Friday, April 29, 2011

Weather Warrior

It is Friday and a little Tom Waite comes to my mind.

"With tornado watches issued shortly



Before noon Sunday, for the areas


Including, the western region


Of my mental health


And the northern portions of my


Ability to deal rationally with my


Disconcerted precarious emotional


Situation, it's cold out there


Colder than a ticket taker's smile


At the Ivar Theatre, on a Saturday night." (From Tom Waite's "Emotional Weather Report")

Burn Their Boats


A story from Iowa Hawkeye defensive coordinator Norm Parker

"Imagine everyday you are stuck on a desert island. Each morning a group of natives come ashore, and they steal your food, burn your village, and then they go back to their island. How long can you take this? How long will you live before you will be killed? Or, do you fight?


There will come a time, when you can no longer take it,you are tired, hungry, sad, and lonely. At that point you decide that you will go down to the beach, and you will burn the native’s boats. At that time, you will go back to your village, and you will fight the fight of your life.


Every day, every day, burn their boats, burn your opponent’s boats every day. Fight the fight of your life every day!"

The Airport


Jimmy Buffett mentions in one of his songs, that one of the most exciting places in the world is standing in an airport terminal looking at the departures. I could not agree more, especially when you are looking to see if your flight is on time. Travel is an incredible form of education.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

The Leader of the Empire

"I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals."


Winston Churchill

An Ordinary Warrior


"The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse."

Carlos Castaneda

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Medical Emergency

Jesup band teacher Kraig Emick sends out what he calls his groaners by email. Often he has one that I laugh out loud at. Today’s groaner may have been his award winner. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

“Should a Child Witness Childbirth? (Here's your answer.)

Due to a power outage, only one paramedic responded to the call. The house was very dark, so the paramedic asked Kathleen, a 3-year-old girl, to hold a flashlight high over her mommy so he could see while he helped deliver the baby.

Very diligently, Kathleen did as she was asked. Heidi pushed and pushed and after a little while, Connor was born. The paramedic lifted him by his little feet and patted him on his bottom. Connor began to cry.

The paramedic then thanked Kathleen for her help and asked the wide-eyed 3-year-old what she thought about what she had just witnessed.

Kathleen quickly responded, 'He shouldn't have crawled in there in the first place........spank him again!'”

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Diplomacy

In 1983 a ten year old girl from Maine named Samantha Smith, sent a letter to Soviet leader Yuri Andropov asking why the Soviet Union wanted to rule the world? Read the answer from Andropov along with the letter that Samantha sent.  Read More

The Warrior

“An average man is too concerned with liking people or with being liked himself. A warrior likes, that’s all. He likes whatever or whomever he wants, for the hell of it.”

 Carlos Castaneda

I Am Alive

"I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing."
                                                Agatha Christie

Paying For the Airforce

Make the checks payable to me.
Read More

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

The Norwegian Infantry

The marathon runner Grete Waitz has died at 57. She won the New York City Marathon nine times. She changed how the world looked at female runners. Read the rememberance written by Philip Hersch in the Chicago Tribune. Read More

The Prince


As I was driving into school this morning, the song by Prince, "Kiss" came on. I remember when it first came out, I really enjoyed it and I still do, here it is. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Education

“Some say that my teaching is nonsense.



Others call it lofty but impractical.



But to those who look inside of themselves, this nonsense makes perfect sense.



Add to those who put it into practice, this loftiness has roots that go deep.



I have just three things to teach: SIMPLICITY, PATIENCE, and COMPASSION.”



Tao te ching #67


Defending the Capital

I heard a basketball coach once say that “defense is a necessary nuisance.” He was just trying to get a rise out of the audience he had at the time. Although, contrary to popular belief, I think defense is important. My theory of defense and a most other people’s theories are extremely different.

With all of this agreed upon, I would like to introduce you to the NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Dwight Howard was physically and mentally the best defender in the NBA the last three years. Howard is written about in this article in SI.com by Zach Lowe. Read More 

Monday, April 18, 2011

Freedom

Tracy Hall went home last Tuesday at his home near Janesville. He was a mountain of a person who could charm anyone in the world, from my mom to the nurses in a hospital room. I can still see him when he was a teenager, at 6’5” 200 pounds. I was younger, but I can still remember him and the prettiest girls’ in Cresco driving by my house in his jeep waving at me like he hadn’t seen me in years. Tracy’s family lived in the house across the alley from ours.


I’ll never forget the day Tracy drove his Jeep into our front yard and my mom almost grabbed him by his long hair and slapped him. He drove all the way down Third Avenue giggling like a school girl about that. I can remember reading the story in the paper about how Tracy was recognized by the Governor for dragging a man from a burning car and saving the man’s life.

The last time I saw Tracy was in Casey’s here in Jesup a few years ago. He still had that grin and that long hair, and he still had time for the not so skinny red haired kid from across the alley with the big ears. My thoughts and prayers go out to his mom Faith, his brother and sister Troy and Kerry, his son and daughter, and his nieces.

This song sung by Dobie Gray fits Tracy’s free spirit.


Sunday, April 17, 2011

Life


Read about this high School cross country coach in San Francisco and how he has affected his team.



Click below for more;

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Censored



Rehab



I had a student walk into class and tell me that she had read my blog about my addiction and I had her thinking I really am an addict. Everyday but one since April second I have golfed, there is no doubt I am addicted to golf. I hate the weather man, I think it is the biggest waste of news time there is on television. Heck, they could use that time for sports. Yet right now I watch the weather everyday, because I want to know what the weather is going to be like when I go golf.



That student said she had an answer to my addiction, rehab.


At that point I started singing Amy Winehouse’s Grammy winning song, “Rehab”. Here it is;

Amy Winehouse
"Rehab"

Retreat




Tracy Chapman’s voice and guitar playing have always had a great sound to me. She was the calm in the storm as hard and acid rock was taking off.  The song “Give Me One Reason to Stay Here” is happy yet bluesy all at once. Enjoy it one more time with me.


Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The General and His Values


When I grew up in Northern Iowa there were two football fans; one that liked the Minnesota Vikings and one that liked the Green Bay Packers. I was a Packer fan. I watched every Sunday on WKBT out of La Crosse. I was a fanatic then. Guys like John Brockington, Macarthur Lane, and John Hadl are who I would talk about on Monday morning in elementary, and junior high school.


Today I am just a fan, although some of the true fanatics give me great pleasure as they talk about “our” Super Bowl Championship. Heck last year I got to go to Green Bay and watch a Lions vs. Packer game. Cross that one off of my “Buckets List”.

Because of my allegiance to the Packers over the years, I have become a big Vince Lombardi fan, and have read a lot of what he wrote about when it comes to competition and success. Recently another teacher sent me this website dealing with inspiration. I found this video dealing with Lombardi, I hope you get as much out of it as I did.


Click below to see the movie.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Guerilla Forces

A coaching friend in Phoenix is a former boxer. He sends me incredible things from time to time. I have no idea why he has chosen to adopt me, but I am truly blessed to know Mario and his wife Vanessa. He sent me this following blog from a Reuter’s photographer. It is inspirational to me and I hope you find inspiration in it as well.


“On some of my first trips around Sao Paulo after moving here, I caught glimpses of life under the city’s many highway viaducts, whether it was of people storing recyclable waste or even living under the bridges. I refer to my roaming excursions in this city as “trips,” because this massive city of nearly 20 million inhabitants is a world in itself.”

The Invasion


I am as patriotic as the next person, but there are times my government lets me down. This version of Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story” is one of those times.

Cease Fire

"I’m feeling froggy, I'm gonna jump."
Anonymous
Three Dog Night
 
"Joy to the World"
 


Friday, April 8, 2011

Science


The gravity is heavy today.

"I wish it would Rain"
The Temptations

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Staff Meeting

I sent this email out to System coaches around the country.
“I am looking for the help of all of you folks on the run and gun sight. I
would like all of you to post one word that describes the System. For example I would put the word "Passion”, because it requires the System team to play with an intensity rarely seen in the traditional game.

Unless you want to there is no need to explain your word.
Thank you for your help.”


Here were their responses.

_____________________________________________________________________


“A lot of words could be used to describe the system... many of the ones used by coaches and sent in are terrific. I thought of a couple more that really explain why I love the system:

"full-speed" "inclusive" "team"

And there's probably a lot more, but the whole idea of being on a "team" and contributing, being involved in at least some way.... that's what run-and-gun is all about!”



Dr. William M. Simmons
_____________________________________________________________________


"Attack"

“This is the word that I say the most during the game and I feel best exemplifies what we are trying to do on offense and defense.”



Keith Freund


_____________________________________________________________________


“MAJESTICAL”

Jon Labeau

_____________________________________________________________________


“Shotdifferential”


Doug Porter

_____________________________________________________________________


“Envied”

Chris Schultz

______________________________________________________________________

“Fun! We have already started open gyms for next year. I have kids coming that have never thought about open gyms at this time of year. I also have seniors coming who will be graduating because they have enjoy it so much more than playing conventional basketball.”


Steve Scholfield

_____________________________________________________________________


“Avant-garde (that maybe 2)”

“To be a warrior is not a simple matter of wishing to be one. It is rather an endless struggle that will go on to the very last moment of our lives. Nobody is born a warrior, in exactly the same way that nobody is born an average man. We make ourselves into one or the other.” -Castaneda

“You can also use the word INTERVAL”

Mr. J. Mario Malaby

_____________________________________________________________________


“"Relentless" describes the system for me because it is so much about playing the percentages over 40 (or 32) minutes. The concept of continuing to come at people over the full duration of the game is what enables those lightning fast runs to occur -- when the opponent either fatigues or the match ups are just right for our team. It is the substitution concept, of course, that enables this to happen. Along with this players need to understand the BIG PICTURE (playing percentages and not getting conservative) and that it is the RELENTLESS "attacking" on offense, on the O boards and defensively in the full and half court that creates our opportunities for success.”

Gary Smith

_____________________________________________________________________


“When recruits used to ask about our style of play, my one word response was always -

INSANE !

(meant it as a compliment to our team's effort - but it covered a lot of other things too).”
Ron Rohn

_____________________________________________________________________


“Have not done it yet but one word I would use is-

Relentless!”

Greg Turcott

_____________________________________________________________________


“2 words-Fast and Furious!”

Nathan McSchooler

_____________________________________________________________________

The Evan Massey Interview

Evan Massey coaches System basketball for the Galesburg High School girl’s basketball team in Galesburg, Illinois. In this interview he talks about the System.



How did you get started coaching the system? What did you think of the System the first time you heard about it?



We had a year where we were below .500, we lacked enthusiasm, and our numbers were not what I thought they should be. I was looking for something to boost our numbers. In our conference the two best teams were successful by slowing things down and making it a half court slug fest. We tried to press and run but they still controlled the tempo. I felt we needed to go to something more extreme to get the game going. And finally based on our strengths- depth, lack of size, and shooting- I thought "The System" gave us the best chance to win.



Would you ever go back to traditional basketball? Why or why not?

Yes, I would go back if the following happened-


A- I felt our players 8-13 were just going through the motion feeling playing time was guaranteed.


B- If I felt our talent dictated a different style to better our chances to win.


I would prefer to remain "The System" but I prefer winning more.



What is the number one thing you enjoy about the system?

I really like the feeling that I am less concerned with evaluating players and more concerned with coaching them. I never realized how much energy I spent deciding which player the best was -ranking my players.


I like the feeling that when things are going well that we are completely dictating how the game will be played.



Do you or have you ever regretted changing to the system?

I think regret is the wrong word. The first year after about every game until Christmas I would wonder how we would have done with traditional style. This year we started out 1-2 and had critics but the players and the coaches all felt good about what we were doing.



You talk about your wife’s influence on you as a coach, how has she affected you the most?

My wife does not really enjoy basketball. She really likes my players and gets involved following them and rooting for them, but she is not into the sport itself. She is a social worker which I think allows her to see the big picture better than I do. Critics and the negative people don't seem to faze her; as a result she has always been positive about me going to "The System." She has helped reinforce that "The System" makes educational sense- more participation, more emphasis on playing hard.



What do you have to do next year to go faster and score more points as a team?

Good question. We got a little slower this year. We went from 70 ppg to 67ppg. We went from 17 wins to 28 wins. Our group next year has potential to be very good three point shooters that will be a start. I think the biggest thing is if we can become better defensively, get more steals and more easy- quick baskets.



What was your most satisfying game this year as a coach?

To be honest, we had several pretty satisfying games. Probably our most satisfying was in our Sectional championship (in Illinois we go Regional, Sectional, Supersectional, State), we defeated the #1 team in our area and we scored 52 points in the first half. It was an awesome display by our girls.



Where did you get the passion you have for basketball?

My father was a retired hs basketball coach when I was young. He put hoops at each end of our basement. So I grew up around bball and went to all the hs games from about 3 years old. I got into girls bball because I wanted something without as much pressure, then we won, and now it has the pressure.



What are your thoughts about the years you invested coaching basketball at the high school level?

I would not change things. Each team has its own identity and is fun. And I really like the chance that hs offers to work with kids in the summer.



What s your passion outside of basketball?

Sadly I don't have much life outside of bball. My family and my son are my interests. When we get a chance to travel I really enjoy that. We have gone to San Fransisco, Washington DC, Gettysburg, the Disney thing, Savannah. We try to go on trip each year. And my son and I are huge Wisconsin Badger fans so we invest a lot of time watching them in person or on TV.



Do you have any regrets about basketball?

Just every stupid choice I made at the end of game that resulted in a loss. You always want those back. Right now there are a couple teams that I look back and wish I had used System then to see how it would have worked.




If you could change one thing about your time in high school basketball what would it be?

What I would like to change is the direction hs sports has taken in our state with two things- 1) the number of transfers. It would be nice if you didn't have to play all-star teams. 2) the AAU movement. Sometimes it seems like it makes hs sports an after- thought with some players and parents.




Who are three people you would like to have dinner with?

I just like to eat so I would eat with any three people. But I think if I could choose-


For an entertaining evening- Charles Barkley, Bill Walton, and Jon Stewart


For an enlightening evening- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Clinton, and Pat Summitt

Leave



Often here in my blog I make fun of my goat roping ways. I was raised in a house that listened to country artist like Hank Williams, Dolly Pardon, Porter Wagner, Charlie Pride, Little Jimmy Dickens, and Johnny Cash. Heck, I was in the hospital for a while in 1981 with June Carter Cash in the same wing. If you would have asked the neighbors and my mom, you would have thought she was family the way they talked about it.

Yet, still the kids in my neighborhood sold me on the rock and roll of the time period. Grand Funk Railroad, Hall and Oats, CCR, Chicago, and as I got older Bob Segar and Leo Sayer were some of my favorites.

Although, my mother was an incredible dancer, I have been barred from any place with music because of my lack of dancing skills. Yet in my high school days, before the ban, I would go to dances at places such as Matters in Decorah. That place burned down, probably because people heard I danced there. I also danced in little towns like Lourdes, Protivin, and Spilleville. I know some of you are formulating some humorous pictures in your mind, so I will stop there.

Here is a song that was a big hit back in those days, Bob Segar’s “Old Time Rock and Roll”.


Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Interview With Bruce Bailey

This interview is the first in a series with coaches that run the System. The first coach I questioned was Bruce Bailey the G-R Rebels Girl’s basketball coach. This was their first year running the system.

How did you get started coaching the system? What did you think of the System the first time you heard about it?

I wanted to up-tempo this season and I wanted to do more pressing and push the ball more. I had talked Coach Gillespie about the system and decided to jump into it with both feet.

I first heard about and witnessed the system about 5-6 years ago when we scrimmaged Dunkerton. I was not sold on the mass substitutions. I didn’t think I would have enough quality players to make it work.



Would you ever go back to traditional basketball? Why or why not?



I won’t say ever, but there is a 99.9% chance that I never will. I love everything about it! First of all it involves all players and gives them a chance to participate, contribute, and be part of the team. It makes poor players average, average player good, and good player’s great. The pace of the game is terrific. With the up-tempo offense and defense it is an exciting style of play that creates a passion for the game that is lacking in many other styles It is very goal oriented which allows players and coaches to focus on what is important to success.. It is fun to coach, play, and watch!!!!!!!!



What is the number one thing you enjoy about the system?



Watching the kids get into it and having fun playing basketball. It promotes a family atmosphere amongst all involved!



Do you or have you ever regretted changing to the system?


ABSOLUTALLY NOT



What do you have to do next year to go faster and score more points as a team?



I think we need to up-tempo our defense more by taking more chances and giving people different looks from line to line. We also need to become better at attacking the basket on the break and in quick hitters if we are initially stopped.



What was your most satisfying game this year as a coach?



There were a lot of satisfying games this season just because of where we were last year and how far we came this year. I will say our first game of the season because we won it and it showed me what the system could do and gave all of us confidence in what we were doing.




Where did you get the passion you have for basketball?



I really don’t know, I have loved basketball since I was a little kid. I think my passion for coaching began when my daughters first became involved in playing. It has grown ever since as I became involved with working with kids and seeing their desire to improve as individual players and as a team. They keep your passion young!



What are your thoughts about the years you invested coaching basketball at the high school level?



I can’t imagine doing anything more worthwhile or rewarding.



What is the biggest fish you have ever caught?



Usually it is at least one inch bigger than the other liar I am talking with.




Do you have any regrets about basketball?



I wish I had started coaching earlier in my life.



If you could change one thing about your time in high school basketball what would it be?



I wish I had cued into the system years ago.



Who are three people you would like to have dinner with?





John F. Kennedy, Bill Russell, George Halas

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Help


Have you ever had a day where the gravity feels heavy? I am a man of anxiety and phobia. Days when I am down, the gravity actually feels heavy, this is called barophobia, the fear of gravity. I am also claustrophobic, afraid of tight or small places, and lately, I am becoming afraid of heights.


About once a month I will wake up in the middle of the night, and the darkness closes in on me. I pop out of bed and I turn on as many lights as I possibly can. Sometimes it is so bad that I have to run outside of the house. If people were to go by my house, they would think I was trying to light all of the Chatham area.

I can trace this back to my years at Camp Courageous, my roommate and I were responsible for leading staff and clients through Picture Rock Cave, we were the lead spelunkers. When we would train the other counselors we would lead them through it, and when groups were taken we were usually asked to lead them.

A little bit about Picture Rock Cave; it is a half-a-mile into the bluffs overlooking the Maquoketa River outside of Monticello, Iowa. The first 100 yards are like crawling through a 100 yard barrel. The next 250 yards are about five feet tall and two feet wide, the final fifty yards are a series of small rooms. Enough, it is starting to freak me out just writing about it.

Any how one night, the second fall I worked there, at three in the morning, my roommate awoke screaming. He was under his blankets and he was dreaming he was trapped in the cave. That was both of our beginning of the end of going spelunking.

The last long trip I took was to Africa. It was about 15 hours of sitting on a plane. I almost ran down the isle of the plane screaming “momma” I felt so confined. Then to make matters worse we sat on the tarmac in Paris for three hours. As I sat in the middle seat, there were two gentlemen, one on each side of me, about my size. I do not know if I will ever fly again.

As the old song says “can I get a witness?”

"Some Kind of Wonderful"
Grand Funk Railroad

Monday, April 4, 2011

President Truman


"When Kansas and Colorado have a quarrel over the water in the Arkansas River they don't call out the National Guard in each state to go to war over it. They bring a suit in the Supreme Court of the United States and abide by the decision. There isn't a reason in the world why we cannot do that internationally." Harry S. Truman.