Ben Ball Whiners Continue To Deflect Blame

Glad to see the rest of the Howland quotation, after he was taken to task on this board for placing ‘embarrassment’ on other people but not on himself.

One question of interpretation

Nor did we understand how they were going to come out and jump us with defense

I read that as him saying that some of their defensive tactics were unexpected – ML said something about them jumping out in front of our set plays and cutting them off – not that tough defense, per se, was unexpected.

RN seems like an interesting case. There is a perception here that he takes too much responsibility for mistakes – getting down on himself while other players don’t (ND is noted for his cold-bloodedness in this regard, never allowing a previous poor shot to dissuade him from taking another difficult shot) – but he didn’t seem to be taking much responsibility on himself in those quotes. I guess the right thing to do is to say “we as players have got to do a better job”, but it’s tough to know what to say if being asked whether it is the coach’s fault whent he coach has already taken responsibility… also unclear which way he meant 60-40, from the article context.

Again, as with the ML quote previously, he definitely has a point in what he is saying. As RN says, they looked gutless in that game (and unprepared for $Cs play, per ML). But saying that to the media seems to indicate either some major discontent, or alternatively some majorly naive misunderstanding of how to give an interview.

But hey, at least we are giving Reeves Nelson the media-playing time so that he is ready to take on that leadership role next year. I don’t want to hear the excuse next year that our poor media relations is because we didn’t give our frosh enough media time this year…

I am getting a sense that not only are some of us here at BN continuing to put the blame on CBH…looks like some players have been reading and beginning to deflect the blame as well. If that’s the case, we are looking at an even worse season yet. The problem is not where the blame goes, the problem is that our players continue to see that it is their very own lack of effort that is bringing the whole team down.

Are you telling me that with this group of supposedly 4 star players, were they to put in 110% (pardon the cliche), we wouldn’t win a few more extra games? Forget the coaching, we are talking about teams we shouldn’t even have close games with just on the fact that we supposedly have better talent.

As a teacher, and other teachers and coaches can jump in, the heart lies in the kids. We could be the best teachers or coaches, but without the players buying in and believing, we can only take them so far…usually mediocrity. Look at SUC, on every chance that I get to watch them, they dive for the ball, they get low to pick up loose balls, they jump up and down like pogo sticks…constantly. You don’t think CBH is asking our kids to do that? You think our kids are just told to stand around, just flap your hands down if there is a loose ball and if we’re lucky the ball will fall in y our hands? The kids are not putting in their effort. You can see it in their eyes. Some games, they want it. Some games, they can’t wait to get out of the game and go somewhere better in Westwood!

The only one I see jumping up and down, showing emotions, flapping hands up and down, trying to direct traffic, shouting from the top of this lungs in every single game is…Coach Ben Howland!

CBH is stubborn and I do fault him for that. I would have changed the line up and rotation a long time ago. However, in other aspects…I can’t see what else we can ask him to do. This is a group of kids that have poor fundamentals, footwork, ball handling ability, makes poor decisions, can’t shoot free throws, can’t understand the Ben Ball system, etc…

The list can go on and on. In how much time can you correct all these problems and still watch film to get ready for opponents. 24 hours in a day. They go to class. They don’t seem to pay attention. How much more can one do with this group of lazy and even more stubborn than our coach players.

My fear is that players are not thinking they need to do better. Now, the players believe it is the coach that needs to do better.

and I know taking responsibility doesn’t mean much anymore. But Howland has already taken responsibility, not just saying it, but he’s tried zone, he’s given the kids more free throw practice, he’s worked with JA on fundamentals, I think he’s trying…by the way, where are all the assistant coaches?

Now, have any players take the blame and done something about it? Have any players taken extra time on their own to improve themselves. Blake Griffin took time to work out on his own, get stronger, get better.

If Howland isn’t our coach, and we have…Bill Self? Coach K? Kevin O’Neill? Would these kids be better? Would we be top 25 by now?

I just think there is more than Howland needing to change in order for us to improve.

other than via redundant platitiude?

re the meaning of “jumped.” What CBH is saying is that he didn’t prepare his players with the correct counters. Of course, being basketball players, they might have just reacted to what $C was doing, a species of overplaying, but their offense is so patterned, they probably couldn’t. As for whose fault this all is, Nestor is right in downplaying all confessions of guilt. It just has to be fixed, and both CBH and the players have to do their jobs. I have seen a lot of performances by Bruin teams through the years, but I never saw anything as disheartening as that first half against the tOJams.
The Bruins did show energy, but little else, at the beginning of the second half. I do think the $C shooting performance was better than they should usually expect, but you can’t hang your heads, ever. You can’t give up on yourself or your team. You have to battle back, even if only by taking some hard fouls, by putting your body on guys, by tying up the ball even if you can’t secure the rebound, anything that shows fight and pride. Maybe you can turn it around, maybe you can’t, but don’t just stand there. And if we’re going to play zone, play it in a troublesome, attacking, trapping manner. And learn how to handle the short corner attack! And give a damn! As for ultimate responsibility, this ugly baby is CBH’s, of course. Nevertheless, I absolutely believe he is a good man and a good coach. I see from the recruiting news that help is on the way, but it is this season we have to deal with, and, idiot that I am, I don’t think it is too late.

Simply because it doesn’t correlate with preparation for the future. We’re never going to a final four under Howland by playing a sometime 2/3 zone. The only great zone defenses are full-time matchup zones that their coaches specialize in teaching. Other teams that employ a sometime-zone are usually offense-first teams that don’t play great defense. For Howland, who specializes in man-to-man, success will only come when his team can play great man-to-man. So he might as well do all he can to make that possible.

The need for a zone this year is to pull out some games by hoping the opposing team misses all its outside shots. (Like Cal.) That’s not an unworthy goal. But it’s the equivalent of playing Dragovic big minutes, hoping that a shooting hot streak will win us a few games. Neither one is preparing us for the future, which will only be bright if the young guys learn how to play solid man defense.

Nestor spelled it out with that phrase. The staff and the team seem unable or unwilling to adjust. While as a coach, I have used both zone and man defense plus combinations of both with good results. I prefer trapping man to man but realize sometime I do not have the personnel or the opponent to do that so a tough zone with defensive board crashing where able. I also think the lack of quickness is hurting usin man but would still show-up in man but maybe not as tellingly.

Frankly, this is about the only kid I like on our team (other than Michael Roll who is a limited player), but makes the most of his skills). He is a freshman who is being asked to play out of position. He has been a warrior in terms of playing with injuries. I think he has pride in what he does, and is doing the best he can. I think he simply said what many of us feel. He did not name names. I think he was trying to show some leadership. Take some responsibility. I think he is a warrior. I hope he stays. The rest of them — they haven’t shown me much.