This "I" Word, Not That One

Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley on Kelvin Sampson's 17-1 team: "Houston just tries to beat you into submission. And make you want to quit or be somewhere else. The intensity that they play with is probably different than anything that I've played against this year." pic.twitter.com/GYRzGcDnY0

— Chris Baldwin (@ChrisYBaldwin) January 19, 2026

"Be easy to play with and hard to play against." - Anonymous

The "I" word is intensity. This appears over and over again in sports and life. 

• "The best teams play harder for longer." - Coach Dave Smart
• "Intensity, immediacy, and intelligence." - Coach Nick Saban
• "Throw her into a room full of wildcats and she comes out with a fur coat." 

"Play with force." Teams that are hard to play against apply constant pressure - pressure on the serve, aggressive attack, and force on the block. 

Play fully engaged, focused all the time. 

• Focused teams communicate. 
• They surrender momentum as easily as pulling teeth. "Stops make runs." 
• They anticipate, reading plays early, to execute better. 

Lagniappe. Excellent video on defensive positioning with lots of emphasis 

on why.