THE (NEW) CULTURE

A coaching friend was recently hired at a high school as the boys varsity head coach, I am happy for him. We talked a few weeks before interview and we went over a few things to discuss during the interview (I guess our chat worked).

As a brand new coach at a high school, there are a few things you can work on when taking over the program.

I’m not here to tell you how to coach, you probably have your own style but here are a few ‘little things‘ that may be helpful when showing up on the first day.

Always thank the interview committee if you are hired (especially if you see them in public while you are the coach).

Have a meeting with the entire program (freshman, JV and varsity). Introduce yourself, explain to them what you’re all about and let them know of your expectations.

Depending on when you are officially hired, first thing you should do is meet one-on-one with the returning varsity players and their parents. Discuss with them your plans, what you’re about, and let them know everyone is starting with a clean slate.

Schedule workouts with athletes not currently in a fall sport. Weight lifting, running and 4 player workouts. Plus one night for open gym.

Hire a great staff. Don’t rush this process. Many people will want to work with you, be careful who you hire.

Make sure you communicate with A.D.

Reach out to as many people as possible involved with school and community.  (A coach that was recently hired at a HS made up t-shirts and passed them around the city)

Be positive with players.

hoops135@hotmail.com

Follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

5 HOUR ENERGY

Last night from 7:00 PM until midnight,  I witnessed the greatest night in the history of baseball.

Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Rays and the St. Louis Cardinals for their wins last night giving them the wild card in both the American and National leagues.

The Red Sox and Braves were both within one out of winning their games … And lost.

How about the job Joe Maddon has done in St. Pete? Over the last 4 seasons in the American League East with the Yankees and Red Sox, Maddon has 1 World Series trip, 2 division titles and 1 amazing wild card.

The poor Red Sox and Braves. I have heard some baseball people mention that the Red Sox and Braves collapse may be the worst ever in baseball history (Bosox 9 games up with 29 to play; Braves up 8.5 with 21 to play)

I witnessed a few tweets last night on Twitter comparing the night to March Madness. No way! Keep in mind, last night was still the regular season.

Reid Cherner of USA Today on Jose Reyes, who became the first New York Mets player to win a batting title in the National League. Hard to believe with all the fine hitters that played at Shea stadium over the years. But there seems to be some chatter about how Reyes won the title.

Jose Reyes made it work by not working. Was that the right thing to do? The shortstop started his day with a bunt single and then was removed from the game so he could become the first New York Met to win a batting title.

I love Pedro Gomez of ESPN but why was he whispering when interviewing the Atlanta Braves manager.

hoops135@hotmail.com

Follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

EXCUSES ARE LIKE…

Is it me or do we have people making excuses more than ever?

Maybe it’s because we have more access, thanks to the Internet and radio talk shows?

I read a sports story and someone is complaining about not enough protection from the offensive line, the refs don’t protect so and so or a team doesn’t have enough pitching.

Let’s not forget about the popular excuse, “They had a lot of injuries.”

There’s that old adage, ‘nobody’s perfect’. Which brings me to something I heard this morning on the Dan Patrick Show.  We all remember Chicago Cubs fan Steve Bartman. He’s the fan who interfered with a Cubs outfielder on a foul ball in the stands. Well Alex Gibney, a filmmakerr has directed a documentary for ESPN and their ’30 for 30′ series titled, ‘Catching Hell’. Gibney was on DP’s show this morning and made a great point:

“As fans we experience sports with great passion. Something weird happens when we lose, especially when you’re a long-suffering fan. It’s that mechanism that takes over. ‘Let’s find somebody or something to blame’. That process to find a scapegoat exists in all of us.”

I was excited about this comment.

Gibney is right; matter of fact, he nailed it.

Instead of being accountable people try to find excuses when things don’t go their way. Instead of looking for the good and being a bit more positive, we get negative and start the blame game.

Which asks the question, ‘Are you part of the problem or part of the solution’?

hoops135@hotmail.com

Follow me on Twitter:@CoachFinamore

PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM

New York Times on a group of NBA players in the city of Brotherly of Love staying sharp during the lockout.

Andy Glockner of SI.com on D- 1 basketball schools and their 2011-12 schedule; Glockner points out some of the lesser talented teams that they will face.

In the current power-conference environment, very few teams put themselves out that much in nonconference play. There’s too much money to be made with guaranteed-win home games against overmatched, purchased opponents, and league schedules are so demanding that much of November and December becomes extended preseason rather than anything that titillates fans.

ESPN New York on a college basketball player shot in NYC.

A New York Police Department officer said the shooting followed a dispute that occurred around 1 a.m. Saturday at a residence in the Bronx. Kevin Parrom was shot once in the right leg and taken to a local hospital in stable condition after suffering gunshot wounds to his left hand and right knee, Officer Chris Pisano said.

No arrests have been made; the investigation continues.

A native of the Bronx, Parrom went home to visit his mother, who is in the hospital, Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne said in a statement.

“I have been in contact with Kevin and his family throughout the weekend and look forward to his return to Tucson and being back in class this week,” Arizona coach Sean Miller said in a statement. “Our focus is on Kevin’s health right now. Once we have more information, we’ll be able to address his potential return to team activities.”

hoops135@hotmail.com

Follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

COACHING THE BLOWOUT

As a coach, we’ve all been there, regardless of sport or level of play.

You’re on the sidelines and you glance up at the scoreboard and your team is getting crushed. You can’t wait for the clock to run out.

There’s also the other side of the coin; you peek up at the scoreboard and you are crushing the opponent. You have a chance to play some guys or gals who don’t get much tick.

Coaching during this period of time can get a bit uncomfortable believe it or not. (it is for me)

You scratch your head after a loss and watch film over and over to try to correct the situation for your next game.

If you are crushing the opposition you feel like everything you did worked like a charm. You want to bottle the victory and use it as a confidence-builder.

One coaching thought that always sinks in; when do you get your starters out?

When do you get the JV guys in?

How about the an athlete who has a chance to break a record whether it be a school record, state or even national one? (Not that you would even be aware of someone on your team on the verge of breaking a record)

The Indy-Star has a story about a high school wide receiver that broke a national record back on Sept. 2 for most yards (437) gained in a single game. The final score was 63-10. The coach of the winning team kept his record-setting player in the game and tossed a few bombs to him late in the game to put his name in the records book.

The record came in a 63-10 victory over Elkhart Central, with South Bend Washington throwing passes to Dieter on the game’s final 10 plays in pursuit of the mark. It has spawned a discussion about sportsmanship in high school sports and the ethics of setting records.

I’ve heard people discussing this topic and believe it or not some say they have no problem with it and some say it is poor sportsmanship.

What do you think? What would you do?

hoops135@hotmail.com

Follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore