If only I knew something about basketball.  I wish I did, but how could I? It just wasn’t in the cards. Sure my dad’s mentor,  coach A.B Calvin  was a Hall of Fame Coach at Scipio A. Jones High School in North Little Rock, Arkansas and also a staunch fundamentalist.  However, he really didn’t know that much and he certainly didn’t teach anyone anything.    He traveled the country visiting camps and picking the brains of such luminaries as Henry Iba and other top coaches of that era.  You would think he would have put all that information to good use.  I still don’t understand how he won all those state championships.  The competition in Arkansas at the time must have been awful- at least amongst the all-black ranks.

It’s a shame he never transferred any knowledge to my dad (Eddie Miles).   My dad’s a big guy, maybe he could have been pretty good.  I’m not saying a  college All-American or NBA all-star, but decent?    Maybe had he known something or somebody, perhaps it might have worked out for him? Too bad. I’m a little “salty” about it,  because had  things been different,   I might have some legitimate pedigree.  Hell, I might have been one of the Barry boys or Danny Ferry even.  Imagine if I’d  have been privy to quality information growing up, instead of the crap I was fed all those years? What a waste.  Maybe I could have been a player too. It would have been nice to play high school ball and even better to have earned  a scholarship some place…@#%!  Life just isn’t fair.

I can’t think of anything I would have rather done.  I really love this game. I’m so passionate about basketball, I’m certain that with the right lineage and guidance, I could have done something special inside the game.  Okay, maybe not as a player, but surely as a coach or teacher.  As it is, I’ve written a book on basketball (“The Virtual Game of Basketball”). But what could I possibly know- especially about something so technical or “Hi-Sci” (highly scientific)?.  I mean, it’s not like I’ve been hanging out at Holiday Inns or anything.  I’m definitely not Einstein’s child or the son any other smart white guy.     If  that was the case, maybe I could be “Manningesque” or like Don Nelson’s boy- as far as credibility is concerned. Even then,  I might still be considered a fool… but I doubt I’d qualify as a damn fool.

It’s hard.  Sometimes I can’t help but think, what if things were different. It sure would be nice to have black kids listen to me.  But who am I kidding.  We’re from the same sub-culture,  I can’t fool them, they know I don’t know @#$! I mean, you can’t change the spots of a leper.  But imagine if  all the time and energy I’ve spent compiling  information translated into something of value for someone here in the states.

As it is now, I have to stay off Facebook and other social mediums.  I’m  bombarded daily with  questions from players outside of the US about my material.  How idiotic of  these types to put  themselves at the mercy of my answers and low-level information.  No wonder the US players are the intellectual giants  around the world of basketball.  European players are  frickin’ clueless. They’re just lucky they have superior athletes.  Otherwise they wouldn’t stand a chance against our players.

I swear. If I knew something about this game,  I would try hard to share the wealth.  I would exhaust myself trying to move players forward.  Really I would.  I’d proposition players of all ages and all levels – all the time.  I’d live at the gym and be willing to teach anyone willing to learn, regardless of what they thought about me.  I really would try to be the bigger person and  “tee tee my dub” (try to make it work).

IF ONLY I KNEW!

In 1947 Jackie Robinson broke the color line in Major League Baseball, which at the time was the only Major sport in the country open to all races.   By 1948 the Chicago-based  Harlem Globetrotters, although not a member of the the BAA (the precursor to the NBA) were considered, along with the Minneapolis Lakers, the top basketball team on the planet.

Harlem Globetrotters

On February 19, 1948, the two teams met before a packed house at Chicago Stadium.  In the end the Globetrotters won on a last second shot 61 to 59. One year later (February 28th) the Trotters again defeated the World Champion Lakers 49 to 45.

During the summer of 1949, the National Basketball League and Basketball Association of America merged to form the National Basketball Association. Of greater significance, however, was the integration of the NBA, as the Boston Celtics drafted the first Black player  Chuck Cooper of Duquesne. Read more »

The rhythm is the beat and perhaps the most important element in music.  It drives the players forward. It can be even or uneven, steady or unsteady, but always has a certain tempo.  Basketball, just as in music, demands that you be in tune to the rhythm of the game in every circumstance of play.  Understanding when to be fast or when to be slow allows you to operate freely inside your skill sets, yet in harmony with other individuals and the overall game action- just like jazz players or other musicians at the Symphony, perhaps.

Gustavo Dudamel

Read more »

Tragically many players stand around watching (spotting up) or waiting for their turn to get the ball ?!! Is it the mission of the other players to get you the ball?

 

Venoy Overton receives a “quality touch”?

If you’re not open,  you’re only hopin’ – to get the ball.  Being kinda open won’t cut it either.  Get yourself obviously open or don’t  expect to get the rock… especially  amongst top players. Read more »

I know you know … but  what if, all you know is only a portion of what you need to know or could know. Would you still play the role and continue to act like you know anyway, or would you seek out the information to move forward? What? You would just keep doing what you do … huh….? Really?! Okay, I get it. You must be a BASKETBALL PLAYER!

It’s unbelievable  how so many basketball players think they already “know”- at least enough (especially older players).  On top of that, they refuse (somehow ?) to believe that what they don’t know not only shows, but is ultimately vital to their success. It’s craziness. But in the world of basketball, that’s how it is for the most part, even non-players think they know. This is delusion of the most high.  No other sport is quite as bad. Sh!  If only basketball was as simple as: a ball , a hoop , a couple of crossovers, a made three-pointer here and there,  and KABAM … give me the jersey –please!

Hoop is such a glamour/warrior driven sport  that egos are clad in tuxedos. Help is for others, but not me though?

Even if you can play , you probably can’t really play anywhere near where you think you can.  The vast majority of  players think their capacities are  120+ % of their actual self. That is, they think their capability (in a certain area or overall game) is at 100, but their actual proficiency  or ability  is closer to 80 in this scenario. I will say however, that a person with true ability who thinks this way is quite dangerous, especially in comparison to capable players who think 70 or 80% of self (think they’re at 70-80 % when they’re actually at 100%) — but that’s another issue.

Many ballplayers would rather be “…ruined by praise than saved by criticism.” (Norman Vincent Peale). In fact, many people do everything in their power to  surround themselves with people who will always say positive things about them and give them approval. Understandably, people generally don’t like being criticized.  But in order to truly improve, you must find a way to embrace it, rather than run away from it. Getting approval is very easy.  Getting the “real talk” can be tough, but worth the effort.  You can always find at least one person who will tell you exactly what you want to hear.

In order to improve, you need to ask yourself what you can do to grow, evolve, and excel.  You also need to seek people  who have solution-based information.  Since everybody knows something about basketball, you must develop an effective filtering method for the information you move forward with.  Ask: Does the information giver offer a Verification Model ( Information, Demonstration, Explanation and confirmation) ? Keep in mind, that when you do receive constructive criticism (quality information),  be certain to  listen to it and apply it to your program (skills, methods, and understandings).  Otherwise, it becomes a wasted opportunity.     People who “Listen to the Message” grow.  Most players fail to learn from criticism (see: “The Brain Game” chapter 2 in the Sampler) and therefore cannot adapt in response to it.

Bottom Line: Seek optimization where you can find it and  please….

“DON’T COMPROMISE YOURSELF… YOU’RE ALL YOU GOT!” — Janis Joplin