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?