The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB BASKETBALL BLOG - Donnie Marsh
3/26/2010 12:00:00β―AM | Men's Basketball
March 26, 2010
This final blog is a tough one to write for more than one reason. It's not just because it comes a day after we lost our NIT quarterfinal game to UNC, but I am writing it on the day our Faculty Athletic Representative's son Thomas Scott Messina's funeral. Thomas' life was cut short last week and today his family and hundreds of friends, classmates, his dad's colleagues, and parents came out to pay their respects.
I had met Thomas with his dad Frank prior to one of our games this season. Frank brought him over to the bench as I watched the opposing team warm up - one of my pre-game rituals. He was an affable young man, pleasant and polite and as Frank would tell me prior to our game against the Tar Heels, "Donnie, he loved his Blazers". There's not much you can say to comfort a family during times such as these, but I do want Frank, his wife Natalie, and their sons to know that they are in our prayers. That the Blazer basketball family appreciates their support and feel honored that Thomas felt a special connection to our team.
There are only a few teams that will end the season with a win. Many will be satisfied with their records; others will be encouraged by their progress; still others will be disappointed that things didn't go quite as planned. I think all those categories describe how we feel right now. 25-9 (tying the record for most wins in school history); 18-2 (the best start in school history); is something to take pride in.
Being picked to finish 10th in C-USA in the pre-season poll (finishing 3rd); incorporating seven (7) newcomers into the program (5 making significant contributions & 5 returning for next season); are certainly reasons to be encouraged. But we didn't reach our goal of earning a spot in the NCAA tournament; we missed our shot at getting to the NIT Final 4 in NYC; we lost more times in Bartow than we could ever imagine; all reasons to be disappointed that things didn't go as we had planned.
With that being said however, we have even more reason to be enthusiastic about the future. Consider this: the effort our guys gave throughout the season was exemplary. More times than not, we brought the fight. That will be our mantra as we build towards next season as well. The support of our fans was tremendous. For our guys to see and feel the atmosphere in not just the UNC game, but in a number of other games throughout the season, is an encouraging sign for them. They have a clearer sense of the passion and pride Blazer fans have in this program. That's an important element in helping players to fully engage themselves in each contest, as they can feel how much it means to everyone around them. Believe me that will not be lost on them when they take the floor next season.
We are in the process of filling some important holes with the incoming recruiting class. We lose some size and most replace that. We have to be able to give "the little warrior", AJ some rest next season without missing a beat. He shouldered an almost impossible load the entire season without once shrinking from the responsibility. There aren't many out there like him, but we are on a mission to find another one with the heart and fight that is packed inside that compact frame. And we are excited because we return some guys who played integral roles in winning some important games. Those same guys endured some difficult losses that could have changed the direction of our season. It's our job as a staff to make sure they learn from both of those situations.
What is it we did well to close some games and what is it we didn't do well enough to close some others? How do we get our guys to play their best when the stage is big and the lights are brightest? These are questions we will address regularly throughout the offseason in different ways. I am a big believer in mental toughness training techniques. Don't get me wrong there is no better teaching tool than actually experiencing a situation and then making adjustments based on how you reacted the first time around. But you can put guys in challenging situations that force them to focus mentally, to exercise mental discipline, and to remain mentally strong under any situation. All that and of course making a couple hundred free throws a day should do the trick.
Thanks so much for all your support throughout the season. I had a lot of fun meeting several of you during the season in the Green & Gold room before tip off, at away games, at Coach Davis' radio show, at other sporting events, and I even ran into a lady at the grocery store who had attended a game the night before with her kids who said, "you look familiar". I look forward to seeing you all again next season and God willing, helping you to see the Blazers through my eyes. I know how blessed I am to be a part of this program and this institution. It is something that I will never take for granted. Enjoy the "offseason" and get some rest. November 12th will be here before you know it.
God Bless & Go Blazers!!!
