outlookdude
250+ Posts
That was a disappointing game last night……First I should give some credit to Tech. That team has the ability to be better than they are given credit for, and yesterday they played very well. They recently played BU within 5 points, and get another shot at them today. Obviously I think the Bears will win, but you never know what is going to happen with this Tech team.
I see a connection here to our Texas team. But, first I should be clear that I’m not making excuses. Tech did to Texas what Texas did to aggy. It was a beat-down. You really can’t spin it any other way. Texas can play much better. But, they didn’t and that is what matters. Hats off to Tech for playing well and taking advantage of that opportunity.
The thing is that I see the same issue with both teams. Both have the talent to be successful. The issue has been consistency. Both are good teams. What takes a team from good to great is consistency. To be great a team has to bring the same focus, intensity, and passion to the court for 40 minutes of every game. I’m not knocking student athletes for failing to do that at Texas, Tech, or anywhere else. It’s hard. It doesn’t happen for many teams. That’s what makes it special when it does happens. It comes from building a culture of success.
But, I think there is more to it than that. There has to be a way to get there from here. I keep going back to a word that I have grown tired of hearing from Mack Brown…..Not that he is wrong. It just seems overused. Still, I don’t have a word that seems to fit any better…. Swagger. When Mack talks about swagger I think about Vince Young winking at the sideline reporter as he headed onto the field against USC, behind and running out of time. I think about watching Colt McCoy sitting on the bench as aggy took the lead late in his last season at Texas. He just nodded his head. Both clearly said with their body language…Bring it on. Give me your best. It still won’t be enough to beat me. Isn’t this fun?
I don’t see swagger from this Texas team. I see effort. I see talent. But, I haven’t seen swagger. A player or two may have some, but it just doesn’t seem to be there as a team. I see a team that cares too much if they just missed a shot. That shot is in the past and has nothing to do with the next one. Swagger involves an ability to completely forget anything that didn’t go well. A complete belief in your talent, and the preparation and work you have put in. A shooter with swagger can miss ten straight shots, finally make one, and start calling for the ball because they are hot. With this Texas team when things go wrong it often seems that the effort and passion turns into rushed shots, poor defensive gambles, and desperation.
Now, this is not unique to the Texas WBB team. It’s pretty common. It’s at the heart of why teams at any level, in any sport tend to have much better results when playing in front of a large, loud, and supportive home crowd. It’s easier to have some swagger when you are being reminded that there are people who believe in you. But, we’re talking about what it takes to be great. To be great you have to have that swagger inside yourself. To be great as a team you have to have that same level of confidence in your teammates. You have to first be mentally strong enough yourself, and then you have to foster that confidence and belief in your teammates.
Coaches can have an impact on this. They can take a team through team building exercises. They can walk the fine line between yelling and supporting players. They can make tapes of highlights to remind a player how good they can be. But, it has to start inside each individual player. And, there has to be a chemistry between the players that allows that swagger to become a part of the team. At that point it doesn’t even matter if you lost your last game. It’s just one game and you move on to the next opportunity with the same confidence, belief, and commitment.
At some level it’s also about having fun. If you don’t enjoy the competition, if you don’t enjoy having yourself tested, you are never going to play with swagger. Even when you lose you need to be able to say that you had a good time. At any level sports are still games. They have to be approached with no fear of losing. If you are afraid of losing you aren’t going to have any fun, and if you aren’t having any fun playing the game you will never play to the best of your ability.
That game against Tech was pretty ugly. It is what it is, and there is no point in trying to make it be anything else. But, I said in a different post that the aggy win was just one game. The Tech loss was also just one game. Just like missing a shot the last one has nothing to do with the next, unless you let it be that way.
I don’t know who or when Texas will play next. I don’t care. All I care is that Texas beats the hell out of them when it happens. Have fun. Enjoy the moment and the competition. Find your Texas swagger inside yourself. Everyone has setbacks, and challenges. Develop the short memory that allows you to believe in your talent. Make it a habit that brings consistency. It’s not easy. But, as Tom HanksJimmy Dugan said, it’s the hard that makes it great.
I don’t believe this Texas team has yet played the game that demonstrates the best of their ability. I see the talent. I see the effort. Let’s just put that talent and effort into a game where you have fun and play with no fear of the outcome.
Texas Fight!
I see a connection here to our Texas team. But, first I should be clear that I’m not making excuses. Tech did to Texas what Texas did to aggy. It was a beat-down. You really can’t spin it any other way. Texas can play much better. But, they didn’t and that is what matters. Hats off to Tech for playing well and taking advantage of that opportunity.
The thing is that I see the same issue with both teams. Both have the talent to be successful. The issue has been consistency. Both are good teams. What takes a team from good to great is consistency. To be great a team has to bring the same focus, intensity, and passion to the court for 40 minutes of every game. I’m not knocking student athletes for failing to do that at Texas, Tech, or anywhere else. It’s hard. It doesn’t happen for many teams. That’s what makes it special when it does happens. It comes from building a culture of success.
But, I think there is more to it than that. There has to be a way to get there from here. I keep going back to a word that I have grown tired of hearing from Mack Brown…..Not that he is wrong. It just seems overused. Still, I don’t have a word that seems to fit any better…. Swagger. When Mack talks about swagger I think about Vince Young winking at the sideline reporter as he headed onto the field against USC, behind and running out of time. I think about watching Colt McCoy sitting on the bench as aggy took the lead late in his last season at Texas. He just nodded his head. Both clearly said with their body language…Bring it on. Give me your best. It still won’t be enough to beat me. Isn’t this fun?
I don’t see swagger from this Texas team. I see effort. I see talent. But, I haven’t seen swagger. A player or two may have some, but it just doesn’t seem to be there as a team. I see a team that cares too much if they just missed a shot. That shot is in the past and has nothing to do with the next one. Swagger involves an ability to completely forget anything that didn’t go well. A complete belief in your talent, and the preparation and work you have put in. A shooter with swagger can miss ten straight shots, finally make one, and start calling for the ball because they are hot. With this Texas team when things go wrong it often seems that the effort and passion turns into rushed shots, poor defensive gambles, and desperation.
Now, this is not unique to the Texas WBB team. It’s pretty common. It’s at the heart of why teams at any level, in any sport tend to have much better results when playing in front of a large, loud, and supportive home crowd. It’s easier to have some swagger when you are being reminded that there are people who believe in you. But, we’re talking about what it takes to be great. To be great you have to have that swagger inside yourself. To be great as a team you have to have that same level of confidence in your teammates. You have to first be mentally strong enough yourself, and then you have to foster that confidence and belief in your teammates.
Coaches can have an impact on this. They can take a team through team building exercises. They can walk the fine line between yelling and supporting players. They can make tapes of highlights to remind a player how good they can be. But, it has to start inside each individual player. And, there has to be a chemistry between the players that allows that swagger to become a part of the team. At that point it doesn’t even matter if you lost your last game. It’s just one game and you move on to the next opportunity with the same confidence, belief, and commitment.
At some level it’s also about having fun. If you don’t enjoy the competition, if you don’t enjoy having yourself tested, you are never going to play with swagger. Even when you lose you need to be able to say that you had a good time. At any level sports are still games. They have to be approached with no fear of losing. If you are afraid of losing you aren’t going to have any fun, and if you aren’t having any fun playing the game you will never play to the best of your ability.
That game against Tech was pretty ugly. It is what it is, and there is no point in trying to make it be anything else. But, I said in a different post that the aggy win was just one game. The Tech loss was also just one game. Just like missing a shot the last one has nothing to do with the next, unless you let it be that way.
I don’t know who or when Texas will play next. I don’t care. All I care is that Texas beats the hell out of them when it happens. Have fun. Enjoy the moment and the competition. Find your Texas swagger inside yourself. Everyone has setbacks, and challenges. Develop the short memory that allows you to believe in your talent. Make it a habit that brings consistency. It’s not easy. But, as Tom HanksJimmy Dugan said, it’s the hard that makes it great.
I don’t believe this Texas team has yet played the game that demonstrates the best of their ability. I see the talent. I see the effort. Let’s just put that talent and effort into a game where you have fun and play with no fear of the outcome.
Texas Fight!
