Saturday, July 23, 2011

Run and Jump, THe Carolina Way

Japan beating U.S. in the women's World Cup is amazing enough since the average height of each Japanese player is 5'4 while the U.S. is 5'7.  But, they beat Germany in the quarters, and Sweden in the semi's. Both defeated teams had the same height average as the U.S. I'm reminded of a Billy Packer story about Dean Smith when he was a player for the Kansas Jayhawks. Dean's coach, Phogg Allen, would show a film of a snake and a rodent fighting. The snake would always win because it always got down lower. That is what the Japanese women did to all three teams to win the World Cup.

Likewise, it looked like the Japanese took a page out of Dean Smith's jump switch defense with them traps. They always pinned them in a corner by using two or three players and forced them to kick from the weak side. The U.S. players didn't have enough ball-handling skills from their big strikers to be patient. Because after about two dribbles, they would kick it away or the Japanese would steal the ball or force turnovers. Maybe a 2-3 zone every time they got toward the goal with a "set piece." It seemed the Japanese just swarmed Abby Wambach with 2 or 3 players on defense.

Mostly though, it reminded me of Larry Brown's transition to defense to offense. One of Japan's goals was when the U.S. was attacking them but Japan got the ball back and scored off that transition. In Larry's teams, specifically with the Cougars and Nuggets, he had great defenders who were small and quick but great dribblers with speed who could push the ball, score if need to or pass to the weak side for the open man. Japan didn't quiet have those skills on offense but they pushed the ball up field from those take aways and wore down the U.S.

I think this year's U.S. team was better than the team in 1999 which I think was overrated compared to Germany in 2003 and 2007. The 1999 team had great players but the competition wasn't that good. Their finals opponent, China wasn't great in terms of offense but good on defense. However, China couldn't   switch like Japan did with the same quickness and tenacity on defense to create transitions. In short, Germany, Sweden, and the U.S. were the rodents that got snakebitten by Japan. The Carolina way.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Dude? Leave Roger Alone

Roger Federer loses a match which isn't the finals or the semi's and the critics from ESPN's First Take start slamming him for being a good sport. They talk about him being afraid of Rafael Nadal so that he was happy that he lost Jo-Wilfred Tsonga. You had the mediator who tried to play devil's advocate by saying maybe he cares but in a different way but he accepts defeat. Then you have the other who says that he looked deflated and didn't have that calvary charge attitude like Earl Weaver who blew World Series's but would always say that he will be back.

I'm like whatever, dude. Roger is one of the few athletes that I don't resent for being perfect on and off the court. Why? Look at his opponents. They all play hard for him with enthusiasm even if they are getting their butts kicked by him. Because of the man and huminatarian that he is. You see Andy Roddick, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, and others. They have become better players because of him without the resentment and anger.  The exception is Novak Djokovic and to steal Furman Bisher's line "what ever happened to David Nalbandian or Lleyton Hewitt?"

In short, Roger is the best win or lose!