DEFINE YOUR CAREER

Chicago Tribune on Notre Dame’s guard Skylar Diggins.

Diggins found some solace in what she said UConn coach Geno Auriemma had told her after the game.

“He told me not to let this game define my legacy and said I have done more for the sport than some people who have won four national championships,” she said.

As her team made the Final Four three straight years, losing twice in the championship game, Diggins became the face of women’s college basketball and Notre Dame’s all-time leading scorer.

Don’t let “not winning a championship” define your career.

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Twitter: @CoachFinamore

THE CHAMP IS HERE

A few quotes from Alabama Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban following their 42-14 win over Notre Dame in last night’s championship game.

“We’re interested in accomplishment, consistency and performance.”

“The process is ongoing…and if you don’t pay attention to that, you won’t stay up.”

“I’m proud of what this team accomplished but in two days well start working for next year”

“This team never felt entitled”… No athlete should feel entitled to anything.”

“Tremendous work ethic, mental and physical toughness is the key to our success.” On what people don’t know about Alabama football.

“When are you satisfied?” asked an ESPN sideline reporter. “I’m never satisfied…” said the coach.

“One focus: I think a team’s ability to do that, to stay focused on the things that are going to affect the outcome of the game, are critical in games like this.”

“We have a team meeting on Thursday, so I expect him (Saban) to address the new team and say it hasn’t accomplished anything yet,” A.J. McCarron said.

“There’s no question,” said Kirby Smart, his defensive coordinator. “There’s no question he is driven to be the greatest coach in the game.”

 

HOOPS135@HOTMAIL.COM

TWITTER: @CoachFinamore

THURSDAY’S TAKE-AWAYS

Bernard King’s Journey to Springfield: In 14 seasons in the NBA Bernard scored over 19,000 points. King never played alongside a superstar. BK was the workhorse in New Jersey, New York, Golden State and Washington.

1-Eben-Novy-Williams of Business Week.com on Roy Williams who is recovering from surgery. The 62-year-old coach, a two-time national champion and Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, was in surgery for 3 1/2 hours this morning, the school’s athletic department said in an e- mailed statement. He is expected to be coaching when the Tar Heels begin practice on Oct. 13.

2-Tom Noie of the South Bend Tribune on the Fighting Irish men’s basketball team preparation for the upcoming season and their move to the ACC. “Let’s remember the Big East has been good to us and we’re playing in the Big East this year,” said Brey, whose team has won at least 10 Big East games each of the last three years, including 14 and 13 the last two. “We’ve set some goals in the Big East, so let’s get back and focus on that.”

3-Kareem Abdul-Jabber with a guest piece for ESPN.com; the captain gives us take on the basketball hall of fame.

4-Boston Herald.com on Leo Papile and his new assignment with USA Basketball. It was announced by USA Basketball that Boston Amateur Basketball Club (BABC) coach and founder Leo Papile has been named to the coaching staff for the 2012 USA Men’s Developmental Basketball Team.  Papile was selected by the USA Basketball Men’s Developmental National Team Committee last month.

5-Dan Devine of Yahoo Sportson Steve Nash who recalls being booed by Mavericks fans while he was in Dallas.  “When I was in Dallas, my third year in the league. I got traded from Phoenix to Dallas, I was playing with a little bit of a back injury and I’d just signed this big contract, and I think the people in Dallas were wondering why I’d just signed this big contract — you know, I hadn’t come into my own yet.

“There was this one game where we were playing the Rockets, and they had Charles Barkley, and it was sold out,” Nash continued. “And at one point, I started to get booed every time I touched the ball. At home. And I’m the point guard, so I have the ball … on a number of occasions, if you haven’t watched basketball. It was one of those moments where you’re like, ‘I can’t believe this is happening to me.’”

HOOPS135@HOTMAIL.COM

TWITTER: @CoachFinamore

MONDAY’S GREATEST

It happens often in sports.

You hear it on sports talk radio, you read it on the blogs and of course they talk about it in the coffee shops.

I’m guilty of it. So are you!

Last night I heard two ESPN women’s college basketball announcers talk about Baylor’s center Brittney Griner.

They threw out the, “is she the greatest ever in college basketball” question?

The guys in the truck then posted her stats against Kentucky’s freshman Anthony Davis.

I know it makes for great discussion but it’s a joke to proclaim someone the greatest, especially when in reality we will never know the answer.

Griner is an outstanding player, let’s enjoy her skills while we can and not compare her to great players from the past.

Plus, I firmly believe when you compare two athletes, you will always devalue one.

Baylor beat Stanford last night and Notre Dame took care of UConn. Women’s finals Tuesday night should be a goodie.

The LA Times va the A.P. on both games from last night.

Cheryl Cooky of the Ft. Wayne Gazette  feels the women’s game doesn’t get enough love.

Kellis Robinett of the KC Star  on Bruce Weber, the new head coach at Kansas State and a possible assistant coach.

Pete Thamel of the New York Times warns you about driving to the basket against Kentucky and Kansas.

Steve Ginsburg of the Chicago Tribune  on John Calipari and the ‘one and done’ solution.

Joe Rexrode of the Lansing State Journal on Draymond Green who was voted by the NABC as their Player of the Year. Here’s Green with a great quote.

“Coming to Michigan State from Saginaw High School, I knew I was talented but my work ethic wasn’t where it needed to be. I always thought I was capable of doing some good things and helping my team win, but I didn’t envision that I was a player of the year level player. I wasn’t quite sure how to take that next step. I was fortunate enough to have coach Izzo and coach Dwayne Stephens and all the assistants show me the way and make me believe.”

Mike Griffith of Go Vols on Bruce Pearl and Jimmy Collins. Interesting situation with these two, including forgiveness and self-awareness.

” … I looked up, he was walking toward me,” Collins told ESPNChicago.com. “When he got to me, he started to apologize for what had happened. He made it clear that he was young and didn’t understand things. He ended up saying he really felt bad because he knew Deon Thomas got hurt.

“The truth of the matter was it was fine. It was a guy who had gone through some changes, and as he’s gotten older, he realized some things were wrong, and he apologized for it.”

Courier-Journal on Class Basketball in the State of Indiana.

The Boston Celtics whupped the Miami Heat last night. BTW, the Celtics are 10-1 without Ray Allen.

In the game, LeBron James played 35 minutes and did not record an assist.

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

SATURDAY’S STEP SLIDE

What is happening to my beloved New York Knicks?

Jeremy Lin and crew have lost 4 straight games and 7 of their last 10. Last night they fell to the Milwaukee Bucks 119-114.

Doc Sadler was fired at Nebraska yesterday. Sadler had a record of 101-89 in 6 years.

Shawn Windsor of the Detroit Free Press on Tom Izzo and how he feels about Bruce Weber being fired at Illinois.

“I think it was ridiculous the way that thing was handled. And if I take abuse for that, I really don’t care, because I’m also the president of our association. This isn’t about a friendship. This is about a profession.

“And whenever you’re in an organization, whether it be yours, whether it be mine, or whether it be a business one, the only way you can be successful is if, top to bottom, from the president to the trainer, we’re all on the same page, and that in five, six months, you can determine something.

“I feel bad for the Illini nation, because somebody’s — somebody pulled the rug out from under them. I feel bad for those players that have been there that, in my estimation, weren’t given a fair chance back about the middle of January, whenever that famous statement was made.

Congrats to New Mexico last night. They beat UNLV in the Mountain West tournament.

How about the Cincinnati Bearcats? Mick Cronin’s team upset Syracuse last night in the Big East tournament.

Chico State won their first NCAA tournament game since 1958.

Zach Hillesland of the New York Times on Mike Brey and Notre Dame basketball.

One of the first things Coach ever said to me turned out to be one of the most significant. It was during my first year, one of the very first practices, and I had forced up a terrible attempt at a 3-point shot. He pulled me aside later and said, “You don’t need to reinvent yourself.”

It took me seven years to figure out that he was not talking about on-court skills. He was talking about personality. And therein lies the rub. Don’t reinvent yourself. The guys who try to reinvent themselves falter. He is not saying, “Don’t improve,” he is saying, “Understand who you are, and translate that to the court.”

Immature players do not thrive in his system. Make yourself a man and you will have an open seat at the table. And that is not saying you cannot be a kid or that you cannot make mistakes, but when you step on the court and put that jersey on, you better take accountability for yourself and you better at least resemble a grownup.

Two solid semi’s today in the Big Ten. Wisconsin-Michigan State. Michigan-Ohio State to follow.

Which men’s college basketball coach do you think wakes up the earliest in the morning? Who gets the least amount of sleep during the season?

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore