Grimy

[Hkjb]

A while ago I noticed Mart describe himself and Brooks as "grimy ballplayers." Enjoyed that.
Then today Ty described Brooks and Mart as "etherial" players.
I was briefly confused, when a few sentences later Ty mentioned how 'our team is so grimy and so tough'

How Northwestern that a player uses word like etherial in a press conference. Just glad that we've now embraced that grimy toughness on the court...

 

[Hungry Jack]

Ethereal means comprised of air, as in light and vaporous, or from the heavens or outer space. Neither one strikes me as a valid descriptor of either player.

 

[cats_man_too]

Part of the etymology of ethereal from Merriam Webster:

The ancient Greeks believed that the Earth was composed of earth, air, fire, and water, but that the heavens and its denizens were made of a purer, less tangible substance known (in English transliteration) as either quintessence or ether.

So, perhaps Ty thinks Brooks and Nick are other worldly in their play. Or maybe his teammates dared him to use the word ethereal in his post game talk. Regardless, Ty and those guys had a great night!

 

[Hungry Jack]

Big Matt is actually a witch, and is thus made of wood.

 

[Hkjb]

As a linguist, I'm enjoying this.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

I can accept Martinelli and Barnhizer as ethereal.
I can accept Nicholson as a witch (as long as he floats).
I can accept a lot of things, as long as we win.

 

[NUCat320]

PERSPICACITY!

 

[TheC]

I was really impressed with Brooks during that press conference. He really is a future coach. His answers are so much more thoughtful than the typical player clichés.

Reporters often ask pretty dumb questions and players give mostly meaningless answers, but Brooks actually answered some of those with interesting insights. One example was when a reporter asked him basically about scoring points in transition off turnovers. Most players would give an empty answer about how it gets them going and gives them energy and other meaningless platitudes. But Brooks made the interesting point that it limits the number of times we have to go into their half-court sets which means our opponent sees less of our plays so we can use them later in the game. It may seem like an obvious point, but I've never really thought about it like that before and I've certainly never heard a player answer a question like that. He really is a basketball savant.

 

[Hungry Jack]

When Ty is really stroking it from 3, his shot appears to float upon the ethers before swishing through the net

 

[DaCat]

Ethereal Cats
Otherworldly Welsh-Ryan
Formula for wins

 

[phatcat]

Big Matt is actually a witch, and is thus made of wood.

So...if he...weighs more than a duck....

 

[EagerFan]

Keep in mind that small rocks also float.

 

[phatcat]

small rocks

VERY small rocks

 

[Smolmania]

I was really impressed with Brooks during that press conference. He really is a future coach. His answers are so much more thoughtful than the typical player clichés.

Reporters often ask pretty dumb questions and players give mostly meaningless answers, but Brooks actually answered some of those with interesting insights. One example was when a reporter asked him basically about scoring points in transition off turnovers. Most players would give an empty answer about how it gets them going and gives them energy and other meaningless platitudes. But Brooks made the interesting point that it limits the number of times we have to go into their half-court sets which means our opponent sees less of our plays so we can use them later in the game. It may seem like an obvious point, but I've never really thought about it like that before and I've certainly never heard a player answer a question like that. He really is a basketball savant.

Son of a coach. Has been in the gym his entire life. . . much like CC

 

[CappyNU]

Big Matt is actually a witch, and is thus made of wood.

True, he turned Ivisic into a newt during the Illinois game.







...He got better.

 

[Medill '03]

I was really impressed with Brooks during that press conference. He really is a future coach. His answers are so much more thoughtful than the typical player clichés.

Reporters often ask pretty dumb questions and players give mostly meaningless answers, but Brooks actually answered some of those with interesting insights. One example was when a reporter asked him basically about scoring points in transition off turnovers. Most players would give an empty answer about how it gets them going and gives them energy and other meaningless platitudes. But Brooks made the interesting point that it limits the number of times we have to go into their half-court sets which means our opponent sees less of our plays so we can use them later in the game. It may seem like an obvious point, but I've never really thought about it like that before and I've certainly never heard a player answer a question like that. He really is a basketball savant.

After that game I thought Brooks is the most likely Collins alum to replace him someday as head coach. Credit to Collins that his two most accomplished PGs, McIntosh and Buie, could vie for that honor.

 

[Figrating]

I want a purple and white "GRIMY" T-shirt!

 

[SmellyCat]

 

[Hkjb]

After that game I thought Brooks is the most likely Collins alum to replace him someday as head coach. Credit to Collins that his two most accomplished PGs, McIntosh and Buie, could vie for that honor.

True. I wonder if - at least in basketball - we could end up being a program that develops significant coaching talent. We have a few of the ingredients Brainy players, great coaches (CC coming into his own now for sure, and Lowery is a defensive savant), an identity that adjusts to the strengths of the players, and more recently gym rats who eat/breathe/sleeep basketball (something we never had in the past). Brooks will definitely be a coach someday - and I would think a very good one.