No Distractions

Kelvin Sampson says the team has no distractions: “I think the last eight years, we’ve won about 240-something games. It’s because we have no distractions. We’re consistent. The one thing about this program is our consistency.” “I don’t recruit problems. I learned a long time ago — if you don’t want problems then don’t recruit them. It’s not an accident that we have great kids.” “If I don’t want to coach them, then that means I don’t mind coaching against them. And a lot of the guys we take, I don’t mind coaching against them. Check our record.”

— Top Tier Houston (@TopTierHouston) October 9, 2026

Decades ago, Michigan Coach Bo Schembechler said that if you don't get (recruit) a problem kid, he can beat you once a year. If you get him, he'll beat you every day. 

In Good to Great, Jim Collins said that you need the right people in the right seats on the bus.  

A basketball coach wrestled with solving a player's selfishness. During a practice scrimmage, he set up a play with the player throwing the ball inbounds. He then told all the players on the court to leave the floor. "Now play." 

Exceptional play demands exceptional practice. 

Exceptional play demands exceptional focus. 

Exceptional teamwork demands no distractions. 

'MasterClass' writers share the writing environment. They write in the same place, the same time of day, without distractions. The 'writer's eye' needs consistency. In The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon Cooper called his place, "0,0,0" - his x,y,z coordinates. The fourth dimension is time.  

MVB culture stayed consistent over three decades:

• Teamwork
• Hard work 
• Commitment
• Standard of performance
• Shared sacrifice

Preparing, practicing, and playing consistently don't offer guarantees. They foster the best chance at success. Disallow distractions.