Success follows common themes. Tell people what you are going to tell them, say it, and summarize what you told them.
Repetition gets the messages across.
"Life is about the management of risk."
Risk assessment looks at both the upside and downside of strategy, decision-making and execution. A team with only offensive standouts risks getting burned on the defensive end. There is a tendency to only "see" strengths not weaknesses. "Hiding" bad defenders works until it doesn't.
"Pound the rock." - Gregg Popovich
Another Popovich saying, "If it takes a hundred hits to break the rock, you need all hundred hits.
"You can't skip steps."
When the "Fourpeat" UCONN women practiced, running two laps before practice, nobody cut a corner. Champions don't cut corners.
There are "equations" that relate outcomes to process.
Success Equation
ACHIEVEMENT = PERFORMANCE x TIME
What works in one environment may not work in another. What if the NBA elected to move the three-point line (above the break) out farther?
Jimmy Johnson Equation
PA (positive attitude) + E (effort) = P (performance)
Positivity adds value. It helps get buy-in.
Urban Meyer Equation
E (event) + R (response) = O (outcome)
Memorable outcomes come from the importance of the contest and the performance. Bill Walton's 44 point outburst against Memphis is unforgettable to older fans.
Wooden Equation
Results = E + D + I + R x 5
(Explanation + Demonstration + Imitation + Repetition x 5)
Wooden emphasized the value of repetition. He commented that Walton never tired of working on footwork, which helped fashion his inside game. You know the saying, "Repetition makes reputations" and "The magic is in the work.
Lagniappe. Lengthy video of sets from Tournament teams. Something for everyone.
3 SETS/CONCEPTS/ACTIONS FROM EVERY TEAM IN THE 2023 NCAA TOURNAMENThttps://t.co/1XMwAtF0qd
— Hoops Companion 🏀 Resources for Coaches (@Hoops_Companion) December 22, 2025
