Scandal, Part 17 - Kalin Lucas on "Timeout"

by Pete Rossman on Dec 29, 2009 5:22 PM CST in Michigan State Spartans Basketball

Newton's Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. With Mike Leach possibly out for the Alamo Bowl, I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop, and here it comes:

MSU has two more captains, Draymond Green and Isaiah Dahlman, a decision Tom Izzo made a couple days ago. Meanwhile, junior captain Kalin Lucas is in timeout as of Tuesday afternoon.

As for what Lucas did to deserve this timeout, from Rexrode:

He made it clear that he is unhappy with the leadership displayed by Lucas, and that distractions are an issue with him. Izzo said this is not a suspension. This is not an academic issue. Izzo also made it clear he didn't ask Lucas not to practice. He told him.

I guess this is as good a time as any for this piece of drama to become public. The Spartans' last non-conference game comes tomorrow against Texas-Arlington, and while Lucas may sit for that game, I'd expect him to be back for Northwestern for Saturday though, assuming cooler heads prevail. I know one thing for sure - no way this happens with Travis Walton on the team. Whatever problem Lucas has, Walton either talks with Kalin/spends some time in a back alley and gets it straightened out.

The one piece of good news? Appparently these differences have happened before:

Can you think back to specific guys with whom you’ve been through this?
"Oh, yeah, Cleaves sat out of a practice. Marcus Taylor sat out of practices. Alan Anderson, I mean, yeah, it’s happened with other guys.

Anyway, if you want more information, click on the link before the first block quote, it's all good stuff. As for now, I'll hope that Lucas can get his problems settled, and if not, Korie Lucious should be adequate for tomorrow. Let's just hope this all blows over quickly.

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What did these guys do?

I havent heard anything?

by BennieBladesFan on Dec 29, 2009 5:33 PM CST reply actions

Story edited to include reason

But it doesn’t sound as if it’s anything serious. I’m guessing Lucas misses the Texas-Arlington game and that’s it for the punishment.

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by Pete Rossman on Dec 29, 2009 5:39 PM CST up reply actions

Glad to hear there's a precedent for this kind of thing

Since I couldn’t think of one.

Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!

by KJ@theonlycolors on Dec 29, 2009 9:51 PM CST reply actions

Unless it involves Kalin wearing a ski mask...

I’m not getting that concerned. Izzo knows what he’s doing.

It’s up to Lucas now. Want to be a star? Time to punch in.

by rook34 on Dec 29, 2009 10:04 PM CST reply actions

Izzo being proactive

rather than reactive….this is a good thing, and we all know this

by JohnnyB.Spartans on Dec 29, 2009 10:44 PM CST reply actions

I don't normally claim to have called it

but I guess I did:

So much of this is probably invisible to fans but I’d be curious to hear Izzo’s unvarnished opinions of Lucas and Morgan’s captainship this year. I don’t think of Raymar as the rock solid "get your team through difficult moments" type and I don’t see Lucas being incredibly communicative on the court. Is he great with the ball in pressure situations? Sure. A vocal leader and floor general to get you to that situation? I’m not as sold. But again, this could be a perception issue.

After attending a game and watching Texas, I was really suspicious of what I saw out of Lucas leadership-wise and wondered what Izzo thought. I guess we all know now.

by intrpdtrvlr on Dec 30, 2009 11:15 AM CST reply actions

I should probably just leave it at "In Izzo We Trust"

But leadership doesn’t help players know what to do with the ball against defensive pressure, which IMO has been the #1 problem for team to date.

Good prediction on what Izzo might have been thinking, though.

And, ultimately: In Izzo we Trust.

Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!

by KJ@theonlycolors on Dec 30, 2009 11:44 AM CST up reply actions

The ingredients of leadership

My feeling has been that this team has underperformed in large measure because of an absence of leadership. I have noticed and commented on the lack of cohesiveness this year. I have felt that to be a Final Four team, Morgan and Lucas will have to demonstate much greater leadership to lift this team to its potential. Too me, leaders not only want to make a play when its needed, but finish the job most of the time, are good decision makers, get teammates involved, motivate others, and practice and play hard. You can feel and see the will to win eminating from them.

In naming Green a captain, I think Izzo is sending a loud message – this is how leaders play- passionately, intelligently, unselfishly. He is also rewarding the selflessness that Dahlman brings to the team – a guy that gets along with everyone provides a cohesiveness, a guy that would rather be a practice player for the Spartans than a starter on a lesser team, a player that cheers his teammateson rather than sulk on the bench is a player wih a special makeup. This is the kind of player Izzo admires, and he is letting his players know that in bold terms.

My gut tells me that Izzo’s actions will make this team better; that this will light a fire under some players that sorely need a spark.

by donaldo on Dec 30, 2009 3:34 PM CST up reply actions