Talk Turns to Thoughts on Former Coach
Just like coach Jim Boylen promised, the Utes were on the floor by 7 this morning. In fact, they started about 15 minutes early, as penance for their sluggish effort in the win against Idaho State last night.
Of course, it helped that Boylen had to catch a plane to go recruiting in California for the day. Palm Springs, I think -- which is about right. Middle of winter, 15 degrees outside ... no sense recruiting anybody in Michigan or Minnesota just now.
Boylen tried to argue that he's going to be stuck in a gym all day watching a series of games, before catching an evening flight home. But I wasn't having it.
Warm sun is warm sun.
At any rate, the Utes are quickly turning their attention now to their game against Gonzaga and former coach Ray Giacoletti up in Spokane on New Year's Eve. (Nice scheduling, guys.) Most of them said that while it will be weird to see Giacoletti on the opposing sideline, they still respect their former coach and aren't viewing the upcoming match-up as anything but another game.
"He was the guy who brought me here," forward Shaun Green said. "He gave me a chance to play in my hometown, so I have nothing but love for the guy. It's a business. Utah moved on, we've moved on. We have a new coach and we're just going up there to play."
Boylen said essentially the same thing, and that he understood from his own experience how emotional he expects the game will be for Giacoletti. Boylen had been with the NBA's Houston Rockets as an assistant for 11 years when coach Rudy Tomjanovich was diagnosed with cancer and resigned, and wound up joining the Golden State Warriors.
"When we went back to play Houston, it was very emotional," Boylen said. "I know it's a difficult transition, a difficult situation. I understand it, because I've been through it. I thought we had some unfinished business in Houston. It's always tough when you go back and play where you were. We're going there to play, but it's the same thing, it's tough."
Boylen also tried to emphasize that despite his frequent remarks about the "culture of mediocrity" that existed under Giacoletti and the need for the Utes to get tougher than they were under him, "it has never been about Ray and I."
"It's about us getting better, us getting tougher, and us growing as a team," he said. "Ray recruited these guys. We've got talent, we've got skill level, we've got some guys who can shoot the ball. I think he did a nice job with the talent he recruited. But there's no argument that this group needs to get tougher, more accountable, take more ownership and play defense. That's what I'm here to do."
Of course, it helped that Boylen had to catch a plane to go recruiting in California for the day. Palm Springs, I think -- which is about right. Middle of winter, 15 degrees outside ... no sense recruiting anybody in Michigan or Minnesota just now.
Boylen tried to argue that he's going to be stuck in a gym all day watching a series of games, before catching an evening flight home. But I wasn't having it.
Warm sun is warm sun.
At any rate, the Utes are quickly turning their attention now to their game against Gonzaga and former coach Ray Giacoletti up in Spokane on New Year's Eve. (Nice scheduling, guys.) Most of them said that while it will be weird to see Giacoletti on the opposing sideline, they still respect their former coach and aren't viewing the upcoming match-up as anything but another game.
"He was the guy who brought me here," forward Shaun Green said. "He gave me a chance to play in my hometown, so I have nothing but love for the guy. It's a business. Utah moved on, we've moved on. We have a new coach and we're just going up there to play."
Boylen said essentially the same thing, and that he understood from his own experience how emotional he expects the game will be for Giacoletti. Boylen had been with the NBA's Houston Rockets as an assistant for 11 years when coach Rudy Tomjanovich was diagnosed with cancer and resigned, and wound up joining the Golden State Warriors.
"When we went back to play Houston, it was very emotional," Boylen said. "I know it's a difficult transition, a difficult situation. I understand it, because I've been through it. I thought we had some unfinished business in Houston. It's always tough when you go back and play where you were. We're going there to play, but it's the same thing, it's tough."
Boylen also tried to emphasize that despite his frequent remarks about the "culture of mediocrity" that existed under Giacoletti and the need for the Utes to get tougher than they were under him, "it has never been about Ray and I."
"It's about us getting better, us getting tougher, and us growing as a team," he said. "Ray recruited these guys. We've got talent, we've got skill level, we've got some guys who can shoot the ball. I think he did a nice job with the talent he recruited. But there's no argument that this group needs to get tougher, more accountable, take more ownership and play defense. That's what I'm here to do."
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 12:02 PM |
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