sagegrouse
03-10-2007, 01:45 PM
Here is the end-of-the-season discussion between Coach K and each of the players. Usually, it is after everything is over, but in 1990, following a comparable debacle in the ACC Tournament, K conducted exit interviews with each of the players as though the season were over. They responded by carrying the team to the final game against UNLV. Under the same circumstances, here is how the discussion with each of the players will go, beginning with the freshmen.
(Coach, don’t bother with attribution – just use whatever you want.)
Henderson: Gerald, you were one of our best players at the end of the season. You showed comfort and skills – and explosiveness – on both offense and defense. You need to work on your strength, and you need to improve your team skills on offense and defense. Also, there’s one thing more, and your Dad can help you with this. You need to be prepared for the “Swift Boat” campaign that fans and media in the ACC will wage against you because of the foul on whats-his-name. It should make you a better player – as it did JJ – but it is totally up to you.
Zoubek : Brian, I think you received the worst officiating calls of any player in the country. If you held the ball for more than one second, the refs whistled a turnover. The reason is that you looked hesitant and tentative. And you weren’t strong enough to keep your position on the blocks. You can be both a defensive and offensive force for this team. You need to be much, much stronger. That strength will also help your comfort in the blocks and your quickness in both offensive and defensive moves.
Scheyer: Jon, for the first half of the season you were our most consistent player. You need to be much, much stronger, and you can be if you work on building up your body, your strength, and your stamina. Look at what JJ accomplished. You can be an All-American at Duke. I know I don’t have to tell you to continue your hard work on ball-handling and shooting.
Thomas: Lance, your contributions this year were primarily on the defensive end, and because of your skills, you earned a lot of minutes. You need to be bigger and stronger to take the next step in building your game. You should build 15-20 pounds of muscle and achieve greater stamina. At the same time, I want to see you as an offensive presence whenever you are on the court. Most of your scoring opps will be around the baskets and on lay-ups and dunks, but you should also work on your shooting.
Pocius: Marty, you saved the best for last. Your offensive play against State was the only thing that kept us in the game. You can be an offensive force on this team and in this league. You need to keep playing and work on letting the game come to you – without losing your explosive moves to the hoop. This means better passing and better decision-making. On defense, JD will work with your positioning and other techniques.
McClure: Dave, you have had a phenomenal improvement in both skills and strength since your freshman year. I realize now how much you could have helped last year’s team win the NC. Your skills are like Sean’s in terms of defense, ball-hawking, and rebounding. But you need an offensive game to go with your all-around court play. You should work primarily on shots and moves around the basket, but you should also have a mid-range jump shot.
Paulus: Greg, for the last month you have been our best and most consistent player. Keep it up! You will want to work on your strength and on providing more vocal leadership.
McRoberts: Josh, you have the best running and passing skills of any big man here since Danny. You need to work on your offensive skills – footwork, shots around the basket, short turnarounds and hooks, and mid-range jump shots. We expect you to score 15 ppg next year, and it may be possible for you to reach 20. Your defense needs to improve, and to improve in a team context. Moreover, if your Duke career is only two years, anything I say also applies to the NBA.
Nelson: Markie, you were our best on-the-ball defender this year and a mainstay of the offense. From you, we need more vocal leadership (as our only senior next year), better decision-making and shot selection, and a better handle with the ball. You know the kind of drills you can do to improve your handle, and JD will work with you over the summer to help. On your shot, as we have discussed, you need more fingertips and less palm, which will help both FT shooting and your longer shots. The off-season is the right time to work on shooting form.
(It’s amazing how much time I have when my team is out of the tournament.)
Sage Grouse
(Coach, don’t bother with attribution – just use whatever you want.)
Henderson: Gerald, you were one of our best players at the end of the season. You showed comfort and skills – and explosiveness – on both offense and defense. You need to work on your strength, and you need to improve your team skills on offense and defense. Also, there’s one thing more, and your Dad can help you with this. You need to be prepared for the “Swift Boat” campaign that fans and media in the ACC will wage against you because of the foul on whats-his-name. It should make you a better player – as it did JJ – but it is totally up to you.
Zoubek : Brian, I think you received the worst officiating calls of any player in the country. If you held the ball for more than one second, the refs whistled a turnover. The reason is that you looked hesitant and tentative. And you weren’t strong enough to keep your position on the blocks. You can be both a defensive and offensive force for this team. You need to be much, much stronger. That strength will also help your comfort in the blocks and your quickness in both offensive and defensive moves.
Scheyer: Jon, for the first half of the season you were our most consistent player. You need to be much, much stronger, and you can be if you work on building up your body, your strength, and your stamina. Look at what JJ accomplished. You can be an All-American at Duke. I know I don’t have to tell you to continue your hard work on ball-handling and shooting.
Thomas: Lance, your contributions this year were primarily on the defensive end, and because of your skills, you earned a lot of minutes. You need to be bigger and stronger to take the next step in building your game. You should build 15-20 pounds of muscle and achieve greater stamina. At the same time, I want to see you as an offensive presence whenever you are on the court. Most of your scoring opps will be around the baskets and on lay-ups and dunks, but you should also work on your shooting.
Pocius: Marty, you saved the best for last. Your offensive play against State was the only thing that kept us in the game. You can be an offensive force on this team and in this league. You need to keep playing and work on letting the game come to you – without losing your explosive moves to the hoop. This means better passing and better decision-making. On defense, JD will work with your positioning and other techniques.
McClure: Dave, you have had a phenomenal improvement in both skills and strength since your freshman year. I realize now how much you could have helped last year’s team win the NC. Your skills are like Sean’s in terms of defense, ball-hawking, and rebounding. But you need an offensive game to go with your all-around court play. You should work primarily on shots and moves around the basket, but you should also have a mid-range jump shot.
Paulus: Greg, for the last month you have been our best and most consistent player. Keep it up! You will want to work on your strength and on providing more vocal leadership.
McRoberts: Josh, you have the best running and passing skills of any big man here since Danny. You need to work on your offensive skills – footwork, shots around the basket, short turnarounds and hooks, and mid-range jump shots. We expect you to score 15 ppg next year, and it may be possible for you to reach 20. Your defense needs to improve, and to improve in a team context. Moreover, if your Duke career is only two years, anything I say also applies to the NBA.
Nelson: Markie, you were our best on-the-ball defender this year and a mainstay of the offense. From you, we need more vocal leadership (as our only senior next year), better decision-making and shot selection, and a better handle with the ball. You know the kind of drills you can do to improve your handle, and JD will work with you over the summer to help. On your shot, as we have discussed, you need more fingertips and less palm, which will help both FT shooting and your longer shots. The off-season is the right time to work on shooting form.
(It’s amazing how much time I have when my team is out of the tournament.)
Sage Grouse