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Fouling To Get Another Possession
I love what San Francisco did at the end of the first half in this game against Pacific. Pacific's point guard is a 36% free throw shooter, so they fouled him on purpose to get the ball back.
It's all about calculating expected points per possession, and then trusting the percentages. We've done this before, and not only does it create an advantage if you can get an extra possession, it also gets into the head of your opponent. If a bad free throw shooter knows you might come after him and foul him at anytime, it can crush his confidence and make him not want the ball in his hands.
More coaches should be thinking about stuff like this.
Jim Clifton - CEO of Gallup
3 things he would tell managers to maximize the potential of their teams:
- Understand that your team members have more differences than they do things in common. Do not lead them like troops.
- Know them by their strengths, not their weaknesses.
- Make sure they know their personal development is important to you. When you ask them the question - does someone at work encourage my development? The difference in productivity between those who answer yes and those who answer no is "spectacular."
Declarative Statements
Whoever asks the most questions wins. It's a great strategy for conversation. It's a great strategy for an interview. It's a great strategy for leadership. And it's a great strategy for coaches as well.
Whoever asks the most questions is going to learn the most. In any interaction, when you ask questions you'll get information. It might not always be the information you want, but you are going to learn more when you ask questions. So if I want to learn more about my team, the more questions I ask them the better.
Coaches talk a lot about trying to create ownership with their teams, but often struggle to do it. Asking questions is a great way to create ownership. Get your team talking about what they see, what they want and what they need to do. Get them to say it. When they verbalize what they want and what they are trying to do, you can hold them accountable for their own words. Hearing them say it and holding them accountable for it is very powerful. This is what you told me you wanted, and this is how we are going to get there.
Declarative statements can stifle the leadership and ownership of your team. But most of us feel like as the head coach we are supposed to be making declarative statements. The head coach is the decision maker, so he's supposed to tell people what to do. This is what I see, this is what we are doing, this is how we are going to do it. It's the traditional way leadership is supposed to work.
Certainly there are times when your team needs to be told what to do. I'm not saying the head coach isn't the primary decision maker. But when you walk into practice or the film room and you make declarative statements you have to be careful. You are suppressing any disagreement, thought or creativity you might find from your players and your staff. And you should want disagreement. You should want your team and staff to think differently and to feel comfortable expressing themselves. That is how you get the most out of individuals and your entire organization.
I think a lot of coaches make declarative statements because it makes them feel comfortable. They are in control, they are the leader, and they want everyone to know that they know what is going on. We are getting killed in transition. We are going to do a better job on the glass. We will throw the ball inside. We have to guard the ball better. When you walk into practice and make those statements, you feel like you have control. But you are also telling everyone else what to think. It creates groupthink, which is a direct enemy of progress. It's something I personally try to avoid at all costs.
When the boss makes statements about what is going on and everyone nods their head and moves forward, he feels comfortable. He gets affirmation for what he believes, and he can feel better, like the team is making progress. This is especially comforting when a team is struggling. You need a solution, so you watch film, talk with your staff and figure it out. Then you go in front of your team and tell them what is happening and what has to change.
Instead of making statements, ask your teams questions. Instead of coming in and saying this is what we have to do to get better, ask them what they think you need to do to get better. Do the same with your staff. Instead of yelling at them to stop turning the ball over, ask them what they say when the made the pass. Find out what they were thinking. Instead of telling them they aren't running hard enough, ask them if that's as hard as they can run. Get them to say it. Learn what's going in their head. And get them to take ownership of it.
Whether you know it or not, if you come to the office every day telling people what you think is going on with your team, you are telling them what to think. You are limiting the ability of both your players and your staff to help you. Ask questions, don't make statements. You will get better feedback from your team on how to coach them and your players will take more ownership of what you are doing.
Bilas on Officiating
Jay Bilas with an interesting take on officiating - not officials - and how it is having a negative impact on the quality of play in college basketball.
I will say his point about freedom of movement is one I agree with. It doesn't seem like it is being enforced as much as it has been the past three or four years. Interesting that the fouls being called are down.
From his column on ESPN.com:
The most important and impactful factor in the drop in level of play has been officiating. Let The Bilastrator be clear: The most important factor has not been officials, it has been officiating. The officials in college basketball are excellent, and they are well-trained, well-paid and highly competent professionals who have performed and continue to perform consistently at a high level. The officials, generally and overall, do a great job.
However, officials are not allowed to call what they want, when they want. They answer to their bosses, the conference supervisors and the NCAA supervisor of officials. The officials also answer to the rules committee and the directives and emphases thrust upon them. To this point in the season, the supervisors and the rules committee have failed the officials and, by extension, have failed the game. Too many unnecessary emphases and interpretations have been put on the officials, and it has taken their attention off of what is most important ... no ... what is absolutely vital to a high level of play: calling the clear fouls in front of them.Get the best of ESPN sent to your inbox The ESPN Daily delivers the biggest sports news and moments every weekday.Sign me up!Privacy PolicyRead the Latest
Many well-intentioned people and committees put forth initiatives to promote "freedom of movement" and return it to the college game. The game had become far too physical, and actions to impede ball handlers and cutters that were and are fouls had been ignored for too long and had gone uncalled. In a game in which players were getting better and better, more and more athletic, with a shorter shot clock and a 3-point line, scoring was annually going down and had reached historic lows. The past few years, those in charge of the game had done a fabulous job of addressing the fouling and impeding of ball handlers and cutters. But this year, those in charge of the officials have not been as vigilant as in the past few years.
With the freedom of movement initiative, officials were mandated (not asked -- mandated by their superiors) to call the clear fouls being committed, especially the impeding of ball handlers and cutters by illegally disrupting rhythm, speed, balance and quickness. Officials did a great job of consistently calling hand-checking, arm bars on ball handlers and illegal contact in the post and on shooters. As a result, scoring went up significantly, and went up without the gains coming from free throws. In short, the game greatly improved, and players and coaches adjusted nicely. The freedom of movement initiative was far less painful than expected, and the gains were clear. The credit belonged to the supervisors for being vigilant and resolute in executing the mandate, and to the officials for doing exactly what they were required to do.
Well, the gains made have been lost this season. Freedom of movement in college basketball is dead. Actions that were clear fouls over the past three seasons are being allowed, including hand-checking and arm bars to illegally impede ball handlers, and illegal contact on cutters to impede and disrupt. Post play has become more physical. Yet, foul calls are down. Again, foul calls are down. Fouls are not down, fouls are way up, and fouling is not defense. Officials are not calling clear fouls this season. There is no more important factor in the level of play than the substantial erosion in freedom of movement.
Again, to be clear, this is not a problem with officials, it is a problem with officiating. The responsibility for this erosion is on the shoulders of the administrators, the supervisors of officials and conference commissioners. Until this substantial erosion is addressed and fixed, we will not see the level of play improve. It is that simple.
Lastly, a word on the officials themselves. College basketball has an excellent corps of officials in today's game. If you believe otherwise, please watch game film from two decades ago and earlier. Officiating was horrifyingly bad back then as compared to now. Officials have never been better than they are today. Officials are more professional, in better condition and on top of far more today than ever before. Yet, the game has demanded more than ever from officials, too. Truthfully, it demands too much. This year, officials are having to police flopping and the coaching box, two meaningless things that have taken away from primary duties. Officials have to be arbiters on the floor and must also be appeals judges on replay. The demands on officials are, quite frankly, ridiculous. The officials should be allowed and encouraged to focus more on the play on the floor rather than the temporal and silly whims of a committee. We, as a game, continue to get in the officials' way, and all of the demands upon officials have had a negative impact upon officiating and on the level of play.
That is not to say we cannot differ with a call here or there, or debate a rule. The officials are paid professionals, and their calls on the floor are the law. The officials' calls are final and not subject to change due to fan opinions or media commentary from the sideline. There are a few officials out there who feel that those not wearing stripes have no business opining on their calls and should remain silent (unless agreeing with every call). Well, they are wrong in that belief. If the actions of coaches and players can be dissected on the floor, so can officials' calls be similarly discussed and opined about. Those officials who believe otherwise are wrong.
Chaos At Notre Dame
Interesting article from a year ago about how Brian Kelly created chaos at Notre Dame practices after a bad loss to Miami. I've always wondered why we spend so much time controlling the environment in practice when we play in completely uncontrolled environments.