SOLID PEOPLE

You see it all the time – the one basketball player who is a pain in the ass.  The guy who shows up late, disrespects others, fails a class or two becoming ineligible, and is uncoachable, etc.

Where and when does that behavior start?

Steve Smith and Eric Snow, two outstanding citizens and former NBA players are working for NBA TV previewing the league.  These guys are ROLE MODELS!

They played the game the right way, were great teammates and most of all, you didn’t see them in the police blotter Sunday morning.

I have met both guys and came away very impressed with their behavior.  Snow would return to Michigan State and work with the players on their game, giving them pointers.  Steve Smith stops by the Michigan State basketball camp in the summer to take in the action – the guy will have a conversation with anyone.  I have seen in the past,  big-time players show up at a camp, speak and then leave (with paycheck in hand).

Is it too hard to be a good person?

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

GET IN BETTER SHAPE

Everyone wants to play the game fast.  They want to push the ball and shoot three’s.  They want to press, trap and cause turnovers so they can get out on the break, fill lanes and finish.  Players want to take their defender off the dribble and drive to the rim.

But before you can do all of that, you must be in great shape.

Larry Brown, head basketball coach of the Charlotte Bobcats on Sean May, formerly of North Carolina.  Thanks to the GMA News for the story.

“Right now I don’t think he’s ready to play at all,” Brown said Saturday. “I think he’s trying, but I don’t think he’s in the kind of shape to be able to compete on this level and do all the things he’s capable of doing.”

As a basketball player you need to be in great shape.  If you expect to play pressure defense then run the floor and execute the offense; if you expect to come off screens, sprint to screen, crash the offense boards you better workout! Ride the bike, jog, do your ‘ups’, skip rope…

Already criticized for being too puffy in the middle, May spent 14 weeks on crutches and his weight soared. May has been slow to regain his conditioning since being cleared to play 5-on-5 in September.

I hope May speeds the conditioning process up.  I hope he’s committed to getting treatment and working out with the fine training staff in Charlotte.

“I’ve got to get in better shape. I’ve got to get in better condition,” May said. “I haven’t played in so long that, boom, it’s hit me smack dab in the face. I’m picking up some early fouls due to being out of position. My timing is a little off. Now, here in a week we’re getting ready to play, so I’ve got to do a lot of work.”

With a boss like Michael Jordan, one of the greatest conditioned athletes in all of sports, you know the Bobcats brass will be watching May very close.

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY

GET YOUR SHOTS UP

We had our first scrimmage last night at Jackson Community College. It went well…at times.

Our shooting struggled early but the guys picked it up late.

The one thing we realized is that we need to keep working on our outside shooting; not only in practice but before and after practice.  We also need to have guys get in the gym on off-days.

The key to being an improved shooter is reps!

Many players who struggle with their outside shooting need to spend time in the gym; there’s no question about it.

Tell me, who is going to be a better shooter – the player who only comes to practice and gets his shots up in drills and 5 on 5, or the player who gets those shots up and hits the gym on the off days and gets up many more shots?

Why do players arrive early and stay late?

Why did Larry Bird, shoot hundreds of jumpers four hours before games?

Chris Mullin, the former NBA sharp-shooter use to spend everyday of his high school and college career in the gym at Xaverian high school, Alumni hall and in the schoolyards of Flatbush.

Did he become a great shooter by just going to practice, getting up shots in those two hours or was it the extra reps he put in?

Jason Richardson, whom as a junior at Arthur Hill high school in Saginaw, Michigan couldn’t shoot from the outside.  When he arrived at Michigan State he worked very hard on his shooting.

We have a few guys at JCC who shoot it better than others on our team; the bottom line is the better shooters spend more time in the gym than the guys who are poor shooters.  One player, who shall remain nameless has become a much better outside shooter this year than last.  The big key? He’s lived in the gym!

Every shooter has a different form – some more fundamentally sound than others.  Coaches all have different views on how shooters can improve their shot.  But the one thing that is always preached with the coaches I know is, ‘get up your shots’.

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

VIOLATION OF TEAMS RULES

As a coach, if one of your athletes violates a team rule, what kind of punishment do you hand out?

Sure some rules deserve a harsher punishment than others, but do you go through with the required punishment?

Say for instance, the 12th man on your basketball team and the star player committed the same foolish act but at different times.  Would you treat both players the same?

Central Michigan University head coach Ernie Zeigler has dismissed one of his players for violation of team rules.  The Sports Network has the story.

“Playing Division I basketball is a privilege that requires a strong commitment to the program,” Zeigler said. “We wish Marcus the best in any future endeavors he pursues.”

Well said coach.  I think many in sports, lose sight of that concept.

SHINE

Why do players give more effort and concentrate more on the offensive end of the floor than they do on the defensive end?  Just think how good someone would be if they put all the time into working on their defense as they do their shooting!  Pressuring the ball, having active hands, getting deflections, drawing charges, helping, closing out on shooters, rotating, scrambling, etc.

Bo Ryan at the University of Wisconsin via The Badger Herald.

The necessity for sound fundamentals and a lack of a showy offense, in my opinion, connects well with the people of the state. Wisconsinites understand and appreciate hard-working players and their determination for success, which matches the demeanor of Ryan and his players; they can relate well with those who feel the same way about their work, no matter the occupation.

These schoolkids now have an outdoor court to hone their skills.  Thanks to the Williston Herald for the story.

Delonte West and his personal battles via Cleveland.com

“Before you can help out a team or an organization, you’ve got to be able to help yourself first so you can give your undivided attention to the job at hand,” West said softly. “I removed myself from the team so I could get myself together so I could not be a distraction to the team and what we’re trying to accomplish here.”

“For a while you feel like a weaker man because you’ve got to raise your hand and ask for help. But I found out over the last week that made me a stronger person.”

I am fast becoming a Delonte West fan…

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

CHECKING IN

How many times do you see a player get called from the coach on the bench and the player takes his time walking to the scorers table to check into the game?

Why don’t guys jog to the table? Hustle! Get there as quick as you can!

Michael Curry, Detroit Pistons head coach on something that may seem trival to some, but important to him. “My point is, get to to the table and get all your other stuff taken care of.  Because you may cost me three or four possessions that you’re still at the table, because you didn’t get there in time when I called you.”

-Citizan Patroit Oct. 19th, 2008

A.Sharrod Blakely, ‘Curry keeps Pistons on their toes.’

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

PLAYER BLOGS

You see more and more athletes writing blogs – it’s the thing to do!

I came across a blog written by New York Knicks guard Jamal Crawford. Interesting stuff.

I would love to see someone write about their workouts, practice and their mental approach towards the game.

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

STUDENT-ATHLETE SEMINAR

For all in Michigan, Sunday Oct. 19th at 10 AM until 1Pm we will be conducting a Student-Athlete Seminar on the campus of Jackson Community College in Jackson, MI.

The Seminar will cover basketball workouts on the court, a tour of our campus including our brand new Campus View apartments (dorm) and lectures from academic and Financial Aid advisers.

E-mail Coach Finamore for more information.

hoops135@hotmail.com

TOO TIRED?

This morning while listening to the radio, Bob Costas had an interview/commentary regarding Kobe Bryant and if he was too tired from the Summer Olympics.

Too tired?

You kidding me?

This is the biggest myth/fallacy/lie/excuse in all of sports – you know, the one where when guys play ball in the summer for their country in the Olympics.  ’so and so will be too tired during the NBA season’.

Give me a break.

Kobe had a great response, he said he wasn’t tired from playing all summer, but now he was in game shape, instead of taking a couple of weeks during training camp to get into game shape.

Don’t insult a guy like Kobe Bryant, D-Wade, LeBron James or even Chris Paul by asking if they are too tired.  These guys love the game and will compete!

Don’t forget, these guys make millions of dollars, are working a job they love and living a great life.

Try working construction 10 hours a day, 6 days a week.  How about working two jobs, raising a family, or being a coal-miner.

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

JUST CONCERNED WITH SCORING

As I read about all the great offensive players who can score on anyone during NBA training camp and the start of college basketball, I hear/read comments like,  ‘The guy can really break down his man and get to the rim’ or, ‘He is a great outside shooter’ and then you have, ‘He’s unstoppable in the post’.  I often wonder if the guy can do anything else on the floor to help his team win besides scoring?

Jerry Sloan of the Utah Jazz on one of his player’s Morris Almond via The Salt Lake Tribune. (Special thanks to True Hoop for the link)

If you looked at the box score, you’d probably think Almond had a pretty good gave. He scored 10 points and hit 5 of 10 shots in 19 minutes. Only Okur and Korver scored more. But Sloan was not happy, judging from his postgame comments.

“Well, he scored points, but I’m disappointed with the way he runs the floor,” Sloan said. “He looks like he’s not concerned about running the floor and helping defensively. We can’t afford to have that, especially out of our mid-sized people.

“I mean, everybody likes to score. But if that’s all you’re going to do, then it’s hard to play to win. Numbers are one thing, but you can win with less numbers and more effort on the other side.

“He’s got to rebound the ball, pass the basketball, learn to do some other things, rather than just being a one-dimensional player.”

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!