My buddy “PC” made a comment recently about Mark Jackson getting the Golden State coaching job. He commented that point guards tend to make good coaches. They are forced to really know the game and get everyone into the flow of the game. It made sense but I decided to look for myself.
I looked at the NBA coaches with 300 and more wins. I looked at what position they played in college or professionally. I broke it out by guards, forwards, and centers, I did not get more specific like point guard, shooting guard, power forward, etc… There may be errors and I welcome all corrections.
I was not able to identify the appropriate information on all the coaches.
In the chart below, if there is a ‘?’, I simply did not know the answer. If there is an ‘x’, I believe they did not play college or pro hoops.
There are 84 NBA Coaches who have 300 or more wins.
46 of them played guard. Please note, if someone played both forward and guard, they were counted for both positions.
(xx) 27 coaches either (a) did not play basketball, or (b) I could not determine the position he played.
84 coaches minus the 27 (xx above) leaves us with 57 coaches to use in this exercise.
So 46 of the 57 coaches played the guard position in college or professional basketball.
80% of these NBA coaches played guard.
That’s an amazing statistic; more than I would have expected.
(Note: I am sure the stats on these coaches are incomplete or inaccurate. Even if I’m off by 10%, that’s still pretty amazing.)
With his self-aggrandizing, narcissistic one-hour TV exit – The Decision – LeBron James ruined his public image, not racism. LeBron inflicted more damage to his image Wednesday night when he told CNN’s Soledad O’Brien that race is a factor in the public backlash against him since The Decision.
Lebron, just between us, do you really believe it’s race? Come on. Really. Tell me. It’s just between you and me.
When I watched the beginning of The Decision, it brought back memories of Rocky’s Apollo Creed coming into the room in an Uncle Sam costume.
I cannot know what it’s like to be a person of color in America. I cannot know what it’s like to be a multi-millionare at age 23. I cannot know what it feels like to have people kissing my butt since I was a little kid because I was going to be a world class athlete.
I can give you a bit of advice from John Q Public.
People are smarter than you think. Do not underestimate them. (Example:) Nobody fell for The Decision being a fundraiser for The Boys and Girls Club. We all know it was about you.
You can’t fight the press. And with the number of microphones being stuck in your face, you are bound to make some errors.
Take ownership. Take a step back. Hire a top public relations firm. You should worry about playing basketball.
With his self-aggrandizing, narcissistic one-hour TV exit – The Decision – LeBron James ruined his public image, not racism. LeBron inflicted more damage to his image Wednesday night when he told CNN’s Soledad O’Brien that race is a factor in the public backlash against him since The Decision.With his self-aggrandizing, narcissistic one-hour TV exit – The Decision – LeBron James ruined his public image, not racism. LeBron inflicted more damage to his image Wednesday night when he told CNN’s Soledad O’Brien that race is a factor in the public backlash against him since The Decision.
Lebron – you need to surround yourself with different people. Who is guiding you?
This move to ask for an hour on ESPN to announce your decision, shows you in bad light.
Don’t pretend it’s for charity. (Yes, we all know the advertising proceeds will go to The Boys And Girls Clubs.That’s nice. You can write a check to the charity for more than they will make tonight.)
Please don’t kid yourself. We all know it’s all about you - Lebron. It doesn’t sit well with people.
This is not helping your brand. It’s simply showing your ego and how “Team James” is misguiding you. A simple press conference would have been appropriate.
People rise and fall quickly. This is not what Michael Jordan would have done it. Perhaps you should speak with MJ?
Are you starting to believe you really are King James?
<You need to read the post OK Fess Up Calvin before reading this post. >
IF the Affair of Lebron Jame’s Mom with Delonte West is untrue and just big business trying to manipulate where Lebron James ends up (see post) – this is the news – that team should have released. (For this fairytale, let’s assume Calvin Murphy was paid-off and use the New York Knicks as the culprits.)
The Headline on The Huffington Post would have read:
Lebron can’t play with anyone who is messing with his mom. Any team that had someone who was with his mom would be immediately eliminated from the Lebron James Sweepstakes.
Delonte West gets him to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Devin Harris would eliminate the NJ Nets.
Blake Griffin would eliminate the LA Clippers.
Derrick Rose would eliminate the Chicago Bulls.
Michael Beasley would eliminate the Miami Heat.
Dirk Nowitzki would eliminate the Dallas Mavericks.
Both won the top collegiate individual awards (player of the year and Heisman Trophy)
Both are hard-working, good citizens.
Both will have difficult times in their professional sports (NFL, NBA). Hansbrough may actually have a better chance of making a “good length” career in the NBA than Tebow in the NFL.
Congratulations to Tim Tebow on a great collegiate career. Please be open-minded in the NFL. You may need to be a part-time hybrid quarterback and receiver. Get in the league and show your value. All the cards will then fall into place. We wish you the best.
A few months ago I was chatting with a junior business student at LSU on the phone. I asked him who was the best athlete of all time at LSU. I told him not to say Shaquille O’Neill. Not Bob Pettit. Not Kevin Faulk. Not Jamarcus Russell. He didn’t answer.
I asked the student, who is your gym named after?
The best, most dominant athlete to play at LSU was “Pistol: Pete Maravich. He dominated collegiate basketball like no one else. He has the record of averaging 44 points per game for his career (3 years. Back then freshmen were not allowed on varsity teams.) He was a show-man and flashy. He changed the game.
Many of his scoring records will never be broken.
Here are just a sampling of some of this collegiate records:
Holds NCAA career record for highest points per game average (44.2 ppg)
Led the NCAA Division I in scoring with 43.8 ppg (1968); 44.2 (1969) and 44.5 ppg (1970)
Averaged 43.6 ppg on the LSU freshman team (1967)
Three-time AP and UPI First-Team All-America (1968, 1969, 1970)
It’s great watching a team come back during the the 4th quarter of an NBA game. Exciting. That’s what sports is all about.
If a player gets fouled during the act of shooting, and the shot is good, he has the opportunity to take a free throw and make a three-point play. He has the opportunity of increasing the point total of the play by 50% (Increasing from 2 to 3 points).
If a player if fouled when shooting a “three pointer”, and the shot is good, he has the opportunity to take a free throw and make a four-point play.
To keep games exciting in the fourth quarter, here is a new NBA rule proposal:
During the final 4 minutes of the fourth quarter, and for the final 4 minutes of all subsequent overtime periods, a player successfully hitting a “three pointer” while being fouled in the act of shooting, will get 2 free throws. (The player, will in affect, have the opportunity of a five-point play.)
This would allow more teams to comeback late in games and add to the excitement for the fans. The NBA (and advertisers) will also benefit because more fans will watch games later into the games because of the potential of an exciting comeback.
Let’s face it. The NY Knicks are a horrible sports product. Bad team. Bad management (that is hopefully getting better now that Isiah Thomas is gone). The only reason they have any revenue is because of (1) corporate sales, and (2) convenience of the location of Madison Square Garden and Penn Station.
In recent years the team has not improved. There is no indication this coming year will be any better.
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The Knick goal for the next few seasons should be the following:
Clear Salary Cap Room.
Clear More Salary Cap Room.
Get a few solid young players.
SIGN LEBRON JAMES!
When Lebron James becomes a free agent after the 2010 season, the Knicks must sign him. Hopefully, they will have collected a solid group of role players to support him. This will make the Knicks franchise on the rise. Lebron will give us a winning team and he will be largest star in NY. NY should be his the top choice on his list of franchises. Imagine all the opportunities he would have!
But… the rumors are that the NJ Nets (Brooklyn Nets?) may get Lebron James when he becomes a free agent. If the Nets get Lebron James and have decent mass transit to their new Brooklyn arena, say good-bye to the Knicks. The Nets will become New York’s team. And Lebron will still have many of the same opportunities he would have playing for the Knicks.
So… Hopefully, the Knicks are already working on the strategy on how to sign King Lebron James! They need to do whatever it takes!
One of my favorite quotes is from the movie Other People’s Money. It relates to institutions making rules and the targeted parties working around the new rules….
Kate Sullivan: Someday, we’ll smarten up, change some laws, and put you OUT OF BUSINESS. Lawrence Garfield (Danny Devito): You can change all the laws you want. You can’t stop the game. I’ll still be here. I adapt.
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According to the NY Times (6.23.08, Sports Section) Brandon Jennings, a great high school basketball player, may work around the NBA’s minimum age rule by heading to Europe to play professional basketball.
To prevent high school players from jumping to the NBA, the NBA instituted a rule requiring a player to be at least 19 years of age and one year removed from high school.
So, the NBA, NCAA, and the NBA Players Association get together and require individuals to play at least one year in college, knowing (a) he has no desire to get a college education, (b) the schools benefit financially through tournament money, and (c) the coaches get additional recognition.
How does the player benefit from the deal? Hmmm….. He doesn’t…
Brandon Jennings adapted, worked around the rule, and found the loophole.
Head to Europe. Sign a short term contract to play professional basketball. Earn good money. Work on and improve skills. Get solid basketball experience against better talent than in college. Live like a rock star.
He may enjoy living and playing ball in Europe and choose NOT to head to the NBA!
Congratulations to the NBA World Champion Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Chris Wallace, and especially Danny Ainge. They really turned around the franchise in world record time. Wallace and Ainge gave Rivers the talent. Rivers blended and inspired them. Kudos to all.
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The NBA’s Celtics Lakers series showed the world NBA basketball is still the American game.
The Lakers bring in all these talented but soft players that get them out of the Western Conference but show their vulnerability when the games get physical.
Pau Gasol – too soft to play big and no defense… and absolutely NO defensive fundamentals. (He NEVER stepped up on the pick and rolls to make Paul Pierce take an indirect route to the basket. Horrible defensively.)
Vladimir Radmanovic – chucker and no defense
Sasha Vujacic – soft and no defense
I do not recall any European-raised basketball player ever being praised for his defensive prowess.
The Celtics won playing smart, hard-nosed, defensive basketball.
And amazingly, there is not one foreign-raised player on this Celtics roster: Ray Allen , Tony Allen , P.J. Brown , Sam Cassell , Glen Davis , Kevin Garnett , Eddie House , Kendrick Perkins , Paul Pierce , Scot Pollard , James Posey , Leon Powe , Gabe Pruitt , Rajon Rondo , Brian Scalabrine.
Very interesting.
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Once again, congratulations to the Celtics. You earned it.
Message to Lakers and Lakers fans: Keep your chins Up! Remember Andrew Bynum comes back next year!
who was the best athlete of all time at LSU. I told him not to say Shaquille O’Neill. Not Bob Pettit. Not Kevin Faulk. Not Jamarcus Russell. He didn’t answer.
what sports is all about.
blended and inspired them. Kudos to all.
