
"They're a really good basketball team, and they're well-coached," said Oklahoma State assistant coach Brooks Thompson. "They've got some real talent down there, and they were a lot tougher than we were. A bunch of guys ate us up, I guess you could say it was by committee."
When Knight arrived in Lubbock, he promptly got rid of all but four returning players. With the addition of seven newcomers, it was anyone's guess where the production would come from.
"It took us a while to get to know each other because we only had four returning starters," Beyer said. "We had to hit the junior college ranks because we needed impact players right away."
Juco transfers Kasib Powell and Will Chavis have definitely impacted the team right away by being third and fourth on the team in scoring.
However, the leaders of this team are not the juco transfers. Instead, they are the holdovers from the James Dickey-era.
Senior center Andy Ellis and sophomore guard Andre Emmett lead the team in scoring with 18 ppg each.
Ellis, an honorable mention All-Big 12 performer last season, has led the Red Raiders in scoring each of the last two years.
While the play of Ellis carried Tech through a relatively easy non-conference schedule, it is the play of Emmett that is turning heads in Big 12 play. After averaging 29 points and 8.5 rebounds against the two Oklahoma schools, Emmett has assumed the leadership position on Knight's squad.
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Post by blb on Jul 30, 2006 6:26:19 GMT -6
groundchuck, when I retire, the title of my book is going to be The Stuff They Tell You After You've Taken the Job.
Was in a situation similar to the one you describe once. The good news is, if it wasn't for that experience, I wouldn't be where I am today (best job I ever had!) So, hang in there - you're closer than you think.
The longer I coach, the more I am aware of coaches who are better than the places they're working.
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Post by coachjd on Jul 30, 2006 7:30:34 GMT -6
I agree the JUCO's were out there for anyone to pick up, so he changed the talent level on the team? I will agree with you on the attitude that a good coach like Coach Knight established and the desire for these young men to push harder and improve on a daily basis, but the talent level is better than what they had.
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Post by davecisar on Jul 30, 2006 9:17:06 GMT -6
Im a huge horse racing fan. I see poor jockeys playing a horse wrong quite often and lose a race for the horse. I see great jockeys use great strategy and take a 30-1 shot to victory first time on em, where another jockey racing in the exact same purse price has never had the horse in the money. There are great jockeys and poor jockeys, just like there are great football coaches and poor football coaches, God didnt make us all the same. Thank God football is not a socialized communist mess where the same result is guaranteed regardless of talent or work ethic. Those that have read "Atlas Shrugged" would understand why all the best coaches often have rocks thrown at them by the mob.
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