Why the Griz are done: leadership
Going into this season many fans expected this talented Griz hoops program to continue its upward trend. This really didn't happen as the Griz season ended in a BSC semifinal loss to NAU. I thought I would take a look at a couple reasons why this team fell short of high expectations.
Note: Yeah, Danny Davis did something similar but I did start first.
This season started with the Griz hoops program returning almost everyone from a team that finished as one of top 32 teams in the country. Returners included the Griz's best player and all-conference performer Andrew Strait as well as freshman stud and Big Sky Tournament MVP Jordan Hasquet. Things weren't looking too bad after losing guards Kevin Criswell and Virgil Matthews. Most Griz fans thought we'd still be fine even though Larry Krystkowiak left for the Association. Well, as we know now, it didn't go smoothly.
Seems like we should've known after all the previews pointed to these things as a reason we wouldn't be as good. However, it wasn't Criswell and Matthews' 26.1 combined ppg or Krysko's X's and O's that led to a subpar season. It was something you can't teach. It was leadership.
After the jump I'll take a closer look at the leadership on this team.
When looking at leadership, one has to start at the top. On a basketball team, it's the head coach. Wayne Tinkle had a tough spot to fill replacing one of the most popular figures in Griz hoops history. Many now are pinning the failures of this season solely on him, and even I have had my frustrations, but blaming the coach is too easy and too cliche; that's not how we roll around here.
I do acknowledge that coaching was one of the reasons that for the Griz's poor performance this year but it wasn't because Tinkle is a bad coach. One reason coaching hurt is is that Tinks took over after long tenure as a Griz assistant. It must've been h
ard for veterans like Matt Dlouhy so see Tinks as THE guy instead of just the backup coach. Here's a little analogy: remember the feeling when you walked in for a grade school class one day and instead of seeing your usual teacher you saw some random sub? Sure, there may have been a good lesson plan and this individual may have even been a better teacher but you know you were planning on spending the next eight hours staring out the window.
Just take a look at how some of the freshman — who never had the LK experience — have done. Cameron Rundles was playing way above his head this year as he, a true point guard, started at the two and even finished the Big Sky regular season as the best three point shooter in the conference. Ryan Staudacher also made the most of his minutes and contributed as a freshman. Then look at Dlouhy; Matt had Tinkle as an assistant for the three years prior to his senior season and sometimes it seemed as though he'd rather be in bed than trying to get a stop on the defensive end.
Another problem with coaching (once again, Tinks is not a bad coach) was the giant difference in
coaching styles. Krysko was a very very passionate and fiery coach while Tinkle has a much more laid back personality. Many use a "good cop/bad cop" analogy bud I'd rather use a Chicago Cubs manager analogy. Larry Krystkowiak is your Lou Pinella, the total hardass and hothead. He would be all over his players and the officials. Tinkle is your California-style Dusty Baker. Baker once said that when he was a player and his manager flipped over the locker room food table in anger, he'd just pick up a hot dog and eat it. Now before you point to the fact that he ruined my favorite team, remember what Baker did with the strong veteran leadership of Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent. This is where the loss of Criswell and Matthews comes into play.
The Griz just did not have the strong veteran leadership that Criswell and Matthews gave the 05-06 team. Here are the seniors on this team: Bryan Ellis, Stuart Mayes, Matt Dlouhy and Michael Chavez. Only two of these guys start. Two of them served suspensions and Matt Dlouhy just isn't really a leader.
The next step in the search for a leader would be to look at the team's best players. In my opinion, there's a trio of Griz "stars" including Jordan Hasquet, Andrew Strait and Cameron Rundles. Hasquet and Rundles especially are probably too young to be respected and heard by the upperclassmen. Then from what I've seen of Drew that he's really kind of a quiet guy, kind of like Tim Duncan. Has anyone ever seen him get really fired up during a game?
Going into next year many fans, including myself, believe that Cameron Rundles will be the primary leader on this team. His position and demeanor just make it seem so inevitable; like how every thought that Avery Johnson becoming a good NBA head coach was inevitable.
A real wild card could be Matt Martin. Martin has a confident, sometimes arrogant personality, that could make him a leader. An MJ/Kobe personality maybe... maybe not. Even so, he may start at the 2 next year and if he contributes look for him to be even more vocal than he already is.
You may disagree with me on some of things (if so, voice your opinion) but every Griz fan knows that this years team was in desperate need of a strong leader. If this team wants to return to being a formidable Mid-Major foe, this is one area they will definitely need to improve on.
Colin, I agree there was a real lack of leadership this year ... that starts and ends with Tinks. Why do I say that?
Tinks' game plan ... game after game after game ... force it in the middle to 'Drew ... even when he's sick and rusty. Make 'Drew be the man! Force him to be the leader on the floor, even though it's not his natural personality. Don't ever get your guard corp involved in the actual game plan. After all, they're just not as good as 'Drew. Run everything through 'Drew. No point in running plays for guards. They're just not what this team is going to be about.
Jesus Christ!!!! Rundles could probably be a leader. Martin could definitely be a leader. Martin did it for 4 fucking years in two sports, and garnered a state championship as the stud guard in basketball and the quarteback on a football team. He was the only freshman on the 2005 All Big-Sky Tournament team. You tell me how much leadership even a natural leader can provide when he gets eight fucking minutes on the floor? Jesus!!
As far as I'm concerned, Tinks squandered Matt Dlouhy's senior year. He reduced Martin to a non-critical from someone winning MVP type honors as a freshman. Who knows what he's done to Strait's psyche with his damn insistence every game that "It's all on you, Drew."? Strait isn't the kind of personality to want that. Martin probably is. Rundles probably is.
Picture Tink's giving that speech to Martin every game. "It's on you, Matt. What I need from you every game is 15 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals. The only way you're coming off the floor is when you ask for a rest because you're exhausted from the energy you're putting out on both ends of the floor!"
Instead, what you get is "OK, everybody listen up! Andrew is the important guy here. Feed him. Don't do anything else. Everything goes through Andrew. All the plays will be run through Andrew. And if any of you guys take a shot with less than 10 seconds on the clock, you damn well better make it or your ass in on the pine."
I am just disgusted with how the season went. Tinkle tried to force someone to be the leader that wasn't built for the job. He tried to repress the natural leaders. That makes everybody uncomfortable and puts everybody off their game. How damn ignorant can he be?
He took a team more talented than the one Coach K won two BSC tournaments and a Big Dance game with and got nothing from it. He may someday be a good coach ... I have my doubts ... but he really screwed the pooch this year with this team.
You can say what you want that "no one stepped up" to be the leader ... but look at it realistically ... that bonehead on the very end of the bench wouldn't let anyone step up. He had his pre-conceieved notions of who should be the leader, and wouldn't have it any other way. That, my friend, is LOUSY coaching.
Jack
I couldn't agree more.
You can all say what you want , but are any of you coaches ?? Have you played college ball or coached it ?? Everyone in the stands thinks they are the best coaches and Referees but ... you're not !! So until you've coached any kind of team, no COLLEGE team , keep your comments to yourself !! Everyone blames it on the coaching , sorry , they aren't the ones out on the court shooting the ball or playing defense !!
GO CUBS !!