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Sunday, June 30, 2024

Basketball: Belief

From Brave AI: "Roger Bannister, a British athlete and neurologist, became the first person to run a sub-four minute mile on May 6, 1954, at the Iffley Road Track in Oxford, England. He achieved this remarkable feat with a time of 3 minutes 59.4 seconds." 

The four-minute mile was the Mount Everest of track, a once unsurmountable peak to climb. The ascent remained unattainable until Roger Bannister eclipsed it. Within a few weeks after Bannister, a second runner went under four minutes. Because Bannister had proven the impossible possible. 

Principles:

"You can only be as good as you believe you are." 

"If you can do it you ain't boasting." - Dizzy Dean

When earned by players or teams, the coach should say, "I believe in you." 

Yet belief must be earned not bestowed. 

"The magic is in the work." 

Lagniappe. Chris Dorsey with a couple of ideas on beating switching defenses. 

Lagniappe 2. Watch for ideas to build into offense.  Player and ball movement kill defenses. 

Basketball: How Stoicism Can Help Us

Study Stoicism. Our minds have incredible power. Take advantage to build resilience. 

Stoicism is a durable philosophy dating back millennia. Many professional teams and athletes have adopted stoicismWhat principles guide stoicism? How can they help us? 

Control what you can control because disappointments are inevitable. We can't control events around us but we can control our response. 

Practice gratitude. It can help us appreciate our situation, even when things aren't going as well as we'd like. 

Favor reason over emotion. Use the power of our mental acuity to make better decisions, regardless of the stressors around us. 

Develop self-control. Put discipline and rational thinking above desires and wants. 

Live in the present. Work on virtue and presence and find the ability to let go of unfortunate pasts. 

We don't need an opinion on everything. This frees us from 'cognitive dissonance' of holding conflicting ideas simultaneously. 

This is an ideal opportunity to use AI (from ChatGPT)

Stoicism, an ancient Greek philosophy founded in Athens around 300 BC, revolves around several core principles that guide its followers toward living a fulfilling life characterized by virtue, reason, and resilience. Here are some of the top-level principles of Stoicism:

  1. Virtue as the sole good: Stoics believe that moral excellence (virtue) is the highest good and the only true measure of a person's worth. Virtue includes qualities like wisdom, justice, courage, and self-discipline.

  2. Live in accordance with nature: This principle suggests that humans should align their lives with the rational order of the universe. It involves accepting events and circumstances beyond our control while focusing on what we can control—our thoughts, actions, and attitudes.

  3. Acceptance of the present moment: Stoicism emphasizes accepting the present moment as it is, without unnecessary emotional reaction or resistance. This involves cultivating a mindset of equanimity and tranquility in the face of life's challenges.

  4. Control over desires and emotions: Stoics advocate for moderation and self-control in desires and emotions. By overcoming destructive emotions like fear, anger, and greed, individuals can achieve inner peace and clarity.

  5. Understanding the dichotomy of control: This principle distinguishes between what is within our control (our thoughts, actions, and choices) and what is not (external events, other people's actions, and circumstances). Stoics focus their efforts on what they can control and accept what they cannot.

  6. Live according to reason: Stoicism emphasizes the use of reason and logic to guide one's thoughts and actions. By cultivating a rational approach to life, individuals can make better decisions and avoid being swayed by irrational impulses.

  7. Practice of mindfulness and self-reflection: Stoics advocate for regular self-examination and reflection to improve oneself morally and intellectually. This includes assessing one's actions, identifying weaknesses, and striving for continual improvement.

  8. Understanding the transience of life: Stoicism teaches the impermanence of everything in life, emphasizing the importance of appreciating the present moment and being prepared for change and adversity.

These principles form the foundation of Stoic philosophy and are aimed at helping individuals live a more meaningful and resilient life, guided by reason, virtue, and inner strength.

Being in the present, focused, and rational helps us make better decisions at home, school or work, and in sports. We can't control how others treat us but we control how we treat them. 

Lagniappe. What teams are hardest to defend? "Movement kills defense." Player and ball movement create headaches for defense. It's not about memorizing options but visualizing and executing them. 

Saturday, June 29, 2024

Basketball: Playing Possessions

I'm no basketball savant, but I have taught "possessions and possession" for years.

Consider this volleyball analogy, score points on serves, blocks, and attacks and deny points on opponent serves, blocks, and attacks. Serves and attacks are your offensive possessions and successful blocks are much like live-ball turnovers, high points/possession. 

A volleyball "offensive rebound" might be a great dig or covering an opponent's block by "keeping the ball up" affording another chance to attack. 

Poor communication or disorganization in volleyball is analogous to bad transition defense. 

Players must know "where our points arise" and where opponents want to score. 

A coach's offensive philosophy might be to run Princeton offense in half-court sets and take open threes. That's a failing strategy when players lack the skill to execute urgent cutting and passing and are noncompetitive in perimeter shooting. It's the equivalent of trying to walk through fire wearing gasoline-soaked pants. "We can't run what we can't run." 

Lagniappe. Whatever it takes. 

Lagniappe 2. I teach "stops make runs."  

Lagniappe 3. Study and copy elite action.  

Basketball: "Work in Progress"

Listen to someone bristle at being called "a work in progress." They take umbrage because someone suggests they are incomplete, imperfect, flawed.

Do we have room for growth, wisdom, more perfect understanding of the world and people around us and ourselves? Surely.

If a physical basketball represented the world of basketball, what surface 'covering' would reflect our understanding? Would it be dime-sized, quarter-sized, the size of a playing card?

At the other extreme, with the expanse of knowledge, how can we distill it to the essence of 'useful and usable' information? That's the ocean that coaches and authors navigate. 

"Work in progress" only insults us when our self-assessment is inflated and incomplete. 

Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich would say, "get over yourself." 

Lagniappe. 

 

Friday, June 28, 2024

Basketball: Winners Dos and Don'ts

Bill Parcells said, "you are what your record says you are." 

How do you break down 'winning things'? 

Before practice and games

1) Know team assignments and roles. Be on the same page. For example, everyone should know how we defend ball screens. 

2) Be hydrated, rested, and properly nourished. The best player I ever coached (Cecilia Kay) was the most prepared, always stretched out and mentally ready when the bell rang. She recently set the single game scoring record in the local Agganis All-Star game. 

During practice and games

1) Take great shots. 

 2) Focus maximally, "possession by possession." 

After practice and games.  

1) Review mentally what went well, poorly, and how to change.

2) Recover optimally with active recovery and "contrast therapy." 

2018 studyTrusted Source found that active recovery can benefit people by:

  • reducing lactic acid buildup in the muscles
  • increasing blood flow to muscle tissue
  • removing metabolic waste from the muscles
  • reducing muscle tears and pain
  • reduced soreness

Avoid "losing things." 

Avoid losing attitudes. 

Lagniappe. Beware early season pitfalls. I saw a team lose their opener by one. The first two defensive possessions had failed blockouts allowing putbacks to score. 

Lagniappe 2. Playing off two feet is getting more and deserved attention.  

 

Thursday, June 27, 2024

Basketball: Truths Hidden in Plain Sight

Coach Mike Krzyzewski noted that you beat teams by making plays not by running plays.

Basketball truths live in the public domain. The jump shot has been around about 90 years, 1-3-1 defense over 80, the Flex offense almost 60 years.

Einstein preached, "Imagination is more important than information," but never developed a basketball theory of relativity. 

What truths are so obvious and yet poorly understood that players need to embody? Players should understand broad concepts and embrace fine-tuning them with specifics. 

  • "Every day is player development day."
  • "Play harder for longer." 
  • "Success is a choice." 
  • "Plan your trade. Trade your plan." 
  • "Get more and better shots than your opponent." 

"Every day is player development day." - Dave Smart

Specifics: You're either getting better or getting worse. Dr. Fergus Connolly's core four of skill, strategy, physicality, and psychology deserve regular attention. 

The NBA has a site devoted to mind health. Here's a screenshot. 


Breath control activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the counterpoint to the sympathetic "fight or flight" system. Think .B (dot B), stop and take a breath. 

"Excellent teams play harder for longer.

Specifics: Playing harder for longer combines physical and mental conditioning. Teams run "boot camps" to simulate military physical hardening. LeBron James spends a million dollars a year on trainers and nutritionists. Invest in yourself. Buy a jump rope for under ten dollars. 

"Success is a choice." - Rick Pitino book title

Specifics: Are we investing our time or spending it? Remember David Mamet's advice, "do one thing every day for your craft and one for your business. "Eat that frog" means to take care of the one hard thing first. 

Pitino teaches, "Success is a choice and there are no shortcuts…"

"Plan your trade. Trade your plan." - Linda Raschke

Specifics: Where do our points arise? Where do our opponents points arise? UCONN Coach Geno Auriemma expects a third of points off transition, a third off sets, and a third off threes. If you're a youth coach, you don't have the shooters he has, so that's fool's gold. 

"Get more and better shots than your opponent." - Pete Newell  

Specifics: That implies getting more and better possessions than your opponent, meaning "succeed possession by possession." Your best scorers need more shots in their spots and your team has to disallow the same for their opponent. 

Lagniappe. Do you script plays to open the game? It's a thought. 

Lagniappe 2. What's our deal? 

  • Constantly build skills. 
  • Simplify. 
  • Share something great. 

 

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

Basketball: Bearly There

Season three of The Bear premiered with many flashbacks to prior seasons. This is not designed to be a spoiler. And if you haven't watched the first two seasons, you should because they are some of the most compelling television available. 

In some ways, episode one recapitulates a favorite genre, the origin story. 

Carmy is a copious notetaker, capturing images of food with his camera, drawings, and ultimately his mind. And it's almost like the episode was written by a basketball coach, emphasizing excellence, pressure, and mental stressors. My boss in the Navy had a saying, "I am your mentor and your tormentor."

Readers should ask themselves, "how much pressure is reasonable and what takes it over the line?" 

A few additional themes emerge and I'll share only a few: 

1) Establish your non-negotiables.

2) "Less is more." 

3) Don't repeat ingredients. 

4) Details matter.

5) No excuses. 

6) Know your $hit. 

7) Keep _______ going. 



As coaches, we need both the 'bird's eye view' and the most granular (fine) details. 

Lagniappe. Beautiful sequential screens creating a BOB layup. 

Lagniappe 2. What is our standard? 




 

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Basketball: Defending the Star Player

Find a role to get on and stay on the court. Most players think score first. Defense comes farther down the list.

Once you've committed to defend the star, start your mental checklist.

1) Embrace the challenge and impact winning. How you defend depends on the assignment. If you defend the box-and-one guy, expect to get screened...a lot.

2) Condition. Elite defense demands great conditioning. "You can't skip steps." If you're not in shape, forget elite defense. 

3) Stay grounded. Excellent scorers score, even against strong defense. When they score, move on to the next play. Like cornerbacks, 'defense first' players need a short memory.  


4) Study your cover. Where are their 'sweet spots'? Are they heavily dominant-handed? What are their preferred moves - jab, hesi, crossover, something else? 

5) Do the work. They can't score without the ball. Make them work for it. Or make them catch it farther away from the basket. That might take away the catch-and-shoot option. 

6) Be the aggressor. "Nose on the chest" or "crawl up into them" or "don't back down." Fill your quiver with metaphorical arrows. I liked to go for the steal on the crossover. 

7) Fake and anticipate. If you know they jab and go or jab and rip, anticipate and get legal guarding position. That may frustrate them or they may commit a charge. 

8) Expect physicality. Excellent players aren't wallflowers. They're going to give as much contact as they get. That's the price. 

Deal out annoyance and you own rent-free space in their head. If you're really on your game, they'll start whining, shoving, or maybe even take a punch. They're more focused on you than on their job. 


Most of all, play hard and well to earn respect from your coach, teammates, and even opponents. And maybe you'll have the faded receipts. 

Lagniappe. Take care of your body. 

Lagniappe 2. We used to run stuff like this fifty years ago...because it worked. 

Monday, June 24, 2024

Basketball: Find An Unconventional Mount Rushmore Coaching Staff

Our Mount Rushmore of Coaches (MROC) can include anybody from any sport or even any domain. It adds value as a thought experiment. Everyone's experience, attitudes, beliefs, and values differ. 

John Nash ("A Beautiful Mind") won't be on mine but might be on another's. Coaching is more than barking out instructions, Xs and Os, teaching resilience, or player development.

Develop a personal MROC or a team MROC. There's no single way or "right answer." An analogy might be Lincoln's Team of Rivals with Seward, Chase, and Bates. 

I favor using a Warren Buffett 25-5 or manageable 12-4, starting with a dozen and winnowing to the Final Four. Your list will not converge with mine (alphabetically). You likely never have heard of some.

1) Geno Auriemma

2) Jack Clark (Cal Rugby Coach)

3) Dr. Fergus Connolly (Human Performance expert)

4) Richard Feynman (legendary physics teacher)

5) Dr. Faith Fitzgerald (Professor of Medicine)

6) Doris Kearns Goodwin

7) Garry Kasparov (World Chess champion)

8) John McLendon 

9) Gregg Popovich

10) Dean Smith

11) Ed Smith (former English cricket selector)

12) Bill Walsh

What criteria or exclusion belong? Choose your absolutes. Not saying mine deserve weight. 

  • Character
  • Leadership
  • Communication
  • Teaching ability
  • Inspiration
  • Diversity 
  • Problem solving
Would it be 'reproducible'? Would I choose the same four each time? Would the product be more than the sum of the whole? Would I need a basketball coach or with an elite group of leaders be better off without 'conventional wisdom'? 

Doris Kearns Goodwin (historian): 


Coaches have a responsibility to team and truth. Remind ourselves that winners write history. Imagine if the south has won the Civil War or if the Nazis won WW2. 

Dr. Fergus Connolly (Human Performance expert)

Connolly, author of Game Changer

Theory and analytics matter, but games are won by real people, the athletes competing on the field. The ability to build their skill, strategic knowledge, athleticism, and psychology into better performers separates champions from wannabes. 



It doesn't matter if the coach has an encyclopedic knowledge of the game if she can't transmit a usable portion to her team. 

Ed Smith

"He decides that the main problem in English cricket is what he calls “bureaucratic inertia”: the tendency of institutions to think too much like institutions, hidebound by convention and groupthink."

Conventional wisdom isn't always conventional or wise. Watching non-shooters jacking up threes applies NBA statistics to skill-challenged young players. Who owns the responsibility, the players, the coaches, both? Coaches preach defense and bury defenders on the pine. 

"Smith urges us to stop viewing player performance in isolation – a tougher task in cricket, which is essentially a sport built on individual statistics – but at how players seemingly contribute to the strength of the unit as a whole."

Dean Smith

Coach Smith blended humanity and a mathematics education. He acted boldly to integrate the ACC with the arrival of Charlie Scott. He selflessly encouraged Michael Jordan to leave early for the NBA. His Tarheels won two NCAA championships long after he was burned in effigy during his first season. 

He innovated at practice (shot quality scoring), offensively (Passing Game offense, Four Corners offense) and defensively (run-and-jump defense). 

In many ways, the discussion above is facetious, because only Dean Smith even fits the description of a coach. Raise consciousness as to desired qualities of coaches. The more we know, the more to apply for our players. 

Lagniappe. Use our imagination to improve shooting. 
Lagniappe 2. What is our coaching identity? 

Lagniappe 3. Origins of success. 

Sunday, June 23, 2024

Basketball More on What It Takes to Win

Keywords: Character, Talent, Leadership, Teamwork, Commitment

Some teams aren't ready to win, may never be. 

In a Boston Globe interview with Jeff Van Gundy, he remarked, “The game as it’s played has changed a lot. What wins and loses basketball games at any level has never changed and never will. And I thought that was comforting."

Each of us decides what works for us. Different teams choose different pathways such as the 1970s UCLA's 2-2-1 press, Syracuse's 2-3 zone, or Virginia's packline defense. Anyone who says there's only one way or their way has a limited grasp of basketball history.  

If forced to elaborate a few categories, what would we choose? 

Sports character. Michael Lombardi differentiated this. Find your guys. "Moss displayed another Belichick staple: mental toughness, which the Patriots define as “doing what is best for the team when it might not be best for you.” In New England, Moss was a “program guy”: someone who works hard, is a supportive teammate, and cares deeply about winning. In other words, someone with football character."

Talent. Great talent makes great coaches. Find it, develop it, or find and develop it into your desired image. If you take a job just to have the job in a 'bad situation', talent and lack of commitment are usually high on the list. If faced with low talent, then we better master development. If not, success is impossible. 

Leadership. Leadership adds value to not just 'the game' but the lives of the individuals. Leaders get buy-in. Buy-in creates loyalty, but start the 'chain of belief', so well-developed in Ted Lasso


This video may sound overly simplistic, but it captures many of the highlights. In software parlance, we need more features and fewer bugs.


Teamwork. In team sports, there is no substitute for teamwork. Collaboration raises teams to more than the sum of the whole. Ideally, players assume leadership and accountability for both individual and collective growth and performance. The team has to become the purpose beyond numbers, pay, awards, and endorsements.  

Commitment. Flanking the top of the Wooden "Pyramid of Success" are "faith" and "patience." We have to stick with the program, the habits, the heartbreak, the process. Sometimes it means adding more believers and watching disbelievers leave.

When people care enough, for long enough, and have some luck and leadership, anything is possible. Fall in love with process.


Lagniappe. Studying the game means watching basketball wherever we find it. 

Lagniappe 2. Resilience takes time. 

Lagniappe 3. Another way to overload the baseline. 

Saturday, June 22, 2024

Basketball: The Socratic Method, "What Does It Take to WIn?"

What is the Socratic method

The Socratic method is a form of argumentative dialogue between individuals, based on asking and answering questions. It is a teaching method that involves asking questions rather than simply relaying information. This method is named after the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, who believed that students already have deep knowledge within themselves, and that intensive questioning can reveal it.

Key Characteristics:

  • Instead of giving information and facts, an instructor using the Socratic method asks students a series of open-ended questions about a specific topic or issue.
  • Students are encouraged to pose questions of their own, engaging in a dialogue with the instructor and their peers.
  • The instructor acts as a facilitator or guide, rather than a provider of information.
  • The goal is to help students develop their understanding and critical thinking skills, rather than simply memorizing facts.
Use the Socratic Method to explore contributions to winning. The definition above comes from the AI component of Brave browser. 

"Susie, what helps teams win?"

Susie: "Good defense."

Socrates: "That's right. What does that mean to you?"

Susie: "Make it hard for the other team to score?"

Socrates: "How would you do that?"

Susie: "Not exactly a soup question. Play focused, play present - in the moment, communicate with teammates verbally and non-verbally, and play with maximal effort."

Socrates: "Good answer. What goes into maximal effort?"

Susie: "We have to be in great condition but also having a 'defensive mindset' to make it hard for the opponent to do what they want."

Socrates: "Maria, how do players show they are alert and focused?"

Maria: "They know their responsibilities. They know whom they cover, and if they're not in 'ball containment', they're looking to help in the passing lanes, you know, Cover 1.5."

Socrates: "Jonquel, can you think of other responsibilities?"

Jonquel: "Talk. You tell us, 'silent teams lose'. Also, challenge shots without fouling and block out." 

Socrates: "That's great, guys. Zoe, can you share examples of how we let the team down by not taking care of each other?" 

Zoe: "Teammates can get hurt when we don't call out screens. If we don't know whom we're covering, then our player will be open. You remind us, 'the ball scores'. Another important part of defense is 'conversion' from offense, no 'buddy running' in transition. Be sure we protect the basket and 'stop the ball'." 

Socrates: "Any other ideas for us, Annie?" 

Annie: "Our first priority is NO EASY SHOTS and HARD TWOs." 

Socrates: "Jamilla, can you summarize our defensive approach?"

Jamilla: "TEAM defense with ONE BAD SHOT, no middle, deny dribble and pass penetration, contest all shots without fouling, and own the boards with a safe outlet pass."

Socrates: "We'll have you discuss pick-and-roll defense soon." 

Lagniappe: Repost. Create edges with positioning. 

Lagniappe 2. Technique matters. 

Lagniappe 3. Keep raising the bar.  

Friday, June 21, 2024

Basketball: Post 4000, Chef's Kiss

Aspire to deliver a 'chef's kiss'. 


ChatGPT

"Chef's kiss" is a gesture often used to express excellence or perfection, especially in the context of food. It involves kissing one's fingertips and then gesturing outward, often accompanied by a sound mimicking a kiss (like "mwah"). It's a way of saying something is exceptionally good, delicious, or just right, typically used metaphorically to emphasize approval or satisfaction

What actions help us deliver a chef's kiss across domains? 

1) Specifics. Telling players to play hard isn't specific. Basketball and life reward specifics

2) Clarity and simplicity. Have a team vocabulary (lexicon) that says what you mean. For example, defending the pick-and-roll, Coach K called hedging "fake trap." 

3) Habitual excellence. James Clear describes "keystone habits," triggers for change. Habits like adequate sleep, nutrition, and exercise would be keystone habits. 

Here are some key characteristics of keystone habits as described by James Clear: (ChatGPT answer)

  1. Small Changes, Big Impact: Keystone habits are often small changes or actions that, when consistently practiced, can lead to significant improvements in other areas of life. For example, starting the day with exercise or meditation can set a positive tone for the entire day, affecting productivity, mood, and decision-making.

  2. Gateway to Other Habits: These habits act as gateways or entry points to other good habits. For instance, someone who starts meal planning (a keystone habit) may find themselves naturally making healthier food choices, saving money, and reducing food waste—all as a result of this one initial habit change.

  3. Positive Domino Effect: Keystone habits initiate a domino effect where one habit change triggers a series of positive behaviors. This creates momentum and makes it easier to adopt and maintain other good habits over time.

  4. Behavioral Catalyst: They serve as behavioral catalysts, influencing how we approach and react to different situations. For example, developing a habit of active listening can enhance communication skills, leading to better relationships and improved teamwork.

  5. Personal Transformation: Keystone habits are integral to personal transformation because they target fundamental aspects of behavior and mindset. By focusing on these key habits, individuals can make lasting changes that extend beyond just surface-level improvements.

4) Be performance-focused, feedback-rich. A Turkish proverb says, "Measure a thousand times but cut only once." For example, tracking shot quality and results, turnovers, transition scores and stops and taking action on results changes behaviors. 

5) Positive culture. Nobody earns a positive life with negative attitudes. Culture is the entire ecosystem of a program including leadership, player development, strength and conditioning, relationships, community involvement, and more. It's hard or impossible to evaluate the inside of programs as an outsider. 

6) Resilience. Resilience reflects our response to pressure. Pressure degrades performance, but the most resilient performers and teams have less drop off. Global self-care including nutrition, hydration, sleep, conditioning, mindfulness, and experience all factor in. The first sign of dehydration is fatigue not thirst. 


To become our best, learn about performance enhancement. 

Lagniappe. Big fan of spread offenses and horns sets. 

Lagniappe 2. Pistol action as an option for "early offense." Strong transition/early offense teams can exploit defenses before they're set.  

Don't overwhelm young kids who can't execute because they lack skills. 

 

Thursday, June 20, 2024

Basketball Post 3999: Mazzulla - Born to Coach?

Joe Mazzulla, fascinating, not yet anointed. Look under the hood. What formed a guy, tempered him, damaged and resurrected him.

First an overview article.

Formative years. Mazzulla used his time on the bench wisely. 

Mazzulla took hard coaching. He embraced criticism.  

Joe Mazzulla doesn't like the high school self. He sees him as short-tempered and reacting before thinking. He called that "Growing Pains."  

Philosophy. Prepare for copycats. "He incessantly emphasized pace, space, ball movement, and taking the right shot offensively, regardless of what happened in a given game. Defensively, he got the most out of Boston's absurd personnel by removing the inexplicable lapses that cost the Celtics in past seasons." 

“The healthiest relationship to have with success is to understand that you can still get better, and so I think that’s the space that we have to live in.”

Porzingis said, "“As coach said yesterday in the first meeting, we have to live that lifestyle. We have to live that life day-to-day. We have to put in the work, and then, in the end, if we put in the work, we will achieve the results. But it has to be like a daily focus. Not always keeping only that big goal in our minds. We’re keeping that in mind.”

Coaching clinics. "If you're late for class, then you're going to be late to a rotation." LQO - learning, questioning, ownership. 

Where am I?

Where do I want to get to 

How will I get there?

What will get in the way? 


Video. Above all the brain is the organ that predicts and craves predictability. Our brain constantly predicts which allows unpredictability to disrupt us. 

The great author Maya Angelou says, "when someone shows you who they are, believe them."  

Quotes. Get caught saying the truth. 

Lagniappe. The things that win are still the things that win. 

This certainly couldn’t age poorly, right?