The Offseason Arrives Suddenly

Writing a daily piece during the season is easy. Content literally flies off the shelf. Offseason, not so much...

And more pitfalls:

1. You make some unhappy. When Shey Peddy was on Melrose Girls' Basketball, it was easy. She's the star, the alpha, the lead dog. Everyone else was in the orbit to her Copernican sun. No matter how much you love your child, she's not anywhere near as pivotal to the team as the future WNBA champion.

2. Some people get a lot of 'ink' and others not so much. I remember 'playing' long ago and figuratively being in the Witness Protection Program some games. That's because the coach, Sonny Lane, felt (correctly) that gave us the best chance to win. What was the local 'beat reporter' supposed to write, "so-and-so entered the game with seven seconds left, up nine, and proceeded to do nothing?" 

3. I leave out important people. Assistant coaches get close to zero attention, even though they help with teaching, strategy, game planning, and player development. Critical players get left out of an article. It happens. Bad journalism...and I own that. 

4. Stuff is confidential. When people share material in confidence, it won't appear here. There's an old saying about keeping secrets. "To keep a secret, don't share it."

5. Dot b. Stop and take a breath. Sometimes I rush. 

6. B+. Be positive. Players are not professionals. Everyone out there is doing their best to be successful and to help the team.

7. Life isn't fair. No matter how many players you have, you can only put six players on the court at once. To reiterate Bill Parcells, "coaches are the most selfish people. They put the guys on the field whom they believe give them the best chance to win." 

8. "Comparison is the thief of joy." - Teddy Roosevelt   Melrose had many terrific players and teams throughout the decades I've watched. Seventeen earned All-State honors so far. Who's the best? The best what? The best all-around player, best outside, best middle, best setter, best libero, best blocker, best 'dirt dog'? Even if I have an opinion, it didn't arrive on a stone tablet. 

9. Specific unfairness. If anyone asks me which player most deserved to play for a sectional champion and never got there, it's easy. Victoria Crovo... the "V-Rex." 

10. Specific unfairness part 2. Who's the best player who got caught in the numbers game and didn't get All-State recognition? Jennifer Cain (2012). 

Lagniappe. Quotes about coaching from Ryan Pannone, current Alabama men's basketball assistant, former NBA assistant, and NBA G-League head coach (a rising star). 

“Most of the time what you see on offensive rebounding is guys go after the ball but they’re a half-second, second late . . then the moment somebody touches them, they eliminate their effort . . these are things we try to build.” Keep fighting every play. 

“At the end of the day, I find as a coach, there’s a few reasons you’re not doing something – you’re either not good enough to do it or you don’t care enough to do it.” Becoming a champion means improving skill, will, and toughness. 

“Most players want to get better . . improving your value is what we talk about in our player development sessions. For every player, if you improve your rebounding you improve your value.” Add value every day. 

“Often times people are looking at assist numbers and assist-to-turnover ratios which is kind of an archaic stat. To me there’s no real value to assist-to-turnover ratios . . when you’re evaluating a team because at the end of the day it’s assist attempts.” How are you adding value, finding a way to get and stay on the court? 

“The confidence a coach can breathe into a player can change the trajectory of his career.” The most powerful words coaches have, "I believe in you."