BleedGopher
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Tubby on lacking vocal leadership: "They're like mummified"
The Gophers snapped a two-game skid with a 72-45 win against Northwestern on Sunday, but Tubby Smith is still searching for a vocal leader among the veteran starters.
Smith thought the lack of communication on the court was a serious issue, but he poked fun at how quiet starting guards Al Nolen and Lawrence Westbrook were at times.
"They're like mummified half the time," he said. "We have to find a way to pry their mouths open."
The vocal leadership has come from different players such as sophomore Paul Carter, junior Kevin Payton and freshman Devoe Joseph, Smith said.
"That's one of the elements that we lack right now," he said, "That ability to talk and help each other out on the court, but we're getting better."
The return of Payton to practice last week from an academic suspension seemed helpful against the Wildcats.
"He's very vocal," Smith said. "We haven't had that at all since he's been gone. He's always talking; he just won't shut up. But that's good. He's talking to the players. He's telling them things. We kind of missed that."
http://blogs.twincities.com/gophers/2009/02/tubby_on_lacking_vocal_leaders.html
Go Gophers!!
The Gophers snapped a two-game skid with a 72-45 win against Northwestern on Sunday, but Tubby Smith is still searching for a vocal leader among the veteran starters.
Smith thought the lack of communication on the court was a serious issue, but he poked fun at how quiet starting guards Al Nolen and Lawrence Westbrook were at times.
"They're like mummified half the time," he said. "We have to find a way to pry their mouths open."
The vocal leadership has come from different players such as sophomore Paul Carter, junior Kevin Payton and freshman Devoe Joseph, Smith said.
"That's one of the elements that we lack right now," he said, "That ability to talk and help each other out on the court, but we're getting better."
The return of Payton to practice last week from an academic suspension seemed helpful against the Wildcats.
"He's very vocal," Smith said. "We haven't had that at all since he's been gone. He's always talking; he just won't shut up. But that's good. He's talking to the players. He's telling them things. We kind of missed that."
http://blogs.twincities.com/gophers/2009/02/tubby_on_lacking_vocal_leaders.html
Go Gophers!!
