See Harper's comments in today's Star Ledger. They say it all ie, coming out with no intensity on both ends of the court, etc. Been saying this for some time. This team is not good enough to just come out & play & expect to win. They have to come out & play like mad dogs with their hair on fire from the get go in every game & then they need to play with intensity throughout the game.
Ron Harper
- Thread starter rudad02
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ive heard this excuse before...heard it last year too even after Nebraska
This team gets big heads and egos every time they get a big win and the media talks them up. Its like clockwork
fact is I cannot feel sorry for any of these guys because they have not learned their lesson in the 3 years they keep doing this. They rely and fall back on the RAC to give them energy and they have not figured out a way to create their own energy on the road.
what makes matters worse is that the last 3 road games they played in sterile environements, I realize Nebby is trash but they will have fans at their game and NW will also be a tougher environment and we arent even getting into those other biggies on the road where it will be raucous..maybe this team needs the lights and crowd nois.
This team gets big heads and egos every time they get a big win and the media talks them up. Its like clockwork
fact is I cannot feel sorry for any of these guys because they have not learned their lesson in the 3 years they keep doing this. They rely and fall back on the RAC to give them energy and they have not figured out a way to create their own energy on the road.
what makes matters worse is that the last 3 road games they played in sterile environements, I realize Nebby is trash but they will have fans at their game and NW will also be a tougher environment and we arent even getting into those other biggies on the road where it will be raucous..maybe this team needs the lights and crowd nois.
I will say this. Harper seems to be very mature and is certainly well-spoken.
It has almost nothing to do with toughness/intensity etc. The roster isn't good enough to be consistently good. That's just what it is.
Gonzaga isn't great because they play with the most intensity. They're great because they have great players who are unlikely to turn in a bad performance on any given night.
Gonzaga isn't great because they play with the most intensity. They're great because they have great players who are unlikely to turn in a bad performance on any given night.
Harper wasn't making an excuse. He was stating a fact. See the totality of his remarks. And it has everything to do with intensity/ toughness precisely because they aren't good enough to win consistently without it.
And yes was very impressed by the maturity of his remarks.
And yes was very impressed by the maturity of his remarks.
I agree with rudad02 here and was impressed that harper admitted the problem and accepted responsibility, rather than trying to make excuses.
I also agree with bac that it is one thing to make those statements, and another to break the pattern in future games. We are not the most talented team in the conference, but there is enough talent there to win more than we have this season IF WE PLAY LIKE A TEAM that plays hard from opening tip to final whistle.
I also agree with bac that it is one thing to make those statements, and another to break the pattern in future games. We are not the most talented team in the conference, but there is enough talent there to win more than we have this season IF WE PLAY LIKE A TEAM that plays hard from opening tip to final whistle.
It’s interesting because the will to win and refuse to lose attitude is a trait of the greatest players in history.
You couldn’t play Michael Jorden in tiddlywinks without him having daggers in his eyes
Im all abound celebrating after big plays and timeouts when a run is going on but honestly it would be nice to see the team adopt an all business persona once in a while.
geo is always chortling after throwing up bricks and making bonehead decisions
geo is always chortling after throwing up bricks and making bonehead decisions
Once again, try as you might, it wasn't an excuse it was an admission & a fact.
I've been on & seen teams that weren't playing with intensity.
About a dozen or so years after I had stopped playing I put a second Legion team on the field outside of Albany, NY. They weren't world beaters but if they played hard & the way I had taught them they could win.
We were sleep walking our way through a game against a tough team from Troy at their place. Trailing around the 5th inning or so I called my guys over when they came off the field. I said to them go get the bats & put them in the bag & lets get the hell out of here. You guys all have your heads up your asses. Why don't you get your girl friends & go spend the day at the lake.
They didn't make a move for the bats. We woke up, played our game, ran them off the field & won.
Another time playing HS football we were sleepwalking through a game against a team we should beat. We mostly played 2 platoon & I was yelling from the sideline for our D to wake up. When we got the ball I told the QB in the huddle to give me the ball. I ran the ball straight up the middle through their D breaking tackles about 4 or 5 plays in a row & scored. In the huddle I could hear the guys on the sideline screaming like hell. The whole team woke up & we came on to win.
Lol. What a back handed compliment if i have ever seen one !! He’s a young man that went to a great high school and is about to graduate from A great university. He should be “well spoken.” Jeez !!
This really falls on the coach.
Conference play is difficult. It’s really really difficult.
You have to come out ready to play in every single game. The fact is, we have not.
You can’t take a single half off.
Pike HAS to drive home the point this point and he hasn’t.
Conference play is difficult. It’s really really difficult.
You have to come out ready to play in every single game. The fact is, we have not.
You can’t take a single half off.
Pike HAS to drive home the point this point and he hasn’t.
Spot-Freakin' On. I couldn't have said it better.
I would agree that the team is not talented enough offensively to be consistently good every game. I would disagree about applying this comment to the defense which is much more about effort & intensity. A program like Gonzaga has the horsepower and talent to overcome mediocre performances either on the offensive or defensive end. Meaning that there is enough wealth to spread around if someone is having a bad shooting night (which pretty much happens at every level from time to time).
Plain and simply (at least for me) Rutgers does not have enough firepower to sustain a team shooting 48% from 3 while their own main offensive weapon (Harper) goes 0-4 from 3.
Lots of people graduate from college and are not well spoken. Most I would say actually. Sometimes a compliment is just a compliment.
The mistake people make is they see Harper have a terrific game and then when he doesn't have a good game they chalk it up to his head not being in it, or him not being tough enough, or whatever. When the reality is that Harper's baseline is very good, but not great. So when he plays 25% above his baseline, he's fantastic. When he plays 50% below his baseline, it can be subpar.
Contrast that with Keegan Murray. His baseline is higher than Harper's. So when he plays 25% above his baseline, he's incredible, even better than a great Harper game. When Murray plays 50% below his baseline, it's not as bad as a bad game from Harper.
And then you include the logic that better players are less likely to have off nights... there you go.
Contrast that with Keegan Murray. His baseline is higher than Harper's. So when he plays 25% above his baseline, he's incredible, even better than a great Harper game. When Murray plays 50% below his baseline, it's not as bad as a bad game from Harper.
And then you include the logic that better players are less likely to have off nights... there you go.
This has to be one of the all-time worst posts on a site filled with self-absorbed sycophants.
Your high school and college have little to do with how mature or well-spoken you are.
Maturity involves the ability to take pride in your successes, but also to be able to admit your failings and strive to do better. The location of your education has little to do with that.
It is more a matter of what your parents taught you about taking responsibility for your actions.
Based on my biases, I firmly believe it is harder for well-to-do parents to teach their kids empathy and responsibility. It seems like his parents did an admirable job raising him and teaching him what is really important in life. His mentors have only reinforced the beliefs they ingrained in him.
I am grateful that both he and Geo decided to sign with RU. They led us to our first NCAA appearance in decades. They are struggling now to repeat that performance, but that does not take away my appreciation for the effort they have given in previous years.
I personally feel they have handled themselves with class. That, in my mind, is the most important thing.
His comment could have been said many times this season starting with the first game against Lehigh.
Mr Plum,
Had Bethlehem been impressed with PM’s communication skills and he complemented him with he seems to be a mature well spoken young man, would you have commented?
Yes . Same comment. Both kids had great educations and have been speaking to the media for probably 6 plus years . If they weren’t “well spoken”, there is a problem
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No, of course one’s hs and college affect maturity and speaking. Not the only factors but school environment plays a big part.
This
If unfinished business is going to have the meaning they meant it back in the summer ...it’s time to stop talking about it ...and do it ...it’s damn close to NOW or NEVER
JUST DO IT
Maybe our definitions of well spoken are different. Public speaking is a gift but it’s more than that. It’s the ability to deal with the emotions after the game and a zillion other things that can come into your mind and be composed enough to have a mature and well reasoned answer and great demeanor. Has zero to do with education. You seem to think it’s not a compliment which is fine. I think Harper Jr is an impressive young man and it’s evident from listening to him. You seem to think it comes easy. It doesn’t I guess is my point and I gave kudos to him.
Ron and Geo have to come out of the gates driving and shooting and not sit back letting McConnell throw up brick after brick.
People either don't want to or are incapable of talking about it so they chalk it up to intangibles
I get it . You meant it as a compliment. I see where you’re coming from. My thing is these guys should be well spoken. If they aren’t, there is a systematic failure here.
That is just the opposite what Greene Rice claimed saying intensity was not the reason for the losses. THANK YOU Ron Harper