Rob Babcock got canned today. Was it the right thing to do? I don’t know. Although still negative, my feelings for the embattled general manager have mellowed. Obviously, recent games have highlighted that the Raptors lack the wing scorer to share load with Chris Bosh and be complemented by Mike James. But I’m reluctant to re-start the rebuilding process again. All things considered, the team was improving. Best Four Moves: I listed an additional good thing because it’s important to focus on the positive. Acquiring Mike James: This was a tremendous trade. Guys like James, Damon Jones, and Tony Parker …
Chris Bosh and Improvement
I updated the Post Moves of the Month for January and February 2006. February’s move was posted early because I saw Chris Bosh do it down the stretch vs. Portland and was fairly impressed. He came high ball side, drove the lane, and finished with his left hand. Bosh is continually in the process of improving himself and has become one of the top forwards in the league. Bosh’s game isn’t perfect; he sets mediocre screens and needs to add range to his jump shot. In crunch time in the Trail Blazers game, he committed two faux-pas: neglecting to box …
Professional Athletes
Vince Young declared for the N.F.L. Draft today. In professional sports, always follow the money for this reason. Good idea Vince, there was nothing left to prove in Texas. (In retrospect, Carson Palmer definitely made a great decision by signing an eight-year extension last week.) The only difference between college and professional sports is that the professional athletes can get paid above the table. In college, Coach K gets the American Express commercial because Christian Laettner made a turnaround at the buzzer back in 1992. In the N.F.L., when the Patriots win three Superbowls, it’s Tom Brady and his offensive …
Bad Trades
The Raptors lost 105-104 to the New Jersey Nets today. Vince Carter made a three point shot with 0.1 seconds left, highlighting three points: The Raptors were generally hosed in last year’s Vince Carter trade. Stats by Vince Carter today: forty five minutes and forty two points — stats by players traded for Vince Carter: DNP-CDs and fifteen minutes, seven points by Alonzo Mourning in the Heat-Blazers game. Key Lesson: Trade quality for quality. The Lakers also made this mistake last year by trading one of the top twenty players in the game (Shaquille O’Neal) and neglecting to get one …
Sports on Television
When I watch sports on television, why must the announcers spent countless moments discussing minutiae absolutely irreverent to the game? What function do sideline reports serve? Why do commentators feel the need to speak as if the viewers are a gang of mush-heads? For example, why was Matt Leinart’s dad shown repeatedly during the 2006 Rose Bowl? It seemed as if he was on the screen more often than his son, who was quarterbacking the Trojans. Since Mr. Leinart wasn’t the player who came up inches short on fourth down nor did he score the winning touchdown with nineteen seconds …
Motion Offense Commentary
The Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, and Phoenix Suns have been the best teams in the Association so far this year. Can the success be attribute to mostly running motion offenses or are other factors at play? Recently, Phoenix has been using this “diamond set” often, signalled by Mike D’Antoni, in addition to their transition and pick and roll games. The “diamond set” gives Steve Nash some options by setting ballscreens (do not go under the screen — the Timberwolves hedged with Kevin Garnett, an excellent option for teams with athletic seven foot tall players). Detroit has their Circle Play …
Basketball on Paper (or on your PC)
I was researching a small essay that I was going to write regarding the efficiency of Chris Bosh, Tim Duncan, Chauncey Billups, Steve Nash, and Tony Parker and found an interesting article which concisely summarises the recent work in basketball statistics that we (coaches) are attempting to incorporate into the game. Just as the technical analyst would argue that a stock’s price reflects all possible information, the statistician would claim that a player’s contribution to the team’s winning percentage can be entirely distilled into numbers. I disagree — stats can be tremendously helpful when used intelligently but must eventually take …
A Bad Game for the Raptors
The Raptors delivered another atrocious performance tonight, a 113-106 loss to the Pistons that is respectable because Sam Mitchell left the starters in for the entire game. There was no need for Chris Bosh to play forty-four minutes tonight, although he set a career high in points and keeps adding elements to his game. From what I saw, Detroit torched Toronto with their signature play, the Circle Play. First of all, this play and all of its counters should be in any Association scouting report about the Detroit. Didn’t anyone read it? Bump Rip Hamilton off those cuts and force …
A Bad Week for the Raptors
The Raptors demonstrated some horrible execution this week. On Tuesday, they lost to Washington in overtime. To give credit where it is due, they ran a very cute side out for Charlie Villanueva to create a baseline jumper before the halftime buzzer. Usually, I find that Sam Mitchell’s quick hitters are dry and predictable, especially compared to what Kevin O’Neill would diagram. Occasionally, Mitchell comes up with a well-conceived, effective play. In overtime, I appreciated how the Wizards ran Gilbert Arenas off repeated dribble picks. Given that Arenas had dropped over thirty points, I don’t know why the Raptors did …
Tae-Kwan-Do Fundamentals
My friend told me that his Tae-Kwan-Do class was asked to perform some basic kicks. Despite their black belts, the class had trouble executing white belt maneuvers. The class was given a month to improve their fundamentals. Irrespective of the level of play, the fundamentals remain the same. All coaches should pay attention to these details and devote time to the basics. Elite basketball players still need the time to develop skills like footwork, passing, or shot-faking. This concept is not a sport-specific lesson in any way. Whether you are running the Princeton offence or trying to combine the playbooks …
5hrs 41min of Madness
Some of Phil Garner’s decisions last night adversely affected his team. First of all, the athletes on the field (the Houston Astros) were given several excellent chances and could not execute. They share a great deal of responsibility because they did not deliver any clutch hitting. But it is questionable as to whether the best Houston line-up was on the field at times. Garner has had a strong post-season and made some great moves. Clemens and Burke in Game 4 of the N.L.D.S. were examples of the right players at the right time, as was Vizcaino pinch-hitting in Game 2 …
Excellence of Execution
Gatorade produced a very nifty commercial highlighting the importance of executing the little things in key moments. Michael Jordan misses the jumpshot over Craig Ehlo, Derek Jeter doesn’t throw Jason Giambi out at home, and Joe Montana throws a pass off Dwight Clark’s fingers. The moral of the story: it’s the details that count; I agree entirely. Bret Hart is the best there was, the best there is, and the best there ever will be because he is the excellence of execution. Coaches should improve student-athletes by developing fundamental skills and teaching players how to work together on the court. …
Stream of Consciousness, Part II
Charlie Weis mishandled the closing moments of the Notre Dame – USC game. He should have used his timeouts to stop the clock once USC got in the red zone. At least Notre Dame would have had thirty seconds to drive for a game tying field goal … I’m really interested in what happens with the Astros – Cardinals series. Houston could be completely crushed as a result of that slider Albert Pujols crushed in the top of the ninth. Nevertheless, starting Roy Oswalt and Roger Clemens in games six and seven and their mental toughness gives them a chip …
Why Do We Coach?
Paul J. Meyer once said: “You never work for someone else. The truth is someone is paying you to work for yourself.” Someone recently suggested that coaching for the purposes of self-actualisation was possibly selfish. In the end, don’t all humans choose their actions in order to satisfy a need (physiological, safety, belonging, esteem, and self-actualisation)? Even those employed in an altruistic occupation do so because helping others meets their belonging, esteem, or self-actualisation needs. The suggestion was made with a somewhat negative connotation. I couldn’t disagree more. People are free to act as they wish and no one can …
Choice Theory
A recent Choice Theory workshop that I attended was very productive. During a very valuable ninety minutes, the group discussed the negative consequences of criticism. Players and coaches shared how they had been affected by criticism. Coaches, family members, athletic directors, and others hurt people with thoughtless – and sometimes abusive – comments. First of all, there is never any place for personal criticism. In sport, although it is necessary to provide feedback, comments should focus on specific behaviours, not a person’s character. Secondly, correction must be supplemented with encouragement to build the confidence of individual athletes and the entire …
Freakonomics
Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt interesting book for the guy who likes to generate “controversial” discussions at parties. So sumo wrestlers cheat, drug dealers live with their parents, and real estate agents receive a higher closing price when they sell a house that they own themselves. OK. Steven Levitt delivers his arguments in a light, easy to read, slightly esoteric format. The economics are sound. Basically the pretence is that every individual is interested in maximising their utility. OK. The most contentious chapter concerns Levitt’s belief that the decline of the crime rate in the late 1990s was caused by …