Sleepwalking Buckeyes Draw Butler’s Ire
Matta explains the definition of effort
(photo: J. Davidson)
I’ll admit it. Due to a work function and no BTN at home to record, I missed the 53-48 loss to Iowa breaking at least a 10 year run of ‘perfect attendance’. It sounds as if I picked a good time to go AWOL.
The highlights and box score show the Buckeyes didn’t help themselves shooting 37% from the floor including a Ray Charles-esque 3/21 from long range but the post game comments from Jamar Butler tell a more important story. For the first time in the Thad Matta Era, there seems to be a problem with motivation. At this level, how on Earth can guys not be ready to play intense basketball every night?
The ever quiet Butler wondered the same thing and was pissed enough to share that in the post game which is cause for alarm in and of itself:
“Guys weren’t ready to go from the (opening) tip,” said Butler, who has started on two straight Big Ten championship teams. “I could look in guys’ eyes and just tell we weren’t ready to go.”
One more shot across the bow:
“I don’t know if it’s possible to win the Big Ten now, but if they care about playing in March, they better pick their game up,” Butler said of his teammates.
“The potential is there, but guys aren’t mentally tough. They don’t have it upstairs yet. Me and (Matta) talk, and we don’t know what we can do to get guys ready to go night in and night out. Some guys are ready to go and some guys aren’t.”
Bob Baptist captured a few more Butler daggers that are worth a glance. Typically, I would be against these comments but Butler’s the leader and the rare display of emotion might actually help. Of course, some of his rant is likely due to frustration with his own performance as he knows the team can’t afford him to have an off night, especially on the road.
With 9 league games left, the Buckeyes need to make up for last night’s black eye to the Dance resume. That won’t be easy considering the quality opponents bunched together in the last 5 games including just one day off in between Wisky and at Indiana thrown in there. I still say this team should be Dance worthy but the time is now. What do you think? Will the Buckeyes secure a bid?
7 Responses
Oh…and full credit to Iowa for getting their season back on track. I’m starting to think the conference isn’t as bad as the experts think.
Chris - February 3rd, 2008 at 9:09 am - #
I’m surprised by the Butler comments but only because of his personality. Anyone else in his shoes would have went off weeks ago. Early on you would expect him to carry the team, but it’s impossible to expect him to do it the entire season. I highly doubt the comments fall on deaf ears.
I think they will secure a bid because of Butler, Matta, and maybe Butler’s comments. That being said I hope the selection committee didn’t watch that game last night. The opportunities to win that game were absurd. Not to take anything away from IA because they have played much better since the first game, but they didn’t do much to finish the Bucks off.
Travis - February 3rd, 2008 at 12:34 pm - #
That Florida win will help. If they finish conference play by going 6-3, they’ll be 21-9 which is smack in the middle of bubbleland. Could come down to their tournament showing.
Jason - February 3rd, 2008 at 1:44 pm - #
If they want to go 6-3 over these last 9 they better win the ones they’re supposed to (Michigan, at Northwestern, at Michigan, at Minnesota). Then they have to win 2 against the best in the Big Ten. Their best chances are going to be at home because it’s terribly hard to win on the road in the Big Ten no matter who you’re playing as evident in yesterdays games. I expect being at home in a whiteout against Indiana on the 10th will play into helping this team wake up. Then they have to beat either Wisconsin, Purdue, or Michigan St. at home because I don’t see this team winning at Indiana.
I say it’s possible. If we do this I believe we are a lock for the tourney. Besides Iowa we’ve only lost to ranked teams (Purdue is top 25 in my mind).
ShoeWorker - February 3rd, 2008 at 2:57 pm - #
Carl’s fearless prediction way back in November
ShoeWorker - February 3rd, 2008 at 10:45 pm - #
They’ve lost to some good teams (this Iowa loss notwithstanding), but I still think they have to win two of the three games against m*ch*g*n State, Wisconsin and Indiana to secure a bid. I agree with Jason that a good showing in the Big T(elev)en tournament would help immensely, and might be enough to cover for only winning one game against the big three.
Any more road losses against teams they should beat sends them to the NIT, though.
Joe - February 4th, 2008 at 12:10 am - #
Trackbacks
Leave a Reply