I think the key here is not to get into one score games. That's would solve a lot of this mess
Part of it I think is they've been paying too much attention to the game instead of just playing it like a good wrestling match. Not as players but a team that keeps on whittling. The wood is tough and grainy. You've got to have the mindset that you're going to lean into the grind. That is going to cause you to become even sharper still on and on play by play game to game. The game is played in the moment.
It's like boxing. You really don't know what it's going to take to eventually prevail. It's successfully landing punches, avoiding them and responding after being hit. There's a confidence factor. With competence comes confidence. The more successful one is, the more confident. With that confidence, you are comfortable doing a larger variety of things. And, the confidence has to be sustained even when you get smacked and can smack back capitalizing on opportunities. Alright, I've got a gash above my eye, that's not going to deter me or us. I kind of rather enjoy it when our swords meet clanging.
Patience and transitioning. You don't dictate what's given you but you do determine how you'll respond even while you don't know specifically what will be required as it comes to you. You've got to be have the ability to be variable. When to slow up, put the hammer down and everything in between. Ride the horse however it does. It's difficult to have a winning instinct haven't had won a lot. You're teaching a whole group to do it not just an individual. Things get tight, you overcome circumstances, there's learning. That's a hill we mightily struggle to get over, overcoming.
How are we going to win? Whatever it takes. The team answers. There's no damned recipe to achieving the outcome. You have the ability to adjust and adapt whatever is thrown your way based upon sheer determination and having absolute faith in your coaches, teammates and training. There's a game plan sure but your opponent is going to do everything in their power to derail it. Being like water seems a simple enough task, now get a whole group of men doing it together. Tricky.
There's blood and sweat all around and you look over across to the opponent and think, maybe it's time we send these guys back to the locker room losers. Instead of losing focus when challenged, you focus better still. Taking advantage of opportunities as they're presented trusting ourselves and each other. We aren't doing those things well enough now.
Maybe having an "identity" is having cohesion. Doing whatever "it" is together well. Every "drop" working together where there's flow. The whole thing has got be better for it to gain greater momentum. Usually we focus on this or that when we'd it'd better serve us to look at the relationships within all the moving parts of the system.
Dang, what's up with these dudes? They don't let up. We just delivered a blow and not only are they not phased, they're are stronger yet. Our will is in the opponent's heads now. Click, click, click. Doubt creeps in. Get started and keep on going! :box
Being good is scary territory to negotiate too. But that's a topic for another time. lol Hopefully sooner, rather than later.
