The world speaks to us if we're open. Journaling translates senses into sense. When we see something and it impacts us in the moment, write it down.
Don Meyer kept three journals - basketball, general information, and an appreciation journal he gave to his wife each year. Absorb five ideas daily and our horizons expand like the universe.
I know multiple Infectious Diseases specialists who kept "mini-journals" on every consultation performed.
It's our journal. Song lyrics, a basketball tip or play, or poems change us.
11 seconds from Bon Jovi...
"To see a world in a grain of sand,
Or a heav'n in a wild flower.
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
Or eternity in an hour." - William Blake
That stanza was on a birthday card on my 13th birthday. And it stuck.
Rip middle. Give and go against the press.
When we address our teams, we enjoy a platform to change lives. "I'm pleased but I'm not satisfied" carries a different vibe than, "we won but we only played sixteen minutes in a thirty-two minute game.
What basketball ideas stand for controversy today? How many three point shots belong at lower levels (including high school) where the talent is uneven? That's part of a broader conversation about what concepts from high level basketball should migrate to mainstream thought.
In this week's Slappin' Glass podcast, Bayern Munich coach Andrea Trinchieri reminds us, "I don't like general stuff. We have to have a winning mentality ...basketball is a very situational game." "When you have competitiveness (in practice), you have less control."
Society interacts with us, regardless of our desires. Independent film director Mira Nair reminds us that to be successful, "you need the skin of an elephant and the soul of a poet."
We can share our journal or keep it private. Some thoughts should remain private.
Lagniappe (something extra). Gary Washburn shares the Kyrie conundrum, thoughts on Ime Udoka, and WNBA expansion in today's Boston Globe Sunday Basketball Notes.
Lagniappe 2. Coach Hanlen shares that shooters need a myriad of footwork solutions depending on the defense.