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Friday, March 7, 2025

Basketball: Constantly Work on Your Skills and Brand

Improve your brand, how others perceive your program and you. Here are exemplars from valued brands.

Set your Standard of Performance high and work to live up to it every day. Be accountable to setting your standards high. Encourage that standard to everyone in the organization. Bill Walsh's The Score Takes Care of Itself belongs on your desk.

"Make it. Sell it. Build brand awareness." - Sara Blakely   CEO and owner of Spanx, Blakely turned an undergarment idea into a five billion dollar empire. On an 'Outward Bound' type retreat she had to jump, wearing a bungee cord, to a 'catcher' suspended by a crane. She made it successfully, unlike taller, more athletic types. She jumped to a spot 'three feet above' the catcher. Her advice, "aim high." 

"Do one thing every day for your craft and one for your business." - David Mamet, playwright, author, and director.  Improve your skills, athleticism, and brand. 

"The director's job is to advance the story." - Ron Howard, actor and director   Become your own life coach. Advance your narrative using the tools acquired from mentors, study, and experience. 

"Bring the best version of yourself to work every day." - Samuel L. Jackson  This echoes the fourth agreement in The Four Agreements. 

Your program and fans may value winning most, but our players care about how we treat them and the value we add. A regular dialogue helps unearth their needs and concerns. It's never perfect but the relationships developed can mean so much for both parties. 

Lagniappe. You can win a game with a key cut. Who doesn't remember Princeton beating UCLA? 

Lagniappe 2. Happiness won't always be the product. 

Lagniappe 3. From Boston Sports Journal, John Karalis

Tatum said. “I tell Baylor (Schierman) and Jordan (Walsh), all those guys, when you get out here, make a play. Both ends of the floor. If you're open, shoot the ball. If you have a closeout, attack it. Make the right read. Just don't be a robot. Be a basketball player. Do what got you here."
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Thursday, March 6, 2025

Basketball - The "Junk Drawer"


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Everyone has a "junk drawer." Tape, stamps, a ruler, elastic bands, local phonebooks, and other flotsam inhabit the universal storage space.

Packing tape and bread ties - we need them when we need them. 

That doesn't make either the drawer or its contents useless. Who and what reside in our metaphorical basketball "junk drawer?"

Consider a "bad team." Bad teams show occasional good plays and illustrate great video examples of bad play. Video study of bad play, ours and others', sheds light on 'what not to do'. A few examples:

  • Lack of communication
  • Flawed defensive stance and positioning - six feet under, upright, hands out (Snowman Defense), flat-footed
  • Weak or non-existent blockouts
  • Dribbling or passing into traffic ("win in space")
  • Bad footwork leading to violations and lack of separation
  • Failed conversion and transition defense
  • Crosscourt passes into enemy hands
  • Passes to ankles and hands of stone
No coach wants his team used as negative examples. This reminds me of Jim Bouton's sequel to Ball Four, "I'm Glad You Didn't Take It Personally."

There's a saying, "One bad play, bad play; two bad plays, bad player; three bad plays, bad coaching." That's a huge oversimplification - chicken soup from chicken feathers thinking.   

The junk draw contains fundamentals. Every tool can be wielded well or carelessly. "Cutting" lives in too many junk drawers. Urgent cutting is heaven sent and lazy cutting is the idle hands devil's work. 

"Everybody knows that." What coach doesn't lament the player looking at the bench saying, "I know, I know." If you know, then stop doing it. Junk drawer.

The junk drawer holds myriads of antiquated drills and seldom-used 'actions' that deserve better. We extinguished hamburger drills that don't instill toughness, only exposing players to injury. Once we brought "Tiger" out of the junk draw. 


It worked six decades ago and still does. 

It's cousin, LION, helped win us a game with the slip on the cross screen.
 

Some items don't belong in the junk drawer. Watch a high school game without pick-and-roll or complex screening (Iverson, Spain, screen-the-screener) and marvel at 'what you don't see'. 

What's in your junk drawer that belongs or what isn’t and should be? 

Lagniappe. Basketball is "a game of ____ " (mismatches) 

Lagniappe 2. "Casual failure" or causal failure? 

Lagniappe 3. Consistency is underrated. 

 

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Force the Issue

Play so well that your coach has to play you. 

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Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Basketball “Moat-Widening”

"The only duty of a corporate executive is to widen the moat. We must make it wider. Every day is to widen the moat. We gave you a competitive advantages, and you must leave us the moat. There are times when it's too tough. But duty should be to widen the moat." - Charlie Munger, Wesco Annual Meeting, 2008

Have a moat, make it wide, and fill it with alligators.

Successful programs are different. The coach’s job is to widen the moat, to better their already sustainable competitive advantage. 

How? 

  • Internal recruiting… seek the best athletes available for your program. If we lose a player to other programs, thank the player and their family and wish them every success. We win some and we lose some. 
  • “Every day is player development day.” Player development includes skill, game understanding, physical training and psychological growth. 
  • Be transparent… this is what we do and how we do it.
  • Be holistic… “ Excellence is our only agenda.” Grow great student-athletes…show them what success takes in the classroom, on the court, in a job.
  • Get allies. Remember Mr. Rogers' "look for the helpers." 
  • Be realistic. Progress is uneven. 
  • Say “yes.” Win the PR battle. Write recommendations enthusiastically. Network.
  • Build brand awareness. If you’re not a writer, ally with someone who “buys ink by the barrel.”
Exceptional requires a player, a coach, an organization to "obsess the product." Half-baked commitment won't do it. Finding others willing to share the obsession challenges anyone. 

To get the best athletes, we have to look at youth programs and love the process. If encountering parents who want you to "kiss the ring" offends you, then you won't get those players or the occasional headaches. 

Teach sharing, a "team first" approach. We are salespeople. We sell the idea that the best players make everyone around them better. 

Have a clear philosophy of teaching players to do more things right and fewer wrong. Get a "critical mass" of like-minded people and you've got something. 

Lagniappe. 
Lagniappe 2. The head game... 

Lagniappe 3. Ask players to explain your core philosophy. Pressure the ball. Deny penetration. Deny the middle. Contest shots without fouling. Block out or 'hit and get'.  Good teams summon the will and skill to get stops. 

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Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Basketball - FOMO

“Lord, make me chaste but not yet.” - Saint Augustine 

FOMO, fear of missing out, inevitably drives bad decisions. Successful people choose high reward, lower risk actions. The less successful often chase opportunities without reward. The dog that chases cars is an example. 

Beware "get rich quick" schemes, the Dr. Feelgood way.

FOMO is not a new phenomenon. In June 1876, General Custer attacked combined Native forces of Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes. In addition to underestimating Native forces, he underestimated their capability and was in a rush to prevent them from escaping and attacked early. The entire force directly under Custer's command was killed. 

Len Bias, the Maryland phenom and Celtics' top draft choice, suffered a fatal overdose celebrating his selection. Celtics fans can only dream about what might have been. 

FOMO can result in legions of flawed decisions. 

Some pro players join the cult of bad choices...choosing 'The Life' over the work needed for sustainable competitive advantage. 

Coaches impatient for a head job may take the wrong job with flawed management, a dearth of talent, or a community too-heated or too-disinterested. 

Players choose the wrong school, more concerned about their sports future than about the overall fit with the school. If basketball goes south because of ability, injury, or coaching, the player is left with no alternative but to transfer. 

Choose the wrong friends who lack a seriousness of purpose or misguided moral compass and a young person's future can spin out of control. 

FOMO implies impatience. Sometimes results take time. The freshman who expects a big return in minutes, role, and recognition may have to wait her turn. The best advice may be, "Don't just do something, stand there."

“Too much competency and no gumption is no good. And if you don’t know your circle of competence, then too much gumption will get you killed.” - Charlie Munger

Wait for your pitch.

Lagniappe. Changing the spacing with player movement may move the help. 

Lagniappe 2. Watching film may help us and players think about alternatives.  

Lagniappe 3. Play with enthusiasm and emotion but under control.  

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Monday, March 3, 2025

Basketball - Posterior Chain Work

 The four legs of the development stool focus on skill, strategy, physicality, and psychology. Physicality development includes strength and conditioning, developing quickness, and injury prevention. 

Find athletes and trainers who share proven development techniques or find trainers to help you and your athletes. 

Work on your physicality with "simple but not easy" exercises that work legs and posterior chain. This helps reduce injuries with balancing anterior (front) and posterior (back) muscle groups.

This site shares lots of great exercises that will help key muscle groups.   


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First an AI reminder about 'lagniappe'. (From Claude.ai) "Lagniappe (pronounced "lan-yap") is a Louisiana French term that refers to a small gift or extra item given to a customer by a merchant at the time of purchase. It literally means "something added" or "a little something extra."

The concept originated in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean and made its way into Louisiana culture through trade. Mark Twain notably discussed it in "Life on the Mississippi," describing it as a word "worth traveling to New Orleans to get."

In modern usage, lagniappe has expanded beyond its retail origins to describe any unexpected bonus or extra benefit. You might hear it used in contexts like "The beautiful sunset was a lagniappe after a perfect day at the beach" or in business settings where companies offer small perks to customers.

The practice reflects a philosophy of generosity and relationship-building in business - the idea that giving a little extra can create goodwill and strengthen customer loyalty." 

Lagniappe. Think better. 

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Lagniappe 2. Technical advice on avoiding shot blockers. 

Lagniappe 3. Make everything we do relevant. Advice from Pete Carril... 

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Sunday, March 2, 2025

Basketball - Addition and Subtraction

 As a coach, emphasize: 

  • Be good at what we do a lot. 
  • Do more of what works and less of what doesn't. This addresses the addition and subtraction issue. 
As a player:
  • Understand strengths and weaknesses. 
  • Consolidate strengths (maintain or increase) and lessen weaknesses.
  • Know and apply the Four Factors (shooting, turnovers, rebounding, attacking the basket)
For example, if you are a "minus" defender, why? Recognize, diagnose, and correct the issues. 
  • Commitment. Some players aren't 'wired' to play both ends. Rewire.
  • Stance. Play lower and on balance. "Low man wins."
  • Positioning. Ball pressure, help (cover 1.5).
  • Add strength, quickness, toughness.
  • Challenge shots without fouling.  
  • Communication. Talk and energize. 
  • "Correct flawed team defense." Improve transition, pick-and-roll defense, off-ball screens. 
If we're not getting better then we're falling behind. 

Lagniappe. "It’s easiest to convince people that you’re special if they don’t know you well enough to see all the ways you’re not." - "Same as Ever: A Guide to What Never Changes" by Morgan Housel

Lagniappe 2. Habits. 

Lagniappe 3. Defense impacts pace. 

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Saturday, March 1, 2025

How Can AI Help Coaches?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is here to help or replace us (with a better coach). 

The most common type of AI is supervised learning as input predicts outputs such as separating spam from nonspam or to predict house prices.

Recommendation systems are used by companies like Netflix. 

The most logical approach is to ask AI systems how it can help us. The two free ones I use are ChatGPT and Claude.ai.

First, Claude.ai answers.

AI can significantly enhance basketball coaching in several ways:

  1. Advanced performance analytics - AI can track and analyze player movements, shooting mechanics, and defensive positioning to identify patterns and improvement areas that human eyes might miss.
  2. Personalized training programs - By analyzing individual player data, AI can help create tailored development plans that address specific weaknesses and build on strengths.
  3. Opponent scouting - AI can process game footage to identify opposing teams' tendencies, plays, and player habits, giving coaches strategic advantages in game preparation.
  4. Injury prevention - By monitoring biomechanics and fatigue indicators, AI can help identify when players are at higher risk of injury, allowing for preventative interventions.
  5. Decision support during games - Real-time analysis can provide coaches with tactical suggestions based on current game situations and historical performance data.
  6. Video breakdown efficiency - AI can automatically tag and categorize game footage, saving coaches countless hours when reviewing film and enabling more focused teaching moments.
  7. Skill development visualization - Using augmented reality and motion capture, AI can help players visualize optimal techniques and movements.
  8. Load management optimization - AI can help determine ideal practice intensities and playing time to maximize performance while minimizing injury risk.

Next, ChatGPT: 

AI can give basketball coaches an edge by providing deeper insights, automating tasks, and personalizing player development. Here are some ways AI can help:

1. Game Strategy & Analytics

  • Opponent Scouting: AI analyzes opponent tendencies, set plays, and defensive schemes using video breakdowns.
  • In-Game Adjustments: AI-powered tools suggest strategic shifts based on live data, such as defensive matchups or shot selection.
  • Shot Quality Analysis: AI evaluates shot selection, efficiency, and expected points per possession to refine offensive sets.

2. Player Development

  • Biomechanics Analysis: AI-powered motion tracking evaluates shooting form, footwork, and defensive positioning.
  • Personalized Drills: AI adapts workouts based on player strengths, weaknesses, and progress over time.
  • Fatigue & Injury Prediction: AI monitors workload and movement patterns to prevent overuse injuries.

3. Practice Optimization

  • Smart Video Breakdown: AI auto-tags key moments, eliminating hours of manual film study.
  • Decision-Making Training: AI simulates game scenarios for players to develop faster reads and reactions.
  • Automated Stat Tracking: AI records shooting percentages, turnovers, and passing efficiency in real-time.

4. Team & Player Engagement

  • Virtual Assistants: AI chatbots provide instant feedback on workouts, schedules, and game plans.
  • AI-Enhanced Leadership Development: AI analyzes communication patterns to improve coaching effectiveness.
  • Motivation Insights: AI tracks player engagement and suggests motivational strategies.
AI won't transform a team without talent or coaches who can teach, but it's an edge for the capable. 

Ask questions (prompts) to help AI address competence and character. The more specific the question, the better the answers. I'm not saying that AI gives comprehensive or perfect answers. It won't always reflect the most current or our approaches. But it provides ideas and frameworks. 

"Our basketball defense struggles with ball containment and excessive fouling. This allows opponents too many layups and free throws. Please suggest education and training to help our players." (Annotations in green)

To improve ball containment and reduce fouling, focus on education, technique training, and game awareness:

Education & Mindset

  1. Defensive Discipline: Teach players that great defense isn’t about reaching or gambling—it's about positioning and control. (It also depends on athleticism, aggressiveness, and decision making.)
  2. Understand Foul Types: Show film of unnecessary fouls (e.g., reaching, late help, bad closeouts) and discuss how to avoid them.
  3. Hand Positioning: Reinforce the principle of “hands up, not out” to contest shots without fouling. (Brad Stevens teaches players to "show your hands," which may help both players and officials 'limit' fouls.)

Training & Drills

1. Ball Containment

  • Mirror Drill: Defender mirrors offensive player’s movements without reaching. Focus on staying in front with quick, short slides.
  • Cone Lateral Quickness: Place cones in a zigzag; players slide quickly around them while staying balanced. (I prefer "live" drills to cone drills.)
  • Cutoff Drill: Defender forces the ball handler to change direction repeatedly without lunging.
Anyone who wants to become a superior defender has to invest time in developing strength, quickness, especially lateral quickness, and technique by practicing individual defense. Working against a superior offensive player helps. 

2. On-Ball Defense Without Fouling

  • No-Hands Drill: Defenders must play with hands behind their backs to emphasize footwork and positioning. (Kevin Eastman's DOG DRILL helped our players.) 
  • Closeout & Contain: Players practice closing out under control, chopping their feet, and forcing bad shots instead of fouling. (The Celtics have a different approach.) 
  • Verticality Work: Teach how to contest shots legally by keeping hands straight up and absorbing contact.

3. Reducing Fouls in Help Defense
  • Wall-Up Drill: Post defenders practice going straight up instead of swiping down.
  • Help & Recover Drill: Defenders practice proper rotations without overcommitting and fouling late. (Cover 1.5 mindset, yours and half of another, can help.)
  • 1-on-1 Drive & Stop: Defender must stop the drive in one or two slides without reaching—only legal chest contact allowed.

Game Awareness Adjustments

  • Foul Tracking: Make players aware of team foul counts and personal fouls to increase discipline. (Changes in foul counting, bonus on five, impacts free throws and aggressiveness possibilities. It also suggests need to accumulate fouls if likely to have MUST FOUL LATE situations.)
  • Ref Watch Film Session: Analyze past games to show how referees call fouls and what habits lead to whistles.
  • Controlled Scrimmages: Run scrimmages with an emphasis on defensive discipline, blowing the whistle frequently on bad habits.
Lagniappe. A coaching example to reduce fouls. 

Lagniappe 2. On ball defense is among the toughest skills to learn.

 

Lagniappe 3. Are we going to complain or do something? 



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Friday, February 28, 2025

Basketball - Human Misjudgment Exposes Us All

Feedspot Top 100. 

Legendary investor and Warren Buffett partner Charlie Munger enumerated 24 causes of human misjudgment in his 1995 Commencement address at Harvard. They help us do better. 

Munger outlined 24 causes of human misjudgment in his famous 1995 speech at Harvard. Here they are (via ChatGPT). I added annotations as examples of where they could apply for basketball. I've highlighted a few that resonated for me. 

Of course, they apply in practically any field. If I asked, "are you better off if your doctor orders more tests or fewer because they are compensated differently? You don't want to have problems missed but you may not want to go through uncomfortable or expensive procedures if they are not necessary. You have to trust someone as your advocate. 

  1. Reward and Punishment Superresponse Tendency – Incentives drive behavior, often irrationally. There's a true story about a coach being told they were playing "brown kids" too much. The message was that if you want to keep your job, change your substitutions. "User fees" sometimes get viewed as "pay for minutes" not as "participation fees." 
  2. Liking/Loving Tendency – We distort reality in favor of things or people we admire. The philosopher Bertrand Russell said, "if 50 million people say a stupid thing, it is still a stupid thing." Some will say that coach "X" walks on water when he may be walking on the bodies he left behind. I read an obituary of a famous surgeon. It read as though he were nominated for sainthood. "Wasn't that the guy universally viewed as an Ahole?" "You're not wrong." 
  3. Disliking/Hating Tendency – We irrationally distort reality against things or people we dislike. If standing in judgment of someone we have strong negative opinions about, an option is to recuse ourself instead of casting a negative vote. Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds may have both used performance-enhancing drugs. My speculation is that PEDs work better in star players than Mendoza Line guys. Does anybody rationally think LeBron James hasn't been a great player? Yet, he gets castigated as LeBum by some. 
  4. Doubt-Avoidance Tendency – The brain tries to resolve uncertainty quickly, often prematurely. Rather than have a nuanced view of an issue, it's easier to dismiss. There is no "on the other hand," as a one-armed economist. You hate three-point shots? "They ruined the game." There are multiple ways to win...and lose. 
  5. Inconsistency-Avoidance Tendency – We resist change and stick to old beliefs and habits. When we have made public commitments about players, coaches, or teams, we are usually reluctant to change. "Not always right but never in doubt." We prefer to stick to our public opinion than to change because the situation changed. That's the equivalent of missing our exit on the highway and driving forever. It's an effect of polarizing players like James Harden. 
  6. Curiosity Tendency – Humans have an innate drive to learn and explore. Munger believed that curiosity was highly positive as he sought knowledge through reading and experience. Knowledge enforces humility as it reminds us what we don't know. ChatGPT informed me, "As a coach, doctor, and investor, your curiosity likely drives you to seek better training methods, medical treatments, and investment strategies." Curiosity is almost always positive, although mentor Dr. Tom Walsh cautioned, "don't be curious in following a lit fuse." 
  7. Kantian Fairness Tendency – We want fairness, even if it comes at a personal cost. Is less money better for me, if it helps someone else (e.g. teammates) achieve collective success? That applies to usage, minutes, and shots. Of course, some people only function in a transactional way. I heard of a doctor who wanted two referrals (consultations) for each one he gave. 
  8. Envy/Jealousy Tendency – Comparison drives behavior, sometimes destructively. Buffett told Munger that it wasn't greed that made the world go around, but envy. When applied to the Unholy Triad (minute, role, recognition), envy exists for players, friends, and families. 
  9. Reciprocation Tendency – We feel compelled to return favors, even if they are unwise. Network and develop relationships. Even when returning a favor seems hard, say "yes."
  10. Influence-from-Mere-Association Tendency – We make connections between things that aren’t logically linked. Graduation from a certain college or program sometimes implies a certain level of expertise or competence. Similarly, people make judgments about "coaching trees." The apple may not fall as close to the tree as desired. For example, the Belichick coaching tree produced a lot of duds. 
  11. Simple, Pain-Avoiding Psychological Denial – We ignore uncomfortable truths. When evaluating ourselves and others, it's hard to see strengths and weaknesses accurately. Bill Parcells said it simply, "You are what your record says you are." 
  12. Excessive Self-Regard Tendency – People overestimate their abilities and importance. A doctor retraining in primary care in the military instructed subordinates to call them "Commander." The 'outranking' officer literally pulled rank with everyone despite a lack of competence and experience. I've seen coaches put on the same act. 
  13. Overoptimism Tendency – Optimism can lead to poor risk assessment. For much of Olympic history, American basketball was unbeatable. With time, better coaching and players, the world caught up. Gold medals still come but they're not assured. 
  14. Deprival-Superreaction Tendency – Loss aversion makes people act irrationally. Experimentally, losing makes people feel twice as bad as winning makes them feel good. Who hasn't dwelled on bad losses versus great wins? Success demands that teams and players play to win instead of not to lose. As Jon Bon Jovi sings in "Just Older," "you can't win until you're not afraid to lose."
  15. Social-Proof Tendency – We follow the crowd, even when it’s wrong. Book sales and podcasts can depend on the reviews of others. Similarly, fans can read the 'takes' of reviewers and have unrealistic expectations of excellence. Popularity and value aren't the same. 
  16. Contrast-Misreaction Tendency – We misjudge changes in intensity, value, or significance. There's an experiment with three buckets of water - iced, hot, and room temperature. After a subject has one hand each in the iced and hot water and places both in the room temperature, she feels the "normal" temperature as hot or cold. A player who does well at one level may not perform well at another. They get labeled as "busts." 
  17. Stress-Influence Tendency – Stress distorts perception and decision-making. There's the "hot hand" belief that if someone has made their last few shots, that is likely to continue. The "hot hand" is a fallacy for some and a reality for other players. 
  18. Availability-Misweighing Tendency – We overvalue easily recalled information. Sometimes what everyone knows is wrong or what we think we know is obsolete. Applying statistics from one area (e.g. NBA three-point percentage) has no guaranteed application to lower levels. 
  19. Use-It-or-Lose-It Tendency – Skills and knowledge degrade if not used. Most athletic skills are perishable. Without regular practice, performance degrades. 
  20. Drug-Misinfluence Tendency – Substance use impairs judgment. People underestimate the tendency for performance to drop when on medication or alcohol. Mickey Mantle homered despite a bad hangover. When he reached the dugout he told teammates that fans had no idea how difficult that was. 
  21. Senescence-Misinfluence Tendency – Aging affects cognition and decision-making. It's not easy to know when our time has passed. That could apply for coaches, players and unrelated domains. Do we know as physicians when we're past our prime? 
  22. Authority-Misinfluence Tendency – We defer to authority, sometimes blindly. In the airline industry, copilots are taught not to defer to pilots, regardless of seniority. In some cultures with strong hierarchies that resulted in fatal crashes. People need to know their role and their limitations.
  23. Twaddle Tendency – People waste time on nonsense and irrelevant details. In some communities, debates rage over the team nickname which is unimportant in the big picture. 
  24. Reason-Respecting Tendency – People like explanations, even weak or false ones. If we promote a player to another coach, providing a 'comp' to another successful player may get a more favorable view. That won't be easy for someone pushed as the next Wembanyama or Jokic. 

Munger emphasized that these tendencies often work in combination, compounding human misjudgment. 

Lagniappe. Teach players that if they want to be viewed as elite, they need to make others better and impact winning. 

Lagniappe 2. "High-low" action can create mismatches and favorable angles to attack the basket.  

Lagniappe 3. JVG on the role of the point guard in the pick-and-roll.  

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Thursday, February 27, 2025

Basketball - Underrated Skills

Education changes behavior. Coaches are teachers. Coaches change lives every day.

A coach posted that he yelled at the girls, trying to get their attention, and a parent complained. He was disgusted.

How do we reach, not reach out, to players? Change lives forever not for a day. 

I got too old for yelling. "Talk smarter not louder."

The girls had been pushed around physically and mentally. After a discouraging loss, the head coach said, "I can't talk to them. Say something to them." I didn't say a lot. "That was unacceptable. You cannot allow the other team to push you around. How you play reflects how you live." 

About six months later, a player said, "that 'how you play reflects how you live', really got to me." Share lessons that players can carry through life.

Seek simplicity and clarity. The great Pete Newell reminded us to explain what we want and why, "they're not cattle."  

To get more focus give more tools. Mindfulness is a proven skill to increase focus and improve behavior with students as young as first grade. Have we taken even one MINDFUL breath today? Dot b. Stop and take a breath. Use mindfulness as tactical training. 


"Always do your best." Teach "the Four Agreements." The fourth is always do your best. It won't be perfect or maybe your best ever. But it reduces regret. 

Be their advocate. Let them know you're available for recommendations. Be there for them. "I'm not your parents. But I'm your biggest fan." 

Speak greatness. Sandwich coaching between praise. "You're working smart. Your defense can improve by playing lower and by staying vertical, not swiping down to block. Keep playing hard, it's great." Dad used to say, "you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar." 

Inspire. Inspire arises from the latin inspirare "to breathe." Give players something to incorporate into their ethos. Help players to believe. There is nothing more powerful than, "I believe in you." 

Summary:

  • Coaches change lives every day. 
  • Share lessons that players can carry through life.
  • "How you play reflects how you live."
  • "They're not cattle." - Pete Newell
  • Stop and take a breath. Dot b. 
  • "Always do your best."
  • Be their advocate. 
  • "Speak greatness." - Rod Olson
  • Help players to believe." 
Lagniappe. ACH. Anything can happen. The last time I checked my grip strength on the hand dynamometer, it was poor, 65. For the last seven weeks, my wife and I have gone to the YMCA almost every day. Cycling, lifting, stretching about 45 minutes. Last night the hand dynamometer reading was 90.
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Lagniappe 2. "I can't believe it works." 

Lagniappe 3. Everyone is replaceable.  

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Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Basketball - Combine Checklists and Mental Models

Mental models are frameworks for thinking. Individually they are powerful. Collectively, they offer a chance at special.

Let's use the video to assist us in thinking better.

1) First principles. "This above all" stuff or "the main thing is the main thing."

Application: What's our brand? When people hear "brand x" what will they see? And from our vantage point, what is our identity - who are we and how do we play? Teams need clear philosophy, identity, and understanding of "Commander's Intent."

2) Inversion. "Invert, always invert." Consider the opposite. The classic is the Seinfeld episode, "Opposite George," where Jerry's loser friend does everything opposite and ends up connecting with a stranger in their restaurant. 

Application: That could mean changing tempo, changing defenses, changing personnel. 

3) Thought experiments. "What ifs." What if we substituted more defense in for more offense? Would that favorably impact winning? 

Application: Coaches seek edges via recruiting, trades, player development changes, and so forth. Many Power 5 coaches have made it clear that they're doing transfers not freshmen in the NIL era. 

4) Multidisciplinary thinking (come at a problem from different directions)

Application: For example, habit formation and loyalty to team. Habits make us who we are. Group workouts bond players, improve competitiveness.  

5)** Psychology of Human Misjudgment (e.g. sunk costs, self-serving actions, denial) 

Application: Selfishness hurts offensive cohesion. High draft choices get more run, even if they've proven limited. 

6) Lollapalooza - exponential results require multiple inputs. Home runs may take risk, patience, and luck. 

Application: Usually this takes multiple player acquisition and often a philosophy change... smaller number of shots means "everyone eats." 

Use your spreadsheet program (e.g. Google Drive)... I've lightly colored in some entries but you should use what you believe. 


Lagniappe. The video to study... 


Lagniappe 2. Teach kids to win at life. 
Lagniappe 3. Long rebounds off threes can create opportunity. 
Lagniappe 4. Rear foot elevation exercises can strengthen quads and posterior chain. They're easy to work at home, too. 

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