I don't post much these days, but I wanted to share a thought I had about the team. I'll try to keep it short
I'm so happy for this group of guys to be playing so well. They have an intensity, confidence, comradery and edge to them on the court that is awesome to watch. I have not seen such a united team since the 2019-2020 team, and this team seems even more united. If these guys keep it up, they are surely going to make the tournament. And if they keep it up there, they are going to create some great memories for themselves, cement their legacies, and give us some great moments to watch and cheer with them. I can't wait to see how packed the arenas will be with Rutgers fans in the NCAA tournament.
It seems to be the right conclusion for this group as a 3 year odyssey. In 2020, the team had a built-in edge to them to prove themselves to the critics. Pike kept up the "we were picked to finish 12th" message to the media. The team wanted to show they were better without Eugene. The right talent joined the team with JY, and Yeboah. I think Yeboah was one of the most vital players of any Rutgers team in decades. The team had youth and brashness. Certain players didn't know exactly how to be leaders yet. I'm sure there were divisions on the team, but Yeboah seemed to keep them together, on and off the court. How many times did he get a bucket in the paint to end a scoring run by the opposition? That team had it all, and put it all together. They overcame old obstacles, like never winning the big one on the road, and they won at Purdue. We all knew they made the tournament that night. It was such a thrill and relief for all of us. But the accomplishment never came with the celebration. It's so important that when we achieve, we take a moment to celebrate our achievements. That was stripped from the 2020 team. They never got the payoff....the tournament selection show celebration...the banner the following season....none of it. I'm still heartbroken for them about it.
That only made last year so much more of a stressful season. The team had to prove it all again. They lost Yeboah and didn't seem to replace him. The team clearly looked divided....the team chemistry was clearly not as good as 2019-2020. Players didn't like their roles. They played in front of empty arenas, and even though they were racking up nice victories, they couldn't fully enjoy the great moments the way our teams have celebrated them in the past. They never experienced a deafening RAC victory. Despite all of this, they were a few breaks from making the Sweet 16. Now that I write about the 2020-2021 season and think about it, I really credit that team to doing as well as they did last year. And I feel bad that the last few minutes of the Houston game is what some of us remember them for, when it shouldn't be. But they got they officially ended the streak, and experienced the Big Dance with us.
This season has developed into the season many of these guys (Geo, Ron, Caleb especially) have been working for and waiting for. It feels like a Last Dance, and a proper one too. They all seemed to find their roles. The trio of Geo-Ron-Caleb now know how to run this team. Nobody seems to be sulking. New leadership has emerged in Paul. This season seems like it can be the "right" season for them in ways that 2020 and 2021 were not. The former had the cheering crowds and poetic storyline but not the payoff. The latter had the payoff but none of the romanticism in the journey. This team is working to have the journey and the payoff. They know they can have it all this year, and you can see that they want it.
They play and act as if they don't want this season to end. I don't want it to end either.
I'm so happy for this group of guys to be playing so well. They have an intensity, confidence, comradery and edge to them on the court that is awesome to watch. I have not seen such a united team since the 2019-2020 team, and this team seems even more united. If these guys keep it up, they are surely going to make the tournament. And if they keep it up there, they are going to create some great memories for themselves, cement their legacies, and give us some great moments to watch and cheer with them. I can't wait to see how packed the arenas will be with Rutgers fans in the NCAA tournament.
It seems to be the right conclusion for this group as a 3 year odyssey. In 2020, the team had a built-in edge to them to prove themselves to the critics. Pike kept up the "we were picked to finish 12th" message to the media. The team wanted to show they were better without Eugene. The right talent joined the team with JY, and Yeboah. I think Yeboah was one of the most vital players of any Rutgers team in decades. The team had youth and brashness. Certain players didn't know exactly how to be leaders yet. I'm sure there were divisions on the team, but Yeboah seemed to keep them together, on and off the court. How many times did he get a bucket in the paint to end a scoring run by the opposition? That team had it all, and put it all together. They overcame old obstacles, like never winning the big one on the road, and they won at Purdue. We all knew they made the tournament that night. It was such a thrill and relief for all of us. But the accomplishment never came with the celebration. It's so important that when we achieve, we take a moment to celebrate our achievements. That was stripped from the 2020 team. They never got the payoff....the tournament selection show celebration...the banner the following season....none of it. I'm still heartbroken for them about it.
That only made last year so much more of a stressful season. The team had to prove it all again. They lost Yeboah and didn't seem to replace him. The team clearly looked divided....the team chemistry was clearly not as good as 2019-2020. Players didn't like their roles. They played in front of empty arenas, and even though they were racking up nice victories, they couldn't fully enjoy the great moments the way our teams have celebrated them in the past. They never experienced a deafening RAC victory. Despite all of this, they were a few breaks from making the Sweet 16. Now that I write about the 2020-2021 season and think about it, I really credit that team to doing as well as they did last year. And I feel bad that the last few minutes of the Houston game is what some of us remember them for, when it shouldn't be. But they got they officially ended the streak, and experienced the Big Dance with us.
This season has developed into the season many of these guys (Geo, Ron, Caleb especially) have been working for and waiting for. It feels like a Last Dance, and a proper one too. They all seemed to find their roles. The trio of Geo-Ron-Caleb now know how to run this team. Nobody seems to be sulking. New leadership has emerged in Paul. This season seems like it can be the "right" season for them in ways that 2020 and 2021 were not. The former had the cheering crowds and poetic storyline but not the payoff. The latter had the payoff but none of the romanticism in the journey. This team is working to have the journey and the payoff. They know they can have it all this year, and you can see that they want it.
They play and act as if they don't want this season to end. I don't want it to end either.
