The practices sound a lot more intense from a conditioning standpoint. One player said that the practices in the past off seasons were focused on skill development not so much of conditioning. Coach Rowe wants the team to play faster on both sides of the ball and in order to do that they need to practice hard. He said something to the effect that everyone wants to play like Golden State but you need to practice and train at a high level in order to play that way. Some good stuff about the respect that the players have for Coach Rowe, his intensity, and even how he cares about them as men off the floor. 8 of 9 guys practiced (not sure who the 9th was) and the other 4 scholarship players join this week so I think the practices will only get more intense with some of the athletes that have been brought in.
Coach Brady would often talk about playing more full court, pressing etc. and then have some outs when guys would get hurt or not develop quick enough where they didn't have the depth to play that way. I think part of it was that they didn't practice that way either. He's a shot doctor- a more cerebral coach who philosophically believes in skills over athleticism. Problem is in the CAA Tournament athleticism and intensity wins out and it showed with the JMU teams that he coached. It's a culture that needs to be ingrained in the kids every day in practice and in the off season.
I think it's the kick in the butt that some of these Seniors need before their last season and we will see this reflected on their performance on the floor. A guy like Shaq Brown for example- he obviously has some ability from a scoring and shooting standpoint. He has good size as well. His intensity and focus needs to be at another level. His conditioning and athleticism needed work. Under the new staff and system he will either sink or swim. YoYo is another guy with ability- he could have a big Senior season if he's healthy and well conditioned.
While I have admitted I was very underwhelmed by Rowe, I do like what I'm hearing. The conditioning definitely needs to be a huge focus. Is the lack of condition in the past the cause of our program to be so injury stricken? Perhaps. More importantly, he has a vision for how this team is going to play- fast and intense. I like it!
While it remains to be seen how well he actually coaches that leads to real game success we will find out. I'm starting to really get on board with what he's doing so far. I truly hope he is the guy this program needs to get to the next level.
(06-14-2016 09:34 AM)JMad03 Wrote: While I have admitted I was very underwhelmed by Rowe, I do like what I'm hearing. The conditioning definitely needs to be a huge focus. Is the lack of condition in the past the cause of our program to be so injury stricken? Perhaps. More importantly, he has a vision for how this team is going to play- fast and intense. I like it!
While it remains to be seen how well he actually coaches that leads to real game success we will find out. I'm starting to really get on board with what he's doing so far. I truly hope he is the guy this program needs to get to the next level.
Much like Coach Ike with baseball.......I did not care for the hiring process but in the end had no issue with the hire and like everything I have heard since the hiring.
You are correct Brady talked about changing style of play but never really did. If you want to play a certain way, that is how you have to practice.
(06-14-2016 02:47 PM)Jmubarkers Wrote: Brady should have never let Rowe leave in first place.
One thing is for sure, Rowe is intense as hell, this is from experience of playing against him multiple times. Nice guy and all but he hates losing!
I like Lou Rowe and hope he succeeds, even though he wasn't who I was hoping for.
That said, if he hated losing so much, he shoulda scored more than 3 points against Florida in the NCAAs!
That is pretty funny. Poor Lou had a pretty lousy game against Florida and you know against his former team he would have loved to have played better. I was there and JMU came soooo close. On the other hand Clayton was a beast.
Sorry didn't realize it was a joke. I'm usually a good humored guy sorry that I missed that one. For the record Culuko came up short that game too- very timid from what I remember. Go Dukes!
(06-14-2016 02:47 PM)Jmubarkers Wrote: Brady should have never let Rowe leave in first place.
One thing is for sure, Rowe is intense as hell, this is from experience of playing against him multiple times. Nice guy and all but he hates losing!
I like Lou Rowe and hope he succeeds, even though he wasn't who I was hoping for.
That said, if he hated losing so much, he shoulda scored more than 3 points against Florida in the NCAAs!
This is pure comedy!
It's definitely nitpicking and really irrelevant.
It's not nitpicking. It's ironic and the guy that wrote what I commented on found it funny (which was the purpose). Enough said.
But yes, it does veer off topic so I apologize to the more stoic among us.
olddawg, some get way, way to serious. Not to worry. It's like a bunch of gossiping old women at their weekly bridge club, soon as they walk out, they start to call each other asking, "Well what do you think about the comment "Eunice" made on the coffee "Beulah" fixed for us today."
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Changing the Culture in Men's Basketball
