The role of attitude in basketball

i got a chuckle out of the John Beilein angry photo.

:-\

I equate a 6'0, 200 lb guy taking a charge from a 6'10, 250 lb guy as whimpy. I mean, if you're going to be a man, the least you can do is take a charge from a rhino, or a mac truck.  Or better yet, you can foul him in a meaningful way because we all know that 6'0 guys block 6'10 guys!

Sarcasm aside, you guys really think the tough thing is to try to block the shot?! Like, really? You're telling me it's a wimpy play to stand still...right in front of 250 lbs' coming your way....I call bullshit. 

Manball does not include using stupid fouls which do nothing. You really think Berggren would be intimidated by Burke slapping him? Or that Burke going up for a block would accomplish anything. Dude's 10" shorter! The most likely outcome from that is a trip to the "and-1" line, which puts us in the same situation as previous. If he tries to take the charge, maybe that's 0 points, and it's more likely to be zero points than if he fouls the guy.

To reiterate: not only is taking the charge the better play (all coaches will tell you that) but it's also a pretty-damn-tough play. 

It's a bit tough to get FTA's on the road in the Big Ten when the refs are letting the home team commit what would be misdemeanors outside of the building while on defense.  

Google "John Wooden angry" and see what you get...I think he knew something about coaching basketball.

Seriously though I appreciate the analysis but it's based on a few rough games in a brutal stretch of the schedule.  Good defense is about moving your feet and being in position and these freshman are still learning.  I think they hit a patch here where the thinking probably dulled the reactions and caused some hesitation.  I'm looking for a bounce back toward the end of the season and hopefully a tournament ready team.

This is a young team and it showed Tuesday night.  Sparty looked bigger and older and I think for the first time we really got overwhelmed - it's a learning experience - these coaches know how to pick them back up and I expect them to.

I don't think we should wear the WE ON shirts until we are actually on.

(1) Taking a charge is a good play. It guarantees a turnover. Shot blocks are nice, but they result in a loose ball, not necessarily a turnover.

(2) I'm glad Beilein doesn't act like a complete asshole on the sideline.

(3) You should turn off the tv before you get so angry you are scaring your son.

I love clean basketball and coach Beilen clearly preaches this and his players practice it.  I also believe that there is room in clean basketball to send a message with a clean hard foul.  One of the Michigan State bigs (I am not sure who) sent Jordan Morgan to the ground with a hard foul when  Jordan Morgan was going for  a dunk.  Dakich said it wasn't a foul and the refs called a foul.  The message the Michigan State player sent was that Michigan State controls the paint and it seemed that Michigan backed down after that.

Michigan doesn't send the same  message that it controls the paint.  I don't know whether going for so many charges is good or bad.  I do know that the Michigan defense doesn't send a message that their opponents have any reason to fear going in the paint.

I know Brian and others have mentioned that from a statistical analysis, running your offense through big players in the paint is less efficient than effective outside shooting.  However, on a more primal level, the team that is is able to be aggressive in the paint sets an overall tone that spills over to all other areas of the game. 

free throws are indicative of attitude. There are so many more things that go into that, not the least of which is style if play. I for one, am glad that my coach doesn't look like Izzo on the sidelines. I get it that you don't like the UM style of play and would rather that they be a more physical team like MSU, but it is what it is. Different styles can be just as successful, after all, UM and MSU have the same record. I don't think attitude is the right word for your argument. Perhaps aggressive, urgency or style of play is more to the point.

In my humble opinion basketball players are a little different than most sport athletes.  I have been a strength coach and worked with basketball at three different universities.  Granted, none of them were big time programs like the B1G, but there were two Division I programs in there.  And, as a whole, basketball players are not tough.  They are not as willing to be physical, to work hard, to push themselves past their thier percieved limits, etc. as lets say a football, hockey, or baseball player would.  This is a generalization, there have been some good ones, but there have been plenty of slackers, many of which were some of the better players.  It's hard to put a finger on why this is, but it's just an observation in my time working with athletes.  Basketball teams have always had the most attitude problems and required the most motivation to get them working.  

Football and hockey is more physical by nature. Have you ever worked with baseball players? Did you find them less physical?

Fouls are attitude not channelled properly, although they can be used well in stopping easy buckets, intimidation, and contesting shots.

That said, the spirit of the post I completely agree with 100%. I'm actually depressed about our losing streak and wish these young young men would learn not to back down and in the MSU game, may down and die. I keep asking myself where is the pride, the swagger, the "fuckin bring it bitch!" attitude. If in the coa he's shoes, what do you tell them? How do you prepare them for road games to not act like deer in headlights, drive the lane, and just impose our definite talent level.

Show them a boxing movie, something that inspires...all I know is that this team does need attitude and to man up.

You can argue that Burke should have simply let Bergren dunk (as we still would have had a one-point lead), but the idea that he had any way of contesting the shot other than taking a charge is crazy.   

The absurdity of someone on this blog writing about how the team lacks attitude and doesn't want it enough is hilarious.