ANYTIME, ANYWHERE WORKOUT

Many of you have read about my Anytime, Anywhere Workouts here in East Lansing, MI.  It’s a one hour drill session I have been conducting the past few weeks for boys and girls grades 6-12.

It doesn’t cost the player a thing! We just ask to bring your own basketball and your energy.

I have reached out to some friends who have brought their kids and have spread the word to others. We have been able to get the total of players to 14.  Not bad…

I also have sent in the announcement to the local newspaper, The Lansing State Journal.

The paper has a very small section on page 2 of the Sports section titled, ‘Notices‘; local teams, coaches and organizations post different camps, clinics and coaching job openings.

It’s a very useful tool, no doubt.

They have posted my announcement three times this summer – this morning I received an e-mail back stating they will no longer be able to accommodate my FREE basketball workout.

Now understand this, posting something in this section does not require one to pay anything – it’s a free service.  So for them to discontinue posting my workout has me scratching my head.

Every couple of days, you see two, maybe three announcements. I find it hard to believe they can’t post my FREE Basketball Workout for the kids from the community of Lansing.

Anyways, this blog has been the best platform!

Anytime, Anywhere Free Basketball Workout.
Whitehills School Outdoor Courts located on Lake Lansing Road in East Lansing
Tuesday Sept 2, 2008
Grades 6-12, 6:30 – 7:30PM

One hour of fundamental drills. Boys and Girls.

BYOB – Bring your own basketball.
More information contact Steve Finamore
E-mail: Hoops135@hotmail.com

A GOOD GUY

How often can you actually call an athlete a good person?

That’s what I always try and figure out after I work someone out or if I meet someone.  I always try and notice if they are a good person or not.  It doesn’t take much to realize if someone has a warm personality.

Over the years I also love to read about basketball players who are good people on and off the court.

David Friedman at 20 Second Timeout has a couple of stories about one of the most exciting players to ever step on the floor but most importantly, Julius Erving was a very nice person off the floor.

As a youngster growing up in New York City, I recall waiting for the Philadelphia 76ers to come out of Madison Square Garden after defeating the New York Knicks on a cold, snowy January night. There must’ve been about six or seven of us. We were hanging out just to try and catch a glimpse of Erving, Moses and Mo Cheeks.

About an hour after the game, when everyone was long gone, we were able to see them all, even Billy Cunningham, the head coach. We even caught a glimpse of assistant coach Chuck Daily. He was looking dapper as an assistant!

Erving spent the most time with us – he asked us how we were doing, where we played and where we were from. All this while signing autographs (he was kind enough to take his leather gloves off).

They don’t make them like Doctor J anymore.

THE EYES

I spoke at a basketball camp today – what a great experience!

The players were into it.

I like to throw in a few drills during the lecture.

The one thing I noticed was every pair of eyes were on me. No one was looking around the gym, tying their shoe, or texting a friend.

How many times do you take your eyes off your coach while they are teaching? You often look at a team huddle and while the coach is speaking, you always see that ‘one’ player not paying attention.

It’s vital to always look at your coach when they are speaking.

Eye contact is important.

Look at your coach!

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

SPRINT THE FLOOR

How many times do you hear it?  ’Run the floor, run the floor’.  Or how about, ‘Go screen someone’.

I like to say, ‘Sprint the floor’. or ‘Sprint to screen’.

It boggles my mind why players refuse to sprint up and down the court instead of jogging.

Phil Jackson on the best athlete he has ever coached thanks to Ball Don’t Lie.

Baller Blogger on Dennis Rodman.

Rodman belongs on any list of the top ten power forwards of all-time.  And when you look at what Rodman was able to accomplish and the manner in which he accomplished it, it’s not far-fetched to believe Jackson when he says Rodman was the greatest athlete he ever coached.

COACH K IN THE MOMENT

The coach of Team USA Mike Krzyzewski via NBC Sports.com

“Sometimes being here at Duke, because we’ve been very, very successful … they expect you to be perfect. They don’t look at process anymore,” Krzyzewski said. “It’s like, ‘What, we haven’t gone to the Final Four? What, we didn’t win the national (title)? Very spoiled, and it ruins it a little bit — really, a lot.

“Part of that then becomes, you win, and sometimes you’re just relieved to win,” he added. “I’m not saying that it happens all the time, but it happens. At the end of that Spain game, most people would say, ‘Weren’t you relieved?’ No, I wasn’t. I was exhilarated. It was euphoric. It was the way it should be. That’s the way it’s going to be for the rest of my career here at Duke.”

 

HIT THE OPEN MAN!

I could still hear the late great Red Holzman, head basketball of the New York Knicks preaching those words to his Knicks teams back in the 70’s.

What a pleasure it was to see Team USA do just that in China.

Instead of an open shot, they always moved the ball and got an even better shot.

On the fast break it was enjoyable to watch them run the lanes and share the ball.

Here’s Spain’s big man Pau Gasol on Team USA:

“It wasn’t so much individual stuff and individual talent, it was more teamwork – probably well-directed by the coaching staff.”

This coming from a very good player and Kobe Bryant’s teammate in LA.

Sure the D-D-M offense is getting a lot of play as of late and teams are running less sets on the offensive end but, it still and always will boil down to sharing the ball and having a selfless attitude.

The attitude of the ball player needs to be adjusted and formed before any kind of offensive philosophy is instilled.

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

ANYTIME, ANYWHERE WORKOUTS

August, Anytime, Anywhere Free Basketball Workout.
Whitehills School Outdoor Courts located on Lake Lansing Road in East Lansing
Thursday  Aug 28th, 2008
Grades 6-12, 6:30 – 7:30PM

One hour of fundamental drills. Boys and Girls.

BYOB – Bring your own basketball.
More information contact Steve Finamore
E-mail: Hoops135@hotmail.com

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

KOBE: TEAM FIRST

I had a guy tell me today, ‘I used to hate Kobe Bryant’.

But then he added, ‘But after watching him in the Olympics, I don’t hate him anymore, I love him’. 

I told him he has a love-hate relationship with Kobe.

SF Gate.com on Kobe Bryant and his celebrity status plus team-first attitude in China.  Coach K speaks of the U.S. Players:

“Everybody wants to talk about NBA players being selfish, being ignorant, being individuals,” Krzyzewski said. “What you saw today was a team bonding together, facing adversity, and coming out of here with a big win.”

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

3 LETTERS ON THE FRONT

Those were the words spoken by D-Wade after he led Team USA to the Gold medal over Spain last night, 118-107. Wade had 27 points, coming off the bench.

I was one of the many who stayed up and tuned in for the 2:30AM tip-off. Living in Michigan, I was able to tune into CBC, the Canadian television station. Jay Triano, a former player and current NBA assistant coach did a remarkable job with the color analysis.

If you love the game, you don’t even think about TIVO, taping or even the encore presentation the following morning.

This will be the first of many installments Team USA’s Gold medal.

First, the Culture:

We can all agree that basketball in the U.S. took a beating by the media, fans, pundits, and disgruntled coaches. Everyone and their brother had an opinion on why USA basketball hasn’t been as dominant as in the past. Words to describe the downfall; Too selfish, playing for personal glory instead of team, being uncoachable and being a jerk on and off the court.

Team USA captured the Gold medal last night – this experience should be the blueprint on ‘How to Play the Right Way’.

The culture of today’s game is going to take a turn for the better. Players need to win not only on the court but off it as well.

As we have mentioned numerous times here at Play the Right Way, your attitude is key. Clean up the attitude and things will improve.

Michael Redd and Carlos Boozer didn’t get off the bench last night but were involved throughout the game by pulling for their teammates. They could’ve whined and complained at the end of the bench but no, they ‘get it’!

Don’t worry about scoring. Worry about passing the ball, ‘Hitting the open man’.

Stop the pouting.

Pull for your teammates.

Run the floor hard.

Defend, really get down in your stance and check someone. Stop dribble penetration.

I give Spain a lot of credit. They played without their starting point guard Jose Calderon. Ricky Rubio did a fine job filling in for him. That kid is going to be special.

The Gasol’s played well and I was very impressed with Rudy Fernandez who fouled out at the 3:00 mark with 22 points.

The ultimate compliment came late in the game when the CBC annoucner said, “USA is classy.”

That is something you did not hear early in this decade.

Coming tomorrow, The Fundamentals.

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

LATE NIGHT HOOPS

Or is it early morning?

USA-Spain tip off at 2:30AM eastern time for the Gold Medal.

Wonder who will stay up and watch? Or will you tune in later that day for the encore presentation? Or will you TIVO?

I know my guy Herb Welling will be up pouring the java, breaking down the game and calling me after each quarter.

Do the Spaniards have a chance?

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!