THE PUSH

"It is the fight alone that pleases us, not the victory."

- Blaise Pascal

"No great thing is created suddenly."

- Epictetus

"Action conquers fear."

- Pete Zarlenga

"Small differences in your performance can lead to large differences in your results."

- Brian Tracy

"What you lack in talent can be made up with desire, hustle and giving 110% all the time."

- Don Zimmer

"Most people who fail in their dreams fail not from lack of ability but from lack of commitment."

- Zig Ziglar

"People think I'm disciplined. It is not discipline. It is devotion. There is a great difference."

- Luciano Pavarotti

"Your behavior determines how your coach feels about you."

- Dena Evans

"There is no greater harm than that of time wasted."

- Michaelangelo

"Your destiny is forged in the fires of your determination."

- Christopher Howard

FRESH KICKS

One of the latest kicks we're getting teased with is the Under Armour Micro-G Blur which keeps showing up on NBA players such as Brandon Jennings, but UA has yet to release anything to the public.

The Micro-G Blur is a lightweight mid top basketball shoe that utilizes Under Armour’s high tech moisture management materials for increased performance. This model features white patent detail around the toe and midsole complimented by a grey mesh upper. UA will eventually release a basketball shoe for the masses... or so we hope.

FRESH KICKS FALL 2010

Even Kobe-haters took note of his 2010 Finals away kicks called the "Big Stage" Nike Zoom Kobe V. It's hard not to like a pearlescent shoe with gold accents... this shoe is sweet and Nike is looking to drop it in Fall 2010.

WHEN PREPARATION MEETS OPPORTUNITY

Victory happens when hours of training meet one moment of opportunity...

SMALL THINGS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

Most players base their game on hope or on luck. They hope they get an open look, they hope they make the shot, they hope they can make the pass...

Good players don't base their game on hope (or luck). Good players base their game on "habits." Habits that will work over and over again every time against the best competition they will ever face.

If you want to look special and standout from the other players on the court, you cannot base your game on hope. You must understand the habits that you have developed (both good & bad) determine your chances for success. When a coach tries to correct a bad habit, they are not criticizing you or your game... they are trying to point you toward success.

It takes just as much time to practice and reinforce bad habits as it does to practice and reinforce good habits. The choice is yours...

Being average means you are just as close to the worst as you are to the best. Why settle for being average?

4:13

JULY SESSION

Just wrapped up the July Session of the Ready for the Game Camp. Although the numbers were smaller than in previous camps, we did have a couple of young guns in the group that showed some skill and are going to make a lot of noise in the future.

CHARLES BARKLEY ON LEBRON

With cigar in hand and sarcasm dripping from his words, Michael Jordan posed a question for Charles Barkley. "Charles, what would you have done if Pip (Scottie Pippen) and I called you up and asked you to come join us in Chicago?" Jordan asked.

A look of disgust flashed on Barkley's face. "Not in a million years" he scoffed, and his colorful language made Jordan smile with pleasure.

"Let me just tell you this," Barkley said. "Mike (Jordan) and I are in 100 percent agreement on this. If you're the two-time defending NBA MVP, you don't leave anywhere. They come to you. That's ridiculous."

"I like LeBron. He's a great player. But I don't think in the history of sports you can find a two-time defending MVP leaving to go play with other people."

To former NBA legends, the move has diminished James' profile. It's how the self-appointed "Chosen 1" has taken the easy way out, leaving his home to join another established star instead of leading a supporting cast up the mountain. In the process, he's breaking the protocol set by most great players.

A Western Conference general manager echoed the feeling to Sports Illustrated, saying that James' actions have caused many people to "feel like the sanctity of greatness is tarnished."

"It's disappointing from a competition standpoint," Barkley said. "You want to beat these guys. Sports are all about competition, and you want to beat the best. You want to beat Kobe (Bryant). You want to beat Dwyane Wade. You want to beat the Celtics, who beat you last year. That's what competition is about."

In other words, a coronation might be coming. But James will never be a Jordan, and he'll never be a true king.

(Thanks Dan Bickley, The Arizona Republic)

SEE THE BIG PICTURE

Do you have to hate your opponent to play your best? No. People who need bulletin board material or a reason to dislike their opponent in order to play harder are externally motivated. Their focus is in the wrong place.

Competition is not about beating an opponent. Compete comes from the Latin “cum petere” which means “to strive together.” Rather than trying to defeat an opponent, you are inspiring their best effort and concentration which in turn inspires your best effort and concentration. This is the reason that players tend to have their best (most meaningful) performances against equal or slightly better competition. It raises their level of play and sharpens their focus.

Players tend to play to the level of their opponent. Instead, players and teams should strive to play to their maximum ability regardless of the opposition.

An opponent is like the clock in a sprint or the bar in the high jump. While there are other competitors in a sprint or the high jump, the true competition is against the clock or the bar. A high jumper cannot control her opponents; she cannot knock over the bar or interfere with their run up. If she sets her personal best at seven-feet, but competes against someone who jumps seven-two, she has no means of resistance. She can only control her own performance.

In a game like basketball, players have a little more power against an opponent than in an event like a sprint, the high jump or swimming. However, you often cannot control who you play. One game may be against a really good team and one against a really bad team. Whether playing teams far worse than you, or teams far better... the challenge is to approach each game with the same attitude, intensity and competitive level and perform to our high standards whether we win by 40 or lose by 40.

Beating an inferior opponent does not mean that we performed well or demonstrated improvement or learning from a previous point in the season. We should not play simply to win the game. Our intent should be to play hard and to play well and allow the score to take care of itself.

When competing, one’s focus should be internal, and the goal should be to maximize one’s talent and to perform to one’s highest standards in each and every game and drill. The opponent provides the resistance to enhance one’s performance.

(Thanks Brian McCormick)

FRESH KICKS (that I want now!)

2011 is set to be a good year for new and cool kicks. Nike/Jordan have a handful of cool kicks waiting in the wings for release in early 2011 and Foamposite seems to be popular. This Foamposite hybrid of the Jordan 6 Rings is set to drop in Feb 2011.

STOP PLANNING TO TAKE ACTION - TAKE IT!

"Life is too short to waste. Dreams are fulfilled only through action, not through endless planning to take action."

- David J. Schwartz

The winners in February and March are usually the ones who are working their butts off in July and August.

BASKETBALL TRUISMS

Basketball "truisms" from Kevin Eastman

TRUISM # 1:

There is a direct correlation between the number of ball reversals and defensive breakdowns.

Our players have to understand that the hardest thing to do defensively is to close out — to be running out at a player from the help position. Having said that, we need to understand that an advantage our offense must look to create is to get the defense to close out as often as possible; we want the ball to be reversed from side to side. With our team I can tell you that our scoring proficiency goes up as the number of passes and ball reversals goes up. Of course we have a shot clock that forces us to shoot the ball quicker, but we still would like a minimum of 3 passes as we then know the ball is getting reversed. When we only throw 1 or 2 passes we find that it is very easy for the defense to load up to the ball

TRUISM # 2:

The closer you run your offense to the basket, the more physical your screens can be.

We have found that the officials are more apt to let contact go when it is closer to the basket as they are used to seeing more contact down there as opposed to out by the 3 point line. We feel that is why the flex action is allowed to get away with some physical baseline and pin down screens, and why we have to be careful when setting a back screen out by the 3 point line. So give some thought to having some part of your offensive system where you run your stuff closer to the rim.

TRUISM # 3:

The faster the ball moves, the closer the defenders stay to their man.

We have found that when we move the ball a little faster, the defensive players are more concerned with staying up with their man and tend to not jump to the ball and get in help position. We also feel that that leaves us with more room to drive it as the defenders are out of position just enough to allow us to get a good driving angle on them. I would say if you do not have a good scoring post man, you should look to move the ball a little faster at times and create driving opportunities. If you do have a good post man you would want to slow it down and give the post man a good look.

(thanks Coach Starkey)

WANT TO BE A BETTER SCORER?

Everyone fantasizes about becoming an unstoppable scorer but unfortunately most don't have a clue how to get there. It's not about jacking up 30 shots a game or being a "ball-hog." Scoring is a discipline. Consistent scoring takes smarts, resourcefulness and being opportunistic.

Do you realize how hard it is to average 20 points a game? It's exhausting, night after night.

Here are 7 keys to remember that should help you along your scoring endeavors.

1.) Pass the ball: yep! you read that correctly. Trust your teammates, make the correct passes that are necessary to win games and trust me, the ball will find its way back to you.

2.) Move without the ball: Players stand to much, moving without the ball is a skill set. Learn how to cut properly, learn angles and how to keep the floor balanced. Little things like this can make you very hard to guard if you consistently move with out the ball and seek out your scoring opportunities.

3.) Outsmart everyone: This speaks for itself, great scorers find many different ways to score and this takes basketball smarts.

4) Develop and master your shooting skill: No doubt about it, you can't keep blowing by defenders and getting to the hole, you must develop an outside shot if you wish to be a consistent scorer. Everyone wants to have a killer cross-over and go in and dunk on someone, that's great and all but at one point you will need to become an outside threat. As far as I know, coaches are always on the look out for great shooters, there is a huge deficit in our game when it comes to shooters, let's turn it into a surplus.

5) Get to the line: Great scorers are never timid to get blocked or establish contact while taking the ball to the rim and getting to the free throw line 8, 10 times a game. That's a lot of points, free throws are a great resource to utilize if you are trying to be a scorer.

6.) Play outstanding defense: Great scorers understand the importance of defense, they seek out deflections, steals and rebounds because they know it can lead to transition points.

7.) Run the floor: Oh man, how many times have you heard your coach scream "RUN" when you get a defensive rebound? Great scorers sprint to their spots on the fast-break. It's pretty simply to understand that not all defenses run back on 'D' hard, you can get a few easy layups on their mishaps.

As you can tell it takes; smarts, persistence and energy to be a great scorer game in and game out. You will also notice it takes being in phenomenal basketball shape, great scores need their legs come 4th quarter.

(Thanks iAthletes)

ARE YOU STANDING STILL?

Some can get better... others want to get better... to be successful, whether in life or in basketball, you must make it a habit to surround yourself with the type of people who can and actually want to get better.

Being average means you are the best of the bad group... and the worst of the good group. Why would anyone ever be satisfied with being average?

4:13

HOW DO YOU EAT AN ELEPHANT?

The answer? One bite at a time. Which is how great players are made... a little bit at a time.

In 1995, at the end of the first Bulls practice after Jordan made his comeback to basketball, Michael walked to the baseline on his own, and started running windsprints. Without a word, all eleven of his teammates joined in.

Somebody asked Jordan, after he won his fifth championship in 1997 why he’d bother to keep playing. “Because,” he said, “I still think I can get better.”

The day after the now-immortalized ‘Flu Game’ in Utah, Jordan spent ninety minutes working out in the gym.

Being the “Michael Jordan” of whatever is synonymous with being the best. There's a reason Jordan was the best.

- Pat Williams, author of How to be Like Mike

RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BEST PLAYER

Every team has a best player. Some of these “best players” understand the responsibility that goes with that and others don’t. We have found that those who do have two things in common:

◦ they have earned this designation (not just been given it)
◦ they understand it’s an everyday responsibility

Kevin Garnett made an interesting comment on the bench the other night when he was talking to a teammate about consistency. He said, “an All-Star has to be a pit bull; he has to bring it every night!”

Everyone wants to be Michael Jordan or Paul Pierce or Tim Duncan or Steve Nash, but they don’t want the responsibility that goes with it. What Kevin was saying is being the best is not a one time thing. It is an everyday commitment to excel as a player who gives maximum effort every time he hits the floor. That means every game, every half, every quarter, every minute, every second, and every possession!

And this will be the case for anyone in any field who is... or wants to become — the best. It is a personal commitment that takes incredible daily focus. Understand that being the best requires more!

(Thanks Coach Starkey)

COACH K & BOBBY KNIGHT - GOOD STUFF

Great discussion by Coach Bob Knight and Mike Krzyzewski discussing a variety of topics such:

1. Veterans teaching rookies your team's culture
2. Teaching players to see themselves through their coaches' eyes
3. Player's parents
4. Letting players play instead of labeling them
5. Teaching kids to change
6. The importance of the value of the ball
7. Work ethic as an indicator
8. Role development
9. A more selfish game today
10. Beautiful parts of the game not celebrated today
11. Defense: see the ball...move as the ball moves

(Thanks Coach Starkey)

FORGETTING WHAT MATTERS MOST

There's one sad truth in life I've found

While journeying east and west

The only folks we really wound

Are those we love the best.

We flatter those we scarcely know,

We please the fleeting guest,

And deal full many a thoughtless blow

To those who love us best.

~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox

THE TRUTH ABOUT REBOUNDING

"Simple truth of all great rebounders: they go after more! Logic states the more you go after the more you are likely to get!"

- Kevin Eastman