Defensive Communication by Coach Kevin Eastman

Communication gives the defense a head start on the play or the action. If your teammate tells you a back screen is coming, you are able to react to it prior to the contact; if your point guard yells out the set that the opponent just called, it allows your entire team to “sniff out” what is about to be run

Communication develops trust. If we communicate properly and follow the talk with the appropriate action defensively then we begin to trust each other; once we get that trust we find that our defense gets more aggressive and more confident because we know someone always has our back

Communication intimidates. We strongly feel that if we can constantly communicate with each other that we can — and will — gain an advantage because they know that we know what is about to be run and who the play is for; this becomes a tremendous strength of the defense.

Communication keeps every player more alert. In order to communicate, you must be paying attention to what is going on on the floor. The more you pay attention, the more you can cover up a mistake made by a teammate; you can “plug a hole” in our defense.

Effective communication is a three-step process. It must be (1) early – communicate as early as possible; (2) loud – communicate as loudly as you can so that your teammate can hear it; and (3) continuous – you must repeat your command three times to ensure that your teammate hears it — “PICK RIGHT – PICK RIGHT – PICK RIGHT.”

Communicate with more than your voice. Many arenas are very loud so you should communicate with your hands and fingers by pointing at actions. You can also communicate intensity by your body language; players and coaches know who is into the game by the body language on the court.

Four Traits of a Perfect Point Guard

Quotes about Jason Kidd playing the point guard position and the traits it takes to be successful. These are from his teammates and coaches of the USA team. Check out his leadership with TEAM USA. (Fast forward to the 5:00 mark OR watch the whole piece. It is good)

1. Court vision: "He sees things," guard Dwyane Wade says of Kidd's sixth sense. "When you're on the court and you see him do something, you think he had to see that like three minutes ago."

2. High basketball IQ: "His mind is his best talent, "Krzyzewski says. "And his ability to instinctively react to situations on the court is at the highest level, as high as anyone who has ever played the game. "Krzyewski compares Kidd's basketball IQ to Magic Johnson's.

3. Not just passes; perfect passes. "He grew up being a passer, understanding the angles. With Jason, you get wide-open looks. He puts the ball right on the money." During shooting drills last summer, Kidd turned to Carmelo Anthony and asked, "Where do you want the ball?" Anthony, not quite sure what Kidd meant, gave him a puzzled look. "What do you mean?" When players realize that Kidd can deliver the ball to their sweet spot, Krzyzewski says their reaction is: "You mean, I'm going to have room service and you're going to cut my meat too? You're going to give it to me in a certain position?" So where does Anthony wnat the ball?" Whereever he gives it to me," Anthony says.

4. Ability to facilitate: "What's fabulous for our team is if you put Kobe, Carmelo and LeBron in the game, you need a point guard who's really just looking to facilitate and that's what Jason does, "says assistant coach Jim Boeheim. "Other great point guards have a scoring portion of their game, some of them have it as a large portion of their game, whereas Jason never needs to take a shot." This approach fits the team-oriented aspect of the international game, with the emphasis on passing and selfless play.

Intense Dotzler making his point

Don't expect to find the impact Josh Dotzler had on Creighton's first victory neatly summarized in the box score.

Guard Josh Dotzler got Creighton's "defensive motor going" against New Mexico, Bluejays coach Dana Altman said.Dotzler made one layup and two free throws in the Bluejays' 82-75 victory over New Mexico. He chipped in three assists, tied his career high with five steals and had one turnover.

The numbers were modest but Dotzler's teammates and coaches came away from the dramatic comeback win convinced the senior guard's contributions were every bit as important as the 30 points scored by P'Allen Stinnett or the 26 Booker Woodfox added.

"Without his ball pressure, we probably wouldn't have been able to come back," Stinnett said. "He got the whole team going. It was like a virus. Once we saw Josh giving it his all, we figured we had no choice."Once he got it going, we just followed."

Creighton coach Dana Altman had no doubts Dotzler was the key to the rally that saw Creighton erase a 16-point deficit in the final 10 minutes."If it hadn't been for Josh getting our defensive motor going," Altman said, "I don't think we would have gotten back into the game, period."

Dotzler had all of his points and assists and two of his steals in the second half. What the numbers don't reflect is the defensive intensity he brought to the court. He harassed New Mexico point guards Dairese Gary and Nate Garth, preventing them from getting into position to set up teammates as they did repeatedly in the first half.Gary finished with 14 points but he had four turnovers, including two down the stretch when Creighton went on a 14-0 run. Garth had five points and five assists but committed a game-high six turnovers.

"A lot of our fans don't appreciate what Josh does for our ball team, but our players do and our coaching staff does," Altman said. "Today was an example of what he does for us. He got the right people the ball and he gave us a defensive presence when nobody else could."For a team that really needed a spark and for somebody to start competing, he was the guy that got us going."

The 6-foot-1 Dotzler has never been a big scorer for the Bluejays but his offensive contributions really dipped after injuries mounted at the end of his freshman season and the start of his sophomore campaign.He averaged 6.4 points a game as a freshman before a knee injury sidelined him for the season's final seven games. Creighton was 17-6 that season when Dotzler was in the lineup and 3-4 without him.The Bellevue West graduate was at less than full strength at the start of his sophomore season, then suffered dislocated fingers on both hands in a December game against Valparaiso.

He had surgery to repair the injury to his left index finger and struggled the remainder of the season, finishing with a 2.2 scoring average.Dotzler came back to start all 33 games last season, averaging 3.4 points while finishing fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference in steals and eighth in assists. He came into his senior season ranked second in steals (126), third in assists (267), fourth in games started (61), sixth in minutes played (1,953) and eighth in free-throw percentage (.759) among active players in the league.

The number his teammates respect the most is 100. That's the percent of effort Dotzler gives whenever he is on the court."Josh always is going as hard as he can," Woodfox said. "Guards don't want to go against him. He's strong. His nickname is 'Diesel.' Whenever he's on you, it's tough to get by him."

Dotzler said former teammate Nick Bahe hung the nickname on him. "Diesel" also is one of the nicknames for Shaquille O'Neal, considered one of the strongest players in professional basketball.

"I've always worked hard in the weight room, which is where I think it (nickname) came from," Dotzler said. "I do take pride in trying to be a physical player and trying to be aggressive. Guys know in practice that I'm not going to give up any layups."I'd rather give a hard foul than give up a layup."

When the Bluejays needed someone to give them a lift against New Mexico, it was Dotzler who stepped up.

"He got us into the fight," Altman said. "We weren't even in it until Josh got us going."

Effort and Attitude

Florida has been rolling teams since Tim Tebow made this comment after their loss to Ole Miss over a month ago:

“I’m sorry. Extremely sorry. We were hoping for an undefeated season. That was my goal. It’s something Florida’s never done here. But I promise you one thing: A lot of good will come out of this. You’ve never seen any player in the entire country who will play as hard as I will play the rest of the season. And you’ll never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will push everybody the rest of the season. And you’ll never see a team play harder than we will the rest of the season. God bless.”

Here were his comments after Florida defeated South Carolina on Saturday:

"What I said was something I could control, and that was that we were going to play with a passion, an enthusiasm and love for the game like this university has never seen before," Tebow said. "I knew I could control beyond a shadow of a doubt my effort, our team's effort and the kind of intensity we play with.

"I said what I said to give our fans confidence and our team confidence that we were going to come out and play with the kind of effort and passion that we're playing with right now."

Being A Team Player

San Antonio Spur veteran Bruce Bowen had started every single game he has played in since coming to the Spurs in 2001. After 555 games of starting, Coach Gregg Popovich decided last night that Bowen would be better serving the team coming off the bench.

Bowen had two options; he could have whined and complained about the situation, or he could accept his role and fulfill it to the best of his abilities. His response? The best game of his season with 13 points in 28 minutes of play.

"As a competitor, you may not want it to happen,” he said. “It's a matter of just being as professional as you can, and not allowing those things to affect you from the standpoint of not withdrawing from the team.

“Coaches have reasons for doing things, and it's important for you to trust in the things they're trying to get accomplished.”

That is refreshing to see!

Seven Habits of Successful Student-Athletes

By Wisconsin Head Coach Bo Ryan:

1. Be Proactive

Being proactive means making the first move, not waiting for others to act first, and being responsible for what you do.

Says Ryan: "The amazing thing about us as human beings is we actually can control how we handle something that happens to us. The things that make us different is how we react to it, then respond to it."

2. Begin with the End in Mind

Plan well, and think things though.

Says Ryan, "Have you ever taken time to write down what you would like to have people say about you if you were to die tomorrow? What is it you want to do, and what is it you want to accomplish?"

3. Put First Things First

Put priorities in order.

Says Ryan: "Plan ahead, and if you put things in order, things will work out."

4. Think Win/Win

Says Ryan, "If you're willing to give something, and ou know you're looking to get something, and you're hoping both will happen, then both people come up winning."

5. Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

Ryan compares this trait to the relationship he's had with the players he's coached at every level

Says Ryan, "I wanted them to understand me, but first I had to understand them. If I don't understand my student-athletes, how can I expect them to understand me?"

6. Synergize ( dynamic state in which combined action is favored over the sum of individual component actions.)

The way to achieve synergy is through the creative process, which can be intimidating, because you never know where the creative process will lead you.

Says Ryan, "If you go with your gut instinct and do what is right, go ahead and do it. Sometimes it might not work out the way you wanted, but at least you're doing something.

7. Sharpen the Saw

In other words, take care of yourself, and the other six steps will be easier to accomplish.

Says Ryan, "Take care of your body. Don't let it get away from you. Stay in shape. Sharpen your saw, your physical conditions. You will be able to perform the other habits with a lot better results."

Entitlement vs. Investment

From Celtics assistant coach & individual workout coaching guru Kevin Eastman:

As I travel around the country and work out with the best from the High School, College, and NBA levels, I am continually reminded of what these players have in common that makes them great:

*They want to get better

*They want to know everything they can that will help them become a better basketball player

*They are committed to improvement of their bodies and their game

*They are very serious about the game every time they hit the floor

*They want to be coached

The best example I can give you is Kobe Bryant. He once told me that he does not work out anymore.... he now blacks out. He said that a workout just isn't enough anymore if he's going to stay on top of his game and take on all the players he knows are going to challenge him. He said he has to go beyond what all other players do. He took his to a higher level. He took his to black out status!

What Kobe also was saying is what all players need to hear and need to know. He is willing to invest in his improvement and not stay the same. He was willing to invest in his future and not stay the same. He is willing to invest in his game and not feel that he is entitled to be great, entitled to take every shot, entitled to have everything given to him. He was, and is, going to earn it.

The lesson here is one that I tell every one of the great players I work with: it's not about entitlement if you want to be the best. It's about investment.

Getting the Most out of Practice

With the Lakers only having one game this past week, Kobe Bryant wanted to make sure that his teammates didn't relax. Here is a little from the L.A. Times article:

Do you want to be great or just good?

That was the question Kobe Bryant posed to his young Lakers teammates during practice today.

He doesn't want his teammates to become complacent with a 4-0 start, or for them to relax because they have so much time off in-between games, or for them to not put in a high-level effort in practice.Come to work and work hard ever day, Bryant has impressed upon his teammates.

"That's our message for the week is we can either be good or we can be great," Bryant said.

"This is the time that we can really use to get better to make another step forward."

"We're striving for perfection," Lamar Odom said. "We're striving to be perfect."

The result? Last night: Lakers 111 Houston 82

"The Rock"

Tulsa's football team brings this with them everywhere they go. Click on the picture to make it bigger.

Here is a great article on a Tulsa football player's fight with cancer and his inspirational story. Also, here is an all-access look into the Golden Hurrican program.

Mbah a Moute defends his turf

Defense Wins Championships! Courtesy of the Milwaukee Sentinal

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is a prince.

Literally.

Back home in Cameroon, his father is an elected village chief, so he's got that going for him.
But this is why he is a prince in a basketball sense:

"The most important thing is defense," he said. "My main thing is to play defense."

A defense-first declaration from a Milwaukee Buck? And a rookie and a second-round pick at that?

Believe this, he plays NBA defense the way it is supposed to be played. He gets it, really gets it, after all of five games in the league.

Think about that for a minute.

Who was the last rookie to actually help a team defensively?

Probably Tim Duncan.

For the Bucks, it was a guy named Sidney Moncrief.

Already, this is the class Mbah a Moute is approaching.

He played 34 minutes Wednesday night. A lot of his court time came in the fourth quarter and in overtime of the 112-104 victory against Washington, which tells everything. It doesn't matter who starts NBA games. It matters who finishes the close ones.

More than that, it matters who finishes for Scott Skiles, a coach who rewards defense. Mbah a Moute finished against the Wizards with Richard Jefferson, Andrew Bogut, Luke Ridnour and Ramon Sessions.

Think about that, too.

Without Michael Redd, the best five players were Jefferson, Bogut, two point guards and a rookie second-round pick.

If you're looking for a reason to get excited again about a team that has given you almost none for the longest time, there it was, right there, that game against the Wizards. For almost all of a fourth quarter and overtime, Skiles stayed with a feverishly energetic quintet that dived on the floor, made stops and steals, finished plays and got the Bradley Center jumping as it hasn't jumped in a while.

And in the middle of it was this 6-foot-8 rookie all over Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler, this second-round prince from UCLA

"It's not a matter of where you're drafted," Jefferson said. "It's a matter of if you can play basketball. And he can play basketball. Already, he's been asked to guard the best players on the other team. When you're asked to do that, there is no higher compliment you can be paid as an individual."

Credit general manager John Hammond and Skiles for drafting Mbah a Moute, because so far no second-rounder has helped his team so much.

"When we picked him we knew he was an NBA-ready defender, but he needed improvement on his offensive game," Skiles said. "Then we saw him work and the energy and the effort he put into it. His offensive game is going to come around. He's making shots and doing a lot of good things."

Against the Wizards, he made eight of 10 for 17 points. The Bucks had the confidence in him to let him try a game-winner in regulation. He took the baseline in overtime. He made the jumper that finished Washington. He had six rebounds. He is becoming a complete player the right way, by leading with defense.

"That's me," he said. "I'm proof that defense wins championships. It's happened everywhere I've been."

In Cameroon. At his Florida high school. And especially at UCLA, where he knew nothing of the Bruins' singular heritage before enrolling. Soon enough, he knew.

Now he needs to know that the Bucks were once a great defensive team with Moncrief at the fore.

Maybe this is what it will take, a prince to uphold Sir Sid's legacy.

Running the Hill

Article from espn.com on Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan and his conditioning program. Click here for story.

Consistent Leadership

The New Jersey Nets are picked by the 'experts' to finish toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference this season due to alot of young players replacing all-star veterans such as Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson. However, according to Vince Carter and up and coming point guard Devin Harris, they are looking to suprise a few people by simply outworking their opponent:

“It was important to establish my dedication to the team and let the new vets know that I want to win,” Vince Carter said. “Regardless of what’s being said or predicted, I want to win. My mentality is that we have a good enough team to win basketball games. Now, who else is going to jump on board and believe it?”

On Devin Harris:

As he looks to improve on last year, the 25-year-old point guard has prepared himself to take control of the offense. And with only three players on the roster who were on the team at the beginning of last season, the role of floor leader has Harris joining Carter in setting a strong example for his teammates.

“(Coach Lawrence Frank) talked about it during the summer,” Harris said. “The thing about being a leader is, I’m going to have to be the same guy every day. I’m going to have to show the same face every day. Whether we win or lose, I can’t be too hard. Patience is definitely going to be tested, but we have expectations on ourselves.”

Coach Frank added:

“You know whose team it is?” asked Frank, rhetorically. “It’s everyone’s team. It’s not Vince’s team or Devin’s team or anyone’s – it’s our team, collectively. Everyone has a responsibility. No one can abdicate themselves by saying, ‘Hey, it’s not me.’ No. We all have a job to do. And if everyone does their job on a consistent basis, then we’ll be as good as we can be.”

Working as one

"I had a group of guys who were very willing to be coached and weren't stuck on who they were. I hear guys say they want to win it, but I think what they are really saying is, I want to win it as long as I can keep doing what I do. I had three stars who said they wanted to win and they would change to do it. I don't think you get that alot."

-Doc Rivers

Donovan McNabb- The Basketball Player

Very few people know that Eagles QB Donovan McNabb was a two sport athlete in college. Although he wasn't quite the basketball player compared to his tremendous talent on the football field, McNabb earning the respect of his basketball teammates while at Syracuse:



Even though McNabb may not have looked the part of a basketball player, his practice habits, work ethic and effusive personality offered hints of future success.



''He's a great teammate,'' Syracuse's basketball coach, Jim Boeheim, said. ''He played hard in practice and pushed guys. He fit in right away, led the team in cheers on the bench. He was a tremendous teammate.''



That became evident during the 1995-96 season, when Syracuse made an improbable run to the national title game, only to lose to Kentucky. During the tournament, McNabb and the other reserves developed a routine of crossing their legs after every made free throw. By then, McNabb had established himself as one of the top young quarterbacks in college football, so the bench shenanigans got him plenty of camera time.



What was never seen, though, was his intensity during practice. His strength allowed him to challenge his teammates and prevented them from loafing.



''Some days, he got the best of us,'' said John Wallace, the star of that Syracuse team, who is now with the Miami Heat. ''He was real athletic and went at us real hard. Before he matured and put on all that weight for the football body he needed, his vertical was 40-something.''

Invaluable 6 Intangibles

This is from Dena Evans who runs the famous Point Guard College. She has her 6 Intangibles to Master That Makes You Invaluable:

1.) SPIRIT

*Good teams practice with enthusiasm and zest...a quiet gym is a losing gym...Enthusiasm = Excellence...demand energy.

2.) COMMUNICATION

*Talk on the floor, call names, give them reminders often.

3.) HUSTLE

*All the time -- not a sometime thing..."sheepdog mentality"...persistent, enthused, work, everyday.

4.) ATTITUDE

*Body language is important.

5.) PRECISION

*Exactness...attention to detail...accuracy...sharpness of approach.

6.) ENHANCEMENT

*Contribute to the environment -- don't contaminate it...make it better doing something extra...expect to do more that your expected to...do extra...come earlier, stay later, compliment someone, smile, push a broom, pick up trash...and don't expect praise for doing something extra.One of Dena's favorite quotes: "Championships are won with high levels of energy, spirit, and enthusiasm."

Deron Williams: From two years ago....

Deron Williams never expressed envy toward his more decorated teammate at The Colony High School.

But Williams remembered every honor that was bestowed upon Bracey Wright but not him. He remembered every time a high-profile college coach didn't ask about him during a visit to The Colony's campus.

Williams, a pass-first point guard without a flashy game, didn't complain about being the second fiddle, nor did he begrudge his friend. He simply stored every perceived slight and used them to fuel his obsession of fulfilling the immense potential he knew he had.

"It motivated me a lot to see the attention Bracey was getting," Williams said. "He deserved it, but at the same time, I wanted that same attention. It made me work harder. It made me want it a lot more."

Five years later, the national spotlight has found Williams. He's led the Utah Jazz to a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals against the Golden State Warriors, who are suddenly media darlings after their historic first-round upset of the Mavericks.

Deron Williams ranked second behind Phoenix's Steve Nash with 9.3 assists per game this season.

The duel with Dallas killer Baron Davis represents an opportunity for Williams to prove he's one of the NBA's elite point guards in only his second pro season.

Williams had 31 points and eight assists in Game 1. He spent most of Game 2 in foul trouble while Davis dominated with 36 points. But Williams excelled down the stretch. He had nine points and six assists after the beginning of the fourth quarter, hitting a 10-foot floater to force overtime.

"Deron Williams is going to be a household name after this series," Charles Barkley told the TNT audience after Game 1.

The silent star

Williams was somewhat of an afterthought in the most star-studded class of basketball prospects to come through the area. Wright was joined by Lincoln's Chris Bosh and Cedar Hill's Daniel Horton in the McDonald's All-American Game, which Williams watched from home, determined to prove the selection committee erred by omitting him. There was debate whether Bryan Hopkins, Bosh's acrobatic sidekick on a mythical national championship team, was a better point guard than Williams.

The bumper crop of local talent sparked Williams' competitiveness. He considered the other stars, especially Wright, as measuring sticks.

"Now, everything has changed," said Wright, a shooting guard who will become a free agent this summer after playing sparingly the last two seasons for the Minnesota Timberwolves. "I kind of see myself doing the same thing with him."

All the tools to succeed

Williams averaged 16.2 points and ranked second behind the Suns' Steve Nash with 9.3 assists per game this season. At 6-3, 205 pounds, he has a rare combination of strength and quickness for a point guard. But his best attributes are intangibles, according to those who have helped shape his game.

Former The Colony coach Tommy Thomas and ex-Mavericks point guard Derek Harper rave about Williams' desire and work ethic. Thomas said Williams never left school until the gym was locked for the night. Harper, whose son, Darius, played on several youth teams with Williams, said he always knew Williams had a chance to be special because of his eagerness to improve.

Utah coach Jerry Sloan says Williams' intelligence is one of the biggest keys to his success. That's high praise from a grumpy guy who coached all-time assists leader John Stockton for his entire career. Williams works out with Stockton in Washington each off-season and picks his brain about such topics as the intricacies of Sloan's offensive sets.

Williams also has a feel for knowing when to distribute the ball and when to take over a game. He was the third-leading scorer on Illinois' national runner-up team in 2005, but he scored 31 points to spark a comeback over Arizona that clinched a Final Four berth.

"As a point guard, you have to be sort of a silent assassin in a lot of ways," Harper said. "You have to have that kind of attitude. That's his attitude. It's very deceiving from the standpoint that he looks almost like he's shy and quiet, but he has a killer instinct inside of him."

Staying hungry

Williams, whom the Jazz picked third overall in the 2005 draft, hasn't had any problem being motivated since he became a multimillionaire.

Sloan didn't make Williams a regular starter until the final two months of his rookie season. Chris Paul, the point guard chosen fourth overall by the New Orleans Hornets in 2005, lit up the league right away. Reporters often mentioned this to Williams, who received the only first-place Rookie of the Year vote that didn't go to Paul.

"I thought I could do some of these things last year if I was given the same opportunity, but that's not how it went," Williams said. "I just wanted to have a good summer. I had a productive summer, worked hard, got in the best shape of my life. My confidence level is definitely 10 times higher than it was last year. I'm out there playing free, not worrying about if I make a mistake, I might have to come out or this or that. I can just go out there and play."

Williams has quieted the critics who pounded the Jazz for passing on Paul – "Keep doing it," he says – but he still doesn't think he gets the recognition he's earned. Williams says he considers it a sign of disrespect every time an opposing team's public-address announcer mispronounces his first name; it's pronounced "Dare-in." And he wasn't happy about playing in the Rookie-Sophomore game instead of the All-Star Game in Las Vegas.

"He knew he'd played good enough to be an All-Star," said Thomas, who works for the agency that represents Williams and Wright. "He'll never gripe about it. He never said one negative word about it. All he did was lock it in his mind and say, 'There's some people out there who don't think I'm good enough.' "

His Time

Utah Jazz guard Deron Williams has worked his way into being one of the top 5 point guards in the NBA. After finding a couple of articles on him, it is easy to see why he has gotten to the point of being an all-star caliber player. Here is one of the articles on Williams, I will post the second later on. This article is about him being the leader of the 2005 national champ runner-up Fighting Illini and now with the Jazz:



HIS TIME

After taking a backseat during high school and college so his teammates could collect accolades, Deron Williams makes his mark with the Jazz as one of the best players in the NBA.

By Kyle Flanagan

You would find it a great challenge to find anybody in the United States who isn’t aware of Utah’s rising point guard Deron Williams.

Such was not always the case.

Williams, a native of the Dallas, Texas area, attended The Colony High School. While at The Colony, he began a reputation as a player who had the skills and the potential to eventually play at the highest level.

The only thing keeping Williams out of the spotlight in high school was the all-encompassing shadow of The Colony superstar Bracey Wright.

“I didn’t get all the accolades in high school. I guess I didn’t score enough or whatever, but my team still won and that’s what I cared about.” Williams said. “A lot of coaches noticed what I did even though people who did rankings and stuff didn’t.”

Wright turned his high school McDonald’s All-American honors into a scholarship at Indiana University and the eventual second round pick of the 2005 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Former coach of The Colony High School, Tommy Thomas, knows that without Williams, the careers of Wright and others who played around him may have not blossomed quite as much.

“His role was more of making guys around him better.” Thomas said. “He gave Bracey an opportunity to be a McDonald’s All-American, and at Illinois he gave Dee Brown and Luther Head opportunities to be NCAA All-Americans. Boozer and Okur have become NBA All-Stars and they weren’t before they played with Deron.”

Williams escaped the shadow of Wright and after a successful career at The Colony High School, joined the Illinois University Fighting Illini for the 2002-03 season.

Enter two new shadows, Mr. Chicago Dee Brown and the exciting Luther Head.

Williams spent two seasons taking a back seat to the very personable Brown and the athletic Head in the media and in the public. But Illini coach Bruce Weber was always well aware that the driving force of his successful Illini was Williams, despite the lack of recognition.

After the impressive Illini run that eventually led to the National Championship game in the 2005 NCAA Tournament, Brown and Illinois teammate Luther Head received First Team All-American honors, Weber received coach of the year honors. While eating at a restaurant on Final Four weekend in St. Louis, the Illini team saw the honors for Brown, Head and Weber being discussed on television, with no mention of Williams to be found.

“(After seeing the announcements) I’m looking at Deron and I’m thinking, man we don’t need any selfishness or jealously to pop up here while we are trying to win a National Championship.” Weber said. “I went right over to Deron and I said, ‘you know you belong on there and you are the reason we are winning’ he kind of came back and said ‘coach, all I care about is that we’re here, I will get my just due when the time comes.”

Nobody would argue that Brown and Head weren’t major contributors to the run the Illini made in the tournament, but Weber knew how critical it was to his team’s success to have Williams on the floor.

“We won because of Deron.” Weber added. “Dee got the publicity because of his personality and Luther got some attention because he was so explosive athletically. But when it came down to it, Deron was the guy that made us go. He didn’t crave to be in the lime light, all he cared about was winning.”

Williams got his just due when he was made the third overall pick of the Utah Jazz in the 2005 NBA Draft, with him he brought an impressive resume that gave the Jazz confidence that he could fill the point guard void left by the legendary John Stockton.

Now in his third season in the NBA, Williams has earned the respect of some of the best players in the game today.

“He’s been solid all year. He’s really been unbelievable man.” Spurs big man Tim Duncan said after a Jazz 90-64 win over San Antonio. “They had chants of MVP out there and they are well deserved, he’s been tremendous since he stepped in the league and I have a lot of respect for what he does.”

So what is it that makes opponents respect and fear Williams on the court?

There is a certain demeanor and attitude on the court that is visible in Williams when the game clock is winding down and the Jazz are in need of a clutch play. This demeanor and drive on the face of Williams is what leaves Jazz opponents nervous and what makes Jazz fans, coaches and players confident.

“I just try to keep calm and cool because even if you do something good or do something bad, the game still has to be played and finished.” Williams added. “I try to keep it even kill either way.”

However, this calm and collective “bring it on” attitude is not something Williams has developed in just his time with the Jazz.

In fact, fans and coaches of The Colony High School knew who they wanted to be in control with the game on the line.

“I trusted him so much his senior year.” Thomas said. “He knew what I wanted and sometimes he knew what I wanted before I did.”

Williams had no problem carrying that attitude over from high school to his time with the Illini.

“There’s no doubt, that (Williams’ demeanor) is why were able to win Big Ten Championships and advance in the NCAA tournament to the National Championship game.” Weber said. “He would make the plays, not always making the shot, but getting the ball to the right people.”

Weber praised the work ethic of his young point guard and credited the time Williams spent after practice as a major contributor to the development of the now NBA superstar.

“I just continued at Illinois, continued to try and get better and do the things to make my teams successful.” Williams said. “A point guard is judged on wins and losses and we only lost two games my senior year and it set me up perfect.”

Now with the Jazz, the third-year point guard has used his confidence and will to succeed on the court to lead the Jazz to a second consecutive playoff appearance.

As one of only 18 players in the league averaging a double-double this season, Williams’ 19.0 points and 10.6 assists per game are proof that he has escaped the shadows of his high school and collegiate teammates and has began casting his own shadows.

Adding to his shadow is the fact that this season Williams accomplished something only two other players in NBA history have (Magic Johnson and Kevin Johnson) by recording over 1,500 points (1,540), handing out over 800 assists (860) and shooting over .500 (.508) from the field in a single season.

To those who knew him in his younger days, Williams is becoming much more than just a NBA all-star caliber player he is becoming an all-star caliber person.

“That was my question mark, would he have the maturity.” Weber added. “He has defenitly developed as a player, but he has also developed as a person and it’s a great feeling to watch that happen.”

False Confidence

Good article on the Florida b-ball team and their struggles from last year.

Coach Billy Donovan thought that his team had a sense of entitlement last year. Here are some pieces from the article:


"More than anything, more than the sense of entitlement from those two trophies and false hope brought on by a fast start, that was the crux of Florida's problem last year: Billy Donovan talked and no one listened.

No one heard a man with three Final Fours to his credit when he said they weren't practicing hard enough. No one listened when a guy who coached seven NBA first-round draft picks suggested their defense was awful. No one believed the first coach to win back-to-back national titles in the last 15 years when he told them their offense wasn't nearly as good as they believed.

The Gators' ignorance was short-lived bliss and their ultimate downfall. "It's what you buy into and that's where I was really disappointed in myself, that I wasn't able to get them to buy into what the truth was," Donovan said.

For 21 glorious games it looked easy. Florida rolled to an 18-3 start and a No. 19 ranking. The dynasty was intact, the freight train running smoothly, chugging directly back to the NCAA tournament.

Donovan didn't see it that way. He hated the way his players practiced, and was less thrilled with the way they acted before a game. They weren't focused or intense. For four years his practices were like turf wars -- David Lee pushed Noah; Anthony Roberson schooled Taurean Green; Matt Walsh took it to Corey Brewer.

These guys weren't disrespectful or uncoachable, but no matter what Donovan said it was like they were pointing to that W-L mark and yelling back "Scoreboard."

"It was, 'We got this, Coach'," Donovan said. "It was overconfidence. You want your kids to be confident, to have that swagger, but these kids had the swagger without doing the work. If you had asked them in mid-January if they were in the NCAA tournament, they'd say, 'Oh, definitely.' I knew we weren't in, not even close."

Family Atmosphere

From Henry Abbott at TrueHoop:

He'd brought a suit on the road trip, just as all the Spurs had been told to do. And now he was on the charter with the others, flying during the night from Cleveland to New Orleans.

Anthony Tolliver, on the cusp of finally earning a place on an NBA roster, likely wondered if this was normal. The Spurs really go to funerals together?

The next day Tolliver followed his teammates into a church near Jackson Square. There they attended services for Simone Newman, the wife of Spurs assistant Don Newman, and this remarkable gesture earlier this month sums up Gregg Popovich and the culture he has established.

If Tolliver didn't fully appreciate the culture then, he will soon enough. Last week he was on another plane flying to another funeral.

His mother, Donna Lewis, 56, a single mother of three and a teacher, died of an apparent heart attack.

Tolliver will miss opening night, and he will miss much more. But just as the Spurs boarded their charter to support Newman, they will be there for Tolliver.

Specifically, Ime Udoka will be there.

Udoka had been around three other NBA teams before he came to San Antonio, and he says he immediately saw the Spurs were different. “Night and day,” is how he puts it.

This isn't just about funerals, and the Spurs aren't the first to mourn together, either. When the brother of Larry Hughes, then with Cleveland, died, the Cavaliers stopped to pay respects during the 2006 playoffs.

Still, perhaps no NBA team is more plugged into the human element than the Spurs are in this era. When Michael Finley isn't throwing a Thanksgiving banquet at his house, then there are quiet evenings.

Udoka, for example, dined at the Newman house last season.

Popovich always pushed for this, from family-friendly charters to watching presidential debates with his players. He's led them on field trips, too, including one a few years ago to the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C.

Popovich wants to do the right thing, but there's strategy involved, too. His thinking: If he can get his guys out of the work place, and if they learn to be supportive, and if the young ones watch the old ones, then maybe this closeness translates to the court, too.

Again, it's sincere, and it was for Newman. The Spurs' plane arrived in New Orleans at about 1 a.m., and Popovich and some of his staff stayed up talking with Newman until 5.

Udoka embraces this sentiment, and that's because he has his own story. Two years ago, after playing around the world and being cut by several NBA teams, Udoka was trying to make the roster of his hometown Portland Trail Blazers.

The only Blazer who didn't play in the first preseason game that year, Udoka was told he would start the second. He informed his father, Vitalis, who made arrangements to attend. Hours before, Vitalis died suddenly of complications from diabetes and high blood pressure.

The date was Oct. 17. Two years later, on exactly the same date, was Simone Newman's funeral. Udoka shared this with his coach as he consoled him, as well as what came next for Udoka in 2006.

Udoka missed the preseason game he was supposed to start, but he returned for the next one. He says he was glad to have basketball to come back to.

“It was a safe haven,” he said.

It was too soon to be alone. And in a locker room, with an immediate task at hand, Udoka found a way to counter the grief.

“I wanted to use his memory as motivation,” he said. “The game freed my mind.”

The next game Udoka scored 16 points. He started the next and scored another 16. On the day of his father's funeral, he signed a contract and was officially a Blazer.

Udoka still can't believe the cruel timing. Couldn't his father have been around for just some of his success? Tolliver will ask the same questions.

Still, Udoka says he found a path. There was a way to grieve, and there was a way to play, and the two seemed to mix.

Udoka says he plans to talk about this again.

As soon as Tolliver comes back.

Can't get enough of KG....

Courtesy of the Boston Herald as the Celtics get set to start their run at a repeat against the Cavs tonight:

“We are so prepared,” Ray Allen said yesterday, “that in one-on-ones, it got to the point where guys get in fights. Nobody ever actually fights, but we have a lot of barking on this team, from everybody, and I think you see that machismo among the guys. Everyone wants to feel like the top dog. Ultimately, we take that and translate it to the team concept, and everything we do helps the team.

“I’ve been on teams where guys thought they were good but never showed that passion on the floor. Ultimately, if you care about what you are doing, it shows up on the floor.”

The aggressive tone is set defensively, usually starting with Kevin Garnett.

“[Garnett] is a lot more intense this year,” Paul Pierce said. “I didn’t think he could go to another level, but he has. It’s infectious and you see it in practice - it’s like we never won anything.”
Said Garnett, “My intensity rubs off on Paul and Ray a little bit. The young players are getting to understand the intensity we play with for 48 minutes, that when we play at home, we protect that; what practice is - we come here and we don’t go long but we go hard.”

“KG just brings an energy to life that has an impact on everybody, day in and day out,” Celtics general manager Danny Ainge said. “I’m not sure there’s an awakening. I think it’s more of a long-term consistency. Anybody can have that energy at times, but he has it every day.

“His presence has changed our culture in that way. It had a great deal to do with our success.”

If he bleeds, Xavier leads

Great article on Xavier junior B.J. Raymond and his struggles at the beginning of the year. This is from two years ago when Raymond was an underachieving freshman. Since then, Raymond has become a leader for the Musketeers, as seen in this game from last years Sweet Sixteen (he is the one hitting two clutch 3's at the end).

Courtesy of Cincinnati Post:

When Xavier University freshman guard B.J. Raymond soaks in the bathub after practice, he wants to feel his elbows and knees sting. If he jammed his finger, all the better. If he's bleeding, it's been a great day.

For Raymond, this is how he knows whether he's doing his job.

Raymond was asked to show the scars of his labor. He lifted his right leg and pointed toward his knee. Diagnosis: floorburn, caused from diving on the floor for basketballs in practice. "I did my job," Raymond said.

The last two weeks, that's true. Raymond has undergone a transformation. He's less cocky and more willing to sacrifice- hence the floorburns- for the Musketeers. The results have been noticeable. After logging only 3 minutes in the Miami University game and missing the entire Creighton contest, Raymond has played important minutes in the past three games. It starts in practice.

"I come in and make sure I have floorburns every day," said Raymond, who's averaging 1.8 points in eight minutes per game. "Make sure I'm bleeding or something like that to make sure I make my presence felt. I want to make sure I'm going hard. I want to assure myself that nobody can tell me I'm not going hard."

Entering the year as the team's highest-rated freshman, Raymond came in as a cocky 18-year-old. He admits that now. "I saw that we struggled last year, and I felt I was a good player," said Raymond. " I came in with a cockiness. I soon realized you have to humble yourself. Not playing in games humbled me. I got into games, and I didn't produce. When I got out there, I wasn't working hard, and I'd come back to the bench with no sweat on me at all. That's when I realized if you want to play, you have to work."

Not just on the court or in practice. But in appeasing your elders as well. "He's really changed. He's gotten alot better," said junior Justin Cage. "He was aggressive when he was coming in, but he's really made a lot of strides and his game has come a lot further."

Two weeks ago, Raymond wasn't in this place. He wasn't being counted on by anybody for anything. He sat on the bench, no floorburns on his body, no sweat on his forehead, his freshman year wasting away.

Now it's different. When Raymond goes home and lies in the bathtub, he can feel the sting of his hard work. He knows he's doing his job.

"It was kind of disheartening," Raymond said. "But you have to go through something if you want to be somewhere. I have a saying that if you want to go to the sun, you have to go through a few blisters to get there. Right now, it's like a wall. If you keep knocking on the wall, one day the wall is going to break. When the wall breaks, you have to be ready for the opportunity. I feel like I've broken a piece of the wall. But I haven't broken it all yet."

Garnett's Work Ethic

LAS VEGAS - It's 8 a.m. in "Sin City." Many of the "what happens in Vegas . . ." tourists are either asleep or just getting to their hotels. As for Celtics new star forward Kevin Garnett, he's already up and working out on Labor Day.

Garnett is among more than 20 NBA players working out under the Abunassar Impact Basketball system at the Tarkanian Basketball Academy, but none may be taking it more seriously. For more than a week, the 10-time All-Star has been the first player to arrive for his six-day-a-week workouts. In fact, Garnett has been starting at 7 a.m. since arriving Aug. 27, and he began an hour later yesterday only because Joe Abunassar wanted his employees to have an extra hour of sleep on the holiday.

"I like my footprints to be the first in the sand," Garnett said.

Said Abunassar: "He's a [workout] freak and always has been. He likes to come in and get it done."

Abunassar has been working out Garnett for seven weeks this summer, the majority of the time in Los Angeles. The regimen includes about 90 minutes of weight training and 90 minutes of basketball drills and five-on-five scrimmages. While Celtics training camp doesn't begin until Sept. 30 in Rome, Garnett already seems to be in prime shape.

In one drill yesterday, Garnett showed how strong he is. Wearing a belt with a cable connected to it, Garnett was immovable as one man tried to yank him from the post with the cable and Abunassar tried unsuccessfully to steal the ball several times.

The 6-foot-11-inch, 253-pounder also sprinted while pulling a man with a resistance cable. After the drill, a sweat-drenched Garnett made the majority of his free throws while pumping himself up.

"C'mon Kevin. C'mon Kevin. C'mon Kevin," he said.

Garnett preferred not to talk much about his tough regimen. Abunassar said Garnett is private about it and doesn't like fanfare, and he could be the hardest worker of all the players Abunassar trains.

"He's so focused about getting ready," Abunassar said. "He's a leader by the way he is. That's why he's Kevin Garnett."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers would like his players to be in Boston for pre-training camp workouts by Sunday. According to Abunassar, Garnett is expected to arrive in Boston as early as tomorrow.

Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge said Garnett and guard Ray Allen have been calling their new teammates to get in early for voluntary workouts. According to Ainge, 8-10 Celtics have been working out, voluntarily, at the Waltham facility on a consistent basis. Ainge also wasn't surprised to hear Garnett has been working out hard.

"He's looking forward to this year," Ainge said. "Work ethic isn't something he's lacked."

Winning is the point for Bluejay guard duo

*Great thoughts coming from the point guard position:

Put 10 Creighton basketball fans in a room, and it likely wouldn't take long before the conversation gravitated to who should start at point guard this season for the Bluejays.Josh Dotzler or Cavel Witter? Cavel Witter or Josh Dotzler?Save your breath, Dotzler and Witter would tell the fans. The questions of who starts and how the coaches divide the playing time do not distract the pair from focusing on more important things.

"Honestly for me, it really doesn't matter," said Dotzler, the senior from Bellevue West who has started 61 of 82 career games. "It's all about winning, and I think Cavel feels the same way, too."We're just going to try to do what the coaches ask of us. Obviously, we're totally two different kind of players."

Witter, who came off the bench 33 times last season, chuckled when the subject was brought up. He then echoed Dotzler's comments."Let's not worry about who's starting," he said. "All we're worried about is trying to win games. I'm going out there trying to do all I can with the minutes I get. The last thing I'm worried about is starting or anything like that."

For now, Witter's primary focus is on getting healthy. He sprained an ankle Tuesday and will likely miss at least a week of practice."Right now, there's not much to talk about because we don't know how long Cavel is going to be out," coach Dana Altman said.

When Witter is ready to play, Altman knows he'll have a pair of guards who bring decidedly different skills to the table. Witter, a 6-foot junior from Kansas City, is capable of providing instant offense. He scored 42 points — the most by a Missouri Valley player since 1999 — in Creighton's double-overtime win over Bradley last season.

Witter also hit the game-winning shot with 3.2 seconds to play that lifted the Bluejays to a 74-73 win over Rhode Island in the National Invitation Tournament. Overall, he finished his first season as a Bluejay fourth on the team in scoring with a 9.1 average. His 87 assists ranked second behind Dotzler's 118.Distributing and defense have always been Dotzler's strong points. Healthy last season after battling injuries as a freshman and sophomore, Dotzler ranked among the Valley leaders in assists (eighth, 3.6 per game) and steals (fifth, 1.6 per game).

But Dotzler's offensive skills frustrate some CU fans. He shot 30.4 percent from the field and 13 percent from 3-point range in averaging 3.4 points per game last season. He enters his senior season with a 3.9 career scoring average and shooting percentages of .340 for all field-goal attempts and .264 for 3-point shots.

"For three years now, I've never been a huge offensive guy," Dotzler said. "I'd like to be a little more aggressive offensively because it would help the team out, but that's not my main focus. Never really has been."Coming into my senior year, I'm going to try to do whatever it takes to win the game, whether that's defense, whether that's getting someone else the ball or whether that's being more aggressive offensively."

Witter and Altman say fans who solely focus on Dotzler's lack of offense are short-changing him."He's a really good general on the floor," Witter said. "He makes sure the other players are in the right place on the floor, and he does a lot of things that people don't talk about. I learn so much from Josh every day. I watch him to try to make myself a better player."

Altman wants the 6-foot-1 Dotzler to be more productive offensively this season."There's no one that wants to do it more than Josh, and no one that puts in any more time than he does," Altman said. "A lot of our fans don't see all the positives that he gives us. Offensively, he has to be more productive this year."He just has to relax, be patient, pick the ones (shots) he likes and knock 'em down."

Dotzler was productive on offense as a freshman, averaging 6.4 points and shooting 41.5 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from 3-point range in his first 23 games. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in mid-February 2006, underwent surgery in May and struggled throughout his sophomore season to regain his freshman form.A finger injury that required surgery in December 2006 didn't help.

"He's been through a lot," Altman said.

Dotzler started all 33 games last season and averaged 21.3 minutes per game. His court time diminished toward the end of the season when Witter put together six double-figure scoring games in CU's last eight games, including the 42-point night against Bradley.

"Cavel has put in the hard work to make himself a better player," Dotzler said. "That's why I didn't have a problem with that. It would be hard to see someone else playing in front of you if you knew they weren't putting in the work. But that's not Cavel. He's dedicated to getting better and winning."

As far as Witter is concerned, he and Dotzler complement each other and complicate things for Creighton opponents.

"We're two different styles of players," Witter said, "and that makes it hard for a defense to adapt to either one of us."

-Courtesy of the Omaha World Herald

No gentle underdog: From USA Today

Found this article in the USA Today from two years ago when Southern Illinois was making their run through the NCAA tournament. Here is the story in full:

Some thoughts and quotes I liked:

"They invade your personal space," Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg was saying the other day. "I love their attitude. I think it's their mindset."

In a SportsCenter generation, when breakaway dunks own the highlight shows, Chris Lowery has sold his players on the honest labor of team defense, where each man relies on the Saluki next to him.

SIU Head Coach Chris Lowery, "I don't think we sell them on defense. We sell them on winning," Lowery said. "Defense is a part of that."

"Anything time you drive," Virginia Tech's Zabian Dowdell said, "you can expect to be cut off by another defender."

That's the whole idea. Ruin passing angles, interfere with flow, be ready to help, never quit. Not until the shot clock runs out, or a brick clangs off the rim. "The biggest thing is," Lowery said, "they trust each other."

On its weekly notes, Southern Illinois includes testimonials from past victims. This from Missouri State coach Barry Hinson, on preparing to play the Salukis:

"We run down to the police station and we get all the German Shepherd attack dogs and we just bring them onto the floor, and we rub meat juice all over our arms, and we just get ready to practice."

The NBA Top10 Hustle Plays (til 1999)

Rip Hamilton "Marathon Man"

Newspaper article on Richard Hamilton titled "Marathon Man" refering to the Piston guards' great work ethic. Here are some excerpts:

During the season, conditioning coaches are responsible for keeping players in top shape; in the off-season it's the players' job. Hamilton takes his conditioning seriously. His off-season training day usually begins at 9 a.m. with a run near his home in Washington, D.C, with his pit bulls, Shark and Diamond. He runs five times a week until they're all dogtired. "I just go out there and sprint," Hamilton says. "Once I know they're tired, I know I've done my job."

After a run he hits the gym for an hour of individual basketball drills, which he does six days a week. "As soon as I step on the court, I go hard," he explains. "Everything is moving, coming off screens, no stationary shots. I just shoot till I'm tired." He also lifts weights four times a week for strength and flexibility, focusing on the core muscles.

He boosts his endurance and recuperative powers by following a strict diet. "My dad is a health freak," says Hamilton, a Coatesville, Pennsylvania, native. "When I was young, he had me drink V8 juice." Hamilton's father still cooks for him during the summer, and Hamilton remains an avid and dedicated vegetable and fruit drinker.

In the off-season, Hamilton typically downs six egg whites, oatmeal and some fruit for breakfast. During the season, his usual pre-game meal, two hours and 10 minutes before a game, consists of whole-wheat pasta smothered in mariana, grilled chicken breasts and vegetables. "What you put into your body is what you get out of it," he says. Being fit is "a lot more than just working out."

Most athletes regard their bodies as investments; Hamilton treats his as a temple. "I've never drunk alcohol or smoked cigarettes in my life," he says.

"He's in the top 1 percent of NBA players when it comes to fitness," says Arnie Kander, the Pistons' conditioning coach. "He's very aware of what's required to keep his body healthy. He's always looking for that edge that can help take his body to the next level."

Chauncey Billups, Hamilton's teammate, once marveled, "He doesn't ever get tired." But what does a tireless pro with monklike devotion to fitness have to teach weekend warriors wanting to stay in game shape?

Hamilton's advice is direct: Respect your body and believe in your abilities. "Sometimes when you think your body can't go to a different gear, push it to the limit," he urges.

LeBron James takes on different role for Team USA

Courtesy of Xavier Basketball (from 2007)

In his third pro season, Cleveland's LeBron James became one of the NBA's most prolific scorers, averaging 31.4 points per game and 30.8 in the playoffs.

Then he went to Japan and became......a point guard? In the FIBA world championships, James has averaged 12.5 points per game. He's third among the Americans in scoring, behind fellow captains Dwyane Wade (20.0 points) and Carmelo Anthony (19.7).

James isn't lighting up the scoreboard. But he's making his teammates better simply by being on the court. As the U.S. prepares to meet Germany in the quarterfinals Wednesday night,

James is second on the team in assists, with 3.5 per game. That's fifth among the tourney's remaining players. "I still think that's the best thing he does -- his presence, especially the passing," coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "He and Wade are incredible passers."

It would be natural fora world-class scorer to fret over his point production. But James said he's not concerned with his numbers.

"If anybody knows my game, they know I don't play like that," James said after a Team USA workout this week. "I play just to help our team win. Whatever our team needs for us to try and win ballgames, that's what I'm going to do.

"I can go out there and take no shots, but if I can rebound and assist and play defense and help our team win, that's what I'm going to be," James said. "I never cared about personal statistics. Never. Never in my life."

2007 Season Theme San Antonio Spurs

1.) Expect nothing. Ask for nothing

2.) Do not give in

3.) Do not be in a hurry to win. Win in 48 minutes. Trust our system

4.) Support and play for your teammates

Adrian Peterson: Heart of a Champion

Expectations are something Adrian Peterson knows a little about. He is only a few weeks into his second season as a pro but is already legendary. Not because of his records (rushing for an NFL all-time single-game-best 296 yards against the Chargers) or resume (Pro Bowl MVP, Rookie of the Year, Heisman runner-up at age 19) or even his supernatural physicality (able to race 100 meters in 10.3 seconds & able to leap in 38” in a single bound). No, Peterson is a legend because he is being talked about. By his fans, of course, but also by his colleagues (teammates).

“When he’s not around, we tell stories about the things he’s done,” says Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice. “Like the time I saw him after a hard practice, in full pads, running full speed, trying to get somebody to run gases with him. You don’t see anybody like that.”

Moments after rushing for 160 yards in his team’s heartbreaking 18-15 loss to the Colts, he doesn’t fixate on the team’s QB struggles or its vulnerable secondary. He blames only himself. “Without the win, 160 yards doesn’t mean anything,” he says, tossing a towel into his locker. “I left plays out there. I left a touchdown out there. I take it personally. I feel responsible. I do. I got tripped up. I need to do a better job picking my feet out of the hole. I can’t make mistakes like that.”

His despair surprises no one. His teammates have come to know this side of Peterson well. “Adrian’s never happy with himself,” says receiver Aundrae Allison. “He doesn’t understand his accomplishments.” Of course, from this humility flows his greatest strengths. “Adrian is different,” Childress explains. “He’s 100 MPH every day. He’s never looking for the break. He’s not looking to hide. We’re always asking him to slow down. Because frankly, the other players can’t go that hard.”

Rice remembers the first time he spied Peterson. “Adrian was alone in the gym doing pull-ups. I just stood there and watched him, lifting himself up over and over. Everyone else had gone home. But he was still there.” Since that day, Rice has witnessed more miracles. Players dragged 15 yards, defensive clusters blown out like confetti, speed that blurs the eyes. “I can’t remember ever seeing him exhausted. He’ll tell us not to bend down when we’re tired. He’ll say, ‘There’s no air down there. Stand up. Lean me.’ “

Before the season started, when all was promise and optimism, Peterson explained how his own expectations came to be. “When I was young, I had the dream of the NFL, and my mom put it in my head, ‘Don’t settle for less’. “ To achieve his dream, he made a list of goals and posted it on his door:

1) Get on top of my grades
2) Get in my Bible more
3) Stay out of trouble
4) Be the best I can be

“Believe it or not,” he says, “some of the same things I did last year on the field (in the NFL) I’ve been doing since middle school. I push myself harder. I do extra drills. NO matter how tired I am, I make sure I’m first. I got a long way to go, but I figure if I just keep doing the things I have been doing, I should be all right.”

For all his physical dominance, Peterson plays a head game. “You can tell yourself anything.” He explains. “If mentally you don’t cave in, if you push yourself beyond where you thought your body could go, you can do almost anything. A lot of people lack ambition. I figured that out pretty early. I’ve been full speed since I was little.”

From ESPN the Magazine, October 2008 issue

UCLA Bruin Attitude- John Wooden

1. Go to class
2. Compete (no excuses)
3. Be on time (no excuses)
4. Listen
5. Play through the referees' calls
6. No more "no look" passes
7. Huddle up as a team on free throws
8. Run to the bench when substituted for
9. Run to timeouts
10. Run to the locker room
11. No cussing on court
12. no hanging head
13. Never quit on a play, never!
14. No poor body language
15. No pointing figures (unless for good pass)
16. Root for you teammates while on bench
17. Study during study hall
18. Attitude of gratitude- say "thank you"
19. Look people in the eye when communicating
20. Be a role model off the floor
21. Be humble in victory- gracious in defeat
22. Share the juices and the basketball
23. Keep the locker room clean

-Coach Wooden

Scoring hasn't been Miller's priority with Wolves, yet

Good article on how Mike Miller is being a great teammate this preseason in his first year with the Minnesota Timberwolves. I have posted before on his attitude and work ethic being tremendous over his 9 years in the NBA.

Miller is trying to get his teammates involved during this preseason, choosing to defer to his teammates offensively. Miller knows he can score, which is one reason he is allowing others to do so. (This is evidence of his ability to score)

"I've done it a long enough time now," he said. "I've had years when I've scored a lot of points. There are going to be times when I'll score a lot of points this year. We've got enough scorers. That's not going to be a problem. Passing is contagious. My job right now is to get the ball hopping. I'll get the ball in the hole when they need me to, but I'm going to make plays for other people because that's going to be my job a lot this year."

Teammate Randy Foye says:

"I come down and pass the ball to him: I want that assist because he's wide open at the three and he passes the ball to Big Al," Foye said, smiling. "I know what he's trying to do. He's trying to build a relationship with all of us. During the season, I think he'll take those shots.

"Right now, he's trying to learn us and at the same time we're trying to learn him."

Koufos impresses with attitude, work ethic

Here is an article on 1st round draft pick Kusta Koufos & his impressive attitude and commitment to excellence. Here is the article in full. Some excerpts from the article:

As unlikely as the marriage might have seemed at first, the early returns for Koufos and the Jazz have been encouraging. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, for starters, said his rookie 7-footer's attitude was "as good as you could get."

After playing in the Rocky Mountain Revue in July, Koufos returned to Canton, where he worked on his shooting, conditioning and strength. He was back in Utah by early September and paid visits to the Jazz's practice facility at all hours. Sometimes he was there, shooting and lifting weights by himself, well after midnight. "It's a 24/7 facility," Koufos said, "so I'll just use it to the max." How much time did he put in? "A lot," he said. "Let's just put it that way. A lot."

O'Connor said Koufos' work ethic was at a different level than most players that he'd seen come to the NBA out of high school or after one year of college.

"He's going to hit a wall somewhere along the line, I'm sure, and go through some stuff, but so far he's worked extremely hard," O'Connor said. "And if you're that size and you work hard and you've got some skills, you usually succeed."

Koufos' shooting is his greatest strength, but his focus for right now is on the defensive end. Sloan's praise suggests that Koufos might be able to contribute as a rookie, even though his age would suggest otherwise.

"He doesn't get to the back of the line and stay there," Sloan said. "He's willing to step up and get after it."

From North Dakota State Basketball

Three Kinds of People in this World
1. Those that make things happen

2. Those that watch things happen

3. Those that wonder what happened

Greatest Attitude In the World! (Click on the box to see it)

This is the note posted from a 25 year old Navy SEAL outside his hospital room. He had been shot 8 times in Afghanistan, has had 22 surgeries, and will need at least 8 more. With all of these problems, he still plans on going back and serving his country. This guy is a true hero.

RIGHT CLICK ON THE PICTURE AND CHOOSE OPEN PICTURE

A Real Work Ethic

Story from the Washington Post:

When Kobe Bryant voiced his desire that the Los Angeles Lakers trade him last summer, and even in the weeks leading up to the preseason, his chief concern was that the players around him couldn't help him contend for a championship.

Coach Phil Jackson said Bryant's belief stemmed from the rest of the Lakers struggling in the second half of last season. When that happened, Jackson said Bryant grew frustrated and tried to do it all, and the Lakers fell in the first round of the playoffs for a second straight year.

But once Bryant came to grips with the fact the Lakers wouldn't trade him, he met with Jackson to figure out a way to get more out of his supporting cast.

"When we met earlier this fall, we resolved that it wasn't going to happen again like [the second half of last year] to us," Jackson said of Bryant shouldering the load and seeing no payoff. "So he's been really inclusive and encouraged his teammates even to the point of getting guys going late in the ballgame when he feels guys need help or support to pick their game up. So that's been the key for us this year."

Bryant's new approach caused his teammates to pay attention more closely to how he approached games and practices. They began to understand how and why he did things the way he did.

With his teammates responding in a positive way and showing a desire to make sacrifices similar to his own to improve, Bryant felt encouraged. That encouragement help him trust his teammates even more both in practices and in games - even in pressure situations.

Here are some of Kobe's and his teammates thoughts:

He's very demanding," guard Sasha Vujacic said. "And at the beginning, my first year, I had to understand his way of being competitive and the way things are."

"You try to compete against him, and there's no competing against him," forward Lamar Odom said. "If we have a 10 a.m. practice, Kobe is there at 8:45 preparing to be the best. And some of that has rubbed off on me and my teammates, and that's why I'm sitting here talking to you today."

I think it was just an evolution," Bryant said of the improved relationship between him and his teammates. "The most important step towards trusting my teammates was seeing that they wanted it as much as I do. So by me seeing them work hard ... I saw they wanted to put for that effort. It made it a lot easier."