There's ugly, and then there's quitting

(The game wasn't over when I posted this - only the middle of the second half, and despite Morrow's ridiculously hot end to the game not much changed. This team's effort level is the biggest problem, and it's key players who are feeding it.)

Tonight is probably the worst basketball game I've ever seen a Paul Hewitt team play. We've taken some beatings, but not one where the team completely quit. Jeremis Smith and Lewis Clinch have played very hard, but everyone else might as well have not even made the trip.

Special shout-outs to these two though, for terrible performances - and not just terrible play, but terrible effort. Failing to play well is one thing, failing to even try hard is shameful.

Ra'Sean Dickey -

You are Jeff Graves or Makthar N'Diaye - a big, talented, lazy oaf who only exerts himself every other game and even then only on the offensive end. If you don't get a basket within the first two minutes of stepping onto the court, you begin to pout and then just quit even pretending to play. Most people would be emberassed to have the opposing center beat them down the court for a dunk, but not you - you're more than willing to allow it to happen several more times in the same game. You have ridiculously good hands, and yet often just fumble the ball around like you don't value it at all. Luke Schenscher didn't have 1/4 of the talent you do, but he was 4 times the player - because he gave his very best effort every time he put a sneaker on the floor.

This team will not go anywhere unless you play better, your failure to exert yourself is tearing down the hardwork of every other guy who puts on that uniform. Here's to hoping that Jeremis Smith and Anthony Morrow lay into your ass every day to hustle like you should, and you learn to play to your ridiculous talent level, because right now you are killing this team every time you come onto the floor.


Zam Fredrick II -

You know what, I understand being forced to transition into a new role is very difficult to do at the college level - but you can't lean on the PG excuse for your pathetic effort on the defensive end and your total lack of concentration performing the very simple task of dribbling the basketball. The continual number of careless palming and traveling calls is inexcusable, and is a sympton of poor effort and concentration, not from any difficulty in figuring out your role.

About the only thing you did right tonight was to only launch one closely guarded 3 early in the shot clock, as opposed to the two or three you are normally good for each game. Oh, and if isn't too much to ask - play just a tad of defense - I'll even ask pretty please with cherries on top.


There, I got that out of my system. No matter what happens after this point (down 18 with 7:14 left), I'm still cheering for the Jackets every time they take the court - I don't care if each game was a 40 point blowout, as long as people play hard. There's a ton of us without nearly enough athletic ability to compete at the Division 1 level, but we're proud of the Institute and would kill ourselves to have the chance to play wearing the school colors. That's why it's so hard to watch people take for granted being on the court, and go through the motions with this complete lack of effort.