. . . or screw ball . . . take your pick.
Preface: I'm a guy who after 50 years of season tickets for football has had a hard time getting enthusiastic about this season - just the loss of a real good coach who is real good man that we had for 15 years, and a guy that dominated tech like no one has ever, I guess. I'll get over it, but I've just been real blah . . .
BUT WAIT!! After these two basketball practices, start BASKETBALL season already. It's not that I think we will win 30 - oh I'll be my usual low expectation bad fan and enjoy 20 I'm sure - it's getting that close interaction with the team, watching them have fun together, watching the coaches coach and interact and talking to the coaches - especially Jonas (get out the check book, whatever it takes) - doing all of this so up close and personal you felt like a part of the team when it's over. It really picked me up.
Doing this while a very young fan sits near and you can say, "Watch his shot , now watch his, and when does your season start?" Hanging out with basketball friends from UGA and coaches from my kid's former high school and yea with my own kid who's taller than me, knowing those days could be coming to a close. Seeing the huge turnout - we're not Kentucky but it was big - all kinds of folks. It just makes me feel like, "Yea, these folks want a team and if they want one we'll get one."
I am glad we were not in the Coliseum (which btw the floor was not even in Athens - it had been shipped to be refinished) - it was a more personal experience in the practice gym. (And yes they were working on some upgrades in the Coliseum, too. I know what you are thinking: NOT YET - next summer)
These two days were so valuable for connecting the team and the program with the fans, even if a relatively small number compared to football (really, how many basketball fans does Georgia ave anyway). It will make the Coach's job easier, too, and I hope he can appreciate that - those of us who were there are soooo much more likely to listen when he says something - to believe in him - after having the personal connection and watching him coach the kids. I don't think there is any doubt he can coach - and practice was very spirited, active, and, yes, fun. (One of Damon Evans' mandates you may recall. I still love Dennis Felton - and his family - but his practices were not fun.)
Here's what I enjoyed - Jonas slapping with all his might and yelling at the post players with a blocking pad as they were doing rebound and put back drill (Mikan type drills for you old school guys).
Fox blowing his whistle after 2 seconds and shaking his head and looking at Harris who has the ball in his hands with, "What? Me?" look on his face. Then Harris grabbing a loose ball with 6 on the shot clock and taking it to the basket through JJ, Juwan and Yante. Harris missing a shot and getting a, "That's a good shot" from Fox.
Listening to Juwan - first man out on the handling/shooting combo drills and responding to the teammates following with, "Geno! Mike! Joh'dn!" Watching Juwan run full out and enjoy every moment of it.
The two on one defensive drills - lots of fun - JJ and Juwan the pair against Crump the single then against Harris the single, stealing the ball every time and the frosh hanging their heads and JJ and Juwan laughing a giggling like it was free ice cream. JJ picking Crump, frustrating Crump, smiling and trashing a little, then Crump getting the best and just staring at JJ and JJ smiling and shaking his head.
Pivot foot drills - seriously, I could see the difference in the classes most dramatically in simple individual fundamental drills.
The 3 pass/2 pass fast break drill was just fun to watch with world class athletes.
The freshman looking the coach in the eye no matter what is being said good or bad, never pounding the ball down and shaking their heads and muttering. Plus there's a lot of personality on this team and Crump and Harris in particular have a lot of personality, and they are just friendly - maybe it's the South Georgia thing. If you are nearby its "Hey. How ya doin'. Good to see you." They have a special on court relationship between themselves already. And all these guys really like each other, I think we can say that.
You want to light up a room? Get DO to smile. You want to have fun? Get Yante to talk about lizards and snakes. (Oh, if that could be "what it takes", to make you stay.)
All that is why I had fun and what I think was important.
My observations that might actually mean something, but definitely don't - its just fun to have some personal speculation to look back on: 1) someone mentioned EW being aggressive - oh heck yea. The high school coach sitting near me said, "Big guy wants to play." 2) Harris is as natural an offensive player as I can imagine a player being. He's also got that a little fun/whacky streak in him and that's good. Might frustrate the coaches some early, but they weren't complaining. 3) EW and KPG took scrimmage time at the 4, Diata did not that I recall, which is logical if so - and it's so early who cares. 4) Diatta looks like he might have a game day jump shot. It's been a long time since we had 3 newcomers that could all shoot a jump shot. 5) And I love Harris's shot - great stroke. He's got the size to make himself the better of the two south Georgia lads before it's over.
Crump, Harris and Diatta have me excited, but the more I think, the more excited I get about Harris.
Preface: I'm a guy who after 50 years of season tickets for football has had a hard time getting enthusiastic about this season - just the loss of a real good coach who is real good man that we had for 15 years, and a guy that dominated tech like no one has ever, I guess. I'll get over it, but I've just been real blah . . .
BUT WAIT!! After these two basketball practices, start BASKETBALL season already. It's not that I think we will win 30 - oh I'll be my usual low expectation bad fan and enjoy 20 I'm sure - it's getting that close interaction with the team, watching them have fun together, watching the coaches coach and interact and talking to the coaches - especially Jonas (get out the check book, whatever it takes) - doing all of this so up close and personal you felt like a part of the team when it's over. It really picked me up.
Doing this while a very young fan sits near and you can say, "Watch his shot , now watch his, and when does your season start?" Hanging out with basketball friends from UGA and coaches from my kid's former high school and yea with my own kid who's taller than me, knowing those days could be coming to a close. Seeing the huge turnout - we're not Kentucky but it was big - all kinds of folks. It just makes me feel like, "Yea, these folks want a team and if they want one we'll get one."
I am glad we were not in the Coliseum (which btw the floor was not even in Athens - it had been shipped to be refinished) - it was a more personal experience in the practice gym. (And yes they were working on some upgrades in the Coliseum, too. I know what you are thinking: NOT YET - next summer)
These two days were so valuable for connecting the team and the program with the fans, even if a relatively small number compared to football (really, how many basketball fans does Georgia ave anyway). It will make the Coach's job easier, too, and I hope he can appreciate that - those of us who were there are soooo much more likely to listen when he says something - to believe in him - after having the personal connection and watching him coach the kids. I don't think there is any doubt he can coach - and practice was very spirited, active, and, yes, fun. (One of Damon Evans' mandates you may recall. I still love Dennis Felton - and his family - but his practices were not fun.)
Here's what I enjoyed - Jonas slapping with all his might and yelling at the post players with a blocking pad as they were doing rebound and put back drill (Mikan type drills for you old school guys).
Fox blowing his whistle after 2 seconds and shaking his head and looking at Harris who has the ball in his hands with, "What? Me?" look on his face. Then Harris grabbing a loose ball with 6 on the shot clock and taking it to the basket through JJ, Juwan and Yante. Harris missing a shot and getting a, "That's a good shot" from Fox.
Listening to Juwan - first man out on the handling/shooting combo drills and responding to the teammates following with, "Geno! Mike! Joh'dn!" Watching Juwan run full out and enjoy every moment of it.
The two on one defensive drills - lots of fun - JJ and Juwan the pair against Crump the single then against Harris the single, stealing the ball every time and the frosh hanging their heads and JJ and Juwan laughing a giggling like it was free ice cream. JJ picking Crump, frustrating Crump, smiling and trashing a little, then Crump getting the best and just staring at JJ and JJ smiling and shaking his head.
Pivot foot drills - seriously, I could see the difference in the classes most dramatically in simple individual fundamental drills.
The 3 pass/2 pass fast break drill was just fun to watch with world class athletes.
The freshman looking the coach in the eye no matter what is being said good or bad, never pounding the ball down and shaking their heads and muttering. Plus there's a lot of personality on this team and Crump and Harris in particular have a lot of personality, and they are just friendly - maybe it's the South Georgia thing. If you are nearby its "Hey. How ya doin'. Good to see you." They have a special on court relationship between themselves already. And all these guys really like each other, I think we can say that.
You want to light up a room? Get DO to smile. You want to have fun? Get Yante to talk about lizards and snakes. (Oh, if that could be "what it takes", to make you stay.)
All that is why I had fun and what I think was important.
My observations that might actually mean something, but definitely don't - its just fun to have some personal speculation to look back on: 1) someone mentioned EW being aggressive - oh heck yea. The high school coach sitting near me said, "Big guy wants to play." 2) Harris is as natural an offensive player as I can imagine a player being. He's also got that a little fun/whacky streak in him and that's good. Might frustrate the coaches some early, but they weren't complaining. 3) EW and KPG took scrimmage time at the 4, Diata did not that I recall, which is logical if so - and it's so early who cares. 4) Diatta looks like he might have a game day jump shot. It's been a long time since we had 3 newcomers that could all shoot a jump shot. 5) And I love Harris's shot - great stroke. He's got the size to make himself the better of the two south Georgia lads before it's over.
Crump, Harris and Diatta have me excited, but the more I think, the more excited I get about Harris.
