Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Basketball: Control Ego and Serve the Team

"Whom the gods would destroy, they first raise up." 

 Ego is the enemy. Some say, "the greater the player, the greater the insecurity." 

Blind ambition ruined Icarus. Selfishness defeats teams from within. Ego stops the ball and fuels "my turn" shots. Robert Knox writes, "But the gods do not like real heroes — that is, they do not like seeing mortals become too ‘god-like.’ Ask Achilles."

 Performance enhancing drug (PED) suspensions are up in the NBA. That's ego talking. With the dollars at stake, it's no wonder. Chuck Daly's "48 minutes, 48 shots, and 48 million" maxim has staying power. 

Control your ego. A varsity player had thirty points near the end of the third quarter, taking his second foul shot. The coach signaled that he was subbing him out. For his shot, the player took a 'soccer throw-in' shot off the backboard and walked off the court. What message does that send to the coach, teammates, and fans? "I am bigger than the game." You are not. 

 "Only the penitent man shall pass." A player would not pass. His coach set up a practice play with the player as the inbounder. He then told his teammates to leave the floor. "Now play." He made his point. 

 Athletes need a healthy ego. You can only be as good as you believe you are. But serve your teammates. In Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek writes, “The true price of leadership is the willingness to place the needs of others above your own. Great leaders truly care about those they are privileged to lead and understand that the true cost of the leadership privilege comes at the expense of self-interest.”

Sports gods humble us with inconsistency, illness, and injury. Those who constantly feed their ego end up with the stock trader's breakfast, "egg on the face." 

 "But I have to be myself." Does your ego subvert team culture? Intended or not, we project an image. Authentic selfishness and immaturity fail. "Change comes from within." 

Summary:

 - Ego is the enemy.
- Selfishness defeats teams from within.
- Ego stops the ball and fuels 'my turn' shots.
- Control your ego.
- Place the needs of others above your own. 

 Lagniappe: 

 Brian Scalabrine on defensive centers..."The game is changing. It's not just about blocking shots. How do you contain the ball? Can you close out on shooters?"

 Lagniappe 2: The past is the past. 
Lagniappe 3: Looking through the playbook 

14 high, empty the side, give and go. If the pass isn't there, clear through and isolate. 


Make switching defenses pay with the 15 high-low action. 


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