Scruggs Coming Back

[D-West & PO-Z]

It definitely feels like something was amiss - and there were episodes of facial expressions and body postures - but the team seemed to be ok with each other, at least on the floor.

My hunch tells me the issues were player(s) v. coach(es).

The strange thing was, if that was the case, why didn't the coaches deal with it? Nothing really changed all year. So Steele can blame agendas, but he was also in a position to ensure agendas didn't happen. I don't get it.

I agree. The players all to me seemed to really like and care for one another, especially those "core 4". I get the sense the issues were more players v coaches as well. And agendas or no agendas it is on Steele to make that work. There are always going to be some issues that arise over the course of a season, can Steele manage those and get the team to gel? I think that will determine if he ends up a successful coach or not. And again I think having mostly guys now that only know him as head coach will help.

[bjf123]

Just goes to show that no matter how physically talented a group of players are, they have to jell as a TEAM before they can excel.

This. I’ve said multiple times the last two years that too often it looked like 5 guys who just happened to be wearing the same color jersey instead of 5 guys playing as a team.


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[X Factor]

Well that didn’t take long.

Well Steele mentioned agendas. He didn't specifically say that this past year's team had that issue, but he left it open for interpretation. Since this is a Xavier hoops message board, people are going to talk about it.

I happen to believe there were a couple of guys that had their own agenda. If true, Steele should've made it clear the only agenda was going to be his.

[xudash]

None of us will probably ever know if there were personality conflicts among players and/or coaches and players last year, but why mention it if there weren’t?

Just goes to show that no matter how physically talented a group of players are, they have to jell as a TEAM before they can excel. I’m hoping that future squads find a way to jell and to excel. How quickly that happens and how successfully that happens may well determine just how good they are next year. Let’s hope that Paul is the leader that the team needed this past year. I think that Jones tried to be that leader, but I’m not sure that “everyone” bought into that. Some of the facial expressions and body postures coming out of team huddles last year didn’t look so good.

Makes me think of the Loyola team that made a run to the F4 with < 4-Star talent in the line-up. One word: precision.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Makes me think of the Loyola team that made a run to the F4 with < 4-Star talent in the line-up. One word: precision.

Not to mention pure dumb luck.

[IM4X]

Well Steele mentioned agendas. He didn't specifically say that this past year's team had that issue, but he left it open for interpretation. Since this is a Xavier hoops message board, people are going to talk about it.

I happen to believe there were a couple of guys that had their own agenda. If true, Steele should've made it clear the only agenda was going to be his.

This is what I was thinking after reading the article. Steele is naturally non-confrontational which is good in some ways but it can also allow the team to lose focus or go off track when those players have their own agenda. The only one who should have agenda is the head coach. His agenda is his vision for the team - what he expects to see from each player individually and from the team collectively.

Steele needs to be more assertive right from the beginning to get everyone bought in to his way. I think from his “agenda” comment on the article, he may finally be realizing that just because a player SAYS (to him or the media) that he has bought into the coach’s vision, it doesn’t mean he ACTUALLY has. The proof is in how that player (or those players) respond on the court. Travis would be wise to get this all figured out— and everyone on the same page -before next season begins.

He need to identify each player’s strengths and their role based on those strengths. Then he can keep testing how the pieces fit together best to work like a very productive, well oiled machine. No more assuming that all of the players are on board, when body language and behavior/decisions on the court suggest otherwise.

[Masterofreality]

Makes me think of the Loyola team that made a run to the F4 with < 4-Star talent in the line-up. One word: precision.

Not to mention a really effective motion offense. ;-)

[XU 87]

Makes me think of the Loyola team that made a run to the F4 with < 4-Star talent in the line-up. One word: precision.

True, but it also makes me think: "Extremely fortunate".

[AviatorX]

True, but it also makes me think: "Extremely fortunate".

Two 50/50 balls going the right way in one possession games and running into a 7/9 seed in the second weekend are a good recipe for a deep run.

[Masterofreality]

Two 50/50 balls going the right way in one possession games and running into a 7/9 seed in the second weekend are a good recipe for a deep run.

How comical is it that you are discounting a Final Four run where Loyola won 4 games vs higher rated seeds. It’s not like Clifton Community getting a pass because the entire bracket fell apart in front of them and they didn’t have to beat a higher seed.
Loyola beat 4 damn good teams to get there, with a damn effective offense. But just keep on with your ridiculous blind jealous hatred because Xavier’s never been to one.