Report: Wright gabs thru open practice
posted by Pete @ LetsGoNova.com3/26/2009 12:54:00 AM
Well, this is not encouraging.
The excellent Rush The Court blog attended Boston's open practice session today for all five mind-numbing hours, and files reports on each team's session.
Though the nonpartisan Rush The Court blogger concedes that 'Nova's practice was "more intense" than the preceding Xavier session, it looks like that was mostly due to Scottie Reynolds, who initiated the team's drills after warm-ups.
Rush The Court reports that during this time, Jay Wright spent nearly 30 minutes chatting with the CBS announcing team:
Where was Jay Wright while Reynolds was running the drills? Talking to Raftery and Lundquist of course. He spent almost 30 minutes talking to the CBS announcers. I certainly hope CBS got some amazing insights that they will share with us because they seemed to be talking up a storm.
I know it's cliche to say that Jay Wright is less an X-and-O's coach than a master of public relations, but here, at least, it seems to be the case.
It's nice that Jay Wright is confident enough to spend a major chunk of his team's practice session chewing the fat with the announcers, but is it really the best use of time, considering the major battle Villanova is in for tomorrow against Duke?
Duke's coach Mike Krzyzewski, to his credit, took the practice more seriously. According to RTC:
You could tell the difference in practice styles right away. [...] The other teams' practices were loosely organized, [but] the Duke practice was methodical and organized with a military precision. [...] The Duke session was much more crisp than the other sessions with very little wasted time. I don’t think I saw any of the players in the other sessions sweating (with the exception of Redford), but every Duke player was sweating by the end of the session.
Even for the Jay Wright apologists, it has to be a little troubling to hear about Wright gabbing away with the announcers for half an hour just one day before the biggest Villanova game in three years.
Meanwhile, Krzyzewski looked to have used his time much more efficiently, even though his team is a solid 2-point favorite in the game.
Wright's lackadaisical approach to practice may not -- and hopefully will not -- cost Villanova the game, but it should make Villanova fans a little less confident about the Wildcats' chances Thursday night.
[Photo credit: rushthecourt.net]
Labels: coach of the year, coaching, Duke, Jay Wright, NCAA tournament, NCAAs, something rotten in the state of villanova basketball, Villanova vs. Duke, Villanova-Duke
43 Comments:
This is a very troubling report.
Can Wright really afford to waste 30 minutes of precious practice time by talking to the announcers?
Pete,
I've got to disagree. You don't think he's prepped the team all week? You don't think the SENIORS are ready to play (much less the rest of the team?)
This post sounds like you setting up an excuse if we lose tomorrow.
Well I'm not saying it's going to cost us the game, but I would certainly want the head coach taking the practice more seriously one day before the game -- Coach K certainly did.
I'm also not saying they're not ready to play, but maybe they could be MORE prepared by having their coach attend practice for 30 mins instead of chatting with the announcers.
This Duke game is going to be our biggest and toughest game since 2006. We need all the edge we can get.
this is troubling that you got no hype for the game. all you are doing is exactly as said before.... seting up an excuse. dont get me wrong i do appeciate the work you put in but i meean come one the least you could do is have some faith
I still think we are going to win... just posting this report because i think it's a little troubling.
Fight to the death at The Oreo.
Pete...here you go again. We're coming up to a great day a great game and a great challenge and you're stooping to criticizing the coach. Have you EVER been to one of these games? Have you ever been to even a regular season nationally televised game? The practice sessions are the only times the TV guys ever get with the coaches. After 6 months of practice and studying intensely what Duke is going to do over the past 5 days, 30 minutes in the open practice means nothing to the coach and our players.
Please stop proving how little you know. Its embarrassing.
I remember the '78 Regional Finals game well.....lets get it this time against Duke.
Go Wildcats!
Hahaha laughing at the labels for this post, specifically: "something rotten in the state of Villanova basketball."
Really digging deep here...
How can something like this trouble you after the UCLA game? I'm sure all the other coaches were there making sure everything was executed to their liking. You make it sound like it was middle school recess and the teacher's back was turned.
How about Jamie Dixon?
"Pittsburgh
Out of all the coaches, Jamie Dixon spent the least time with Raftery and Lundquist. After briefly exchaning greetings with them, Dixon went straight into some drills.
The Panthers seemed to be the loosest of the 4 teams. Despite being in drills, they were constantly playing around with DeJuan Blair, Sam Young, and Levance Fields being the ring leaders.
At one point all 3 of those guys were on one side of the court during a free throw shooting drill, but they started an impromptu high jump contest to see who could touch the highest on the backboard. While Blair got up higher than I expected, Young was the clear winner including an attempt where he put his entire hand above the square. For me, the surprise of the contest was Jermaine Dixon who got up a lot higher than I expected (Fields opted not to compete– barely touching the net would have been embarrassing)."
So Dixon watched them the most, but also just watched them do pointless fooling around and jumping contests.
Duke even had a dunk contest.
It sounds as if these open practices are just EVENTS. No one uses this time wisely, which makes sense since it's an OPEN PRACTICE THAT ANYONE CAN WATCH. Gimme a break Pete. For a Nova fan, you turned the blog post at Rush The Court, into something troublesome, which if you read the entire thing was really really really hard to do.
This is why everyone says you are negative. WTF.
Open practices have ZERO impact on the actual game. Looks like everyone uses the time to loosen up. Foolish Jay Wright... he should've lit into his team in front of everyone, watched them like a hawk and berated them.
Please delete this blog posting Pete, or actually talk about what the entire environment of the open practice was. This is the shit we're all sick of you doing... handpicking things to make Jay Wright look like a self indulgent, me-first, coach who doesn't know how to win games with coaching.
DELETE THIS BLOG ENTRY. IT IS ABSURDLY BIASED.
AWESOME IMKL...YOU should start a nova blog!! i think you encompassed all of our thoughts into one effective and meaningful post on this site (WEIRD!!!)..keep up the good work, IMKL!!
For all the ridiculously negative shit Pete has to comment about our team, lets just say Thank God he is just a nova blogger and not actually involved with Villanova Basketball. I find comfort in THAT reality.
He either loves the attention, albeit negative, or is just utterly obtuse, ignorant, and irrational. IMKL said it perfectly, look at the entire event before nit-picking at the fact that Jay was chatting with reporters, Scottie was picking his nose, Dante's shoes were laced up tightly..I mean Come on, you're clearly just looking for shit to pick on. Horrible Pete, WHOREibble
I'm done with this bottom shelf blog. Just embarrassing...your insight isn't even all that interesting. Maybe you should take a step back, watch some middle-school basketball in your local area, and then slowly work your way up to high school. But wait, don't you dare continue to the college game, you're sufficiently equipped for high school, period.
"Nova drops a Dookie on the Blue Devils...Advance to Elite 8"----SC headline
All you guys from #7 on just nailed this. Thank you for exposing this farce. This guy is a fool. RePete, please stay far away from anyone that has anything to do with Villanova basketball. You are an embarrassment to all of us that wear a V proudly.
Bottom line: Pete is a douchebag. I am surprised he is not a Dook fan. They are all douches too. He might be actually.
Hey Pete - are you in Boston for the game. I am cruising up today. If you are.. please wear a shirt to identify yourself. I want to kick the crap out of you before the game. You are not bringing your negativity into the game.
Go Nova!
Pete - you are a BTP.. Big Time P*SSY
Is it your honest belief that Villanova practices aren't productive??? This team MADE THE SWEET 16 FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!! They are one of the 16 best teams in the country this year!!! But apparently we don't practice correctly according to LetsGoNova.com. This is the single most inane, non-sensical article or blog post I have ever seen written about the Villanova men's basketball team.
You are unbelievable.
Heres the thing, Pete's going to respond..."What, am i not free to express my thoughts?! this is afterall, an opinionated blog, and as a US citizen it my right to freedom so speech, blah blah blah". Correct, he has all the right to express his thoughts but it's just absurd the extent that this guy will criticize. Chill out man, enjoy this amazing run. Enjoy the POSITIVE publicity that our team has garnered this season. REALIZE that they're playing together, they all have eachothers back. Its a beautiful thing to be part of Villanova basketball, our program is un-paralleled in the nation and it's because of JAY WRIGHT. Who really gives a rats ass that he spent .5 hours speaking to CBS announcers. Do you expect him to run through the EXACT plays that he plans on executing against Duke for all the world to see?!?! If so, then you're an idiot...SERVED
Another thing...Jay's approach to this team is so uniquely special that it takes special players to be part of it. None of us will ever understand it and although he isn't a perfect X/O coach, he knows how to develop his players. It's clear that it takes time and yes, we'd all love to see instant gratification but sometimes it doesnt work like that. I feel like youre one of those guys. You, Pete, are someone who expects to see results instantaneously and are unwilling to put in the time and effort to truly achieve meaningful results. Let me guess, you're probably overweight. You prob went to the gym, ran for a half hour, lifted some weight and at the end did not drop the pounds you wanted. As a result, you gave up and never went back again. I could completely off too!!! but its just a wild guess...
my point is this..for running your own nova blog, you should at least have an idea of how Jay Wright runs his program so that retarded comments about him wasting 30 minutes of open practice the day before a game aren't made. Get an idea of what it means to be a Villanova Ball player. Gain some insight, you know? Dont just rattle off thoughts becuase youre the creator of this site and think you can just whatever you want. You're a disgrace to Nova Nation. You need to adjust your views.
You are a such a child Pete. I have sat through open practices during the tournament before including at the WAC were Jeff Jones spent most of the time talking to the TV and Print guys. This is not uncommon you are grasping at straws.
If you all remember correctly, Kansas used only 25 minutes of their practice session last year and that was to hold a dunk contest. They won the national championship. Each team, each coach, has a different style. Say what you want about Jay, but he has had this team extremely focused all year. You think he's going to forget that going into the biggest game of the season? Doubftul.
Also, Jay recognizes the importantce of this game beyond just making the elite eight. This has the potential of being a huge statement game for the program going forward. The media plays a huge role in determining the "it" programs. Jay would be cheating the program if he did not put in some time with them. I have no problem with this and if anything take some comfort in the fact that he and the team are keeping loose.
If Jay was worried about squeezing in a game plan the day before a game that would be more troubling. Honestly I hate to use this approach but in this case it may be fitting...did you ever play organized sports? Your critiques seem to be those of someone that may understand athletics from a spectators perspective but has no understanding of what competition is really like.
Maybe if Jay spent less time talking to the media we would have made the sweet 16 again this year... oh wait we did, along with UNC and Memphis the only two programs to have done so 4 out 5 years. Damm I wish Lapas, Buzz and any other dolt you prefer over Jay was coaching this team.
No wonder why you did not have any friends in NYC to stay with during the BET.You honestly think Wright talking to Vern and Raf for 30 minutes is going to have any impact on the outcome of this game. The only thing that is troubling is your complete obsession with trying to minimize what Jay Wright has meant to this program. You have no understanding of how special this run has been/will be win or lose tonight.
Please go root for another team. Kentucky fans seem to fit your mold, no understanding of the big picture and a win or else mentality. Please do not publicly admit to being a nova fan with views like this you are a complete fool.
I've saids it before and I'll say it again...Pete IS NOT a fan of Villanova basketball....simple as that. If you all understand that you will be more at peace with his ridiculous "opinions".
You are the Bill O'Reilly of Nova Blogs.
Congrats
More proof that the commenter from about a month ago was correct - this is a clever parody blog, where some dude who most likely isn't even a Nova fan has adopted a fake "Pete" persona to intentionally push the buttons of Nova fans. Every now and then he goes a step too far with a post like this one, and ruins the joke.
Of course, that is the more charitable explanation.
You are the Keith Olbermann of Nova blogs.
Congrats Pete
JAY WRIGHT IS A FRIENDLY GUY AND COACH K IS NOT. ITS THAT SIMPLE. Why do you never write positive articles about off the court issues like IBBW does?
@ 26
hahaha touche. I was waiting for that comment.
I Heard Pete is going to Boston tonight. Everyone keep an eye out.
29 - Pete's the type of guy that has booed our team off the floor in the past when we're losing at half-time...only to cheer when we end up winning. He's not a true Wildcat fan despite ANYTHING that he might write.
Who are you ridiculous people who want to fight me over what I write on a blog?
Did your mommies not hold you enough or something?
This is some of the funniest shit I've ever read. HAHA I'm cracking up right now. Wright takes 30 minutes of of his 5 days to prep for Duke to talk to announcers and Pete is offended by it. It is becoming more and more evident that Pete has never played a competitive sport in his entire life. Pete is just setting up a reason to blame Jay if we just so happen to lose.
CLASSIC!!!
No one's going to physically fight you Pete. You just have to accept the fact that your views are retarded when it comes to Jay Wright and Villanova Basketball. It's absurd that you even have a blog!!!!!
I know!!! Isn't it absurd that I was bestowed this blog from on high!?!?
Pete, you better enter the Witness Protection Program.
Once again Pete, you ignore our rational arguments to just focus on the Anons who make immature threats and wax poetic about your life.
Just don't respond at all if that's the only approach you are going to take.
In other news, I've decided it's not worth staying up until 10 pm to watch tonight's game. After obtaining video footage of the open practices of Duke and Villanova, I've determined there is only a 1% chance that Nova wins.
See you guys next year!
IMKL,
Why should I even respond? Your "rational argument" is even worse than the anon threats. At least they're amusing. You, on the other hand, are assuming I have some sort of conspiracy or bias against Wright. I know that's not true, so why even bother answering it.
I didn't go to Boston and make this report. An independent blog did. I felt it was newsworthy to let fans know that whereas Coach K ran a serious practice, Jay Wright was chit-chatting for 30 mins with the announcers.
A lot of people have argued that Wright's teams have been unprepared -- not just me. Did you happen to catch the American game?
Here is hoping we are as well prepared for Duke as we were for UCLA. But this report makes me a little uncomfortable.
Again it's a fucking open practice. If you read the entire blog posting at Rush the Court you would see that none of the teams took it seriously.
We're so unprepared that Villanova is 7-1 in the tournament when we're the better seed. That one loss? Florida on their run to the first national title.
I'd say we are prepared to win the games we are supposed to.
You are a fucking joke to put "rational argument" in quotes. The shit I said made fucking sense; you completely misrepresented the entire blog posting on Rush The Court." Way too ignore context.
I hope you didn't major in Journalism at Nova.
Sorry for the emotional words, I just can't believe you are trying to discredit me. Just because anyone can run a blog, doesn't necessarily mean you should.
Pete,
It's a public practice. You don't do your preparation at a public practice dumb ass. Do you think that Duke's practice was in any meaningful sense preparation for the nova game? Coach K, for all his faults, is too smart for that. He ran some simple drills to project a certain image to fool know-nothings like yourself. Apparently he succceeded in doing so. That has nothing to do with the game today, though.
I will say one thing, though, Pete. While it is clear as day that you do have an irrational hatred of Wright, this post isn't, by itself, much evidence of that. It is, however, yet more evidence that you don't know shit about college basketball.
Pete: you are such a horse's ass. I had hope for you as you seemed to be trying to be more positive in recent posts, but it is clear that you cannot help yourself and are happiest when you are attacking Coach Wright.
After 27 wins, haven't you figured out that Jay Wright knows what he is doing. You want him supervising warm ups? Have you ever picked up a basketball? What would you like him to be doing at this point in the season? Teaching the pick and roll?
My guess is he was trying to keep things loose. But if we do lose tonight (which we will not), I am sure that the outcome will have had nothing to do with how many minutes Jay Wright spend talking to Bill Rafferty.
IMKL,
If you read the post, it says all the teams (3) took it less seriously except Duke, which took it seriously.
The reason "rational argument" is in quotes because I don't think it's rational for you to assume I have some sort of anti-Wright agenda. I happen to like him a lot.
As for my blogging, I've been doing this since 2006. I don't know how long you've been reading, but LGN certainly got along just fine before you started questioning whether or not I should be running a blog.
I write what I want... you're certainly welcome to read it and comment on it. But I am not going to stop blogging or delete entries because people don't like them.
Ha ha --
Calm down, IMKL. We all root for the same team here. I think the implication of your post was that I have an anti-Wright agenda. What else could you mean by it? If I misunderstood it, I am sorry.
I know several people, who have contacted me on channels outside of anonymous or semi-anonymous blog comments, who totally agree that Wright's gabbing shows a lack of focus.
And even if no one did agree with me, that's ok too. If I wanted to maximize opinion agreement, I would just write shit like "NOVA ROCKS I LUV BASKETBALL" all the time. And who would want to read that?
Villanova 77
Duke 54
Jay Wright just demolished the best coach in the country. The coach who took his open practice seriously, which obviously made him a better coach than Jay. Those open practices sure make a huge big of difference.
Ha.... first of all I did not say it would make the difference. I predicted a Nova win -- or can you not read?
Second, I never said Coach K is the best coach in the country. Not at all. I would take so many coaches over him -- Crean, Pitino, Calipari, Williams, Self, Knight, Howland -- just off the top of my head.
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