Is Luka Getting Too Cocky?

I was sitting behind the Rutgers bench last night. They had someone who was trash talking at Garza and Toussaint more than normal, probably accounts for some of the reaction.

This Iowa team has the most attitude and cockiness I have seen in an Iowa team, I don't know if it too much or not, but it seems to work for them. Garza, Toussaint, Conner & Kreiner seem to me playing like they have been wronged. I don't think anyone can say this Iowa team isn't emotional that is for sure. Evan Wieskamp is showing way more emotion this year compared to last.
There you go. I guessed this was happening. Thanks.


Oh , And my prognostication ability....

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Some major similarities: both players are leading contenders for B1G player of the year, both have been dominating their competition, both have always played with incredible fire.

Here is a major difference: Doyle did this ONCE, with 45 seconds left, after pretty much single-handedly willing her team to victory. This was her last 5 minutes:
  • drives, draws extra defender, delivers spectacular no-look pass for layup (Hawks now up 4)
  • next possession, knocks down jumper at the end of the shot-clock (Hawks up 6)
  • next possession, makes driving layup as shot-clock winds down (Hawks up 7)
  • Hawks don't score on next possession (Meyer misses shot), OSU hits 3 pt to bring them within 4
  • Next possession Doyle draws the foul, makes 2 FT (Hawks by 6)
  • After an OSU bucket, Doyle again draws the foul, makes 2 FT (Hawks by 6)
  • Hawks get a stop, Meyer makes to FT, OSU gets a bucket (Hawks by 6)
  • Doyle dribbles out the shot-clock, drives and finishes through heavy contact for the and-one (makes FT with 45 seconds left, 9 point lead, game over)
  • Doyle flexes
So over a 4 minute stretch in the 4th quarter of a close game, with all of the defensive attention on her, she scores 11 points on 3/3 from the field and 5/5 from FT and dishes out a highlight reel assist. If there is ever a time to flex, that is it. With the Hawk men, it sometimes seems like it is every player, every single play.
 
It’s only cockiness if he can’t back it up. He is becoming extremely confident in his ability which is a good thing. He nailed 2 key 3’s and had 3 or 4 blocks the other night. He is playing at a truly ELITE level, not just for an Iowa player, but in all of college basketball on any year. I watched nearly every duke game last year. Zion Williamson was extremely confident and balled out pretty much every game. His avg on the season was 22.6 PT’s and 8.9 Rbs. Here we are 19 games into the season and Luka is averaging 23.2 PT’s and 10.3 Rbs against one of the toughest schedules in the country. He is straight up Balling and is the #1 player in the country right now and it’s not even a debate. Keep doing your thing Luka!
 
There is a huge generational divide on this topic, I feel. Great players have always been arrogant (it is a big part of what makes them great), and as someone else noted, trash talk has always been a huge part of BB.

But a generation ago (when I was growing up), the trash-talk stayed between players. MJ or Bird would tell their opponent that they were about to get dominated. But they never went to great, theatrical lengths to communicate to the crowd how dismissive they were of the opponent. The spirit of the interactions was the same, but it "stayed on the court," so to speak. I think I liked it better that way. Then when the court-side mics picked that up, you felt like you were getting an inside peak at something special that was rarely seen.
 
Some major similarities: both players are leading contenders for B1G player of the year, both have been dominating their competition, both have always played with incredible fire.

Here is a major difference: Doyle did this ONCE, with 45 seconds left, after pretty much single-handedly willing her team to victory. This was her last 5 minutes:
  • drives, draws extra defender, delivers spectacular no-look pass for layup (Hawks now up 4)
  • next possession, knocks down jumper at the end of the shot-clock (Hawks up 6)
  • next possession, makes driving layup as shot-clock winds down (Hawks up 7)
  • Hawks don't score on next possession (Meyer misses shot), OSU hits 3 pt to bring them within 4
  • Next possession Doyle draws the foul, makes 2 FT (Hawks by 6)
  • After an OSU bucket, Doyle again draws the foul, makes 2 FT (Hawks by 6)
  • Hawks get a stop, Meyer makes to FT, OSU gets a bucket (Hawks by 6)
  • Doyle dribbles out the shot-clock, drives and finishes through heavy contact for the and-one (makes FT with 45 seconds left, 9 point lead, game over)
  • Doyle flexes
So over a 4 minute stretch in the 4th quarter of a close game, with all of the defensive attention on her, she scores 11 points on 3/3 from the field and 5/5 from FT and dishes out a highlight reel assist. If there is ever a time to flex, that is it. With the Hawk men, it sometimes seems like it is every player, every single play.

I like the grand, theatrical things, as long as they are used sparingly and at the right moments. As I mentioned above, Doyle's flex was absolutely at the right moment. I loved the Keith Duncan side-line stare-down in Lincoln (bonus points for that one because he is a kicker). Some of JBo's antics get a little tiring to me, but when he makes his HUGE shots (and he has made a lot of those), the way he projects that he absolutely knew that shot was going in is pretty awesome.
 
I can’t add anything more to what has been already stated. It isn’t a big deal to me unless it becomes excessive. Garza hasn’t met my threshold of what is excessive, but I realize everyone is different.


I'm here but was just wondering for conversation where the line is on this.
 
I'm surprised somebody hasn't put together a video of him with his song. A video of him doing the too small hand thing can go with live on the 2nd floor and all his bloody lips/noses can go with the fight part. Any other ideas?

 
There is a huge generational divide on this topic, I feel. Great players have always been arrogant (it is a big part of what makes them great), and as someone else noted, trash talk has always been a huge part of BB.

But a generation ago (when I was growing up), the trash-talk stayed between players. MJ or Bird would tell their opponent that they were about to get dominated. But they never went to great, theatrical lengths to communicate to the crowd how dismissive they were of the opponent. The spirit of the interactions was the same, but it "stayed on the court," so to speak. I think I liked it better that way. Then when the court-side mics picked that up, you felt like you were getting an inside peak at something special that was rarely seen.

You're kidding about MJ, right? He was probably one of the greatest trash talkers in the game and he did have theatrics that he communicated with everyone that was in the arena (fans, players, everybody).

I grew up during this era as well, I don't think our generation was any better or worse than the one now.
 
He doesn't play dirty, he plays fun. I haven't seen him pull one cheap shot on an opposing player. That's the crap that I don't like.
 
You're kidding about MJ, right? He was probably one of the greatest trash talkers in the game and he did have theatrics that he communicated with everyone that was in the arena (fans, players, everybody).

I grew up during this era as well, I don't think our generation was any better or worse than the one now.

Certainly not better or worse, people are people and that hasn't really changed over time. But social norms for interacting have definitely changed.

I mentioned that MJ was a trash-talker (legendary in that regard, along with Bird), but he never had choreographed "moves" he would bust out after a great play. He would side-talk his opponent on the way down the court, he would give dismissive glares, he might shake his head...all subtle things. He might get in a guy's face, shove him, fight him, but none of it was ever for show. What is his most memorable "theatrical" move? A spontaneous shoulder shrug to his buddy Ahmad after he hit a ton of 3's in a quarter.

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These days, everything has to be a production, from trash-talk and on-court antics to asking a girl out on a date. It is not wrong or right, it is just different.
 
Certainly not better or worse, people are people and that hasn't really changed over time. But social norms for interacting have definitely changed.

I mentioned that MJ was a trash-talker (legendary in that regard, along with Bird), but he never had choreographed "moves" he would bust out after a great play. He would side-talk his opponent on the way down the court, he would give dismissive glares, he might shake his head...all subtle things. He might get in a guy's face, shove him, fight him, but none of it was ever for show. What is his most memorable "theatrical" move? A spontaneous shoulder shrug to his buddy Ahmad after he hit a ton of 3's in a quarter.

giphy.gif


These days, everything has to be a production, from trash-talk and on-court antics to asking a girl out on a date. It is not wrong or right, it is just different.

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