Skills We Should Teach More, Part II: The Mental Side of Passing

The ballhandler sees a teammate down court and throws a chest pass to his outside shoulder. The defender, having read the point guard’s eyes, closes the gap and times his jump to steal the ball. The opponent goes the other way and scores, finishing an and-1. A bad pass led to two points, a team foul, and a baseline inbounds.

During N.F.L. Kickoff Weekend, commentators prattled endlessly about the need for quarterbacks to estimate the distance between the defender and the receiver. One speculated that newly unretired Brett Favre would incorrectly evaluate the strength of his aging throwing arm and force a pass into a dangerous, not understanding that the risk of such a play had risen as his skills have fallen as his career advanced.

The same principles are present in basketball: correct spatial visualization, accurate risk-reward analysis, and the execution of correct passing techniques under pressure.

• Is there a defender in the way? Call the player’s name or make eye contact. Tell the teammate to pivot and seal or cut and come to the ball. Ask the receiver to give a target. Make an entry pass to change the passing angle or reverse the ball and attack the other side.
• Is there a defender nearby? Pivot, ball-fake, or head-fake to keep the opponent off-balance. Put some mustard on the pass so that it can’t be intercepted. Assess whether the offensive capabilities of the receiver on that spot of the floor balance the risk of a dangerous pass.
• Is there a defender pressuring the ball? Stay calm. Pivot around the defence and step into the pass. Choose the right pass for the right situation. Keep the dribble alive until you can run another play. Hold it as a last resort and wait for an opportunity to hand it off.

Coaches should devote more time to these skills. During scrimmages, they should stop the run when somebody obviously ballhawks and teach the team how this can be avoided. Players should learn all of the options available in a given predicament. The little things, like ball-fakes (along with moving the head and especially the eyes), half-a-second hesitation dribbles to read the defence, and pivoting belong in practices.

It is a fallacy to teach players that any pass to a teammate is an equally valid option. Coaches should be frank and pragmatic about the strengths and weaknesses of each team member so everyone knows the best option and what type of pass is appropriate.

It’s a more difficult task to teach players how to improvise and make good choices. Dehydration and fatigue reduce decision-making skills. The Israeli army incorporates math exercises at the end of training, effective teachers drill students under the pressure of time; coaches should do likewise and simulate pressure with game-like situations.

The Green Bay Packers

Instant Replay by Jerry Kramer and Run to Daylight by Vince Lombardi helped popularize the sport novel - a famous author partnering with an athlete or coach to bring fans into the locker room - whereas Vince by Michael O’Brien is a regular biography that benefited from popularity of those other works. Lombardi’s report of a week during the regular season is the most succinct and provides the best coaching advise and Kramer’s account presents the viewpoint of a thoughtful player throughout a championship season. On the other hand, O’Brien’s cursory biography does not introduce any new information or anecdotes that are not available elsewhere. Three ideas stand out after reading these three books about the Packers’ dynasty in the 1960s.

Building Relationships: Vince Lomardi is much more sympathetic than his grizzled and hardened public image would suggest. After Paul Hornung was placed on waivers and claimed by the expansion New Orleans Saints, Lombardi showed immense regret, balancing his desire to make the right move for the team by exposing the aging running back with his feelings for the man. The coach led the toughest training camp in the N.F.L. but also insisted upon daily team building activities, some as basic as singing during team dinners.

Flexibility: One of Lombardi’s favourite expressions was “Run to Daylight,” signifying that the backs and receivers did not run set routes but took advantage of the opportunities presented by the defence. “Run to Daylight” could also serve as one of the integral tenet’s of basketball’s motion offence.

Perspective: Jerry Kramer, the Hall of Fame guard, spoke about how the team peaked for critical games and took minor setbacks in stride. Although the season was not divided into macrocycles, peak and taper periods were included. The team members shared a very balanced outlook and common goals. The veteran team employed chemistry, communication, intelligence, and teamwork to defeat younger, more athletic, and bolder teams.

Paradigm Shifts

Recently I read War as They Knew It: Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, and America in a Time of Unrest and Coach: The Life of Paul “Bear” Bryant. The books chronicled three iconic college football coaches during a time when their profession and the world around them were evolving at breakneck speed. The first book is about the Hundred Yard War and how the coaches reacted to each other and unrest on their respective campuses; the second book focuses on Bear Bryant’s life, especially his time in Tuscaloosa.

Thomas Kuhn, in his book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions talks about how a paradigm - a set of rules and structures - can limit those who make use of it. When scientists encounter information outside their paradigm, they are likely to modify it to suit their needs or ignore it outright.

Hayes, Schembechler, and Bryant coached for many seasons and developed their own philosophies and paradigms regarding coaching. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, players changed along with football strategy. Hayes continued to manage his team with an iron fist while emphasizing defence and the running game, but Schembechler and Bryant kept an open mind an adapted themselves to the new situation. Both the Michigan and Alabama loosened team discipline and made use of new offensive strategies to remain relevant.

All three of the coaches made mistakes earlier in their careers by overtraining their teams prior to critical bowl games - which they lost as a result of fatigue - but Schembecher and Bryant were more perceptive and less likely to repeat their mistakes like Hayes did over the years. At the end of War As They Knew It (and his career), the Ohio State coach was left wondering what was wrong with his campus and his country but his counterparts at Michigan and Alabama were more likely to look inwards and change themselves to keep pace.

All three coaches intimidated their assistant coaches over the years and used their stature as a way to bully younger staff members. Bear Bryant had the right idea about making up his staff, saying: “A lot of coaches are guilty of surrounding themselves with the same old same old. But I never hire a coach unless he knows something about the game that I don’t.” Towards the end of his career, Bryant would delegate a great deal to staff members, partially because of his failing health but also because he trusted his assistants immensely. Hayes may have let his standards slide during his last few years in Columbus but Bryant never did. Throughout his tenure, coaches and players alike dreaded the ominous clanking of the head coach’s tower, meaning that he was coming down from his observation post to give someone a tongue lashing.

Superbowl XLIII

Most people would say that Superbowl XLIII was an exciting game and largely well-played. Is that true?

How do casual fans evaluate success? Kurt Warner likely performed better than Ben Roethlisberger (112.3 to 92.3 passer ratings) and Larry Fitzgerald likely outplayed Santonio Holmes. Yet the Steelers’ performances will linger in the memories of the masses because they succeeded under pressure and created defining moments. A more arbitrary P.E.R. might have shown that the Cardinals played more consistently. If Arizona assesses their season properly and plugs the right holes, they have many building blocks for future success.

Why do teams play conservatively under pressure? It took the Cardinals three quarters to figure out that they should try a hurry-up offence. Hadn’t they learned that preparation can beat talent (the Patriots made adjustments and shut down the Greatest Show on Turf for fifty minutes during Superbowl XXXVI until the Rams overwhelmed them with volume and almost came back)? Why did the Steelers back-off and play a prevent defence? Normally they introduce multiple defensive adjustments as the game wears on. Coaches may have been affected by the pressure and let their players down.

Pressure can rush decisions and cause mentally weak players to fold. I’ve always felt that emphasizing Intensity and Quality in practice leads to excellent performance under pressure during games.

People Who Play Sport

When asked about Bill Belichick’s coaching success, analyst Chris Schultz said that New England’s coach understood the difference between football players and people who play football. When asked about Sam Cassell’s potential as a coach, Sam Mitchell said that Los Angeles’ point guard must learn what to do when players don’t see what he sees.

Major-General Isaac Brock was appreciated for the charisma he employed while commanding British forces in Upper Canada. Colonel Roger Sheaffe was equally disliked for his aloofness and occasionally cruel management style. The critical trait was to treating the 49th Regiment of Foot as a group of people, not mindless soldiers.

Criticism of the Phoenix-Miami trade ignores that the Suns are people who play basketball. What if the Marion-Stoudamire rift was destroying team chemistry? Or what about Phoenix’s increased confidence playing with Shaq? Opponent reluctance to attack the basket? And Shaq’s drive to prove doubters wrong? All personal factors that cannot be easily measured.

Shawn Marion’s steals on the wing and finishes on the break can be measured, as can the disappearance of easy baskets in the playoffs. Boards mean more than strips because of the opportunities they provide. Teams can win games with 85 points in the postseason if they allow only 80. Halfcourt sets must generate high-percentage shots. All areas where Shaq succeeds and Marion does not.

Shawn Marion brought multiple positives to the Suns but the positive reaction of the people involved in the trade is a prominent reason why it might push the team to new heights. Nevertheless, Steve Kerr should sign the best wing defender in the C.B.A. in case Phoenix must stop Kobe Bryant in the second round.

Tom Coughlin changed his philosophy after New York started the N.F.L. season with two losses. Self-assurance and poise defined the Giants’ championship run. Execution improved on both sides of the ball, not because of fear of discipline but due to increased focus and reduced stress.

In the Superbowl, New England proved fallible after all. Tom Brady - the person, not the image - was pressured throughout the game and made mistakes. The Patriots faced tremendous adversity; New York’s awareness of this fact supplemented the confidence that the Giant’s gained from their Week 17 experience against the Pats.

People are not perfect and it is consequently extremely difficult for teams to do likewise. Had Belichick followed Schultz’s characterization more closely, he would have done more to eliminate outside influcences on the Patriots and coached more actively. New England seemed to need more external motivation to energize the older and tired team whose intrinsic motivation had faded after eighteen consecutive wins.

Players from the intramural to the professional levels are always affected by emotions which are as difficult to master as elite sport. Accepting that players are fallible individuals is an essential criterion for successful coaches.

Coach People, Not Players

Joe Gibbs retired for a second time Tuesday, six weeks after an ignorant timeout decision costing a November game in Buffalo brought critics out of the woodwork only to be silenced by Washington’s determined four-game winning streak to make the playoffs. Gibbs will be remembered for controlling the line of scrimmage with brutal line play, amassing yards and points with innovative offensive sets, and making the most of each player’s talents. The most recent stint with the Redskins proved that Gibbs could connect with a new generation of players, despite conventional wisdom purporting that such team building was irrelevant in today’s era of the salary cap and free agency.

When the Reskins needed to come together and raise their game to the next level, to salvage the season, to overcome the death of Sean Taylor, Joe Gibbs convinced the team to play tenacious defence, execute offensively with great precision, and focus every play. Unfortunately, they could not raise their game an additional level in the playoffs but a team without a real starting quarterback succeeded a fair amount.

The Detroit Pistons play tenacious defence. The San Antonio Spurs execute offensively with great precision. Kevin Garnett, Chauncey Billups, and Tim Duncan focus every play. The Toronto Raptors do not. Toronto beat Philadephia handily but excellent teams do more than kick other teams while they are down (they don’t have letdowns either); they play hard, play smart, and play together consistently. It’s best when the fire comes from within but coaches can provide the spark at critical times.

Finally, Sam Mitchell decided to use Anthony Parker more. (The Raptors should also post him in New York tomorrow.) Jose Calderon’s penetration and judicious passing created an efficient offensive system. (I’d like to see the team try a high rub with him and Bosh against the Knicks.) But the rebounding and defence was still lacking. (Eddy Curry will eat Andrea Bargnani if he doesn’t watch himself.) Most of the team still neglected to attack the basket. (I wish Mitchell told the players to drive, draw fouls, and finish - or take a seat.)

Calmness in the face of adversity is a commendable attribute but astute analysis accompanied by appropriate action is even better. Letting the team bend and stretch the offensive and defensive systems works if you are Phil Jackson running the Triangle Offence but it can lead to a lot of bad shots in the wrong situation.

Until points in the paint and shooting percentage improve, I’d like to see the team presented with a number of quality options and be forced to stick to them (Delfino the penetrator should come off the bench, not Delfino the three point shooter). Outside shots should follow kick outs (Kapono could have a bigger role, if he earns it in practice). The team just needs to get after it on the glass (I don’t know why Humphries resolve has not yet rubbed off on some of the other forwards, besides Bosh.)

Consistency, needed to reach the next level in the Association, must be found somewhere and a laissez-faire attitude won’t do it this season.

West Viriginia Will Regret that Game for the Rest of their Lives

West Virginia's football team lost a gift-wrapped part in the B.C.S. National Championship Game thanks to a loss to Pittsburgh. The No. 2 ranked team was so heavily favoured that the combined score of both teams didn’t equal the spread. The Fiesta Bowl is a big deal but is nothing compared to a championship. What could Mountaineers have done to win the game? Could an extra practiced have been held, an additional weight training session scheduled, or more coaches’ meetings extended?

Andre Agassi lost the 1989 French Open final to Andrés Gómez and was haunted by the loss until his 1992 Wimbledon title - or perhaps until he truly self-actualized himself in 1994. Nevertheless, the prodigy’s loss to the Ecuadorian veteran remains a blemish that shouldn’t have happened and can’t be undone.

Should an athlete sacrifice his youth to train? Should a coach stay in his office until part four in the morning the night before games? Should participants pour everything they have into sport? Often not. Fundamentally, the result comes down to talent (physical, mental, psychological) and if that can’t be realistically improved, don’t bother, watch a Jean-Luc Godard film, and live a well-rounded life.

When moving higher up the laurel-covered spire, athletes and coaches yearn to be champions. Winning is the ideal but the test remains something to be reveled in. But if a team like West Virginia or an athlete like Agassi didn’t devote themselves as much to practice and work as entirely as they could have than the flame within their soul can destroy them, irrespective of the glamours achieved. Never ignore self-actualization while trying to win because the former is transferable to success in life but the latter is nothing more than a means to an end.

So What Do You Think You Know?

Two ideas that I have been recently mulling over:

Spin: A three-point shot, released with backspin, is tipped by a defender who is closing out desperately, hands up. The ball, deflected from its intended path, heads towards the short corner. Is the clockwise vector - applied to the bottom of the ball - strong enough to overcome the shooter’s finger flick? Does the ball have any rotation? If so, is it material enough to influence the ball’s trajectory (beyond the linear forces pushing the ball towards and away from the basket)?

If nothing else, the block should augment the ball’s forward bounce when it hits the court, according to specular reflection. Or perhaps a 4,700 sq. ft. piece of hardwood is too small to seriously consider the impact of physics.

Timeouts: The season’s hottest trend is to call timeout just before the opponent attempts a late-game field goal. Scarcely moments before the ball is to be snapped, the coach signals timeout to the side judge, who blows his whistle but cannot stop the play so the kick must be attempted again. Mike Shanahan and Lane Kiffin succeeded; the second kicks were missed and blocked respectively. Dick Jauron failed; the do-over was good and Buffalo lost the game.

How much physical recovery is necessary after the strenuous exertion of a long field goal attempt? Should the offence call a timeout (if they have one) to ensure that the kicker is rested? What about the mental aspect? Does the outcome of the first attempt or perceived feelings of fatigue alter the kicker’s confidence, positively or negatively? Does the defence gain additional insight concerning the offensive line’s blocking schemes?

Or is the late timeout an idle gesture, an ineffective tactical maneuver executed in order to keep up appearances, avoid accusations of coaching like Marty Schottenheimer? Since results count, Shanahan and Kiffin are judged to be right, because if they had done nothing, they would have lost. To me, it’s dubious that these coaches are pulling the strings and altering percentages. What if the first kick went wide right and the place kicker was able to correct his mistake on the second try?

Food for thought. x2.

Decisions and Experiments

In the final minutes of a 24-22 loss at home to the B.C. Lions, the Toronto Argonauts ran an inside draw run on a crucial second down. Gaining merely negligible yards and the team faced a desperate third-and-ten situation that the Argos could not convert.

Creativity plays a role in sport but should be limited to the proper time and place. The best time to experiment is often earlier rather than later as the breaks of the game provide several second chances. Toronto gambled was a gamble against daunting odds and lost. Perhaps if video analysis had shown a hole in the Lions’ defence, an imaginative play call might have succeeded but that did not appear to be the case.

Coach Mike Clemons’ decision to start Damon Allen at quarterback is another example of how nothing is ever final. Michael Bishop entered at the beginning of the fourth quarter and almost led the team to a comeback victory. A decision is a sunk cost, not a sinking ship. Clemons managed the game too passively, erring by waiting too long to change a choice made in the past. Regardless of the situation, there is always an opportunity to stop, reflect, and make things better.

Performance under Pressure, Part I

During Superbowl XLI, Rex Grossman performed poorly, throwing two interceptions and barely moving Chicago's offence. According to the media, Grossman was one of the worst Superbowl quarterbacks ever - and possibly one of the worst to play that position in the history of the league.

How bad was he?

Breaking down the reasons for Grossman's inauspicious performance generates a generic list: physical skill, knowledge of the game, composure under pressure, etc.. Like other major sporting events, performance under pressure on demand trumps all. During his career at Florida, Grossman demonstrated excellent physical tools at an elite collegiate program. He must still possess those qualities; otherwise Brian Griese would have been taking snaps for the Bears.

Early in the regular season, Grossman's agent attests to his tremendous confidence. Watching his body language in the Superbowl, it was obvious something had changed. Grossman had a QB Rating over 100 in September but only 73.2 in the postseason. Throughout the game, he made a number of decisions that were less than astute.

Why?

Ultimately, Rex Grossman is responsible for his performance. Obviously, he was an average or below average quarterback who strung together a series of poor games at the end of the season.

What can coaches do to prevent players from breaking down?

The media is so pervasive at the professional level it is uncertain whether any efforts could have constructed a positive environment for Rex Grossman but this is step one.

My friend Sherwyn Benn remarked that the strength of Carleton's four consecutive National Championships is that the teams play the same at the beginning of the game as they do in the conclusion. Experience in close games is critical because it enables players to realize that it is only sport and the worst case scenario is never that bad. Decisions and actions become habits and routines.

Use accurate measures of evaluations. Eventually, Grossman matched the public perception of his abilities. Statistics such as win-shares, value over replacement, and other numbers give players an accurate picture of their skills that they can live up to on the playing field.

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 to go, why was this visual noise clouding my screen so often?

Players make plays (Critical, often over-looked note: not all athletes who participate in sports are players). LenDale White scored three touchdowns, Reggie Bush vaulted over twelve defenders to score, and Vince Young largely won the game single-handedly. The Elias Sports Bureau possesses many interesting facts about these players that I would have enjoyed hearing about. Why dilute the intensity of sports with sappy melodramatic storylines? To me, sports are appealing because every game is different. These quasi-theatrical sidebars are merely rehashed versions of the same tired themes (overcoming adversity, redemption, family).

On the subject of U.S.C.’s decision to go for it on fourth down, I don’t necessarily loathe the call. A punt probably seals the victory, but Vince Young is Superman so it’s hard to say. However, why leave Reggie Bush on the sideline? At worse, he’s a decoy to the ball carrier; in the best case scenario, he gains thirty yards on a pitch-out. Perhaps he could have pushed the pile and given U.S.C. the yards they needed (again).

Homer Simpson said it best when he decreed that “you don’t make friends with salad.” To paraphrase: “you don’t leave the Heisman trophy winner on the sideline on the play that will determine the National Championship.”

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 and a chair. (Because of what happened in game 5, it’s the Astros who have the chip and the chair, not the Cardinals. That was a huge psychological hit for a jinxed franchise) … I designed a zero post motion offence today based on option like reads. It’s rather particular and relies on a player who can screen and shoot, as opposed to a traditional post presence … It’s old news but Mike Scioscia did an excellent job in Game 2 of the A.L.C.S. That dropped third strike was a terrible call, mostly because the umpire clearly called the batter out. Scioscia made his case but didn’t make a big deal out of it. The Angels lost because of Chicago’s ridiculous starting pitching, not the missed call.

Team vs. Individual Discipline

The San Diego Chargers have blown it by suspending TE Antonio Gates. As Red Auerbach said, never punish the team for the sins of the individual. N.F.L. holdouts and contract renegotiations are unbecoming to the sport and out of control; the issue should be addressed in future collective bargaining to create uniform rules for all teams.

Nevertheless, the Chargers painted themselves into a corner with their ultimatum that Gates sign the qualifying offer or be suspended. Therein lies the massive flaw with ultimatums - they limit your options. You should never make a threat that you aren’t willing to carry out and San Diego must follow through with the suspension if they value their integrity.

A more pragmatic decision would balance the best interests of the team on the field with the front office’s negotiating position. San Diego treated an issue with shades of grey like it was black and white and Coach Schottenheimer et. al. might pay for that error with their jobs if they miss their season goals because they don’t beat Dallas in Week 1.

In professional sports, principles do not win any games although a team can collapse without them. What should the Chargers have done? Unfortunately they have few options because sports are about money, winning, and performance. Ultimately, the hammer lies with the skill position athletes and the coaches don’t have many discipline tools aside from the fine.

In “amateur” sport, there is greater flexibility. Coaches have a wide variety of hammers of different shapes and sizes available for their use. Tyrone Willingham addressed poor class attendance at the University of Washington with a series of 6:00am conditioning sessions. Coaches can ask themselves “what’s important now?” and use their best professional judgement.

Likewise, back in May, Stephen Harper didn’t follow Auerbach’s advice when he tore a strip off Belinda Stronach and effectively demoted her before a key vote. No matter what happens, a coach or leader cannot permit an individual to hurt the team. This really hurt the team as the Conservatives’ bid to defeat the federal budget fell short by a vote.

A key aspect of leadership is working with those above and below you in a cordial fashion. Nothing is ever final but Harper’s drastic overreaction towards Stronach poured gasoline on a fire he should have been extinguishing. (Of course, she should not have been dancing on the bar at an Ottawa nightspot after another key vote.)