The Professor Knows THE SKY IS NOT FALLING
This is a message to MIDDLETOWN SOUTH. Many will have you believe the sky is falling. My response to that is…NOT. The sky is not falling for Coach Brennan and his young team. Nor was it falling when Manasquan beat the #5 team in the state RUMSON by 0ver 30 points last year. Nor was it falling when current #11 Saddle Day River was totally man handled by RFH this year. The only way the sky would fall is if you the Middletown South coaches and players forget who you are.
Tom Brennan you’d be wise to remember that adversity is something you’ve had to deal with the last for years. You’d wise to remember that 3 years ago you finally had a team with depth and talent to challenge the elite programs. You were excited that year, but then your team lost Jill Falvey your only true post player. A division one player. Many thought your team was done, but they were not done and after winning the schools first State Title since 1979 a year earlier. Your team some how after a bad lost, regrouped and made it to the TOC. Your teams always get better late in the season. NO TEAM IN THE STATE IMPROVES MORE LATER IN THE SEASON, THAN YOURS, this is a fact, not guess work or smoke being blown up…well you know what…NONE! No the sky was not not falling then and it’s not falling now. It’s no different than last year when it looked like your MIDDLETOWN team would finally have that perfect blend of young players and veteran stars. Last year was suppose to BE THE YEAR, you finally play the big girls on a some what smaller talent gap. You’ve never asked for a level playing field, you just wanted a fighting chance. You had senior Stephaine Karcz and a wonderful supporting cast. But then like in the past you caught a bad break. Your 2nd best player, D1 guard Haley Dolonzo got hurt. Some thought your team would fall apart. They didn’t in fact they beat that same RBC that knocked you down but not out, last week. The reason your teams have always been able to stand tall during these adversitys is one reason…YOU… TOM BRENNAN, who is regarded as one of the best coaches in Shore history. It is you who always is above the recruiting and foul play. It is you, who is respected by all. But it best wise for you to remember it was you who has over come the biggest obstacle of all last year. YES, THE SKY IS NOT FALLING INDEED. As long as you, Coach Tom Brennan are on the sidelines.
TO THE MIDDLETOWN SOUTH PLAYERS, I say this. Your pride and swag has been shaken to the core. Believe it or not it’s a good thing, you have been humbled. It will make you better and certainly will make you more appreciative of all that has been accomplished before you. No the sky is certainly not falling unless you do one thing. LOSE YOUR CONFIDENCE. Because if you lost your confidence…you lose your talent. They go hand in hand and both and must be protected ALWAYS. How do you protect that confidence. First start with your seniors. Hayley Dolonzo is a role model for overcoming adversity; use her as a example of getting up off the floor. Hayley, you are a senior, remember you must show your teammates the South way of basketball. You must be an extension of Coach Brennan. You must believe and pass along every word this Genius of a coach has taught you over the years, to your teammates. Alex Balsamo, you have made yourself into a superstar. You also I am sure are concerned about college. Alex here me loud and clear, that issue will take care of itself, it always does, especially when you’re talented like yourself. But for now show your teammates a calmness that puts them at ease. Your teammates are watching, if they see fear, doubt, selfishness and panic..then the sky will indeed fall. Alex your mush be that rock, everyone can lean on. You must carry the burdens of all on the team. Hayley and Alex you have seen this movie before and know how to made the ending right…Go prove once again the Sky is falling …is just what it has been in the past….NONSENSE.
TO THE MIDDLETOWN SOUTH BABIES, I will lecture you first. I will tell you, many of you took the easy way out in the spring, summer and fall. You did not challenge yourself. You did not face elite competition on a daily basis, knowing full well that is what you were up against this year. Take these two disappointing losses and file them away as a reminder in the off season this year. But remember this for now. You are in the Shore Conference, you will be judged much harder after a loss. You will not be given the benifit of the doubt other younger players, playing against weaker competition get. Please remember you just lost aruguely to the two best teams in the state. You lost to Manasquan who would beat 15 teams in the Top 20 but the same margin or more. You caught maybe the greatest two way preformance in Shore history, I have ever seen, in your game against RBC. Many will talk about a 50 point lost. But I saw the #11 ranked team in the state down by 41 points in the 4th quarter vs RFH. The coach on the losing side played his starters the entire game and pressed the RFH subs to save face in the papers, while his subs sat the bench. Your coach, your classy coach, your prideful coach is bigger than such things..he played your teammates and cared less about what the papers would say. No the sky is not falling as long as your coaches name is TOM BRENNAN.
MIDDLETOWN SOUTH KNOWS THIS…I HOPE!
MIDDLETOWN SOUTH, understand there is a lot a basketball yet to be played. You will see Manasquan and RBC ON YOUR HOME COURT SOON. Now here is some real advice, I hope you listen to. Your tradition is you have always played as a team. You program has never been drama filled. Your coached has never hired gunslingers from the outside. You have the best Freshman in the Shore on your team in Kayla Richardson. You have a All Conference mega underrated senior in Alex Balsamo. You have a D1 guard who every game gets closer and closer, back to being one of the best players in the Shore, in Haley Dolonzo. You have one of the best young Point Guards in the state in future D1 stud Isla Brennan . You have two very talented young post players with real size in Sam Kennan and Eve Pivie. You have a surprise in Freshman Stephaine Mayerhofer. You have all you need to accomplish great things. But first you must listen to your professor. Let him show you the way back from the darkness…he will show THE SKY IS NOT FALLING… but rather you will be shooting stars!!!
***MARTIN LUTHER KING CLINIC IS TOMORROW AT HOOP GROUP…SIGN UPNAT DOOR OR GO TO HOOPGROUP.COM