Saturday, August 26, 2006

Scoop Jackson confuses me

He has some advice for team USA:
3. "YOU BS AS A BAKER YOU GET A BUN, YOU BS HERE YOU'LL GET NONE"
Carmelo's comment after the Italia game said it all: "When you're used to beating teams by 20 or 25 points, we came in thinking we'd beat them by 25, too." That right there needs to freeze. Because that right there led the U.S. to playing the way it did, trailing Italy 45-36 at halftime. That right there almost lost the game. The days of winning games in blowouts every night out are done. The world has gotten better and the separation simply isn't what it used to be. Therefore, there is no room for BS-ing on the court once the ball is tossed. Coach Krzyzewski said it more diplomatically: "If we win and don't play at the level I want, I'll be disappointed. If we play at that level and someone plays at a higher level, I'll shake their hand." In real terminology: Stop the BS. That right there is all that needs to be said.


and this

8. IT'S GONNA TAKE 12 ANGRY MEN TO WIN THIS
But it's got to be controlled anger. The U.S. cannot let other teams or the FIBA refs expose them as uncool, uncalm and uncomposed under pressure. They cannot get "rattled" or "chippy" as the L7 announcers call it. Elbows, knees, bumps, getting pushed while in the air, hard fouls, cheap fouls, unnecessary fouls, no calls, foreign four-letter words, saliva, fists -- they need to kill opponents with smiles and 12-point runs, "nice tries" and 30-point leads. That chip on their shoulders (one that D-Wade almost let slip) needs to be shelved. They must remember Zidane. Whatever they do they can't go out like Zidane. Even if someone says something about their mamas.

So I'm confused, when they think they should win by 25, they're wrong. But they should stay cool and under control by getting 30 point leads? I know what he's getting at, which is basically this: respect your opponents and don't be dickheads (and don't let their dickheads piss you off).

But still, don't tell them not to expect to blow out their opponents and come back and say "wanna shut them up? beat them by 30".

No comments: