Although nothing could top Charles Barkley outracing Dick Bavetta, I thought that there were other interesting moments during the Association All-Star weekend worth noting: Dwight Howard took advantage of opportunities during Sunday’s game and Saturday’s dunk contest to make a name for himself. Howard’s athleticism and power are possibly beyond peer in the Association. Nevertheless, the weekend’s results highlight that there is still room for improvement for the top pick in the 2004 draft. If Howard acquires post moves – on the block and elbow – and a greater range for his jumper than he will truly become unstoppable. Even …
Overtime Reflection
When faced with a choice between a book about Crime and Punishment and another about screening and rolling, perhaps only the mentally ill would choose the book about ball. Coaches and players can get stuck in the details like they are the lightning sand. Although he could write an essay on the subject, Bill Bradley only needed a sense of where he was to succeed on the court. Recently I was coaching during crunch time of a game and I made things too difficult for the team. Basketball should be simple. In the final minute of overtime, I wanted to …
The Wages of Wins
Reading The Wages of Wins by David J. Berri, Martin B. Schmidt, and Stacey L. Brook raised interesting questions regarding assessment and evaluation. Factions contributing to victories and the rational behind coaching decisions were studied among other issues. Statistics are more prolific than ever before but whether the numbers are correctly applied remains to be determined. Scoring and winsFortunately, the authors scrutinized the Association extensively, finding that scoring is highly correlated to winning. Therefore coaches should play the five players who contribute to the highest scoring rate (who also limit the opponent’s scoring rate). A player can affect points per …
Performance Under Pressure
During Superbowl XLI, Rex Grossman performed poorly, throwing two interceptions and barely moving Chicago’s offence. According to the media, Grossman was one of the worst Superbowl quarterbacks ever – and possibly one of the worst to play that position in the history of the league. How bad was he?Breaking down the reasons for Grossman’s inauspicious performance generates a generic list: physical skill, knowledge of the game, composure under pressure, etc.. Like other major sporting events, performance under pressure on demand trumps all. During his career at Florida, Grossman demonstrated excellent physical tools at an elite collegiate program. He must still …
Watching the Association on ESPN
“How can you give up a wide open three followed by an offensive rebound on the other side of the court?”– Bill Walton, during the Spurs-Rockets game on 24 January 2007 Team defence is getting worse and worse in the Association and beyond. Conversely it seems like the screen and roll play is getting better and better. Inbounding under their basket with few seconds remaining on the shot clock, the Spurs set a double screen for Ginobli on the foul line. Ginobli curled the screen, received a pass, and made the lay-up. Earlier in the evening, Marion set a ballscreen …
Three Lessons from Jack Donohue
Recently, I read Dream Big Dreams: The Jack Donohue Story by Mike Hickey, a thoroughly entertaining biography that is required reading for Canadian Basketball coaches. Both Andy Higgins – who knew Coach Donohue personally – and I found the book to be very insightful and had difficulty putting it down. I’ve listed three lessons any coach can take from Jack Donohue’s life and coaching career. Helping Players: Jack Donohue helped the Canadian Senior Men’s National Team, the College of the Holy Cross, and Power Memorial players, among others, lessons about teamwork, responsibility, sacrifice, and enjoying life, that they remember to …
Leadership Failure
After losing to the Miami Heat 99-77, T.J. Ford commented that “Being out there with Chris, I don’t have to make plays all the time. And now I’m finding myself having to make a lot more plays and sometimes trying to make too many plays. And I think that’s what happened tonight with so many turnovers.” Disappointing comments from a disappointing player during a disappointing season. Not to mention irresponsible, idiotic, and irritating. A team’s point guard should want to make plays, not shy away from them. To demonstrate good leadership and improve performance under pressure, T. J. Ford – …
Adversity and the Toronto Maple Leafs
For the third time in four seasons, Mats Sundin has returned to the Maple Leafs after a serious mid-season injury and questions arise regarding his influence on the team. Based on anecdotal evidence – the 2002 Playoffs and November 2006 – it seems as if the Leafs do worse when their captain dresses: 2002 Playoffs Arm Injury Last Five Games Before the Injury (4/12 to 4/23):Record: 4-1-0 (8 pts)Points per Game: 1.60 ppgGoals Scored per Game (for – against): 3.20 – 2.20Shots on Goal per Game (for – against): 29.2 – 29.8Power Play: 12.5% (3 – 24)Mats Sundin Productivity: 2 …
Toronto-Michigan All-Star Game 2006
The Michigan Basketball All-Stars defeated the Toronto All-Stars over the weekend. It was a boring game to watch — there was a lot of one on one with four players watching. Toronto started the game with a really cool PHX set. Yonas Berhle came off a high rub going to his right, looked to turn the corner, and kicked to Jessie Simmons for a wide open three. That was a really good read but it was all downhill from there. Michigan killed Toronto with defence and rebounding. At times, Toronto was effective in transition; other times the ballhandler would jack …
The Responsibility of the Coach
Evidently, it is the players play hard, play smart, and play together; the coach merely plays the role of the enabler and the modeler. If contributions were not made on the court when they were needed, contributions off the court were irrelevant. Players wear headbands and win games, coaches can only ban the former and observe the latter. According to Bear Bryant, “After a victory the players deserve the credit; after a loss the coach deserves the blame.” Is Bryant’s dissection of the blame appropriate? If players merit praise for their physical and mental performance than they should receive criticism …
The Death of NYM/STL Is/Has Been Greatly Exaggerated
The team with the best record has not won the World Series since 1998. I have been guilty have making ill-informed predictions although I have been keeping them on an informal basis for some time. This year, I thought that the Yankees lineup would see too many pitches and wear out opposing pitching staffs. This didn’t happen. I was more accurate in the National League Divisional Series but by the time the N.L.C.S. rolled around I had learned not to make predictions. I thought the Cardinals would stick around to at least make a competitive series but otherwise I had …
Endings and Beginnings
Watching the bookends of two practices this week, I thought about work ethic and attention to detail. The middles may have been the most intense and focused practices one could imagine but since I didn’t see them I can’t write about them. I thought about how one starts and finishes something is a tremendous barometer of how they will complete the whole. Consistency shouldn’t take days off. Execution counts and there’s a reason that coaches harp on it. I don’t think it bodes well when bigs eschew running in their lanes, littles neglect to read their defenders, and many stand …
The Appreciation of Andre Agassi
On Monday, Andre Agassi won under the lights at the U.S. Open. In 1990 a different Andre Agassi lost to Pete Sampras in the U.S. Open Finals. Once Agassi was seen as a gifted under-achiever; now he’s admired as the epitomy of a professional athlete. Substance replaced style and successes replaced failures on the biggest stages as Agassi won the career Grand Slam. Agassi’s career path mirrors the development of many student-athletes as they progress through High School. Often the game is more mental than physical, work ethic can trump raw talent, and consistency is critical. Agassi still possesses tremendous …
Villanueava-Ford Trade
Torn regarding the Raptors. Villanueva for Ford helps significantly in theory. Creates a direction for the team that could result in fifty wins in the Eastern Conference. On the other hand: Trade has about a 20-50% chance of backfiring horribly due to the relative health and shooting ability of Villaneuva and Ford. Skeptical of a deal that inspires sixty percent of Bucks fans to vote “I love it!” in an online poll. It could work out well and set the tone for Toronto’s resurgence. Think that the trade is more likely to succeed than not but less enthusiastic than other …
Matt Bonner and Isiah Thomas
Matt Bonner is not especially outstanding but he can shoot the three and defend inside, two commodities that are scarce in the Association. Will he play much for San Antonio? If Bonner’s shooting well, he’s another target for Tim Duncan to pass to out of the double team. I think he’s too limited offensively (off the bounce) and defensively (against quicker 4s) compared to the current Spurs line-up. If it’s true that Gregg Popovich wants to play a smaller line-up, this trade is an excellent start; Big Shot Rob can’t last forever. Isiah Thomas got his wish and Larry Brown …
Right Is Its Own Defence? Right…
At some point, athletes and teams need to make a stand. What represents all of the sacrifice and toil that got you to this point? Whatever it is, that is what you must work the hardest to defend. Is it the off-season where you will take your skill set to the next level and really hit the weight room hard that represents your desire to win? Is it the goal-line stand that represents all the parties that you skipped during the season because you had practice scheduled the next morning? Is it Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals that …