Denver Needs A Leader <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The awkward silence of the slumping Nuggets is disquieting. The only detectable noise inside the Denver locker room after another depressing loss can be heard from chairs squeaking with resignation and voices speaking in the hushed tones normally reserved for family secrets. </div> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> "This team is different. We've got some quiet guys. There are some older guys on this team who can talk. But does somebody stick out as far as being a leader? No, not really," Nuggets point guard Andre Miller told The Post.</div> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Bzdelik's job is in jeopardy. Not because players have stopped listening to him, but because no player has amplified the coach's message, especially when the going gets tough. Ending the misery tonight in Washington is more imperative for the Nuggets than Bzdelik would care to admit.</div> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">No bandages were necessary when the players came out of the room after 20 minutes. Although Miller took his best shot at a Tony Robbins impersonation, the Nuggets do not rolf or scream or stamp feet. They harbor a passion to win, but have trouble expressing it. "Throughout points of this season, we've needed a solid leader. But it has been kind of tough to establish one. This is a new team and everybody is still getting a feel for each other," reserve Rodney White said. </div> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">At age 19, rookie sensation Carmelo Anthony is too young to order a martini, let alone tell Denver teammates where to get off. Although a point guard in his fifth pro season, Miller is still learning on the fly, trying to figure out how to push teammates to the playoffs for the first time. Center Marcus Camby once went to the NBA Finals with the New York Knicks, not that he would feel comfortable dimming the lights and showing teammates slides of his trip. English is a second language to Nene, while guard Voshon Lenard never uses words when a nod or glare will suffice. </div>
Yeah, I guess the real knock on this team is the lack of leadership. Noone really speaks out in the game or in the locker room. Someone's gotta step up and be a leader, it's simply to start to be initiative in everything, especially communication. It's really nice to have at least someone in a quiet group who will just talk to actually gel them together. Doesn't matter what the topics are, he can talk junk but as long as he initiates and be vocal it's really good enough. Without good communication, sooner or later guys would only feel they come to work not to play, and for a young team, this feeling may not suit them best. For the last time: someone's gotta sense the danger and step up as this team's vocal leader already.
