OK, I was going to let the Harvard Men's season rest in peace ...
 
Last year Sean McCann was a tremendous captain.  He picked the team up
and carried it all year.  A tough defender, McCann had the wheels and
desire to press the attack.  I believe his wonderful example lifted the
other players.  Another senior, Lou Body, I understand was very good in
the locker room with the practical jokes.  That helped to keep the team
loose.  I keep hearing all this nonsense from the coaches ... that you
just have to work hard.  It is a game.  It should be fun.  I think Body
filled that role, the importance of which is larger than many would give
credit.  Basically, the senior leadership came through big.
 
This year's team took a major hit last spring when A. Israel decided to
turn pro.  It only meant one thing: the coach was going to worry more
about defense than he already does.  The result is that the team played
with even more restrictions.  The team defense had to be there to replace
what was "missing".  In addition the senior class this year did not come
through with outstanding seasons.  They all seemed tight for most of the
season.  I could rattle off a critic about what each of them did and
didn't do, but the summation is the same: no one stepped forward and
provided the needed leadership.  To be fair, many of them were not given
that chance as periodically one or more of them were in the coach's
doghouse.  It is a horrific cycle that starts when the system doesn't
produce the goals.  The coach starts blaming the players and not trusting
individuals, and players start not believing in themselves, or their
mates, or the coaches.  All of that occurred this last season.  I saw too
many shifts end for extremely talented players with their head's shaking,
or just down.  What is at fault here, to me, is the system.  The current
Harvard coaching staff buys into the work ethic, something good has to
happen philosophy.  It clearly has not worked as well as the Bill Cleary
fire-wagon-let's get at 'em "system".  Cleary's teams played as teams.
They skated and passed so well, because they were all on the same page.
When I see alumni men's games, you can tell the Cleary players: they all
turn as one (it's incredible stuff!!!).  The current coaches are just so
into team defense and working that nothing comes off.
 
I for one was surprised that last year's team did as well as it did.  All
credit to McCann and Company, they did a tremendous job.  The results
this year is more what I would expect, given the system.  The other
argument I hear, that Harvard doesn't have the skilled players it once
did, I do not buy.  This year's team had tons of talent.  They just
didn't use it.
 
Next year the team will be lead by the gopher duo of Konik and Nielsen.
Depending on the talent of the first-year players, they should again have
enough skill to do very well in the league.  However, with the type of
leadership the coaches are supplying, I am left with many doubts.
 
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 good shooting
 rhun-hungerf
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