Basketball New Years Resolution

Early season NBA part 2

Thanks to 5 games on Christmas, NBATV, and an early season free trial of NBA league pass, I've had the chance to see a few games.

LAKERS - below average athletically. An aging Kobe, banged up shoulder from Gasol, and a number of other guys will some miles on their tires. Maybe a 7 or 8 seed in the West but even that could be tough to do. Just don't like the makeup of their team around Kobe. Also seeing too much old Cavs offense. Superstar with the ball and 4 watching.

BOSTON - very different from the past few years. They are 0-2 but lost 2 close games to playoff teams on the road, MINUS Paul Pierce. KG is yet another year older and just isn't what he used to be. Losing Jeff Green will hurt this year. He's got young legs and can score. Ray Allen still looks 25, so he will still will be affective. This Boston team is not a threat to win it all. Should still be a 6 or 7 seed in the East ( if Pierce comes back and stays healthy )

MAVERICKS - hard to replace what they gave up in the offseason. They'll be fine as far as getting shots but really going to miss some defensive pieces. Also picked up a few aging veterans ( Vince Carter).

TIMBERWOLVES - people are excited but at the end of the day,  still 0-2. Rubio has been slightly above his Euro averages at 6 ppg and has 10 assists and 3 turnovers. Most of his damage has been in transition and Barea handled it a lot in game 1. Not exactly game changing yet. I hope they can be fun to watch, but I'm not buying playoff tickets at this point.

HEAT - appear to be on a mission. Love the draft pick Norris Cole from Cleveland State. He came up huge in game 2 vs. Boston.

DeAndre Jordan - last season he scored 500+ points, every single one was from the paint. Only guy in the association to do that last year.

In other news.... our team comes back the 29th and we get back after it again. This is a big week for us in recruiting and with our current team. I will try to update more in the future.

The Team, The Team, The Team

The following was a column written in "The Advocate"

When the media’s preseason All-Southeastern Conference team was released way back in July, LSU had one player on the first team: Morris Claiborne.

Alabama had eight first-teamers, Georgia three. Even Kentucky had two, and an investigation revealed they weren’t wandering basketball players, either.

In the vote for who would end up winning the SEC, Alabama was an overwhelming favorite. Not surprising since most of the media attending the SEC Media Days in Birmingham is based in Alabama, but objectively most people looked at the team the Crimson Tide had returning and the fact LSU had to play there Nov. 5 and figured that would be the telling moment.

The Tigers, despite their lack of obvious superstar talent, earned the second-most first-place votes. It proved to be a telling statistic.

“Everyone was saying we don’t have anybody on the all-conference team, whereas somebody thinks we have a pretty good team,” LSU coach Les Miles said.

Back when Miles’ mentor, Bo Schembechler, was head coach at Michigan, he made a stirring preseason speech one year, a speech that certainly has to still resonate within Miles.

“No man, no coach is more important than the team,” Bo said. “The team, the team, the team.”

The team above all. The team’s goals. The team that can be greater than the sum of its individual parts.

As the season went on, surely this LSU team had its superstars. Claiborne became everybody’s All-American. Tyrann Mathieu became the Honey Badger, and despite a midseason swoon rode his indelible nickname and incomparable talent for making big plays to a seat in New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist.

But overall, it has been LSU’s depth that has led the Tigers to 13-0 and a berth in the BCS National Championship Game. Players like Mathieu and Mo certainly have had their critical moments, and individual playmakers abound. But it’s LSU’s ability to grind teams down, come at them with waves of players of similarly high-grade talent, that has been the Tigers’ biggest asset this season as they defeated everyone on a schedule that included eight ranked foes.

“This team has found exactly what they’ve needed to do to win,” Miles said. “They took on all comers.”

Certainly by this point on a team this good, it was to be expected that some players would get individual honors.

But you have to imagine this is exactly the kind of team Miles enjoys coaching – and the kind of team that ultimately would have earned Schembechler’s approval.

“I guess what I’d rather have is a guy who has a feel of having his teammates’ back, where if somebody makes a mistake or is out of position or fundamentally doesn’t make a play, that guy has his back and makes that play,” Miles said.

“Just for me is not enough. I want to do it for the other people in this room. That is necessary for any team that achieves significantly.”

The team. The team, the team, the team.

Random NBA Thoughts

As NBA training camps open up and college basketball is in full swing, I'm going to share some random thoughts on a wide variety of things.  Here we go....

Shane Battier to the Miami Heat.  Love this move.  He's always been a good spot up shooter, especially in the corners, and is a versatile defender.  With Wade, LeBron and Battier, the Heat have 3 switchables.  They can play multiple positions and most importantly DEFEND multiple positions.  Everyone looks at positions offensively and guys want to play on the wing ("I'm a 3 man coach") but it comes back to WHO CAN YOU DEFEND.  Here is a great, but lengthy, article from the NY Times (Feb. 13, 2009) about Shane Battier and what he brings to a team that doesn't show up on a stat sheet.  No Stats All Star

CP3 to the Clippers.  The Clippers will now be a hot ticket in opposing arenas.  They will be one the more entertaining and high flying teams in the league.  Chris Paul is a RUN and REWARD point guard.  If you RUN, he'll get you the ROCK.  Also one of the classiest, most competitive guys you'll see in the league.  My one question for CP3.  He used Clippers, great organization, and tradition in the same sentence.  Has he met Clippers owner Donald Sterling yet?  See This Article from ESPN the Magazine

Bonzi Wells to the Timberwolves.  The guy hasn't played since 2008.  Was a member of the Jailblazers.  Brought in to display "veteran toughness" ???  Not sure on this one.  Chalk this up to another head scratcher from David Kahn.  Wikipedia on Bonzi Wells
      
        Bonzi however did have his share of on and off the court incidents. During his tenure with   the Blazers, Bonzi was suspended for two games for publicly cursing at his coach after being taken out of a game. Bonzi was also fined in a separate incident for making an obscene gesture to a fan in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. When asked by a media reporter about the incident, he said, "I black out sometimes". Wells was suspended one game without pay and fined $10,000 for intentionally striking and verbally abusing an official in 2000. Bonzi and teammate Erick Barkley in 2001 were cited for criminal trespass after they refused to follow the order of an officer to leave the scene of a fight near a downtown nightclub

Not a good acquisition in my opinion.  Very talented, 10 YEARS AGO maybe a good addition, not now.  Sorry Kahn man.

Metta World Peace, formerly Ron Artest at Lakers Media Day:

You can't make this stuff up.  One of the best Ron Ron videos yet.

Dwight Howard: At this point, incredibly talented but a clown.  All his talk is taking away from his freakish athleticism and what he does on the court.  Be known for what you do on the court Dwight, not all the junk off the court and in the press.

James Fraschilla Trick Shots:  James, the son of ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla and a walk on at Oklahoma, had some spare time after finals.

More to come....

Do What You Know, Know What You Do

A passage from Hall of Famer Pete and it was taken from the book "A Good Man: The Pete Newell Story by Bruce Jenkins."  Coach Newell was referencing a conversation he had with Bob Knight regarding his motion offense.


“He set up that motion offense right on the floor of our living room. We have the chairs out, everything spread out all over the place. It was almost like a court and Florence was right there with us. The thing was, Bobby understood that offense and he believes in it. What you do, you’ve got to know. Too often a coach will accept the tenets of another successful coach and go against what he’s seen and known himself. You might appreciate Bobby’s offense, but you don’t have the first clue how to teach it, how to break it down, how to put it together. But because Bobby Knight did it, by God you’ll try it. Some guys don’t realize that a few lectures and a blackboard won’t win them the championship.”

What I Can Control

What I Can Control To Help My Team - No Excuses!

These skills are NOT based on talent but require effort.  Preparation, desire, size, athletic ability, or age do not matter.  YOU will gain the trust and respect of your teammates and coaches if you focus and control the following.

DO YOUR JOB.  DO THE THINGS YOU CAN CONTROL

- PLAY IN/STAY IN A STANCE (max 35 seconds per possession)
- ACTIVE FEET, DO NOT LOCK UP YOUR STANCE (feet stop, you will get beat)
- ACTIVE HANDS
- ANTICIPATE YOUR OPPONENT'S NEXT MOVE (what can they do to hurt our team)
- BALL/YOU/MAN : SEE THEM ALL THE TIME
- BALL MOVES, YOU MOVE (constant adjustment as ball moves)
- BLOCK OUT WHEN ANY SHOT GOES UP
- KNOW THE SCOUTING REPORT AND TENDENCIES OF YOUR OPPONENT
- DENY CUTS
- DIVE FOR LOOSE BALLS
- TAKE CHARGES
- NO UNNECESSARY FOULS

Think about it, do you have to be Kobe or LeBron to do these skills? 
Very few teams do all of these each possession, but the ones that do are called  CHAMPIONS

- CUT HARD, POST HARD
- PASS AND CATCH WITH 2 HANDS, COME TO MEET ALL PASSES
- FAKE A PASS TO MAKE A PASS
- SET GOOD SCREENS, WAIT TO RECEIVE SCREENS
- GO TO THE BOARDS
- KNOW MY JOB IN OUR SETS, TIMING, LOOKS, ETC
- SHOOT WITH CONFIDENCE: FIELD GOAL ATTEMPTS/FREE THROW ATTEMPTS
- CATCH AND GET IN A TRIPLE THREAT POSITION
- TRUST, ENCOURAGE, AND SUPPORT YOUR TEAMMATES

Do you have to be Kobe and LeBron to do these things?

YOU CONTROL YOUR GAME.


(written by our head coach, Todd Landrum, and given to our team this year)

Newsletter

Here is a link to our Saint Mary's Men's Basketball Newsletter #1

http://www.saintmaryssports.com/documents/2011/11/22/mbbnewseltter-1.pdf?id=1230


Link below is to the archive of newsletters from last season as well.

http://www.saintmaryssports.com/sports/2011/11/22/MBB_1122112009.aspx?path=mbball

Dallas - pt 2

One of the highlights at Cowboys Stadium was freshman Evan Pederson kicking a 35 yd field goal. Kevin Hoffman was the long snapper and Tom Gores was the holder.
Despite being upset Saturday afternoon about an 0-2 start, Coach Adam Eberhardt, my wife Emmy, my brother and myself decided to go downtown Dallas and visit the 6th Floor Museum. This is the museum located on the 6th floor where they believe Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots that killed President John F. Kennedy in 1963. A must see in Dallas and well worth the $13.50. They give you headphones and something the size of probably an ipod touch that walks you through the start of his presidency through the investigation and on to the legacy of JFK. I believe you could start the tour knowing nothing about the situation and leave knowing the whole story and wanting to learn more about other conspiracy theories. All 4 of us were so glad we took the time to go there. After the museum we spent some time outside at the grassy knoll and looking up at the angle from street to 6th floor. There are 2 X's on the street where the shots hit the President.
Saturday night we gave the guys a taste of Texas BBQ at "Off the Bone Barbecue". It was voted best BBQ in Dallas in 2009. Food was off the charts. We even had our picture taken for the wall of fame. Hopefully go up next to Jason Terry of the Mavs and former NBA coach Don Nelson. After dinner we took the team back to Dealey Plaza and gave them a little history lesson about what happened 48 years ago in that same spot. Guys had tons of questions and it was a cool experience for them to now say they've been there.
Although we didn't get the W's we were looking for, it was a good trip and hopefully we did some things that they will remember for a long time. That's part of the experience when taking a trip.

Opening Weekend

We opened our 2011-2012 season in Dallas, Texas on November 18-19 at the University of Dallas Tip-Off Classic. It was a good way for our team to get away from home and just be with their teammates for a few days. 

We left Minneapolis/St. Paul International on Thursday ( Nov. 17) and arrived in the Dallas area mid afternoon. Flight was good and we came in to Dallas by flying right over Dallas Cowboys Stadium and The Ball Park in Arlington. Pretty cool to have that be one of the first things we saw as we entered Texas.

We checked in our hotel, relaxed for a little bit and then went and got a good meal before practice. Thursday was a travel day, but still a work day. It was good to get in the gym, see the surroundings, get shots up and get a sweat going. Our legs were a little dead butit that was expected and that's why we went a day early.

Friday - November 18

We started off the day by jumping in 3 mini vans and a car and taking our caravan to Arlington and Dallas Cowboys Stadium for a VIP tour. What a phenomenal place. Tour took about 90 minutes and took us to lower level seating, private suite level clubs that can also be rented out for other various occasions (wedding receptions, etc), smaller suites, Cotton Bowl offices, Dr. Pepper standing room only deck, Miller Lite club on field level where players enter, media room, locker rooms of the cheerleaders and of the Cowboys, and finally out on to the field itself. The stadium cost $1.2 billion and they made it all back in year 1. They sold 13 tons of nachos at the Super Bowl, stadium includes 3000 flat screens, roof can open in 9 minutes and close in 12, lockers are made of wood imported from Africa and cost $9000 a piece, and the minimum lease for a suite is 10 years.  It was phenomenal to see the stadium and hear all the facts and figures that go along with a place like this.

We went right from the stadium to our shoot around at the Univ. of Dallas. Shot the ball better and we had pretty good focus when going through the scouting report. Not the ideal environment for doing scouting report with such an open space and the gym not enclosed, but no excuses. We made it work.

We finally tipped off about 8:20 pm Friday night against the Univ. of Dallas. It was their 2nd game, but it was the home opener. Crowd was good and it made for a fun environment. The first half was back and forth. We withstood their initial burst of energy and excitement but it was tough playing without our senior captain, Pat Freeman, for most of the first half. We were down a half dozen or so at the half. Second half saw Dallas build a lead but we continued to battle back. Had the ball a couple times with it being a one possession game but just weren't able to tie or take the lead. We lost 75-71.

Saturday - November 19

Quick turnaround. Got back to the hotel after 11 Friday night and had scouting report at 10 am Saturday morning. Our next opponent was the Austin College Kangaroos. They were a bigger, more athletic team than we saw on Friday. We opened the game very aggressive and got to the bonus very early in the game. Again we had to play with 2 of our main guys on the bench in foul trouble. Despite that we went to the locker room at half only down 1. We had the lead in the second half and Austin College really struggled guarding us when we had Pat and Mike in there, but both ended up fouling out and we couldn't over come that.

We left Dallas 0-2 but we did some very good things. The new guys got their feet wet, we shot 24 more free throws than our opponents but we just couldn't knock down open shots. Those shots will go in. We must stay confident shooting the ball and have a short memory.

More to come....

Remembering 'Hoosiers'

Remembering 'Hoosiers' Video Link

Basketball sneakers squeak and a ball thumps on the hardwood floor as players race to the hoop in the historic Hoosier Gym-where the 1986 movie Hoosiers was filmed-in Knightstown, Ind. (pop. 2,182).

Cheerleaders dressed in 1950s uniforms chant "one more basket" as the final seconds tick away on the electronic scoreboard. When the game horn sounds, the crowd goes wild as the Hickory Huskers defeat the Terhune Tigers 104-96 during the sixth annual Hoosiers' Reunion All-Star Classic.

"This is Hoosiers basketball at its finest," says Mervin Kilmer, 81, president of the Hoosier Gym Board. "I don't think there are many gyms left in the world like this."

It's been 26 years since actors Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey, Dennis Hopper and a squad of basketball players arrived in Knightstown to make the movie Hoosiers, but townspeople continue to pay tribute to the enduring sports classic and the gymnasium where much of the movie was filmed.

"It's like stepping back in time to walk in here," says Bob Bitler, 90, a World War II veteran holding the American flag for the American Legion Color Guard that opened the June game. "We're proud of the movie because it shows that you should always try to do your best, even if it seems you can't possibly be successful."

Set during the 1951-1952 school year, when all Indiana high schools regardless of enrollment size competed in one state basketball championship tournament, Hoosiers is about the small-town Hoosier Huskers who won the state championship. The story is based loosely on a Cinderella team from tiny Milan (Ind.) High School that toppled big-city powerhouse teams to win the 1954 state championship.

"I wasn't even born back then, but my grandmother was and she remembers it," says cheerleader Morganne McRoberts, 16. "It's neat to see how it used to be. I'm really glad they saved this old gym."

In 1920, Knightstown High School had no gymnasium. Basketball games were played in Bell's Hall above Jolly's Drugstore and in the basement of the local Presbyterian church. It was clear to townspeople that the school needed a gym. More than 250 private citizens and local businessmen pitched in to raise more than $14,400 to build one.

On Dec. 1, 1922, construction of the gym was completed. Within four years, the school board made the final payment and took full control of the building. By 1966, however, the gym had become obsolete. A new facility was built, and the old gym was closed that April. For the next two decades, the gym sat vacant. No one stepped forward to buy it.

Then a Hollywood film crew began looking for a site for the movie Hoosiers. The old gym was perfect for Hickory High's home basketball court. "The movie people didn't want to fix it up," Kilmer recalls. "They wanted it to look like it did."

When Hoosiers proved a hit, fans wanted to see the gym where the movie was filmed. In 1993, a local preservation group-Historic Knightstown Inc.-decided to restore the building for use as a community center. Today, the Hoosier Gym is owned by the city and serves as a multiuse venue for basketball leagues, birthday parties, concerts, meetings and weddings. Volunteers staff the facility and offer free tours of the gym and basketball memorabilia on display.

People travel to Knightstown from around the world to see the Hoosier Gym. And once a year, the historic hardwood echoes with a full house of fans as Hoosier hysteria comes alive with some of Indiana's top basketball players. The best senior boy and girl players square off as the Hickory Huskers and the Terhune Tigers. While the soundtrack from Hoosiers fills the 650-seat gym, the teams take to the floor clad in retro satin uniforms.

"To be able to play here is awesome," says Jordan Hulls, 21, who played in the Hoosiers' Reunion All-Star Classic in 2009 when he was a senior attending Bloomington (Ind.) South High School. Now an Indiana University junior, Hulls plays guard for the real-life Hoosiers. "When you walk in here and feel the atmosphere, you can understand why Hoosiers love basketball."

-- Jackie Scheckler Finch

Play Present via Alan Stein

Fantastic video and concept from Alan Stein (StongerTeam.com). He does a great job of explaining this concept and how it is a huge component of being mentally tough. I am a huge fan of Alan's message and what he is about.

This is also a concept that can be applied to any sport or even just life in general. Having an understanding of what you can and can not control. Not living in the past and not looking to far in to the future.

In basketball, great shooters have a terrible memory. They Play Present. The next one is always going in, regardless of what the previous 5 did.

Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon

"It's not up to anyone else to make me give my best"

Was talking with some of our guys yesterday before practice and the name Hakeem Olajuwon came up.  Without question he's one of the top 5 centers of all time.  Hakeem along with David Robinson were two of the first guys to have a more well rounded skill set.  They were able to step off the post and beat you off the dribble or put you on spin cycle in the post with their footwork. 

As guys have gotten bigger, faster, and stronger in the NBA, Hakeem is one guy who's game would translate and still would be effective today.  I found a couple clips of "The Dream".  One is his top ten plays and the other is him dominating David Robinson in the playoffs the year The Admiral was MVP. 

Many current players have gone for personal lessons from Hakeem.  Kobe and Dwight Howard just to name a couple.  Hakeem still looks silky smooth today and looks like he could still play.  My most favorite things about watching Hakeem Olajuwon is his balance, his use of the shot fake/ball fake, and his incredible footwork.  Players of all sizes should study his footwork and his use of fakes and add them to their game. 

Blake Griffin

Sunday conversation from last year with Blake Griffin.  He talks about knowing he's going to make mistakes, but he has to play hard through them and make up for them by playing hard every possession.  He also talks about not backing down from anyone just because he's a rookie.  Two great lessons for freshman as well as the season kicks off in less than 2 weeks.

Pete Newell - How to Avg. 18 points

I came across this interesting breakdown from Coach Pete Newell.  Coach Newell is and was the most respected big man coach in the game.  He had a legendary camp for "Bigs" that even NBA assistants lobbied hard for the chance to work at.  He came up with this "process" that a big man could average 18 points on only 2 post feeds.

Every big man thinks they need more "touches".  Coach Newell came up with this process for bigger players, but the process can be applied to other positions as well.

No reason someone who is not a great shooter can't get 10-12 points a game on hustle plays.  In the following process, just take out post feeds and only make 2 FT's.  The player still gets 10-12 points.  These ways to score can also be back breakers for your opponent.  Cheap baskets, offensive rebounds, out running someone on the break for a layup.

The following is a "process" to average 18 points with only "2 post feeds".

Process To Average 18 Points In The Post

1.    Run the floor for a layupà2pts

2.    Two offensive rebound put backsà4pts

3.    Two cheap basketsà4pts

4.    Two post feedsà4pts

5.    Four FT’sà4pts

TOTAL—18pts

More to Coaching than Recruiting

The following is an article written by Fran Fraschilla (current ESPN analyst and former head coach at Manhattan, Saint John's, and New Mexico).  It is part of the current series "State of the Game" on ESPN.com

It's hard for me to credit Digger Phelps for anything (just kidding, Digger), but in this case I have to. He taught me how to be a head coach. Well, actually he taught Danny Nee how to be a head coach and, when Danny Nee hired me at Ohio University, he started the process of training me.

Drawing from his time as an assistant coach at Notre Dame, Nee entrusted me with responsibilities that included coaching on the floor, recruiting, breaking down film and scouting, developing and giving academic support to our players, running the summer camp and speaking on behalf of the basketball program in public. He was clear that this was how he learned from Digger. In fact, guys like Tom Izzo, Roy Williams, John Calipari, Kevin Stallings, Jim Larranaga and Rick Barnes started the same way I did. I know because I ran into them all the time on the road recruiting and scouting opponents. And, while they all were excellent recruiters, they were more than that.

The trend in recent years has been to hire assistant coaches primarily for their recruiting prowess. And, while procuring players is a key to any coach's success, the job carries way more responsibilities than that.

At the risk of sounding "old school," I don't think young coaches put the time in to learn the game the way that they should. I laugh when I hear someone described as a "skill-development coach." We used to call that guy an "assistant coach." There was no specialization. How could you grow as a coach if you were only good in one area?

The problem is that in the modern game recruiting has taken on more importance than any other aspect of coaching. As a result, young coaches know that they need to become great recruiters in order to land a head coaching gig, and we're left with a landscape full of head coaches who are great salesmen, but not much more. And to compensate for their lack of coaching acumen, these ace recruiters are filling their staffs with specialists, such as big men coaches and man-to-man defenses coaches. Therefore, many college staffs are simply an accumulation of one-dimensional coaches and lack a well-rounded leader.

 
Because of the emphasis on recruiting, other methods of developing into a well-rounded coach have disappeared.



Before the NCAA eliminated in-person scouting, sitting courtside at a game of an upcoming opponent with a Jay Wright or a Bruce Weber was a great way to share basketball ideas and strategies and home in on the latest recruiting gossip. And, getting together to "X and O" at a coaching clinic was very common among coaches back then.

Others like Bo Ryan, John Beilein and Bob Huggins developed their head coaching craft at the small college level away from the bright TV lights of major college basketball. There, through trial and error, each perfected his own style of play that, often times, had to compensate for the lack of star players. The development of players and utilizing innovative strategies were keys to their success.

Working for a strong head coach is important for an assistant coach to move up or, rather, one seat over. Michigan State's Jud Heathcote gave his assistants, including Izzo, the ability to grow into head coaches. "I used to tell them, I don't have time to coach the coaches, I've got to coach the team," Heathcote told me recently when we discussed his approach with his assistants. "So you can coach as much or as little as you want. They could stop, blow the whistle and make any comment they wanted and it wouldn't bother me. As time went along, Tom had a major role in the development."

Roy Williams learned how to be a head coach as North Carolina's junior varsity coach for eight seasons when few schools even had junior varsity programs. It was a valuable part of his experience as an assistant coach to the legendary Dean Smith. "The biggest reason it was so valuable was because you had to make all the decisions, " said Williams. "It wasn't suggestions, it was decisions. You had to teach all aspects of the game and had no help. I made the schedule out. I did the practices."



Today, the path to a coaching gig at a big-time program is proving you can recruit. Now, I am not one to disparage a young coach who may be hired today because he has recruiting ties to an elite AAU or high school program. That has been going on for a long time. Ben Howland hired Atlanta Celtics coach Korey McCray this past summer and, soon after, McCray's top blue chip prospect, Jordan Adams, committed to the Bruins.


As a head coach, I would welcome the opportunity to have a "baked in" recruiting connection, but there would be some strings attached. Namely, he would be putting in the same amount of work that everyone else on the staff put in, allowing me push him toward his potential as a coach in every area of the program. Otherwise, all you'd have on your staff is an independent contractor.

Former New York Gauchos coach Emmanuel Richardson was with head coach Sean Miller at Xavier and went with him to Arizona. In four years he has been a part of two Elite Eights and a Sweet Sixteen. He's on track to been a head coach in the near future and he's preparing for it.

"Sean has taught me the day-to-day aspects of being a head coach. I've learned to stick to a style and organizational concepts that work," Richardson told me. "When I become a head coach, I will have a philosophy of basketball and of developing young men."

Miller is one of the brightest young coaches around, and it's encouraging to see him nurture his staff like this. The coaching world would look a lot better with a few more Sean Millers.

Ultimately, preparing to learn all of the aspects of head coaching takes time and experience. The worst thing that could happen to a young head coach is to get the job and not be fully prepared. It may be the only chance he gets.




Fran Fraschilla is a college basketball analyst for ESPN and a regular contributor to ESPN Insider.

Follow Fran Fraschilla on Twitter: @franfraschilla

Every Possession Counts

It was only one possession,

Why must my coach scream?

My poor defense caused a basket,

But what can one hoop mean?

As the pass comes my direction,

And I fumble it into the stands,

My coach’s voice rings loud and clear,

“Catch with your eyes and hands!”

C’mon coach, its one possession,

Our team will be OK,

It’s just the first two minutes,

I mean damn, we’ve got all day!

In the beginning of the 2nd quarter,

Their center is strong and stout,

He gets a put back for two, quite simply due,

From my failure to block out.

It was only one possession,

I didn’t commit a crime,

My team is ahead and I’m playing well,

And there’s still plenty of time!

As the halftime buzzer sounds,

I watch the ball bank in,

I know I will hear it from my coach,

Asking why I didn’t defend.

But it was only one possession,

Coach – don’t have a heart attack,

We’re only down one and we’re having fun,

I know we’ll come back!

The 2^nd half is much the same,

So it is really no big deal,

That my lazy pass on the perimeter,

Results in an easy steal.

I quickly sink a jumper,

I’m greeted by high fives and slaps,

But the next time down, I give up a lay-up,

While suffering a mental lapse.

It’s only one possession,

C’mon coach just chill out!

It’s crazy to see you so mad,

As you consistently scream and shout:

“Victory favors the team,

Making the fewest mistakes.

Single possessions are the key,

And will cut down their fast breaks.”

I step to the line for a one and one,

The game is in my hands,

I can’t believe I missed it short,

And hear cheers from opposing fans.

After the game I sat at my locker,

Wondering what more I could have done,

Only to realize the value of one possession,

What a shame we lost by one.

Who Am I?

I found this on a blog from StrongerTeam.com and felt it was worth passing along.  If you aren't familiar with Alan Stein and his work, I recommend checking him out.  He a great follow on Twitter as well.  ( www.twitter.com/AlanStein )

Do you know who this is?

I am the most desirable thing in life. Without me no can be healthy, happy, or useful. Without me, the hidden wealth and vast resources of this earth would have no value.

Men and women who try to get along without me are characterless, selfish, undeveloped, useless, and unprofitable members of society.

I am behind every fortune, every art and science, every real achievement, and every victory.

People try to find substitutes for me hoping to secure a larger measure of happiness, peace, and satisfaction, but they are always left bitterly disappointed. Instead of gain, every substitute for me brings them loss.

I am greater than wealth, power, fame, or any acquired possession because I am the true source to which those things are acquired.

Who am I?

I am work.

If 99.9% were good enough, then...

• 22,000 checks will be deducted from the wrong bank accounts in the next 60 minutes
• 1,314 phone calls will be misplaced by telecommunication services every minute.
• 12 babies will be given to the wrong parents each day.
• 268,500 defective tires will be shipped this year.
• 103,260 income tax returns will be processed incorrectly this year.
• 2,488,200 books will be shipped in the next 12 months with the wrong cover.
• 2 plane landings daily at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago will be unsafe.
• 18,322 pieces of mail will be mishandled in the next hour.
• 291 pacemaker operations will be performed incorrectly this year.
• 20,000 incorrect drug prescriptions will be written in the next 12 months.
• 114,500 mismatched pairs of shoes will be shipped this year.
• 107 incorrect medical procedures will be performed by the end of the day today.

Why we Play and Coach

Ask any basketball player and they couldn’t imagine life without playing. It’s a part of them. It’s what they live for. They live for the cheers, long bus rides, night games, and countless pairs of basketball shoes. They live for the taste of water from an old fountain. They live to hear coaches yell at them. They live for the way it feels when they win and realize those extra hours of practice were worthless it. They live for their teammates. They live for the competition. They live for the memories, the pain, blood and sweat. It’s who they are… they are basketball players.

A Closer Look at our Staff

Todd Landrum
Head Men's Basketball Coach

Phone: 507-457-8710
Email: tlandrum@smumn.edu

Year at SMU: 4th (in 2011-12 )

---

Todd Landrum is the head men’s basketball coach at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, a position he has held since the 2008-09 season. His other duties at SMU also include teaching sports management courses..

The Todd Landrum File
* Born in Akron, Ohio
* B.A.: Ohio Northern University
* M.S.: University of Delaware
* Over 25 years of college and professional coaching experience.
* Head coach: University of Charleston (W.V.), UW-Platteville, Saint Mary's University
* Assistant coach: University of Delaware, UW-Platteville, University of Wisconsin-Madison, The Ohio State University, Pittsburgh Piranhas, Chicago Rockers, La Crosse Bobcats (CBA-NBA Development League)
* Youth/Scholastic Basketball Director: Minnesota Timberwolves
* Family: Wife, Brenda; Sons, Kevin and Brent

Kevin Landrum
Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Head Men's/Women's Golf Coach

Phone: 507-457-8727
Email: klandrum@smumn.edu

Kevin Landrum is the assistant men’s basketball coach at Saint Mary’s University, a position he has held since the beginning of the 2008-09 academic year. In addition to his basketball duties, Coach Landrum is also the head men’s and women’s golf coach and teaches activity courses in the Physical Education Department.

The Kevin Landrum File
* Born in Columbus, Ohio
* B.S.: UW-River Falls
* Played collegiate basketball at UW-Platteville
* Assistant Coach at UW-River Falls (2006-2008)
* 6 years youth camp/clinic director: Minnesota Timberwolves
* Summer Camp Director: Saint Mary's University, Wilson Hoops Camps, Inc., Flip Saunders Basketball Camp, Minnesota Timberwolves, Culver Military Academy (Ind.)
* Family: Wife, Emmy ; Daughter, Arabella

Adam Eberhardt
Assistant Men's Basketball Coach

Phone: 763-742-5112
Email: aeberhar@smumn.edu

Adam Eberhardt is the assistant men’s basketball coach at Saint Mary’s University, a position he has held since the beginning of the 2008-09 academic year.

The Adam Eberhardt File
* B.A.: University of St. Thomas
* Duties: Recruiting, scouting, on-floor responsibilities
* Six years in the Youth/Scholastic Basketball Department of the Minnesota Timberwolves
* Two years as coach with Minnesota Select
* Education staff member at Nova Classical Acadmy in St. Paul, Minn

2011-2012 Season is Upon Us

The start of the 2011-2012 season is upon us.  Teams all over the country are getting ready for the first official practice.  Division 1 and Division 2 coaches have had some time to be on the floor with their players, but at the Division 3 level this will be the first time we are allowed to step on the floor with this team. 

The first 4 days of practice for us at Saint Mary's coincides with our fall break.  This is great for us.  We will have 7 or 8 practices in after 4 days.  It really gives us a chance to get a lot of things done and to lay the foundation for a lot of the things we will be doing this year.  We like to think of it as something somewhat similar to an NBA Training Camp. 

As an assistant coach I am putting the final touches on the players notebooks, getting all of our practice gear organized, shoes, locker room, making sure we have everything we need for practice, balls pumped up, etc.  We as a staff are also continuing talks about things we would like to do offensively and defensively.  I am very lucky to be working for a head coach who gives his assistants a lot of opportunity to share their thoughts, he gives us chances to grow as assistant coaches, he wants us to think like head coaches as well.  He is also my father, so that makes all of this a bit unique as well.

One other important aspect that can't get overlooked at this time of the year is recruiting.  With the start of practice here, we still have to make sure we do at least 1 thing in recruiting every day.  Coach Landrum has been all over this fall visiting kids at school and introducing ourselves.  We feel this is important to start to build our relationships with them.  Kids don't grow up wanting to go to Saint Mary's.  It's like that for many division 2 and 3 schools.  Their connection has to be through us as a staff, which will then allow for them to see all the great things our school has to offer.

We are very excited to get going.  Our first game is 37 days from now in Dallas, TX.  It will be a great way to start the year and continue to develop chemistry on and off the floor.  I will update this as much as I can throughout the year.  Hopefully a couple times per week at least.  I will continue to share information on our team, player profiles, and other basketball information I come across throughout the year. 


Like Bart Scott of the Jets says in this interview, "Can't Wait"

2011-2012 Schedule

Date		Opponent	Location	Time/Result
University of Dallas Tip-Off Classic
11/18/2011		University of Dallas	Irving, Texas	8 p.m.
11/19/2011		Austin College	Irving, Texas	TBA
UW-Oshkosh Thanksgiving Classic
11/25/2011		University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh	Oshkosh, Wis.	1 p.m.
11/26/2011		University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire	Oshkosh, Wis.	3 p.m.
11/30/2011	*	Carleton College	Northfield, Minn.	7:30 p.m.
12/3/2011	*	St. Olaf College	Winona, Minn.	3 p.m.
12/5/2011	*	Saint John's University	Collegeville, Minn.	7:30 p.m.
12/7/2011	*	Concordia College	Moorhead, Minn.	7:45 p.m.
12/14/2011		Viterbo University (Wis.)	Winona, Minn.	7:45 p.m.
1/4/2012	*	Gustavus Adolphus College	St. Peter, Minn.	7:30 p.m.
1/7/2012	*	Macalester College	St. Paul, Minn.	3 p.m.
1/11/2012	*	Bethel University	Winona, Minn.	7:30 p.m.
1/14/2012	*	Augsburg College	Winona, Minn.	3 p.m.
1/16/2012	*	Hamline University	St. Paul, Minn.	7:30 p.m.
1/18/2012	*	Carleton College	Winona, Minn.	7:30 p.m.
1/21/2012	*	University of St. Thomas	Winona, Minn.	3 p.m.
1/25/2012	*	Saint John's University	Winona, Minn.	7:30 p.m.
1/28/2012	*	St. Olaf College	Northfield, Minn.	3 p.m.
1/30/2012	*	Concordia College	Winona, Minn.	7:45 p.m.
2/4/2012	*	Macalester College	Winona, Minn.	3 p.m.
2/8/2012	*	Gustavus Adolphus College	Winona, Minn.	7:30 p.m.
2/11/2012	*	Augsburg College	Minneapolis, Minn.	3 p.m.
2/13/2012	*	Bethel University	Arden Hills, Minn.	7:30 p.m.
2/15/2012	*	Hamline University	Winona, Minn.	7:30 p.m.
2/18/2012	*	University of St. Thomas	St. Paul, Minn.	3 p.m.