Learn across domains. Analogies help us relate unrelated domains.
1. Work ethic...the iceberg. What we see in a player is the part of the iceberg above the water. Player development, unseen actions comprise the bulk of the stuffing inside.
2. The basketball court is a laboratory. Develop a hypothesis, conduct experiments, and define results. I thought that run-and-jump defense (I like to call it trap and switch) would work well with our small, athletic soccer-playing guards. It didn't.
3. Learn to fly. "Basketball is a game meant to be played fast." Developing transition offense or playing "The System" requires both mindset and practice.
4. Get more arrows in your quiver. Empire of the Summer Moon informs the rise and fall of the Comanches. Their horsemanship was unparalleled. Comanche warriors, as early as teens, could wheel their horse around and deliver a dozen arrows with deadly accuracy in a minute. Aspire to add more and better arrows in your playing or coaching quiver.
5. Put your program under a microscope. Examine both the big picture (the bird's-eye view - another analogy) and the granular detail.
6. Help fix your program with a fine-toothed comb. The closely set 'teeth' on a comb have special value in removing parasites. Turnovers are parasites, flies in the ointment, a clog in the machine (more analogies).
7. Season on the roller coaster or the merry-go-round? Coaching helps elevate both level of play and consistency. The roller coaster season speaks for itself.
8. Sports leave scars. It's not war, but it leaves scars. Who among us has no leftovers from dislocated fingers, arthroscopic or open surgery, and more? It comes with the territory (another analogy).
9. Basketball is "Darwinian." Competition is 'survival of the fittest'. Darwin's quote is about adaptability and flexibility. Players adapt to the opponents, different styles of coaching, and also to the officiating.
10."Junkie" equals addict. Are you a basketball junkie, competition junkie, adrenaline junkie? "I can quit anytime."
11.Most seasons end with disappointment. Either the Heat or the Nuggets emerges as the NBA champion. Most end with a postmortem examination, an autopsy. Nobody died except a team's dreams.
"What never lies? The evidence." - CSI
12.Words have multiple meanings. A reporter asked football coach John McKay about his season, "how do you feel about your team's execution?" Coach McKay quipped, "I'm in favor of it."
Lagniappe.
One reason why UConn had such a deep playbook this year is @dhurley15 is a master at layering counters on top of sets.
— Ben Ostrow (@benstr00) June 2, 2023
Check out how the Huskies built up from the simple Horns Flare to one of the nastiest plays I've seen, which @HalfCourtHoops called "Husky Special" pic.twitter.com/wIVzXHjl91