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As new LSU basketball coach Will Wade — let's call him WW — waxed on about his style of play at his introductory press conference Wednesday, you could feel the big hallway at the LSU Student Union caffeinating. Great idea, by the way, by LSU to move the press conference from the sterile athletic administration building into the heart of student life at LSU — not counting bars.
"Offensively, we are going to fly up and down the court. We are going to play fast," Wade said. "We are going to get up and down the court."
I wanted him to say, "We're going to play fast, see. We're going to run up and down the court, see."
After a few more of those declarative sentences at a well-executed iambic pentameter clip with good repetition for emphasis, I was ready to play. Hey, Wade didn't play basketball in high school or college.
"We are going to empty it out," Wade said. "We are going to be all-out all of the time with great discipline about what we do. We are going to get up and down the court, and we are going to attack the rim. We are going to move that ball from side to side to get it in the paint for some great shots. We are going to play inside out for some 3s."
Remember Ricky Blanton and Chris Jackson?
"We are going to attack the rim," he said.
I hope he means rebounding, because I have seen some LSU shots over the years that really attacked the rim.
"We are going to be an aggressive, aggressive offensive team," he said. "Defensively, we are going to be more aggressive. We are going to guard every floor board. We are going to guard every floor board for 94 feet. We are going to disrupt other teams' offenses with our aggression. We are going to disrupt other teams' offenses with our aggression. We are going to be an aggressive team on both ends of the court. People are going to be reacting to us. We are not reacting to them."
Thanks for that one. And it will also be nice for LSU to stop not reacting to the other team.
"We are going to change our defenses," he said. "We are going to play man. We are going to play zone."
Well, OK, but that's really about your only two choices.
"We're going to do a bunch of different things, but all of them are going to be on the basis of being the aggressive team and being the most aggressive team at all times," he said.
Wonder if he knows about the Freak Defense? Apparently, he knows about the football team's not-so-special teams.
"We are going to be great in special teams," he said.
This guy's going to be kicking off? Or is he just trying to get the LSU football fans at his games — and outside his games with the barbecue pits and boilers.
"Forty percent of basketball comes out of the huddle," he said. "Free throws, timeouts, all of that stuff. We are going to be well-prepared. We are going to be able to execute in those situations."
Very refreshing to hear. I've seen timeouts in basketball and football at LSU the last few years that look more like freshmen orientation at the student union.
"We have to be the most energetic team," he said. "I tell our guys all the time that the most enthusiastic team each night starts off winning 6-0."
Touchdown! Another football reference.
"You get off that bus, you're enthusiastic, and your ready to play with a clear head, fresh legs," he said.
Wow, another football reference — "Clear Eyes ... Full Hearts ... Can't Lose," from "Friday Night Lights."
"We are going to be enthusiastic. We are going to get after it every day," he said. "We're going to attack the day — every day. It's like we are in overtime against Kentucky in the SEC Championship Game."
Geez, another football reference — except for the Kentucky part.
Wade believes in eating and sleeping to win.
"Win it in the way that you eat," he said. "Win it in the way that you condition. Win it in the way that you sleep."
Lights out and thermostats on 68 degrees the night before games.
"It can improve your reaction time," he said. If you don't catch a cold.
Wade has a Woody Hayes approach to the film industry. He apparently has not seen a movie in more than 10 years, but he watches a lot of film like Hayes, who once told his assistants he was taking his wife to see a movie for their anniversary. He went home, picked her up and took her into his office to watch game film.
Wade, only 34, is a product of his generation. He loves analytics.
"You want to try to win the game before you play the game," he said. "No detail is too small."
He seems to like speeches, too, which can help.
"You may beat us, but it's going to be a fight," he said.
When is the last time an LSU basketball team got into a good fight, by the way?
When is the last time prospective assistant coaches were flocking to LSU?
"You should see my cellphone," he said.
Randy Livingston is expected to be hired. Look for Texas assistant coach Mike Morrell to possibly come to LSU. He was at VCU when Wade was an assistant there.
Suddenly, the prospects previous coach Johnny Jones signed have more reason to stay. It's a long shot to think Antonio Blakeney will stay, but there are some decent players returning — 2016-17 freshmen Skylar Mays and Wayde Sims at guard and forward, respectively, along with forwards Duop Reath and Aaron Epps, who will be seniors, and guard Brandon Sampson, who will be a junior.
Don't get your hopes up for next season, but it sounds like LSU will at least be competitive and know what it is doing strategically. Or at least doing something strategically.
Wade could be a flash in the pan, but he looks like potentially the best combination of recruiter and coach LSU has had in too many years to count.
He recruited well Wednesday.
"There are a lot of people who would kill to be at LSU," he said.
Don't know if that's true, but he seems to believe it.
"We are the lucky few," he said. "There are a lot of people who would kill to be here."
If he can sell that at a program that was six feet under six games into this season, he will have a life here.
Coverage of LSU and commentary by Glenn Guilbeau supported by Hebert’s Town & Country Automobile Dealer in Shreveport located at 1155 East Bert Kouns Loop. Research your next Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep or Ram at http://hebertstandc.com/.)
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