Originally Posted by
dawg80
Brooke S. is here to build a program. I wanna win as much as anyone, and beating USM would be particularly nice, but Brooke is not focusing on USM. They just happen to be the next team on the schedule. Brooke is more concerned about her players and their development. And that means they had better do it her way, and in the manner (on and off the court) she expects.
When she went to NSU she inherited a young and talented team. The previous coach, Jennifer Graff, who happens to be a good friend, had recruited well and taught sound fundamentals. Don't know what happened and what led to Graff's departure. Don't want to go there. I do know that the Lady Demons were a talented, but disorganized bunch. Under Brooke that "bunch" became a "team" and two trips to the Big Dance was the reward. It was not without its growing pains, though. Much like Coach Norman Dale in "Hoosiers" Brooke aggravated some of the diehard Lady Demon fans with her emphasis on discipline and doing it "my way." Benching stars, and then losing a game, tends to bring out the ire in fans. No one complained when they Danced twice, with those same benched stars leading the way in March.