How to deal with Basketball Losses

After winning the national championship last year and losing most of the team, except Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins, most people still are thinking this is the same team. It is not. KU now has a whole new set of players and they all need to get used to playing together.

The Arizona game tonight was an example of how much this team needs to work together. Poor passing in the first half, poor free throw shooting, and lack of holding onto the ball were among the problems. On the bright side, the team did show that they can knock down the three.

KU led in the half by 3 points. I looked over at L and remarked, "Well, do you think they can pull off a win." We weren't too sure about their chances. Collins had one basket in six attempts in the first half and Aldrich only had 1 point, courtesy of the free throw he made. When the team came out in the second half they looked pretty strong scoring a lot of three-pointers. Then things fell apart with illegal screens and Collins limping off the court. KU would put up a shot only to have the shot miss the rim and rebounding was poor by the team as well. Arizona fans exploded by the tomahawk shot by Chase Budinger. That was the turning point and the lead by Arizona got bigger and bigger.

By this time I was wanting to turn off the TV or turn down the announcers and listen to the radio. The radio was clear behind the television broadcast by at least 30 seconds. I hated hearing the announcers saying, "Well if they keep on going they could score 90 off of the national champs."

I just wanted to tell the announcers that this isn't the "National Championship Team" of 2008, but a new team of freshmen and sophomores.

So how as KU fans do you deal with a loss? You simply write your feelings out (like I'm doing now) and go on. But how to basketball players and coaches deal with it? My guess, since I'm not married to a coach, would be very differently. They would watch the plays and practice on those oversights to perfect the game for the next time they play. The coaches won't say, "Oh well, it was one of those nights." No, they will work on their team and drive it home to the players on how to improve, etc.

I sure am glad that I'm not a player nor a coach's wife. I can only image how tough it would be to deal with a loss like this.