This is a veteran team. Thinking back to the preseason, not many thought leadership, passion and overall energy of this team would be a question mark in February, but here we are.
In his postgame press conference, Tom Izzo pointed to the lack of energy as one of the reasons why Michigan State loss.
Fair. I would agree.
But why is a team that is so full of veterans have a lack of energy in a Big Ten game in February?
Think of Izzo's great teams in the past. They always had that guy that wouldn't be afraid to get in people's faces to get the most out of them (Mateen, Green, etc.). I don't think there's any of that with this current team.
Who's the guy on this team that's going to get the team ready for a midweek game at home against an inferior opponent? Who's the guy to get the team fired up and ready to play right from the get go? Who's the guy that helps the team avoid complacency?
From being around the team a lot, I don't have a good answer to those questions. And that's a problem. Right now, my best guess is Davis Smith, who isn't in the rotation. Or maybe A.J. Hoggard but he is inconsistent in that aspect. Hoggard is that guy sometimes. Sometimes he isn't. He needs to be that guy. I just don't think it's going to happen on a consistent basis. That's an issue. And it's not one that can be easily solved. That passion, fire and tenacity is not entirely coachable.
Now, I certainly think there's less passion nowadays in college sports. Maybe a lot of teams are having this issue with their players. I don't know. It could just be the new landscape of college sports and everyone treating it more as a business or it could be a societal thing.
It's been hard to predict games with this team this season. I think that'll continue. They have the potential to make a deep run in March with the talent they have, but they are too inconsistent for me to believe that it will happen. Right now, pending the matchups in tournament play, this looks like a Sweet 16 team at best. I don't think MSU has the ability to play consistent, good basketball on back-to-back weekends.
Let me know your thoughts.
In his postgame press conference, Tom Izzo pointed to the lack of energy as one of the reasons why Michigan State loss.
Fair. I would agree.
But why is a team that is so full of veterans have a lack of energy in a Big Ten game in February?
Think of Izzo's great teams in the past. They always had that guy that wouldn't be afraid to get in people's faces to get the most out of them (Mateen, Green, etc.). I don't think there's any of that with this current team.
Who's the guy on this team that's going to get the team ready for a midweek game at home against an inferior opponent? Who's the guy to get the team fired up and ready to play right from the get go? Who's the guy that helps the team avoid complacency?
From being around the team a lot, I don't have a good answer to those questions. And that's a problem. Right now, my best guess is Davis Smith, who isn't in the rotation. Or maybe A.J. Hoggard but he is inconsistent in that aspect. Hoggard is that guy sometimes. Sometimes he isn't. He needs to be that guy. I just don't think it's going to happen on a consistent basis. That's an issue. And it's not one that can be easily solved. That passion, fire and tenacity is not entirely coachable.
Now, I certainly think there's less passion nowadays in college sports. Maybe a lot of teams are having this issue with their players. I don't know. It could just be the new landscape of college sports and everyone treating it more as a business or it could be a societal thing.
It's been hard to predict games with this team this season. I think that'll continue. They have the potential to make a deep run in March with the talent they have, but they are too inconsistent for me to believe that it will happen. Right now, pending the matchups in tournament play, this looks like a Sweet 16 team at best. I don't think MSU has the ability to play consistent, good basketball on back-to-back weekends.
Let me know your thoughts.
