OLD SCHOOL WEEKEND

The NBA has two games on today taking me back…back into time.

Spurs/Nuggets and Lakers/Celtics.

Whenever I think of the San Antonio Spurs, first thing that comes to mind is George Gervin.  When someone mentions the Nuggets, guys like Doug Moe and Dan Issel take me back to when ball was a bit different.

Back in the day my friends and I used to hang outside Madison Square Garden after Knicks games waiting for the opposing players to come out. Before getting on their team bus,  we’d ask the players for their sneakers.  Gervin used to have these sweet high top leather Nike’s. Instead of the letters N-I-K-E on the back, he had I-C-E-. I almost begged him one night to hook me up.  “Got a game in Jersey tomorrow night.”  Ice replied as he boarded the bus.

As for the Nuggets, they only came to town once a year.  But watching them was a lot of fun. Moe’s teams had a slogan; ‘run-gun and have fun’. Issel, Alex English and Kiki Vandweghe ran the break better than anyone.

I was in hoops heaven when Kiki joined the Knicks during the 1988-89 season.  He had that sweet ‘step-back’ jumper along with the smooth left-handed, baseline drive.  Which he often finished with a dunk! After watching Kiki, we’d go out to the park and try and duplicate his step-back.

And of course, you have Lakers-Celtics; one of the all-time greatest rivalries in all of sports. Magic/DJ, McHale/Rambis, Bird/Cooper, Jabber/Parrish…Big time match-ups. Sad to say, we’ll never see those types of games again.

First time I ever purchased a VHS machine I taped one of the play-off games between Celtics and Lakers and watched it the following day over and over.

“No one is bigger than the team. You’re going to be on time, you’re going play hard, you’re going to know your job and you’re going to know when to pass and shoot. If you can’t do those four things you’re not getting time here and we don’t care who you are.”

-Hubie Brown

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

BOYS 2 MEN

ESPN has a feature on their website called, ‘Insider‘.  They have basketball opinionated people writing blogs in which they charge ‘x’ amount of money to subscribe.  Guys like Fran Fraschilla, Dick Vitale, Doug Gottlieb and everyone’s favorite analyst, Jay Bilas; all give us their thoughts on the greatest game in the world.

I am not a subscriber to the Insider feature. But if you click on this link, it will take you to Bilas’ blog on physical play.

ESPN.com gives you a ‘tease’ where you can read his first two paragraphs on this topic.  Bilas starts to explain how he thinks the college basketball game is more physical than the NBA.

If you talk to any knowledgeable basketball person, he or she will tell you that the college game is far more physical than the NBA, especially on the perimeter.

LOL.

Which knowledgeable basketball people does Bilas talk to?

After reading Bilas’ two paragraphs on physical play I quickly spoke with a few ‘knowledgeable’ basketball people and they laughed at that notion.

I’ve been watching NBA games since I was five years old and have been watching college basketball games since I was 14; from the 70′s up until now, the pro game is way more physical than college.

I listen to Bilas on ESPN often; it seems like he does 50% of the games televised.  He’s the type of guy who says things that makes you go hmmmm…  But he’s also the type of guy who, when he makes a statement, you’re like, ‘did he just say that‘?

JB played and coached at Duke.  He is an attorney and works Nike Skill Development camps in the summer. I like him, overall he does a good job. (I especially liked the skit when he was reffing a make believe game and Digger was on the sidelines and Bilas called Digger, ‘Al Capone’ because of his pinstripe suit). I also have been told JB has a great sense of humor.

When I watch college basketball games (mostly on TV) I see officials call fouls on kids for just blowing on them.  It’s what we call ‘ticky tack’.

When I watch NBA games, again mostly on TV, I see guys getting hammered, without any call being made.

My good friend on Twitter, Clarence Gaines Jr. tweeted this today:

In reference to Bilas, Men are Men and Boys are Boys. Guess what level has the most men playing the game?

My main man C-Gaines, A.K.A., @cgrock24 has a valid point…

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

LOOSE BALL FOUL

Shannon Brown of the LA Lakers wants you to know he’s more than a dunker via Greg Beacham of the A.P. Playing for the Lakers has really helped Brown’s process.

“I used to be a big stat guy, and I still am, but winning is the biggest stat of all, and I’m an NBA champion,” Brown said. “There’s a lot of guys with bigger stats than me that can’t say that. I’m trying to get better every day, as a basketball player and as a man. I have a great foundation that’s helping me do it.”

Stats! Everyone wants to fill up the stat sheet, right? But Brown talks about being a ‘champ’ which is most important.  And what has to be done in order to be a champ? Here’s Lakers head coach Phil Jackson.

“He’s a young man who’s very diligent about his work,” Jackson said. “He puts in the effort, and it’s paying off for him. … I think it’s maturity. I think it’s opportunity, and responsibility.”

Jerry Wainwright, one of the best people in the coaching business on ‘No regrets, just lessons‘ after his stint at DePaul via Dan McGrath of Chicago News Co-op.

“I got fired, my leg is in a cast and I’m sleeping on the couch, but other than that things are dandy,” Wainwright said in an interview eight days later.

Turning serious, he added, “No regrets, only lessons. Disappointed, but not bitter. I’m sorry that I didn’t follow through on the opportunity. It’s a results-oriented business, and I didn’t produce.”

Wainwright is a great guy; I’ve known him for about 10 years. He’s a very good coach.  Sure they didn’t get it done at DePaul, but hey, a lot of guys don’t get it done for one reason or another.  JW will be coaching again soon, mark my word.

Jim Boeheim on his team’s success via the Syracuse Post-Standard. No one, and I mean no one, had Syracuse playing this well.

“The people are way gone,” the coach said late Saturday afternoon. “Way, way out of control. Completely out of control. We’re playing well, but we haven’t played the good teams in the league. We’re not there. We have so much to learn. We’re a long way from being a good team.

“We make too many turnovers. We have a freshman point guard. We can’t play like this against Georgetown and Villanova. We can’t. We just can’t. Whenever we win, people think we’re the best team in the country. That’s nothing new. But I don’t know what they’re thinking about.”

More Big East…New York Times on Fred Hill, men’s head coach at Rutgers. I know Hill and two of his assistant coaches; I hope they get it done.

“When things are going well, it’s one of the best atmospheres,” Bob Hurley said in reference to Rutgers. “You can’t finish second in recruiting, though. It’s unforgiving.”

Quick question; which decade had the best basketball; 60′s, 70′s, 80′s, 90′s or 00?

“I was really looking forward to this game as a maturation process. Are we starting to make it? I guess we’re back to baby bottles and diapers. We’ve got some work to do.”

-Tom Izzo, Michigan State University

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

BALL-YOU-MAN

While driving to practice on Tuesday, I listened to Scott Van Pelt of ESPN radio discuss basketball.  He seems to know what he’s talking about just by his lingo, his terms and of course, his knowledge of players. What caught my attention was his topic of the high ball screen when the game clock is winding down late in the game of a tied game.

He was confused as to why a team sets the screen, the guy with the ball dribbles and dribbles until the last second and settles for a long jumper off the screen?

His question/suggestion was why doesn’t a team run a set play?

He kinda has a point but I’ll tell him why?

You want the ball in your best player’s hand!

“Players play, coaches coach, bus drivers drive the bus.”

-Chuck Daly

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

T.A.C.

This morning I read a quote from Ohio State basketball player Evan Turner who mentioned that his coach (Thad Matta) has been emphasizing toughness, attacking and composure all week long leading up to their game last night against Northwestern. Well it worked; OSU won 76-56 after jumping out to a 40-17 first half lead.

T.A.C.- an acronym we can all use not only in the game of basketball but in the game of life as well. You need to face each day with toughness, you need to attack tasks but all along showing composure and being under control.

The Sporting News interviews Memphis Grizzlies big man Zach Randolph. You should sign up for their wonderful daily e-mail magazine. To me, it’s the best coverage of sports out there. And best of all, it’s free; no B.S. “Insider” garbage that costs money.

Sporting News:The Grizzlies were off to a 1-8 start, but you’ve obviously turned it around.What’s been the key?

ZachRandolph: I don’tthink we really knew each other; I don’t think we really were believing we canwin early on. But the more we play together, the more we’ve gotten used to eachother and we’ve developed chemistry. This team, now, has great camaraderie.It’s the best camaraderie of any team I’ve been on.

Z-Bo is one of my favorite people of all-time. I spent some time with him in 2001 while he was a MSU Spartan.

USA Today with Purdue men’s head basketball coach Matt Painter on his team.

“I never thought I’d be in this position with this team,” said Painter, who has all juniors and seniors in the starting lineup. “Some guys have taken poor shots and you can correct some of those things, but I never thought I’d have to coach effort with these guys.

“I’ve got a theory that if you give 100% all the time, somehow things will work out ok.”

-Larry Bird

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com