Tweet
Fighting Words
I ripped off my jersey - a la Gilbert Arenas - and threw it into the stands, not out of joy but rather out of anger. It was frustrating that for the few minutes of that game, I was the only one that could score for us. I can't carry a team by myself for the last ten minutes of the game; someone else has to step up as well.
Coach had us all stay in the locker room and made the entire team unavailable to the media...well at least most of the team.
"Would you be willing to speak to the media, Ethan?"
I was confused as of why Coach wanted me of all people to speak to the media, because when he said no one was talking to them, I thought he really meant no one.
"Why?"
"You were the only player I saw out there that had the will to win. You were the reason why we came back near the end, not my coaching or your teammates, but your play. I'm only giving you the option to speak, - you don't have to take it."
I thought for a second whether to take Coach's offer up or to pass and dwell on the loss back at my dorm.
"Yeah sure, why not?"
...
I cleaned myself up and walked into the press conference room, where there was an open chair between Greg Monroe and Austin Freeman of Georgetown. The name card in the front read my name, so I guessed Coach knew I was going to accept his offer. I awkwardly congratulated Greg and Austin and sat down as the press starting shouting out questions.
"Greg, how did you dominate in the paint tonight? 27 points and 14 rebounds is an impressive game."
"I knew that we would have an advantage inside and we worked on how we would exploit that weakness. My guards got me the ball down low and I made the right moves. They had no answer."
"Jeremiah, how big is this win? You guys have been slumping lately and have been on the bubble according to the bracket experts."
"It's huge. And it's even sweeter that it was over a rival in Syracuse. We knew we were a better team coming in, we just had to show it. They made a comeback late, but for the most part, we had control the entire game - just like I thought we would."
Strong words from Greg and Jeremiah had my blood boiling just a tad. I needed a way to make things even.
"Ethan, how disappointing is it to know you brought your team back from a large deficit only to see it slip away again?"
"It's really frustrating. We started off strong and then cooled off...well, a little too much in the middle. Everything started falling for me near the end, so Jonny and Andy kept feeding me the rock, but Coach Thompson did a nice job during the timeout to switch up their defensive scheme. We couldn't get anything done after that."
"Do you think you can win on Saturday at Georgetown?"
Greg and Jeremiah looked at me, anxious of what I was about to say. I smirked at them and turned my head to the group of reporters scrambling for their pens and notepads.
"Yes, we can. Georgetown's a good ball club, but I still think we are better. We will come out with a different mindset, step up on defense and take round two of this match-up. I guarantee it."
Without looking to the sides of me, I could feel the Hoya teammates' stares burning a hole on my face. I knew we could win and I needed to take charge to motivate my team.
It looks like I just threw a return grenade in this ever growing rivalry.
at 
Comment