“Don’t get caught watching the paint dry.” Wilbur “Shooter” Flatch A screen and roll play continues after the shot is released. The defense must still secure the ball and the offense still has some high percentage scoring opportunities on the offensive glass. Defense: Cory Joseph goes over the screen so Facundo Campazzo cuts back and uses Luis Scola as a rescreen. Anthony Bennett stunts to stop the drive and Campazzo must pass the ball. Scola pops and Kelly Olynyk, who was playing under the screen closes out the shot but does not make contact on the box out. After the …
Three Ways to Reach Goals (at School and on the Court)
Canada Basketball’s new approach to the Senior Men’s National Team follows three successful approaches from the recent 2012 Olympics (Spain/Argentina, the United States and Russia). High school teacher-coaches can create a family environment, an elite organization and a resilient work ethic to help student-athletes buy in and reach their goals.
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Monsieur Lazhar
After an elementary school teacher hangs herself in the classroom, a school is left shaken. The principal cannot find a substitute teacher to take over the assignment and the students are coping with their grief over the death of their popular teacher. Monsieur Lazhar, claiming to be a teacher from Algeria who is a permanent resident in Canada but cannot obtain a permanent job, arrives and is tasked with restoring some order to the class.
Canada Basketball SMNT in 2011
An evaluation of where Canada stands on the international basketball scene – from top to bottom – and what youth coaches can do to make things better.
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Barney’s Version
Initially apprehensive about how the narrative structure of Barney’s Version would translate to the screen, I was presently surprised. The film mixes flashbacks with events occurring in the present day, jumping forwards years and months at a time without jarring the audience. Brief moments of forgetfulness and showing the protagonist through mirrors or translucent surfaces illustrates the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease before Barney is completely stricken in the final quarter of the film. On the other hand, I thought that the book included more of a Rashomon-type vibe than what was featured by the film. The work was entertaining – …
Discourse on Documentaries, Part II: Education and Finance
The good documentary will chronicle the events which comprise an important issue, explaining exactly what is happening and outlining its significance. The excellent documentary will not only accomplish those goals but determine how the events transpired and suggest how the issue might be resolved. Due to the visual medium, it does not hurt to grab the audience’s attention with a hint of humour or a drop of drama. Two films – Waiting for Superman (**½) and The Inside Job (***½) – entertain and inform viewers. While both raise interesting questions, only one provides answers and proposes the next steps to …
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 …
Curling Faux-Pas
On Sunday evening, during the tenth end of the World Championship Final, Kevin Martin threw his first rock away. The match was tied 6-6 and Canada was lying one after David Murdoch’s first shot. Martin was worried about hitting the mess of rocks on the out-turn side of the house and wanted to maintain an in-turn draw for his last shot. Everyone knew Scotland was going to raise one of their rocks with their last shot. They did and Martin missed a double-takeout with his final stone. Never hand the opponent anything; that’s what friendlies and pick-up games are for. …
Sport in Canadian Society
The anthology, Sport in Canadian Society, contains theses about gender, violence, class, and other issues in sport. Although published in 1991, the chapter regarding media remains very salient. The authors believe that broadcasting sporting events can lead to a slippery slope wherein ratings influence telecasts in many ways. For example, a legitimate sport like skiing could be replaced by a dilatory exhibition like arm wrestling on A.B.C.’s Wide World of Sports or commentators might go beyond describing the action and actually create their own storylines. Competing for viewers, the networks distort the competition more and more, in order to create …
Sport in Canada, Part II
Last week, addressing some of the obstacles that Canada faces in its quest to Own the Podium, I ignore a critical consideration: the separation of sports funding by provincial boundaries. Canada manages National Sports Organizations and the Canadian Olympic Committee but ten provinces and three territories control various Provincial Sports Organizations – and far more money – according to vastly different standards. Certainly, thirteen diverse recipes produce thirteen different outcomes, some more successful than others. For example, the Government of Quebec links sport to the health and fitness of the overall population and spends about $7.40 per capita on sport, …
Skiing and Sport in Canada
Saturday’s World Cup downhill gold medal win by Erik Guay in Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a tremendously promising Canadian sporting achievement. Guay’s triumph is full of potential but should not be mistaken as a sign that Canadian sport is positioned to repeat these results consistently. By stringing together three podium finishes in 2007, Guay has proven that he possess the physical and mental abilities to contend at the international level. Coaches who have mentored him, sponsors who have supported him, and skiing clubs and sport organizations such as Alpine Canada who have allowed him to compete all share credit for the victory. …
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 …
Track and Field and the Bar
Congratulations to Tyler Christopher, who won bronze in the Men’s 400m, Canada’s only medalist at the World Championships. Mark Boswell offered an interesting quote regarding his narrow miss of the bronze medal in the men’s high jump, “The bar can take you out as easily as it can put you in.” Unfortunately, it seems that many other promising Canadian competitors must go back to the mental training drawing board.