推 AdamHmc:給我吧 好久沒翻外電了 12/04 17:36
推 ezrider:推外電 12/05 11:41
Roy's leadership is like his game: steady and solid
Roy的領導地位就像他的球技：穩定而堅實
By Jason Quick 12/3
現在，Roy終於可以這麼說：他，及拓荒者，想好好跟Boston來一場。
過去也許偶爾會覺得某些比賽可能可以稍微鬆懈，或是偶爾覺得賽前的
影片討論漫長且難熬，現在都不是了。因為在星期三這場98-92對巫師的勝
利之後，星期五的對手，是冠軍隊Celtics。
「我們想要拿下這場勝利，這也是我們想達到的目標，
（註：原文 This is what we want. This is where we want to be.）
不只是為了球隊，也是為了我個人，來看看我的程度到哪裡，
看看我們球隊的程度有到哪裡，看看我能帶領球隊到什麼地步。」
（歡迎接手XD）
It's not because Roy is welcoming the challenge of the Celtics, or that he
wants to measure himself ... it's more of the way he goes about declaring it.
He sets a tone for the Blazers, both in the methodical tempo of his play, and
in his subtle and confident way of guiding the team in the locker room.
In the first month of the season, there have been so many performances and so
many behind-the-scenes developments that to a person, every member of the
Blazers traveling party would say Roy has become much more than just a
captain and leader of this team.
He has become the face, and soul, of the franchise.
Earlier this season, in a game at Minnesota at the end of a long trip, the
team found itself in an unsuspecting dogfight against the Timberwolves. As
the Blazers were trailing in the second half, the players were becoming
tense, and coach Nate McMillan admitted he was beginning to lose his cool.
McMillan was priming himself to tear into his team to ignite a spark. But
then he heard Roy talking to his teammates on the bench.
"He was telling the guys, 'It's OK. We're just missing shots. Everything is
going to be fine,'" McMillan said. "Me, I'm coming at the guys in a different
way, but when he says it, and because it's coming from him ... I mean, even
me, I'm like, 'Well Brandon said we are OK. Cool.' And I'm sure the guys felt
the same way."
Later, Roy said he was trying to say it so McMillan couldn't hear, but he was
glad he did hear, because it put even more pressure on Roy to deliver. Roy
admitted that the bench, and McMillan, took on a different tone for the rest
of the game, which the Blazers won 88-83 on the heels of a 23-12 fourth
quarter.
"His calmness on and off the court really gives us that swagger we need,"
Channing Frye said.
On Tuesday, in New York, Roy delivered two more examples.
In the first half, McMillan pulled a struggling Frye, who came to the bench
hot. Frye was mad both at himself for not playing tougher defense and mad at
his short playing stint. In fact, he was so upset that he couldn't join the
team huddle during a timeout. After assistant Joe Prunty talked to Frye, Roy
wandered over and did his own interview of Frye. What was wrong? How could he
help? By the end of the short meeting, Roy said some private words to Frye,
patted him on the head, and Frye was back into the game, pulling for the
team.
"There is no question he is the leader of this team, and he does it in his
own way," Frye said. "It's not like he is ever in the middle of the locker
room, demanding or giving speeches, he's never like that. He's very subtle,
maybe it's on the bus, or after a timeout, and he just talks to us. And he is
just one of those guys who when he talks, people listen. He's very, very
real."
Occasionally, I step back in the postgame locker room and survey the scene
while the media conducts its business. One thing I have always noticed is how
the Blazers players almost stop dressing in order to listen to what Roy says
to the media. They value his opinion, and they want to hear what he has to
say. And Roy has developed an effective way of knowing when to slightly raise
his voice as if to make a point that everyone else should hear.
After the Knicks victory, as the line of questioning from the New York media
intensified on how good the Blazers were becoming, Roy turned the volume up a
couple notches. He spoke of hard work, and having to be persistent about
improving. After the room cleared a bit, he explained.
"We are not going to wake up one day and be good," Roy said. "That's why I
have been working this locker room. We have to work for it, and we have to
work for it every day. It's not just going to happen."
Later, the scenes involving Frye and Roy's postgame comments were revealed to
McMillan. The coach leaned back and soaked it in. He showed more than a
glimmer of pride.
"If there is anything missing from this team, it's that," McMillan said. "And
that's normally where experience comes into play, where you have those older
guys, those vets who will come up and talk to a player, or make those
comments. He's doing it in his own way, but it's getting done. I think it's
important that your key guy believes that and he's doing it and setting the
example."
The word on Roy, I believe, is slowly starting to spread. Longtime New York
Post columnist Peter Vecsey spent probably 10 minutes talking to Roy after
the Knicks game -- the first time in 10 years that I have seen Vecsey step
foot in the Blazers locker room. Done with his conversation, Vecsey had to
level with Roy.
"I'm not supposed to say this, but I really enjoy watching you play," Vecsey
told Roy as he extended his hand.
Roy admitted afterward that he didn't know who Vecsey was, but recognized him
from television, so he must have been a big deal.
"I was honored," Roy said. "I think the way I play grows on people, and it's
a slow grow. That's why when my friends always ask why I don't get more
attention, I tell them, 'Be patient. It will come.' It's like my game, it
might not come until late, but when it does, BOOM!"
Now Roy wants to deliver his biggest boom, ending the Celtics' 10-game
winning streak on Friday, in Boston. This game carries some deep-seeded
emotion for the Blazers. Roy felt Kevin Garnett and the Celtics "punked" the
Blazers last year with some bully tactics. You can be sure Roy will be
raising his voice and subtly delivering that message in today's practice in
Boston.
"It should be a good one," Roy said with a smile. "I'm sure they know who we
are, and that we are coming."
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