The great (leadership) debate
Don't let the turtleneck sweater fool you. John Shaft is a bad man!
MIAMI - Long after his Miami Heat had finished wiping the AmericanAirlines Arena floor with the Hawks Saturday night, Dwyane Wade said something that crystalized the difference between these two playoff combatants.
Asked about the leadership he provides for his team, the Heat superstar described his evolution as a team leader so perfectly, it almost sounded as if a Hollywood script writer had penned the response for him.
“One thing about being a leader is that it’s 24/7, 365 days a year,” Wade said. “It never stops. I was very disappointed with myself in Game 1. I was quiet, and that is not what my team needs. In Game 2 and Game 3 I took it upon myself to make sure that my voice is heard. To drive the points the coaches made and make sure they hear it again before they get on the court.”
You won’t hear anything resembling that from the Hawks. They don’t have a vocal leader in the mold of Wade (they don’t have a player with game like Wade’s either, but we all knew that going into this series). So their won’t be anyone rescuing the Hawks from themselves between now and the start of Monday night’s epically important Game 4 (a third straight loss by the Hawks spells almost certain doom in this series).
All those cliches about leaders being born and not bred don’t register in this case. Leaders emerge in times like this. Leaders rise to the occasion and impose their will in times like this. Leaders of men and leading men are two distinctly different beings in the NBA landscape and beyond.
Wade’s both a leader of men and a leading man. He’s John Shaft (talk about a leader of men and a leading man) in a pair of funky looking shoes and without the sideburns. There are a handful of Shafts in the NBA these days (Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, DWade, Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce come to mind with others floating in and out of the Shaftosphere). The mettle required of your team leader in the playoffs isn’t hard to spot. And Hawks’ captain and All-Star Joe Johnson has yet to show if he has it in him in this series.
The contrast between his demeanor Sunday and that of Wade over the past few days was striking. Wade vowed to revive his crew after that humiliating, 26-point loss in Game 1 and has done exactly that with two backbreaking efforts since then. Johnson didn’t sound a similar alarm Sunday when asked if he was ready to do it himself, speaking in terms of “we” and “us” when it’s clear that he has to pick up the mantle and carry his team back to even in this series.
“We’ve just got to grow up, man,” Johnson said, his voice trailing off with every word. “We hit a little adversity and now it’s as if we’re out of it. But we have to think positive the rest of the way. You’ve just got to believe. And we have to put it in the guys who have never been in this situation and we have to make them believe we can do this. We have to keep talking to them and keep putting confidence into them.”
The words are fine, but in the playoffs a man can only be judged by his actions.
Two of these guys will face off in the next round and the third will get to watch it from home.
AND NOW, A MOMENT OF SILENCE for the Detroit Pistons.
James and his Cavaliers tossed the last shovel of dirt on a deceased Eastern Conference behemoth Sunday afternoon at the Palace of Auburn Hills, sweeping the Pistons out of the playoffs in four games.
It’s only fitting that the Cavaliers did the honors, seeing as how they were the first team expose the flaws of the once-mighty Pistons (in the Eastern Conference finals a couple years ago). The interesting thing going forward is what direction the Pistons go with their rebuilding project.
They’ll have plenty of cap space now that the Allen Iverson deal/fiasco is finally over. I suspect Pistons boss Joe Dumars has a plan mapped out already, and there’s no doubt it includes some big names (wish I knew which ones).
It’s certainly going to make this summer a bit more intriguing come July 1, when free agency begins. It’s supposed to be a sleepy summer with everyone waiting on the 2010 free agent crop. But why wait when you can make a splash now?
THE MORNING AFTER GOING DOWN 2-1 IN A PLAYOFF SERIES might seem like an odd time to have a players’ only team meeting, but Hawks coach Mike Woodson gave the session his blessing after the Hawks’ Sunday practice.
”They’ll meet today and try to figure out some things amongst them,” Woodson said. “For me, from a coaching standpoint, this is not the time for me to scream and yell and curse guys out. We’re right where we need to be. We just have to figure out [Monday] night’s game.”
Secret meetings? Josh Smith and the Hawks are pulling out all the stops to get back into this series.
Johnson didn’t give up the particulars of the time or place and barely acknowledged that any meeting would be taking place. Sorting out whatever internal issues they need to before Game 4 is an excellent idea. Because if it’s going to take a secret meeting to get the Hawks back to playing like they did in Game 1, so be it (no one wants to see one-sided blowouts in the playoffs, well I don’t).
”We beat them pretty bad in Game 1, and they beat us pretty bad in Game 3,” Josh Smith said Sunday. So we’re even. We just have to look at ourselves as individuals and as teammates and come together with a solution. There has to be a philosophy where we have each other’s back. In Game 2 it was a hostile environment in Atlanta, it was just them and the crowd. They played together and everything clicked. They had fun. We have to do the same thing.
”Our backs are against the wall. What are we made of? Are we going to fold and let them win, or do we step up and show them this is going to be a series and turn it around?
WOODSON WAS IN FULL SPIN MODE Sunday, casting the Heat as the veteran crew with all the playoff seasoning and his bunch (everyone knows the Hawks are youngest team in the Eastern Conference postseason field) as the “underdogs” according to my man Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel.
When asked about the Heat’s supporting cast Woodson said, “When you have O’Neal, who has been a six or seven-time All-Star, and [Udonis] Haslem who has played championship basketball, they have veteran guys who have been through the battles. My guys haven’t been battle tested. This is something new for our team. When I came into the series I thought we could make it to the next round. I want them to think that too. This series is a long way from being over if we take care of business tomorrow.”
Are you buying what Mike Woodson is selling?
If this was some master media stroke to ease the pressure on his team, consider that mission accomplished. But it didn’t look that way to me. I honestly didn’t hear it that way. Woodson’s comments on how his team would bounce back against the Heat seemed far more interesting to anyway.
”Our team has been committed all year long, so I’m not ready to put them out to pasture so fast,” he said.” They have been committed. We’ve had some tough times and some tough games, stretches where we didn’t play well. And we bounced back. We haven’t played well the past few games. We have to find what we’re made of. Until we’re eliminated I’m going to keep fighting and I’m going to push them to keep fighting.
”Again, when we won the first game, I’m sure they were down after that. They had to be thinking we had to win three more to get to the next round. I’m thinking the same thing. I have to get these guys thinking the right way. The last two games, we’ve been kind of punched out a little bit. We have to rebound.”
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1,132 comments Add your comment
Reality
April 27th, 2009
5:21 pm
WHO DIED, I FOUND IT! http://www.sun-sentinel.com/media/photo/2009-04/46512492.jpg
ahahahahahahahaha
kwooden1
April 27th, 2009
5:22 pm
Your welcome here though. Just asking
Al
April 27th, 2009
5:27 pm
tiger, kudos for believing in your team when half the bloggers here are tearing them down. You win the ballsiest Hawks blogger of the day award.
I will be back tomorrow for some yummy crow if we can’t pull it off. For now, I’m off to the arena.
LET’S GO HEAT!!
Reality
April 27th, 2009
5:29 pm
Sun-sentinel – Ira’s Blog and I guess the Miami Herald Blog.
They’re not very good, at least compared to this one. Sekou does a great job, and I must say that most of you Hawks fans are pretty knowledgeable basketball fans. Thanks a lot for the welcoming and putting up with us.
tiger woo
April 27th, 2009
5:30 pm
Thanks Al,
Looking for a nice, competitive game tonight (a Hawks win, of course).
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
5:36 pm
THANKS REALITY I STRIVE TO BE AS GOOD AS YOU, NOW THAT PIC SURELY SUMS UP EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM AND HAWKS TEAM. TO ALL HWAK FAN PLZ CHECK REALITY 5:29 POST PLEASE. REALITY IF I KNEW HOW TO DO IT THAT SH*T WOULD’VE BEEN POSTED SUNDAY MORNING
Da Real Real
April 27th, 2009
5:37 pm
Man, I wish I could comment all day like you guys lol. Good stuff reading through these comments. I’m just interested to see if we stick with what we’ve been doing these past two games or if Woody changes anything up. We’ll soon find out in a few more hours
tiger woo
April 27th, 2009
5:38 pm
Reality,
Glad to have you Heat guys on here – good to hear what the enemy is thinking – LOL !!
It’s been a rough stretch of years for Atlanta Hawk basketball. Win or lose, it’s nice to be in the playoff discussions for the last few years instead of being on the outside looking in.
Westurd
April 27th, 2009
5:38 pm
HAWKS got to pull this one out otherwise I can’t jump back out here and talk Sh*t to “Reality,” “Al,” “Who Died,” and all you other heat lovers!
Hawks will get it done, NO DOUBT!! (…well maybe a little)
Samuel
April 27th, 2009
5:39 pm
Cuz,
Great article. I’m really not that concerned with JJ’s lack of vocal leadership, i’m concerned with his lack of production. Let’s face it, he’s never gonna be a vocal leader. Just aint in him, however, if he plays at a high level, he will lead by example , which can work.
It’s really not about spin. Fact is, we’ve played terrible the last two games after playing great the first one.”Really Big” If we play well tonight, we will be back in the driver’s seat, right? If we don’t, it’s “pretty much” over.
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
5:39 pm
LIKE MELVIN SAID EARLY (ROTFL) EVERYTIME I SEE THAT PICTURE OF JOSH, ACTUALLY IT WAS AT 5:21 U POST MY BAD, LOOK AT PICTURE IT TELLS A THOUSAND WORDS DONT IT
Westurd
April 27th, 2009
5:40 pm
Anyone willing to say the HAWKS are getting out coached here? Miami has made several adjustements and the HAWKS are still just trying to ride out the blowout from game 1. This is the playoffs, you got to adapt and you got to adjust……Woody has never been good at adapting
doc
April 27th, 2009
5:43 pm
samuel, amen.
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
5:43 pm
CHECK MY 3:14 POST IM AT THE IRON STAGE OF IT NOW.(DAMN WAS I JUST TWEETING),BUT PLZ ONE HAWK FAN DESCRIBE WHAT THE PICTURE MEANS TO THEM
Native Son
April 27th, 2009
5:45 pm
Whoa!! A lot of ship jumping going on here. Right now the Hawks have the syndrome. Down Syndrome. All that has to happen is win tonight and it’s 0-0. Wait!! You know what!! Where’s my parachute!!
tiger woo
April 27th, 2009
5:47 pm
WHO DIED ……?
That picture means nothing – J-Smoove will get up, wipe his tears, and come out with a vengeance in Game 4 – watch out !!
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
5:50 pm
I FIGURED YOU WOULD SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT,YOURE IN DENIAL KITTY WOO
MannyT
April 27th, 2009
5:52 pm
Well said, Samuel.
All the vocal leadership talk is funny. A pig with lipstick is not a good date. Joe with a megaphone is not a good role. I recall that he about said as much when Sekou did the article about Joe in a commercial.
Just because the Spirit won’t fire Woody that does not make him a good coach. If your buddy worked for you and you would not fire him that doesn’t mean that he is good at his job
Westurd, I am very willing to say Woody got outcoached in game 2. When you can’t hit a shot, I don’t put that on the coach. You are correct that Woody makes adjustments like month old concrete. Once he’s set his mind–planning is over–hope it works.
All that said, I still hope for the best. It’s time for the roller coaster ride we call the Hawks to swing toward the good for a game or two.
BWAF
Westurd
April 27th, 2009
5:53 pm
Living in Atlanta you don’t really see too many images of the Home team looking a fool…….but that picture is great. It looks like some bully just came up behind him and kicked over his sandcastle.
Get it done tonight HAWKS!
tiger woo
April 27th, 2009
5:53 pm
You can expect the Hawks to play with a sense of urgency tonight – Heat doesn’t have the same urgency – as a result, Hawks win (I hope – unless D-Wade goes bonkers – not likely)!!
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
5:56 pm
IT WAS NEAR THE BEACH TOO, THANKS FOR BEING SO CANDID ABOUT PICTURE WESTURD
MannyT
April 27th, 2009
5:59 pm
There’s a party going on down town. I doubt that Spirit will get to fly around for this event either. The only Hawk that changed his game plan from game 1 to game 2 and he gets benched
http://www.t-mobilenba.com/nba-playoffs-atlanta.aspx
tiger woo
April 27th, 2009
6:02 pm
WHO DIED ……?
Sure, That picture is not one of J-Smoove’s best moments, but the best is yet to come! Hawks in 7 !!
Ken Strickland
April 27th, 2009
6:10 pm
SAMUEL-AMEN TO THAT.
vava74
April 27th, 2009
6:11 pm
People, I hate hit the same cord over and over:
1. Look at the officiating today. All calls will favour the Heat right from the start and we will loose our heads quickly (it’s very easy to win games and look a good BB team when you can get away with hacking down low in defense and on offense you get all the calls in your favour too.
This includes D-Wade palming and travelling all the way to the basket like he usually does.
I saw him once with the US team on game officiated by international referees (which by the way also suck) and got called 3 times in row for palming and travelling (I know, I know, the travelling rule here in Europe is different, but I am talking about open field situations, not travelling coming from a stand still).
2. Apart from this, JJ doesn’t have the mind set to take over and J-Smoove has the BB IQ of a dead fly.
He could and should be an outstanding rebounder (both ends) and could and should be a much better defender (meaning position defender) if he wasn’t only interested in swatting blocks to the stands.
I never witnessed it, but I read about it: Bill Russell never swatted the ball into the stands, when he blocked the ball, he got it into his teamates’ hands… what do you prefer? A stupid macho display of “I-am-the-man” but the ball went out of bounds, followed by another possession by the opposing team or a fast break from your team?
Please do not mix up swatting balls into the stands with defense… don’t believe the hype nor the sh*t passing for journalism you get out there… awards, all defensive teams, etc… defense is to lock down your opponent and force him to do things he doesn’t want, not to give away easy basket after easy basket turning your head away from your man looking for another spectacular block…
3. Also, almost no one touched the touchy subject: we really miss J-Chills… his slashing, his offensive rebounding, his overall energy and his occasional 3-pointers from the corner…
The fact is that without him, we are weaker, in spite of Mo and Flip being reasonably good additions… and by the way, Flip in the playoffs is being the negative X factor coming from the bench… he is supposed to be an energizer, but he is shooting .276 from the field! F**K I would prefer to give AC or even Speedy a chance to prove that they are alive rather than keep Flip doing this!
4. Finally, FT… if we did not botch so many free throws on game 2, even with all the calls going the wrong way, we might have had a chance! How difficult is for these guys who are paid millions of dollars to hit consistently unopposed shots???? Why don’t they just do a Rick Barry thing and shoot underhand? It may look gay, but it is far better than loosing!!!
Sekou Smith
April 27th, 2009
6:19 pm
It’s going to take a minor miracle for Marvin Williams to suit up tonight. The early indication is that it doesn’t look good. I will post an immediate update on his status as soon as I know it.
vava74
April 27th, 2009
6:25 pm
WIthout Marvin we should go with Zaza in starting lineup and J-Smoove on the SF slot…
bigdave
April 27th, 2009
6:29 pm
that hurts… gotta start Za Za…
WHO DIED ......?
April 27th, 2009
6:32 pm
YO!!!!! IM OUT AND GOOD LUCK TOO ALL INVOLVED
tiger woo
April 27th, 2009
6:34 pm
If we start Zaza, Smoove, and Al up front – Bibby and JJ in the backcourt – I’m really concerned about where the offense is coming from – when they double Joe, who besides Bibby can make them pay from the perimeter?
Rollins Tree
April 27th, 2009
6:37 pm
ESPN is saying the Hawks have been a huge disappointment and the heat will win this series. I hope so to get rid of Woodson.
vava74
April 27th, 2009
6:38 pm
I would get Zaza to shoot from the corner long jump shots (don’t mind that he misses a bunch) attracting JO’Neal away from the basket and get Al and J-Smoove down low to get the points on put backs.
With this line up they will have to go with Beaseley who is a also a loose cannon, a la J-Smoove, that would either have a great game or be disruptive. Most of the time he has been playing we have gained back on the Heat.
bigdave
April 27th, 2009
6:41 pm
they will give Za Za and Josh jumpers all day, JO isnt leaving the paint…
doc
April 27th, 2009
6:43 pm
big dave, thanx for getting my back a little on that one.
hawks prayer circle begins in about one hour. now if i could only get the name of SEKOU’S church in atlanta.
vava74
April 27th, 2009
6:46 pm
Zaza will make him pay every once in a while. He has a good touch, he just doesn’t get his number called.
And you need to hit the boards like crazy: Al and J-Smoove have the hability to do it if they want to.
Blast
April 27th, 2009
6:51 pm
All through the pre-season and in the season itself, I could never wait for the next Hawks game to come on. I was always hyped up and excited about watching them play, but now? I’m almost scared for the game to come up tonite, because if the same Hawks of the last two games show up for work, then they are toast. Hawks players, coaches and staff are not earning their paychecks in this series.
Hawks ARE a better team overall than the Heat, but the Heat have a TRUE Superstar, playing at a high level, and thus getting all the calls. Heat have elevated their playoff intensity while the Hawks have wilted under pressure. Joe is forcing things on the double, Flip is playing like he just doesn’t care anymore, Josh can’t buy rebounds or make layups, and Big Al threw up an airball on the first shot. Marvin is out again, No Acie Law, Mario can’t get any minute, and Woody just stands there with his hands folded. Only Bibby is having somewhat like a decent series.
Then again, if Miami continues to hit threes at that clip, they will be a tough matchup for anybody.
hawkfan
April 27th, 2009
7:07 pm
i dont know about this one, guys, i think we might lose again, b/c this guy on the heat.com forum keeps addressing that his psychic is some Korean woman that doesnt watch basketball at all and telling him the heat will the rest of the games in this series, plus she predicted we would lose game 2 and looked what happened and has never been wrong
darrell starks
April 27th, 2009
7:21 pm
WHO DIED YOU SAID SPURS,LAKER,BULL ALL THE TEAM YOU SAID HAD AT LEAST A 9 MAN ROTATION PLUS THEY HAD STARS
LAKERS HAD SHAQ AND KOBE
BULLS HAD JORDAN AND PIPPEN
SPURS HAD DUNCAN AND PARKER
AND THEY STILL HAD A 9 MAN ROTATION YOU WILL NOT WIN A TITLE UNLESS YOU HAVE AT LEAST 2 STARS ON YOUR TEAM PLUS YOU HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST A 9 MAN ROTATION IN ORDER FOR YOU TO WIN IN THE NBA.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OldTimer
April 27th, 2009
7:25 pm
There are three things the Hawks don’t have that will kill them on and off the court..balls and a dick.
Blast
April 27th, 2009
7:27 pm
Reality,
Hey. Hawks have played horrible basket ball the last two games, and credit your team for most of that. Woody takes a lot of blame also for his inability to switch things up when plan A is not working. Miami bombs Hawks out with 15 threes in Game 2, and Woody claimed he didn’t believe in doubling Wade so far away from the basket. Yet, the guy is killing you with threes! Game 3, same plan both ways, and even worst result. Game 4 tonite. How do you adjust offensively and defensively, coachy? Doubling so far from the basket is called taking the ball out of Wade’s hands. He can’t shoot it if he ain’t got it. Let somebody else beat you. The entire team is beating you already! Are you gonna adjust? Tonight we shall see.
Frankly, I would be shocked if Hawks win Game 4. They would have to play at an extraodinary level, and force Heat to play complacent to win tonite, and I don’t see that happening. Not jumping off the wagon, but just calling it as I see it.
I’d thought this would be the most compelling series in East first round, but the inept Hawks have assured that won’t happen. Give that award to Chicago/Boston.
Considering How Philly is playing the Magic toe toe, wouldn’t have mattered if Hawks drew Philly because Hawks would be losing to them right now.
Melvin
April 27th, 2009
7:33 pm
“It was a disappointing season for me and for everyone in this locker room,” McDyess said. “It will probably play a role in what my decision is. At this point I just want to win and at least compete. This season just seems like a loss for us.” – Antonio McDyess
AstroJoe,
Get his agent on the phone now. Just the type of guy the Hawks need…
OldTimer
April 27th, 2009
7:34 pm
There’s only one players only meeting that matters. It’s the game.
Miami Heat coach ...."Erik Spoelstra"
April 27th, 2009
7:40 pm
This series is 3 games deep and I still feel like the only head coach
Najeh Davenpoop
April 27th, 2009
7:43 pm
““It was a disappointing season for me and for everyone in this locker room,” McDyess said. “It will probably play a role in what my decision is. At this point I just want to win and at least compete. This season just seems like a loss for us.” – Antonio McDyess
AstroJoe,
Get his agent on the phone now. Just the type of guy the Hawks need…”
McDyess was a free agent earlier this year after the Iverson trade. To my knowledge the Hawks never made him an offer. Something tells me he would be doing a better job on Jermaine O’Neal than Al Horford.
RA
April 27th, 2009
7:49 pm
1.
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
“Charge for the guns!” he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
2.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!”
Was there a man dismay’d?
Not tho’ the soldier knew
Someone had blunder’d:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
3.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley’d and thunder’d;
Storm’d at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.
4.
Flash’d all their sabres bare,
Flash’d as they turn’d in air,
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wonder’d:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro’ the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel’d from the sabre stroke
Shatter’d and sunder’d.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.
5.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley’d and thunder’d;
Storm’d at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro’ the jaws of Death
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
6.
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honor the charge they made,
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred.
That poem was written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. It focused around a brigade of cavalry that was the focal point of an ill concieved attack. I no longer know whether or not the Hawks can win this series. It may have been lost before it started, just like the charge of the light brigade, but I do know that if this is to be the end, then they should make such an end as to be worthy of rememberance. Is that too much to ask?
Melvin
April 27th, 2009
7:56 pm
Najeh,
at the time, i remember him saying that he wanted to be loyal to Detroit b/c they gave him a chance to resurrect his career. However, as his comments suggest, I think he looking to move on. Now is a good time for the Hawks to approach him as we are a young team on the rise in need of a veteran big man that can bring some toughness. Let’s get it done…
Beautiful Monte
April 27th, 2009
8:01 pm
Well, well, well … will wonders never cease?
First, a (half) black man gets elected to the White House.
Now, Stoop Jackson Lite (aka Sekou Smith) writes something semi-critical about his homies.
Honestly, Sekou, it’s about time you grew a pair. I mean, I realize that, in your heart of hearts, you’re just another groupie – “Yeah, I got J Smoov’s nummer on my cell, dawg” – but congratulations on FINALLY acting like a real-life, big-city reporter.
Will this charade continue? We’ll have to wait until the offseason to find out if Sekou is still allowed to wash the cars and walk the dogs of YOUR ATLANTA HAWKS.
In the meantime, Sekou, get back to work. Smoov needs a fresh towel!
O'brien
April 27th, 2009
8:07 pm
Guys, Charles Barkley just said you cannot have Joe Johnson as your best player. I disagree with him.
I do agree with Barkley who said JJ is a really good player, not a great player.
I agree that JJ would make an excellent Robin, but even as our Batman, we can still win games if we play the right way.
bigdave
April 27th, 2009
8:10 pm
LETS GO MAN!!! YEA…!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
April 27th, 2009
8:11 pm
Nice first defensive possession… they still have Horford on O’Neal but they brought Joe over to double, getting the ball out of his hands and forcing a rushed shot at the end of the buzzer. Nice to see Joe feeding Josh inside for the first bucket of the game. Let’s hope they can keep up the aggressive play.