The Spartan Nation Basketball Weekly

Is Good Really the Enemy of Great? Complacency is a part of human nature. The world’s few great civilizations, rock bands, comedians, sports teams, etc.,

Is Good Really the Enemy of Great?

The Spartans are lining up for what could be a big run to end the season. Photo courtesy of Mark Boomgaard

Complacency is a part of human nature. The world’s few great civilizations, rock bands, comedians, sports teams, etc., have each fought through complacency to stay on top. Whether it’s a championship hockey team struggling through an early season hang over, or the biggest band in the world taking 20,000 hours in a studio to finish a new album, the battle against complacency is a residue of great success.

Bono once summed up U2’s album making process as an internal struggle for their creative survival. “Good is the enemy of great,” he said when talking about the challenge of remaining relevant and performing at their peak. That’s ironic to hear from the leader of a band that’s produced so many epic anathematic hits to go alongside more than a handful of complete clunkers. Yet it’s hard to argue with the approach.

Many College Basketball teams have struggled after a great year to consistently “get up” for games on the schedule before the calendar reads “March.” Examples of teams mulling through complacency, while void of urgency, are more prevalent throughout college sports than in the pros, for the obvious reason of youth. But the stakes can be just as high.

The year after the 2000 Title run, Tom Izzo knew the Spartans’ success wouldn’t get them any automatic wins. If anything, he told reporters at the pre-season media day, it would get them a couple losses. Coming into the heart of the 2010 season, Izzo still feels the same. “I try to talk about, “what you did last year can help you if you use it right, but it can hurt you if you don’t.”

A season following an incredible tournament run isn’t all about the talent that is coming back. One need only look back to the 2006 Spartan team as an example. What it’s more about, according to the Dean of Big Ten Coaches, is the makeup of what is coming back and how it comes together. “It really comes down to who you lose more in the chemistry and leadership areas.”

Spartan Basketball has been fortunate to confront the mental hurdle of complacency more than a few times throughout the Izzo era. And this season presents perhaps the biggest challenge since the 2001 season. To their credit, the 2010 Spartans have handled the challenge fairly well so far at 14-3, 4-0 in conference. But Coach Izzo knows it continues to be a battle, night in and night out.

“For me it’s been the biggest challenge (creating urgency and fighting off complacency) of all, and one I don’t think we’ve handled properly yet,” Izzo explained to Spartan Nation. “Sometimes I don’t see it (urgency) as much, and some of it is kinda normal, but it is something I fight a lot.” To truly reach the truly elite program level in college basketball, say by being dominant for a full generation (about 25 years), Izzo knows the Spartans will have to continually climb over this mental hurdle.

“Since Christmas we’re making a little bit more progress than we were earlier, but it’s not easy to come off the electrifying Final Four, and even the early high ranking this year,” Izzo admitted. Yet, Izzo has tried to address his team about distractions all year, the role they play in a team’s mindset, and the impact they have on their performance. “You’ve got guys with NBA aspirations, you’ve got guys that have gotten the pat on the back all summer... it’s just something that coaches have to deal with.”

At 14-3, the Spartans’ record suggests they are handling their situation better as the season grinds through the Big Ten. And as we’ve said many times before, you are what your record is. MSU’s is now pretty darn good. “We’re playing probably better than I give us credit, and probably harder,” Izzo pointed out. “Statistics wise…we’ve been phenomenal.”

Attacking complacency to play with a regular sense of urgency is not an easy equation for a team to solve. “It takes great leadership to curb that, and I think that’s something were still working towards,” Izzo said. And if fighting through complacency off the epic ’09 run isn’t enough, the Spartans can count on getting each opponents very best shot whenever they step on the court.

“I’ve talked to my team about, “you know, now you’ll get the bull’s eye on your back and you’ll be more hunted,” the Iron Mountain native explained. “You have to be even that much better…when you go on the road, or at home,” he added. “When you’re rated so high…everyone is going to bring their “A” game.”

Though MSU has handled success well in the past, Izzo admits that right now the Spartans are probably not as intimidating as they once were. “People had a mystique of whether they can beat you…but unfortunately we’re not in that spot now.” Though the Spartans currently don’t have quite the intimidating mystique of say North Carolina, this team isn’t that far off, and they know MSU Basketball can reach that level again. “We (had it) when we won 53 in a row at home,” Izzo remembered.

More often than not, the casual fan underestimates the importance of the mental game in College Basketball. People are typically lured into believing that the “Top Plays” and Sports Center highlights determine the winners and losers. However, the game at this level truly is much more mental that in appears on the surface. And one of its biggest mental challenges falls on the heels of the game’s greatest achievements.

“Fat and sassy,” or “complacency”…or whatever term you want to use, is common in every aspect of life,” Izzo reminded Spartan Nation. “Those that can fight through it usually have a chance to be successful time and time again.”