Napier: "I guess I'm not a good enough leader" | The Boneyard

Napier: "I guess I'm not a good enough leader"

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Pretty much one of the the worst things that could have come out of his mouth.
 
Bazz, add this: "...yet, and that's not what I'm committed to. I'm committed to being a great leader."
 
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What players say to the media isn't on the top fifty list of issues with this team. And who is really stupid enough to take one line out of a more comprehensive quote from a 20 year old and try to analyze it?
 
Being a leader isn't natural for everybody, but Shabazz is the most natural leader on this team. Unfortunately, he's struggling with two aspects of it right now: 1) leading by example, and letting his play dictate to the team how things are done; and 2) getting guys to buy in who aren't necessarily looking for leadership or aren't necessarily on the same page as him or JC. It's a challenge.
 
This video doesn't inspire much confidence in Napier. He is blaming everyone but himself and as some guys have already posted Kemba never did that when they lost. He always blamed himself first and not the young guys. Last year UConn was even younger than this team and managed to win the Maui Invitational and all non-conference games they played with mostly freshman because they had a leader, a brother, a tough gritty guy, a reliable scorer and mentor at the same time with Kemba. Boatright needs to start and get the nod from Calhoun as I believe the team is more in touch with Boatright and he can actually do damage against the zone. Boatright is a natural leader and a guy who plays hard on defense and offense. Napier for me is a sixth man not a starter but it is unlikely to happen because we don;t have another scorer to help out Lamb besides Napier, but Boatright can and should be that guy.

http://blogs.rep-am.com/time_out/2012/01/08/rutgers-67-uconn-men-60-the-ugly-wrap/
 
businesslawyer said:
What players say to the media isn't on the top fifty list of issues with this team. And who is really stupid enough to take one line out of a more comprehensive quote from a 20 year old and try to analyze it?
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Oh, I'm sure I could fill a room full of lawyers who would over analyze a single sentence taken out of context, counselor.
 
huskymagic said:
This video doesn't inspire much confidence in Napier. He is blaming everyone but himself and as some guys have already posted Kemba never did that when they lost. He always blamed himself first and not the young guys. Last year UConn was even younger than this team and managed to win the Maui Invitational and all non-conference games they played with mostly freshman because they had a leader, a brother, a tough gritty guy, a reliable scorer and mentor at the same time with Kemba. Boatright needs to start and get the nod from Calhoun as I believe the team is more in touch with Boatright and he can actually do damage against the zone. Boatright is a natural leader and a guy who plays hard on defense and offense. Napier for me is a sixth man not a starter but it is unlikely to happen because we don;t have another scorer to help out Lamb besides Napier, but Boatright can and should be that guy.

http://blogs.rep-am.com/time_out/2012/01/08/rutgers-67-uconn-men-60-the-ugly-wrap/
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He keeps saying "we" need to do better, "we" need to do this and that. How is he throwing other players under the bus?

Just because Shabazz is not as good a leader as Kemba does not mean he should be benched. There isn't one player in college basketball who is the leader that Kemba was for us, and it took Kemba 3 years to lead the team like that. We will be fine. We looked pretty bad in our first two road games last year, too.
 
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The idea that Napier needs to be benched (in favor of who exactly?) is laughable. The most idiotic thing I've read here in a while, which is saying something.
 
I feel like part of the problem with people not following shabazz is that he only seems to pass to Jeremy. He seems to have no faith in anyone else ability so in turn they don't respond to him well. A classic example of this was yesterday drummond had his man pinned behind him with now one else around and rather than shabazz passing to him he just pass it to jeremy who wasn't even in a scoring position. I find shabazz standing at the top of the three point line too often not running any offense.

That being said, Shabazz is a great player with a lot of talent and once he starts trusting his teammates more he will be one of the top point guards in the nation. I do think that shabazz is a better shooter than boatright right now from three so maybe Calhoun should start playing shabazz off the ball when boatright is in like he used to do with kemba.
 
Tenspro2002 said:
Being a leader isn't natural for everybody, but Shabazz is the most natural leader on this team. Unfortunately, he's struggling with two aspects of it right now: 1) leading by example, and letting his play dictate to the team how things are done; and 2) getting guys to buy in who aren't necessarily looking for leadership or aren't necessarily on the same page as him or JC. It's a challenge.
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I actually see Boatright as the most natural leader on the team. Obviously that would be tough, considering he hasn't yet played ten games, but when you look at his confidence, personality, and talent, it isn't far-fetched to see him as a Kemba type leader someday.
 
businesslawyer said:
What players say to the media isn't on the top fifty list of issues with this team. And who is really stupid enough to take one line out of a more comprehensive quote from a 20 year old and try to analyze it?
Expand ...

babysheep is
 
huskymagic said:
This video doesn't inspire much confidence in Napier. He is blaming everyone but himself and as some guys have already posted Kemba never did that when they lost. He always blamed himself first and not the young guys. Last year UConn was even younger than this team and managed to win the Maui Invitational and all non-conference games they played with mostly freshman because they had a leader, a brother, a tough gritty guy, a reliable scorer and mentor at the same time with Kemba. Boatright needs to start and get the nod from Calhoun as I believe the team is more in touch with Boatright and he can actually do damage against the zone. Boatright is a natural leader and a guy who plays hard on defense and offense. Napier for me is a sixth man not a starter but it is unlikely to happen because we don;t have another scorer to help out Lamb besides Napier, but Boatright can and should be that guy.

http://blogs.rep-am.com/time_out/2012/01/08/rutgers-67-uconn-men-60-the-ugly-wrap/
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I don't think you can disregard the influence of Beverly and Okwandu. These were two guys who went through a lot. From a FF team to a disappointing 09-10. That is a lot of success and failure, both of which are very important.

You have Kemba on the court, but you have these two guys in the locker room.

The only upperclassman this year is Alex, who lost not only Jamal Coombs-McDaniel, but these two other guys who were his senior.

All of the pups last year could just follow these guys and play lightly, without as much care for failure, since these other guys probably had their backs, both literally and figuratively.

I think this team just seems so much younger than last year's.
 
champs99and04 said:
I actually see Boatright as the most natural leader on the team. Obviously that would be tough, considering he hasn't yet played ten games, but when you look at his confidence, personality, and talent, it isn't far-fetched to see him as a Kemba type leader someday.
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Agreed I don't understand why no one is bothered when Roscoe or Alex is benched in favor of new guys yet when we question Napier it beomes unacceptable to say Boatright should be given the opportunity to take his spot. Napier is a great shooter who is suited playing off the ball. In order to be the guy or leader of a team you need to do everything which mean play defense, run, hustle, get loose balls, take and make the big shot, and accept responsibility for failure. Napier hasn't done this which is why guys don't see him as the leader on the court. Boatright is the most natural leader of this team, and if we lose to West Virginia with the same lineup the changes need to be made in order to save this season.
 
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huskymagic said:
Agreed I don't understand why no one is bothered when Roscoe or Alex is benched in favor of new guys yet when we question Napier it beomes unacceptable to say Boatright should be given the opportunity to take his spot. Napier is a great shooter who is suited playing off the ball. In order to be the guy or leader of a team you need to do everything which mean play defense, run, hustle, get loose balls, take and make the big shot, and accept responsibility for failure. Napier hasn't done this which is why guys don't see him as the leader on the court. Boatright is the most natural leader of this team, and if we lose to West Virginia with the same lineup the changes need to be made in order to save this season.
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You've said this in a few threads now, but what has Boatright done to show you he deserves to start over Shabazz? He's turning the ball over and making bad decisions with the ball, too. Shabazz is a better player right now. There is no question.
 
Rico444 said:
You've said this in a few threads now, but what has Boatright done to show you he deserves to start over Shabazz? He's turning the ball over and making bad decisions with the ball, too. Shabazz is a better player right now. There is no question.
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I did criticize Boatright's play even though I have been one of his biggest supporters. Boatright has been forcing it lately trying to make things happen because he probably thinks he's the guy and the only guy who can penetrate the zone and make plays for other guys. If he was given the nod and the confidence to be the starter I guarantee he will play better as will the team. He is the most natural leader on this team and plays like a point guard. It's still early we will see how the game goes against West Virginia tomorrow night and hopefully I am proven wrong, but I don't think I will.
 
businesslawyer said:
What players say to the media isn't on the top fifty list of issues with this team. And who is really stupid enough to take one line out of a more comprehensive quote from a 20 year old and try to analyze it?
Expand ...

Kid played bad and the team lost. He is hurting and probably shouldn't have been talking to the media after this game. I agree there is nothing here, just a kid that was emotionally down, confused and angry. Statements are rarely thought through when in that state of mind, especially a 'teenager'.
 
Let's see how things turn out tomorrow after all of this. Should be veryyyyyy interesting.
 
This is all so perfect, actually. It's a great opportunity for him and the team. He's got the greatest character and leadership building coach on the planet. If the kid's got it in him at this point in his young life, coach will "coax" it out of him. I'm sayin' he brings his game (of life) to the next level, and by tourney time, we're peaking.
 
Prezidint said:
Oh, I'm sure I could fill a room full of lawyers who would over analyze a single sentence taken out of context, counselor.
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That's exactly my point. People do that to adult politicians, and in litigation with money on the line. Why in the world would a human being do that to a 20 year old over a basketball team?
 
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babysheep said:
Pretty much one of the the worst things that could have come out of his mouth.
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Anyone remember Caron Butler's freshman post-game quips? And if memory serves he was older than Bazz is right now. Kids learn. Cut him some slack.
 
Funny thing is that without Bazz, UConn would have lost by double figures. The ball got to wide open shooters. None of the 3's could throw the ball in the ocean. Our AA didn't look like he felt like playing Saturday while out hotshot rooks passed to the black unis more that the whites. I'm hoping Big Monday will snap us out of our funk.
 
I'm not worried yet. This team has its issues when Shabazz struggles, and he's clearly playing at less than 100% right now. I'd rather fight through these issues now, and come up with a solution, then have Shabazz be off his game in the 2nd round of the NCAAs and see our guys flail around on the court for 40 minutes.
 
At this point in his young career, Boatright is NOT the answer. He is looking for his "own" more than anyone on the team right now, and that is not what we need right now.
 
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