880! Coach K Makes History

Earlier this week with a win over UNCG, Duke's Coach K moved into second place on college basketball's all-time win list.

Coach K's career win 880 eclipses Dean Smith at 879 and puts the Duke coach 22 wins behind the all-time leader, Bob Knight.

Here are a few team-building nuggets from Coach K:

“Effective teamwork begins and ends with communication.”

“Communication does not always occur naturally, even among a tight-knit group of individuals. Communication must be taught and practiced in order to bring everyone together as one.”

“When you are passionate, you always have your destination in sight and you are not distracted by obstacles. Because you love what you are pursuing, things like rejection and setbacks will not hinder you in your pursuit. You believe that nothing can stop you!”

“Mutual commitment helps overcome the fear of failure—especially when people are part of a team sharing and achieving goals. It also sets the stage for open dialogue and honest conversation.”

“When a leader takes responsibility for his own actions and mistakes, he not only sets a good example, he shows a healthy respect for people on his team.”

“There are five fundamental qualities that make every team great: communication, trust, collective responsibility, caring and pride. I like to think of each as a separate finger on the fist. Any one individually is important. But all of them together are unbeatable.”

“You develop a team to achieve what one person cannot accomplish alone. All of us alone are weaker, by far, than if all of us are together.”

“Confidence shared is better than confidence only in yourself.”

Preparation Positions Your Talent

Motivational speaker and author John Maxwell has written an excellent self-help book: Talent is Never Enough.

Chapter 5 is titled Preparation Positions Your Talent. Here are a few excerpts from this chapter.

Automaker Henry Ford observed, "Before everything else, getting ready is the secret of success."

Ford understood the power of preparation and what it can do for someone:

1. Preparation Allows You to Tap into Your Talent
"I've found that every minute spent in preparation saves ten in execution."

2. Preparation Is a Process, Not an Event
Legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden says that the best way to improve your team is to improve yourself. He learned that lesson from his father, Joshua Wooden, who used to tell young John, "Don't try to be better than somebody else, but never cease trying to be the best you can be.'

3. Preparation Precedes Opportunity
There's an old saying: "You can claim to be surprised once; after that, you're unprepared."

4. Preparation for Tomorrow Begins with the Right Use of Today
Preparation doesn't begin with what you do. It begins with what you believe. If you believe that your success tomorrow depends on what you do today, then you will treat today differently. What you receive tomorrow depends on what you believe today. If you are preparing today, chances are, you will not be "repairing" tomorrow.

5. Preparation Requires Continually Good Perspective
Former Boston Celtics coach Tom Heinsohn observed, "The sixth man has to be so stable a player that he can instantly pick up the tempo or reverse it. He has to be able to go in and have an immediate impact. The sixth man has to have the unique ability to be in a ball game while he is sitting on the bench." What makes the sixth man capable of that? Perspective. He has to have both a coach's mind-set as he watches the game from the bench and a player's ability once he steps into it. If he does, then he is prepared to impact the game.

6. Good Preparation Leads to Action
What value has preparation it if never leads to action? Very little. As William Danforth, former chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis noted, "No plan is worth the paper it is printed on unless it starts you going."

More from Vince Lombardi

"Fundamentals win it. Football is two things; it's blocking and tackling. I don't care about formations or new strategies or tricks on defense. If you block and tackle better than the team you're playing, you'll win."

Nash's Work Ethic Racks Up A "Perfect Game"

Steve Nash was 8 of 8 from the field, including a 3-pointer, made all three of his foul shots, scored 20 points and had a season-high 17 assists to help the Suns beat Washington 125-108 on Sunday night.

This was only the second time in in the shot-clock era in the NBA that a player has turned in a perfect shooting night.

This kind of performance comes as no surprise to those who follow Nash's career. He willingly tells anyone who will listen the secret to his success: "If other players in the NBA worked as hard as I do, I'd be out of a job." Click on the link below and after a brief introduction from Spalding, you will hear Nash discuss his "Work Confidence":

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid88172914001?bctid=1875312705

More on Visualization and Mental Preparation

In L.A. Lakers’ coach Phil Jackson's book, "Sacred Hoops," former Bulls' guard B.J. Armstrong states: "I'll be able to react to it without thinking, because I'll already have seen it in my mind."

Dr. Denis Waitley, author of Quantum Fitness, states that visualization is the ability of the mind to carry out the vivid images of performance as if they have been achieved before and are merely being repeated.

Dr. Kay Porter uses the term "Visual Athletics" and believes that cross-country runners who image a successful performance build pre-race confidence and help identify and overcome possible raceday obstacles.

Great athletes "go to the movies" (in their minds) before they actually perform in competition.
Dr. Robin S. Vealey claims that whenever you imagine performing a particular sport skill, your muscles will fire in the same sequence as an actual performance.

The mind cannot distinguish the difference between an imagined experience and a real one. It, therefore, responds to what you imagine. It becomes a "Mental Blueprint," if you will.

Increasing numbers of athletes are using visualization to help them gain a competitive edge. Sean McCann, the sports psychologist for the U.S. Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs, states that the most dramatic changes in sports psychology have occurred in the past 20 years.

The Comparison Game

In Larry Bird's autobiography entitled "Drive,"
the author recounts how Bird's high school coach always told him that no matter how hard he was working at his game, there was always someone out there who was working harder. Bird recalls that this motivated him to spend the extra time necessary to develop his skills.

Although it is true that one needs to work hard to improve, keep in mind that the most important aspect of self-improvement is not to work harder than others because merely working harder than others may still not be the best that you can do.

It is far more important to WORK AS HARD AS YOU CAN without comparing yourself to others.

The only comparison that truly matters is YOUR effort versus YOUR potential.

Are you doing the best that you can in all areas of your life? On the practice floor and in games? In the classroom and academically? In your relationships with others?

If you do ALL that YOU can do, as the old saying goes: "Even angels can do no better!"

Mental Preparation

An athlete's mental toughness points to his character. Preparing mentally is just as important as preparing physically. Mental attitude determines everything.

Sports visualization is one of the big keys to success. Visualizing yourself in successful situations in advance of their actually taking place is an important aspect of mental preparation.

Visualization (mental practice) and simulated practice works in many areas of life. For example, many professionals rehearse mentally what they're supposed to do before they do it. Once they have a mental picture, they then go through actual simulated practices. After visualizing the right way to perform their skills, pilots train in simulators, medical professionals practice on dummies, and lawyers rehearse in empty courtrooms.

Always first the mental rehearsal, then the simulated practice and, finally, the actual performance.

You should "play the game" SUCCESSFULLY in your mind before ever stepping on the floor for practice or a game. If you haven't tried this before, it's never too late. Visualize success and you will be successful.

Success comes to those who are most prepared!

Think positive and expect positive results!

Victory favors the prepared mind!

SELF-DISCIPLINE

Self-Discipline Quotes

“Discipline is a part of the will. A disciplined person is one who follows the will of the one who gives the orders. You teach discipline by doing it over and over, by repetition and rote, especially in a game like football where you have very little time to decide what you are going to do. So what you do is react almost instinctively, naturally. You have done it so many times, over and over and over again.”
—Vince Lombardi, NFL Super Bowl Champion Football Coach

“It has always been my thought that the most important single ingredient to success in athletics or life is discipline. I have many times felt that this word is the most ill‐defined in all of our language. My definition of the word is as follows: 1. Do what has to be done. 2. When it has to be done. 3. As well as it can be done. 4. Do it that way all the time.”
—Bob Knight, College Basketball's All-Time Winningest Coach and Hall-of-Famer

“Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan. The key is discipline. Without it, there is no morale.”
—Tom Landry, NFL Football Coach

“I believe in discipline. You can forgive incompetence. You can forgive lack of ability. But the one thing you cannot ever forgive is lack of discipline.”
—Forrest Gregg, College & NFL Football Coach

“Why do I dominate the 400 meter hurdles? That's easy. Training. Just expertise. I know what I’m doing. I concentrate on this as much as I would engineering or physics or whatever I’d be doing. The discipline I had from engineering and physics got me through school and really stayed with me.”
—Edwin Moses, two time Olympic Champion

“If my players work hard every day, then they won’t have to worry about game plans, or where they play, or whom they play, or about rankings and so on. They have their daily behavior—their discipline—to fall back on.”
—Pete Carril, Princeton University Basketball Coach (Retired) and Hall-of-Famer

“There are four parts of self that lead to success. The first part is discipline, the second is concentration, the third is patience, and the fourth is faith.”
—George Foster, Former Major-League Baseball Player

What Really Matters

Consider this tid-bit from a national news outlet about the Boise State Football program:

"It is a reflection of Coach Petersen's trust in his players, and of the program's barebones budget, that the Broncos sleep in their own beds on the night before home games rather than bus to a nearby hotel, as is customary with I-A power programs (Boise State's football budget of $5.4 million is one sixth of the $32.3 million that Ohio State spends on its program).

Besides the fact that Boise seems to have very committed and dedicated student-athletes who can be trusted to get their rest the night before a game, here's the point.

Boise's athletes and coaches ARE MORE with less. You know how we always talk about "be more?" That's precisely what's going on here.

Boise's smaller budget and limited resources aren't what matters. They're NOT obstacles to BEING MORE. Boise is one of the nation's most successful football programs over the past decade.

What does matter is what you do with what you have. Some day you may be a lawyer in a small firm with limited resources, the owner of a low budget business, etc. That doesn't mean that you cannot be EXCELLENT at what you do.

EXCELLENCE is about your frame of mind and work ethic, and not about what you have!

"Be more!"

Larry Bird -- Master of the Half Inch

As was stated in Tuesday's practice, it's all about attention to detail. It's becoming excellent in the little things that makes the BIG things happen. Larry Bird should serve as an example for all of us--his genius was in "mastering the half inch!"

23 MATCHING ZONE DEFENSE IDENTICAL TO ONE USED AT NRP STIFLES ORLANDO MAGIC

Orlando Magic doomed by zone defense against Utah Jazz
Orlando Magic — posted by zach mccann on November, 10 2010 11:39 PM

Quentin Richardson and the Orlando Magic struggled against the zone in the fourth quarter, going 2-for-10 from beyond the arc. (US Presswire)

The zone defense is a rarely used tactic in the NBA, and it’s especially rare to see it against a sharp-shooting team like the Orlando Magic. But on Wednesday night, a second-half switch to a zone defensive scheme powered the Utah Jazz to a 104-90 win in Orlando.

The Jazz were out of ideas after trailing by as much as 18, and toward the end of the third quarter they mixed things up defensively by going away from man-to-man.

“We weren’t able to match up with Dwight Howard inside,” Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. “So we tried to zone him some. Fortunately they missed some shots.”

The Jazz ended the third quarter on an 9-0 run, cutting a hefty Magic lead to nine. Utah remained in zone defense in the fourth quarter, and the results were negative for Orlando: Howard scored just one point and the Magic made 26.3 percent of their shots in the quarter.

The Jazz clicked on offense and outscored the Magic 39-20 in the period.

“They got into a little zone and we started rushing and pressing for shots, and that’s when we started getting turnovers,” Howard said. “We just have to play the game we’ve been playing to get wins. Inside, out.”

Added Rashard Lewis, who finished with 16 points: “I thought the zone disrupted us a little bit and we know how to play against zone defense. But tonight we got a little disrupted by zone and our offense didn’t flow as well.”

Zone defense is something the Magic will rarely see this season – it’s ordinarily foolish to zone up against the best three-point shooting team in the league – but it’s a method that worked Wednesday night. It’s something the other contending teams will have in their holster against Orlando, and if the Magic’s three-pointers aren’t falling and they’re turning the ball over – like tonight – then it can be effective.

KNIGHTS: DESPITE WHAT THIS REPORTER SAYS OUR 23 AND 31 PROPERLY PLAYED CAN SHUT DOWN GOOD 3-POINT SHOOTERS!!!! THE JAZZ JUST DID IT TO THE NBA'S BEST 3-POINT SHOOTING TEAM!!!

REMEMBER: THOSE WHO SAY IT CAN'T BE DONE ARE USUALLY BEATEN BY THOSE WHO DO IT!!!!

Kobe Bryant's Commitment to Excellence and Work Ethic

I recently read about a clinic Kobe Bryant did with players at the Michael Jordan Legacy court. Kobe Bryant’s commitment to excellence and attention to detail is second to none. He is arguably the best current player on the planet, and what I read helped me understand why.

Kobe Bryant taught the players the importance of having offensive combination moves. In other words, a variety of moves along with counter moves and counter moves to the counter moves.

For example, a shot fake, one dribble pull-up jumper to the right, then a fake and step in the same direction only to pull back and make the move to the other direction. Kobe’s point is that a player needs to practice moves and combinations to the extent that they become natural in the game.

How does Kobe do it? Preparation, focus, and a drive like no other athlete. Do you know that Kobe Bryant does not move on to the next combination move/shot until he has made 150 shots…IN A ROW?!

It is incredible to think that someone will work to make that many shots in a row for just one move let alone doing it repeatedly in an entire workout of combination moves. This takes extreme focus and drive. And points to the type of commitment that makes Kobe the best current player on the planet.

Being successful is not about the talent that you possess; rather, it’s about what you do with that talent. What are you doing with yours?

Learn from the most accomplished players what it takes to be successful and apply those lessons to everything you do, whether on the court or in the classroom.

“Commitment – Responsibility – Work”

The Practice Floor is Where Champions are Made

No team works harder than the 2010 NCAA championship Duke Blue Devils

Michigan State Basketball is known for a "blue-collar work ethic" that has led the Spartans to 5 Final Fours in the past 11 seasons

Ray Allen Works And Gets Better With Age

Ray Allen’s work ethic has become stuff of legend. Allen often declares that his workout and practice routines are directly related to his ability to continue to contribute as he is now playing into his mid 30’s.

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog."

Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues 5'3"

Earl Boykins 5'5"

Earl Boykins 5'5"

PERSEVERANCE

"YOU CAN'T BUY HEART"

“Building Your House”

A carpenter was preparing to retire. He tells the company he works for he was through building houses. They ask him to build one more house before he retires. He agrees and through the process of building this last house he begins to cut corners, uses cheaper materials, doesn’t use the same precision he was known for and, basically, builds an inferior home. When he’s done he gives the keys to his boss and says, "Here you go, I’m done." The boss returns the keys and says, "Thanks for all your hard work and dedication to this company. This home is yours and we appreciate you." Obviously, had the carpenter known he was building his own house he would not have cut corners.

EVERY DAY .... IN EVERYTHING YOU DO .... WHETHER YOU REALIZE IT OR NOT .... YOU "BUILD YOUR OWN HOUSE" ....

WHAT KIND OF HOUSE ARE YOU BUILDING TODAY????

Setting Goals

“The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don't define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them.” Denis Waitley, author of The Psychology of Winning

Excellence

“Excellence can be attained if you care more than others think is wise, risk more than others think is safe, dream more than others think is practical, and expect more than others think is possible.”

Practice

“Practice what you don’t know more than what you do know. It’s easy to practice something you’re already good at, and that’s what most people do. What’s tough is to go out and to work hard on the things that you don’t do very well.”

KNIGHTS: READ CAREFULLY -- WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS AND HOW OUR 31 AND 23 DEFENSES CAN HELP US IF WE PLAY THEM RIGHT!

Don Casey (former high school, college, and NBA coach) comments on the 2010-11 Miami Heat and what it takes to win championships:

"So what's in store here? Who knows? That's the interesting part -- players must play within the boundaries of team concepts, both on offense and defense. As the Lakers and Celtics -- and, yes, the Heat -- have proven, it's a team game, period. Teams win championships with team-skilled players, or play the team game to be in a position to win. The statement that 'great players don't always need to play great -- only when they must play great" is something we'll find out with the Heat.'

Coach Casey strategizes on how best to contain the Heat's potential offensive fire-power:

Even with the defensive restrictions (e.g., illegal defenses via three seconds), the matchup zone will be more effective than man-to-man defense. In the "pure" man defense, coaches cannot provide strong help-side defense, as the USA World Championship team and its opponents can do in international competition.

We just saw Phoenix shake up the basketball world, avoiding a sweep by changing defenses in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

With the Lakers scoring just 15 points in the second quarter of Game 3, coach Alvin Gentry found diamonds in his own backyard. While The Lakers' zone offense concepts date back to the Neanderthal Man, after they shot 18-for-60 from the 3-point line in two games, the Dawn of Zone Enlightenment arrived. Afterward, Phil Jackson stated real teams don't play zone in the playoffs.

Really?

Phil (Jackson) should take notice; real teams have a zone defense as part of the package. He and others should check Synergy Systems and scroll to Game 3 of the 2006 Finals between the Heat and the Mavericks. Pat Riley changed his defense to a quasi-two-three matchup zone, and guess what? Miami went on to win four straight for the title.

The matchup zone will accomplish the following against Miami:
1. It will neutralize the Heat's athleticism.
2. It will disrupt Miami's offensive rhythm.
3. It will impede the pick-and-roll drastically.
4. It will contain or push out or down Miami's drive and kick plays.
5. It will force the Heat's offense to take time. The matchup makes the shot clock your ally.
6. It will make the Heat a "catch and shoot" team. How many of those players does Miami have? I'm not talking about spot-up shooters; I'm talking about guys who can catch and shoot. I see maybe one, Mike Miller.
7. It will make Miami's offense more routine, and the more routine an offense, the easier it is for a defense to groove into its schemes.
8. It can make Miami think "zone" even if the other team is back in man-to-man defense.

KNIGHTS TAKE NOTE ... THE POWER OF OUR 31 AND 23 DEFENSES TO DEFEAT VERY TALENTED OPPONENTS!!!!

Championship Bulls running Dummy Offense

Basic Offensive Principles

Counter Pivot Moves -- Hakeem Olajuwon

Baseline Pivot and Comeback -- Hakeem Olajuwon

Post Play with Tim Duncan

Post Play -- Baseline Spin Move by Vlade Divac

Low Post Play into a lot of good stuff

More from Hoosier Basketball Legend Rick Mount

Note: See previous post on Rick Mount.

Rick Mount in High School

NOTE: Rick Mount was arguably the greatest pure jump shooter in college basketball history. In this video, Mount talks about his high school practice routine and work ethic.

NOTE: The shooting method you learn at Northridge is based primarily on the Rick Mount Shooting Method, which your NRP coaches have studied and taught successfully for the past 25 years.

NOTE: Two factors that make Mount's shooting accomplishments even more incredible: 1) Due to the NCAA freshman eligibility rule of that time, he played only three seasons of college varsity, and 2) He played without the 3-point shot!

NOTE: Read more about Mount's career on Purdue Basketball's website:
http://www.purduesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/legends-rickmount.html

Greatest College Basketball Comeback of All Time (6 points in 2.8 seconds)

NOTE: It's not over until it's over!

Low Post Play

NOTE: Throw it down and cut -- unselfish ball movement leads to lay-up

1-2-2 Backdoor

Mistake in Chin

NOTE: Do not pass ball to first cutter unless he has a direct lay-up

Chin second cutter one dribble pull-up jumper

Chin second cutter jump shot

Chin second cutter drive and pitch to shooter on side

Chin run through several times

Chin first cutter lay-up

Manu Ginobili's Lay-up

NOTE: Pay close attention to Ginobili's LONG STRIDES on his lay-up finish.