Special rules for special players

It's not unusual to have "rules" in place for special/certain players. When I was with the Timberwolves in the early '90s, we had the "John Stockton Rules." Whenever Stockon crossed half-court, we'd double him to make him give up the ball and then deny him the ball back as the PG is so important in Jerry Sloan's disciplined 1-4 high offense.

In Golden State, we had the "Iverson Rules." Whenever AI had the ball or caught the ball, we immediately went to a Box-and-One, which really bothered him. When he gave ball up, we matched back up in straight man to man. When he got ball again, we went to the nearest box (2 elbows and 2 low blocks) in a Box-and-One.

With the Warriors, we had our own "Kobe Rules." In the first half, we'd force him right on either wing. Then, in the second half, we change so he didn't get a steady diet of the same defense as he is too smart and figures out a way to score. Then, depending how game was going, in the final period (or next game vs Kobe), we could force him baseline in the first half, then force middle in the second half.

We knew he could go either way. The point was we wanted the player defending Kobe to know where all the help would be. Our guys with the Warriors really bought in and let the staff be creative which made it even more effective.

Selfishness costs Arizona State

How about the Arizona State baseball teammates throwing down before a huge game against Fresno State? One kid was the PAC-10 Player of the Year; the other was the 18th pick in the MLB draft.

Not a shock the No. 3-ranked Sun Devils lost the game that ended their season, but they'd beaten Fresno in the first game before losing two straight to the Bulldogs.

I'm struck by how incredibly selfish this was. Now, I have no idea whether these guys liked each other or not or what the fight was about. The point is, the team should come first, especially when you're on a winning team and only a game from the national championship. There couldn't be anything more disruptive to a team than to have two of its leaders engage in an all out brawl just moments before the biggest game of the season.

Really? You can't set aside your differences for a few hours? You can't see the bigger picture here? We're this close to winning a title, something we'll treasure for the rest of our lives. Let's forget this petty stuff and get it done.

Baseball is the most individual sport of all the team sports, but chemistry is still important to a team's success. Just look at how poorly the Detroit Tigers have played thus far.

The ASU fight reminded me of a Joe Torre quote: "Individual accomplishments pale in comparison to being part of a championship team." Or Casey Stengel: "Finding good players is easy. Getting them to play as a team is another story."

Clearly, both of these guys for ASU were good players. It's a shame they couldn't find a way to play as a team.

[NOTE:  I see now where the ASU players involved in the fight claim that the whole thing was staged to help loosen up the team.  According to this article, most of ASU's players were aware that the guys were joking.  There are so many ways to loosen up a team before a game without making it a distraction.  If the coach was somehow involved, I've got to believe he'll come under heavy scrutiny.]

Why the Lakers aren't getting to the line against Boston

I saw where the Lakers are upset about not getting to the line more often. Said Coach Jackson in the Game 2 post-game press conference:

"I'm struck by the fact that Leon Powe gets more foul shots than our whole team..."

Here's why:

LA is a team built on surrounding Kobe with jump-shooters. They rely heavily on KB's one-on-one ability and isolations and the Triangle offensive post-ups of Gasol (and, before he was hurt, Andrew Bynum).

So their roster is stocked with non-slashing/driver-type players who are low-volume FTA players who fit in well with the Triangle offense.

The Lakers have a number of players who are comfortable as spot-up shooters and get their looks off Bryant creating or the Triangle offense. Radmanovic, Walton, Sasha, Karl, Mihm -- these are relatively non-athletic/low-volume FTA guys.

But spot-up shooting is difficult against the Celtics, who aggressively contest shots and want you to put it on the floor. Players who have ability to create their own shot off the dribble bother Boston much more than spot-up shooters.

LA's Ariza is a slasher who might need to play more in Game 3. Further, Odom and Farmar must be more aggressive off the dribble as the series moves to Staples Center.

The beauty of the box score

I love box score. As a kid, I'd get up in the morning, run to the end of the driveway to get the newspaper, then sit down at the kitchen table with my bowl of cereal and begin pouring over the box scores -- both baseball and basketball -- from the night before. As I got older, I'd do it with a red pen.

[Click on the image at the left to enlarge. In this case, I highlighted the box from the perspective of the Lakers.]

As a head coach, I highlight every box score from our game. I also take notes on the front and back of the page, filling up almost every inch of it. Over the last 10 years or so, I started using multiple highlighters in various colors. Red is always in negative; yellow is positive.

Doing so not only gives me a more objective look at the game, but helps me identify trends, issues, red flags, and other items that might have been overlooked during the heat of the battle. Oftentimes, little things jump out at me when I go through the box score -- things that didn't seem to impact the game at the time but, upon further analysis, were a real key.

Breaking down Game 2: LA v BOS

FIRST HALF NOTES

Boston Offensively/Lakers Defense

- Leon Powe's play off the bench was huge. Typically a non-go-to player who was incredibly active and had a huge offensive impact in the game's first half.

- Boston had terrific ball movement. The first 18 FGs had 16 assists. [On the other side, the Lakers had poor ball movement.]

- Boston also did a good job getting the Lakers in foul trouble. Kobe had three, which was critical.

- LA's poor individual defense led to reaches and gambles that ended up being fouls.

- The Radmanovic-Pierce match-up lasted all of two minutes before Ariza checked in. The Lakers need to find someone who can contain Pierce. And fast.

Lakers Offensively/Boston Defense

- As mentioned previously, LA's ball movement was off.

- Boston was able to defend Kobe without fouling him. Bryant had just one FT attempt, something Phil Jackson is questioning.

- Gasol needs more touches. He went 6-8 from the field. Find ways to get him the ball.

- It's now been two regular season games and one and a half playoff games where Lakers have no answer for Boston's defense.

THIRD QUARTER NOTES

- Again, Radmanivc has no one to defend.

- Luke Walton's lack of athleticism vs Powe hurt the Lakers.

- LA's left wing pick-and-roll is the only offense play that got them decent looks.

FOURTH QUARTER NOTES

- Terrific comeback by the Lakers.

- Matchup-wise, they found Radmanovic guarding Boston's 4-man and Bryant defending Pierce with Fisher and Sasha Vujacic works. Radmanovic can defend Posey as a spot up shooter.

- Possible match-ups for Game 3: Radmanovic on Kendrick Perkins, Gasol on KG, and Odom on Pierce. Radmanovic did a good job rebounding as a 4-man in final quarter.

- Lakers get good looks out of transition and pushing the ball (3-ball looks) and Boston switched on screens more than in the first three quarters.

- Lakers played Rondo as a passer. This is how they need to play him as his assists for the first three quarters really hurt them.

OVERALL

- The FT attempt game is huge. Powe had more FTA (13) than the entire Laker roster (10) in just 15 minutes of play.

- Match-ups and role players won this game for Boston.

- PJ Brown's and -- most of all -- Powe's minutes were huge. Powe is a guy who might not even get in some games. In addition, Rondo made smart decisions with his ball distribution on the pick-and-rolls.

- Powe's coast-to-coast dunk summed up the first 40 minutes of the 48-minute game.

- It's clear now how much the Lakers miss Bynum. In the three games before he was injured, he averaged 17 points and 12 rebounds. Imagine if he was healthy and matching up against guys like Perkins and Powe. Might be a different series.

Again, home court advantage is huge. Boston plays with so much confidence on their home floor it's incredible. On the flip side, LA is undefeated at home this postseason.

The "Kobe Rules": Defending Bryant

It looks to me like these are Boston's "Kobes Rules":

1. Dont foul him: Keep his FTA low (Against the Spurs in the last round, Kobe had just 11 FT attempts. He must drive the ball and force fouls.)

2. Limit his transition points.

3. Crowd him when he has the ball and give great weakside help. Flood the strong side on pick-and-rolls with Kobe handling.

4. Force his catches way deep on the floor -- not in scoring area.

When Kobe posts-up, as the Lakers cut, Boston brings a extra help-defender over on Bryant. The Celtics might try holding the cutters.

Jackson assembles all-star staff in LA

Interesting note in the Boston Herald on Friday about Phil Jackson's staff.  Coach Jackson's earned nine NBA titles, including one as a player.  Joining him on the LA bench is:

Kurt Rambis, a hard-working fan-favorite as a member of four Laker title teams, who coached the team for 37 games in 1999;

Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who won five NBA titles and has coached in the USBL;

Brian Shaw and Craig Hodges, former NBA players who both won multiple titles (the Suns have expressed some interest in Shaw);

Jim Cleamons, a former head coach with the Mavericks who won a title with the Lakers in 1972 as a player and three more with Jackson in LA and Chicago; and,

Frank Hamblen, another longtime Jackson assistant who has five rings.

Says Lamar Odom:  "We learn every day from those guys, about basketball and life as well, and the poise that they teach is really unspeakable. We get to go to basketball school every day."

Adds Chris Mihm:  "We’ve got guys that have been players who’ve had success at the highest level and are really a wealth of knowledge at each of their positions. It’s been great to kind of soak up general basketball knowledge from them over the years. And the skill work at each position, they each have their strong points and they do a great job of keeping this team motivated, focused and ready to play. It’s really the best staff that I’ve ever been a part of."

Staying in the moment

You may have seen 20-year-old Ana Ivanovic win the French Open this weekend.  What's amazing to me about professional tennis players and golfers -- besides their incredible athletic ability -- is their mental maturity at a young age.  

Take Ivanovic, as an example.  She lost in the finals of two other majors, and says she used that experience to help her in the French Open:

"Many, many people ask me, 'Oh, you want to forget last year's final?' But I don't, because it was a great learning experience."

According to the story, she's also found a way to stay focused and in the moment, a terrific lesson for young players:  

Ivanovic realized this: Part of her difficulty in those matches rested with either looking ahead - "Hey, maybe I can actually win this thing," she was thinking against Henin - or looking behind - failing to put a few key points out of her mind... She credits her strength and conditioning coach, Scott Byrnes, with helping find what she called a "tool" to make sure she stays focused on the court.  And it couldn't be simpler: Take the time to pause and breathe.

Here's a good story about Ivanovic and her powerful serve.

After 83 conference titles, coach hangs it up

Good luck to John McDonnell.  

This week, the 70-year-old track and field coach at Arkansas is going for his 43rd national championship.  That's not a typo.  McDonnell has won 42 national titles as the Razorbacks' coach.   He recently announced his retirement.  Someone will have big shoes to fill.

[Here's some video of Coach McDonnell.]

When he joined the school in 1972, he says he was just hoping to win one national championship. I think it's fair to say that he's exceeded his goal.

What's interesting is that he didn't win his first until 1984, 12 seasons into his stint at Arkansas.  Since then, he's won the NCAA "Triple Crown" (cross country, indoor, outdoor titles in the same year) five times.

And over the last 34 seasons, his teams have won the conference cross country title EVERY SEASON.  That's 34 in a row.  Overall, he's won 83 conference titles.  Amazing.

According to one of his assistants, McDonnell makes his expectations clear from the start:  "[Coach McDonnell] throws is right out there.  We're going to work hard and we're going to win."

McDonnell has "an uncanny ability to know when to chew a kid and when to pat him on the back."  Communication is a key part of his coaching technique:  "You can learn a lot by listening," he said. "A lot more than by talking."

How defense can win basketball games

One reason for Boston's improvement this season has been the team's defense, which led the league in both FG% and 3FG% this year. According to an article by Ian Thomsen in this week's issue of SI, there are a couple of keys:

1. The acquisition of veteran players: The roster that Danny Ainge has put together now has nine players who are in their 30's, including Pierce, Garnett, Allen, Posey, Cassell, Pollard, and PJ Brown. Said Doc: "Young guys want to run and gun. Veteran teams are always defensive teams."

2. A genuine emphasis on defense: Tom Thibodeau, who was an assistant for my Dad in Minnesota (in fact, you can see Tom here, third from the left), is Boston's defensive coordinator. I was an assistant to Doc in Orlando the season he won COY honors. Like Tom, Doc has a clear understanding of and appreciation for good fundamental defense. Said Garnett: "Defense is our backbone now."

3. Personnel, led by Kevin Garnett: Garnett directs the defense and is athletic enough to guard "every corner of the court." Said Doc: "Kevin made [the transformation] possible. When your best player buys in defensively, then everybody has to follow."

So how does it work? According to the SI article:

Keep the ball out of the paint, shrink the floor by overloading defenders to one side and try to contest every shot. Rarely does Thibodeau tweak the game plan by calling a variety of sets from the sideline. The Celtics are committed to their basic man-to-man principles, and when a certain approach isn't working, the staff's first adjustment is to demand greater effort.

Here's a quick video of Rondo talking about Boston's defensive strategy for LA.

Making practices more competitive

Saw a note the other day about 1985-86 Celtics team that won the NBA title and how, according to Rick Carlisle, the team's turning point was the acquisition of veteran Bill Walton, who would come off the bench for BOS.

Carlisle remembers that each day in practice, the starting five -- Bird, Parish, McHale, DJ, and Ainge -- would scrimmage the back-ups, which included Walton, Carlisle, 22-year-old Sam Vincent,veteran guard Scotty Wedman, 6-foot guard Jerry Sichting, journeyman forward David Thirdkill, and center Greg Kite.

But it wasn't the typical end-of-practice-scrimmage. They kept careful track of which team won, posting the daily results and updated W-L record in the locker room for all to see.

Carlisle credits Walton for helping to bring out the best in all of the guys, starters and reserves alike:

“His presence allowed other role players like myself...to play at a higher level. All of a sudden our practices became very competitive.”

Garnett: A leader by the way he is

I was going back through some of my files yesterday and came across a September 2007 Boston Globe article about Kevin Garnett, who was attending a pro camp in Las Vegas with 20 other NBA players.

According to the article, Garnett was always the first player to arrive each day, getting there an hour before the rest of the group, which goes through 90 minutes of weight training, followed by 90 minutes of drills and scrimmaging.

Said Garnett:  "I like my footprints to be first in the sand."

Joe Abunassar, who runs the camp, said this about Garnett:  "He's so focused about getting ready.  He's a leader by the way he is."

Ultimately, the head coach is responsible

You may have seen where White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen publicly criticized his players' hitting and hitting coach Greg Walker, demanded that his GM take action, and promised to make changes himself.

Another bad game. If we think we are going to win with the offense we have, we are full of [bleep]. I’m just being honest. I expect better from them, if they are in the lineup.  It can be me. It can be [hitting coach] Greg Walker. It can be the players. It could be anybody. I’m sick and tired to watch this thing for a year and a half. I’m not protecting anybody anymore. [Bleep] it! If they can’t get it done, Kenny should find someone to get it done. That’s it. 

Who am I going to blame if my team's not hitting? My wife?  I can't do anything about it. I think (Walker is) doing his job. I don't think it's his fault that we've been in a slump for two years. People think we've been a slump for a couple months. No, we've been a slump (for two years). Someone has to be blamed. I'll take the blame first, but he should take the blame second.

Clearly, Ozzie is frustrated with his club's hitting.  But blaming his assistant coach for the problem is out of bounds.  The truth is, ultimately, how his team hits is his responsibility.  The President of the United States is responsible for homeland defense, the economy, education, healthcare, etc.   He delegates those important responsibilities to members of his cabinet (his assistant coaches), but in the end he'll be held accountable.

In fairness, a few days after his outburst, Ozzie explained his strategy, saying it was designed to "get people back on track.":

"I don't want those [my players] to say, 'OK, Ozzie doesn't care if we lose today.' I'm going to show them I care. I'm going to show I have feelings. I'm going to show the fans ... I'm not going to sit here and take it. I'm going to push as hard as I can—in a positive way—to get the best out of my players."

Jackson on D. Fisher: He understands how to do things

A couple of days ago, USA Today profiled Laker point guard Derek Fisher, who tends to get overlooked since he plays in the backcourt with arguably the best player in the world.  But if you've read the article it becomes clear what Fisher brings to his team.

Says Phil Jackson:  "He understands how to do things.  He knows how to get things accomplished.  And he has a cool head under duress."  [Something that all great point guards have.]

Kobe adds:  "A lot of stuff Derek Fisher does rubs off on the rest of the team.  The comments he makes about the game. His execution. His spirit. His approach to practice and preparation and hard work."

Fisher says it's about being a professional:

"I just think it's good for guys to see people on their team bring the right attitude to work every day. A guy that's here early, stays late … tries to do the right things. I think that becomes infectious."

Stats and more notes from BOS-LA Game 1

Couple of interesting stats I pulled out of last night's box score:

Scoring: Boston's "Big 3" came through with 65 points. Pierce had 22 points on 10 shots compared to KB's 24 on 26 shots.

Rebounding: Boston won the battle on the glass, 46-33. In fact, SG Allen's eight rebounds were as many as any Laker player.

FT attempts: Boston won here, as well, 35-28. Rondo had more attempts than any player in the game (10). Kobe had just six FTA after averaging more than nine FTA this season and more than 10 FTA the three seasons before. This is a critical stat.

Fouling: BOS is a physical defensive team, yet they played without fouling, 29-22.

Timeouts: Doc Rivers did a great job of using his timeouts.

The Willis Reed Comparisons: Pierce coming back into the game was not comparable, in my opinion, to Willis Reed's performance in 1970. Reed was literally dragging his leg. Pierce came back and looked fresher than anyone on the floor.

I watched the game with five college coaches, including one who commented, "The dramatics at times reminded me of World Wide Wrestling."

Said Phil Jackson about Pierce's comeback:

"I don't know if the angels visited him at halftime or in that timeout period that he had or not, but he didn't even limp when he came back out on the floor. I don't know what was going on there. Was Oral Roberts back there in their locker room?"

Insight into Phil Jackson

With the NBA down to two teams, there are a bunch of in-depth stories on the coaches and players from both BOS and LA. Couple of good ones recently on Phil Jackson, including one from the NY Times and one from USA Today that ran yesterday.

The Times article really focuses on Coach Jackson's time in the CBA, which made it more interesting for me. Having spent seven seasons coaching in the CBA (as well as two summers in the USBL), I have no doubt that Phil's success can be attributed to his time as a minor league head coach. While an assistant's job is certainly worthwhile, there's nothing like being a head coach to gain experience and create your own style of play and philosophies.

[As a side note, here's a 1989 article from the NY Times about Phil's time in the CBA.]

In the USA Today article, there are a couple of noteworthy quotes:

• Coach Jackson on his job: "There are a lot of coaches in the NBA skilled at execution and fundamentals. They draw magnificent plays. But I've always been about the intuitive connection players have for one another. That bond they create is what makes (great) teams what they are."
• Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis on Jackon's strengths: "He's a terrific communicator. He deals with the superstars who need certain treatment, and are given liberties, and keeps role players motivated by (playing them)."
• Turiaf on what he likes about his coach: "[He] allows you to be who you are."
• Lakers assistant Brian Shaw on Jackson's patience: "[He is] probably the most patient coach I've ever played for or been around."
• Lakers assistant Tex Winter on Jackson's timeout strategy: "I used to nudge him, 'Get a timeout, Coach. Time to get up and earn that fabulous salary of yours.' Phil would say, 'Relax, let 'em play through it.' He still wants his players to make the commitment and accept responsibility."
• Charles Barkley on Jackson's coaching style: "There is nothing Phil does that isn't premeditated."

Notes from Game 1: Opening tip, match-ups, bench, etc.

Some quick thoughts on the series opener:

Opening jump ball: Most people don't pay attention to it, but it's a form of competition. In the case, the Lakers easily won the jump to get the ball to start the game, and then to start final period. Now, it had no effect in this particular game, but it could later on. Psychologically, to have the ball to start the fourth quarter in close games is important, though often overlooked.

Match-ups: Interesting that the Lakers started out with Gasol defending KG and Odom guarding Perkins. The thought is that Odom is a better help-roamer than Gasol. The downside is that Odom had five fouls and was on the bench for crucial parts of the fourth quarter .

Lakers offensively: Kobe was the last Laker starter to score. And it took him 26 shots to get 24 points. No surprise that Radmanovic picked up a pair of quick fouls just five minutes into the game. He has no one to guard.

First half: The Lakers are way too comfortable initiating the Triangle offense. Defensively, Boston did a poor job of contesting shots. Gotta have a hand in the shooter's eyes, not at his waist. They did a much better job in the second half. P Gasol 0 First half Rebounds

Celtics are so alert on KB's isolations that they really shrunk the floor with great help. He saw a wall of Celtics defenders and the individual defense by Ray Allen,J Posey and P Pierce during the game was excellent.

Subs: Farmar and Turiaf's early forth-quarter minutes really hurt LA. Vujacic's shot selection in the fourth quarter was terrible. For Boston, PJ Brown gave Doc some solid minutes in the fourth.

LA is now 3-0 against BOS this season.

Rick Sund on the Hawks: This team is pointed north

Really happy to see Rick Sund land in Atlanta. He's a genuinely nice guy and a real pro who would take the time to call and offer encouraging words during tough stretches of the season.

It was interesting to see what he had to say about his new club:

"One of the things I liked about Atlanta was they had a game plan. It's not always easy to stick with the game plan, to go through the highs and lows of playing the younger players and developing them. Most teams are into that instant gratification. Some of it came to fruition this year and they were able to say, 'Hey, this team is pointed north.' That's a good thing. Make no mistake: People are going to be shooting bullets at you. It bothered me when I was 30, because I wanted to have a long career. Now that I've had a long career, it doesn't bother me as much."

Lakers in seven

The 2-3-2 format benefits the Celtics. With three games in LA, it will be almost impossible for the Lakers to win three in a row at home vs a Boston team that had the best regular season record.

But the Lakers can win two games at Boston. Look for the Lakers to get a split on the road in Game 1 or 2.

Some keys to the series:

Boston's defense floods the strong side. Why does this matter?

Because LA has great offensive spacing and their guys know their spots in Phil's Triangle offense. They also do a good job on reads and, because they're good (and willing) passers, they'll get the ball to the weaksisde of floor.

As a passer, Gasol is as good as any 5 man in league. His front-court mate -- Odom -- is a great passer as a power forward. Both have great vision. Yes, passing matters, even for the big men.

Off the bench, Walton understands the Laker offense and is also an excellent passer. LA's elbow weakside guard-around action could give BOS trouble.

Late in the game, the Celtics will have to handle LA's 52 or 53 play, which is a pick-and-roll with Kobe handling. It's awfully tough to spot, but I'd bet Doc will have a scheme for it.

When the Lakers are on defense, keep an eye on who guards Pierce. If Radmanovic has Pierce, look for BOS to iso on the wing and post up Pierce to go at Radmanovic when Kobe is on Ray Allen.

As the game goes on, the Lakers may put Sasha Vujacic on Allen and Kobe on Pierce. [If Bynum was healthy, Odom could play the small forward and defend Pierce. Odom's length would challange Pierce's post-ups.]

Expect Fisher and Sasha to try to force Rondo into turning the ball over when Rondo is handling and setting up Boston's offense. When Rondo doesn't have ball, his man will become a free safety -- roaming to help with the Celtics' Big Three.

Boston may look to get Allen off early, bringing him off a ton of screens and making Kobe work early at chasing and fighting through.

A big key is the Odom/Gasol vs KG match-up. At PF, Odom really needs to get out and run in transition. Garnett is the best weakside defender in the NBA because of his defensive intelligence and length. He'll have to really defend on-ball when matched up against Gasol and/or Odom.

For more thoughts on the series, see this previous post.

Post-game interviews: No cake-walk

I'm sure you've seen the replays of Seattle Mariners manager John McLaren's post-game press conference last night.

Though rarely talked about unless something like this happens, they're a difficult but integral part of a coach's job. For competitive people who are used to success, after a loss (or a series of losses), a lot of emotions are close to the surface, especially just a few minutes after leaving the field or court. Say what you will about Coach McLaren's press conference, but it's clear he has a passion for winning. Fans appreciate that, I think.

I've had to bite my tongue a few times to keep from letting my emotions spill over. Typically, I'd try to stick with a statistical anaylsis and keep as much emotion out of the interview room as a could. Even then, it's hard to hide emotions.

Still, right before going into the post-game meeting with the press, I'd try my best to compose myself, think about what to focus on, and stay on-message. I assure you, after a loss, it's harder than it looks.

NBA Finals notes: The "creators"

Every great team has a "creator": A guy they go to late in the game or with time running out. These are the guys who can break a play down and get their shot. In this series, we'll see two of the NBA's great creators: Kobe and Paul Pierce.

Boston must limit Bryant's transition points and his FT attempts. Look for Posey to defend KB late in the game.

Pierce will be the toughest cover for LA. Watch to see how the Lakers scheme for him.

Learning from other sports

Great story in my local paper today about Mike Martz, the Niners' offensive coordinator, and his emphasis on footwork and fundamentals for his QBs.

It reminds me of how similar sports are in terms of fundamentals and what a guy like me (a basketball coach) can learn from watching coaches of other teams -- football, soccer, baseball, lacrosse -- as they work with their players. I find myself doing this as I watch my kids work out with their teams.

In any sport, it's about things like timing, footwork, spacing, a good stance, balance, eye-hand, recognition, vision, communication with your teammates, etc.

I love listening to and learning from veteran basketball guys like Herb Livsey as he talks about a player's footwork or Hubie Brown as he talks about the importance of the timing of play patterns on offense.

My father learned so much from his college football days playing for former Detroit Lions coach Bill Edwards at Wittenburg (pictured above). He used to tell me that his basketball philosophy was borrowed more from football than from anywhere else and that Coach Edwards was the biggest influence on his coaching style. It's why he would meet with coaches like Paul Brown.

Along those lines, over the last 10 years, I've learned so much from coaches and managers in other sports as we talk about coaching philosophy, strategy, training camps, etc. Meeting with true professionals like Michael Lombardi, Jon Gruden, Pat Williams, Kevin Towers, and Bruce Bochy provides different, but relevant perspectives and management strategies. Their knowledge is surpassed only by their generosity.

The value of a mentor

As you've seen by now, it is being rumored that Joe Dumars might replace Flip Saunders with Michael Curry. Of the coaching moves this offseason, this is the first where a team went with a relative newcomer (in coaching terms).

I actually coached against Michael in the CBA when he played for Mike Thibault with the Omaha Racers. [Mike T. is a terrific coach, by the way. Here's a good story about him.] Michael was good for 20 ppg. More importantly, he was a smart player who understood the game and competed hard as a member of some good teams.

He worked his way into the NBA and was president of the NBA Players Association. After his playing career ended, he worked as the NBA's VP of Basketball Operations, so it's clear he's a leader who enjoys responsibility and taking on new challenges.

Sliding over one seat on the bench after only one year as assistant coach is a significant adjustment. To help with the adjustment, look for Dumars to assemble a staff that includes at least one former NBA head coach (Dave Cowens could stay and fill that role) and a veteran assistant.

My college coach, Hank Egan, served as a veteran mentor to me in Golden State. He did the same for Coach Popovich in SA and Mike Brown in CLE, who also played for him. His experience
in Golden State was invaluable. Michael would benefit from having a similar coach on his staff, someone who has been around the game for 40-plus years and who understands not only the game, but people.

As for schemes, I'm sure Michael will borrow ideas from coaches he's played and worked for. Setting a vision and identity for the team is critical -- especially early on -- but implementing practice drills that fit your team's philosophy and help hone your strengths is important, as well. This small detail can be a challange for first-time head coaches. Again, a seasoned head coach can help with issues like this.

Odom as offensive lineman

Really liked Lamar Odom's strategy for defending BOS center Kendrick Perkins, who is about 35 pounds heavier than Odom:

"I'll try to meet him as far out on the court as possible. I'll have my hands out, be like an offensive lineman coming right off the line and jam him early. I guess I'll be Orlando Pace out there."

Honoring their fallen coach

Really powerful video story from ESPN about a South Carolina's high school team's dedication of its season to their coach, a fallen firefighter. Incredible and wonderful.

Scott: When practice starts, I'm the coach

Stan McNeal and The Sporting News announced last week TSN's annual NBA awards: Kobe, Coach Scott, and Danny Ainge took home Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year, respectively.

Great quote from Coach Scott:

"In my mind, I have a special relationship with every player on this team," Scott says. "I get along with all of these guys, but they understand that when the game starts, or when practice starts, 'He's coach.' "

7 rules of great leadership

Does the name "Mike Pressler" ring a bell? He's the former lacrosse coach at Duke University who was fired in 2006 after a stripper accused some of his players of rape. As it turns out, his guys weren't involved in the alleged rape. But the school was under intense pressure to take action, and so administrators fired Pressler and cancelled the team's season.

Men's Health recently did a feature on Pressler, who in the article former Duke colleague Coach K described as a friend and "hard charger."

According to Pressler, he was angry his players had the party where the stripper claimed the rape occurred, but after speaking with them, he knew they weren't involved in the rape.

After he was fired, a black cloud hung over Pressler, who says he applied for several jobs, but couldn't even get an interview. That was until he got a call from the new AD at Bryant University, a small, private D-2 school near Providence, RI. The AD had done his homework on Pressler -- reading every story he could about the former Duke coach.

The AD invited Pressler to the school to meet with him and the school's president. According to the article, the interview was tough, but Pressler was hired. He had an immediate impact on the school's lacrosse program, guiding them to a 14-4 mark (9-1 in conference play).

He said he's been contacted by bigger Division I schools, but isn't interested, saying, "I want to continue to do things the right way. I know my faults, and I have many, but lack of loyalty isn't one of them. [AD] Bill Smith, President Machtley, Bryant University, they gave us our lives back."

Said Pressler: "Time's a great healer."

Pressler's "7 Rules of Great Leadership"

1. Build a Strong Foundation
2. Define Winning: When we break the huddle, the team says "All In" as a reminder to give all we have, all together
3. Create an Environment of Trust
4. Tell the Truth
5. Be Accounatble
6. Talk Less do More
7. Live with Honor

Find and follow your passion

In her commencement speech at Boston College in May 2006, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke about the importance of pursuing what you love:

"The first responsibility is one that you have to yourself, the responsibility to find and follow your passion. I don't mean just any old thing that interests you, not just something that you could or might do, but that one unique calling that you can't do without. As an educated person, you have the opportunity to spend your life doing what you love and you should never forget that many do not enjoy such a rare privilege. As you work to find your passion, you should know that sometimes, your passion just finds you."

You've likely heard or read something similar to this in the past, but I think it's worth seeing it again. From talking with other coaches, I know this is something they really believe. I certainly do.

Finding the "best" players

I did an earlier post about how teams like the Lakers, Jazz, and Spurs draft and acquire players who fit their style. In other words, instead of getting the "best" players, they look for players who fit into their schemes the "best."

Add the NHL's Detroit Red Wings to that list. Last week, Michael Farber on SI.com quoted Detroit GM Ken Holland:

"We draft, trade and look for free agents that fit that style."

A game where psychological toughness is everything

USA Today's Friday edition had a fascinating story about poker.  Now, I'm not a poker player -- in fact, the only card game I know is "Go Fish" -- but I have a new understanding of and respect for the world's best poker players.  

According to the article, winning at poker requires incredible psychological toughness.  Yes, there's the luck of the draw, but "the odds are with the players who win the mental game."  Said one of the top players:  "You're always trying to figure out what your opponent is doing."

Players are also "extraordinarily observant" and "tough minded."

I've not watched poker on TV before (though it seems to be on all the time), but now I'm curious to see these guys in action.