Attitude will be missed
By Steve Yanda
For most of the year, sophomore guard Jerel McNeal has been the object of a solid portion of my ire regarding the men's basketball team for his propensity to turn the ball over. My theory was that McNeal essentially canceled himself out; he would compile four steals in a game but also give up four turnovers (or more).
It was maddening, mostly because McNeal demonstrated such great knowledge for how and when to swipe the ball from an opponent only to show an equal lack of understanding as to how to handle the ball on the other end of the court.
Just as I would imagine a con artist knows how to avoid being conned, I thought, of all people, McNeal should know how to avoid turning the ball over.
Well, as it turns out in most cases, I'm an idiot.
McNeal's impact on the team does not come solely from the steals he creates or the daring drives to the basket in which he partakes. It comes from his attitude on the court.
When he is in the game, there is no one more intense than No. 22. There are those Golden Eagles who pretend to be, but there are none who actually are.
You see it in the glove-like defense he plays on the man he is supposed to guard. You see it in the death stare he gives officials when calls aren't whistled to his liking. You see it in the way he drives to the basket with the conscience of a compulsive liar.
McNeal's game revolves around, and feeds off, his attitude. And that attitude is what the Golden Eagles will be missing while McNeal recovers from the thumb injury he suffered Friday in practice. A timetable for his return has not been provided, but it looks as though McNeal will miss part or all of the Big East tournament this week in New York.
Marquette knocked off Pittsburgh 75-71 without McNeal Saturday night at the Bradley Center, but the Golden Eagles were forced to adjust their plan of attack in his absence.
The team created five steals all night. McNeal usually comes close to matching that number on his own in a given game.
But that was the obvious statistic to analyze without McNeal in the game. More alarming than the dearth of steals were the number of blocks Pittsburgh had on Marquette. The Panthers had eight on the night.
This could just be a matter of Pittsburgh having talented, defensive-minded big men guard the post. Aaron Gray had five of those blocks alone.
Or it could be that the Golden Eagles were left with no one who could force his way into the paint, no one who could drive up, over and/or around anyone in his way.
That guy is McNeal. That guy also happened to be sitting on the bench in street clothes Saturday night.
While attitude doesn't necessarily win a team any games, it certainly points a team in the right direction. How many times on defense has McNeal made opposing team's passing lanes suddenly vanish? How many times have those resulting steals turned into fast-break points?
And how many times have you covered your eyes while he drove to the basket and thought to yourself, "No Jerel! Don't do it! You'll never make it!" only to hear the public address announcer say seconds later that McNeal had just scored? (OK, maybe that last one is just me.)
For the Golden Eagles and their fans, I suppose that old saying is true - you never know what you had until it's gone, or in this case, sidelined with an indefinite injury.
steve.yanda@marquette.edu
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