1 of 1- GW0509
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Personality of the Team
Something I've been thinking about is how different the team's "personality" is going to be this year now that DBJ is the alpha dog. We just wrapped up 4 years of the team more or less being built around James Bishop. While he was undoubtedly an all-conference offensive talent, I don't think anyone would say that he was a very vocal or even visible leader. The guys seemed to respect him and his game, but it was hard to tell if they fed off of his energy much. Being cool under pressure is a skill, but there's a time and a place for playing pissed off and I don't think JB ever had that.
Watching DBJ last year I think we're going to get a leader who is much more demonstrative in his leadership. Our most successful teams have had a guy who is unafraid to challenge his teammates to do better and, most importantly, to win.
I am also optimistic this energy will also rub off on our defensive effort. I remember one time last season Stretch missed an assignment and as he was coming off the court with Antoine Smith, I could hear an annoyed Smith say "c'mon man, we worked on that all week!" It's telling that moment stuck out so much because of how rare it was.
- H&R..71
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Re: Personality of the Team
Was wondering the same GW0509. They say that teams take on the personality of their coach. I think CC leads firmly and positively and players respect him while genuinely liking him. While JB4 needed the ball to be effective, that dimension no longer dominates.
I’ve always been a fan of homegrown DMV talent and we have plenty. When DJB talks about knowing some guys since they were 10, and “he’s my dawg,” it really matters. There’s a camaraderie and respect that goes a long way.
Last year DBJ, Jacoi, and Trey handled themselves in a very mature way. You could tell they wanted to compete and win. This year should feel a whole lot different and more rewarding. They will be competing in practice with new talent and everyone is going to learn and grow.
I’m excited for them and I think this will be fun!
Go Revs!!!
- The Dude
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Re: Personality of the Team
simply put there was not enough talent around JBIV
Brendan Adams and JBIV were a heckuva duo, we had a very weak frontcourt and no shooting to help them
He carried the team for 4 years, with very little talent surrounding him out of necessity, plain and simple
Rah Rah is for middle school kids, talent wins at this level, no shortage of all time great players who were not particularly vocal, Kawhi Leonard won 2 NBA Finals MVPs and the guy barely speaks on or off the court his play does the talking and many other great players, James is obvi not on that level but you follow the point regardless
James played with a lot of joy, and was a helluva player for GW, he just didn't have guys who were good A10 players around him with very few exceptions
When he was not on the court, we played like the very worst team in the league, Fordham levels bad. When he was on the court, which was 94% of the time his 4 years, GW had a fighting chance because of James IV
Last edited by The Dude (8/05/2024 3:38 am)
- Gwmayhem
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Re: Personality of the Team
Rah Rah is for middle school kids is just an ignorant comment. It should be apparent to most that there are a variety of leadership styles and that different types of people will respond well to certain styles. JB was more of a "leadership by example" leader than a vocal one. You can't expect a guy's personality to change just because he's a senior or top player. Nevertheless, the guys on last year's team thought of James as their leader. They were motivated to play hard for James, help James reach the dance, etc. JB did not have to be a cheerleader to earn this role. Guys liked him as a person and definitely respected him as a player.
In Jun, we will see a very different type of leader. He plays with a lot of emotion and can balance wanting to see his teammates get more involved with serving as the team's primary option. Again, some players will respond to this in a big way while others may tire of this, particularly if the team is losing more than it should. I am a fan of watching teammates really pull for one another. Am hopeful that this will be more apparent.