Mike Lombardi explains that Al Davis asked after every game, “why did we win” or “why did we lose?” Davis wanted the authentic causes not “they scored more than we did.” Problem solvers seek the truth not superficial answers or excuses (we got a bad call). “What did we not expect” or “how could we prepare better?”
Commit to excellence. Lombardi says there are three levels of players - the bought in, the undecided, and the selfish. We can’t win without enough of the former and with too many of the latter two.
Match our habits to our goals. Stick to fundamentals. Review our assignments individually and as a team. Know the keys to success in this contest. Get proper nutrition and rest. Study the game daily.
Don’t cheat the drill. Few players go ‘full tilt full time’ and their ethos separates them. That translates to excellence in the classroom, too.
Do well what we do a lot. Match offense and defense to available players. We haven’t run a dribble drive system because we haven’t had enough of those skilled athletes. Former Carleton coach Dave Smart says teams must excel in the half court, in the pick-and-roll, and in transition defense.
Use checklists. Take advantage of symmetry. Apply and withstand pressure. Seek and deny quality shots. Value the ball and force turnovers.
Simplify. In Gridiron Genius Lombardi explains that the (then) Redskins had 3 core runs and 10 core passes in their thirteen page playbook. Coach Joe Gibbs used motion and shifting to disguise intent. Simplicity ruled leading to three championships. Simplicity promotes consistent execution.
Five out, Horns, 1-4 high, or 1-3-1 easily convert to a high ball screen to either side. The initial formation doesn’t define the play choice.
Fundamentally solid players execute many actions from similar formations.
Don’t give away games. Bad shots, turnovers, defensive mistakes, missed free throws, and poor transition kill dreams.
Don’t anchor to losing actions. Have a fallback plan. We can’t overcome injuries and underperformance by wishful thinking. Anticipate what can go wrong via permitted analysis.
Lagniappe. Old post about shell drill, a defensive staple. It’s much more than vanilla.