A culture of coddling

Texas Tech coach Pat Knight wonders if "today's generation might be a little too coddled, reared on the culture of positive reinforcement."

Which is what prompted him to ask this question during the Big 12 coaches conference call this week:

“When are we going to get someone to step up and be an extension of the coaches?” Knight asked. "There is only so much we can do, and they get tired of hearing us. Naturally, they start tuning the same voice out, and that’s why you need that extension in the locker room, and that’s all I’m trying to get.”

Finding an identity

Last week, following a 38-point season-opening loss to the Lakers, the Clippers held a team meeting in which 10-year veteran Baron Davis (at left) "expressed his anger in no uncertain terms."

According to Davis' teammate Al Thornton:

"We had talked and talked about what kind of identity we have. What kind of direction we want to go. What kind of purpose? What's our purpose? Who do we want to be as a team? It got a little loud. At the end of the day, we all have the same goal. We want to win. It can't be tolerated. [Baron is] a rowdy little fella. When he gets [mad], he's pretty fierce."