DO YOU HAVE IT?

It is leased by many, owned by none, and understood by few.  It is nearly invisible at its strongest, but obvious to all when absent.  Everybody has a little, but few have enough.  It is developed rather than learned.  It is not a physical skill, but rather is a state of mind.  

What is it?  Poise.

Poise is an emotional peace which is seemingly inconsistent with the challenge at hand.

Poise provides us with the ability to remain focused on our objective rather than aimlessly gazing at distractions.  As our temptation to become distracted intensifies, our needed amount of poise increases.  It is impossible to have too much poise.

Poise lessens the impact of pressure.  Poise is the buffer which prevents pressure from damaging our performance.  There is little, if any, correlation between talent and poise.  We all can develop poise if it is perceived as important and worthwhile to do so.

Poise provides us with the opportunity to do our best.  Without poise, distractions will serve to detract from our performance.  You and your teammates must develop poise in order to make any sincere effort toward achieving meaningful objectives.  Anything other than our best is not acceptable.  Poise is a necessary component to any pursuit within a competitive environment.

(Thanks Coaching Toolbox)

DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE?

One of the main keys to success is to know and understand your strengths and weaknesses, and to play within the framework of what you do well.  Came across a short article by Kevin Eastman that echoes this thought.

Whatever you are, that’s how your team has to play night in and night out in order to win games.  Every team has an identity that has been established based on that group of players that year.  If you have an established program, you may be fortunate to be that team every year.

With the Celtics, we are a defensive team.  Most of the time we’re a team that will win because of defense.  If our defense is what it should be and what we work on every day, then we will always be in the game regardless of how our offense is that night.  But we have found that if our defense is below our standards, we will often find ourselves in a game that’s tough for us to win.  Calling on our offense to bail us out is not something we want to rely on.

(Thanks Kevin Eastman)

THOUGHTS TO PONDER

"Competitive excellence requires 100% all of the time. Ever tracked the consequences of "almost but not quite?"
- Charles Swindoll

"Be Confident, not cocky. It's a thin line, but the origin and destination of the two are very different."

- Tony Gaskins

"Good competitors make mistakes. Bad competitors repeat them."

- Coach DeForest

"Appreciate the value of a worthy opponent! 'He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves & sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper.' - Burke

- Tony Robbins

ARE YOU A MASTER CHEF?

A good training program [or building a successful team] is a lot like a cooking a stew.  Everyone puts in the same basic ingredients, and adds their special herbs and spices.  The great chefs [coaches] get the proportions right, and stir and simmer until the stew reaches perfection. …

Amateurs chefs [weak or self-serving coaches] buy the same stuff at the supermarket, but they produce slop, not stew.  What’s the difference?  They toss the right ingredients into the pot, but they haven't yet mastered the proportions, spices, and cooking time…

(Thanks Rick Allison of Lone Star Basketball & Peak Performance's Amby Burfoot)

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

The Motivation of Wanting to Prove Someone Wrong
My stepfather often told me I wasn’t going to amount to anything but he wasn’t the only one.  Two of my UCLA teammates tried to discourage me.  After being selected to try out for the 1972 Olympic team, one teammate told me he felt sorry for me because I was going to get my butt kicked. 

One week before leaving for Virginia, where I was about to begin my rookie year as a professional, I was playing pick-up basketball in the old gym at UCLA.  I got in an argument with a player who had graduated two years before and was already an NBA star.  We exchanged words.  He threw down the trump card when he said, “I don’t care who the current center is on the Virginia Squires. You’ll never beat him out. And you’ll never lead that league in rebounding.”  That year, I was Rookie of the Year and the next year I led the ABA in rebounding.  I would like to say, “Thank You,” to both of my fellow Bruins.

Those players who end up being really successful, don't just play the game.  They are motivated.  Are you just playing... or do you have something to prove?

(Thanks Swen Nater)

HOW TO HANDLE A PROBLEM PLAYER

Before the draft, most agreed that DeMarcus Cousins was the most gifted player in the draft. The hang up? His head. Scouts and general managers all over wondered if he was simply immature or if he had the potential to be one of the league's newest head cases.

So far, it's looking like the latter.

Against the Warriors Tuesday night with the Kings (who are 5-21, mind you) holding a five-point lead with about 20 seconds left, Golden State's Reggie Williams missed a free throw. Cousins walked off his low block position, put his hand to his throat and made a pretty clear choking gesture directed at Williams. What happened next is what made this kind of a big deal. The Kings ended up the chokers, blowing the lead capped by a Vladamir Radmanovic 3-pointer to send the game to overtime where naturally, Sacramento lost.

Long story-short... Kings coach Paul Westphal said Cousins has been fined and benched until he grows up and acts more "professional." "It’s unprofessional, childish, embarrassing and it won’t be tolerated," Westphal told reporters.

Cousins, on the gesture: "It was immature. I was caught up in the game and let my emotions get the best of me and shouldn’t have done it. But if I would have did it and we won it probably wouldn’t have had the same consequences afterward."

Cousins obviously has some stuff to learn. He's been criticized a bit this season already for being lazy and has been kicked out of a few practices for different issues.

(Thanks Royce Young, CBS Sports)

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Some say Westphal is overreacting with his punishment (benching & fine). But having had one of these "problem players" in the past, I know all too well the distractions and negative chemistry a player like that can bring to a team, and I applaud Westphal for trying to nip this one in the bud immediately... which is what I wish I would have done as well.

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HOW WELL DO YOUR PLAYERS LISTEN?

"Down 17 fairly late in game. Called timeout and said that Kenyon Martin had to touch the ball on every possession. If anyone shoots before Kenyon touches it, he won’t play again. Started rallying, getting stops, scoring. Cut the lead way down. Trimmed the lead to just 2 points. Get a steal with time running out and pass it down the court to Dermar Johnson. Johnson stops at the free throw line and holds the ball. Everyone is screaming for him to lay it up. Then Huggins realizes that Johnson must think that they are ahead. Finally, he goes ahead and makes the layup to tie the game and send it to overtime. They go ahead and win in OT. As Huggins and Johnson walk down the tunnel to do media, Huggins asks Johnson why he waited so long before he shot the layup. Johnson said, “I couldn’t remember if Kenyon had touched the ball yet, and I want to play!!”

(Thanks Coaching Clinic)

A MESSY GYM IS A SIGN OF A MESSY COACH

After a UCLA practice, we turned our basketball shoes into the equipment manager so they could place them on a rack to dry. In exchange for the shoes, each of us received a small plastic bottle of orange juice. Coach Wooden believed in a little Vitamin C after a workout. Then we headed to training table which was a five-minute walk to a room next to the cafeteria.

On one occasion, I was following Coach. Just ahead of him was an empty orange juice bottle lying on the ground next to a trash can. One of the players had been a little careless. Coach picked it up and put it into the receptacle.

At training table, Coach addressed the team. “Now all of you know that I’m sixty years old. My back isn’t what it used to be. On the way down here, one of you players - obviously not a good shooter - missed the trash can with an orange juice bottle. I want to save my back so, if I find one more like that, we’re not going to have orange juice the rest of the season.”

I loved that O.J. so, from that moment on, I made it a point to leave for training table before Coach did and look for orange juice containers that didn’t make it in the receptacle. I didn’t find any bottles, but I did find myself picking up a piece of trash or two and putting them in their proper place.

(Thanks Swen Nater, UCLA)

WHAT ARE YOU FOCUSED ON?

I get a variety of newsletters and emails from various coaches and programs each week, and the one I look forward to the most is from Dr. Kevin Elko.  Dr. Elko is one of the most requested motivational and success speakers in the country and has worked with numerous sports programs including the Miami Dolphins and the Alabama and Florida State football programs.


His latest newsletter does a great job of pointing out the importance of focusing on the spiritual side of sports, not just the physical.


The book of Exodus has the story of Moses going to the warrior Joshua to tell him to fight the Amalekites with the sword in the valley while he goes up on the mountain to raise his hands to the sky.  As the fight is being carried out, Joshua is winning by the sword until Moses tires and drops his hands.  Then Aaron and Hur hurry up the mountain to help Moses raise his hands.  Joshua eventually wins by the sword.  With this story one can see that to win, there are two fronts: the physical, or the fighting with the sword; and spiritual, or the raising of the hands.  Without both you will not win.


I have been around a lot of college and pro football teams that will tell you, when the players do not trust the coach, or the coach does not trust the players, it does not matter how hard the team practices or plays, they will get beat.  That lack of trust poisons the team and ends up pulling down the raised hands toward the heavens.

You can work hard and do all the right things, but if your focus, motivation and spirit are not right, you’re just going through the motions.  You are cheating yourself and your team.

There is more to winning than what you see: believing good things will happen, believing in people around you, although not perfect, and seeing good and knowing that there is a plan that will work.  This raising of the hands matters every bit as much as the physical part.

(Thanks Dr. Kevin Elko)

WHY IS IT THAT....

Watched a great high school tourney game last night and noticed a handful of teaching moments...

Why is it that most inbounding teams, especially if being pressed, will waste a lot of energy (and show their hand) jockeying for position back and forth with their opponent...BEFORE the ref ever hands the ball to the inbounder?

Why is it that players always try and save the ball as it's going out of bounds... under their OPPONENT'S basket?

Why is it that players want to dribble out of a trap situation (double or triple team) instead of passing out of the trap where their team will have an obvious numbers advantage?

Why is it that so few players truly understand the proper use of speed?  Playing at one speed makes you easy to guard.

Why is it that when a defender turns their head (eyes) away from their man, their man doesn't take advantage of that and move to get open, but instead just stands there?

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DEFINE "BAD SHOOTER"

A "Bad Shooter" is a player who takes ill-advised shots at ill-advised times... shots that are usually off-balance, rushed or out of range. Bad shots usually turn into defensive rebounds.

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DOING THE "LITTLE THINGS" TO HELP YOUR TEAM WIN

I have ALWAYS been a huge fan of Manu Ginobili because of the little things he does to help his team win and a great example was at the end of last night's game against the Nuggets.

WHAT NOT TO DO IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE CALL

In a game between Florida high school teams Arcadia DeSoto and Port Charlotte, DeSoto's Mason Holland shoved a Port Charlotte player, and then, after a technical foul was called on him, went ballistic and threw the referee to the floor.  Holland was kicked off the team the following day.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

I thought that I had seen it all until I watched this earlier this morning...



This 6-foot-3 freak of nature from Arkansas is only 11 and he's already making it thunderclap middle school gymnasium rims. His name is Adrian Moore and he's already considered the top college prospect for the class of 2016. As if we need to remind you, that's nearly half a decade away.   

REDUCING ACL INJURIES

A new study from UC Davis shows that changes in training can reduce shear forces on knee joints and could help cut the risk of developing ACL tears.

"We focused on an easy intervention, and we were amazed that we could reduce shear load in 100 percent of the volunteers," said David Hawkins, professor of neurobiology, physiology and behavior at UC Davis. Hawkins conducted the study at the UC Davis Human Performance Laboratory with graduate student Casey Myers.

Hawkins and Myers worked with 14 female basketball players from UC Davis and local high schools. They fitted them with instruments and used digital cameras to measure their movements and muscle activity, and calculated the forces acting on their knee joints as they practiced a jump-stop movement, similar to a basketball drill.

First, they recorded the athletes making their normal movement. Then they instructed them in a modified technique: Jumping higher to land more steeply; landing on their toes; and bending their knees more deeply before taking off again.

After learning the new technique, all 14 volunteers were able to reduce the force passed up to the knee joint through the leg bone (the tibial shear force) by an average of 56 percent. At the same time, the athletes in the study actually jumped an inch higher than before, without losing speed.

Hawkins recommends warm-ups that exercise the knee and focusing on landing on the toes and balls of the feet. The study does not definitively prove that these techniques will reduce ACL injuries, Hawkins said: that would require a full clinical trial and follow-up. But the anecdotal evidence suggests that high tibial shear forces are associated with blown knees.

(Thanks Dan Peterson, University of California Davis – Health System)

DON'T HIDE FROM THE BALL

AVAILABILITY:  One of the chief assets of a good player is the ability to play the game constantly available to the ball.  A player who is constantly available defuses a lot of potentially troublesome situations, and prevents a lot of teammates' turnovers.

Good players ask themselves constantly, "Can the ball be thrown to me now WITH NO PROBLEM?"  Many players have a tendency to "hide" or not come hard to the ball, thereby making passes to them difficult to throw.  Or players have a tendency to wait until a teammate is double-teamed and in real trouble before it ever occurs to them to try to help out by running for the ball.  A good player will sense the trouble BEFORE it happens.

Good players always expect to facilitate things by being available for a pass-- an easy pass, not a great, needle-threading pass.

Don't wait for the ball to come to you.  Always be in a position where the ball can be thrown to you easily.  Never stand forty feet from the ball and watch the action.  Even when you are cleared out on the weakside, you should still be just a step or two away from the lane, about to break in anytime an opening or opportunity presents itself.

(Thanks Rick Allison, excerpt from Dick DeVenzio’s book “STUFF Good Players Should Know”)

RELAX... IT'S ONLY TEMPORARY

One thing in basketball (and in life) that we can always count on is that there will occasionally be difficult periods we have to go through.  Whether it’s a shooting slump, a game with an unusually high amount of turnovers, or maybe it’s reduced playing time, etc.  These things happen during a season and we should not only expect it, but we should also be mentally prepared for it when it happens.

Rather than getting frustrated with the situation and allowing it to turn into negative energy… we need to realize two things…

First, the difficulty you are experiencing is probably temporary and very correctable.  Don’t allow temporary circumstances to impact your teammates in a negative way through your attitude.  It’s not uncommon to watch a player struggling with their shot to show signs of frustration and mentally take themselves out of the game (which hurts their team).  The most common way they do so is by allowing that frustration to get them into foul trouble.  Instead, players should focus their energy on helping in other ways.  Better defensive effort, setting screens, winning the hustle plays, etc.

Second, you must try and be mentally tough until you navigate a way out of the difficult period.  Don’t over-analyze every single little detail until you’re not really sure what the problem is.  Instead, tell your coach what you are struggling with and ask for some advice… and be willing to following the advice.

(Thanks Dick DeVenzio)

POST: THE DROP STEP

ARE YOU SCARED OF THE OPEN ROAD?

I was driving on a very dangerous two-lane highway in India. More than eight hours of death-defying horror... Our driver aggressively tailgated whatever car, truck or horse was in front of us, and then passed as soon as he was able (and sometimes when he wasn't). What amazed me, though, was what he did during those rare times when there wasn't a car in front of us, just open road.


He didn't speed up. In fact, it seemed as though he slowed down.  He was comfortable with the competitive nature of passing (I may not be fast, but I'm faster than you), and he was petrified of the open road and the act of choosing his own speed.


Are you doing the same things with your playing or coaching career? Most of us need competition to tell us how fast to go.

(Thanks Seth Godin)

FRIDAY QUOTES

"The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it."
- W.M. Lewis

“What actually matters most is getting started. You cannot achieve what you don't start.”
- Mark Fritz

“Don't stand there deciding and then shoot..Anytime you have stood there deciding, decide not to shoot.”
- Rick Allison

"Make sure your players understand the importance of shot selection. There is a BIG difference between a "missed" shot and a "bad" shot."
- Ty Farris

"Greatness is not born... it's grown”
- Daniel Coyle

“1 bad shot= 1 bad shot 2 bad shots = bad shooter 3 bad shots = bad coach”
- Coach Meyer

"Strength is the knowledge of your weaknesses."
- Tony Gaskins

“You should know the time AND THE SCORE at all times. Look up every time the clock stops and make sure it sinks in.”
- Rick Allison (via Dick Devenzio)

“All teams talk about "what it takes to win"; make sure they know "what it takes to lose" as well; know what gets you beat with your team!”
- Kevin Eastman

KING JAMES OR SPOILED JAMES?

Came across an interesting story (link) on the hidden side of LeBron that few of us get to see.  
This story reinforces my belief that coaches, especially lower level coaches, should hold their star athletes accountable to the "team first" concept, regardless of how talented they may be.
When coaches care more about their win-loss record than developing young impressionable minds into athletes of character, the athlete loses.

(Thanks Rick Allison Lone Star Basketball)

WHEN TALENTED ATHLETES "HIT THE WALL"

Have been reading some great stuff from Daniel Coyle (The Talent Code) lately and came across this little nugget that explains why so many young “hot-shots” seem to hit a wall and never get any better.

“A nice case study is found in the story of Debbie Phelps and her three kids – Michael (yes, that Michael Phelps) and his older sisters, Whitney and Hilary.

Growing up in suburban Baltimore, Whitney and Hilary were prodigial swimmers. Whitney was a national champion at 14. According to one of their coaches, Whitney and Hilary possessed more talent than Michael ever had. Debbie was the very image of an involved sports mom – celebrating each of Whitney and Hilary’s successes with great enthusiasm.

Then, as happens with so many, Whitney and Hilary hit the Prodigy Wall. They got really good, but couldn’t get any better. They couldn’t crack through.

Michael comes along. He’s really good — nearly as talented as his sisters. And when Michael was 15, he set a new American record at an out-of-town meet. As Michael traveled back to Baltimore, Mother Debbie did the instinctive thing – she festooned the house with balloons, streamers, and yard signs commemorating his remarkable feat.

But then something unusual happened. A few hours before Michael arrived, Michael’s coach, Bob Bowman, came to the house and removed all the streamers. He popped the balloons. He pulled down the signs. And he threw it all into the trash.

When Debbie Phelps saw what Bowman had done, she was understandably upset – why was he doing this? Didn’t he understand that this was a big moment, a time to celebrate?

Bowman let her protest. Then he told her, “This is a journey of a thousand steps. If we celebrate now, like this, that leaves us nowhere to go.”

(Thanks Daniel Coyle, The Talent Code)

BAD HABIT #1: IGNORE YOUR MISTAKES

Many top performers are obsessive about critically reviewing their performances – either on videotape or with a coach or teacher.
A good example of this is Bill Robertie, who’s a world-class poker player, world champ in backgammon, and a grand master in chess. Robertie reviews every game obsessively—even the ones he wins—searching for tiny mistakes, critiquing his decisions, breaking it down. The same is true of many top athletes, musicians, comedians, etc.

In the book The Mundanity of Excellence (by Daniel Chambliss), Chambliss makes a powerful case that top performers aren’t great because of any overarching superiority, but rather because they do a lot of ordinary things very well. They pay attention to detail. They make each repetition count. They seek small, incremental improvements one at a time, every single day. And these little habits, over time, add up to great performance.

(Thanks Daniel Coyle, Author of The Talent Code)

IT ONLY WORKS IF YOU USE IT

Players rarely use a weapon that works just about every time in a game... the fake.  Thought I'd drop this short video clip on Kobe's signature fake.

SUBSTANCE OVER STYLE

"I've said it pretty often over the years: As far as head coaches go, I have the easiest job in the league, because of [Duncan]," Popovich said.  "I mentioned how coachable he is and how he accepts what we do.  His ability to welcome other people into the program, to keep the standard where it's at, to set the example, and to do it, basically in an unobtrusive way."  

Duncan has helped Popovich win 751 games and four championships.  The reason their partnership has worked so well is because Popovich can coach Duncan... in other words, Duncam allows himself to be coached.

(Thanks J.A. Adande, ESPN.com)

THE RIGHT WAY TO WARM UP

Our young athletes really don't know how to warm-up.  Physically and mentally speaking... Your goal during warm-ups is to generate a sweat and really start to "lock-in" mentally to the game.  Instead of jogging around, joking with your teammates, looking in the stands and dancing to the music on the loud speakers you should be going "game speed" and mimicking plays that will actually happen in the game.
This takes self-discipline!
The results are amazing, preparing the right way before a game makes you ready to go even before tip-off.  Get your self going early, get a sweat going and start to visualize the game.  You can eliminate slow starts and create a competitive advantage.
If you do this simple thing, you will be 1-step ahead than 95% of the high school basketball players in America.  We all look for competitive advantages, I am giving you one here.

(Thanks iAthletes)

PLAY SMARTER - NOT HARDER! PT. 1

Attended a game yesterday where I watched a pretty good defender put a lot of pressure on the ball up high, so much so that the ball handler usually picked up her dribble and panicked... and then threw the ball to a wide open teammate left unguarded.

All of the effort and energy the defender put on the ball handler attempting to create a turnover was wasted because her teammates didn't anticipate what would happen next.  When the ball handler picks up her dribble... the obvious thing she is looking to do is to pass to one of her teammates.  Yet, time and time again the defense stood and watched, rather than ANTICIPATE what was about to happen and take action to prevent it.

Play smarter - Not harder!

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PLAY SMARTER - NOT HARDER! PT. 2

In the same game yesterday, I watched a player attempt to drive baseline on two occasions. Both times resulted in a turnover. On the first drive, the player recognized she was about to be trapped and threw up a garbage shot that bounced off the bottom of the backboard and into the hands of the defense.   The second attempt resulted in a trap and a jump ball.  When players make mistakes like these (and yes they ARE mistakes), it makes them look like they do not know know to play the game.

Players need to recognize that driving the baseline against a decent defensive team often results in a trap, turnover or a missed shot.  Good coaches constantly preach to avoid the baseline unless you have an open lane.

Play smarter - not harder!

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CHAMPIONS BECOME CHAMPIONS BEFORE THE BIG GAME

I'm not a big NFL fan.  As a matter of fact I haven't watched a full NFL game other than the Super Bowl in the past three or four seasons.  But what I am a big fan of are coaches and players that take their game seriously.  That earnestly seek to be the best they are capable of being.

If you are one of these types of players (or coaches) then you'll understand what Colin is trying point out in this video clip. If you don't quite get it... you're just a player.

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SHOWING SOME CLASS AFTER A BIG WIN

 The way the Patriots totally dismantled the Jets last night was quite impressive, but even more impressive was Brady's interview after the game.  He showed a lot of class.

MAKE THEM UNCOMFORTABLE

Your goal on defense should not be to steal the ball, but to force the ball handler into committing a turnover.  Most ball handlers begin to feel uncomfortable when a defender forces them to play at a pace (and pressure) they have not really practiced for.  They tend to throw hurried and rushed passes... which in-turn leads to a steal.

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NICK SABAN ON DISCIPLINE

"Discipline is getting players to do what they are supposed to do, when they’re supposed to do it, and the way it is supposed to be done. Discipline is not punishment. Discipline is changing a player's behavior to get him to do what you need him to do."

- Nick Saban

THE SAME 24 - MAKE THE MOST OF IT

Whether you are a coach or a player wanting to get to the next level, here is something you should think about.


Each person on Earth has the exact same 24 hours in a day that you have. That’s right, neither Kobe nor Coach K had an extra few hours each day that helped them get to the top. They only have 24… just like you do. But they are also committed to making the most of that time.


What’s the easiest way to add some extra time to your day? Why not wake up one hour earlier each day and use that time for reading or studying your school work. That would free up an extra hour after school to work on your game.


Just one hour per day… means you will gain 260 “extra” hours to practice your skills (1.5 months annually).

(Thanks Coach Bru)

WANT TO IMPROVE DECISION MAKING?

Decision-making in sports is the ability to choose the right action at the right moment. Skill is the ability to choose the right action at the right moment and perform the action efficiently and skillfully. Therefore, the first, and easiest, way for players to improve their decision-making skills is to improve their technical skills.


When you watch Steve Nash handle the ball, defensive pressure does not affect him; he ignores the defensive pressure and maintains his vision on the court. Therefore, to improve court vision, the first step is to improve the player’s confidence handling the ball under pressure.


Although it may make for sloppy practices, practices should be game-like. I prefer situations which cause lots of mistakes in practice and provide plenty of learning experiences so players are prepared for different situations - good and bad, planned and unplanned - in the game when performance counts.


If a coach wants his players to develop into better decision makers, technical skill development is the easiest first step. The harder step is to allow players to make mistakes by making their own decisions. Messy practices are not a sign of failure by the coach, but a sign of players’ learning. Learning takes time because it requires experience. The short cuts simply undermine the learning and long-term development even though the short cuts often lead to better short-term performance.

(Thanks Brian McCormick)

DON'T CONFUSE THE TWO

As a player, don't confuse "coaching" for criticism.  If your coach sees potential in you, he will try and show you how to reach that potential.  If your coach ignores you... it's probably because you haven't listened to any of his coaching so far, therefore, whatever is said will probably fall on deaf ears.

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R.I.P. COACH

We often get caught up in the hustle & bustle of each day, trying to squeeze in everything little thing we feel we must get done, without giving a lot of thought to what is actually important.

Lost a friend and fellow coach George Hamilton yesterday to a massive stroke he suffered earlier earlier in the week.  George was only 44 years old.  He spent his life helping kids through basketball.  In addition to being a high school hoops coach, he was a Youth Minister, a teacher at a local elementary school and an immediate friend to all that met him.

It was a poignant reminder to make the most of every moment we have... because our lives can change with every breath we take.

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WHAT IS 4:13?

Our team verse (and the way I end many of my blog entries) is 4:13.  I was asked yesterday "what does 4:13 mean?"  I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.
- Philippians 4:13

FRIDAY'S QUOTES (ON SATURDAY) ;)

“ACT: Accept the present state, Create your desired state, Take action to get there.”

- Chris Oliver

“Establishing & utilizing the sixth person role in many ways is much more important coach's decision than determining starters.”

- HoopTactics

“Pick a starting 5 that is super talented (obviously)... but also pick one that gives you the best chance to win!”

- Alan Stein

“Little things make the difference. Everyone is well-prepared for the big things, but only winners perfect the little things."

- Bear Bryant

“Mismatches don't hurt you near as much as open shots do.”

- Coach DeForest

“Don't base your game on “hope” but instead, spend time on meaningful skill development and game-like preparation. Players will end up playing like they practice.”

- Coach Farris

“Coaches are responsible for maintaining a healthy chemistry on the team, that means ego management through attitude adjustment.”

- Coach Farris

“Use memorable acronyms for teaching players important concepts... S.O.F.O. = Spin Off the First Obstacle (in traffic) -

P.O.O.P. = Pivot Out Of Pressure”

- Dick DeVenzio

"Do you wait for the game to start or do you prepare for the game to start?"

- Alan Stein

“Wannabe's talk the game. Stars walk their talk. Superstars let their walk do their talking. What do you do?”

- Dave Carpenter

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WHEN YOUR EGO HURTS YOUR TEAM

I’ve been blessed to have been able to coach a handful of great teams over the years and one of the main factors that led to our success was having a team of unselfish “team comes first” players.  Most seasons, our roster was filled with young and very average talent, yet we overcame tremendous odds and overachieved season after season because the players played for each other and didn’t focus on their own selfish desires (scoring, petty jealousy or wanting to be the “star”).

Most of the time, every player on a team easily recognizes a selfish player, and they talk to each other about how selfish that player is, but rarely do they confront the selfish player in question and help them see how their actions are hurting the success of the team.

Championship teams NEVER allow a selfish ego to get in the way of success.  There are plenty of teams in every sport that are loaded with talented players, but rarely make it deep into the playoffs because of the selfish play of just one or two players on the team.

Would you rather be recognized as a champion… or an all-star?  If your answer was “an all-star” you ARE one of those selfish players.

4:13

LISTEN TO ADVICE & THEN PAY THE PRICE

When 11-year-old Wayne Gretzky met NHL Hall of Famer Gordie Howe at a sports awards banquet in 1972, Howe gave him a piece of advice: Work on your backhand.  Fast-forward to Sunday, Oct. 15, 1989.  Gretzky takes the puck on that backhand and flips it into the net with 53 seconds left in the Kings' game with the Oilers at Edmonton's Northlands Coliseum.  In that instant the NHL career-scoring record of 1,850 points that Howe built over 26 seasons was surpassed.

Gretzky had tied the record with an assist early in the game, but as time ticked away in the third period, it had appeared that the mark would not be broken this night in this place, with its strong ties to Gretzky.  Then, suddenly, there was that Howe-recommended backhand, which Gretzky had practiced at home with a tennis ball only a zillion times or so.

Gretzky's momentous shot not only broke Howe's record but also tied the score 4-4.  He then won the game for the Kings in overtime with still another goal, and he did all this against his old teammates, in the city where he led the Oilers to four Stanley Cups before being traded to Los Angeles last year.  And he did it in 780 games to Howe's 1,767.

Gretzky retired in 1999 with 2,857 points, an NHL record that still stands.

(Thanks Jay Greenberg of SI)

DON'T GET A BIG HEAD...SEE IT FOR WHAT IT IS

When a player hits a game winning shot, they are usually considered the hero by everyone at the game. High fives and the flattering "you were so awesome" comment is repeated over and over again.  It's easy to get caught up in the "I am the man!" mindset, but is it really deserved? Probably not.

When you stop and think about what really happens during a close game... it almost always consists of a majority (about 80%) of very average plays by both teams, with a couple of bad plays (about 10%) and a couple of good plays (about 10%) sprinkled in by both teams. The “hero” that hit the game winning shot just happened to be on the end of one of those good plays.

Now if that player scores 40 points in a close game, then maybe "hero" is actually warranted. But in most games, if the player that makes the game winning shot only scores 10-12 points... then see it for what it really is. Just one of those good plays.

4:13

DEFINITELY SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY

EUGENE, Ore. -- The University of Oregon Athletics Department unveiled another key element for Matthew Knight Arena de-signed to set the facility apart from any other arena in the country. Installation of a unique arena floor is currently under-way and features symbolic references to the Pacific Northwest, as well as the two individuals most responsible for the arena becoming a reality, Phil Knight and Pat Kilkenny.

"We wanted to design the most iconic television presence possible for the University of Oregon by conjuring up a highly unique and visible basketball floor design," according to Tinker Hatfield, vice president for design and special projects for Nike. "It's inspired by our beautiful tree-covered region and the UO 1939 NCAA Championship basketball team nick-named the 'Tall Firs.'"

The court is framed by a representation of a view from beneath a forest of fir trees. Also present on the floor is the new arena logo, designed for the namesake of the building, Matthew Knight.

Graphics: The graphics were completed by United Services based in Idaho Falls, Idaho . Graphics took 2,500 man hours to complete . Almost 2 miles of stencil material was utilized for the completion of the graphics . More stencil material was used on this floor then used for the other 30 floors in the Connor Sports Flooring completed earlier this year.

(Thanks KVAL.com)

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO PROVE?

Read an article on a blog this morning about 9-Time World Champion Pro Surfer Kelly Slater and how growing up with an alcoholic father created a lot of anger within, which he in-turn used as motivation.

At this ultra-competitive level (9-time world champ), motivation becomes a key factor in success.   Very few athletes are able to reach the apex of their sport *9* times.  Lance Armstrong did it 7 times consecutively (winning the Tour de France).  Arnold Schwarzenegger won 7 Mr. Olympia titles (6 of them consecutively).  What exactly motivates or drives an athlete to this kind of success?   It may surprise you to learn that it doesn't stem from wanting to win... but instead from having something to prove to someone.

In Arnold’s case, it was anger at his father’s unfounded belief that Arnold wasn’t his true son and the blatant favoritism his father showed toward Arnold’s two older brothers. Arnold had something to prove.

In Lance Armstrong’s case, it was his six year rivalry with German cyclist Jan Ullrich who openly challenged Armstrong’s ability to win [following his first Tour win] without any true competition [Ullrich did not race during Armstrong’s first win due to an injury]. Lance had something to prove.

Are you playing just to win… or do you have something to prove?  I guess there’s something to the old saying “kites rise highest against the wind.”

(Thanks Ye Old Rag Blog)

SOMETIMES IT REALLY IS "ALL ABOUT ME"

It's not uncommon during a game to encounter all sorts of negative incidents and circumstances.  They happen all the time and all around us.  


But rather than allowing those events to have a negative influence on you, why not focus your attention on what YOU can do to make something positive happen.

(Thanks Dick DeVenzio, Think Like A Champion)

STATS THAT DON'T SHOW UP ON THE STAT SHEET

San Antonio rookie Tiago Splitter is helping out in ways that do not always show up on the stat sheet.

Splitter finished Sunday’s game with five points, three rebounds and a turnover. But this hardly explains WHAT Splitter did on the court. First, his point total should have been higher. Splitter missed three free throws, one layup and had a post score removed from the ledger after a successful fade away bank shot.

Here’s the rest of the line on Splitter from my unofficial scorecard: eighteen set screens, two forced turnovers, two drawn fouls, one backtap for an offensive rebound and score, and, although he didn’t draw any offensive fouls, he was whistled for a block against David West that could have just as easily been called a charge. The ref saw it differently, but it was a smart defensive play.

Popovich was about to sub Splitter out of the game prior to this play, and after Splitter attempted to take the charge, Pop called Tim Duncan back from the scorer’s table, letting Splitter play until the next timeout.

Splitter gave tremendous effort and, despite having a poor +/- rating for the game, made several key plays to help his teammates get ahead [and win].


(Thanks 48 Minutes of Hell)