I saw another poster allude to the culture. I mentioned on one of my other posts.
To me this is near the top of the list, or maybe the top for the failure and lack of results the last several years with Mooney. He instills a culture of "comfort"
1. Rarely ever is there any competition for starting spots - the line between each starter and his back up is usually large. Starters are comfortable. I know the players work hard and improve, Burton has improved I believe from last year. However the great majority of years, guys show up and are penciled in. Too comfortable.
2. "Competing" - I hear a lot of coaches, including some I really like (Dutcher - SDSU) use this term. I don't think it is a bad word necessarily, however in Mooney's world competing is OK, results are optional. The presser last night is typical.
3. Rebounding. I mentioned this the other day too, the camera crews got a little close in the huddle after an SDSU timeout and bad rebounding sequence. Three times Dutcher emphatically looked at the players and said: Get an "effing" rebound. Next two possessions, senior guard battled in and got rebound in traffic. Mooney will not emphasize rebounding. It is hard work and it takes effort and you get the crap beat out of you in there. It is not comfortable. It is not fluid. Comfort. Beat by 20 on the boards last night.
3. Defense - The freaking amoeba match up zone that Mooney acted like was some big secret for years. He was comfortable teaching it. It was a super soft defense, it was comfortable playing it for players. FInally switched to man, and improved on D - after YEARS. But our man defense does not make the other team uncomfortable. We do not play with great intensity and sub players out and be relentless. Sometimes just staying in front of your man is good, but this is our focus 85% of the time, not taking a hard foul inside, not phyiscally imposing your will. Yes, we have some players like that, notably Francis IMO - but it has to be all 8-9 guys that play, no exceptions. Too comfortable.
10 year contract, no pressure, PQ protected, comfort, comfort, comfort. excuses, excuses, excuses.
To me this is near the top of the list, or maybe the top for the failure and lack of results the last several years with Mooney. He instills a culture of "comfort"
1. Rarely ever is there any competition for starting spots - the line between each starter and his back up is usually large. Starters are comfortable. I know the players work hard and improve, Burton has improved I believe from last year. However the great majority of years, guys show up and are penciled in. Too comfortable.
2. "Competing" - I hear a lot of coaches, including some I really like (Dutcher - SDSU) use this term. I don't think it is a bad word necessarily, however in Mooney's world competing is OK, results are optional. The presser last night is typical.
3. Rebounding. I mentioned this the other day too, the camera crews got a little close in the huddle after an SDSU timeout and bad rebounding sequence. Three times Dutcher emphatically looked at the players and said: Get an "effing" rebound. Next two possessions, senior guard battled in and got rebound in traffic. Mooney will not emphasize rebounding. It is hard work and it takes effort and you get the crap beat out of you in there. It is not comfortable. It is not fluid. Comfort. Beat by 20 on the boards last night.
3. Defense - The freaking amoeba match up zone that Mooney acted like was some big secret for years. He was comfortable teaching it. It was a super soft defense, it was comfortable playing it for players. FInally switched to man, and improved on D - after YEARS. But our man defense does not make the other team uncomfortable. We do not play with great intensity and sub players out and be relentless. Sometimes just staying in front of your man is good, but this is our focus 85% of the time, not taking a hard foul inside, not phyiscally imposing your will. Yes, we have some players like that, notably Francis IMO - but it has to be all 8-9 guys that play, no exceptions. Too comfortable.
10 year contract, no pressure, PQ protected, comfort, comfort, comfort. excuses, excuses, excuses.
