Tom Brady talked about some of the things Bill Belichick taught him during his most recent Let’s Go podcast.
— Pats Buzz (@PatsBuzz) November 22, 2022
Really interesting stuff on the philosophy of winning football games. pic.twitter.com/hmT06m8zZ5
Ask players how they intend to win. Coach Lane taught us that teams could win with fundamentals or try to use trickery. The latter doesn't work.
- Be good at what we do a lot.
- Choose a few areas of excellence.
- Do more of what works and less of what doesn't.
- Focus on player development.
- Find and train players willing to play "harder for longer."
As for playing the game, excel at:
- Half court offense
- Half court defense
- Pick-and-roll defense
- Pick-and-roll offense
- Transition defense
I don't think it makes sense solely to scrimmage at breakneck pace if you end up playing at a deliberate pace.
The analogy to Brady's observations are: play sound defense, take care of the basketball especially under pressure, rebound at both ends, and space-cut-pass-screen to get and make quality shots.
If we accept the "fundamental truth" hypothesis, then our coaching "behaviors" both in practice and during games should be consistent. That aligns with Coach Knight's philosophy about the priority of the mental to physical predominance and the need to eliminate mistakes. Don't give games away.
We 'give games away' with bad shots, turnovers, fouls, bad transition defense, and uncommitted rebounding. "Everyone knows that." If it's so obvious, why do we see so many poorly played games?
Lagniappe. What is the First Commandment of Basketball? Do what is in the best interest of the team. What is the Second? Be a great teammate.
Top 10 signs you are a Great Teammate! pic.twitter.com/3DyHnNwyET
— Drew Maddux (@DrewMaddux) November 22, 2022
Lagniappe 2. Coleman Ayers shares tips to deal with contact, especially from stronger players.
