Latest news with #teamchemistry
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Badgers hoping an improved culture will help them bounce back from a disappointing season
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin's players only need to go through their phones to provide evidence they're fixing the culture issues that led to the end of the Badgers' 22-year bowl streak last season. Strength coach Brady Collins organized an offseason contest in which he asked players to send him a photo whenever they went out with a teammate. Players were awarded points for each photo they sent, with a prize going to the position group with the highest score. The Badgers said those types of activities helped make them much closer than they were a year ago. 'At the start, it sounds kind of silly, but then you get into it, and it's kind of like a game,' outside linebacker Aaron Witt said. 'Then it becomes natural. It went from forcing yourself to hang out with your teammates to actually wanting to be around them.' Wisconsin knew it had to improve its culture after going 5-7 last year for its first losing season since 2001, snapping what had been the longest active streak of bowl appearances by any Power Four team. This isn't quite what Wisconsin expected when it hired Luke Fickell, who went 53-10 with one College Football Playoff appearance in his final five seasons at Cincinnati. The Badgers' chemistry lessons continue Tuesday when they continue a Fickell tradition and open preseason camp by spending 1½ weeks at Platteville, Wisconsin, about 70 miles from campus 'Last year, I think a lot of guys kind of just gave up near the end of the season,' linebacker Christian Alliegro said. 'Guys weren't really close together and picking each other up. I think the big thing this offseason was getting the guys together and hanging out.' As it prepares to open the season Aug. 30 against Miami (Ohio), Wisconsin is relying heavily on several players who weren't part of last year's struggles. The projected starting quarterback is Maryland transfer Billy Edwards Jr. Davis Heinzen, who started 36 consecutive games at Central Michigan, is likely to take over as the first-team left tackle after Kevin Heywood tore his anterior cruciate ligament in spring practice. Tennessee-Martin transfer Charles Perkins had an impressive spring and should boost a defense that allowed the second-most yards rushing per game of any Big Ten team last season. But the Badgers also will need their returning players to remember what went wrong last year and to make sure history doesn't repeat itself. Wisconsin ended the 2024 season by losing five straight games for the first time since 1991. During that skid, the Badgers lost their three trophy games to Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota by a combined margin of 110-42. 'Every week we started to believe in ourselves a little less,' outside linebacker Darryl Peterson said. 'As a leader, you take that upon yourself to make sure that doesn't happen again.' The Badgers are confident that won't happen again because they know one another so much better. Older players were hanging out with younger players this offseason. The guys on offense spent more time interacting with their counterparts on defense. They believe it will make a difference. 'The best teams in football are the closest teams,' offensive lineman Joe Brunner said. 'They might not be the most talented, but the closest teams are what create success on the football field because you trust one another. I don't think I've ever been this close to defensive guys on the team, and that's pretty special.' Of course, it's easy to say that now. The true test will come the first time the Badgers encounter adversity on the field this fall. Witt was asked Monday how he knows Wisconsin has corrected everything that went wrong a year ago. 'You don't,' Witt said. 'That's the thing. You've got to play the games. Everybody's going to stand in front of the camera and tell you we did this different, we're tougher, we're this, we're bigger, we're faster. But you'll see it on tape. We'll see it when games start.' ___ AP college football: and
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Justin Fields on Garrett Wilson's extension, Joe Tippmann excited to work under Jets' Aaron Glenn
New York Jets QB Justin Fields shares his reaction to teammate Garrett Wilson's extension and describes the team chemistry heading into training camp. Plus, OT Joe Tippmann details his relationship with new head coach Aaron Glenn so far and what he's seen out of rookie tackle Armand Membou.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"You don't realize how good you've got it until you go elsewhere and it's not so easy" - Joe Johnson on the tight bond the 'Seven Seconds' Suns shared
"You don't realize how good you've got it until you go elsewhere and it's not so easy" - Joe Johnson on the tight bond the 'Seven Seconds' Suns shared originally appeared on Basketball Network. As crucial as skills and talent are to achieving team success in the NBA, an underrated component that can make all the difference is team chemistry. A squad can have as many All-Stars on their team as they want, but if those players aren't on the same page and working together towards the shared goal of an NBA title, they will never reach their full potential. Advertisement History has shown numerous examples of this. From the 2004 Los Angeles Lakers, which featured four Hall of Famers, to the Brooklyn Nets, which boasted two league MVPs in Kevin Durant and James Harden, chemistry issues plagued both teams and prevented them from reaching the promised land. On the other hand, many teams have exceeded expectations due to their exceptional team chemistry. The Phoenix Suns of the mid-2000s are a prime example of this. Led by superstars Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire, the Suns were known for their high-powered offense and fast-paced style of play. However, what truly set them apart was their tight-knit bond off the court. Former Suns ace Joe Johnson spoke about this, asserting it was their camaraderie that lifted them above their peers during that special time in Suns basketball. A tight-knit group Developing team chemistry can be tricky. It can't be forced, nor can it be bought. It takes time and effort from each member of the team to build a strong bond that translates onto the court or field. The Suns achieved this by spending quality time together, both on and off the court. Advertisement "My best memory was the camaraderie we had. We all hung out off the court. We went out to eat. We went to each other's houses and played cards all the time," Joe remembered. "That was the first time I'd ever experienced something like that. We were a tight group." The team's off-court camaraderie seamlessly translated to their performance on the court, where they moved in perfect sync, as if connected by an invisible thread. The Suns went on to win 62 games during the 2004-05 season, a far cry from their dismal 29-53 record in the previous season. Joe played a huge role in their resurgence, averaging 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Related: "All those muscles aren't gonna help you tonight" - Kevin McHale recalls when Bird trash-talked young and overly-muscular Anthony Mason Nash's leadership was key Nash's arrival in the Valley was a substantial reason for the Suns' turnaround. And while his sublime playmaking helped bring out the best in Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Quentin Richardson and Johnson, it was his unique leadership that kept the boat from rocking. Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni shared how the Canadian point guard always absorbed the blame whenever something went wrong. It didn't matter if he had nothing to do with it; he gladly took responsibility. Advertisement "A lot of that chemistry was Steve," Mike remarked. "We'd lose a game and he'd stand up in the locker room and say, 'Guys I screwed up. I won't do it often, but I did.' Taking responsibility. That's what a leader does, and he was the best at it." The Suns faltered in the postseason during that season, as Joe missed the first two games of the West finals against the San Antonio Spurs due to a displaced orbital fracture over his left eye when he landed face-first in Game 2 of the West semis. After they got eliminated in five games, a contentious contract dispute led Johnson to the Atlanta Hawks, where he soon realized that the chemistry they shared on that Suns squad was one-of-a-kind. "It was never the same. When I went to Atlanta, I was the old guy trying to show the young guys the way. It was so different," Iso Joe noted. "I blossomed into a different player, but it was never the same. When you're on a great team like we had, you don't realize how good you've got it until you go elsewhere and it's not so easy." Although Joe became a bona fide superstar in Atlanta, he never reached the heights he did with the Suns. Johnson continued to put up impressive numbers and even made multiple All-Star appearances, but his time in Phoenix will always hold a special place in his heart. Advertisement Related: 'I beat myself up about that one' – Robert Sarver regrets forcing Joe Johnson to leave the Suns in 2005 free agency This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Minnesota Lynx don't need to panic after Cup loss. But it may be time for adjustments
Minnesota Lynx don't need to panic after Cup loss. But it may be time for adjustments MINNEAPOLIS — When Minnesota Lynx coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve and her staff looked at their roster in the offseason, they had the typical questions that linger after a season that ended within inches of a WNBA title. How much do we need to adjust? What else could push them over the hump? If they tinkered, would it be just to tinker? And is there value in that? Advertisement Amid all the dissection and reflection, Reeve kept coming back to one question: What was the common thread among the Lynx's best wins, performances and moments? The answer was clear: their team chemistry. Each of the biggest moments of the year, both from a team and individual perspective, found its roots in the chemistry developed by the players. And that required no tinkering. 'It's kind of our superpower. The connection that they have. The belief that they have. Their love for each other is something that's so organic,' Reeve said. 'The core of our identity was our chemistry. … Is (that) repeatable? And we made the determination that it was. And it has been.' It was an aspect of the Lynx that, coming into Tuesday night's Commissioner's Cup game — an intraseason WNBA tournament with a $500,000 pot for the winner — stood out most to Indiana coach Stephanie White. She complimented the Lynx for looking even more connected this season than last. She specifically highlighted how evident that is in Minnesota's offense, which leads the league by a significant margin in defensive rating and assist percentage. Advertisement 'The nuance of having each other's backs on the defensive end, of knowing where your teammate is going to be. … The connectivity they have on the offensive end of the floor, the way they move with and without the ball, the way the ball moves make it really tough to cover,' White said. 'I often say that offense is like a dance, and they are flowing. They are making music.' Through most of this season, the Lynx's soundtrack has been something along the lines of the first notes of 'We Are the Champions' or the dual trumpet opening in the 'Rocky' theme song. They've blasted the early indicators that set up this season as a redemption (or revenge) tour for a hungry and talented team of returners who have looked to be the crème of the crop in the WNBA. Collier has been every piece of the ego-less engine Minnesota needed her to be, and her teammates have followed her lead. While other teams in recent years stockpiled stars with closets full of All-Star appearances, All-WNBA awards and Olympic gold medals (hello, Liberty and Aces), the Lynx have tapped into a chemistry that can supersede even more-talented rosters. Advertisement Except when it doesn't. Like on Tuesday night. When the dance became dysfunctional and discordant, and the Lynx lost a game that seemed winnable, heck — especially with Caitlin Clark on the bench with an injury — dominatable. However, the Lynx, after establishing an early first-quarter lead, fell out of rhythm and got impatient offensively. Whether it was easy missed layups or some calls that they might've disagreed with or the mounting sense that the game was getting away from them, they looked completely un-Lynx-like. There wasn't chemistry. And it looked like Minnesota needed far more than a small tweak to get back on track. 'We have a tendency sometimes to get impatient,' Reeve said. 'Our commitment to move into basketball and creating advantages — we had a hard time getting that done.' Advertisement That impatience is antithetical to their chemistry. There's an ease with how Lynx players compete together, and how they flow through a game that shows they believe things will eventually start rolling and plays will stack on one another, that Minnesota will eventually … be Minnesota. But that just didn't happen against Indiana. Instead, the Lynx produced their third loss of the season, falling 74-59 at home to the Indiana Fever in the Commissioner's Cup championship. The defeat marked a second flare sent up in recent weeks, a disappointing loss reminding Minnesota that it needs more than just chemistry to overcome teams that are as talented (or less talented). The first warning came three weeks ago when the Lynx lost in Seattle, giving up 94 points. Reeve was blunt then: Their defensive identity wasn't established in the game, and Minnesota didn't play well enough to beat the Storm. Full stop. The second came last week. Without Collier, Minnesota's core couldn't hit shots against Washington. Advertisement And again, on Tuesday night against the Fever, the Lynx's identity — this time, offensively — couldn't be found past that first 10 minutes. As the hole got deeper, no player — not even Collier, who matched her season-low in shooting percentage — could dig out Minnesota. Courtney Williams, after hitting her first two shots of the game, went 2 of 12 the rest of the night. Kayla McBride joined Williams, knocking down her first shot in the first quarter … and then going 0 of 6 the remainder of the game. Bridget Carleton managed only two shots (both misses) in nearly 27 minutes. Natisha Hiedeman, the Lynx's usual spark off the bench as a rebounder, scorer and passer, finished with three points, no rebounds and no assists. In Minnesota, it's not yet time to panic. But to adjust and tinker? Perhaps. Maybe there are levers Reeve can pull that can send Minnesota's chemistry into overdrive, or an override button that can be pushed when it seems like the basket has a cover on it or the team isn't itself on defense. This loss should sting, not just because the Lynx had to listen as the Fever showered in champagne and enjoyed the dreams of half a million dollars in their collective pocket. It should sting because when Minnesota is Minnesota and that chemistry is on full display, when the melody works and the rhythm is easy to follow, the Lynx are the best team in the league. And when that chemistry isn't on display? They're human. Advertisement Last season, their Commissioner's Cup win was an announcement to the rest of the league that the Lynx were title contenders. It was a turning point of sorts. This year, even with an opposite result, it can be the same. Minnesota knows it'll only get so many wake-up calls (and at least this one doesn't impact their win-loss record). 'We got exposed in some areas and we know we can't show up like we did today if we want to be in the finals at the end of the year,' Jess Shepard said. 'Last season, they took the victory as a turning point. I think this year you can learn a lot from today.' For now, Minnesota's superpower is still its superpower. Their chemistry can trump a lot, including talent and teams that start players with more All-WNBA nods than the non-Collier starters will ever sniff. Games like Tuesday's indicate that when the Lynx don't show up as themselves, when that chemistry isn't leading the team, what becomes repeatable are the losses. And that's a thread Minnesota wants to avoid. Advertisement This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Minnesota Lynx, WNBA 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
02-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Minnesota Lynx don't need to panic after Cup loss. But it may be time for adjustments
MINNEAPOLIS — When Minnesota Lynx coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve and her staff looked at their roster in the offseason, they had the typical questions that linger after a season that ended within inches of a WNBA title. How much do we need to adjust? What else could push them over the hump? If they tinkered, would it be just to tinker? And is there value in that? Advertisement Amid all the dissection and reflection, Reeve kept coming back to one question: What was the common thread among the Lynx's best wins, performances and moments? The answer was clear: their team chemistry. Each of the biggest moments of the year, both from a team and individual perspective, found its roots in the chemistry developed by the players. And that required no tinkering. 'It's kind of our superpower. The connection that they have. The belief that they have. Their love for each other is something that's so organic,' Reeve said. 'The core of our identity was our chemistry. … Is (that) repeatable? And we made the determination that it was. And it has been.' It was an aspect of the Lynx that, coming into Tuesday night's Commissioner's Cup game — an intraseason WNBA tournament with a $500,000 pot for the winner — stood out most to Indiana coach Stephanie White. She complimented the Lynx for looking even more connected this season than last. She specifically highlighted how evident that is in Minnesota's offense, which leads the league by a significant margin in defensive rating and assist percentage. 'The nuance of having each other's backs on the defensive end, of knowing where your teammate is going to be. … The connectivity they have on the offensive end of the floor, the way they move with and without the ball, the way the ball moves make it really tough to cover,' White said. 'I often say that offense is like a dance, and they are flowing. They are making music.' final. — Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) July 2, 2025 Through most of this season, the Lynx's soundtrack has been something along the lines of the first notes of 'We Are the Champions' or the dual trumpet opening in the 'Rocky' theme song. They've blasted the early indicators that set up this season as a redemption (or revenge) tour for a hungry and talented team of returners who have looked to be the crème of the crop in the WNBA. Advertisement Collier has been every piece of the ego-less engine Minnesota needed her to be, and her teammates have followed her lead. While other teams in recent years stockpiled stars with closets full of All-Star appearances, All-WNBA awards and Olympic gold medals (hello, Liberty and Aces), the Lynx have tapped into a chemistry that can supersede even more-talented rosters. Except when it doesn't. Like on Tuesday night. When the dance became dysfunctional and discordant, and the Lynx lost a game that seemed winnable, heck — especially with Caitlin Clark on the bench with an injury — dominatable. However, the Lynx, after establishing an early first-quarter lead, fell out of rhythm and got impatient offensively. Whether it was easy missed layups or some calls that they might've disagreed with or the mounting sense that the game was getting away from them, they looked completely un-Lynx-like. There wasn't chemistry. And it looked like Minnesota needed far more than a small tweak to get back on track. 'We have a tendency sometimes to get impatient,' Reeve said. 'Our commitment to move into basketball and creating advantages — we had a hard time getting that done.' That impatience is antithetical to their chemistry. There's an ease with how Lynx players compete together, and how they flow through a game that shows they believe things will eventually start rolling and plays will stack on one another, that Minnesota will eventually … be Minnesota. But that just didn't happen against Indiana. Instead, the Lynx produced their third loss of the season, falling 74-59 at home to the Indiana Fever in the Commissioner's Cup championship. The defeat marked a second flare sent up in recent weeks, a disappointing loss reminding Minnesota that it needs more than just chemistry to overcome teams that are as talented (or less talented). The first warning came three weeks ago when the Lynx lost in Seattle, giving up 94 points. Advertisement Reeve was blunt then: Their defensive identity wasn't established in the game, and Minnesota didn't play well enough to beat the Storm. Full stop. The second came last week. Without Collier, Minnesota's core couldn't hit shots against Washington. And again, on Tuesday night against the Fever, the Lynx's identity — this time, offensively — couldn't be found past that first 10 minutes. As the hole got deeper, no player — not even Collier, who matched her season-low in shooting percentage — could dig out Minnesota. Courtney Williams, after hitting her first two shots of the game, went 2 of 12 the rest of the night. Kayla McBride joined Williams, knocking down her first shot in the first quarter … and then going 0 of 6 the remainder of the game. Bridget Carleton managed only two shots (both misses) in nearly 27 minutes. Natisha Hiedeman, the Lynx's usual spark off the bench as a rebounder, scorer and passer, finished with three points, no rebounds and no assists. In Minnesota, it's not yet time to panic. But to adjust and tinker? Perhaps. Maybe there are levers Reeve can pull that can send Minnesota's chemistry into overdrive, or an override button that can be pushed when it seems like the basket has a cover on it or the team isn't itself on defense. This loss should sting, not just because the Lynx had to listen as the Fever showered in champagne and enjoyed the dreams of half a million dollars in their collective pocket. It should sting because when Minnesota is Minnesota and that chemistry is on full display, when the melody works and the rhythm is easy to follow, the Lynx are the best team in the league. And when that chemistry isn't on display? They're human. Last season, their Commissioner's Cup win was an announcement to the rest of the league that the Lynx were title contenders. It was a turning point of sorts. This year, even with an opposite result, it can be the same. Minnesota knows it'll only get so many wake-up calls (and at least this one doesn't impact their win-loss record). Advertisement 'We got exposed in some areas and we know we can't show up like we did today if we want to be in the finals at the end of the year,' Jess Shepard said. 'Last season, they took the victory as a turning point. I think this year you can learn a lot from today.' For now, Minnesota's superpower is still its superpower. Their chemistry can trump a lot, including talent and teams that start players with more All-WNBA nods than the non-Collier starters will ever sniff. Games like Tuesday's indicate that when the Lynx don't show up as themselves, when that chemistry isn't leading the team, what becomes repeatable are the losses. And that's a thread Minnesota wants to avoid. (Photo of Courtney Williams and Natasha Howard: Matt Krohn / Getty Images)
