Jalen Adams Game-time Decision Friday

[Towney007]

Not arguing any of that. I agree.

But the fact that they don’t have anyone to set the tone like that is a problem beyond Ollie, which was where the dig about adults was heading.

I don’t care if Adams is a “leader” or not. Not everyone wants that mantle. But you gotta be willing to at least just do it by example. Just go out there and focus on your game and go 100 every time. But someone in the locker room has to be the one who doesn’t let that fly either. Can’t just be Dan Hurley.

Well that's my point. There's just not a lot to choose from right now. Hurley said it about as brutally as you can say it. There's a reason they won 30 games in two seasons. Coaching sucked for sure, but Ollie's gone now. The talent/work ethic/focus/habits also contributed to the slide, not just Ollie. We fixed one problem, now it's time to fix all the other ones.

 

[the Q]

Well that's my point. There's just not a lot to choose from right now. Hurley said it about as brutally as you can say it. There's a reason they won 30 games in two seasons. Coaching sucked for sure, but Ollie's gone now. The talent/work ethic/focus/habits also contributed to the slide, not just Ollie. We fixed one problem, now it's time to fix all the other ones.

I agree with all of this. I guess my overall point was that it’s on Ollie, but it’s also on the players. Sometimes you have to self police. But you’re right that it’s hard for it to be Jalen with a general lack of credibility there for reasons ready mentioned here so I won’t get into them again.

Maybe it does have to be Smith year 1. Or maybe someone will step into it this year. I don’t have that answer.

I think vital can be that guy. And if he reigns in the reckless shooting it will help him out a lot. Him at And smith are the two best guesses I have. But someone needs to do it.

 

[8893]

I agree with all of this. I guess my overall point was that it’s on Ollie, but it’s also on the players. Sometimes you have to self police. But you’re right that it’s hard for it to be Jalen with a general lack of credibility there for reasons ready mentioned here so I won’t get into them again.

Maybe it does have to be Smith year 1. Or maybe someone will step into it this year. I don’t have that answer.

I think vital can be that guy. And if he reigns in the reckless shooting it will help him out a lot. Him at And smith are the two best guesses I have. But someone needs to do it.

I am guessing that it will soon become clear that the answer is Alterique.

 

[the Q]

I am guessing that it will soon become clear that the answer is Alterique.

I don’t know enough about Gilbert to say yes or no. I’ll just add it is tough to lead from the trainers room.

Vital has that temperament to get In guys faces. I’m absolutely not saying AG doesn’t. I just flat out don’t know.

And again. I just want to add there is zero wrong with being a guy who just quietly leads by example going 100 all the time. But players keeping players in line and accountable is still needed at times.

 

[CL82]

I guess my overall point was that it’s on Ollie, but it’s also on the players.

I think it may be a "the fish rots from the head down" kind of a thing. Hopefully Hurley can get everyone's mind right in short order.

 

[superjohn]

I don’t know enough about Gilbert to say yes or no. I’ll just add it is tough to lead from the trainers room.

Vital has that temperament to get In guys faces. I’m absolutely not saying AG doesn’t. I just flat out don’t know.

And again. I just want to add there is zero wrong with being a guy who just quietly leads by example going 100 all the time. But players keeping players in line and accountable is still needed at times.

Alterique is healthy this year and it's his team.

 

[HobokenHusky]

Jalen needs to wake the ruck up. There are literally millions of dollars on the line, without even mentioning the general obligations of being a key senior team member. I got a bad feeling when someone reported that he was making faces while Hurley was yelling during the open practice. Kid needs to take a long look in the mirror and rise to the occasion. Too much talent to coast.

 

[mauconnfan]

I don’t know enough about Gilbert to say yes or no. I’ll just add it is tough to lead from the trainers room.

Vital has that temperament to get In guys faces. I’m absolutely not saying AG doesn’t. I just flat out don’t know.

And again. I just want to add there is zero wrong with being a guy who just quietly leads by example going 100 all the time. But players keeping players in line and accountable is still needed at times.

I'm good with Jalen not being a "leader" and just playing to his max ability. If he plays defense like he can and should that would be leadership in it's own sense I promise. AG is the guy I believe like 8893. He is calm, smart on the court and if fully healthy is the best player on the court for the Huskies, potentially on both ends and overall.

CV certainly has the personality to get into faces but I've seen nothing to tell me he'd know right time to do so from wrong time. While he plays hard and is all in, he is out of control in many aspects of the game. Hard to be that player and a leader.

 

[Towney007]

I mean maybe Gilbert's the guy, but maybe that guy isn't on this team or comes from an unexpected place.


The point I think Hurley's trying to hammer home here is that you're not going to get better if you don't hold yourself accountable to yourself and hold yourself accountable to your teammates. Guys have to pick each other up. On any team, players expect that message from coaches. Not as much from their peers. So when that message is coming from the coach and he's setting the standard.... and the players are helping to vocally hold the line among each other... it's a whole new basket of potatoes. That's how you create culture.

 

[intlzncster]

Hurley continued: "If I allow the best player on the team to cut corners, do whatever he wants to do, you'll have a really weak, soft, losing team."

Classic leadership. "I mean what I say and say what I mean". You don't get benched by me. You bench yourself when
you fail to obey the rules. This is a real problem today. In the "heaven on planet earth (hope)" world "I can do whatever I feel like. My feelings are the truth and whatever I feel is truth". This is because you "think" you are entitled to do whatever you want and it expresses itself in "feelings". No obligation to anyone but oneself. This is frequently modern "thinking" and it is everywhere from parenting books to schools. Rude awakening in the real world when recent college graduates are evaluated and told all the areas they are deficient and it brings them to tears.

At my son's college graduating ceremony the kids all had hangovers and the speaker began by loudly saying:
"if you want your dreams to come true WAKE UP!"

I think what Hurley is saying is quite clear. Some people never get it.

Holy mother of god fit a few more quotations in there man.

 

[Palatine]

Changing culture in any organization is difficult. Optimistic this is good for our long term success.

Yeah, the new culture is do what Hurley wants or else. I approve.

These kids don't need culture they need rules.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Jalen needs to wake the ruck up. There are literally millions of dollars on the line, without even mentioning the general obligations of being a key senior team member. I got a bad feeling when someone reported that he was making faces while Hurley was yelling during the open practice. Kid needs to take a long look in the mirror and rise to the occasion. Too much talent to coast.

I love Jalen and I think he's going to have an awesome season.
But yeah, his body language during open practice was really not encouraging.

 

[Tyler2Rings]

If the tough-love no-excuses approach turns some recruits off who might have come here under Ollie, thats fine by me.

 

[intlzncster]

I think he'll get it. Just hope it's sooner rather than later.

If not, then c'est la vie, that's all on him. I'll ride with Alterique.

 

[Sphinx]

If this year's team had legit tournament prospects, Jalen would be key, but as it is, he is no part of the program's future, immediate or long-term. The mission this year is to develop the seven returnees (I'm excluding Sid) into a cadre thoroughly steeped in the Hurley ethic so as to have a nucleus next year ripe and ready to school the new recruits. To the extent Jalen is given a role this year, it is because it is owed to him for past service. But if he doesn't want it on the coach's terms, it's on him. His airhead antics must not be allowed to thwart the mission.