WHEN WILL WE RECOGNIZE?

I once heard the definition of insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results each time."

Last night's loss left me with a handful of questions that need to be answered if we are to expect to have a successful season.

8 Questions that need to be answered:

1. When will we recognize that FT’s are usually the reason close games (less than 6 points) are won or lost? The game is played at a frenetic pace and you must be able to recognize, that when you go the to line, you have to slow your mind and body down in order to concentrate and focus on your FT mechanics. You have a full 10 seconds without a defender… that’s probably why they call them “Free Throws.”

2. When will we recognize that NOT knowing the play hurts your team? Each team gets roughly the same number of offensive possessions in a game. The team that capitalizes on those possessions usually wins the game. When a play is called and you don’t know the play, especially after your coach has asked if everyone knows the plays and all answer “yes,” …it drastically reduces the chance of that possession being successful.

3. When will we recognize that stats don’t lie? Stats are a good indicator of what a team or a player is or isn’t doing well. If you are struggling in a particular phase of your game (and your coach has told you what you need to do to correct it), it’s up to you to either put in the work to correct it or live with the consequences of not correcting it. Ignoring the changes you need to make doesn’t make the problem go away …it is what it is.

4. When will we recognize that each player on the team is expected to fulfill a particular role the team needs during different times within a game? This is not a democracy or a youth league. Basketball is a game of strategy based on the talent on the floor at any given moment (of both teams). Just because you played 18 minutes in the last game, doesn’t mean you’ll play in the next game.

5. When will we recognize that following specific instructions is important for a reason? Again, this isn’t a democracy. When the coach gives specific instructions based on the players on the court, the score, the clock, or whatever… and you take it upon yourself to do something different (and it isn’t successful), you hurt your team. If you follow the coach’s instructions and it fails, it’s the coach’s fault. When you do it your way and it fails… you start to make your coach wonder if having you out on the court at critical times in a game is such a good idea.

6. When will we recognize that fouls are mistakes and no different than turnovers? There are rare times within a game (such as last night) when your coach wants you to foul for a specific reason. Other than those rare times, overly-aggressive defense that results in a foul isn’t considered as “great defensive hustle.” It is instead an indication that the defender is playing out of control.

7. When will we recognize that sloppy passes rarely lead to easy scoring opportunities? A successful fast break depends on two things… the first pass and the easy lay up. We can’t accomplish the easy lay up without the first pass.

8. When will we recognize that our success or failure this season, will be based on whether or not we consistently make smart decisions on the court?

4:13