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Minnesota Basketball: Coach Pitino Has Another Blog Entry

Coach Pitino stays true to form and touches on a variety of topics.

By GoAUpher
Gopher Athletics

Basketball fans feeling left out amongst all the football, epilepsy, and hockey coverage? Don't fret, Coach Pitino delivered another big blog post this afternoon. Here are some of the highlights:

The team is finally embracing Pitino's "junk defense."

The second practice of the week was the most competitive. It was the first time I saw our team take pride in the press. It was our players first look at our 2-2-1 and 2-3 zone. Or as my assistant and loyal Big Ten traditionalist Ben Johnson calls it "junk defense.

The team's culture and attitude is changing (in a good way).

One of the keys to building a culture is getting to a point where our players hold each other accountable on their own. Every good team I have been a part of has had that element. Tuesday was the first time I saw our guys do that. That is always very encouraging to see.

Next weekend's open scrimmage is a great chance to share the team with the fans.

This will be a good opportunity for us to see how our student-athletes perform in front of fans. It is important for us to open our doors and give our loyal fans a look at the progress of our program.

Coach Pitino is using a "one day" plan.

Many people have asked me my expectations for the year. It's very difficult for to speculate on wins and losses. I hope that on Nov. 8, when we play Lehigh, our coaching staff and fans will see a group of guys that leave everything out on the court.  We won't have a "two, three, or four year plan."  We will focus on a one-day plan. There is no point in dwelling on the past or concerning ourselves with the future. The goal will be to get the most out of each other every day.

Former Gophers are still taking advantage of the U's educational opportunities.

Congratulations to Willie Burton, Al Nolen and Randy Carter!  All three received their degrees from the University of Minnesota over the summer.

There's even more, so don't hesitate to click on over and read the rest. Much like with the Brick by Brick series, Coach Pitino's blog is a great recurring item that I look forward to and I hope he is able to keep it up even as the season begins.

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