As the season progresses and more and more stories are told about the goings on of a season we're reminded of one of the most important lessons in team sports. Loyalty.
Lack of it will destroy a team, a program, and individuals. Human beings are always seeking for a way to make themselves seem more important than they really are. One way for team members to feel this importance if they're not getting a lot of playing time, or are simply a walk on is telling tales of the inner workings of a team. They do this to make others think they're "on the inside", to enhance their self worth, or maybe it's just to get laid and be cool. Sometimes there is a profit motive involved, writing a tell all book or worse getting involved with gamblers who then take that inside information and bet with it.
The consequences of telling tales out of school are irreparable. Coaches, players, teammates, friends, and other members of the team all start looking at each other differently when stories of the behind the scenes inner workings start appearing in newspapers, blogs, and gossip mills. Trust is eroded and the effects on a team's ability to be unified going into a hostile environment are diminished.
Trust is tantamount in all team sports. Players must trust the coaches decisions are correct, they must trust that play calls will work, they must trust the instructions given to them aren't wrong. Coaches must trust players to execute the plays, know their responsibilities, to do what they need to do in order to perform at a high level. Players must trust other players to perform their responsibilities and to give it their all.
If trust is eroded then all of these simple decisions are questioned. Maybe a player doesn't extend into the passing lane to deny a pass because they don't trust their help. Maybe a coach doesn't call a play for a player because they don't believe that player has worked on their game enough. All of these scenarios and hundreds more are team killers.
While you're affiliated with a team, you may think that it's cool to tell stories of the inner workings to outsiders but that lack of loyalty diminishes your true understanding of team and eventually your place in it.
January 31, 2010
January 29, 2010
How do you get a D-1 Job? Simple be a meat puppet.
No names will be used in this blog post.
Watching the Missouri Valley recently we've seen an old friend on the bench. Now we don't want to out him, but we do want to out D-1 basketball in general.
Would you hire a man who..
Coached a Great Midwest team, result coach fired
Coached a Horizon League team, result coach fired
Coached a Missouri Valley team, result coach fired
Coached a Big 12 team, result coach fired
Coached another Big 12 team, result coach fired
Coached yet ANOTHER Big 12 team, result coach fired
Coaches another Missouri Valley team that was a staple in the NCAA tournament, and now they're having their worst run in years.
Why does he get hired? I don't know but maybe because his dad is an influence peddler in the AAU circuit and head coaches think he has access to players.
The NCAA wants to initiate reform in college basketball and college sports in general but they have to take a long look in the mirror. They stopped being about student athletes when the TV contracts reached 9 and 10 digits in compensation.
There are no punishments for coaches who are habitual line steppers, who simply flee to another program to avoid punishment. Players and institutions get hurt in the wake. One coach who was a pre-season quagmire of a mess alleging academic fraud is now being celebrated as bringing back a storied program to dominance. How soon before allegations at his new address start popping up and he skips to yet another program?
What is the process of being an NCAA coach? Do you need an education degree, seems plausible to require that since you're working at an institution of higher learning! Were any of the 3 coaches fired for alleged player abuse in NCAA football certified teachers? I know it seems trivial but maybe taking a class on ethics or methods of learning would be appropriate. Maybe they would have learned putting your hands on a player or allegedly abusing them doesn't teach them anything and is counter productive, oh and ILLEGAL!
Is it an extensive basketball knowledge? We've sat with many head coaches and assistant coaches at the collegiate level. There are some very good coaches, guys who know the game. Guys who care about their players. Then there are meat puppets who know so little about the game it makes you wonder, who hired this guy? Some are smooth talkers, some are used car salesmen in a jumpsuit, some are related to highly placed political figures and really who doesn't like a celebrity? Some are simply dubious characters who lie, cheat and steal their way to assembling talent laden rosters and try not to screw it up too bad. You've seen these guys, they stealthily talk about what's the next job for them and how they can move up the ladder for the pay day.
It's a struggle to see the ethics line in broadcasting, where major networks hire former coaches who have been accused or in some cases proven to be cheaters and to see them manning the sidelines and studio desks and remote spots from AAU tournaments. Are they breaking the stories on how they got caught which would be interesting to see, no they're just biding their time until another job opens up and their name is out there because they're covering games 3 nights a week. And these are the so-called experts. Malarkey, there are hundreds of high school basketball coaches who know more about the game and are far more entertaining than these meat puppets. Also journalism is a craft of ethics, we will report the news as it is, unbiased and fairly. Why hire a cheat and then not have it mentioned in that person's online bio or ever addressed on the air? Who's doing the reporting of a the latest scandal in college sports? Oh a former cheater himself. How convenient.
The NCAA is a mess, it needs to lose it's tax exempt status because it is all about business and not about education. If not, then hire educators and police them properly, make rules that are clear and easy to understand since the current NCAA rules manual requires a law degree to navigate. Pay the coaches what you would pay your rock-star professors, and no 7 digit contracts.
Are there some who do it right? Yes and there are players who use this opportunity to get a free education and the experience of a lifetime. Those are the stories that should be celebrated. The guys who repeatedly lie, cheat, steal in this profession should be ostracized so the business of education can get done.
Oh and in case you're wondering the NCAA assistant has never delivered one of his dad's players to the programs he's worked in. Seems Papa knows enough not to send his AAU players to play for his son. And as far as we can recall, he's never been a coach on a team to make the NCAA tournament. Yup sounds like a good hire!
Watching the Missouri Valley recently we've seen an old friend on the bench. Now we don't want to out him, but we do want to out D-1 basketball in general.
Would you hire a man who..
Coached a Great Midwest team, result coach fired
Coached a Horizon League team, result coach fired
Coached a Missouri Valley team, result coach fired
Coached a Big 12 team, result coach fired
Coached another Big 12 team, result coach fired
Coached yet ANOTHER Big 12 team, result coach fired
Coaches another Missouri Valley team that was a staple in the NCAA tournament, and now they're having their worst run in years.
Why does he get hired? I don't know but maybe because his dad is an influence peddler in the AAU circuit and head coaches think he has access to players.
The NCAA wants to initiate reform in college basketball and college sports in general but they have to take a long look in the mirror. They stopped being about student athletes when the TV contracts reached 9 and 10 digits in compensation.
There are no punishments for coaches who are habitual line steppers, who simply flee to another program to avoid punishment. Players and institutions get hurt in the wake. One coach who was a pre-season quagmire of a mess alleging academic fraud is now being celebrated as bringing back a storied program to dominance. How soon before allegations at his new address start popping up and he skips to yet another program?
What is the process of being an NCAA coach? Do you need an education degree, seems plausible to require that since you're working at an institution of higher learning! Were any of the 3 coaches fired for alleged player abuse in NCAA football certified teachers? I know it seems trivial but maybe taking a class on ethics or methods of learning would be appropriate. Maybe they would have learned putting your hands on a player or allegedly abusing them doesn't teach them anything and is counter productive, oh and ILLEGAL!
Is it an extensive basketball knowledge? We've sat with many head coaches and assistant coaches at the collegiate level. There are some very good coaches, guys who know the game. Guys who care about their players. Then there are meat puppets who know so little about the game it makes you wonder, who hired this guy? Some are smooth talkers, some are used car salesmen in a jumpsuit, some are related to highly placed political figures and really who doesn't like a celebrity? Some are simply dubious characters who lie, cheat and steal their way to assembling talent laden rosters and try not to screw it up too bad. You've seen these guys, they stealthily talk about what's the next job for them and how they can move up the ladder for the pay day.
It's a struggle to see the ethics line in broadcasting, where major networks hire former coaches who have been accused or in some cases proven to be cheaters and to see them manning the sidelines and studio desks and remote spots from AAU tournaments. Are they breaking the stories on how they got caught which would be interesting to see, no they're just biding their time until another job opens up and their name is out there because they're covering games 3 nights a week. And these are the so-called experts. Malarkey, there are hundreds of high school basketball coaches who know more about the game and are far more entertaining than these meat puppets. Also journalism is a craft of ethics, we will report the news as it is, unbiased and fairly. Why hire a cheat and then not have it mentioned in that person's online bio or ever addressed on the air? Who's doing the reporting of a the latest scandal in college sports? Oh a former cheater himself. How convenient.
The NCAA is a mess, it needs to lose it's tax exempt status because it is all about business and not about education. If not, then hire educators and police them properly, make rules that are clear and easy to understand since the current NCAA rules manual requires a law degree to navigate. Pay the coaches what you would pay your rock-star professors, and no 7 digit contracts.
Are there some who do it right? Yes and there are players who use this opportunity to get a free education and the experience of a lifetime. Those are the stories that should be celebrated. The guys who repeatedly lie, cheat, steal in this profession should be ostracized so the business of education can get done.
Oh and in case you're wondering the NCAA assistant has never delivered one of his dad's players to the programs he's worked in. Seems Papa knows enough not to send his AAU players to play for his son. And as far as we can recall, he's never been a coach on a team to make the NCAA tournament. Yup sounds like a good hire!
The Evolution of Game
Watching Boston Orlando and Chicago-Oklahoma City recently and noticing the evolution of game for one young point guard, and the status quo of another.
The Bulls' Derrick Rose has simply been on fire of late. He's always had the ability to take the ball to the rim and finish but more importantly the development of an 18 foot jump shot has made defenses play him honestly which has allowed easier penetration to the paint and rim. He's a big reason the Bulls have played and beaten 4 legitimate playoff quality teams from the western conference in a ROW! Reading some of the media coverage of the Bulls' many were expecting an 0-7 road trip after losing the Golden State Warriors of the D-League and Los Angeles Clippers. But Rose has put the team on his shoulders and has lead them to an impressive streak.
On the other hand, we've seen more of the same from Rajon Rondo. His inability to hit a free throw line jumper forces clogged lanes to the basket and makes initiating the Boston offense that much more difficult. Luckily he has 3-4 shooters who can space the floor allowing him some driving lanes, but if he were able to hit a free throw line jumper on a semi-regular basis he could be a 20 point 10 assist man every night.
The Bulls' Derrick Rose has simply been on fire of late. He's always had the ability to take the ball to the rim and finish but more importantly the development of an 18 foot jump shot has made defenses play him honestly which has allowed easier penetration to the paint and rim. He's a big reason the Bulls have played and beaten 4 legitimate playoff quality teams from the western conference in a ROW! Reading some of the media coverage of the Bulls' many were expecting an 0-7 road trip after losing the Golden State Warriors of the D-League and Los Angeles Clippers. But Rose has put the team on his shoulders and has lead them to an impressive streak.
On the other hand, we've seen more of the same from Rajon Rondo. His inability to hit a free throw line jumper forces clogged lanes to the basket and makes initiating the Boston offense that much more difficult. Luckily he has 3-4 shooters who can space the floor allowing him some driving lanes, but if he were able to hit a free throw line jumper on a semi-regular basis he could be a 20 point 10 assist man every night.
Announcers Ad Nauseum
We know that announcers sitting court side really don't watch the monitors, they just watch the game, but a funny moment happened in the Boston-Orlando game tonight. Jameer Nelson drove to the hoop and scored, in the process his shoe came off his foot. Boston inbounds and goes down and hits a wide open three by Rasheed Wallace. Reggie Miller unfortunately says after the shot that Nelson was slow to get back for some reason. The camera's showed Nelson adjusting his shoe for probably close to 3 seconds, even if you're not looking at the monitor, can't you just scan the floor to see him adjusting his shoe? Of course Nelson scored on the next two possessions forcing the Celtics to burn a timeout.
The Scramble
In watching several games this week we've seen a very useful tactic, the offensive rebound and scramble. Much has been written on forcing a defense to shift or distort it's original shape and nothing does that better than a shot followed by an offensive rebound. While it's preferable for one of your bigs to simply rise up and score, sometimes it's advantageous to kick the ball out to a wide open shooter (the defense has collapsed in for the rebound) and shoot. Additionally it's advantageous to kick out and slash by on the closeout.
Of course you can just get on your shooters for missing in the first place!
Of course you can just get on your shooters for missing in the first place!
January 15, 2010
Utilizing your pieces
One of the most important things we do as coaches is put players in a position to succeed. One way that is underutilized is running plays for players who are "feeling" it. Watching Ohio State recently, Thad Matta does a great job of getting the hot hand a look out of the same sets.
NBA teams are very effective at swapping out positions for plays to take advantage of mismatches, foul trouble, or to exploit the way an opponents is guarding an action.
It's a given that we probably don't do enough of this in practice, but take your tried and true specials and put a different player in the target spot. Say you run a screen the screener action for your 2 man. Run it in practice for someone else (1,3,4 or 5). What we've done is run our BLOB's and SLOB's with different players at different spots. It helps players understand the timing and other options of the plays we run. Plus every once in a while it's fun to run a jump shot play for your 5 man for 3. The kids will get a kick out of it.
Coaches you never know when an injury, an ineligibility or a defection are going to weaken your ranks and make you play someone at a different position. Why not prepare for it ahead of time and get players looks at different spots.
NBA teams are very effective at swapping out positions for plays to take advantage of mismatches, foul trouble, or to exploit the way an opponents is guarding an action.
It's a given that we probably don't do enough of this in practice, but take your tried and true specials and put a different player in the target spot. Say you run a screen the screener action for your 2 man. Run it in practice for someone else (1,3,4 or 5). What we've done is run our BLOB's and SLOB's with different players at different spots. It helps players understand the timing and other options of the plays we run. Plus every once in a while it's fun to run a jump shot play for your 5 man for 3. The kids will get a kick out of it.
Coaches you never know when an injury, an ineligibility or a defection are going to weaken your ranks and make you play someone at a different position. Why not prepare for it ahead of time and get players looks at different spots.
January 13, 2010
40 Year old Virgins?
Watching home games @ Michigan is equal parts entertaining and disturbing. Copying the formula @ Cameron Indoor Stadium, Michigan has it's students close to the floor and they do the obligatory jumping in unison trying to distract the opponent and create a home court environment.
However, upon closer inspection and through camera closeups you can see the "Blue Rage" is not college kids, but rather middle aged people, jumping like they were 18 years old. I wonder what their motivation is, whether if be a midlife crisis or just plain arrested development, it's eerie watching a bald bearded man jump up and down at a college basketball game.
However, upon closer inspection and through camera closeups you can see the "Blue Rage" is not college kids, but rather middle aged people, jumping like they were 18 years old. I wonder what their motivation is, whether if be a midlife crisis or just plain arrested development, it's eerie watching a bald bearded man jump up and down at a college basketball game.
January 9, 2010
Color Commentators Part II
We've seen enough basketball on TV in the past month to give a fairly good analysis of the color commentators out there, from both an entertainer and coaching perspective.
Here's our list of guys (any why) you want to turn the volume up on:
Bill Raftery: This guy is a coaches coach who is also very entertaining. He gives good insight as to strategy and does it in a way that amps up the intensity of any good game that he's working. You gotta love hearing "onions" when a guy takes a big shot or makes a great play down the stretch. As coaches we appreciate the players who take and make the big shot down the stretch, just like Raftery does!
Doug Gottlieb: One of the better young color commentators. Has a player's perspective since he's not too recently retired. Gotta love someone who works in "the 7 ways to defend a ball screen" into his commentary.
Jay Bilas: Good analysis, good demeanor, just please don't let him get a Duke game. He tends to show off on those games.
Fran Fraschilla: The coaches' coach, does a great job of explaining situations and strategy in a way that coaches can appreciate and is not over the head of the average fan.
Bob Knight: Good coaching insight, obviously slanted with his view on how the game should be played. Kind of hard to argue perspective against one of the all-time winningest coaches in college basketball.
Leave the Volume where it's At:
Dick Vitale: We've come full circle on Dicky V. When you're in high school or in college and he's doing a game, his hype o meter really adds a lot of excitement to the goings on. Once you get older, you can tire quickly of his hyping of things we already know. He's been accused of being a homer, hyping his friends to the point of annoyance. While that may be true, he does offer some coaching jewels every once in a while. Just don't turn the volume up when he's on the air, he might pierce an eardrum or two.
Jay Williams: Jury is still out on him. He offers good insight from a player's perspective. Has good chemistry with his play by play guys.
Digger Phelps: We're really torn with Digger. We've heard from people we trust that he still lives in South Bend and has been known to go into the basketball offices and tell the coaches there what they're doing wrong. If that's true then his on air persona of arrogance isn't an act.
Mute'em:
Corey Williams: Thankfully he only does broadcasts for Arizona games. Blatant homer. Case in point, Nic Wise's shot at the buzzer against Lipscomb. Shot was ruled a 3 on the court. Replay was inconclusive at every angle (on HD no less). He proceeded to try and tell everyone that the shot was obviously out of his hands @ .1 seconds left. Wasn't so obviously and while the shot stood, you felt after listening to Williams that Lipscomb got hosed.
Jim Jackson: Watched the game of Michigan State and Northwestern. Here's an interesting situation. Shon Morris does the opening to the show as the color commentator. Yet when the game starts Jackson is the color commentator. The explanation being that Jackson's flight had arrived late and that he just got there. Ok. But how does someone who just got there recall a story from that morning's shoot around? It's almost as nonsensical as a stewardess who arrives at the same time you do, welcoming you to that city.
Anyway that's not why he's on here, he's on here because he is a jabber mouth and rambles on. Speaking more does not make you a better analyst. Offering something of value when you speak does.
Take this for example (this is paraphrased from our notes)
Northwestern gets a lot of points off their out of bounds plays, and they don't count towards your offensive baskets?
Really? What does it count as? A turnover? A FT?
Shon Morris: Ok he's on here for one particular bad choice of words. This former Northwestern player is usually a pretty solid analyst. But in the Stanford-Northwestern game, Stanford's best player Landry Fields dunks of Northwestern's John Shurna. Morris calls it a Noczema moment. A horribly poor choice of words considering both players have complexion issues.
Here's our list of guys (any why) you want to turn the volume up on:
Bill Raftery: This guy is a coaches coach who is also very entertaining. He gives good insight as to strategy and does it in a way that amps up the intensity of any good game that he's working. You gotta love hearing "onions" when a guy takes a big shot or makes a great play down the stretch. As coaches we appreciate the players who take and make the big shot down the stretch, just like Raftery does!
Doug Gottlieb: One of the better young color commentators. Has a player's perspective since he's not too recently retired. Gotta love someone who works in "the 7 ways to defend a ball screen" into his commentary.
Jay Bilas: Good analysis, good demeanor, just please don't let him get a Duke game. He tends to show off on those games.
Fran Fraschilla: The coaches' coach, does a great job of explaining situations and strategy in a way that coaches can appreciate and is not over the head of the average fan.
Bob Knight: Good coaching insight, obviously slanted with his view on how the game should be played. Kind of hard to argue perspective against one of the all-time winningest coaches in college basketball.
Leave the Volume where it's At:
Dick Vitale: We've come full circle on Dicky V. When you're in high school or in college and he's doing a game, his hype o meter really adds a lot of excitement to the goings on. Once you get older, you can tire quickly of his hyping of things we already know. He's been accused of being a homer, hyping his friends to the point of annoyance. While that may be true, he does offer some coaching jewels every once in a while. Just don't turn the volume up when he's on the air, he might pierce an eardrum or two.
Jay Williams: Jury is still out on him. He offers good insight from a player's perspective. Has good chemistry with his play by play guys.
Digger Phelps: We're really torn with Digger. We've heard from people we trust that he still lives in South Bend and has been known to go into the basketball offices and tell the coaches there what they're doing wrong. If that's true then his on air persona of arrogance isn't an act.
Mute'em:
Corey Williams: Thankfully he only does broadcasts for Arizona games. Blatant homer. Case in point, Nic Wise's shot at the buzzer against Lipscomb. Shot was ruled a 3 on the court. Replay was inconclusive at every angle (on HD no less). He proceeded to try and tell everyone that the shot was obviously out of his hands @ .1 seconds left. Wasn't so obviously and while the shot stood, you felt after listening to Williams that Lipscomb got hosed.
Jim Jackson: Watched the game of Michigan State and Northwestern. Here's an interesting situation. Shon Morris does the opening to the show as the color commentator. Yet when the game starts Jackson is the color commentator. The explanation being that Jackson's flight had arrived late and that he just got there. Ok. But how does someone who just got there recall a story from that morning's shoot around? It's almost as nonsensical as a stewardess who arrives at the same time you do, welcoming you to that city.
Anyway that's not why he's on here, he's on here because he is a jabber mouth and rambles on. Speaking more does not make you a better analyst. Offering something of value when you speak does.
Take this for example (this is paraphrased from our notes)
Northwestern gets a lot of points off their out of bounds plays, and they don't count towards your offensive baskets?
Really? What does it count as? A turnover? A FT?
Shon Morris: Ok he's on here for one particular bad choice of words. This former Northwestern player is usually a pretty solid analyst. But in the Stanford-Northwestern game, Stanford's best player Landry Fields dunks of Northwestern's John Shurna. Morris calls it a Noczema moment. A horribly poor choice of words considering both players have complexion issues.
January 7, 2010
Catching up in the New Year
Well, we've been busy watching as many high school tournament games as we could as well as the college holiday hoops and updating the playbook portion of our website so we apologize for not keeping up with the blog. We hope everyone had a great new year and much continued success for your teams in 2010.
The following team's playbooks are in our collection.
Michigan State
Gonzaga
Stanford
Oklahoma State
UCLA
New Mexico State
Northwestern
Wake Forest
NC State
USC
UNLV
2005 Arizona
2005 Illinois
Lipscomb
Arizona
BYU
Michigan
Kansas
In addition we have 28 NBA Playbooks that we're adding to our database.
Go to www.baskebtallcoachesreport.com and sign up to receive our newsletter and you'll get the best sets and actions from all these playbooks. Over 20+ pages of plays each month delivered to your email in a .pdf each month.
Plus we offer special .pdf's for joining. If you join now you will get the North Carolina Early Offense System. All 16 of UNC's Secondary breaks broken down in an easy format.
The following team's playbooks are in our collection.
Michigan State
Gonzaga
Stanford
Oklahoma State
UCLA
New Mexico State
Northwestern
Wake Forest
NC State
USC
UNLV
2005 Arizona
2005 Illinois
Lipscomb
Arizona
BYU
Michigan
Kansas
In addition we have 28 NBA Playbooks that we're adding to our database.
Go to www.baskebtallcoachesreport.com and sign up to receive our newsletter and you'll get the best sets and actions from all these playbooks. Over 20+ pages of plays each month delivered to your email in a .pdf each month.
Plus we offer special .pdf's for joining. If you join now you will get the North Carolina Early Offense System. All 16 of UNC's Secondary breaks broken down in an easy format.
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