Per K-State's official release, here's a big fat chunk of quotes from the team and coaches (for all those basketball freaks out there like myself):
Head coach Bruce Weber
On getting into the new season…
“Our staff is very excited; our guys have had a very good summer. I spoke last night in Kansas City to a group and they asked what a good summer meant, and this group has been very coachable and they have worked hard. You want to gain weight and strength in the summer, which has definitely happened. Dean (Wade) gained 22 pounds, probably four times him max on bench (press), Pierson (McAtee) gained 16 pounds, Wesley (Iwundu) gained eight. Other guys lost weight, each person is a little different. This group likes to play open gym, you do not have to prod them to get in there, they are already there. During drills, they have been very coachable and want to work at it while coming with excitement. Now starting practice will be a whole another level of intensity. We just have to wait and see how they adjust the next four weeks.”
On putting team expectations into terms…
“The whole reason I said that was I knew we had some issues. I was trying tactically to use a word that kind of kept a damper on things. I remember using that word, but a lot of others do not, because they blank that out. This group, I feel good about them. I have said all summer like at Catbacker events and everywhere I have spoken, I think we will have a better team, that does not mean we have more talent, but we have a group that enjoys each other and plays hard. Now the cautious part is that we have inexperience, and we have a lot of inexperience so that is one thing where we have to throw them into the fire. We have to have some of those young guys step up like Carlbe (Ervin II) and the new guys including the freshmen. The next thing is just injuries, I think that is everyone in the country, but we have been hit pretty hard. We have D.J. (Johnson) back, I think he is a big X-factor for us. I said last year if we had D.J. we would have won 2-3 more games because of his energy level and what he brings to the table. He could have helped Thomas (Gipson) and given us a positive force inside. He is back, but he is not 100 percent yet. When you do not do something for 16 months and have had two surgeries you have to be careful. He had a live workout for about 40-45 minutes last week and now we have to watch and see how he reacts and probably even for the scrimmages and the exhibition games we are going to have to be careful for a while because each step is another level of intensity and each load you are putting on that foot with his body, you have to be a little bit careful with. We had some other guys injured, Carlbe had a minor surgery about a month ago and he is coming back now. Dante (Williams) has been in the boot for most of the summer and he is finally getting out now. The inexperience and the injuries will be a big factor. The other thing is that we need from the guys that have experience, from the seniors – Stephen (Hurt), Justin (Edwards) and Brian (Rohleder) -- to D.J. and Wes, we need those guys to step up and give us some of their wisdom and experience and take another step up to help the young guys out.”
On any players standing out….
“With the young guys we did not know what will happen. From Barry (Brown) to Kamau (Stokes) to Dean, they have all made some positive impact already. Just like with any young guy, you have a whole another situation you have practice and the grind on that then exhibition games into games. So through each step you have to watch and see what they have done. Carlbe had played pretty well, then he had a setback with the minor surgery. Some of the other freshmen like Ron (Freeman) is learning; trying to figure it out and has to gain weight and Isaiah (Maurice) is learning and has to gain weight. Justin has made a nice step. Stephen is understanding more. Both Justin and Stephen had a readjustment year and they understand what it takes, but both guys work very hard. Wesley has been banged up all summer and finally we think we have him back healthy and he is the one who has been in the around and has played in big-game situations. I do not want to pressure him, but it would be nice if he really stepped up. He does not have to give us 20 points, but he needs to give us a good stat-line from rebounds to steals and getting a few points from here and there, but also just being a good defender, leader, bringing great energy, so if we can get that it will help us out.”
On leaders stepping up…
“I think they all have tried to do a job at that. Brian (Rohleder) has been the voice, yet the other guys have stepped up their intensity. At the same time, the freshmen have not backed down and they have come with energy and excitement and have been pushing the older guys to raise their game up. A lot of days when we do open gym they go young against old, and they get after it. That is interesting and we will do it in practice once in a while, but we normally mix it up getting different unit together them to get as competitive as possible.”
On showing more patience this offseason…
“I think you have to have that as a staff. I think we have to do a lot of talking to them. When they get frustrated or have a bad day that is when the patience of communication will help them. Showing them film from practice, they have probably never watched film of their own practice and learning what we are doing. We need them in the office. They walk into the building and it is only 20 steps so they can get to us is pretty easy. What happens is once practice starts and it gets too intense, which is just human nature and coaches start critiquing and criticizing you, now they put the stop sign at the bottom of the steps because they do not want to talk to you, but if they can keep coming up the steps and we keep coming down to reach out to them is all part of that growing process.”
On removing from last year…
“Oh yes, I think we have removed ourselves from last year since the summer. As I have said they have been a good group to deal with. We are not fighting and having little issues everyday. Some days we have to get them motivated and bring more energy. We talk about “Tigger” and “Eeyoer” and we got some “Tiggers”, while “Eeyore” are no fun to coach or be friends with and we have guys that are happy, flying around enjoying it, now we need to see if they keep that same energy and excitement as things get a little tougher now.”
On team expectations…
“We just tell them to block out all that outside stuff and all we can worry about is what we do everyday in practice. We have talked about acting right, treating people right, and playing the game in the right way and that is what we can control everyday and enjoy each other and just see what happens. If no one expects anything and we do something we are just going to get excitement which is important. I think the apprehension is that they do not know the players, they do not know what we have, we know a little bit, but we have to see, like football we have to get into some games to see what is going on and get a feel of it and improve on that from the exhibition games to the first game will be very important. If we do what we are supposed to do, people will get excited and they will be there cheering, I know that.”
Head coach Bruce Weber
On getting into the new season…
“Our staff is very excited; our guys have had a very good summer. I spoke last night in Kansas City to a group and they asked what a good summer meant, and this group has been very coachable and they have worked hard. You want to gain weight and strength in the summer, which has definitely happened. Dean (Wade) gained 22 pounds, probably four times him max on bench (press), Pierson (McAtee) gained 16 pounds, Wesley (Iwundu) gained eight. Other guys lost weight, each person is a little different. This group likes to play open gym, you do not have to prod them to get in there, they are already there. During drills, they have been very coachable and want to work at it while coming with excitement. Now starting practice will be a whole another level of intensity. We just have to wait and see how they adjust the next four weeks.”
On putting team expectations into terms…
“The whole reason I said that was I knew we had some issues. I was trying tactically to use a word that kind of kept a damper on things. I remember using that word, but a lot of others do not, because they blank that out. This group, I feel good about them. I have said all summer like at Catbacker events and everywhere I have spoken, I think we will have a better team, that does not mean we have more talent, but we have a group that enjoys each other and plays hard. Now the cautious part is that we have inexperience, and we have a lot of inexperience so that is one thing where we have to throw them into the fire. We have to have some of those young guys step up like Carlbe (Ervin II) and the new guys including the freshmen. The next thing is just injuries, I think that is everyone in the country, but we have been hit pretty hard. We have D.J. (Johnson) back, I think he is a big X-factor for us. I said last year if we had D.J. we would have won 2-3 more games because of his energy level and what he brings to the table. He could have helped Thomas (Gipson) and given us a positive force inside. He is back, but he is not 100 percent yet. When you do not do something for 16 months and have had two surgeries you have to be careful. He had a live workout for about 40-45 minutes last week and now we have to watch and see how he reacts and probably even for the scrimmages and the exhibition games we are going to have to be careful for a while because each step is another level of intensity and each load you are putting on that foot with his body, you have to be a little bit careful with. We had some other guys injured, Carlbe had a minor surgery about a month ago and he is coming back now. Dante (Williams) has been in the boot for most of the summer and he is finally getting out now. The inexperience and the injuries will be a big factor. The other thing is that we need from the guys that have experience, from the seniors – Stephen (Hurt), Justin (Edwards) and Brian (Rohleder) -- to D.J. and Wes, we need those guys to step up and give us some of their wisdom and experience and take another step up to help the young guys out.”
On any players standing out….
“With the young guys we did not know what will happen. From Barry (Brown) to Kamau (Stokes) to Dean, they have all made some positive impact already. Just like with any young guy, you have a whole another situation you have practice and the grind on that then exhibition games into games. So through each step you have to watch and see what they have done. Carlbe had played pretty well, then he had a setback with the minor surgery. Some of the other freshmen like Ron (Freeman) is learning; trying to figure it out and has to gain weight and Isaiah (Maurice) is learning and has to gain weight. Justin has made a nice step. Stephen is understanding more. Both Justin and Stephen had a readjustment year and they understand what it takes, but both guys work very hard. Wesley has been banged up all summer and finally we think we have him back healthy and he is the one who has been in the around and has played in big-game situations. I do not want to pressure him, but it would be nice if he really stepped up. He does not have to give us 20 points, but he needs to give us a good stat-line from rebounds to steals and getting a few points from here and there, but also just being a good defender, leader, bringing great energy, so if we can get that it will help us out.”
On leaders stepping up…
“I think they all have tried to do a job at that. Brian (Rohleder) has been the voice, yet the other guys have stepped up their intensity. At the same time, the freshmen have not backed down and they have come with energy and excitement and have been pushing the older guys to raise their game up. A lot of days when we do open gym they go young against old, and they get after it. That is interesting and we will do it in practice once in a while, but we normally mix it up getting different unit together them to get as competitive as possible.”
On showing more patience this offseason…
“I think you have to have that as a staff. I think we have to do a lot of talking to them. When they get frustrated or have a bad day that is when the patience of communication will help them. Showing them film from practice, they have probably never watched film of their own practice and learning what we are doing. We need them in the office. They walk into the building and it is only 20 steps so they can get to us is pretty easy. What happens is once practice starts and it gets too intense, which is just human nature and coaches start critiquing and criticizing you, now they put the stop sign at the bottom of the steps because they do not want to talk to you, but if they can keep coming up the steps and we keep coming down to reach out to them is all part of that growing process.”
On removing from last year…
“Oh yes, I think we have removed ourselves from last year since the summer. As I have said they have been a good group to deal with. We are not fighting and having little issues everyday. Some days we have to get them motivated and bring more energy. We talk about “Tigger” and “Eeyoer” and we got some “Tiggers”, while “Eeyore” are no fun to coach or be friends with and we have guys that are happy, flying around enjoying it, now we need to see if they keep that same energy and excitement as things get a little tougher now.”
On team expectations…
“We just tell them to block out all that outside stuff and all we can worry about is what we do everyday in practice. We have talked about acting right, treating people right, and playing the game in the right way and that is what we can control everyday and enjoy each other and just see what happens. If no one expects anything and we do something we are just going to get excitement which is important. I think the apprehension is that they do not know the players, they do not know what we have, we know a little bit, but we have to see, like football we have to get into some games to see what is going on and get a feel of it and improve on that from the exhibition games to the first game will be very important. If we do what we are supposed to do, people will get excited and they will be there cheering, I know that.”
