Monday, October 14, 2024

Basketball - Why Hiring Me Would Be a Mistake

Would you start your interview with the reasons not to hire you? 


From "Originals" by Adam Grant

Why you shouldn't pick me to be your basketball coach:

1) I'm old (69). Worse still, I'm probably 75 in equivalent years awake, having been in medical school or a fully minted doctor for almost 48 years. It may take years to resolve sleep deprivation. 

2) I haven't coached since COVID. All I've done is studied the game, great coaches, great players, and written over 4,000 blog articles. 

3) I'm radically transparent. Parents can attend pre- and post-game meetings, practice, anything. Talk about a paper trail...it's more like the paper "Great Wall." No mystery remains. I believe in identity and performance. "This is who we are; this is how we play." 

4) I have dead friends to help. Who does that? Want immediate feedback after a game about playing time or strategy? I follow the Abraham Lincoln "Hot Letters" policy, I write 'em and file 'em, "never signed, never sent." Wait until everyone has calmed down. Dean Smith was burned in effigy and won two NCAA titles after that. 

5) Get a license. Everyone doesn't get a license to shoot threes wherever and whenever they want. Nothing but net? No, nothing but air. "But the Celtics do it." Does Susie play for the Celtics? Airballs are shot turnovers. Ever hear of a high school game where fifty percent of the shots didn't even catch rim or glass? It happens, but not to our team. 

Parents wear rose-colored glasses. Maybe the kids should be wearing shooting glasses. 

6) I don't claim to be the smartest guy in the room. I get it, that according to some, "any idiot with a whistle can coach." 

7) I wasn't the greatest player since sliced bread...that's a mixed metaphor for sure. That's okay, because I won't be playing. I am sympathetic to Juwanna Mann. 

8. I won't yell like a banshee or think fans come to see me. Maybe some people want a coach like "Bill the Cat" looks. And I won't tell kids that they let the team down by paying too much attention to academics or going to their sister's wedding. 

9) I don't abuse the refs from the opening whistle. "Keep the kids safe," and I'm good. Players play, refs ref, coaches coach. 

10) I don't celebrate 'margin of victory'. I won't run up the score or play my starters at the end down twenty to make a blowout more respectable. What's that about? 

11) Can't stand cliches? I'm not your guy. 

  • Win possession and possessions. 
  • It's a game of separation, a game of mistakes.
  • "Do well what you do a lot."
  • "There are no 50-50 balls." 
  • "It's not your shot it's our shot." 
12) "Everyone gets a trophy." More like "every day is player development day." You earn minutes, role, and recognition. Play basketball, not politics. 

I'm sure that you'll find even better reasons after you've talked to others. Thanks again. 

Lagniappe. 

Lagniappe 2. Lessons learned. 

Lagniappe 3. Implement back door plays to teach both offense and defense.  

 

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