Bulldogs go 1-2 at Tellico Plains
Today, the Bulldogs travelled to Tellico Plains as the Junior Varsity took on Tellico while the Varsity had to play against both Meigs County and Tellico. On the day, the young Junior Varsity brought home another victory while the Varsity lost both of their contests...
Before the recap - I need to say - today's write-up is brought to you by Sprint. This reporter is told that there must be an endorsement deal in place for Coach Nelson because he had one word that was clear and apparent today... "SPRINT!" So... either he is getting a kick-back for every time he yells out the company's name... or... he actually is expecting his players to go all out down the court. These Wartburg boys aren't going to out-size most teams - so Coach Nelson is clearly expecting them to out-hustle them. Let's go!!! But for fun... If Coach Nelson got $1 for every time he yelled sprint today... how fat would that bonus check be?
Before the recap - I need to say - today's write-up is brought to you by Sprint. This reporter is told that there must be an endorsement deal in place for Coach Nelson because he had one word that was clear and apparent today... "SPRINT!" So... either he is getting a kick-back for every time he yells out the company's name... or... he actually is expecting his players to go all out down the court. These Wartburg boys aren't going to out-size most teams - so Coach Nelson is clearly expecting them to out-hustle them. Let's go!!! But for fun... If Coach Nelson got $1 for every time he yelled sprint today... how fat would that bonus check be?
Game 1: The first game of the day was the lone Junior Varsity game. Nelson's rules for Junior Varsity are that freshmen and sophomores are the only ones allowed to play down - and there is an army of them! From the notes I have, it looks like Paxton Quinney led the way with an unofficial 13 points - and we had blocks coming from Quinney, Queso Hutcherson, and two from Daniel "Rambo" Bunch. We also had points off the bench from a pair of freshmen... Avery "Birdman" Stafford came in early and quickly got a couple of layups... while "Big Mac" Micah Francis showed his three-point range for his lone points. All in all - we won this one 40-34 - but we let them stay in it with some sloppy turnovers.
Game 2: In the second game, the varsity took the floor against Meigs County. This was a very tight game where the lead swung back and forth. The Bulldogs led by as much as 7 late in the game as they were up 48-41... but a several minutes long cold streak had them out-scored 12-0 late - and Meigs County ended up pulling out a comeback as the Bulldogs lost this one 55-50. From the notes I received, it looks like solid defense with plenty of steals. It also looks like it was GOOD to have Evan "The Dealer" Crouch back - as he was dealing assists and putting his teammates in good positions to score. The dealer also dealt a nice three-pointer late in the game as well. It hurt not having the Lone Wolf Johnny Bingham today, but Jayden "All Day Jay" Pemberton stepped up his game. He also knocked down one of his signature three's. Landon Quinney looks to have been the biggest impact player for the Bulldogs in this one - but also slipped on the floor at one point and ended up sitting out game 3.
Game 3: In the final game of the day, the varsity took on Tellico Plains. It was, by all accounts, a very physical contest with very light whistle-blowing by the refs. With no Landon Quinney in this one, freshman-phenom Parker Rogers got the start. While it was lopsided from the beginning - with the Bulldogs starting off down by 8 - Rogers would score 7 of the Bulldogs first 9 points. My notes tell me that Ian Franchise was all hustle today - getting several steals and *trying* to take some charges that weren't called. One parent likened it to WWE... The last note I have on this game is that Ian Franchise got a nice steal that led to a wide-open layup. While going in for the layup - someone from the crowd yelled, "Dunk it!"... Franchise was kind enough to take it easy on Tellico Plains and refrain from throwing one down. This third game, the Bulldogs fell to Tellico Plains by a lopsided score of 69-39
Here are a few other notes:
Game 2: In the second game, the varsity took the floor against Meigs County. This was a very tight game where the lead swung back and forth. The Bulldogs led by as much as 7 late in the game as they were up 48-41... but a several minutes long cold streak had them out-scored 12-0 late - and Meigs County ended up pulling out a comeback as the Bulldogs lost this one 55-50. From the notes I received, it looks like solid defense with plenty of steals. It also looks like it was GOOD to have Evan "The Dealer" Crouch back - as he was dealing assists and putting his teammates in good positions to score. The dealer also dealt a nice three-pointer late in the game as well. It hurt not having the Lone Wolf Johnny Bingham today, but Jayden "All Day Jay" Pemberton stepped up his game. He also knocked down one of his signature three's. Landon Quinney looks to have been the biggest impact player for the Bulldogs in this one - but also slipped on the floor at one point and ended up sitting out game 3.
Game 3: In the final game of the day, the varsity took on Tellico Plains. It was, by all accounts, a very physical contest with very light whistle-blowing by the refs. With no Landon Quinney in this one, freshman-phenom Parker Rogers got the start. While it was lopsided from the beginning - with the Bulldogs starting off down by 8 - Rogers would score 7 of the Bulldogs first 9 points. My notes tell me that Ian Franchise was all hustle today - getting several steals and *trying* to take some charges that weren't called. One parent likened it to WWE... The last note I have on this game is that Ian Franchise got a nice steal that led to a wide-open layup. While going in for the layup - someone from the crowd yelled, "Dunk it!"... Franchise was kind enough to take it easy on Tellico Plains and refrain from throwing one down. This third game, the Bulldogs fell to Tellico Plains by a lopsided score of 69-39
Here are a few other notes:
Schedule Things
Tomorrow is another team camp - this time at Monterey. The schedule is as follows:
- 1 PM (central) - Varsity vs. Scott County (Main Gym)
- 4 PM (central) - JV vs. Monterey (Aux Gym)
- 5 PM (central) - Varsity vs. RBS (Main Gym)
And another thing to note... next Tuesday will be the final Team Camp for a while... and instead of Harriman, it will be at Gatlinburg-Pittman High School. Times forthcoming...
- 1 PM (central) - Varsity vs. Scott County (Main Gym)
- 4 PM (central) - JV vs. Monterey (Aux Gym)
- 5 PM (central) - Varsity vs. RBS (Main Gym)
And another thing to note... next Tuesday will be the final Team Camp for a while... and instead of Harriman, it will be at Gatlinburg-Pittman High School. Times forthcoming...
Extreme Ownership
I've been away on Army training and only hear about the games 2nd-hand... but one thing I absolutely loved hearing was that the final game was physical... way too physical... and not good officiating...
No - I don't like any of those things... but I love Coach Nelson's response to it. I'm told that his response was basically, "You're gonna have to learn how to keep playing when it gets physical!" Because there will be plenty of games that get physical... and there will be plenty of games where you don't get the call... there will be plenty of games full of adversity. I'm reading a book as part of my training written by former Navy Seal Commander Jocko Willink. The concept is simple... extreme ownership. He says,
"On any team, in any organization, all responsibility for success and failure rests with the leader. The leader must own everything in his or her world. There is no one else to blame. The leader must acknowledge mistakes and admit failures, take ownership of them, and develop a plan to win." - Willink, Jocko. Extreme Ownership (p. 30). St. Martin's Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Winners will find a way to win even when there are adverse circumstances... And there were definitely some adverse circumstances against Tellico Plains. But if the refs aren't calling the right calls - you play through it. If the shots aren't falling you play through it... You play your game and let the results fall where they are. Rather than let frustration win because something is working against us - a leader takes ownership of their part - and they find a way through. I'd like to give a hat tip to Coach Nelson for challenging the boys to find a way through in adverse circumstances.
No - I don't like any of those things... but I love Coach Nelson's response to it. I'm told that his response was basically, "You're gonna have to learn how to keep playing when it gets physical!" Because there will be plenty of games that get physical... and there will be plenty of games where you don't get the call... there will be plenty of games full of adversity. I'm reading a book as part of my training written by former Navy Seal Commander Jocko Willink. The concept is simple... extreme ownership. He says,
"On any team, in any organization, all responsibility for success and failure rests with the leader. The leader must own everything in his or her world. There is no one else to blame. The leader must acknowledge mistakes and admit failures, take ownership of them, and develop a plan to win." - Willink, Jocko. Extreme Ownership (p. 30). St. Martin's Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Winners will find a way to win even when there are adverse circumstances... And there were definitely some adverse circumstances against Tellico Plains. But if the refs aren't calling the right calls - you play through it. If the shots aren't falling you play through it... You play your game and let the results fall where they are. Rather than let frustration win because something is working against us - a leader takes ownership of their part - and they find a way through. I'd like to give a hat tip to Coach Nelson for challenging the boys to find a way through in adverse circumstances.
There's Power in Community
Since our son has joined the Wartburg Bulldogs - we've come together with several families that we didn't previously know. We've met a new coach... actually 2 coaches... actually, my wife said there was a 3rd coach there today... We'll do a write up on the coaching staff sometime soon. It's a great thing that we can all come together and grow together around something like basketball. We'll write up the games and laugh about nicknames, mustaches, and SPRINT!!!! (among other thigns) But it's all for a purpose - Community.
To the players - I don't know many of you well yet - but I'm in your corner... and I speak for the rest of the parents that may or may not know you yet. There is room for all of you to succeed on this team if you work hard. Just know this - you are loved and supported by your community. #WartburgTribe
To the players - I don't know many of you well yet - but I'm in your corner... and I speak for the rest of the parents that may or may not know you yet. There is room for all of you to succeed on this team if you work hard. Just know this - you are loved and supported by your community. #WartburgTribe
Official Best Mustache
Last, but not least... after the last write up - we did get 2 more votes cast to break the tie for best Bulldog mustache... We were locked in a 6-6 vote between Dawson Swinney and Noah Ward... The 2 most recent votes are in... and your winner is....
Dawson Swinney
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