Focus

by Class of 66 on Feb 16, 2009 2:51 PM PST

Bumped. GO BRUINS. -N

In a separate post, Nestor has created a discussion of the need for strong leadership on this team. It is a great thread.

I think leadership is one half of why we lose games.

I think focus is the other. Saturday, we lost because we had neither. We win games when we create a favorable turnover ratio and score off the turnovers we create. Saturday, we gave that advantage to Az. There is absolutely no excuse for the sloppy, lost inbound passes. None. And, throughout the game, we were throwing the ball away -- the cutter going one way the pass another, or the pass directly to an Az player. At one point in the game thread I noted that EVERY one of our players who had been in the game had turned the ball over. Every one.

At this time in the season, my sense is that this is not a matter of skill but, rather, a matter of attention and focus. Hanging on to rebounds is part strength and part focus. There are games when we have hands of steel and others when we have hands of stone. I wonder what is behind the difference. (And, lately, we've been punching the ball around instead of grabbing it. Not sure what that is.) When we play our ferocious D you can see the guys have their heads completely in it. When we are not playing great D, we seem to get lost. People lose their man, don't rotate or get to the open man quickly. Some of this may be a lack of speed. But, it may also be a matter of focus.

Had we not played some incredibly good games, I'd think this a matter of skill. But, we are skilled. Were we not, we'd have a big problem.

All we need to do is focus so that we can use those skills to their full extent.

I'm sure CBH will work on this all week.

Of the two problems, I think leadership will be harder to solve. Focus is something we have had and can have if we just focus (weird sentence, huh?).

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

Tweet Comment 7 comments | 2 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

yep

Focus and leadership certainly have to be factors, because during those two games, our team was not playing greater than the sum of its parts as we have come to see over the past few years. Sure, they’re still jelling and integrating different talents at different talent levels, but they were without a doubt not playing up to what they could and should have been.

by blinkshot on Feb 16, 2009 3:56 PM PST reply actions

Ed O'Bannon

Nestor writes often of the 1995 team, led by Edward the Great. I graduated that year and I remember what a quiet guy Ed was off the court, but what a leader he was on it. There is a Cameron Dollar interview after Ed secured Title #11 where Cam simply said “you just better get the ball to Ed-Oh-Bannon.” I think in many ways the teams of the past three years might have beaten the 1995 team . . . these teams are deeper and MUCH better coached. But what they have each lacked, and this year’s squad in particular, is a got-to guy who wants the ball at the end of the game. Kevin was that type of guy, AA was anointed as such but just couldn’t quite get there, and Jordan was destined for that before bolting to the NBA. Sadly, there are no Ed O’Bannon’s on this team, despite is wealth of talented, seasoned and well-coached players. That is the missing link that is keeping us from #12.

by charnaw on Feb 16, 2009 5:18 PM PST reply actions

I'm not ready to concede that this team won't win #12

This is the same team that looked like the Globetrotters versus the Generals for four straight games before the Lost Weekend. There are lots of teams who would like to have the problems we have. Let’s stay positive.

by Fox 71 on Feb 16, 2009 6:32 PM PST up reply actions

i'm with you

I like that the media has all but written us off. I haven’t given up on our guys and think they will dig deep and show what they are capable of.

by UCLAbruin920 on Feb 17, 2009 12:37 AM PST up reply actions

Too dramatic

to my mind. After all, these are young adults playing a game under a glare of scrutiny that is probably out of proportion to life’s challenges. Let’s enjoy the ride and give the team our utmost support. And I am spoiled, another among many who attended every home game as a student and never saw a loss.

by Vanman7475 on Feb 16, 2009 7:10 PM PST reply actions

1995 team

Keep in mind that the 1995 team had a 5th year senior on it who turned out to be the National Player of the Year. A leader and good player to boot. Regardless of the coaching you knew that EO would carry the team and he did, all the way.
Bill

BillSouthBay

by Mensgym on Feb 16, 2009 7:56 PM PST reply actions

I still wish Ben would...

1. Employ more full court pressure at the START of games (til we get a big lead, or til we get beat 10 times straight). Win or die with full court – 3/4 court pressure! We got the bodies! Our Multiple bodies IS our strength.

2. Gas the other team defensively by going to all 10 in the rotation early and often.

3. “TO THE HOLE / DRAW THE FOUL” is our offensive mission off every steal and deflection.

4. Shoot quicker on our offense so we can get back to defense & create more transition buckets.

5. Please, please, please start the second half of every game as if the score was zero – zero, and use the intensity to actually OUTSCORE our opponents in the second half.

Obviously, if we’re gonna do anything substancial this season (Final 4 or better), it will be by committee.

The rest of the season should be “balls-out-d”, transition O, and get tuned up for the Pac 10 Tournament. This year we really need the Pac 10 Tourney to get ready for the Big Dance.

Forget about YELLING at our players… they’re too mentally weak to take it.
Enourage, encourage, encourage.
Team D, Team D, Team D.
Everybody has the Greenlight.
Get Gassed, because you’re commin out anyway. Fresh legs at all times!

Go Bruins!

by BruinAlum on Feb 16, 2009 7:57 PM PST reply actions