What are your expections of our players

[Reborn]

The posts that I recently read accusing Steven Gray of not giving 100%of his focus while at GU to basketall (because he made a trip to Aftica last summer and because he's participated in two plays put on my Gonzaga) has led me to do a lot of thinking about what's expected of our student athletes while at Gonzaga.

For me the emphasis should both be on becoming the best you can be as both a student and an athlete. I think the greatest goal for a student while at Gonzaga is to discover him/her self. The process of education should always lead one toward self discovery. I know Gonzaga encourages this discovery because I went there. Gonzaga has created an environment on campas that is both encouraging and supportive to allow each person the freedom to discover themselves. Steven Gray expressed his deep gratitude to the basketball community at Gonzaga University for giving him the freedom to discover himself and for accepting him for who is. In his speech on Senior night I believe he was most grateful for that.

Do you think it's wrong for a student athlete to have interests other than basketball, if those interests are leading him to express himself as an individual?

Do these interests affect the performance of that individual as an athlete?

[Beer_Engineer]

slay dragons

[cjm720]

Do you think it's wrong for a student athlete to have interests other than basketball, if those interests are leading him to express himself as an individual?

Do these interests affect the performance of that individual as an athlete?

No.

Yes, in Steven Gray's case.

And Reborn, you at times called Meech and Carter "terrible" this season, so get off your soap box.

[hooter73]

Learn and grow. In other words if you have been a part of the program for a year you should have dedicated enough to know the sets so there is a foundation to work from for the remainder of your time here. Don't make the same mistakes, continually add new or different phases to your game... if you're here on a scholarship and have goals of playing after college then after grades, that is your priority. If you can do more (extracricular) after that without one effecting the other, great.

God, family, tribe (team).

[MDABE80]

Reborn ......nobody slighted Steven because he went to Africa or became a thesbian at GU.
You might drop this line of thinking.
He's a great kid and can do what he wants.

I expect maximum performance. I expect the kids to not do drugs. I expect our kids to do well in school and graduate. Sounds too tough? Nah.not at GU.

As far as basketball ( a separate issue form the social ones) goes, the kids should strive to be focused and the best the can be on the court and in practice. Simple chores? Shouldn't be. Full scholarships in basketball are pricey.....and the kids get a lot of value.
These are basketball scholarships. Accordingly, while allowing for non basketball activities, we should expect basketball to be the complete and primary focus. If a kid wants to occupy most of his/her time in other areas, perhaps a scholarship is a differnt area is in order.

I don't expect people to agree with me. I also don't expect a diatribe of venom because I think the biggest focus should be basketball when a kid signs on for a complete and free ride.

[webspinnre]

, we should expect basketball to be the complete and primary focus. If a kid wants to occupy most of his/her time in other areas, perhaps a scholarship is a differnt area is in order.

I don't expect people to agree with me. I also don't expect a diatribe of venom because I think the biggest focus should be basketball when a kid signs on for a complete and free ride.

Complete and primary are two very different things. As long as a student is well behaved and putting in the work necessary for both basketball and studies, I'm good. While I love it when players want to live in the gym, that's an unreasonable expectation, and I also enjoy when they show that they have outside interests.

[HillBillyZag]

I expect them to give 100% both as an athlete , a student , and as a person .
Do that and they will have nothing to regret .

[kclubfounder]

I want (not necessarily expect) our players to become immersed in their new team and to do whatever it takes for the team to reach it's potential.

That includes taking school seriously. It includes avoiding drugs and trouble with the law or with NCAA rules.

It also can involve taking a semester and going to Africa, because if that helps make someone a better person, a happier person, and someone who is more committed to what he is doing at Gonzaga, then that is something that should be done because that person will be a better teammate by doing it, so even though it may seem like "losing focus", it may just be a good thing (of course it isn't NECESSARILY a good thing).

Sometimes selfishness is required for the team (just look at UConn and Kemba Walker as an example).

I could take the time to write a LONG dissertation on everything I want from a Gonzaga basketball player, but it can be summarized with my original sentence - become immersed in their new team and to do whatever it takes for the team to reach it's potential.

[zag buddy]

I expect them to not watch more than ten hours a week of Beevis and Butthead.

[northsidezagfan]

became a thesbian at GU.

hahahahahaha

[webspinnre]

Is that kind of like being a lespian?

[ZagLawGrad]

Like to see some top-level basketball.

That's all.

[Vanzagger]

thought it was cool

reading or hearing about players who could fit in or not "big time" others. I think Steven has served the Zag tradition well.

[Reborn]

No.

Yes, in Steven Gray's case.

And Reborn, you at times called Meech and Carter "terrible" this season, so get off your soap box.

At times they both shot terrible, and actually now that i think about it, a lot of times. What's wrong with the truth?

However, this thread is not about Meech nor Carter. I'm just hoping to get some honest feedback from GU fans about whether athletes should have OTHER INTERESTS besides basketball. I am also interested in hearing if fans think that other interests, and in particular those that lead a person to self-discovery, interfere with a student-athlete performing at his highest level during basketball season. I am not talking about a player being involved in things or interested in things during basketball. I'm talking about having these interests in the summer and Fall.

[Reborn]

No.

Yes, in Steven Gray's case.

And Reborn, you at times called Meech and Carter "terrible" this season, so get off your soap box.

At times they both shot terrible, and actually now that i think about it, a lot of times. What's wrong with the truth?

However, this thread is not about Meech nor Carter. I'm just hoping to get some honest feedback from GU fans about whether athletes should have OTHER INTERESTS besides basketball. I am also interested in hearing if fans think that other interests, and in particular those that lead a person to self-discovery, interfere with a student-athlete performing at his highest level during basketball season. I am not talking about a player being involved in things or interested in things during basketball. I'm talking about having these interests in the summer and Fall.