Production Disruption

As 1860 drew to a close, the United States was again preparing to go to war, this time with itself. Ulysses S Grant foresaw that a Civil War would result in a blockade of Southern ports, and that, in turn, would result in the South's losing its predominant position as the worlds foremost exporter of cotton.

"This disturbance will give such an impetus to the production of thier staple, cotton, in other parts of the world that they can never recover the control of the market again for that commodity." US Grant.
If for whatever reason you stop production, someone else will fill the void, and you will never be able to fully recover your lost market share.

The same goes for athletics. Once you lose your production, your place in the game, it will be hard fought to regain. So be careful that you strategically take those days off when others are working.

Develop an Alternate Plan

Robert E. Lee's defensive tactics during the spring of 1864 led Ulysses S Grant to realize that continued direct assaults upon the Confederate entrenchments "would cause a slaughter of our men that even success would not justify." He concluded that he would have to modify his plans. As he explained to Halleck:

"I now find, after over thirty days of trial, the enemy deems it of the first importance to run no risks with the armies they now have. The act purely on the defensive behind breastworks...Without a greater sacrifice of human life than I am willing to make all cannot be accomplished that I had designed...I have therefore resolved upon the following plan..."


LESSON: When you realize that the path you're on won't lead to success, or it will, but at too great a cost, don't abandon your goal. Instead, develop an alternative approach to get you there.

FREE Drills

You may download some FREE basketball drills at the following links:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/3ayfmplmjhh9vf1/drills%20aux.pdf

http://www.mediafire.com/file/k05za151zt9d9y1/drills.pdf

10 Steps to Achieving Your Goals By Brian Bartes

The ability to set goals and to develop a plan for the accomplishment of those goals is arguably the most important ingredient of success.

Mastering this skill will enable you to achieve your dreams faster than you ever thought possible.

The goal-achieving system below is a powerful, yet simple strategy that can be used to help you achieve anything in life that you desire.

1. Set your goal. The first step is to find a goal that is big enough to inspire you. Unless you are truly inspired to accomplish the goal, it is just a wish. By calling it a “goal”, you are affirming that (a) you desire it intensely, (b) you truly believe in your ability to achieve your goal and (c) you are willing to pay the price in advance for achieving your goal.

2. Write down your goal. Writing out your goal stimulates the “filtering” part of your brain, called the Reticular Activating System (RAS). When you write down your goal, the RAS begins collecting relevant information, then sends results to the conscious part of your mind. It acts “behind the scenes”, causing you to become aware of opportunities that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. Make sure that the goal is positive, is written in the present tense, is action-oriented, and is specific and as detailed as possible.

3. Establish a deadline for the achievement of your goal. By setting a deadline, your subconscious is activated to ensure the achievement of your goal within the prescribed time frame. If you follow all the steps in this process, and your projections are realistic, then you will achieve your goal by the deadline.

4. Determine how you will benefit from achieving the goal. You will only be compelled to achieve your goal if it is something that inspires you, something that causes such intense desire in you that you are willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish your goal. By writing down the reasons you want to achieve your goal, you’ll discover how intense your desire really is.

5. Identify what stands between you and your goal. There will probably be several elements standing between you and your goal. Make a list of these “challenges”, and rank them in order of priority. Then, begin taking action to remove each of the elements that stands in the way of the accomplishment of your goal.

6. Design an action plan for accomplishing your goal. This detailed plan will encompass everything that you have done in the previous steps. Write out all the steps that you will have to take, and rank them in order of priority. Assign target dates for each step.

7. Visualize your goal as already having been accomplished. Review your goal daily. Also, the more detailed you can make your vision, the more powerful it will be.

8. Affirm your goal as already having been accomplished. Every day, read your goal either silently or aloud. Repeat it to yourself, over and over again.

9. Resolve to take massive action toward the achievement of your goal. Persistence and determination will keep you on the success track anytime obstacles try to stand in your way. By taking continuous action, you will eventually reach the point where nothing can stop you.

10. Take one specific action every day to propel you toward your goal. By taking continuous action, you develop the necessary discipline and momentum that you will need to achieve your goals.

Any worthwhile goal requires sustained effort. By consistently applying the methods above, you will develop the success habits that will enable you to achieve any goal that you desire.

by Brian Bartes
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

AWESOME is All I Can Say

This is only a 1 minute, 44 second video and it is brilliant. Make sure you read as well as listen...forward and backward.

This is a video that was submitted in a contest by a 20-year old. The contest was titled "u @ 50" by AARP. This video won second place. When they showed it, everyone in the room was awe-struck and broke into spontaneous applause. So simple and yet so brilliant. Take a minute and watch it.


Click on the link below:

Lost Generation

or copy and paste, but watch it!!!!




http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=42E2fAWM6rA

ON REACHING AGREEMENTS

To Genereal John C. Pemberton, who was commanding the Confederate forces trapped within Vicksburg, surrendering with the "honors of war" was an important issue. He wrote to Ulysses S Grant:

"...in justice voth to the honor and spirit of my troops, manifested in the defense of Vicksburg...at ten o'clock a.m. tomorrow [July 4, 1863], I propose to...surrender by marching out with my colors and arms, stacking them in front of my present lines. After which you till take possession."

To this Grant replied:

"If you mean by your proposition for each brigade to march to the front of the lines now occupied by it, and stack arms at ten o'clock a.m., and then return to the inside and there remain as prisoners until properly paroled, I will make no objections to it."

LESSON: Agreements are reached when each party thinks it has cut the best deal it can. A bargain is when each party thinks it has gotten the better of the other. Onve of the best ways to insure that the party you are negotiating with thinks it is getting a bargain is to yield on symbolic issues that are important to the other party but have no substantive impact on the results of the negotiations.

One Possession

By Jeff Smith

It was only one possession,
Why must my coach scream,
My poor defense permitted the basket,
But what can one hoop mean?

As the pass comes my direction,
And I fumble it into the stands,
The coach's voice rings loud and clear,
"Catch with your eyes and hands!"

C'mon coach, its a single possession,
Our team will be okay,
It's just the first two minutes,
My gosh, we got all day.

At the 2nd quarter mark I remember,
That the center is strong and stout,
A putback for two, quite simply due,
To my failure to turn and blockout.

But it was only one possession,
I didn't commit a crime,
My team is ahead and I'm playing well,
And there's still plenty of time!

As the halftime buzzer is sounding,
And I watch the ball bank in,
I know I will hear from my loving coach,
Of my questionable effort to defend.

But it was only one possession,
Coach - don't have a heart attack!
We're down by one, but were having fun,
I know we'll get the lead back!

The second half mirrors the first,
But it's early, it's not a big deal
That my failure to use a pass fake
Results in an unlikely steal.

But quickly I sink a jumper,
I'm greeted by high fives and slaps,
but the next possession I give up a layup,
while suffering mental lapse.

But its only one possession,
C'mon coach, chill out.
It's crazy to see you disgusted,
As you slap the assistant and shout.

"Victory favors the team making the fewest mistakes.
Single possessions are the key.
So treat them like gold and do as you are told.
And play with intensity."

I step to the line for one and one,
But I'm having a concentration lapse.
The ball soars through the air - Good Lord, it's a brick!
I'm afraid the support will collapse.

In post game I sit at my locker,
Pondering what more I could do.
I realize the value of each possession,
what a shame that we lost by two.

PUSHING

We will be PUSHING our athletes for success in athletics, academics, and in life.

Passion – do not be luke warm. Have a fire your teammates can depend on.

Unity – do not divide our house. A team united is a stronger team. Be more concerned with what is right, not who is right.

Servant-hood – make your teammates better. Doing what is best for our team brings the success we are all working for. Lead by example – be willing to do the little things needed for success.

Humility – have pride, not arrogance. Let the team’s performance speak for itself.

Identity – know who we are and what we do. The star of the team is the team. WE supersedes me.

Notable – bring positive attention to our program in everything that you do. You are an ambassador of our program in class, in the hallways, in the community – everywhere!

Gracious – learn to win and lose with class. Respect will be earned through our character revealed in athletic competition.

PEOPLE NEED MEANINGFUL WORK

When Ulysses S Grant's name is mentioned, the first image most Americans have is that of a hard-drinking general. This characterization of Grant dates from his last pre-Civil War army post, at Fort Humboldt, California. He had left his wife nearly two years earlier, pregnant and with their two-year old son. Grant was homesick, but more importantly, because he and his commanding officer did not hit it off, he was given no work to do. On February 2, 1854, he wrote a letter to his wife that began: "You do not know how forsaken I feel here."

"My family...consisted now of a wife and two children. I saw no chance of supporting them on the Pacific coast out of my pay as an army officer. I concluded therefore to resign." Ulysses S Grant

Because he had no meaningful responsibilities, Grant's feelings of loneliness were exacerbated. This, in turn, led to increased drinking and his resignation from the army.

LESSON: Without meaningful work, life stinks. People become demoralized and incapacitated. Some become permanently turned off and lose their future potential. Having a chronically underworked staff is every bit as bad as having one that is overworked.

PERFORMANCE AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR

"When you give it your best effort, you may run out of time, but you will never lose a game, regardless of the score!"

Coaches expect their players to play with determination and effort, to play hard, and to play through adversity; but very few coaches give them the means or the tools that will allow them to accomplish these great expectations. Knowing and understanding the various phases of human behavior and how they effect performance will enable players not only to play through adversity, but to be more successful and productive in the process.

When faced with a difficult task or adversity, players will progress through the following three phases or levels of human behavior:

Phase I: EFFORT AND DETERMINATION

• Success is achieved through hard work and determination. Great athletes view adversity and pressure situations as challenges rather than threats. They are very determined, and will work harder for longer periods of time than mediocre ones.

• Players must learn to play through adversity to be successful. "Only worry about the things you can control." In fact, great athletes never allow a bad call or bad play effect their performance & concentration. They may have some bad moments, but never a bad game (or day).

• All great athletes possess the ability to bounce back. "No matter how many times you get knocked down, you are only beaten when you fail to get up."
Rev. Bob Richards: The Atmosphere of Greatness

Phase II: LOSS OF SELF-CONTROL

• When efforts are unsuccessful, players progress into the second phase of behavior and start to loose self-control. They become frustrated and aggressive, getting verbally and physically abusive. They look for excuses or scapegoats. This loss of self-control can sometimes get violent and hostile (push turns to shove).

• Since frustration and aggression requires a great expenditure of physical, emotional, and spiritual energy, this phase of loss of self-control only lasts for a short period of time.

• Because of their determination, work ethic and their ability to control their emotions in the face of adversity, great athletes very rarely advance to this second phase of human behavior.

Phase III: QUITTING

• Since players are physically, mentally and spiritually beaten, they will advance quickly into the third phase of behavior and quit.

• The situation is not worth any more effort. They give up entirely and throw in the towel.

BEST EFFORT

"Winning is the only thing!" This may be true on the Professional level, however, on all other levels of the game of basketball giving your best effort is of the utmost importance. Playing through adversity is one of the most important lessons players can learn from this great game.

IF YOU SHOOT THE MESSENGERS

While Ulysses S. Grant thought so highly of General Meade that he recommended his promotion at the same time he recommended General Sherman's, Grant was well aware of Meade's shortcomings.

"He was unfortunately of a temper that would get beyond his control, at times, and make him speak to officers of high rank in the most offensive manner. No one saw this fault more plainly than he himself, and no one regretted it more. This made it unpleasant at times, even in battle, for those around him to approach him even with information." Ulysses S. Grant

LESSON: If you keep shooting the messengers, they will stop coming.

IT'S NOT A DEMOCRACY

General Ulysses S. Grant did not believe in holding "councils of war."

"I believe it is better for a commander charged with the responsibility of all the operations of his army to consult his generals freely but informally, get their views and opinions and then make up his mind what action to take, and act accordingly." Ulysses S. Grant

LESSON: It's critically important to get input from you coaching staff before making a decision, but you abdicate your head coaching responsibilities by puttind decisions to a vote.

I DO HAVE FAVORITES

Someone might accuse me of having favorites on our team. You're right. I do have favorites. My favorites are those athletes who most fervently do what I ask of them. To those that do, I give more attention. I talk to them more. I spend more time teaching them. I also expect more of them.

The implication is made that my favorites improve more than others do because they are my favorites, that is somehow unfair. Don't mistake cause for effort.
Fact is that the athletes who come to me ready to learn, ready to listen, ready to act on what they learn, and try it my way even if it is more challenging and difficult than they imagine, are ready to get more out of our program. They are my favorites.

As a coach, I have only one thing to offer an athlete. What I can offer is my attention. This means I attend to their needs. The reward for good behavior should be attention - attending to their needs. The consequence of inattention, lack of effort, unwillingness or not ready to learn, or just plain offensive or disruptive behavior, is my inattention to that athlete.

As a coach, I want athletes that are eager to learn, eager to experiment, to improve, and eager to work hard. I want athletes who come to me for help in developing their mental and physical skills and are willing to accept what I have to offer. Otherwise, why do they come to me? I am going to reward that athlete with my attention. In doing so, I encourage others to become like the athlete above. If I spend my time with the unwilling, and/or disruptive player, I would only be encouraging undesirable behavior.

Over time, this makes it appear that my "favorites" are the better basketball players. This is not so at all. The better basketball players are those who pay attention. Thus, they become my favorites.

What the accusing person does not realize, is that you must have favorites if anyone is to develop in a positive fashion. The coach's job is to reward those who exhibit positive, developmental behaviors. Those are my "favorites", and they should be.

WHEN A BARGAIN IS NOT A BARGAIN

In the spring of 1852, Ulysses S. Grant's regiment, with him as quartermaster, was ordered to California via Panama. The last twenty-five miles of the trip across the Isthmus had to be made by mule-train.

"A contract had been entered into with the steamship company in New York for the transportation of the regiment to California, including the Isthmus transit...But when we reached Cruces there was not a mule, either for pack or saddle, in the place. The contractor promised that the animals would be on hand in the morning. In the morning he said that they were on the way from some imaginary place, and would arrive in the course of the day. This went on until I saw that he could not procure the animals at all at the price he had promised to furnish them for...I therefore myself dismissed the contractor and made a new contract with a native, at more than double the original price." Ulysses S. Grant

LESSON: A supplier who can't deliver as promised is not worth dealing with at any price. If you make price your only consideration, it will almost certainly cost you more in the end. Contracts with suppliers should include performance standards as well as penalty and exit provisions for failure to meet those standards.

Reasons To Use A Motion Basketball Offense

In a Motion Offense, five players move with a purpose to create both offensive situations that are difficult to defend and the best possible shot opportunities. There are several reasons for using this style of basketball offense. We will discuss these reasons, the components necessary to execute this basketball offense, the basic principles of Motion Offense, and key concepts.

Benefits of Using A Motion Basketball Offense

Difficult to Defend

The hardest offensive player to defend is the one who is moving. Furthermore, the most difficult offensive maneuver to defend is a basketball screen. Motion Offense involves five players constantly moving and screening for each other. This style is contrary to most pattern basketball offenses that do not have all five players in motion at any one time.

Flexibility

In Motion Offense, you can use different combinations of players without regard to traditional positions. For example, guards and forwards, number one man and number three man are all interchangeable. In addition, you can use the best type of offensive alignment and movements to take advantage of the specific group of players you have in the game at any one time. Motion Offense gives you the opportunity to use you personnel most effectively at any time during the game.

Adaptability

The problem with most basketball offensive systems is that the offense must react to the defenses presented by the opponent. Motion Offense rectifies this situation by giving the offense the power to attack all types of defense; consequently, the defense must react to your offense, not vice versa.

Enjoyable

Most players truly enjoy playing in a motion basketball offense. They enjoy the freedom of movement, love the scoring opportunities it presents, and don't feel restricted by the offense. As a coach, you're not teaching the same movements over and over; therefore, the offense is more enjoyable to teach.

Player Development

The Motion Offense maximizes the abilities of each of your players. Because the offense puts the player in a positive state of mind, it allows the players to use their talents more effectively. Motion also allows the player to constantly improve, for they can use the principles they have learned under all playing situations.

Difficult to Scout

Because most basketball offenses are based on a repeated patterns, they tend to be very easy to scout, giving the opponent an added advantage. In Motion Offense, there is no predetermined movement; therefore, the opposition has a difficult time diagramming its tendencies.

FOCUS ON WHAT YOU COULD BE DOING

Late in the afternoon of May 6, 1864, Confederate General Jubal Early successfully attacked troops under the command of General John Sedgwick. During the night General Ulysses S. Grant was receiving reports about the "disaster" that had befallen Sedgwick, one of the Union generals expressed grave concerns that Confederate General Robert E. Lee would follow up on the Confederate success and move to cut off the Union army. Grant's response was:

"Some of you always seem to think he (Lee) is suddenly going to turn a double somersault, and land in our rear and on both of our flanks at the same time. Go...and try to think what we are going to do ourselves, instead of what Lee is going to do."

LESSON: It is important to think about what your competition may be planning and the impact that could have upon you, but it is even more important to be thinking about what you could be doing yourself.

Basketball Motion Offense Strengths & Weaknesses

Basketball Motion Offense Strengths

Difficult to basketball scout
Prepares team for tournament play – half court offense
Shot selection determined by the basketball coach
Assigns each player a basketball role
Focused on basketball execution – how you do it, not what you do
Maximizes basketball practice time – work on offensive/defensive drills at same time
Teaches players how to play the game of basketball (i.e., court spacing, reading screens, shot selection,
creating offense for teammates, etc.)
Celebrates individual sacrifice and basketball teamwork
Focused on screening and cutting

Basketball Motion Offense Weaknesses

Difficult to teach well
Reliance on skills of all 5 offensive players
Can be difficult to create shots for best players
Can be difficult to execute in time/score situations
Steep learning curve for basketball players

Essential Components of the Motion Basketball Offense

Passing

Good passing helps avoid turnovers and puts your team in the best possible scoring positions. Most of our passing drills establish the mindset of passing away from the defense instead of passing to the offense. Moreover, the passer must not only get the ball to the recipient but also put the recipient in the best possible position to shoot the ball and score.

Movement

The key to successful movement is to move in concert with the rest of your teammates to insure the key concept of our offense, floor balance. Proper spacing is essential for a good offense. An offensive player standing still allows his defender to play off his man to give help to his teammates.

Screening

Each player must help their teammates get a better shot opportunity. The screen is the most effective way of establishing better shot opportunities. However, the passer must look for both the person being screened and the screener as potential scoring threats. In the execution of the screen two players will work together to produce a scoring opportunity.

Shot Discipline

Despite its reputation, Motion Offense is not an equal shot opportunity offense. You, as coach, must establish what type of basketball shot each player is expected to take.

Concentration

In pattern basketball offenses, the system does all of the thinking. In Motion Offense, you are only as good as your concentration. You must think before you move.

Role Identification

Each player must understand the role designated for him on the team. Shot discipline & role identification go together. Each player must be told to play within his capabilities.

Communication

Communication is key to running a good basketball motion offense. In order to establish proper floor balance and establish the best shot opportunities, players must be in constant communication. For example, demand that the screener call out the name of the player he is screening. This keeps both players alert, encourages good screens, and helps keep the floor balanced.

RECOGNIZE CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES

Having forced the Confederates back into their defenses at Vicksburg, Ulysses S. Grant ordered an assault on the city's fortifications. This attack, which occurred on May 22, 1863, was a complete failure, and resulted in heavy Union losses. Grant wrote that one reason for his ordering the unsuccessful attack was that his troops believed they could take the city by storm.

"The Army...had won five successive victories...in the three preceding weeks...
They had come to believe that they could beat their antagonist under any circumstances." Ulysses S. Grant.

But the Union victories had been won against an enemy in the field, not when the Confederates were behind massive fortifications.

LESSON: You need to be able to recognize when circumstances have changed and no longer favor success. Good leaders don't send their people on fools' errands.

CREATE A THINKING MACHINE

Watching the surrender of the Mexican garrison at Monterrey (September 24, 1846), a young Lieutenant Ulysses S. Grant was struck by "how little interest the men before me had in the results of the war, and how little knowledge they had of 'what it was all about.'" Years later, General Grant would describe the Union army that marched though Georgia as having been made up of "as good soldiers as ever trod the earth...because they not only worked like a machine but the machine thought."

"Our armies were composed of men who where able to read, men who knew what they were fighting for...and so necessarily must have been more than equal to men who fought merely because they were brave and because they were thoroughly drilled and inured to hardships." Ulysses S. Grant.

LESSON: Empowerment begins with knowledge, which goes beyond job training. No matter how well you teach your people to do their jobs, if they don't understand the organization's mission and the important role they play in carrying it out, all ou will have is people who act like non-thinking robots, and you will always be outperformed by any competitors who empower their members to think for themselves.

Implementing the Weave Screen Pivot

By Greg Nix
The five man weave is an open post five man motion offense that is based on how well players read their defender and capitalizes on their defenders mistakes. When teaching the offense to your players, you must teach the options of the weave one at a time. The basic options are the hand off, pass and go away any time, back door cut, pivot, and the wing cut. As you implement the options you show the players how the options go together. Whenever I go to a new program it takes around two weeks to get the offense to where it begins to resemble the motion offense it really is. As one option takes place another option immediately takes place. It takes a commitment of a full season of running the offense before it gets really efficient.

To begin, the players have to be taught what the term balance means. Balance means that all fiveplayers should occupy all five spots (both corners, both wings, and the point) in the front court atthe end of the fastbreak. I always teach our fastbreak first to show them where each player will end up. Balance is very important. Every coach has a different philosophy about fast breaking but know where your players are going to end up at the end of the break in order to transition into theweave. It doesn’t matter in the fastbreak that we run. In our system we say that every player is aguard and every player is a post player also because in the weave they all face the basket, they allhandle the ball, and they all post up when they cut or pivot. On dead ball situations we alwayshave our big guys in the corner and our guards at the top and on the wings for balance, then gointo the offense.

The first option of the weave is to handoff and go all the way to the corner. It’s okay that there is a pivot man in the corner already. He will be going across to pivot when the ball goes around the horn the other way. When introducing the weave to the players have them handoff to the wing, go to the corner. Have the man in the corner fill up to the wing as the ball is going away to the other side. Repeat the handoff over and over until they understand. It is extremely importantfor the point guard who started the offense to bore in to the top of the key and then dribble toward the defender. This is a very important point to begin the offense with a good angle when dribbling to the defender. Then put a soft defense out there and have the group on offense concentrate on dribbling toward the defender and handing off then going to the corner just like you did 5 on 0. Repeat as often as you need to. This will teach the players how the handoff is a natural screen and how they need to look for the drive or shot after every hand off. Make sure handoffs take place on the wings and not at the top. If a handoff takes place up top it creates a bad angle for the pivot man coming across when that option is added. There is one last point about the handoff. Make sure the man receiving the handoff gets it and pauses for one second to look inside to see what he’s got which is either a dribble drive or a pass to the pivot man then go on around the horn.

Then add Pass and go away to the opposite corner. Passing and going away is a counter to handing off and it creates a big space for the dribble drive. A pass may take place at any time within the offense. We don’t allow skip passes but passes to the next spot in either direction. It’s okay to pass the ball after a hand off or from wing to corner or wing to the top of the key. The passer must cut or go away to the corner. The beauty of the five man weave is that the defenders don’t know if a handoff, pass, or backdoor is going to take place. Make sure players go all the way to the corner. If they just go to the wing and stop, then they’re in the way. After every exchange whether it’s a pass, hand off, or back door that player should go all the way to the corner. NO SHORT CUTS.

Then add the pivot which will be posting up. Make sure you look at the options I sent you already. Now, when going 5 on 5 you have the sentiments of an offense with handing off, pass and go away, and pivot. Those three are essential to making the offense work.

Next add the Backdoor cut. The defense starts to believe they got it figured out so teach the back door cut on the defensive over play. Backdoor cut goes with Wide lane where the backdoor cutter screens across for the pivot. The backdoor cut works well against teams who like to play aggressively and deny the wings. The back door makes defenses have to play honest. Sometimes we call out widelane as a play or during a time out.

The last of the basic options that make the offense really click is the wing cut. The wing cut like the pivot takes place when the ball is either on the opposite wing or the opposite corner. This provides a great angle for a pass to the wing cut. If the cutter doesn’t receive the ball then he goes to the corner he’s headed toward on the cut. We tell our player to never receive a hand off at the top of the key. If you have a player who is impatient for the hand off then train him to wing cut. If you have post player you don’t yet trust to take a hand off or handle the ball on the
perimeter then have him wing cut. The wing cut is very difficult to defend and very effective. After a couple of weeks of running the offense and the players begin to get more comfortable with the basic options then you can begin to add the other options as you see fit such as the Screen and roll or screen and pop We’ve incorporated this option five years ago within the weave. Our big guys have the freedom as they pivot or come up on the wing to set an on ball screen for the guards up top. I always encourage big guys setting on ball screens for the guards to create the mismatch. I don’t allow guards to set on ball screen for guards. If the screener rolls he must go on to the corner.

The other options that are listed with the original material are important and can be included but the main basic options will occur more frequently. As I said earlier it takes time for the offense to come together but it will if you stay with the basics.

UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

Before setting out with the Army of the potomac in May 1864 to fight Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, Grant let Lincoln know not to expect any quick or easy victories.

"Where two such armies meet on common ground, about equal in numbers, and equally well handled, I do not know why any better results should be expected from one than the other...While I hope and expect to defeat them, I do not know why this war should not end, as wars generally do, by the exhaustion of the strength and resources of the weaker party." Ulysses S. Grant

LESSON: Guard against unrealistic expectations by your superiors, yourself and your subordinates. Also, never make predictions to the press.

Reasons for Using 5_out Motion

This 5 out motion offense is an extremely simple offense to teach that could be used for a
number of reasons.

1. Primary offense. Throughout my varsity career, we utilized this offense with great
success because it opened up the lanes for dribble penetration and cuts that allowed us to
utilize our team's quickness.

2. Easy To Teach - This offense could very easily be taught in one day!

3. Delay offense. If you want to hold the ball until you get a lay up or the final shot to end
the quarter, this offense is ideal for those situations.

4. Foundation for any motion offense at any level. This offense can be used as a building
block to teach your players basket cuts, back cuts, and how to react to dribble penetration.

5. Great For Youth Teams - Great foundation as mentioned in #3 and you can teach more
options as the team progresses.

THERE ISN'T ONLY ONE RIGHT WAY

Before retreating into their defenses at Vicksburg, the Confederates burned the bridge over the Big Black River (May 17, 1863).

"As the bridge was destroyed and the river was high, new bridges had to be built...Orders were given for the construction of three bridges...My recollection is that Lieutenant Hains built a raft bridge; General McPherson a ontoon, using cotton bales in large numbers, for pontoons; and that General Ransom felled trees on opposite sides of the river, cutting only on one side of the tree, so that they would fall with their tops interlacing in the river, without the trees being entirely severed from their stumps. A bridge was then made with these trees to support the roadway." -- Ulysses S. Grant

LESSON: There is usually more than one way to get any job done. Athletic Directors who always insist that there is only one right way stifle the creative talents of their coaches.

Timberview Five Out Rules

1. Ball at the Point : screen down wing to corner unless teams are sagging then
just throw the pass point to wing

2. Communication/Read on any screen wing to corner, point to wing, wing to
point :

a. Cutter calls "curl" if the defender is below the screen and
curls to the basket.

b. Cutter calls "duck" if the defender is above the screen then fakes the curl,
cuts behind the screen, parallel to the ball to the basket

c. Cutter call "switch" as a change up or echoing the defensive call and steps
to replace while the screener rolls to the basket.

d. Cutter calls "double" and curls or ducks with the second cutter following
and the screener stepping back for open shots.

e. The Screener can always call "Go" and fake the screen and cut through.

3. Ball at the point

a) wing screen down to the corner

b) ball on the wing point screen opposite mid-post/elbow and

c) ball in the corner screen wing to elbow.

4. Point to wing screen is less of a screen more of a rub. I
teach wings to time it so they are rubbing off the moving player.

5. Communication with the screener is critical because it keys their reaction.

6. I have a great Four Around One which allows drives with good spacing from
four spots and posts the mismatch.

All players in all five spots with no player locked into posting if you are
interested. Great High low for mismatch. It take 15 minutes to teach.

Lason Perkins' Open Post Entry

Bobby Huggins – Open Post Notes

Spacing
· 15 to 17 feet
· Far enough away that one defender can’t guard two
· Close enough to make direct passes, so shooter can catch and shoot in flow
o Bad passes lead to bad shots
It’s like training a dog… to run and sit. If players don’t cut hard in practice, they run. If they don’t cut hard in a game, they sit.

Screening
· Butt points to ball or basket
· Best shooters should screen
· Poor shooters should get screened and cut to basket

Point passes to Wing
· Basket cut
· Screen away (butt pointing to ball or basket)
· Go to the ball
o Outside handoff
o Inside handoff
o Ballscreen

Cutting
· Cut all the way to rim then open up to see the ball (possible pass, rebound, etc.)
· Minimize steps
o Precise angles
o Get to the ball – get to the basket

Swing ball frequently to make help D work. Passing back to where the ball came from makes it easy on the D.
Keep cutting through until the post player gets good position.

Screening
· When screening away, use arm to pull cutter through to the basket, then flash back to the ball.
Don’t hold the screen to long.
· GREAT PLAY: If they switch, run a switch cut, which means after getting the screen, the cutter
takes a step to the basket, but then turns and screens for the screener, who cuts to the basket. This second screener will not show to the ball. Can also back cut before screen.

Pass and go to the ball
· If defender is laying off the ball, inside handoff and roll. Natural reaction for ball defender to
help on handoff, leaving player wide open
· Outside handoff – pause to read D
o dribble to draw other defender and screener rolling
o stay behind and shoot
· Ballscreen and drag – read the help and get it to the open player. It’s important for player who’sdefender is helping to drag away to make it harder for the defender to recover

Options
· Run Open until post player gets into post, then swing it and get a Flex cut
· Run Open until a certain player is in short corner, then run Shuffle Cut (screen for wing who
basket cuts)

Post Players
· Read defender and look to post each time through.
o If you don’t get the ball, look to backscreen
· Ball screen

3 on 3
· Keep it on one side and work through various options.
o Mostly screen away
o Ball screens
o Handoffs

Offensive rebounding
· Send three or four. PG always back on D
· Tough to block out players coming in from perimeter
· Send 4 and 5 to long side of rim

Movement
· Tell players they cannot shoot until we’ve made 6 (or whatever number) passes… UNLESS you
have a lay-up
If Defense lays off a player, have that player ball screen

Number Cuts
1. Back Cut
2. Screen Away
3. Basket Cut
4. Diagonal Screen
5. Back Screen
Other options: UCLA Cut, Flex, etc.

5-Out Motion Offense

Guard Play

Guard Training

The most important part of being a guard is 2 things: Ball Security and
Defensive Balance. These will keep you in the game or get you on the
bench as fast as anything.

Eyes must never be on the ball / aim high in your vision.

If they press; defeat with a clear-out v. Man Pressure or circle v. Zone
Pressure.

Always be ready for the Run and Jump, Retreat dribble and find the
other guard.

Moment of Truth = Do not let your guard down, don’t bait the defender,
respect him.

Moment of IQ = Entering the Offense or attacking the basket to score or
assist. Do we have an advantage in numbers, can we get a lay-up? If it
is cloudy trust the offense and your teammates.

If we need to set the TRIANGLE is the Key-spot being denied? If so,
Blind Pig, Reverse or attack based on where the help is located. Don’t
dribble into the Key-spot. If you are able to pass the ball to the key-spot
then make a quick corner fill, don’t be lazy. It is OK if it takes a little time
to get in the offense. Don’t let pressure compel you to force a shot or
drive.

When a shot goes up get to the circles before the ball hits the rim if you
can and defensive balance will be easy. Don’t give up a lay-up, take a
charge buy some time, bluff and retreat etc… and we will win most
games. The main reasons teams lose is lack of good guard play. They
turn the ball over or force up bad shots or don’t get back on defense.
These are the main reasons we have lost in shootouts so far. Our
basketball IQ and focus must be at a high level.

Find the hot shooter (it may be you) just don’t force anything; or the
Mismatch (M&M)

Don’t get too high when you make a great play and don’t get too low
when you mess up, this is key for us to be a team of consistency.

Always push the ball. We want to wear our opponents down so they
can’t shoot or guard in the 4th when it is winning time.

Never walk or pout on the court this gives the opponent confidence and
it crushes your teammates and coaches confidence in you. A missed
call by a referee or a missed shot by you is not fun, but that is a part of
basketball. Good players understand this Michael Jordan lost 20% of his
games and he missed more shots than he made (12,345) and he turned
the ball over 2,924 times.

Talk and be upbeat with your teammates and coaches especially when
they are struggling. If they know you support them it is huge in getting
them on track.

Enjoy the game. Magic Johnson was arguably the best point guard to
play the game and his enthusiasm was amazing. He loved the game
and played it with all his heart every game and he did not win every
game and played just as hard when he lost. His opponents hated
playing against him, but his teammates loved playing with him. Make
sure your teammates love playing with you. Finally you will only be
young enough to play this game at a high level for a little while so don’t
waste a game, practice, open gym, or anything. Soak up all you can
and create great memories.

BUREAUCRATS DO THE DUMBEST THINGS

The man we know as Ulysses S. Grant was actually named Herman Ulysses Grant. When Congressman Thomas Hamer appointed Grant to West Point, he mistakenly filled out the application in the name of "Ulysses S. Grant."

When Grant discovered in May 1839 that the Academy had him registered under the wrong name, he tried to get the error corrected. He was told that it didn't matter what he or his parents thought his name was, the official government application said his name was "Ulysses S." and that application could not be changed. If hiram U. Grant wanted to attend West Point, he would have to change his name.

LESSON: Bureaucrats will blindly obey whatever set of rules they are instructed to follow even if this leads them to take completely illogical actions. Try to keep them out of your organization. Also, help prevent your people from turning into bureaucrats by regularly reminding them that your organization's rules and regulations are designed to provide guidence to intelligent human beings who use their heads, and are not intended for slavish obedience to automatons.

Bob Huggins: Cut & Fill Motion Offense

WAR DRILL

WAR DRILL

The name “WAR” illustrates the hardiness, the toughness, the grit that we want his drill
to emphasize. The drill has gained a lot of publicity due to the success we have had as a
program in rebounding the basketball offensively and “cutting-out our opposition on the
defensive glass. This drill is successful in our program for two reasons: 1) Our players
take great pride in the drill, and 2) Our coaching staff emphasizes the drill every day in
our practice. A rebounding mentality is developed throughout the drill by executing it
with enthusiasm, toughness, and a champion’s effort from each individual involved!

Areas of Emphasis:

I. Offense

A. The baseline and wing players attach the basket upon the ball being
shot by the coach (we intentionally miss the shot to force a rebound
situation). The point guard sprints back to half cour to prepare for
defensive transition.

B. The objective is to create a rebounding opportunity for yourself or a
teammate by flying to the offensive glass with tenacity and resilience.
Avoiding the defensive cutout is a skill that provides a team with
second chance scoring opportunities.

C. Upon gaining possession of the ball, the offense attempts to score. IF
the offense does complete the score with a basket, the ball is returned
to the coach and the drill starts again.

D. If the defense gets the rebound, the offense sprints back and converts
to defense.

II. Defense

A. All five defenders begin inside the lane under the basket.

B. When the coach shoots the ball, the defenders must escape the paint
to meet their offensive man outside of the lane.

C. The objective is to hit the offensive man, locate the ball, and go and
get the ball. We do not block out our man and stay with him, we cut
out our man, knock him back on his heels, and go and find the ball.
Jumping through the basketball and rebounding above the rim is
something we emphasize.

D. Upon gaining possession of the ball, the rebounder outlets to our
guard, and we initiate our conversion to offense.

Rebounding the basketball is often talked about but rarely committee to by many teams
across the country. Those who are willing to make the commitment to rebound will reap
the benefits. Toughness, aggressiveness, and intestinal fortitude (staples of our program)
will be developed through the WAR drill and lead to championships.

EVERYONE IS MORTAL

In deciding to go after Robert E. Lee in 1864, Ulysses S. Grant knew that he would be taking on the most admired commander of the Civil War. General Robert E. Lee's praises were not only sun by the Southern press but by many Northern newspapers. Some Union officers were so afraid of him that in spite of Grant's successes in the West, it was not uncommon for officers in the Army of the Potomic to remind Grant's staff that Grant had yet to meet Bobby Lee.

"The natural disposition of most people is to clothe a commander of a large army whom they do not know, with almost superhuman abilities. A large part of the National [Union] army....and most of the press of the country, clothed General Lee with just such qualities, but I had known him personally, and knew that he was mortal; and it was just as well that I felt this." --- Ulysses S. Grant

LESSON: Cultivate a healthy respect for your competitors, but bear in mind that they too put their pants on one leg at a time. Try not to overestimate or underestimate them, and never forget that no matter how highly one or more of them may be regarded, if you make the mistake of holding them in awe, you will lack the will to beat them.