fbinnd wrote:Baller, you're right about the leadership thing. It's really tough to do, no question. But, even though I disagree with you on several things, it's clear to me that you have a lot of leadership skills. And I think those skills will benefit you way more than a jumper or a crossover in later life. You have what it takes to lead people.
Who on here will agree with me on Baller01's apparant leadership skills?
And Paperboy, I don't have time to read your entire post, but I will respond.
Is it impossible to be a very good leader on a team? No.
Is it impossible to get players to play basketball that don't want to play? Yes.
You can have the leadership skills of Michael Jordan for all I care, but if you go to a school where basketball isn't a priority to your teammates, you aren't going to get anywhere. I left the school I left becase basketball wasn't a priority to the kids and to the town. It didn't matter to them if we won 5 games a year or 25 games a year. They were just proud to say that they had a hometown basketball team and the players were just proud to say they were part of the basketball team. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that at all, cause to be completely honest with you, that is how a lot of small towns are. And there is nothing wrong with that.
However, basketball and sports in general are a huge priority to me in my life. My whole school year, weekends, and summer revolve around my athletics. It keeps me in shape, teaches me hard work, and keeps me out of trouble. I don't do a lot of things that other high schoolers do because of my athletic career. You are in high school for four years. That's it. Four years of Friday nights under the lights, four years of gyms packed from wall to wall with screaming fans. Sports are by no means the most important thing in my life. My faith and my family come well before my athletics. But as long as I have the God given ability to go out and perform, I'm going to take full advantage of it and dedicate my life to it. Not everyone is as blessed as those of us that can go out and play sports. I've got four years of high school. I can work and raise a family untill the day the I die. Why would I want to spend what should be the most fun and best days of my life in a school environment that doesn't have the same priorities as me?
The school that I was at had, as you call it, a "culture of losing". For so many years they had been use to the fact of losing and they didn't know what it took to win. I am probably the most competitive person ever and can't stand losing. It bothered me to see my teammates and fans not being effected by a loss. I'm not saying you should dwell on one loss forever and ever, but a loss is a loss and it should hurt. No matter how big the game is. But like you said, if you have that "culture of losing" you don't know what it takes to win and therefore it doesn't hurt that much to lose. I was born with a competitive nature and a knack for winning. I know how to win, I have tasted winning, and will give whatever it takes to win.
Is winning the most important thing? No. But if you don't have that mentallity that it is the most important thing, you will develope and grow into a "culture of losing".
I was never recruited to play at the school I play at even though some people will beg to differ. I do not feel that I have taken anyones "spot" because I feel that if they would have put in the same time that I put into the game of basketball, they wouldn't have even had to worry about it.
FBIIND I would just like to know why you think someone should be punished for trying to seak something to make them happier. Because yes, being in a environment that has the same athletic priorities as me has made me happier. It states cleary in the Declaration of Independence that we as Americans have the right to pursue happieness. If changing schools makes me a happier person, then by you disciplining me for it is violating my rights as an American. If you want to leave the job you work at because you are unhappy with it and you know that a job somewhere else will make you happier, should you be punished for that? Of course not. You are doing what you feel is best for you and your family. That is exactly what I did. I did what I felt was best for me and what my family thought was best for me.
I don't agree with all transfers for athletic reasons but I certainly am not at liberty to say that they are right or wrong for doing it and neither are you. I also have very good friends that go to private schools and have a lot of respect for them and there progams. I understand that no matter I say, you probably will always believe that private schools recruit and I guess that is your opinion. I don't plan to change it. I would just like to point out to you that these private schools, even though they might have a bigger advantage, still have to put in the same amount of work as every other team that wants to succeed. In my opinion there should have only been one private school at the state tournament this past year and that was Minot Ryan. Both Hazen and Killdeer should have knocked off Trinity but, I'm sorry to say, choked in the regionals. Both Hazen and Killdeer were better teams. I also felt that Center-Stanton should have beat Shiloh in the regional championship game. However, neither one of them scenarios happened and both Trinity and Shiloh advanced to the state tournament. Do you need to jump on the ban wagon and support them? No. But do you need to give just as much credit to them as you do the other schools? Yes.
I know this has been very lengthy but I had a lot I needed to say to you. I respect you as being someone that is very strong oppionated I just don't agree with what you say. I don't have the right to judge you as a human being and say what type of person you are based on your opinions. I just feel that you need to look deeper into why people leave schools for "athletic" reasons and I think you need to lighten up on private schools. Take a look of it from the other side. How would it make you feel if you went to a private school and people tried to diminish your accomplishments by saying you recruit? There is a reason that Trinity succeeds year in and year out. It is because they are fueled to succeed because of people like you. You don't think they want to win more then anything when 3/4 of the Bismarck Civic Center is chanting "let's go Parshall." Trust me, my team was booed at the regional championship game and believe me, you want to win more then anything when nobody wants you to.
All I'm asking is that you lighten up on private schools about the recruiting, that you don't judge an "athletic" transfer untill you know details, and that you quit judging CDUB based on the way he types when you have no clue what type of person he is.
Winning isn't everything--but wanting to win is. -Vince Lombardi
