Tough Love!

Sometimes when you have too much success, players and coaches get comfortable. They start feeling like things should be given to them because of past success. However, that's not the case for Billy Donovan. How do you get players to understand that especially today, you must work hard to get what you want. Success must be earned, it is not given to nobody! Sometimes tough love will change that attitude. Change your mindset, stop feeling sorry for yourself and get out there and work hard for what you want! The article below explains how head coach Billy Donovan felt that his players were not deserving of the state of the art facilities and fringe benefits that come along with being apart of a program such as Florida, who has won the last two Men's NCAA basketball championships. Sounds like a little bit of tough love went a long way for the players at Florida.

Florida’s Donovan Kicks Players Out of Practice Facility
By MARK LONG, AP Sports Writer Mar 17, 4:18 pm EDT
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP)—When the Florida Gators lost in the first round of the Southeastern Conference tournament, they knew it knocked them out of the NCAA tournament field.
They had no idea it also would get them kicked out of their practice facility.
Coach Billy Donovan, feeling like his players had settled into a state of complacency and entitlement, banned them from Florida’s $12 million facility. He also told them they couldn’t wear any Florida attire.
“Probably in some respects the confetti is still falling down around them,” Donovan said Monday. “When you have great success like we’ve had, I think it’s very, very easy to become complacent and to lose sight of how good things are around here and to have an attitude of, ‘I’m at Florida. This is just what’s going to happen.”’
The two-time reigning national champion Gators (21-11) lost eight of their final 11 games, including the last four, and missed out on the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1998. They became the first defending champion to not make it back to the tournament since probation-stricken Kansas in 1989.
Florida settled for a spot in the NIT, where they will host San Diego State on Wednesday night.
The Gators also found themselves fighting to get back into their state-of-the-art facility, which houses the team locker room, the practice court, the video room, the weight room, both national championship trophies and pieces of both floors on which Florida won it all.
Players spent the last four days shuffling between the O’Connell Center practice floor and the antiquated Florida Gym.
“He just wants to teach us a lesson that it takes time to earn stuff,” freshman guard Nick Calathes said. “He’s really going to make us earn it. I like that. I don’t see that as a problem at all. I think it will help us in the long run.”
Added freshman Jai Lucas: “When he feels we’re ready and playing like the University of Florida should play, then we’ll move (back) in.”
It might not happen anytime soon.
Football coach Urban Meyer, who has developed a close relationship with Donovan, pulled a similar move in summer 2005. Meyer barred players from the locker room and told them they couldn’t wear orange and blue or anything with the Gators logo on it.
He also removed the large replica gator head that was on display between the locker room and Florida Field. Players typically rub the head for good luck before games.
Meyer’s players responded by winning nine games for the first time in four years. They won the national title the following season.
Donovan can only hope for similar results from a team he has criticized for not having enough dedication, passion to win and willingness to play defense.
“One of the things that creates a tremendous level of complacency in anybody is after something very, very big happens,” said Donovan, who has used motivational tactics extensively in recent years. “It’s very easy to have a letdown. It’s not these guys’ fault. They walked into this. They walked into what happened.
“They got a facility that the administration has invested a lot in. It’s one of the best in the country. They’ve got a massage therapist to make sure they’re OK after games. They’ve got a private plane that they take to games. The meals that they eat. All those things, these guys came here and went right to the penthouse.”
Calathes and Lucas acknowledged that players felt a sense of entitlement during this season. They also echoed Donovan’s remarks that none of the players knew what it took to win at the college level or what they needed to do every day in practice to make the NCAA tournament.
Now, Donovan hopes missing the tournament—they actually practiced during the selection show since there was no reason to watch—will prove to be a humbling experience that will pay off down the road.
Kicking them out of the locker room could help, too.
“I think we’re going to have this taste in our mouths all the way until we make the NCAA tournament,” Lucas said. “This is something that will never leave us. This pain is unbearable. If this doesn’t (motivate us), I don’t know what will. This might be one of the worst things that could happen to the team.”

It's All About Building Relationships

For Head Coach Brad Stevens, it's all about building relationships with players and other program supporters. I knew the first time I heard about Brad Stevens and his coaching philosophies, that we had a lot in common. The article below speaks highly about Coach Stevens and his relationships that he is building with his players and staff members. Like me, he is young and lacks head coaching experience, but he cares for his players, has a desire to build on his basketball IQ, is organized and is passionate for teaching the game of basketball.

Newest Basketball Coach Gives Fresh Insight
By Maggie Cannon Dawgnet Contributing Writer http://www.dawgnetnews.com/archive/080318/4822.html

Butler University’s newest head basketball coach is inspiring students and continuing the team’s winning record this year. Brad Stevens, who graduated from DePauw University in 1999, said that he doesn’t plan to make any structural changes because of the successful formula, and that he has a unique relationship with the team since he played not too long ago. “I remember the ups and downs,” Stevens said. “I know how it is with a high level of course work.” He said that he is close with everyone on the team and has their best interests at heart. Stevens said, “There are times when they’re not happy with me, but we recognize that we want to achieve a common goal.” Stevens, who said his family, faith and close friends influence him the most, admitted that his own experiences as a college basketball player have influenced the way he coaches. “I didn’t play for one person that didn’t affect me in some way this year, and I try to utilize that with our own team,” he said. “I do watch a ton of basketball to get ideas.” Stevens said that he decided to coach full time because he liked being a part of a team and wanted to get a chance to compete at an academic institution, and that Butler was his best option to learn. “It was different than (what) I’d been a part of, and it had some of the best coaches in the country,” he said. He said that his favorite part of coaching is being with the players every day and the relationships he has with them. Matthew Graves, an assistant coach who joined the staff in 2000, said that the players feel comfortable coming to him just to talk about anything from job interviews, how to get better in the game, their struggles or just for comfort. “Either way, his age helps because of his ability to relate a little better,” Graves said. He said that the biggest thing Stevens had going for him was that he’d been involved at Butler for so long, and hiring him showed confidence in his abilities. “He’s doing a great job,” Graves said. “He balances what needs to be done and living in the moment.” He said that Butler’s record speaks for itself, and that after hiring Stevens they’ve seen the same teamwork, playing hard and academics. The team had a 3.1 GPA last semester. “He’s passionate, hard-working and analytical, he analyzes statistics and sets up goals and game plans,” Graves said. He said that some of the best times he’s had with Stevens have been out on the road talking about basketball. “We share values, we’re close in age, he has a son that’s two and I have two daughters, ” Graves said. “We’re going through some of the same things off the court as well.” Ben Slaton, a junior on the team, said he thinks Stevens’s son Brady is awesome. “He brings him around and we like to play with him,” Slaton said. “We know his family and go to his house. We’re all pretty close.” He said that Stevens is always in his office trying to make the team better. “He’s having a fun time,” Slaton said, “and I enjoy playing for him.” He said that Stevens is more approachable than typical coaches and that it’s easier to talk to him. “You listen to what he says and respect him,” he said. “You try to learn. He knows the game really well. He has a high basketball IQ.” Slaton said that the team doesn’t think about Stevens’s age. “The fact that he’s younger means he relates to us better, it’s helpful,” he said. He said that Stevens doesn’t let the pressure of his job get to him. “He’s always looking at the next game,” Slaton said. Slaton said that Stevens was the reason he decided to come to Butler. “He pushes me to improve,” he said. “He was my individual coach the first two years. I got to know him better and I enjoyed that.” Stevens also recruited Grant Leiendecker, a sophomore on the team, who said he has a good relationship with him. Leiendecker said that Stevens pays attention to detail and gets them prepared for the next game. “He’s a smart guy,” he said. “It seems like he’s always working and looking forward to the next game.” He said that Stevens knows there is a time for fun and a time to be serious. “He’s a pretty serious guy, and when it comes down to the game he gets down to business,” Leiendecker said. He said that Stevens is like a boss, but he has a good relationship with everyone. “He inspires me to improve my game every day,” Leiendecker said, “to be the best person and player I can be.” Avery Jukes, a sophomore on the team, said he was excited about Stevens becoming head coach even though he didn’t know his coaching style. “I was excited that it wasn’t someone outside of the organization,” Jukes said. “I didn’t want someone else to come.” Jukes said that he likes the way Stevens coaches. “Practices are geared toward defense, other coaches are geared toward offense,” he said. He said that Stevens has helped him grow up a little bit, and that he teaches the team how to be better people. “He’s inspired me just to be a better person,” Jukes said. “He taught me about honesty, trustworthiness, loyalty, teamwork and unselfishness. He’s coaching really well and doing a good job.” “Focus on today,” Stevens said. “Just worry about today and do the best job you can.”

Get Well Soon, Coach Wooden!

Last week the greatest coach in all of sports was hospitalized after falling and breaking his collar bone. Legendary UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden is healing but remains hospitalized and is still in good spirits. Below is an article written by Rick Riley of Sports Illustrated. The article is an inspiring read about integrity. If there has ever been an example of a person with integrity, John Wooden is it.

"A Paragon Rising above the Madness"-- By Rick Reilly, Sports Illustrated
On Tuesday the best man I know will do what he always does on the 21st of the month. He'll sit down and pen a love letter to his best girl. He'll say how much he misses her and loves her and can't wait to see her again. Then he'll fold it once, slide it in a little envelope and walk into his bedroom. He'll go to the stack of love letters sitting there on her pillow, untie the yellow ribbon, place the new one on top and tie the ribbon again. The stack will be 180 letters high then, because Tuesday is 15 years to the day since Nellie, his beloved wife of 53 years, died. In her memory, he sleeps only on his half of the bed, only on his pillow, only on top of the sheets, never between, with just the old bedspread they shared to keep him warm. There's never been a finer man in American sports than John Wooden, or a finer coach. He won 10 NCAA basketball championships at UCLA (7 in a row), the last in 1975. Nobody has ever come within six of him. He won 88 straight games between Jan. 30, 1971, and Jan. 17, 1974. Nobody has come within 42 since. So, sometimes, when the Madness of March gets to be too much -- too many players trying to make SportsCenter, too few players trying to make assists, too many coaches trying to be homeys, too few coaches willing to be mentors, too many freshmen with out-of-wedlock kids, too few freshmen who will stay in school long enough to become men -- I like to go see Coach Wooden. I visit him in his little condo in Encino, 20 minutes northwest of L.A., and hear him say things like "Gracious sakes alive!" and tell stories about teaching "Lewis" the hook shot. Lewis Alcindor, that is. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. There has never been another coach like Wooden, quiet as an April snow and square as a game of checkers; loyal to one woman, one school, one way; walking around campus in his sensible shoes and Jimmy Stewart morals. He'd spend a half hour the first day of practice teaching his men how to put on a sock. "Wrinkles can lead to blisters," he'd warn. These huge players would sneak looks at one another and roll their eyes. Eventually, they'd do it right. "Good," he'd say. "And now for the other foot." Of the 180 players who played for him, Wooden knows the whereabouts of 172. Of course, it's not hard when most of them call, checking on his health, secretly hoping to hear some of his simple life lessons so that they can write them on the lunch bags of their kids, who will roll their eyes. "Discipline yourself, and others won't need to," Coach would say. "Never lie, never cheat, never steal," Coach would say. "Earn the right to be proud and confident." You played for him, you played by his rules: Never score without acknowledging a teammate. One word of profanity, and you're done for the day. Treat your opponent with respect. He believed in hopelessly out-of-date stuff that never did anything but win championships. No dribbling behind the back or through the legs. "There's no need," he'd say. No UCLA basketball number was retired under his watch. "What about the fellows who wore that number before? Didn't they contribute to the team?" he'd say. No long hair, no facial hair. "They take too long to dry, and you could catch cold leaving the gym," he'd say. That one drove his players bonkers. One day, All-America center Bill Walton showed up with a full beard. "It's my right," he insisted. Wooden asked if he believed that strongly. Walton said he did. "That's good, Bill," Coach said. "I admire people who have strong beliefs and stick by them, I really do. We're going to miss you." Walton shaved it right then and there. Now Walton calls once a week to tell Coach he loves him. It's always too soon when you have to leave the condo and go back out into the real world, where the rules are so much grayer and the teams so much worse. As Wooden shows you to the door, you take one last look around. The framed report cards of the great-grandkids. The boxes of jelly beans peeking out from under the favorite wooden chair. The dozens of pictures of Nellie. He's almost 90 now, you think. A little more hunched over than last time. Steps a little smaller. You hope it's not the last time you see him. He smiles. "I'm not afraid to die," he says. "Death is my only chance to be with her again." Problem is, we still need him here.

-----------------------Site Note:

John R. Wooden was a three time All American basketball player, including college player of the year his senior season at Purdue. He is the only person to be inducted into both the Players' and Coaches' Halls of Fame. Through his word and deed, he taught people how to be successful. Coach Wooden, and his record, remain the standard by which EXCELLENCE is measured. As a youngster, watching his teams win it all, year after year, I became a huge fan of John Wooden... and an even bigger fan after reading about his philosophy, his teachings, his quotes (see below) and his life. Coach Wooden, like Paul "Bear" Bryant in football, had the best prepared teams in the country, year after year, and won it all year after year. He built his dynasty with this philosophy: "Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."

Some Inspire21's Ecards with quotes by John Wooden are:

"Consideration for others brings many things."

"You have success within. It's up to you to bring it out."

"Never mistake activity for achievement."

"Be quick, but don't be in a hurry"

"Bad times can make you bitter or better."

"Bad times can make you bitter or better."

"Talent is God-given; be humble. Fame is man-given; be grateful. Conceit is self-given; be careful."

Coach's Corner with John Thompson

COACH'S CORNER with John Thompson of North Carolina Wesslyan

THE COMMUNITY

Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak with one of our local Kiwanis Clubs. These are always great situations for me because I get a delicious lunch out of it…More importantly, though, is I have a chance to promote our program and build the connection between our basketball program and the community.After having lunch with former Wesleyan history professor a month or so ago, I developed the premise of yesterday’s talk. Dr. David Jones, whom I respect greatly, and I have lunch twice or three times a year. He is an avid basketball fan and so knowledgeable…about everything. I always feel a little bit smarter after I have lunch with him. During the course of our lunch, which ended up being a couple of hours, the subject of teams performance and their practice preparation came up. At one point Dave asked, “Well, what are the three or four core things you try to teach?” I believe he expected shooting, defense and rebounding to be in there somewhere. Ultimately, my answer became yesterday’s Kiwanis Club talk.The 4 C’s…Commitment was number one. Our players must be committed to what they and we as a team are doing. Communication was next. The better job we do of communicating, player to coach, coach to player, and player to player, the better team we will be. The third C is Correct Decision-Making. (We have always discussed decision-making, but added the “correct” because we want the right decisions, good decisions….and the 4 C’s sounded better than the 3C’s and 1D). Ones life is full of decisions. Do you get up when the alarm goes off, or do you roll over and sleep in? Do you shoot a pull-up jumpshot on a 3 on 2 fastbreak, or do you drive to the basket, or instead, pass to a wing? Hundreds of decisions to be made on a daily basis. We want correct decision making. Lastly, we want consistency. We want to know we can count on our players for consistent effort and performance, consistently good effort and performance.When I finished, Dave said, “That’s what most employers want. That’s what most business’s want. That’s what most teachers want from their students. If you ever talk to a Kiwanis Club or something like that, you’ve got your speech right there.” So yesterday I tried it out and know I’ve given it to you. Hope it helps.

MUST READING

As most of you know I like books and I like to read. I like sports, so sports books always interest me. I also like books that somehow make me better, make me smarter. Two books that I have been reading concurrently are: How to be Like Mike (that would be Michael Jordan) and How to be Like Jackie Robinson. These are not biographies and they really aren’t sports books, although they are dealing with sports figures. These books analyze and detail what made these two people great. The things that separate athletes like Jordan and Robinson can help anyone be successful in life. Pat Williams, Senior Vice President of the NBA’s Orlando Magic, is the author of these two fine books. Through countless interviews with coaches, teammates, opponents and others, Mr. Williams gleans the information on what took these stars to unique levels of success on the court, the field, and in life. In no way are they depicted as perfect, but their special qualities are examined and offered as things to be incorporated into our lives as we pursue success. There are three more books in this series that I have not read, however, based on “Mike” and “Jackie,” How to be Like Jesus, How to be Like Walt (Disney), and How to be Like Women of Influence are sure to be outstanding. (Another of his books that I would recommend is Go For The Magic. It is about dreaming and working, attitude and focus, goals and motivation. Check it out).

THE POINT GUARD MUST HAVES – A Baker’s Dozen

1) Knowledge – of the Game, of the Program, of his teammates, of his Coach

2) Leadership Skills

3) Communication Skills – Knowledge, Ability, Willingness, Projection

4) Vision

5) Ball Skills – Passing, Dribbling, Shooting (Scoring)

6) Defensive Pressure

7) Good Decision Making Ability

8) Defensive Breakdown Ability

9) Reasonable Quickness

10) Selflessness

11) Presence-Poise, Confidence

12) Toughness-Emotional, Mental, Physical

13) Positive relationship and bond with coach

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
Player development is something that is very important in every program and it is here, as well. We work very hard at trying to maximize a players potential. I try to talk with as many coaches and players as I can to get new ideas, new drills, maybe a different way to teach a certain technique. Sometimes these conversations (on occassion they become mini-clinics) cause me to pause and re-evaluate how I am doing something...sometimes they confirm what I already believe. I am convinced that you can always learn, and I try to do that.I also watch a lot of tape. I watch anything and everything: our games, other college teams, NBA games, the USA National Team and instructional videos by any number of coaches. I want to see how we can do things better. We believe in our philosophy and aren't trying to reinvent the wheel; we are trying to make the wheel we have better...trying to make it the best it can be. I also think that when you can introduce new drills or variations of drills, it keeps the players fresh and interested.Below is an example of a shooting drill that a player could do on his own (or with a teammate) between classes or whenever he has a small window of opportunity to get in the gym.

We call this our "20 Minute Workout" and if a player is working hard, shooting at game speed, he can get up 150 shots in that time frame.

1. 30 Shots-10 in front/10 right side/10 left side (1'-2')

2. 20 Layups-10 right-handed/10 left-handed

3. 20 shots-10 outside right block/10 outside left block (get angle and bank)

4. 30 Shots-10 from FT line/10 right elbow/10 left elbow

5. 50 shots-10 each from right/left corners, right/left wings, and the top of the key (all 3's unless a players position or ability mandates otherwise).

THE CHAMPION INSIDE
Adonis "Sporty" Jeralds has spent a career in the sports and entertainment business. Currently working with the Charlotte Bobcats Areana, "Sporty" has a book out that should be in the collection of every player and coach. The Champion in You is a collection of short, easy to read vignettes that provide valuable lessons for life and success. I have given many copies of this book as gifts and this summer I have been re-reading it. To order a book visit www.championinyou.com or call (704) 543-7150. I highly recommend it.
I am a big fan of quotes and themes. We start practices, meetings, shoot-arounds, and other events with a "Thought for the Day." This thought is often a quote from someone far smarter than me. French Renaissance thinker Michel Eyguem De Montaigne said, "I quote others to better express myself." That is precisely the way I feel. Hopefully I can get my point across to the team, but sometimes I may need help. Hearing the words of Larry Bird or Larry Brown, Michael Jordan or Mike Krzyzewski, or even a thought from Aristotle or Thomas Jefferson, sometimes helps the players understand what I am trying to teach. After George Mason's win over UConn, Coach Jim Larranaga used a quote that I love, from William Jennings Bryan: "Destiny...is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." Hopefully we are all making the right choice and trying to achieve all that we are capable of.

CONSISTENCY

This is an absolutely vital component to the success of any organization. A basketball team is no exception. Great teams are very consistent, in terms of their attitude, their preparation, their effort, and their performance.One of my favorite quotes regarding consistency is: Consistency is better than occasional greatness.It is important that everyone on the team be able to expect a certain level of performance from each other. If a guy gets 25 points and 10 rebounds in a game, that's great. However, if he doesn't score in double figures for the next three games and only gets 4 or 5 rebounds in the same series of games, the 25 and 10 fade in importance. A guy who can get you 18 and 9 every night out is much more valuable. His coach and his teammates know what they can count on when they hit the floor.A consistent approach to the game and consistent effort in practice and in games also leads to steady improvement. This steady improvement helps players and teams grow, and succeed. Joe Paterno, Penn State's iconic football coach, says that performing at a consistently high level is, "...the mark of a true professional." Consistency provides reliability, which leads to trust. When you get to that point you have a chance to flourish.

THE MENTORS
There are many coaches who have assisted me, taught me, guided me, and set an example for me in my career. All coaches are a mix of all of their experiences. They are influenced by everyone they come in contact with. They take something from every coach they play for, or work with, and figure out what works for them in their given situation. In some cases the influence is very evident and in others it is more subtle. I am undoubtedly in debt to a number of coaches who have helped me through the years.This is a small thank you to all of them.Herman Paschal -Durham, NC YMCA He taught me so much about the game playing 2 on 2, 3 on 3, critiquing my summer league games, watching games on TV and just sitting around talking.I was very fortunate to meet him as a seventh grader.John Avery -Jordan High, Durham, NC I had no idea how good a high school coach I had until I got to college. I realized it ten-fold when I became a coach. Coach Avery taught sound fundamentals, great team concepts, and really how to play the game, read situations, and adapt and adjust. A very good teacher and coach.Doug Riley -St. Andrews College, Laurinburg, NC Coach Riley taught me about organization and preparation. Ed Douma -UNCG, Greensboro, NC (now at Hillsdale College-Michigan) Positive feedback and flexibility dependent upon personnel are the top two concepts I learned from Coach Douma. Pete Gaudet -Duke University, Durham, NC (now at Ohio State University) Anyone who ever worked camp at Duke while Pete Gaudet was there knows what I know...every night was a clinic. The once daily coaches meetings covered the station teachings for the following day. No matter what station you taught, you got the information for all stations, and you got it from one of the best teachers in the game. I am so lucky to have started my camp and my coaching career there at that time.Mark Simons -St. Andrews College, Laurinburg, NC (most recently at Elon) Coach Simons gave me a start in this profession. Without making me feel stupid, he showed me how much I had to learn. I realized in that first year how little I really knew about the game and what it took to be a coach.Jack Jensen -Guilford College, Greensboro, NC This NAIA Hall of Famer has won a national championship and coached four players who played in the NBA. In seven years as his assistant I learned so much about the game, teaching, life...He is a tremendous coach, a great friend and has been like a second father to me.Mike Krzyzewski -Duke University, Durham,NC In 1986 Coach K gave me my start by allowing me to work all four weeks of the Duke summer camp. He has supported me throughout my career and I learn something every time I am around him...and I always have. I cannot begin to say enough about how much he has helped me.John Chaney -Temple University, Philadelphia, PA A random phone call landed me at the Chaney/Hill Camp (that's John and Sonny) and thus began a relationship that I am blessed to have. Coach Chaney is an outstanding person, coach, and a kind friend and he has had a tremendous influence on me.To all of the coaches who have touched me and influenced me, thank you. To the gentleman mentioned above, a special thank you for all you have done for me.

SOME GOOD BOOKS
I am a big fan of books and of reading. I consistently give my team reading material. There is always something to learn, some insight to gain, a philosophy to consider, or a technique to evaluate. There is also great enjoyment to be derived from books. Whatever your interest is, there is something out there for you. I am a basketball junkie, so the majority (but not all) of the things in my library are basketball related. Below is a top five countdown…sort of:

5. All-Time Favorites:-

-FOUL! Connie Hawkins by David Wolf

- They Call Me Coach John Wooden (As told to Jack Tobin)

- Values of the Game by Bill Bradley

- Winning is an Attitude A Season in the Life of John Chaney and the Temple Owls by Steve Wartenberg

- The City Game Basketball From the Garden to the Playgrounds byPete Axthelm

4. Leadership Favorites:

- Leading with the Heart by Mike Krzyzewski

- Dr. Jack’s Leadership Lessons from a Lifetime in Basketball by Dr. Jack Ramsey

- Russell Rules Bill Russell (with David Falkner)

- The Winner Within by Pat Riley

FIVE LITTLE THINGS

The following five things may seem small in comparison to shooting or rebounding. However, consistent execution of these five little things can make any player better.

1) Development of both feet. Learn to operate offensively, pivoting off of either foot. We utilize the inside pivot foot (foot closest to the basket) here at Wesleyan. Jumping, jab-stepping, and pivoting off of either foot makes a player hard to guard.

2) Pivot to pass. Don’t get caught flat-footed. Improve the passing angle or increase the window of passing opportunity by using your ability to pivot.

3) Catch and Face. Get in the habit of facing up when receiving the ball. Opportunities to score or to hit open teammates are effectively seized when a player sees the floor. Triple threat position is a key.

4) Play the game low. Whether you are in triple threat position, playing defense, or blocking out for a rebound, this game is played with the knees bent. The more this becomes a habit, the better one can play the game.

5) Communication. Good teams communicate. This is true at all levels and on both offense and defense. The better you communicate the more valuable you are to a team.

Coach K on Win #800

Coach K thanks Bobby Knight
Brett Friedlander

RALEIGH — Mike Krzyzewski’s 800th career coaching victory was barely in the books, but even as he began accepting congratulatory hugs from those he loves most — his players — his mind had already begun racing back to others who helped him reach the milestone.
First, he took a quick glance toward the heavens as a tribute to the late Jim Valvano, a close friend whose former team his Blue Devils beat at the RBC Center on Saturday.
Then the normally stoic Coach K looked directly into the television cameras at courtside, let his guard down and with tears welling in his eyes, waxed poetic about a man whose name isn’t often associated with such warm and fuzzy moments.
“I’d particularly like to thank Coach (Bobby) Knight,” he said. “As a point guard for him for three years, he taught me the game — sometimes in a manner in which I didn’t want to be taught. But I learned it and he’s been a friend and teacher and mentor ever since.”
Chances are, Krzyzewski learned as much about what not to do from watching Knight as he did from following the example of college basketball’s winningest coach.
It’s like when an impetuous father tells his impressionable son to “do as I say, not as I do.” Only in this case, it’s a General providing the sage advice to his favorite young lieutenant.
For all Knight has accomplished in basketball, including a record 902 victories, his professional genius is often obscured by a hair-trigger temper and the boorish behavior it has helped inspire.
No Bobby Lite
Krzyzewski has managed to avoid that same encumbrance by combining many of his old Army coach’s most favorable qualities with a public persona that is much more refined and upbeat.
It’s a combination that has led some national commentators to describe him as Bobby Lite. But that’s not the case.
Because he’s such a substantive, improved version of the original, a more accurate description of the 61-year-old grandfather with the self-deprecating sense of humor and difficult-to-pronounce surname might be Bobby 2K.
“I think if you try to mimic someone’s style, whether it’s great, medium or not-so-good, you’re never going to be truly who you are,” said Krzyzewski, who is on pace to surpass Knight as his sport’s all-time wins leader sometime late in the 2012-13 season or early the following fall. “But you can certainly try to mimic core values — teaching points, preparation the type of kids you want to recruit.”
You can also add discipline, loyalty and an intense, sometimes intensive drive to win to the list.
Other voices heard
Unlike Knight, though, Krzyzewski hasn’t become so intoxicated by power or blinded by praise that he has lost the ability to adjust or even listen to the advice of others.
It is inconceivable that the dictatorial Knight would let anyone’s voice but his own be heard in the huddle during a time out late in a close game.
And yet, as Duke struggled to rally from a 13-point half deficit with history in the balance against State, that’s exactly what Krzyzewski did when he stepped back and allowed his players to come up with their own solution for the problem at hand.
“Every once in a while, they don’t hear you or they don’t feel what you’re saying,” Coach K said. “Teams become really good when they talk to each other. What happens is that they take ownership (of the situation).”
That’s not to say Coach K is always so player-friendly.
There are times when his point is driven home more effectively when served with a side order of tough love.
Through the years, he’s resorted to stripping his team’s locker room of all its creature comforts, using colorful language to challenge somebody’s manhood and splicing together elaborate video loops highlighting a player’s mistakes to be shown in front of the entire team.
He might even have thrown a chair or gotten a little too up close and personal in a player’s face to get his point across. But if he has, he’s smart enough to have done it behind closed doors in the privacy of his own practice rather than on national television for all to see.
“Coach has taught me so much and made me both a better player and a better man,” That’s the way you want it,” Blue Devil senior captain DeMarcus Nelson said. “You don’t want somebody who is going to pat you on the back all the time and tell you what you want to hear. You need somebody to discipline you and tell you what you don’t want to hear.”
You can say that Krzyzewski sometimes teaches the game in a manner in which his players don’t want to be taught, which could explain the transfers of numerous McDonald’s All-Americans including Mike Chappell, Chris Burgess, Joey Beard, Michael Thompson and Eric Boateng.
The reward for those who stay, though, is much greater than just basketball knowledge.
As was the case with Krzyzewski at Army, they come away with a friend, a teacher and a beloved mentor they can count on for the rest of their lives.