The seniors see themselves playing the final scenes of a dramatic final act. The rookies barely know the play has begun. Seniors want their younger teammates to see the world through senior eyes. But they know it won't happen. Seniors remember their own youth.
Rookies think every game can be won.
Seniors know that every game can be lost. Seniors also usually know what it takes to win. Seniors know that staying focused is usually more important than raw talent. And they know that individual statistics are about as meaningful as last week's spit. The seniors remember their freshmen teammates and notice how few made it to this, their fourth year of play.