SPREAD THE WORD

As coaches, we all preach a lot of the same things.  Play tough defense, share the ball, hustle, bring energy, and attend class and pass all your subjects.

Some folks in sports have bigger platforms than others to preach about the game (some preach and don’t really have a clue)  Thanks to a good friend who is a high school basketball coach for sending me the following article.

Jay Bilas, an analyst for ESPN has written a good piece for ESPN.com called, ‘Defining Toughness in College Basketball’.

Toughness is something I had to learn the hard way, and something I had no real idea of until I played college basketball. When I played my first game in college, I thought that toughness was physical and based on how much punishment I could dish out and how much I could take. I thought I was tough.

I found out pretty quickly that I wasn’t, but I toughened up over time, and I got a pretty good understanding of toughness through playing in the ACC, for USA Basketball, in NBA training camps, and as a professional basketball player in Europe. I left my playing career a heck of a lot tougher than I started it, and my only regret is that I didn’t truly “get it” much earlier in my playing career.

I wish more people like Bilas would talk more about playing the right way when they step behind the microphone to televise games.  Instead, most talk about the dunks, the coaches they always talk to, the time spent hanging out with so and so,  the restaurants they visit while in the college town, etc.  Just once, I’d like to hear a sideline reporter going into half time ask  a college coach, “Hey coach, how did so and so do on that Math exam last night”?

The piece written by Bilas should be required reading by; coaches, players and parents.

-Coach Finamore

hoops135@hotmail.com

POST GAME SHENANIGANS

The past couple of days I have seen a few incidents that have got me thinking.

First, after watching Tulane and Rice men’s basketball where the Green Wave won at the buzzer, I noticed both head coaches exchange words after the game.   Coaches and players from both schools looked to be shouting at each other.   And, Michigan and Ohio State seemed to re-live their football rivalry on the hardwood when a Wolverine player threw a ‘bow’ at a Buckeye player late in the game.  The U of M player was ejected.

I understand the heat of the battle and all that stuff.  But people, we gotta do a better job of keeping cool.  Poor sportsmanship is a no-no; it’s spilling down to the lower levels and it is turning into an epidemic.

A 43 year-old coach having sex with a 16 year-old.  Coaches, you gotta be smarter…The guy is married with two kids! MSNBC reports.

A good guy, Pete Herrmann, takes over for another good guy, Dennis Felton at the University of Georgia.  AJC.com has the story. Coach Herrmann is one of the good guys in the business.   I have had the pleasure of meeting him and spending time with him discussing the game.   As for Felton, didn’t his team win the SEC last season?  They are 9-11 now so I guess they thought it was time for a change.

-Coach Finamore

hoops135@hotmail.com

RESPECT YOUR GAME

Great story from the New York Times on “What Life Asks of Us.”   Good stuff from Ryne Sandberg former baseball player now the manager for a minor league baseball team.

“I was in awe every time I walked onto the field. That’s respect. I was taught you never, ever disrespect your opponents or your teammates or your organization or your manager and never, ever your uniform. You make a great play, act like you’ve done it before; get a big hit, look for the third base coach and get ready to run the bases.”

Sandberg motioned to those inducted before him, “These guys sitting up here did not pave the way for the rest of us so that players could swing for the fences every time up and forget how to move a runner over to third. It’s disrespectful to them, to you and to the game of baseball that we all played growing up.

“Respect. A lot of people say this honor validates my career, but I didn’t work hard for validation. I didn’t play the game right because I saw a reward at the end of the tunnel. I played it right because that’s what you’re supposed to do, play it right and with respect … . If this validates anything, it’s that guys who taught me the game … did what they were supposed to do, and I did what I was supposed to do.”

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

NFL COUNTDOWN

This morning while watching ESPN’s NFL Countdown with Boomer, Mike Ditka, Keyshawn Johnson, Cris Carter and Tom Jackson, I was ‘amped’ about their comments on the upcoming Super Bowl and other interesting insight.  Here are a few examples of what I heard just in case you missed it:

On what will be the big storyline this coming week:

“Don’t act like a jerk.”

These words were from Ditka.  And boy is he right.  How many times do you hear about a player or two getting into some sort of trouble?

“Play your heart out, you may never get another chance at the Super Bowl.”

More great advice from Ditka.  You should actually play your heart out all the time!

“You wanna be coached no matter what you have accomplished.”

These words came from John Lynch.  He was talking about Mike Tomlin, head football coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Lynch told of a story once as a member of the Tampa Bay Bucs and then head coach Jon Gruden was discussing something with Lynch and during the discussion, Tomlin, an assisstant coach with the Bucs came up behind Lynch and whispered in his ear, “If I were head coach, I’d shove my foot up your ass.”

“Players respect discipline and when people can make you better.”

Cris Carter recited these words when talking about coaches who demand respect and hard work from their players.

“Coaching is not a popularity contest.”

Ditka again coming strong with the verbals.  It’s true.  Too many times coaches worry about being popular with players, fans, and the media.

“Be a straight shooter – No B.S.!”

Once again, Mr. Ditka on what you should do if you’re a coach.

This morning was a great show.  I wonder if they have the segments somewhere on their website.

Speaking of shows, Bob Knight brings tremendous insight to College Basketball GameDay on Saturday morning.  I enjoy listening to him and his analysis.   The show has been lifted big time.  Now I’d like to see them add Steve Lavin and replace…I’ll save the poor guy some grief.

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

K.I.L.L.

Relax daddy-o, not that type of Kill.

Rex Ryan, the new head football coach of the New York Jets has a philosophy,  K.I.L.L

New York Newsday explains (the kids can read it).

“Ours is a KILL philosophy,” said Ryan, who was introduced yesterday as the Jets‘ coach. “We’re going to ‘keep it likable and learnable.’”

I like it.

Keeping it likable and learnable.   But what if the players don’t like it and can’t learn it?

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com