113 national championships for UCLA, 109 for Stanford, top 2 in the country for all sports. I get the feeling kids are choosing these two schools pretty equally. When choosing between UCLA and Stanford, I get the feeling the campus, the weather, if you like NorCal or SoCal better, do you want to be close or far away from family, etc. come into play. This is your new home for 4-5 years. First, if both schools want you, pat yourself on the back you must be an amazing player. Second, where do you want to spend your free time? I can't imagine being anywhere except here in the south, but just as easy I can see kids choosing to live up north as well. You might also notice the position you play is already loaded, so you choose the other school. Or one of the two schools has a major that is very strong so you choose that. Don't see how any kid could go wrong choosing either school.
2016-17 D1 Women's soccer thread!!!
- Thread starter Bernie Sanders
- Start date
Mystery Train
GOLD
Compare the rosters of this year's Olympic basketball team to that of the 2004 team that placed third behind Greece and Italy. LeBron, Iverson, Tim Duncan, D Wade, Marbury, Melo, Stoudemire...no role players, no chemistry. Great coach, all the experience necessary, beaten by lesser talent. Draymond Green, role player. Harrison Barnes, role player. Kyle Lowry, role player. Deandre Jordan and Demarcus Cousins, ditch diggers. Talented ditch diggers and role players, yes. But my point stands. Do you disagree with the statement that championship teams need to have chemistry and role players as well as talent?
offthecrossbar
SILVER
Going to have to agree to disagree. Coach K still had all All-Stars. The difference is Coach k was able to get the players to play as a team and accept their role. Don't forget, team USA this past Olympics had a few close games, because the following players decided to skip or were injured this year. Westbrook, Chris Paul, Curry, John Wall, Harden, Anthony Davis, Blake Griffin, Aldridge and Lebron. Coach K didn't pass on those players.
offthecrossbar
SILVER
M Train, let me know when Coach K picks 2 Hall of Famers like Lebron and Westbrook and surrounds them with a bunch of NBA 12 man bench players who are true role players and ditch diggers. Would love to see them try and win an Olympics with that line-up.
It reflects your post of 2 A+ players and a bunch of ditch diggers and role players who play as a team and can run off a team of YNT players.
It reflects your post of 2 A+ players and a bunch of ditch diggers and role players who play as a team and can run off a team of YNT players.
Mystery Train
GOLD
Well ok then. So you don't value role players or team chemistry as much as I do. Fair enough. My bias towards emphasizing fit and chemistry over raw talent comes from 15 years of hiring and firing and building teams in companies. In general, I'd rather hire a guy with an associates' degree who has a great attitude, work ethic, ability to learn quickly and first rate communication skills than a "talented" ivy league grad who pisses everyone off and is constantly 'misunderstood' and involved in ego battles. I've seen so many of those types crash and burn in team settings that I never miss a chance to get on my soapbox about how overrated "pure talent" is.
offthecrossbar
SILVER
In sports like B-Ball, I will pick the best 12 players in their positions and hire Pop to coach them.
Mystery Train
GOLD
I think maybe you misunderstand that qualifying a player as a "ditch digger" or "role player" = no talent. There are many of these types of players who are extremely talented at the one job they do. Dennis Rodman was the most talented "ditch digger" ever, and he was an instrumental part of one of the greatest basketball teams ever. National teams in all sports are often collections of #1 lead players who aren't used to (or good at) playing second fiddle supporting roles.
Mystery Train
GOLD
I suppose if you want to argue about talent over chemistry in a fantasy world, then I can't deny you that if you picked the 12 best players in the world and had Gregg Poppovich coaching then you'd certainly win a lot of games. But Pop is the king of building teams with chemistry (you know, that thing you don't seem to value). Read this interview with him. He talks about looking for players with a sense of humor and work ethic. It's a great read, and it is ALL about chemistry: http://hoopshype.com/2015/10/13/forces-of-character-a-conversation-with-gregg-popovich/
offthecrossbar
SILVER
Wrong, I do believe in team chemistry and role players. That's I want the best coach to get the players to buy into the team concept. Why do you think I posted Saban at Alabama and Calipari at Kentucky.
In your original post at the end you posted it's not about the players resume. I say it is and where a great coach comes in to shape the team as one unit.
Mystery Train
GOLD
Glad you agree with me.
Like I said, I've got a personal soapbox on the subject of talent and resumes. It's kind of my thing.
offthecrossbar
SILVER
I think you pivoted from your opening post though. Now you're saying give me the best players also as long as the best players play as a team aka know their role vs 2 A+ players with role players and ditch diggers running a YNT of the pitch.Glad you agree with me.
Like I said, I've got a personal soapbox on the subject of talent and resumes. It's kind of my thing.
Far cry from comparing Colorado to a UCLA or Stanford team full of Youth National players.
Better to have an all-star that is willing to be a roll player. The best defensive player is probably an all-star, the best rebounder, all-star. Find some of those guys that will play with the MVP types and you are all set. Nothing says an All-Star can't be a roll player as well.
NoGoal
DA
And is why I posted give me the best players in their position and I will get a great coach to have them play as a team.
Elite players willl beat lesser talented players more often than not.
SpeedK1llz
GOLD
Where is MAP? This conversation is boring and has gone off the rails...
Mystery Train
GOLD
Sigh. If you can't see the consistency in what I'm saying now to the original post, I can't help you. I made my point and you agree that chemistry and role players are important. You made your point and I agree that talent is important. We can agree to disagree on the relative values. But I agree with Speed. You're boring. I'm boring. This argument is boring. Bring back MAP.
offthecrossbar
SILVER
Whatever toots your own horn!
I'd rather talk B-ball than girls soccer....I'm going back to the basketball forum.
SpeedK1llz
GOLD
Getting back to soccer, I am looking forward to this weekend's final regular season match ups. Here are my predictions (winners in green):
- UCLA vs. USC - Given recent play, it would be foolish of anybody to bet against USC at this point. I do think it will be a tight match though.
- Cal vs. Stanford - I know that I am not a fan of Cal but the total Cal move is to lose to those you should smash and beat those you should lose to so with that logic in mind, I am going with Cal. I've got a funny feeling about this one...
- Colorado vs. Utah - I'm giving the slight edge to Utah. Utah tied USC and USC smashed Colorado so logic would dictate a Utah win.
- Pepperdine vs. Pacific - Despite having a decent sushi restaurant (Cocoro), Stockton is the arm pit of California. Pepperdine wins.
- LMU vs... - Nevermind.
- BYU vs. Gonzaga - Rest your starters BYU
- Santa Clara vs. San Francisco - Would love to see SF pull off the upset but they just don't have the firepower this year.
Sheriff Joe
DA
What the hell would you know about elite anything?
USC vs. UCLA is the game of the week.
It will be a battle.
I honestly think USC is the best team, but UCLA has the horsepower to win if they get all eight cylinders firing.
Its a toss up.
I'm becoming a big Utes fan.
I like Utah over Colorado.
I think he's probably an expert on elite insurance sales.
Im a plumber, and nobody knows their shit like I do.
The wine wasnt bad.
Pretty good, actually.
A woman dropped it off at the bar while I was sitting there, turned tail, and walked out the door.
She smiled, and waved good bye.
I smiled, and said thank you.