Confidence

This roster is to the point that it ought to be confident. We have as much talent as we have had in a decade, senior leadership, experience: the pieces are there.

There are two kinds of confidence. There is that "no fear" swagger that is not afraid to take the big shot, i.e., is not afraid to fail. Then there is that quiet confidence that says, "I know I can do this, because I have done it before." We have all been impressed with Josh Hagins' willingness to take the big shot. He is not afraid to fail - but he has failed notably in some situations. That is confidence of the first sort; it is good as far as it goes, but I am not talking about confidence that is not afraid to make the attempt, but the confidence that knows (within reason) that it will succeed.

We are down five points with two minutes left, but we are confident, because we know what we have to do, and we know we can do it because we have done it before. I have a two-shot foul with one second on the clock and down by a point, but I step to the line with confidence because I have done it before. Those are the kind of confidence I mean. "It is not a problem; we can do it."