Former Terps coach Gary Williams told Kornheiser today that today coaches have to teach incoming recruits that "winning is important."

 

Wow.

Former Terps coach Gary Williams told Kornheiser today that today coaches have to teach incoming recruits that "winning is important."

 

Wow.

 

When there are transfer threads about high school students, one of the first things always mentioned is "going to the new school will help scouts notice" the player. It's always about the next level; it rarely seems to be about winning a district or region or state title, or national championship at the top level. I'm not surprised by his comments.

Former Terps coach Gary Williams told Kornheiser today that today coaches have to teach incoming recruits that "winning is important."

 

Wow.

 

He's telling the truth.

Former Terps coach Gary Williams told Kornheiser today that today coaches have to teach incoming recruits that "winning is important."

 

Wow.

 

I think that is very true. Which I think makes what Calipari does more impressive. Obviously the kids he recruits have their eyes on the bigger prize of going to the NBA. However he does a great of getting them to buy in to making themselves ready for the NBA, while buying into trying to win at the same time.

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Former Terps coach Gary Williams told Kornheiser today that today coaches have to teach incoming recruits that "winning is important."

 

Wow.

I have been saying this for years. These athletes don't put out that much energy until tournament time when they have greater attention. And then they are not playing for their team to win so much as showing their moves and shooting ability.

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He said one thing that always bothered him was he could be walking into an AAU tourney and players from two teams that played each other could be walking by and you couldn't tell who won and who lost.

Don't blame the players. They all received trophies when they were kids whether they won or lost, so they don't see the importance.

Don't blame the players. They all received trophies when they were kids whether they won or lost, so they don't see the importance.

 

#LazyNarrative

 

MJ, if you think 17 year old basketball players, most of which are from urban areas, don't "get winning" because they received a YMCA soccer trophy at age 5, you're kidding yourself. A LOT of these kids play AAU to get recruited, and winning or losing is secondary (or lower) to having Coach Mack or Coach Miller or Coach Cal respond positively to your play. The trophy nonsense is worn out, and in this case, completely superfluous to the conversation.

He said one thing that always bothered him was he could be walking into an AAU tourney and players from two teams that played each other could be walking by and you couldn't tell who won and who lost.

 

Like that at EVERY level.

 

Kids should be kids, but losing should bother you....it does not for most and the parents get mad because you jump on little Johnny for having a party on the bus on the way home.

Parents/Adults take winning and losing more personal than the kids. Or I should say they are able to bounce back from it long before their parents and coaches are able to get over it, especially loses.

 

If little Billy isn't walking around crying, or pouting with his headphones on or ready to fist fight someone, he didn't care about winning.

Former Terps coach Gary Williams told Kornheiser today that today coaches have to teach incoming recruits that "winning is important."

 

Wow.

I ABSOLUTELY believe this, speaking from experience.

I disagree in some ways with this comment, but agree in some ways as well. My experience is, kids want to win...I mean nobody wants to really walk off the court a loser now do they...but many/most of them don't know what it takes to put yourself in a position to win, and when they do learn what it takes they aren't willing to do those things.

 

I have kids that play for me that think all they should have to do is show up, walk out on the court and just that in itself should get them a victory. They don't want to run, they don't want to work, they don't want to sacrifice (physically or otherwise), they don't want to learn plays/offense, they don't want to play defense, they don't want to listen to the coach because they know everything, they don't want to practice (other than me roll the ball out and "scrimmage").

 

They don't want to do any of these things...yet they want to win. So, in essence, what Williams says really is correct. If you aren't willing to do all the things I listed above, then in actuality a kid really isn't concerned about winning, they just want to get on the floor and do a highlight real of dunks, drives to the basket and long 3 pointers, and could care less about getting back and playing d, rebounding, playing hard/tough, diving after loose balls, etc. And even when some of them DO do those things, it's all for their own glory/advancement and because a scout/coach might be watching, it's not for the team.

 

Wow...is that a jaded post or what? But it's my experience and what I see outside of my team as well many times.

 

For the past few years I have asked my teams..."if you love basketball raise your hand". Almost all of them raise their hand. I then ask them to tell me what love is...and of course almost always none of them can do it. I tell them true love means you would sacrifice of yourself and do almost anything for whatever it is you loved, like a husband would do for a wife, or a parent for a child. If you truly LOVED basketball you would sacrifice your time, effort, blood, sweat, tears, ego, stats, etc. for it. And if you aren't willing to do those things, then don't pull my leg and tell me you love basketball, because you don't.

I disagree in some ways with this comment, but agree in some ways as well. My experience is, kids want to win...I mean nobody wants to really walk off the court a loser now do they...but many/most of them don't know what it takes to put yourself in a position to win, and when they do learn what it takes they aren't willing to do those things.

 

I have kids that play for me that think all they should have to do is show up, walk out on the court and just that in itself should get them a victory. They don't want to run, they don't want to work, they don't want to sacrifice (physically or otherwise), they don't want to learn plays/offense, they don't want to play defense, they don't want to listen to the coach because they know everything, they don't want to practice (other than me roll the ball out and "scrimmage").

 

They don't want to do any of these things...yet they want to win. So, in essence, what Williams says really is correct. If you aren't willing to do all the things I listed above, then in actuality a kid really isn't concerned about winning, they just want to get on the floor and do a highlight real of dunks, drives to the basket and long 3 pointers, and could care less about getting back and playing d, rebounding, playing hard/tough, diving after loose balls, etc. And even when some of them DO do those things, it's all for their own glory/advancement and because a scout/coach might be watching, it's not for the team.

 

Wow...is that a jaded post or what? But it's my experience and what I see outside of my team as well many times.

 

For the past few years I have asked my teams..."if you love basketball raise your hand". Almost all of them raise their hand. I then ask them to tell me what love is...and of course almost always none of them can do it. I tell them true love means you would sacrifice of yourself and do almost anything for whatever it is you loved, like a husband would do for a wife, or a parent for a child. If you truly LOVED basketball you would sacrifice your time, effort, blood, sweat, tears, ego, stats, etc. for it. And if you aren't willing to do those things, then don't pull my leg and tell me you love basketball, because you don't.

 

I'm with you on most of this.

 

But when you get to the "ego, stats" part, that's the difference between "loving basketball" and "loving to win basketball games".

I'm with you on most of this.

 

But when you get to the "ego, stats" part, that's the difference between "loving basketball" and "loving to win basketball games".

 

Not sure I follow you pops. In my context, if you truly love basketball, you would do what it takes not only to make yourself better, but what it takes to make your team better. If making your team better means you need you play the 4 instead of the 2, then that's what you do even if it might mean you might only average 13 points a game instead of 17 but it makes the team better and helps the team more able to reach their goals collectively.