Wheres the Leadership

[Out of Bounce]

It has been a concern of mind about the leadership of this team since the appointments of the two captains and the passover of the senior members of this team. I'm talking about the 3 seniors (1 in his 5th yr.that carries a long resume of big games, MVC and post season play and another that is a returning starter and key player from last year and this year) and a JR. (thats a two year starter and returning scorer). AW has been hurt but that really is a no factor.
Yesterdays second half collapse and no one stepping up as a leader to put things in line and get in the face of some of the players. Then JL talking about just this on his show today leaves one to start thinking about the choice of captains. Especially when you have so many young and first year players in the rotation. SM is only in his second year (first as point guard) and is struggling to find his game. DD is in his first year and is trying to figure out just what JL wants to do. There is a lot of DD and JL in side bar during the game with DD nodding his head a lot. With all this going on with these two players there sure looks like the leadership row has not been there. This is not a knock by any means on these two young men/players.
JL is now calling out and for his veteran players that have been around to step up and take the rows as leaders of this team. He has that right as coach to do that but he all so had the right and choice to have not over looked these veteran players as captains of this young team in the first place. In my opinion a big mistake has been made and it will take these veteran players to take the leadership rolls for this team over in order for the team to be successful in the remaining part of this year. I think they will.

[Da Coach]

Sorry, but I can't agree. I don't think yesterday's game or any game this season would have been better by having a different set of team captains. Bradley just played a bad game, was hurt by having 2 of their key players out, and lost to a superior team.

[BUFAN]

Can't buy in out, and I think you will see it differently come Jan....

[dogsrus]

Do we have "good" leadership when we win ?

[houstontxbrave]

Leadership is everyones respondsibility not just the captains.

We need a scorer to step up and make big shots.

[Beninator]

To a degree I see OOB's point.. I dont think that the current captains have cost us a game from a lack of leadership though. However, we can get caught up with a case of having too many leaders if we ask everyone to step up.. I wont second guess these captain selections, but I would have preferred Sam Singh as a third captain. I think Singh or a Senior as a captain would give us more continuity with our leadership... 1 Senior captain, 1 Junior captain, and 1 Sophomore captain.

[Da Coach]

But Sam S. had about the worst game of anyone yesterday, so what good would having him as a captain have done? The other 2 seniors, Collins and Wilson did step up and play well. IMO, they are about the only 2 that did.

[BU ICEMAN]

I think an important fact to know is how the captains were selected.

Was it by player vote or appointment by the coaching staff?

[real fan]

Collins,Singh and Maniscalco had bad games, Maniscalco had too many turnovers and could not buy a shot, Singh and Collins played poorly on d
defense and Collins having only 2 rebounds is inexcusable for a 7 foot player.I thought our other players did ok.

[thefish7]

Just on the Collins side of things, I think he also got MSU whistled for over the back twice while boxing out... So he could probably be credited for 4 rebounds... Not that that amount is "enough" for a 7-footer.

[bluedevils1]

Jim Les knows what he is doing. Leave him alone. He knows much more about those two guys than any of us, and he had a reason to choose them as captains. It is up to them to fulfill those roles, and if they don't, it is not his fault. When you play tough teams and have an off day, the leadership is thrown out the window. It'll show itself in conference play and in some big games later this season.

[Da Coach]

Actually, I have heard a couple versions of how things were chosen.
I think the coaches liked Sam M's leadership and let it be known that they wanted him to be a captain, but let the team vote on it. Sam M supposedly lobbied for DD to be co-captain, and the team agreed and voted that way. So it was the team's decision, but the captains are the guys the coaches would have picked if it was up to them.

[SaintLouBrave22]

Leadership doesn't just pertain to players....


It also pertains to the coaching staff....


After watching Thompson only play the last 3 minutes of the game, I feel like I was lied to...


After watching Collins, who has been nonexistent for quite awhile get a start and play loads of minutes, I feel like I was lied to....not only that, in his case, I feel like I was let down by the entire staff as this kid has no business getting the bulk of minutes, no matter how well he plays in practice...


Sam Maniscalco should have sat and watched for quite some time in the 2nd half given his play...


Sam Singh should have sat immediately after losing his man in the zone for a dunk...


Maybe Taylor Brown sits because he doesn't give effort 100% of the time the entire practice...


Where is the accountability in GAMES Coach Les?!


PRACTICE IS PRACTICE (as A.I. would say)


PRACTICE does not win you games AND as evident (w/ Collins), practice may not even make you a better player...



Please, play the players that SHOULD be playing...not the ones that turn it on just in practice to get minutes and then stink up the floor once they get into actual games...


Don't turn this into a Reggie Hall situation!


I've had about enough of watching those type of players earn minutes that they quickly squander in real games.


Taylor Brown plays little minutes in games, but fills the stat sheet, while David Collins at 7 feet tall can't even manage to get more than 2-3 rebounds...


Just please...stop using the "practice means everything" excuse...


I can't speak for everyone, but I know I have had enough of it!

[SFP]

Leadership is not about winning or losing but how you react during adversary. We do not know or have the privilage to know how the captains respond in practice after these types of games. It could be that SM is practicing his butt off and is taking extra shots before and after practice. DD may well be the first and last guy to leave practice and watch tapes for hours. What goes on the floor is just a part of the whole picture. I will not judge the captaincy issue because really our insight is really very limited.

Yes it would be nice to have a captain that can carry us on his back but do we really have that type of player in the lineup? This team has to play as one unit to be successful and if one of these players tried to carry the team it would be a mistake. We do not have a HH or an AP on this team right now.

[Beninator]

But Sam S. had about the worst game of anyone yesterday, so what good would having him as a captain have done? The other 2 seniors, Collins and Wilson did step up and play well. IMO, they are about the only 2 that did.

Actually, I have heard a couple versions of how things were chosen.
I think the coaches liked Sam M's leadership and let it be known that they wanted him to be a captain, but let the team vote on it. Sam M supposedly lobbied for DD to be co-captain, and the team agreed and voted that way. So it was the team's decision, but the captains are the guys the coaches would have picked if it was up to them.

Sam Singh may not have had the best of games yesterday, but he was the only center that we had yesterday who could actually set a pick. DC had a decent game yesterday, but when it comes to setting a pick to help free a teammate, DC is clueless.. I used this example as I believe that Sam Singh has a presence on this team and this team would have benefited from his leadership. As we all know, Singh has been through the ups and downs with this program. SamM is a leader and I have no problem with him as a captain, but SamM and Dodie have not been through the trenches of division 1 basketball at Bradley to the degree that SS has experienced.... I also believe that SS has been a mentor to a couple of the younger players as well.