Too many times athletes lose sight of the big picture and become distracted. It doesn’t matter if Amy Van Dyken spits in your lane, Martins Dukurs lays down three great skeleton runs before you, or another team seeking home court advantage wins their final game by a large margin, you can only do your best. Keep your eyes on the prize and win. The rest will take care of itself. Don’t become consumed with anger, fear, or doubt; don’t let an imbalance of noradrenaline, adrenaline, adrenocorticotropic, or corticotrophin take you out of your zone. Focus on what simple actions must …
Teaching and Coaching
As coaches, we endeavour to guide athletes to the next level. As teachers, we strive to do likewise for students. Along the road to success, the court and the classroom provide parallel paths. What student-athletes learn in one environment is reflected in the other. Coaches value basketball ability and skills such as initiative, teamwork, mental training, leadership, and work ethic. When athletes demonstrate that they have met these expectations, they are rewarded with minutes and touches (along with praise, constructive feedback, and self-confidence). These rewards are not equally distributed; coaches allocate burn and ball based on most consistent and most …
Black Swans
David Hume remarked that “no amount of observations of white swans can allow the inference that all swans are white, but the observation of a single black swan is sufficient to refute that conclusion.” Too many times, coaches and players become conceited, myopic, or ignorant, unwilling to change their paradigm in order to improve. If you believe that you know it all, there is only one way to learn: teaching yourself. If you are willing to accept that others have valuable knowledge – which may range in significance from high to low – you can learn continuous, even if it …
My 300th Blog Post Extravaganza
Watching the Raptors 106-105 win over the Lakers on Sunday it is clear that there are two sides to the team. There is the meek Dr. Jekyll, who settles for outside shots and may not always box out, and the aggressive Mr. Hyde, who gets to the line and contests opponents’ shots. Dr. Jekyll may shoot early in the shot clock or out of the team offence whereas Mr. Hyde is more focus and resolute. More importantly, Mr. Hyde seems to come out on the winning end more than his daytime alter-ego. Why do they need to wait until halftime …
Crazy Heart
Is it overly cynical to decry an amazing picture because the largely happy ending is somewhat clichéd? On my way out of the theatre, someone said that Crazy Heart was “The Wrestler redux, except with country music.” I actually was hoping for an ambiguous ending similar to that film; it would have suited the storyline arc better. It’s not a repeat of The Wrestler, although the protagonists share the characteristics of well-meaning faded stars who are substance abusers and spectacular screw-ups. This film is perfectly produced. The performances are intense and realistic, the patient direction filled with slow trailing shots …
Carleton, Again
It is a daunting task to face the Carleton Ravens not only because of their physical abilities but due to their mental tenacity. Recovering loose balls. Taking charges. Tipping passes. Boxing out. Hitting the floor. Following shots. Talking. Refusing to give up. A post player following his own miss. A point guard stepping in front of a forward to protect the basket. The team is technically skilled and obviously practices diligently. They can take a small opening and use it to break down the door. The game may be close for one moment and a blowout minutes later. The opponent …
Two Roads Diverged in a Wood
Zola once said to Cézanne, “Is painting only a whim for you? Is it only a pastime, a subject of conversation? If this is the case, then I understand your conduct: you are right not to make trouble with your family. But if painting is your vocation, then you are an enigma to me, a sphinx, someone impossible, and obscure.” So Cézanne left Aix-en-Provence and joined his friend in Paris. So how do you identify yourself and what provides you with the most self-actualization? What are you willing to do to follow your goals? Do you merely wish to pay …
Get Confident, Stupid
Whether athletes achieve their goals seems intricately connected to their feelings about themselves. Coaches over the years have seen body language, a lack of energy, and fear of making a mistake result in poor performance just as players have noticed how their self-talk, mental imagery, and focus on specific objectives contribute to their success. LeBron James dropped thirty-one points in the first half on Portland tonight but the Trail Blazers reversed their fortunes by coming out for the second half with much more determination. They moved the ball and took better shots. They played improved team defence and curtailed Cleveland’s …
Best Films of 2009
I see a great deal of films so I decided to rank the forty-four that I had seen so far. These are all films that received their major North American distribution in the past year. I tend to extensively self-select the films which I see and aim to avoid films which are daft, dreary, or dilettante. 2009 List: Leaves of Grass **** Compelling An Education **** Enlightening The Disappearance of Alice Creed **** Innovative The Damned United **** Inspiring La Donation **** Selfless Sin Nombre **** Depraved The Invisible City **** Revealing Up in the Air ***½ Pertinent A Single Man …
In the Loop
A satire mixing Burn After Reading, Thank You for Smoking, and Burn After Reading, In the Loop features one of the best scripts of the year. The satire alternates between vulgar and witty, yet remains engaging. Sometimes, when it comes to politics, the real dialogue seems absurd. Watching CNN, it seems like there are continuous contentious conversations regarding semantics and superficial details. In the Loop exaggerates this to a point where rivalries within the office become as significant as rivalries between nations. Under the pretence of high level meetings, cabinet ministers and their staffs are petty, pejorative, phony, and profane. As …
Up
Of the numerous animated films that I have screened, Up perhaps best combines visual effects with a meaningful yet humourous story. It is incredibly polished and may be the pinnacle of the obviously computer animated feature film if 3-D works such as Avatar are continually released. Yet it falls short of true cinematic greatness. Carl Fredricksen is a widow who is frustrated how the world has changed around him, literally and figuratively. He had fallen in love with his wife because they both imagined explorering the world, like their mutual idol Charles Munz. Despite all of their dreams, they never …
Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day
Two of the main criticisms of the second Trailer Park Boys film, Countdown to Liquor Day are that is isn’t funny enough and that there is not sufficient closure for the franchise. With regards to the former, it is true that the film does not match the laugh per minute ratio of the X-Mas Special or seasons one to four. With regards to the latter, I disagree. Now I will spoil the plot because I don’t have enough artistic criticism of the film. It doesn’t really operate on that level of sophistication anyways. The plot is not much to speak …
Inglourious Basterds
Inglourious Basterds is atypical of Quentin Tarantino films in some regards but similar in many other ways. The film twists traditional archetypes into meaningful characters. The conclusion of the film – which may or may not mirror the actual end of World War II – shows how that each side of the conflict was comprised of individuals, which their own characteristics and choices. The Nazis may have been charming or the Allies cutthroat, although more likely painted in shades of grey. Christoph Waltz won the Best Actor Award at Cannes for his portrayal of S.S. Colonel Hans Landa , “The …
Bright Star
An account of a brief love affair in the brief life of Romantic poet John Keats, Bright Star tells its story deliberately. Director Jane Campion highlights the dialogue by featuring a minimalist soundtrack; there is sparse music between bouts of extensive silence. Costumes and locations suit the film perfectly. The love affair is subtle but the passion between John Keats and Fanny Brawne is evident. The film sets out to deliver a moving love story and succeeds. The question remains as to whether this type of patient film can remain relevant amid countless Hollywood blockbusters which boast higher budgets, bigger …
Teaching Self-Evaluation
The Globe and Mail posted a curious article regarding how humans learn (and perform) complex skills. Initially, we learn each skill separately and combine the individual actions as we progress. Instead of thinking “jab-step, explosive first-step, jump-stop, and pull-up jumpshot” great players think “make an open shot” and execute all the components together. If told to go slowly, an expert will deconstruct the movement in their mind and make it harder for themselves. On the other hand, a novice needs to consider each skill distinctly in order perform the entire action successful. The article illustrated the point with a putting …
Sherlock Holmes
To consider the latest Sherlock Holmes film canonical enrages the mind and inflames the soul. Robert Downey Jr. proves to be perhaps the most accurate interpretation of the literary hero but the plot is daft and dilettante. The sophistication and subtlety of Conan Doyle’s short stories are butchered by scenes of excessive violence and bludgeoned by overt symbolism. The atmosphere and setting of the film are sensation. London’s dark side, seen through Holmes Bohemian eyes is spellbinding and the soundtrack suits the action perfectly (the story about the “broken” piano is also fascinating). I could easily enjoy several films in …