Why don’t you peel it and eat it? #3 Give-a-crap level

In this first quote, I realize this isn’t a basketball reference but it sure meets the standard for the level of energy teams sometimes have on court.

John Anderson, coach of the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers – Whether a team wants to compete or not…”Our give-a-crap level was, like, at zero.”

Anonymous, maybe A. J. Carr from the Charlotte Observer – High # of turnovers for both teams…”The game didn’t offer a clinic on ballhandling. There were 44 turnovers – 22 by each team – or enough to open a bakery, according to one observer.”

Jimmy Dykes/ESPN’s SEC game announcer – On importance of making that 1st shot for a young shooter…”For a young shooter it’s very important for that 1st shot to go down. He can go 1-10 or 5-10 depending on that 1st shot.”

Jimmy Dykes – As an offensive player. what constant movement does for a player…”He seldoms guards himself. He’s in constant motion.”

Why don’t you peel it and eat it? #2 “Ichiro passes?”

1. Davidson coach Bob McKillop – On star player Stephen Curry functioning as an efficient passer/assist maker -
Named after baseball’s Seattle Mariners singles-hitting outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, Ichiro passes are assist attempts where McKillop primarily wants Curry to connect with “singles” rather than trying fancy home run heaves. (last 13 words attributed to the 01-15-09 edition of the Charlotte Observer)

2. Miked MSU coach Tom Izzo to one of his on court players during this past Sunday’s Kansas at MSU game on CBS – I don’t know exactly what it means but it’s fun to think about (I believe it’s a defensive reference) – “Way to shrink the court, baby”

3. CBS commentator Clark Kellogg – What visiting teams need to do to compete, especially when playing at MSU – “Certain things you got to do when you come on the road. You got to take care of the ball and you got to get good shots. …low turnovers with high quality shots, and then you got to compete on the glass. You can’t get dominated on the glass because if you don’t handle those areas then you really have no chance to compete in a game against a good solid team on their home floor.”

4. Big Ten Network commentator Mary Murphy (Ohio State at Illinois contest) – Hit some three point shots – “Be a pretty team.”

5. ESPN analyst Jay Williams – The nature of playing defense which makes winning a championship possible – “A coach once told me, in order to win championships you have to play defense w/passion. Nitty-gritty passion defensively.

6. ESPN game analyst Steve Lavin (Indiana at Ohio State game) – not being a selfish offensive team, making the extra pass – “Sharing the sugar.”

7. Al McGuire with a blast from the past – On allowing his players to disagree with him verbally during games “People can’t understand my players screaming back at me, but it’s healthy. Also, I notice that the screaming always comes when we’re 15, 20 ahead. When it’s tied, they’re all listening carefully to what I have to say.”

(I’ve got quite a few more of these piled up, so if you are enjoying thinking about the statements and the various personalities who state them, then check back in the next few days and I’ll provide another edition of “Why don’t you peel it and eat it?”.

Why don’t you peel it and eat it? A new category

According to the book “The Golden Age of Ohio State Basketball”, by Lee Caryer, Fred Taylor used to say to his teams “Why don’t you peel it and eat it?”. What Fred Taylor apparently meant when saying that was “Do something constructive with the basketball.”

Now that’s an old school type of thing to say. I can just see Thad Matta saying that to BJ Mullens in practice or a game. Can’t you? LOL Imagine the look on BJ’s face as he tries to figure out what coach has just said to him.

The style/content/subject matter which Fred Taylor chose to deliver that particular point to his players doesn’t appear to have much relevance to today’s game or to today’s player, but the message sure does.

Think about Kosta Koufos’s one and only season at Ohio State. How many times do you think Thad Matta wanted to say to KK last season, “Do something constructive with the basketball, Kosta!”. Bet you it was just a few hundred times. That’s all.

Part of what gives basketball, sports, and life in general pizzaz are various items of interest which contain little nuggets of truth concerning this or that. Think about it. What makes comedy funny? The observations a good comic makes on stage to his audience are true. That’s why people laugh at the jokes a comedian tells. They recognize something about people and situations people find themselves in when they hear a good joke as something that rings true in their mind.

Basketball is no different. It’s not often humorous, of course, but those who love the game recognize what is interesting about it and rings true.

I’ve identified this as something I enjoy hearing, remembering, and collecting from the game of basketball and am making it a separate category to share with those who read the ghostofstjohnarena blog.

I hear them stated all the time by the various former players and coaches, who are now employed as broadcasters for college basketball games. They make these observations and share them with the broadcast audience and I always feel I know a little more about what makes the game tick after hearing them said.

So, watch for them every so often here. I watch a lot of basketball and and I’ve started trying to write them down as I hear ‘em. Also, there are tons of them in print already and I’ll research those and add ‘em on.

Feel free to comment concerning any you hear, too, and I’ll make sure I place them in the next post I make in this category.

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Here are some I’ve picked up this season already.

Clark Kellogg – On rebounding techniques “Over the back is legal. On the back is a foul.”

Jay Bilas from a quote by Bobby Knight – Understanding how to play “You can teach a player to look, but you can’t teach them to see.”

Jay Bilas – defensive technique – “A pass discouraged is just as good as a pass denied.”

Bobby Knight – Free throws – “I always wanted my teams to make more free throws than the other team even takes.”

Jay Bilas on Bob Huggins – discipline – “If you make a mistake in practice they have a treadmill…he’ll put you on it for one minute and turn it up as high as it can go. If you fall off it’s your fault.”

Jay Bilas – negative correlation for committing common fouls against a great shooter – “You never want to foul a great shooter in a common foul situation. Don’t want them to get to the line and see that ball go through the basket. That just gets a great shooter going.”

Jay Bilas – Out of bound plays – “Out of bounds plays are like special team plays in football.”

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Stay tuned – more later in this are…whenever that may be.

Go Bucks!