MTR (or anybody), how do you think the Irvins are as coaches? I know how everyone here feels about their self promotion but what about their developing prospects. Do they just get the most talented players and let them play of do they also develop them?
I ask because from your reports it seem like they are set off by important things such lack of boxing out or THT picking up stupid offensive fouls forcing him to sit.
My opinion only from what I've observed. I think Nick is a very good high school coach. He was a star guard in his day and he probably coaches up guards as good as any hs coach can given the circumstances of hs ball and their coaching ability. I know he loves his kids and that is something I always look for in a hs coach. I've never heard him or heard of him cussing kids out or really reaming them in public unlike a whole lot of other coaches I've witnessed. When you hear him talk to his kids it's always positive or telling them they're doing it right.
On the bench --and I imagine in the locker room --he'll get in their face but in a way you'd want a coach to. (Refs are a different story. You never see Nick sitting in Morgan Park games unless he's gotten a T and has to sit the rest of the game -- and that happens quite a lot.) I actually think Nick is a pretty good guy which I know isn't a popular view on here.
Lance is more of a build up coach and Nick always wants him around so I trust he's at least adequate at the job.
As a coach I think Mike is a pretty good nightclub owner. He goes off a lot but it's Nick who usually talks to the kids on the sidelines of Fire games. The guy who is up and doing most of the coaching on the floor is the assistant Jimalle Ridley. And it's either Jimalle or Nick that the kids seem to look to and talk to when they're on the floor.
But that's just my take as a long time high school observer.
I like their theory of using skilled skilled perimeter shooters and then adding bigs solely to rebound and put back. Except when they had Josh Cunningham, I don't they've ever had plays designed for the bigs to do anything but box out and clean up hence why Mike gets so upset when they don't.
It makes for an exciting game, but can bite them in the butt when their main perimeter shooter has a bad night like Charlie did against Lincoln Way West in the supers two years ago and the supporting guys also don't come through -- or look panicked, like in that game.
That game was still close in the 4th quarter but MP's other guards acted like they were down by 20. And it hurts them in EYBL because every team they've faced has had superior inside play -- some of it vastly superior.
Again, just my take on things Irvin. I'm sure others have a different one.
