The Basketball Blog - We Wanted It To Be One Way...

“You want it to be one way…but it’s the other way.”

–        Marlo Stanfield, HBO’s “The Wire”

 

Welcome back to the Basketball Blog, where I can’t shake the feeling that something is missing…

 

Unaccompanied – We’d like to think having the best interior scorer and defensive rebounder in the nation would afford a distinct advantage…but it hasn’t.

 

Grit – We’d like to think having two of the toughest players to ever don an Irish uniform would rub off on the rest of an experienced core of players…but it hasn’t.  

 

35 – We’d like to think a senior shooter that can go for 35 points in a college basketball game could consistently rise to the challenge as a legitimate fourth option in Conference play…but he hasn’t.

 

Accountability – We’d like to think a coaching staff would hold seven returning veterans responsible for a recurring lack of defensive intensity, hustle, failure to sprint down the floor, and defensive pride…but they don’t.

 

Learned Behavior – We’d like to think that approximately 75 out-of-control forays into the teeth of the defense would dissuade one from venturing down this path again…but it has continued.

 

Tyrannosaurus Rex Arms – We’d like to think a 6’10” 240-pound center wouldn’t (still) display these in the paint…but he does.

 

Bad Half – We’d like to think he’s not allowed one from beyond the arc…but he has to be.

Running One-Handed Floaters - We thought the jump stop was taught to all fifth grade basketball hopefuls nationwide...but apparently not.

 

Adjustments – We’d like to think three years of familiarity would have allowed for them…but apparently there’s no need to adjust when you can just try to outscore everybody.

 

Spark – We’d like to think two hungry sophomores could bring this off the bench before the game has been decided…but we may never find out. 

 

The (In name only) 2-3 Zone “Defense” – We’d like to think the heretofore unmatched abundance of wide open shots, uncontested weak side rebounds, and complete passing lane breakdowns would eliminate it from the game plan…but it will be there.

 

Texas – We thought this was a portent…but it was an anomaly.

 

Opportunity – I thought they’d seize the (many) afforded them Saturday night…but the (better) team wanted it more.

 

25-9 – I’d hoped this would have made them hungrier…but it didn’t.

 

The Season – I’d can't believe the season is on the line vs. Marquette in late January…but it is.

 

Bodies – I’d like to think you’ll see them diving and hitting the floor tonight at the Joyce Center…or maybe the Irish can just ask the Golden Eagles if they’d like to play a friendly game of H-O-R-S-E?

 

2009 – We wanted it to be one way…but it’s the other way.