The living and the dead inform our wisdom. In The Best of Frank Deford (2000), he shares an article entitled "Tough Love."
Deford describes tough coaches, from Vince Lombardi to Don Haskins and Pete Carril. In another era, "tough love" was the rule not the exception. Many young people expected and respected authority, and some anticipated voluntary or involuntary military commitments without coddling.
My coach, Sonny Lane, said "if I'm not yelling at you, then you should worry. Because I've given up on you as a player." I once used that line, but no longer.
Deford said P.J. Carlesimo, "has coached very much like Lombardi...and Carril and Haskins. His father was a coach who coached that way." And then along came Latrell Sprewell...
Deford continues, "what many boys and young men used to accept as fair discipline they now reject as harsh disrespect."
He finishes, "Coaches will never again mean quite what they did. Whether they can still matter so much - ah, that answer must await us."
Of course, Deford wrote this twenty years ago.
Our legacies live through the qualities and futures of our players, their lives, and the souls they touch. Players can embrace discipline, hard work, and sacrifice without what some perceive as abuse. Cal rugby icon Jack Clark calls it 'conditional love'. "Family means unconditional, whereas high-performance teams are highly, highly conditional organizations."
Are we splitting hairs? I don't believe that. Coaches evolve with the game and the players. Just call that coaching.
Tyrants and tinpot dictator coaches are out there, but in smaller numbers. When we think of coaching now, many of us think of communication and technical competence. Values will always matter, why we celebrate Kevin Eastman (Why the Best Are the Best) and the many excellent coaches who impart meaning without being demeaning.
Lagniappe:
Dribble drive drills with game video from FastModelSports
Example from reference.
Sunday, September 30, 2018
Saturday, September 29, 2018
Basketball: Celtics - Hornets Observations
Preseason games share lessons. Here are some observations:
Celtics challenging Hornets to switch smaller guards onto bigger wings (Hayward, Tatum); expect this to be an NBA trend.
Celtics roll out the Flex (and turn it over) in the second quarter...
Celtics have increased their pace to score easier baskets in transition...
Gordon Hayward not really in the first half flow...lots of rust in his game as expected.
Celtics addressing the problem of shots by getting more shots...
Celtics defensive intensity didn't carryover into the second half...
Hayward explodes to the rim from the wing and cautiously doesn't finish, taking an in-between shot (mind games).
Celtics "triple"...low horns with multiple options...
Analyst Brian Scalabrine observations:
"Must be shoulder to shoulder on the screen-and-roll."
"High hands on the closeout deters the pass."
"Be tough, be physical...without fouling." (easier said than done)
"Great play by Jason Tatum understanding how to create space for his shot."
"Uncle Drew." Kyrie with his between the legs, multiple crossover stuff...
"Kyrie comes off the screen...then hits Morris in the corner for three."
This frame doesn't do justice to the spacing, the roll, or the action moving the defense to open the corner 3.
On defensive rating. "When Baynes is on the floor, there are 86 points scored per 100 possessions."
On shot selection. "What are you doing? Good shot." (No, No, yes.)
"This does not look like a preseason game; they're playing so hard."
"If you watch all the old-school players, they all wear baggy shorts..."
"Gotta impact the game on both ends..."
"We're going to have to watch how they're calling screens (many fouls on both ends about handsy screens)."
Celtics challenging Hornets to switch smaller guards onto bigger wings (Hayward, Tatum); expect this to be an NBA trend.
Celtics roll out the Flex (and turn it over) in the second quarter...
Celtics have increased their pace to score easier baskets in transition...
Gordon Hayward not really in the first half flow...lots of rust in his game as expected.
Celtics addressing the problem of shots by getting more shots...
Celtics defensive intensity didn't carryover into the second half...
Hayward explodes to the rim from the wing and cautiously doesn't finish, taking an in-between shot (mind games).
Celtics "triple"...low horns with multiple options...
Analyst Brian Scalabrine observations:
"Must be shoulder to shoulder on the screen-and-roll."
"High hands on the closeout deters the pass."
"Be tough, be physical...without fouling." (easier said than done)
"Great play by Jason Tatum understanding how to create space for his shot."
"Uncle Drew." Kyrie with his between the legs, multiple crossover stuff...
"Kyrie comes off the screen...then hits Morris in the corner for three."
This frame doesn't do justice to the spacing, the roll, or the action moving the defense to open the corner 3.
On defensive rating. "When Baynes is on the floor, there are 86 points scored per 100 possessions."
On shot selection. "What are you doing? Good shot." (No, No, yes.)
"This does not look like a preseason game; they're playing so hard."
"If you watch all the old-school players, they all wear baggy shorts..."
"Gotta impact the game on both ends..."
"We're going to have to watch how they're calling screens (many fouls on both ends about handsy screens)."
Thursday, September 27, 2018
Basketball: Rebound Quality
"Measure a thousand times, but cut only once." - Turkish Proverb
Ken Burns, MasterClass, Documentary Filmmaking
Special teams execute special performances. Occasionally, individuals make an exceptional (and unexpected play). How do we measure that?
Five seconds remaining, trailing by two...several years ago, we ran this SLOB, a variation on STS (screen the screener) designed to get a perimeter shot for 3. What happened? The ball was inbounded perfectly to the open cutter, who missed. 5 sprinted in, rebounded, and scored on a putback as time expired...an exceptional play. (As an aside, both 5 and 3 have big roles on our 7-0 high school volleyball team, another example of how my basketball coaching creates winning volleyball...unintended consequences)
In its second paragraph, the Declaration of Independence claims that "all men are created equal." We may question that but we know that all rebounds ARE NOT equal.
In his excellent Winning Basketball Fundamentals, Lee Rose initiates this, using his Performance Rating System. Different actions assign different plus and minus points. For example, plus twos come from assists, two-point makes, blocked shots, etc. He assigns a defensive rebound one point and an offensive rebound two.
As an assistant, I use to track (imperfectly) using this form. But in the miscellaneous column, you earned (or lost points) for taking a charge +3, setting a screen that led to a basket +2, held ball (+1 or -1), blocked shot +2, forced turnover +2, etc. The best score I ever saw in a youth game was +26 (minuses accrue to missed shots, turnovers, missed free throws (each minus 2)...so usually anything in the teens was really strong. I only reported TEAM statistics and used other statistics for my own purposes. The players who liked it best were those who made hustle plays (steals, deflections, screens, held ball, forced turnovers) who felt valued for play that didn't show up in 'the book'.
But it still doesn't define "quality rebounds" that could be situational (key moment), unexpected (against a taller or more physical opponent), or both.
The quality rebound versus the quantity (garbage time, uncontested free throw rebound) needs threshing. But all rebounds are not created equal.
Ken Burns, MasterClass, Documentary Filmmaking
Special teams execute special performances. Occasionally, individuals make an exceptional (and unexpected play). How do we measure that?
Five seconds remaining, trailing by two...several years ago, we ran this SLOB, a variation on STS (screen the screener) designed to get a perimeter shot for 3. What happened? The ball was inbounded perfectly to the open cutter, who missed. 5 sprinted in, rebounded, and scored on a putback as time expired...an exceptional play. (As an aside, both 5 and 3 have big roles on our 7-0 high school volleyball team, another example of how my basketball coaching creates winning volleyball...unintended consequences)
In its second paragraph, the Declaration of Independence claims that "all men are created equal." We may question that but we know that all rebounds ARE NOT equal.
In his excellent Winning Basketball Fundamentals, Lee Rose initiates this, using his Performance Rating System. Different actions assign different plus and minus points. For example, plus twos come from assists, two-point makes, blocked shots, etc. He assigns a defensive rebound one point and an offensive rebound two.
As an assistant, I use to track (imperfectly) using this form. But in the miscellaneous column, you earned (or lost points) for taking a charge +3, setting a screen that led to a basket +2, held ball (+1 or -1), blocked shot +2, forced turnover +2, etc. The best score I ever saw in a youth game was +26 (minuses accrue to missed shots, turnovers, missed free throws (each minus 2)...so usually anything in the teens was really strong. I only reported TEAM statistics and used other statistics for my own purposes. The players who liked it best were those who made hustle plays (steals, deflections, screens, held ball, forced turnovers) who felt valued for play that didn't show up in 'the book'.
But it still doesn't define "quality rebounds" that could be situational (key moment), unexpected (against a taller or more physical opponent), or both.
The quality rebound versus the quantity (garbage time, uncontested free throw rebound) needs threshing. But all rebounds are not created equal.
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Basketball: Simple Give and Go Plays and Shakespeare
"Fall in love with easy." Premium fundamental plays are the pick-and-roll and give-and-go. Teach kids how to play.
"'O, reason not the need." - King Lear (Shakespeare)
Baking fundamentals into our offense brings them alive, makes them real. Combining them (vide infra) is even better. Movement births opportunity.
Give-and-go needs a minimum of two passes, one cut, and a finisher.
Corner to high post give-and-go. Isolation becomes teamwork.
Give-and-go becomes a pillar of good offense. Others? Just asample simple list...
1. Give-and-go
2. Pick-and-roll (and dribble handoff)
3. Isolation (1 on 1)
4. Back cuts
5. Staggered screens
6. Screen-the-screener
7. Screen-the-roller (Spain pick-and-roll)
8. Three-on-three initiated by UCLA cut
9. Reverse action
Use offense to teach offense.
"'O, reason not the need." - King Lear (Shakespeare)
Baking fundamentals into our offense brings them alive, makes them real. Combining them (vide infra) is even better. Movement births opportunity.
Give-and-go needs a minimum of two passes, one cut, and a finisher.
Simple top to wing give-and-go with 5 away. We can flash 5 to the weakside post to move x5.
Follow-on action depends on defensive reaction. The reason NOT THE NEED to keep 5 on the block is taking advantage of defensive help (above).
Guard wing give-and-go using 'traffic' away...defense caught in the wash.
Wing to high post give-and-go. If the defense gets confused, worst case scenario is isolation for 5 (3 must clear or cut and replace herself).
Corner to high post give-and-go. Isolation becomes teamwork.
Give-and-go becomes a pillar of good offense. Others? Just a
1. Give-and-go
2. Pick-and-roll (and dribble handoff)
3. Isolation (1 on 1)
4. Back cuts
5. Staggered screens
6. Screen-the-screener
7. Screen-the-roller (Spain pick-and-roll)
8. Three-on-three initiated by UCLA cut
9. Reverse action
Use offense to teach offense.
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Basketball Defense: The Main Thing Is the Main Thing
"The main thing is the main thing." - David Cottrell, Monday Morning Leadership
Defense isn't as much hard as hard work. Saying that we value defense isn't the same as rewarding it. I started my best defender last season as a matter of principle.
What is the main thing? "No easy shots, a.k.a. Hard 2's." Easy shots are layups, putbacks, free throws, uncontested shots, and often attacks in transition.
Prioritize communication and control (take away preferred options and force the ball where we want). If we don't communicate in practice, we won't in games. We're weak there and I own that.
Premortem examination. Where are the black swans (book by Nassim Taleb by the same name), obvious unaddressed problems after the fact? Avoid critical mistakes: 1) get back (transition), 2) find your player, 3) block out.
"Position in life is everything." Quick stance summary, play balanced, low, nose on the ball (on ball defender), challenge the ballhandler.
Pressure on the ball, position off the ball. "You never get a second chance to make a first impression." If you want to make an impression at tryouts, start with defense.
HELPSIDE 'I'. I believe that at more advanced levels, zones, changing defenses, and advanced techniques are vital for winning. But I coach middle school. We play man (individual assignment defense) "help and recover" defense. Development is the first priority, above winning.
"Know your NOs." No direct drives, no middle, no paint, no second shots, no bad fouls.
How are we going to defend pick-and-roll? Our first priority is taking away the drive. I want the 'bigs' to show (hedge, fake trap), but our slower bigs reflexly will talk and want to switch. This is a work in progress.
How can we contain closeouts? Teach proper technique but do not allow 'fly by' drives to beat us.
How do we defend the post? We teach "three quarters" technique but I'm open to considering fronting the post IF our perimeter defenders show they can apply enough pressure on ballhandlers.
How do we defend off ball screens? First, we must communicate better and get prompt defensive calls. Second, clog the middle. Third, whenever possible go THRU (between the screener and the screener defender). We're NOT playing NBA shooters in 7th grade. Late in quarters or end-of-game with short clock, we'd be switching. This deserves a much longer discussion (see video below)...good screening teams will make it hard to defend...but the main thing is taking away the easy shots.
Defense isn't as much hard as hard work. Saying that we value defense isn't the same as rewarding it. I started my best defender last season as a matter of principle.
Prioritize communication and control (take away preferred options and force the ball where we want). If we don't communicate in practice, we won't in games. We're weak there and I own that.
Premortem examination. Where are the black swans (book by Nassim Taleb by the same name), obvious unaddressed problems after the fact? Avoid critical mistakes: 1) get back (transition), 2) find your player, 3) block out.
"Position in life is everything." Quick stance summary, play balanced, low, nose on the ball (on ball defender), challenge the ballhandler.
Pressure on the ball, position off the ball. "You never get a second chance to make a first impression." If you want to make an impression at tryouts, start with defense.
HELPSIDE 'I'. I believe that at more advanced levels, zones, changing defenses, and advanced techniques are vital for winning. But I coach middle school. We play man (individual assignment defense) "help and recover" defense. Development is the first priority, above winning.
"Know your NOs." No direct drives, no middle, no paint, no second shots, no bad fouls.
How are we going to defend pick-and-roll? Our first priority is taking away the drive. I want the 'bigs' to show (hedge, fake trap), but our slower bigs reflexly will talk and want to switch. This is a work in progress.
How can we contain closeouts? Teach proper technique but do not allow 'fly by' drives to beat us.
How do we defend the post? We teach "three quarters" technique but I'm open to considering fronting the post IF our perimeter defenders show they can apply enough pressure on ballhandlers.
How do we defend off ball screens? First, we must communicate better and get prompt defensive calls. Second, clog the middle. Third, whenever possible go THRU (between the screener and the screener defender). We're NOT playing NBA shooters in 7th grade. Late in quarters or end-of-game with short clock, we'd be switching. This deserves a much longer discussion (see video below)...good screening teams will make it hard to defend...but the main thing is taking away the easy shots.
Monday, September 24, 2018
Basketball: Goldilocks, Finding Balance. How Much Coaching is Enough?
"Implementing Extreme Ownership requires checking your ego and operating with a high degree of humility. Admitting mistakes, taking ownership, and developing a plan to overcome challenges are integral to any successful team."- Jocko Willink, Extreme Ownership
How much coaching is enough? We're writers, creating characters. Build players (depth, skill) and character. The first rule? Don't be boring while creating memorable players.
I have ideas about what isn't enough. When players don't give feedback, communicate poorly on the court, don't understand the goals or the plays, I haven't coached them enough. "What is not learned hasn't been taught." Regardless of whether it's my 'fault', I'm accountable for it.
I think the 'standard' layup lines are not enough.
Alternative layup drills. We worked on these yesterday (six players, two coaches).
Left. Wing attack. Emphasis on separation, rip through with ball protection (out of defender's strike zone), explosive attack and finish.
Right. Dribble handoff/dribble at with decision making. Coach defends poorly (direct DOWNHILL drive), well (pass to roller), overplays (back cut) with layup.
Recognize that some players (increasing in my opinion) have learning disorders (especially dyslexia and attention deficit), learn slower without a defined disorder, or have less experience or aptitude for a new language. Build our teaching and feedback skills.
For example, we instruct a player to force the dribbler left. She has dyslexia and problems with spatial instructions. Instead, direct her to force the player toward the benches or the bleachers. Some players need different instructions. They may be embarrassed to share their problem.
What's overcoaching? Have you watched games where every possession the coach yells out something like "Blue. Eagle. 15." Then the team runs some play...leading to his kid shooting. Teach young kids to play not run a million plays. Basketball requires both discipline and freedom, execution with creative expression.
In Thinking Volleyball, Mike Hebert shares a Japanese college coach's approach:
“Our players practice 8 to 10 hours a day,” he responded. “Last year we practiced 363 days.” “Why did you decide not to practice for two days?” Sherry asked. “One day was national holiday,” he said. “And the other day I sick of team.”
I'd call that overcoaching...
My way is never the best way, just another way. Finding balance matters. It may take a lifetime to write Goldilocks.
Lagniappe:
Four ways to score. Are you a scorer, facilitator, screener? If a player wants to become a scorer, discover multiple ways to score. Fall in love with perimeter shooting and you limit yourself. Drive without shooting skill and defenders will lay off. Free throws, inside moves, putbacks, scoring in transition, scoring off the pick-and-roll all are viable alternatives. Very few "one-trick ponies" become proficient scorers. Find versatility of attack.
How much coaching is enough? We're writers, creating characters. Build players (depth, skill) and character. The first rule? Don't be boring while creating memorable players.
Author Judy Blume, from MasterClass lesson on Creating Characters
I have ideas about what isn't enough. When players don't give feedback, communicate poorly on the court, don't understand the goals or the plays, I haven't coached them enough. "What is not learned hasn't been taught." Regardless of whether it's my 'fault', I'm accountable for it.
I think the 'standard' layup lines are not enough.
Alternative layup drills. We worked on these yesterday (six players, two coaches).
Left. Wing attack. Emphasis on separation, rip through with ball protection (out of defender's strike zone), explosive attack and finish.
Right. Dribble handoff/dribble at with decision making. Coach defends poorly (direct DOWNHILL drive), well (pass to roller), overplays (back cut) with layup.
Recognize that some players (increasing in my opinion) have learning disorders (especially dyslexia and attention deficit), learn slower without a defined disorder, or have less experience or aptitude for a new language. Build our teaching and feedback skills.
For example, we instruct a player to force the dribbler left. She has dyslexia and problems with spatial instructions. Instead, direct her to force the player toward the benches or the bleachers. Some players need different instructions. They may be embarrassed to share their problem.
What's overcoaching? Have you watched games where every possession the coach yells out something like "Blue. Eagle. 15." Then the team runs some play...leading to his kid shooting. Teach young kids to play not run a million plays. Basketball requires both discipline and freedom, execution with creative expression.
In Thinking Volleyball, Mike Hebert shares a Japanese college coach's approach:
“Our players practice 8 to 10 hours a day,” he responded. “Last year we practiced 363 days.” “Why did you decide not to practice for two days?” Sherry asked. “One day was national holiday,” he said. “And the other day I sick of team.”
I'd call that overcoaching...
My way is never the best way, just another way. Finding balance matters. It may take a lifetime to write Goldilocks.
Lagniappe:
Four ways to score. Are you a scorer, facilitator, screener? If a player wants to become a scorer, discover multiple ways to score. Fall in love with perimeter shooting and you limit yourself. Drive without shooting skill and defenders will lay off. Free throws, inside moves, putbacks, scoring in transition, scoring off the pick-and-roll all are viable alternatives. Very few "one-trick ponies" become proficient scorers. Find versatility of attack.
Sunday, September 23, 2018
Basketball: More Mental Models that Matter
We're wired to think in stereotypical ways. Thinking well takes effort. Errors literally take no time at all.
Understand biases and use mental models makes better decisions. The brief video above launches us into today's discussion.
Hanlon's Razor. We need not attribute to malice what we can explain by stupidity (or an innocent mistake). Long ago, my wife felt one of our twins wiping her hands on her skirt. "Don't wipe your hands on my skirt." The twin replied, "I didn't. It was my nose."
First Conclusion Bias. Quicker isn't always better. We have parallel brain processing to solve problems, a back-of-the-envelope (Reflexive, X-system, System 1) mechanism and a slow processor (Reflective, C-system, System 2). Detailed strategies require Reflective thinking. Larry Fine's quick thinking fails spectacularly in the video. But we don't reflect upon whether to jump away from an onrushing car.
Stress. Pressure degrades performance. The 1999 shooting of Amadou Diallo has been attributed to 'mind blindness'. In Extreme Ownership, Jocko Willink discusses combat errors under stress including friendly fire. I've shared Chris Webber's 1993 timeout mistake as pressure-related. I highly recommend the book Performing Under Pressure.
Fragility or robustness? A system or organism lives or dies according to its fragility or robustness in a given ecosystem. "Adequate" defense or rebounding can prove inadequate against another team's rebounders. Local basketball guru Tom Hellen says, "A team that cannot shoot free throws lasts as long in the post-season as a dog that chases cars." Construct teams for robustness in many different milieus.
Lagniappe:
ATOs from the ATL. Many were designed to free Kyle Korver for threes.
Saturday, September 22, 2018
Basketball: Woodwardisms "Getting the Story Right"
Great stories surround us. Writers excavate, reveal, and polish them. For Bob Woodward, great stories expose the abuse of governmental power...theft, misallocation of funds, betraying the public trust, treason. The public's need to know balances against the perpetrators' need to conceal or discredit.
We have great stories within us. Propriety, fear of retaliation, uncertainty, and other factors prevent more revelations.
Sports has great stories of intrigue, subterfuge, and betrayal. Tonya Harding and Lance Armstrong crossed lines to win. "Whatever it takes." BC basketball had a point-shaving scandal in the late 1970's. NBA referee Tim Donaghy pleaded guilty to federal charges centered around gambling on games he officiated.
Adhere to core principles in telling your story. Bob Woodward is the foremost investigative journalist of our time. In his MasterClass he shares his methods including some of his tapes. You're not misquoted in tapes. During one presidential interview he emphasizes, "I want to get it right." You get it right using human sources, tapes, and documents with corroboration when documents are unavailable or a sole source is questionable.
Documents are out there.
Woodward describes, the "treacherous curtain of deference" surrounding powerful people. Journalists seek a peek inside the curtain."A source within blah-blah-blah" reports bibbidi-bobbidi-boo" because they want anonymity yet feel information needs sharing.
Great journalists like Woodward don't just find stories. They probe "inside the mind" of their subjects to understand their motivation. Share the what, the how, and the why.
Bank robber Willie Sutton denied saying, "that's where the money is." He responded, “Why did I rob banks? Because I enjoyed it. I loved it. I was more alive when I was inside a bank, robbing it, than at any other time in my life.
Many coaches maintain a cloak of secrecy around their program and methods. How many of us actively expose who we are and what we do, warts and all? Kentucky coach John Calipari comes closer than most.
“Nobody makes a big deal out of it when baseball players turn pro right out of high school. I don’t remember an uproar when Tiger Woods left Stanford for the PGA Tour. Neither Bill Gates nor the late Steve Jobs made it all the way through college. We’ve had swimmers turn pro and pass up college.”
― John Calipari, Players First: Success from the Inside Out
Calipari goes to church every day. My late Irish grandfather would simply say, "he needs to."
Writers illuminate truths. Woodward often says information is "close to the bone," meaning emotionally hurtful truth. Cheating to win, crossing ethical boundaries bares an individual's true nature.
Where is a story's center of gravity ? Expressions abound regarding turning points, "the die is cast" about Caesar's crossing the Rubicon, or a "Minsky moment" where risk becomes collapse.
Woodward advocates the "Rule of Six" where stories convey at least six important messages.
Learn from exceptional actors around us. When we understand the messenger well, we may be slower to dismiss the message.
Lagniappe:
Signature moves apply to teams, style of play, and individuals. John Wooden's UCLA Bruins had the 2-2-1 press and the UCLA cut offense. Everyone knows the Princeton Offense. Georgetown had a devastating man-to-man press as their style of play. Abdul-Jabbar had the Sky Hook and we remember the McHale Move, Olajuwon Dream Shake, Iverson crossover, Sikma Move, Pierce step-back, and so on. Here's a brief video on the Westbrook split pick-and-roll.
Friday, September 21, 2018
Basketball: Starting Practice
Steal good ideas...from everywhere, from everyone, from every domain, from other languages. Sawubona. "I see you." Newton's 3rd law. "Newton's third law states: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." You get what you give.
When does practice start? On the spreadsheet...stretching (physical and mental), the practice plan, remembering a whistle. What do we want to accomplish, how, and what interference will arise (last season it was influenza)?
Wrong. Don't start with dynamic stretching or two laps to warm up muscles. Practice starts when we greet players as they come in. Basketball starts with relationships. Urban Meyer's practice starts when a player crosses the 'red line' around the field. That signals you're fired up and ready to go.
Everyone has a name. Some even have nicknames - Po (Polar Bear), Badger, The Blur, the V-Rex. And they're girls. If your moniker is the most ferocious dinosaur of all time, how do you play? The Blur went on to win a state championship in the 600.
Fire needs oxygen. Don't suck the air out of the room. Don't bore them. Don't be an energy vampire. Yes, I prefer them to start with flips and form shooting. But if they have five minutes early fun with Knockout, they're having fun. Basketball...fun...associate practice and enjoyment.
In high school, we began practice with five minutes of jumping rope. If I had more practice time, I'd start that way.
Drive the tempo. I know one coach (who played in the Final Four) who uses background music to accelerate the tempo. Keep the story moving.
Never saying my ideas are the best. That's why I'm stealing yours.
Lagniappe:
Basketball is a game of separation, getting it and preventing it. "Don't dribble the air out of the ball." But if you're dribbling, separate. Change direction and change pace. "Crossover on your shoe tops." A crossover is not just changing hands!
Thursday, September 20, 2018
GENERIC ARTICLE - Process Overview
Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale and other novels
"Write the best story you can and throw out all the good lines." - Hemingway
PRETEND YOU'RE A READER...WOULD YOU KEEP READING?
"Good artists borrow; great artists steal." - Picasso
"The sculpture is in the marble." - Michelangelo
"Everyone has their version of the truth." - Bob Woodward
Good writing exposes truths.
"I'm not worried about you being the best; I want you to be your best."
Want to get it right...it matters.
Capture the reader with the title and content (improve!)
Add value
Move the needle where possible
Where is the meaning...Adler level 3 - words/topic/meaning/mastery
"Sometimes simplicity is born of ignorance and sometimes from knowledge."
Power the first line
Keep it moving in the opening paragraph
Tell the story
What's next
Rule of 6 (Present at least six items worth knowing)
Find a strong conclusion
EDIT EDIT EDIT
The Key is THERE somewhere. It's there. (Mamet Masterclass)
Add supporting quotes, images, or references
Lagniappe
Don't be a jerk!
Basketball: The Social Science of Influence
Education changes behavior. Coaches educate and influence our proteges and we can do so better if we know the pressure points of influence.
Robert Cialdini wrote the book on influence. Use his instruction.
Authority figures. Leaders can use authority for good or evil. Jim Jones used authority during the Jonestown cult to get followers to "drink the Kool Aid" poisoning (cyanide), leading to over 900 deaths. The Milgram Experiments showed volunteers anonymously give electrical shocks at maximal voltage under the direction of a researcher. We have great responsibility to use our authority wisely as coaches. Teams can play The Beautiful Game or Prison Ball.
Reciprocation.
Quid pro quo. We transform our know that into players' know how. Our time turns into their efforts. The charity industry employs fifteen times more than agriculture into the US. Their requests for donations may include a dime, a calendar, address labels and more, seeking reciprocal donations. We send you a DVD of your favorite rock group and you send a contribution to public television. I help you; you help me. We provide a scholarship; you provide the labor. Quid pro quo, Clarisse.
Social proof. The power of group dynamics gets people to act or not. An individual is more likely to act as a lone rescuer than within a group. There is no diffusion of responsibility as the lone hero. Suicides spike after a celebrity suicide. The "good person" becomes part of a lynch mob.
Get your key players to energize and engage the entire team.
Commitment and consistency. When we make public commitments, either in the media or in writing, we feel an obligation to follow through. Your university asks for a pledge of support. Politicians ask for your vote in return for campaign promises, "a chicken in every pot." The Knights of the Round Table pledged their loyalty. Before a big game, ask each player to sign a pledge of giving their maximum effort for that game. I've done that, but it's a one-time offer.
Reason giving. Do this because.
"Win one for the Gipper."
Liking. Recently I shared Kevin Eastman discussing the triad of Trust, Respect, and Liking. Players respond better to coaching and leaders they trust, respect, and like. We might say, "I don't care if my players like me." Really? Top-rated Navy Captains were liked more than lesser-rated skippers.
Here's a slide from a Mindfulness powerpoint I created.
Use the tools of influences positively to coach better.
Lagniappe:
Hat tip: Chris Oliver
Teach players to play with SSG (Small-sided games). K. J. Smith informs an extensive presentation.
Robert Cialdini wrote the book on influence. Use his instruction.
Authority figures. Leaders can use authority for good or evil. Jim Jones used authority during the Jonestown cult to get followers to "drink the Kool Aid" poisoning (cyanide), leading to over 900 deaths. The Milgram Experiments showed volunteers anonymously give electrical shocks at maximal voltage under the direction of a researcher. We have great responsibility to use our authority wisely as coaches. Teams can play The Beautiful Game or Prison Ball.
Reciprocation.
Quid pro quo. We transform our know that into players' know how. Our time turns into their efforts. The charity industry employs fifteen times more than agriculture into the US. Their requests for donations may include a dime, a calendar, address labels and more, seeking reciprocal donations. We send you a DVD of your favorite rock group and you send a contribution to public television. I help you; you help me. We provide a scholarship; you provide the labor. Quid pro quo, Clarisse.
Social proof. The power of group dynamics gets people to act or not. An individual is more likely to act as a lone rescuer than within a group. There is no diffusion of responsibility as the lone hero. Suicides spike after a celebrity suicide. The "good person" becomes part of a lynch mob.
Get your key players to energize and engage the entire team.
Commitment and consistency. When we make public commitments, either in the media or in writing, we feel an obligation to follow through. Your university asks for a pledge of support. Politicians ask for your vote in return for campaign promises, "a chicken in every pot." The Knights of the Round Table pledged their loyalty. Before a big game, ask each player to sign a pledge of giving their maximum effort for that game. I've done that, but it's a one-time offer.
Reason giving. Do this because.
"Win one for the Gipper."
Use the tools of influences positively to coach better.
Lagniappe:
Hat tip: Chris Oliver
Teach players to play with SSG (Small-sided games). K. J. Smith informs an extensive presentation.
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Basketball: Implicit Bias
We don't know what we don't know. But worse, what we know can be wrong.
From the Perception Institute:
We are what we do. We are our attitudes, choices, and effort. We are often unaware why we make our choices.
Harvard University has an ongoing project to measure and help us understand our implicit biases.
Keep asking questions, keep digging; seek understanding. Kevin Eastman wrote in Why the Best Are the Best, that review of a Celtics-Lakers playoff game revealed that the Celtics gave away 32 points through defensive errors. And they were an elite defense. Reduce mistakes.
Many of us keep notecards, spreadsheets, and notebooks of information, drills, plays. Have we reviewed, edited, and revised them lately? Medicine has a saying about treatments - never be the first to adopt or the last to throw away. "Kill your darlings." The better drill replaces the older one.
Lagniappe:
How good is our process? Professor Michael Roberto shares from Building a Healthy Board of Directors culture. Replace Board of Directors with PRACTICE. I've edited one section as an example:
Agenda Construction. Include a clear description and purpose of each segment. Allot time proportionate to importance. Practice begins with items that require immediate action. Devote the next block of time to learning and refining critical strategies from the intermediate-to-longer term. The coach prepares with specifics to address those needs.
Vital themes for us this season include:
- Understand our and opponents' intent. Execute ours; limit theirs.
- Apply and defeat pressure.
- Win individual offensive and defensive battles. Technique beats tactics.
- Improve player and ball movement to get easier shots.
Prioritize these areas in practice.
- Improve defensive communication.
From the Perception Institute:
We are what we do. We are our attitudes, choices, and effort. We are often unaware why we make our choices.
Harvard University has an ongoing project to measure and help us understand our implicit biases.
Keep asking questions, keep digging; seek understanding. Kevin Eastman wrote in Why the Best Are the Best, that review of a Celtics-Lakers playoff game revealed that the Celtics gave away 32 points through defensive errors. And they were an elite defense. Reduce mistakes.
Many of us keep notecards, spreadsheets, and notebooks of information, drills, plays. Have we reviewed, edited, and revised them lately? Medicine has a saying about treatments - never be the first to adopt or the last to throw away. "Kill your darlings." The better drill replaces the older one.
Lagniappe:
How good is our process? Professor Michael Roberto shares from Building a Healthy Board of Directors culture. Replace Board of Directors with PRACTICE. I've edited one section as an example:
Agenda Construction. Include a clear description and purpose of each segment. Allot time proportionate to importance. Practice begins with items that require immediate action. Devote the next block of time to learning and refining critical strategies from the intermediate-to-longer term. The coach prepares with specifics to address those needs.
Vital themes for us this season include:
- Understand our and opponents' intent. Execute ours; limit theirs.
- Apply and defeat pressure.
- Win individual offensive and defensive battles. Technique beats tactics.
- Improve player and ball movement to get easier shots.
Prioritize these areas in practice.
- Improve defensive communication.
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Basketball: Confidence Vampires
"Anyone who wishes to be cured of ignorance must first admit to it." - Montaigne
We all make mistakes; we can always improve. We care about perception...of others.
From Bevelin, Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger
Effective coaches trains players to succeed. What influencers sap confidence from players? Influences come from within or externally.
Negative self-talk.
We are our own worst critics. Sometimes we set our expectations too low. Others we set high expectations but fail to do the work required to meet them.
Parental criticism.
The Stoics say to listen neither to praise nor criticism. Parents can inflict withering disapproval. Sherri Coale discussed the player whom the team thought was selfish. "You're not happy unless you're scoring." In a team meeting, the young woman cried, "my father won't talk to me if I'm not scoring." Comparison with other players can exact a toll. We've all overheard conversations we wish we hadn't...woulda, coulda, shoulda narratives.
Teammate influences.
Teammates support or deflate. Hierarchies exist. In Teammates Matter, Alan Williams walked on to Wake. Every player got a numbered black and gold travel bag...except him. The next day he found a bag by his locker, the bag of the star player. He didn't need any trophies.
Cliques abound. I've heard (particularly in women's college ball) where schisms between gay and straight players destroyed a team. Cultures fail. As Kevin Eastman says, "fight for your culture every day."
Sometimes the most spectacular failures occur with hazing. Great teams have clarity about zero tolerance for maltreating teammates.
Coaching negativism.
One player called the culture, "crabs in a bucket." Each individual scrambled to crawl over the others. Verbal abuse and bullying are real. Sometimes it can be fatal. You don't need additional examples.
Players suffer with unexplained role changes and loss of playing time. Loss is embedded at the core of depression and decreased self-esteem. Players deserve communication even when they disagree with the impact of change.
In boys' sport negative video is a core element. UNC Women's soccer coach Anson Dorrance, winner of over twenty national championships, only shows his players positive video. In his book Ten-Minute Toughness, sport psychologist Jason Selk includes mental highlight video in his confidence building process. Know that you can.
Social proof.
Robert Cialdini discussed the power of social proof in his book, Influence. "Cialdini says that since 95% of people are imitators and only 5% initiators people are swayed more by the action of others than any proof we can offer." Think for yourself. Are you going to "pile on" (think sports radio) or think independently?
We choose to build players up or tear them down.
Lagniappe:
"Dribble At" work teaches reading defense and execution:
1) Dribble handoff
2) Dribble backdoor cut
3) Dribble cutback and more
We all make mistakes; we can always improve. We care about perception...of others.
From Bevelin, Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger
Effective coaches trains players to succeed. What influencers sap confidence from players? Influences come from within or externally.
Negative self-talk.
We are our own worst critics. Sometimes we set our expectations too low. Others we set high expectations but fail to do the work required to meet them.
Parental criticism.
The Stoics say to listen neither to praise nor criticism. Parents can inflict withering disapproval. Sherri Coale discussed the player whom the team thought was selfish. "You're not happy unless you're scoring." In a team meeting, the young woman cried, "my father won't talk to me if I'm not scoring." Comparison with other players can exact a toll. We've all overheard conversations we wish we hadn't...woulda, coulda, shoulda narratives.
Teammate influences.
Teammates support or deflate. Hierarchies exist. In Teammates Matter, Alan Williams walked on to Wake. Every player got a numbered black and gold travel bag...except him. The next day he found a bag by his locker, the bag of the star player. He didn't need any trophies.
Cliques abound. I've heard (particularly in women's college ball) where schisms between gay and straight players destroyed a team. Cultures fail. As Kevin Eastman says, "fight for your culture every day."
Sometimes the most spectacular failures occur with hazing. Great teams have clarity about zero tolerance for maltreating teammates.
Coaching negativism.
One player called the culture, "crabs in a bucket." Each individual scrambled to crawl over the others. Verbal abuse and bullying are real. Sometimes it can be fatal. You don't need additional examples.
Players suffer with unexplained role changes and loss of playing time. Loss is embedded at the core of depression and decreased self-esteem. Players deserve communication even when they disagree with the impact of change.
In boys' sport negative video is a core element. UNC Women's soccer coach Anson Dorrance, winner of over twenty national championships, only shows his players positive video. In his book Ten-Minute Toughness, sport psychologist Jason Selk includes mental highlight video in his confidence building process. Know that you can.
Social proof.
Robert Cialdini discussed the power of social proof in his book, Influence. "Cialdini says that since 95% of people are imitators and only 5% initiators people are swayed more by the action of others than any proof we can offer." Think for yourself. Are you going to "pile on" (think sports radio) or think independently?
We choose to build players up or tear them down.
Lagniappe:
"Princeton Offense - Dribble-Ats" #FastDrawArt pic.twitter.com/YXemx2ev0V— Radius Athletics (@RadiusAthletics) September 17, 2018
"Dribble At" work teaches reading defense and execution:
1) Dribble handoff
2) Dribble backdoor cut
3) Dribble cutback and more
Monday, September 17, 2018
Basketball: Transformational Offense
Gridiron Genius by Mike Lombardi reveals that Joe Gibbs' epic Washington offense broke down to three running plays and ten pass plays. Multiple formation and movement added confusion...for the defense. In other words, simplicity ruled, camouflaged with variations. Football has "pre-snap" formations (and reads) and post-snap movement with adjustments.
Can we begin with a base play (or two) and decorate to add mystery?
Align in a box and initiate the same action...or not.
1. Use 5 as an isolation (I have 5s who can put the ball on the floor)
2. Use your 'core play'
3. Wing entry for drive or side pick-and-roll with 5
From a "Horns" set, again we have options.
1. Core play
2. 5 isolation
3. 1-5 combinations (ball screen, give-and-go, pass and handoff, etc.
Lagniappe:
Nobody knows your depth (or lack) except you (you always includes me). Don't let anyone define us. Define ourselves through our attitudes, choices, effort, and actions.
Can we begin with a base play (or two) and decorate to add mystery?
This is a minor variation of a play run by the Tufts' women, coached by Carla Berube. There's a post feed and a back door cut. I'd call this a "pass play."
Align in a box and initiate the same action...or not.
1. Use 5 as an isolation (I have 5s who can put the ball on the floor)
2. Use your 'core play'
3. Wing entry for drive or side pick-and-roll with 5
From a "Horns" set, again we have options.
1. Core play
2. 5 isolation
3. 1-5 combinations (ball screen, give-and-go, pass and handoff, etc.
Lagniappe:
Nobody knows your depth (or lack) except you (you always includes me). Don't let anyone define us. Define ourselves through our attitudes, choices, effort, and actions.
Sunday, September 16, 2018
Basketball: Fingerprints of Individual Success
The best rise to the level of the challenge. "Tell me something I don't know." Winners study successful programs. In Gridiron Genius, Mike Lombardi examines the metrics and meaning of success, beginning with offense and the quarterback position.
WINNING
Winners keep winning. He reveals Bill Parcells "rule of 23*," that elite quarterbacks won at least 23 games in college. He explains that Jameis Winston was 26-1, Marcus Mariota 36-5, and Kirk Cousins 27-12. Tom Brady played behind Brian Griese for two years at Michigan, but was 20-5 as a starter in his final two seasons.
Does winning in college transfer to the NBA level? With the one-and-done phenomenon, the sample size is usually prohibitive. The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis shared that college program, individual success, and draft age best projected pro players.
A THICK SKIN
He examines key players' response to adversity. Do they keep fighting, get conservative, or fold their tent? Do they play better or worse in crunch time (e.g. the fourth quarter)? He contrasts Deshaun Watson who flourished under pressure and Mitch Trubisky who struggled against better opponents and under pressure.
WORK ETHIC
"Your star...needs to be a gym rat." Lombardi shares that teams believe that they can change a player's ethos...usually wrong. But he also acknowledges the exception in Brett Favre, who conquered alcohol problems and became a star after the trade to Green Bay.
FOOTBALL SMARTS
Coaches love players with high sport-specific IQ. Better understanding allows players to play faster. It's not enough to see where the defender is playing the receiver, you need to understand how the help is playing. They may tip off the quarterback/point guard by 'cheating' their location, tipping off the double team. In youth ball, watch the front of the zone. The players seldom disguise their intent.
INNATE ABILITY
Skill matters. Developing youth players, I am biased toward finding athletes and developing them over a more skilled but lesser athlete. Subconsciously (and perhaps unfairly), I'm projecting whom a player can become if they have drive and persistence. Lombardi distinguishes innate ability comparing Deshaun Watson and Ryan Tannehill. Watson has it. On third down, Tannehill's completion percentage falls, his yards per pass fall, and he throws interceptions.
CARRIAGE
We communicate verbally but especially non-verbally. Lombardi illustrates this with Jay Cutler's indifference. Great players inspire. He cites Geno Auriemma's sitting star players with bad bench demeanor. If you're not INTO THE GAME then you won't get into the game.
LEADERSHIP
Leaders 'command the room' and 'command the message'. Effective "next level" administrators and coaches check with teammates (anonymously) to gauge a prospect's leadership. Of Patriots former backup Jimmy Garoppolo, he writes, "he was a great worker, his football smarts were off the charts, and he carried himself like a leader at all times."
The face of your team must live the part and live the truth.
Lagniappe: SPO!
Clever design and phenomenal execution by the Heat...
WINNING
Winners keep winning. He reveals Bill Parcells "rule of 23*," that elite quarterbacks won at least 23 games in college. He explains that Jameis Winston was 26-1, Marcus Mariota 36-5, and Kirk Cousins 27-12. Tom Brady played behind Brian Griese for two years at Michigan, but was 20-5 as a starter in his final two seasons.
Does winning in college transfer to the NBA level? With the one-and-done phenomenon, the sample size is usually prohibitive. The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis shared that college program, individual success, and draft age best projected pro players.
A THICK SKIN
He examines key players' response to adversity. Do they keep fighting, get conservative, or fold their tent? Do they play better or worse in crunch time (e.g. the fourth quarter)? He contrasts Deshaun Watson who flourished under pressure and Mitch Trubisky who struggled against better opponents and under pressure.
WORK ETHIC
"Your star...needs to be a gym rat." Lombardi shares that teams believe that they can change a player's ethos...usually wrong. But he also acknowledges the exception in Brett Favre, who conquered alcohol problems and became a star after the trade to Green Bay.
FOOTBALL SMARTS
Coaches love players with high sport-specific IQ. Better understanding allows players to play faster. It's not enough to see where the defender is playing the receiver, you need to understand how the help is playing. They may tip off the quarterback/point guard by 'cheating' their location, tipping off the double team. In youth ball, watch the front of the zone. The players seldom disguise their intent.
INNATE ABILITY
Skill matters. Developing youth players, I am biased toward finding athletes and developing them over a more skilled but lesser athlete. Subconsciously (and perhaps unfairly), I'm projecting whom a player can become if they have drive and persistence. Lombardi distinguishes innate ability comparing Deshaun Watson and Ryan Tannehill. Watson has it. On third down, Tannehill's completion percentage falls, his yards per pass fall, and he throws interceptions.
CARRIAGE
We communicate verbally but especially non-verbally. Lombardi illustrates this with Jay Cutler's indifference. Great players inspire. He cites Geno Auriemma's sitting star players with bad bench demeanor. If you're not INTO THE GAME then you won't get into the game.
LEADERSHIP
Leaders 'command the room' and 'command the message'. Effective "next level" administrators and coaches check with teammates (anonymously) to gauge a prospect's leadership. Of Patriots former backup Jimmy Garoppolo, he writes, "he was a great worker, his football smarts were off the charts, and he carried himself like a leader at all times."
The face of your team must live the part and live the truth.
Lagniappe: SPO!
Miami Heat End of Game Inverted Pick & Roll to a Double Hammer. This is AWESOME! pic.twitter.com/US5Eb8qYe1— Half Court Hoops (@HalfCourtHoops) September 15, 2018
Clever design and phenomenal execution by the Heat...
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