Some Thoughts Out Of Michigan

[RockyMTblue2]

"The biggest problem, and I talked to Coach (Tom) Izzo about it before they played Duke, the hardest thing as a coach is, how do you emulate certain things they do," Merchant said. "I can't emulate the size and the length, I can't emulate the speed and pace at which they play, how hard they cut, how efficient they are offensively.

"You can show it on film, you can talk about it.

"But it's impossible to emulate."

I want to see my team compete, I can't wait to see them stay in the fight," said Merchant, whose Spartans are coming off a blowout win over Detroit Mercy — even though she said the team lacked energy and focus in that game. "Don't play the scoreboard, don't put your head down. We have to compete. That's what I'm looking for.

"This is a good opportunity for us, facing the best team in the country. Let's see what they look like. It'll definitely show us where we are."


MSU women: Let’s ‘stay in the fight’ vs. No. 1 UConn

Some basic stuff here: MSU Faces No. 1 UConn at PK80 Invitational Saturday

 

[eebmg]

Oh. Some nice bulletin board material for Geno

"The Spartans and Huskies last played in December 2004, when Michigan State won, 67-51, en route to a season in which it played for a national championship."

I also thought this line was sort of funny.

"When we left East Lansing, I said, 'We're gonna win or we're gonna learn. We're not gonna go out there and lose," Michigan State coach Suzy Merchant said Friday night, following practice.

Can't you win and learn?

 

[BroadwayVa]

"The biggest problem, and I talked to Coach (Tom) Izzo about it before they played Duke, the hardest thing as a coach is, how do you emulate certain things they do," Merchant said. "I can't emulate the size and the length, I can't emulate the speed and pace at which they play, how hard they cut, how efficient they are offensively.

"You can show it on film, you can talk about it.

"But it's impossible to emulate."

I want to see my team compete, I can't wait to see them stay in the fight," said Merchant, whose Spartans are coming off a blowout win over Detroit Mercy — even though she said the team lacked energy and focus in that game. "Don't play the scoreboard, don't put your head down. We have to compete. That's what I'm looking for.

"This is a good opportunity for us, facing the best team in the country. Let's see what they look like. It'll definitely show us where we are."


MSU women: Let’s ‘stay in the fight’ vs. No. 1 UConn

Some basic stuff here: MSU Faces No. 1 UConn at PK80 Invitational Saturday

Nice. Good coach. Any team that does not think they can win and are not willing to work the game to win--shouldn't play the game.
If you can't look the 5 Uconn starters in the eyes and tell them: "I'm going to beat you"---go home.
As is so often written: It's not HOW you play the game, it is that you competed. More NEXT games were won by facing the UConn parade and competing. I like the attitude.
|For a long time ; anything Michigan drew my ire. Those FAB 5 just turned my face red with anger. Much like UConn Women's BB does for other teams today. The REAL problem with Uconn : They always have a FAB 5, FAB4, FAB 3, 2 or the FAB 1. This year--can you believe it --the FAB 7!!

 

[j66kicker]

"When we left East Lansing, I said, 'We're gonna win or we're gonna learn. We're not gonna go out there and lose," Michigan State coach Suzy Merchant said Friday night, following practice.

Can't you win and learn?

Sounds like this will be a great learning experience!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

@eebmg that whole you can only do one thing struck me too as a bit odd from Merchant. Going to be interesting. There will be no quit in MS, but they are outgunned. Me, I'm tired of bad 4th quarters.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Oh. Some nice bulletin board material for Geno

"The Spartans and Huskies last played in December 2004, when Michigan State won, 67-51, en route to a season in which it played for a national championship."

I also thought this line was sort of funny.

"When we left East Lansing, I said, 'We're gonna win or we're gonna learn. We're not gonna go out there and lose," Michigan State coach Suzy Merchant said Friday night, following practice.

Can't you win and learn?

Not that odd a line: They are going to compete to win. If no win; Then they will take away any lessons learned. If they pay attention; the lessons learned can change a program. I like this coach; she's no loser--whether her team wins or lose.

 

[Sonny44]

Sounds like this will be a great learning experience!

I thought coach P copyrighted that comment.

 

[GoingPostal]

You aren't really preparing to face UConn if your playing Detroit Mercy the game before.

 

[huskyd]

"The biggest problem, and I talked to Coach (Tom) Izzo about it before they played Duke, the hardest thing as a coach is, how do you emulate certain things they do," Merchant said. "I can't emulate the size and the length, I can't emulate the speed and pace at which they play, how hard they cut, how efficient they are offensively.

"You can show it on film, you can talk about it.

"But it's impossible to emulate."

I want to see my team compete, I can't wait to see them stay in the fight," said Merchant, whose Spartans are coming off a blowout win over Detroit Mercy — even though she said the team lacked energy and focus in that game. "Don't play the scoreboard, don't put your head down. We have to compete. That's what I'm looking for.

"This is a good opportunity for us, facing the best team in the country. Let's see what they look like. It'll definitely show us where we are."


MSU women: Let’s ‘stay in the fight’ vs. No. 1 UConn

Some basic stuff here: MSU Faces No. 1 UConn at PK80 Invitational Saturday

You know, Rock, this is the same concession speech that all coaches seem to make before taking on the Huskies. Why not just say: "We can't win this. Let's not get embarrassed." I understand the need for coaches to try and motivate their teams, but opponents of UConn just wind up communicating that the whole thing is hopeless. Why not just say: "We're undefeated. We're playing great, scoring a bunch, dominating the boards. The Huskies are just another group of 5 young women. Let's go out and play Spartan basketball!" (Or maybe they're afraid that Spartan basketball won't cut it . . .)

 

[CMC'72]

"The biggest problem is, how do you emulate certain things they do," Merchant said. "I can't emulate the size and the length, I can't emulate the speed and pace at which they play, how hard they cut, how efficient they are offensively.

"You can show it on film, you can talk about it.

"But it's impossible to emulate."

Of course, it's very easy to emulate, the exact same way Geno does:

Put together some men practice players and baptize your team there, in private, in practice, instead of out in front of the world!

 

[my2cents]

There will be "No Mercy" and Geno and gang will be happy to SCHOOL MSU!

 

[MilfordHusky]

I thought coach P copyrighted that comment.

Coach P used to be the Michigan State coach. Maybe it's a Spartan thing.

 

[j66kicker]

Coach P used to be the Michigan State coach. Maybe it's a Spartan thing.

Good catch!!

 

[huskeynut]

There will be "No Mercy" and Geno and gang will be happy to SCHOOL MSU!

Considering these young ladies are in college to learn and expand their minds, getting schooled is the right thing to do!

 

[Charliebball]

@eebmg that whole you can only do one thing struck me too as a bit odd from Merchant. Going to be interesting. There will be no quit in MS, but they are outgunned. Me, I'm tired of bad 4th quarters.

when was the last season UConn didn't have bad fourth quarters? Since the vast majority of games are blowouts, it's the perfect time to introduce the freshmen to college basketball..............I would suspect that the more fourth quarters these kids play the better they'll look..................

 

[MilfordHusky]

when was the last season UConn didn't have bad fourth quarters? Since the vast majority of games are blowouts, it's the perfect time to introduce the freshmen to college basketball....I would suspect that the more fourth quarters these kids play the better they'll look...

We’ve had bad 4th quarters in all 4 games. Ironically, I think we had a better 4th quarter in our last loss: a 12-12 tie.