The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/465847
MICHIGAN BASKETBALL Sitting Down With Men's Basketball Assistant Coach Bacari Alexander Michigan assistant coach Ba- cari Alexander always comes across as upbeat, even when the Wolverines' results aren't as desired. In sitting down with The Wolverine, the boss of Michigan's big men explained why. The Wolverine: Are the pres- ent struggles on the court for this team wearing on its psyche, or just part of the process? Alexander: "It's part of the growth process. I would sus- pect that, based on the kids we've recruited, that have the background and mettle they've come from, it makes them hun- grier, versus wearing down. "It's one of those things where, as the old farmers would say, 'The crap you go through is fer- tilizer for the future.'" The Wolverine: Your Twitter feed is incessantly upbeat and motivational. Is that where you have to be with this team right now? Alexander: "It's where you have to be in general. When you're a winner, one of the things you understand as a byproduct of winning is optimism and en- thusiasm. "But even more important than those things is possibility thinking, versus probability thinking. As we get closer to Selection Sunday, a lot of people will naturally shift to the probability of what could happen. When you're a winner, Alexander said, "When you're a winner, one of the things you understand as a byproduct of win- ning is optimism and enthusiasm." PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN