IlliniKat91
- Chicago, IL
The only issue I have with the first bit I highlighted is that it gives guys the idea that they can achieve perfection and just stop. That's not the culture I'd hope for (or see forming) around Illinois basketball. Give me that Ayo in-the-gym-and-dying-to-be-coached-24/7/365. Talent and not wanting to coast is where it's at.So one big narrative going is that fan's public criticism of a player is enough (or at least a big factor) in his wanting to move on. That's a tough argument to make.
The place he's going... aren't there fans there too? And maybe impatient ones? And keyboard warriors who just wait for someone to screw up so that some kind of outrage can be publicly made? People are people. Fans are fans. You can't get away from them. And there is no place one can go to avoid criticism.
The best way to avoid criticism? SUCCEED. That's what you as a player want. That's what your fans want.
And as for criticism itself, there's a bad narrative these days going around that ANY criticism is bad. That is false. There is such a thing as CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. And a player is going to get both useful and useless criticism. The player must be strong and selective enough to stand up to both kinds. And learn from both kinds.
With Curbelo, this was a marriage that just wasn't going to work anymore. Either from his side, the Illini side, or both. He will take his Illini experience with him as a personal growth achievement and fine tune his considerable skills in a fresh environment.
Things didn't work out maybe the way many Illini fans had hoped. But the attempt was made. The results are in. And both the Illini and Curbelo can turn this into a Win-Win situation for both parties.
As for the second, people who don't want to be coached are bad at receiving any criticism, even constructive. People are bad at giving it, too, particularly on the internet. I think they biggest difference is that places like Illinois are basketball crazy, so those fans are way more vocal on Twitter, Instagram, etc. The highs from the positive feedback end up being REALLY high, but the lows are like being dragged over hot coals.
If he ends up at a school where basketball isn't the star (like, say Miami), then he might get a little less of that.
I love Belo. He's so much fun to watch. I hope he can find a place where it's fun for him to play again, too.