Wembanyama Enters the Spurs' Quantum Entanglement

“Our future was already bright,” managing partner Peter J. Holt said in May when the San Antonio Spurs won the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery. “Now, it’s going to be through the moon.”

In a previous blogpost, from May 22, 2018 entitled Quantum Entanglement: Kawhi, the Spurs and Beautiful Basketball, I discussed and described the San Antonio Spurs franchise in physics terminology.  In a belated installment, I continue to discuss the franchise and its next phase.

Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs have made significant contributions to sports management in the areas of leadership, talent development, and organizational excellence in running their franchise.

• Leadership: Popovich is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. He has led the Spurs to five NBA championships, more than any other coach in franchise history. He is also a two-time NBA Coach of the Year. He gives his players a lot of freedom to make decisions on the court, and he holds them accountable for their actions. This has helped the Spurs develop a strong team identity and a winning culture. Popovich is known for his calm demeanor and his ability to get the most out of his players. He is also a strong advocate for player development and diversity.

• Talent development: The Spurs have a long history of developing young talent. They have drafted and developed several All-Stars, including Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard. The Spurs also have a strong track record of signing free agents and developing them into productive players.

• Organizational excellence: The Spurs are one of the most well-run organizations in sports. They have a strong culture of teamwork, accountability, and respect. The Spurs are also known for their commitment to community service. This commitment to excellence has helped the Spurs achieve sustained success across  the past four decades.

• They have a strong culture of teamwork, accountability, and respect. The Spurs are also known for their commitment to community service.

The contributions of Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs to leadership, talent development, and organizational excellence are a model for other organizations.

This week the San Antonio Spurs are expected to draft a generational talent in Victor Wembanyama as the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft.

Soon after that the Spurs plan to open their new state-of-the-art multi-phase $500 million facility called “The Rock at La Cantera,” which will feature a human performance research center.

This facility provides the launching pad for a new era of championship success for the Spurs. Wembanyama should serve as the catalyst needed to blast the franchise into a future of sustained success more rapidly than initially expected four years ago, when the organization first targeted the 2023 NBA Draft as the one that could change everything.

San Antonio envisioned years ago what we are about to see on Thursday at the 2023 NBA Draft.  The Spurs worked hard to align their basketball goals with their strategic plans and business goals.  This No. 1 pick will likely play a meaningful role as the Spurs look to make another run at multiple championships.

The Pivot

The plan that emerged in 2020 before San Antonio traveled to Orlando for that NBA season restart.  The plan was to develop the team’s youth while also advancing causes for social justice and racial equality.

While in Orlando, the Spurs experimented with an up-tempo style on offense, augmented by a swarming, pestering defense. Following that season, the Spurs decided to stick to that more modern style of positionless basketball.

“The strategy, the philosophy, the way we play is gonna stay the same [as in Orlando],” Popovich said entering the 2020-21 season.

That meant San Antonio would spend time looking for versatile, all-around players with size that could play with or without the ball. That would allow the Spurs to play a more modern style both on offense and defense.  San Antonio has always coveted players capable of dribbling, shooting, and passing with a high-level of decision-making skills. 

The changes came about after internal discussions about where they were as a team, where they were headed, and how their style would need to change.  Up to that point, San Antonio was looking to remain competitive.  But that approach would force the Spurs to build their team from the bottom of the lottery (or just outside of it) for an organization with no cap space or flexibility going forward and no future draft picks. San Antonio saw no way out of this vicious cycle, nor to build something truly sustainable. The club decided it was time to pivot. 

Strategic Planning

Four years ago, having identified the 2023 NBA Draft four as a significant place to speed up the rebuild, San Antonio worked to draft or bring in veteran players versatile enough to thrive in any type of system, but most importantly they’d mesh well with their teammates.  

Simultaneously, the Spurs knew they needed a Plan B just in case the talent they signed did not pan out as expected.  

The franchise understood its first-round pick in 2023 would be its most valuable asset. But it also hoped to improve their chances at improving their position in the draft while making room to develop a roster filled with young, inexperienced players. That meant losing, a lot. The city of San Antonio has maintained exceptionally high standards with a fanbase accustomed to competing year after year at a championship level. The organization didn’t want to disappoint their rabid fanbase. But the fastest way to return to that level while ensuring a sustainable future meant the Spurs needed to jettison their core piece by piece with an eye toward maximizing the return in each transaction to obtain future assets for potential trades.

If the organization failed to hit big on its 2023 pick, it needed flexibility for the short term with its salary cap to bring in free agents as well as draft assets to make potential trades.

The Spurs wanted to be able to pivot at a moment’s notice. If one approach failed, they would still possess the tools necessary to successfully facilitate the fragile rebuild first put into motion back in 2018, after the sudden and departure of Kawhi Leonard.

In all, the Spurs currently sit on five first-round picks and nine second-rounders between 2023 and 2029 to go with a couple of pick swaps, not to mention nearly $40 million in cap space to upgrade the talent around Wembanyama if the club so chooses.

“Obviously, a long road still ahead and a lot of work to do to build this out and get to where we want to be,” Spurs general manager Brian Wright said last month after the club won the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery. “You enjoy the entire journey. It’s not always fun and it’s not always just the great things.”

Leadership and Succession Planning

During discussions in 2019, the organization promoted longtime GM R.C. Buford to CEO to handle the business side of the Spurs, while Wright stepped into his current position after serving three years as the team’s assistant GM. 

The new facility has long been Buford’s brainchild, and another innovative way for San Antonio to gain a competitive edge in elite human performance, while improving potential free-agent recruiting, with the 134,000-square-foot Victory Capital Performance Center, which is expected to be equipped with the latest in sports technology. Buford credits Dr. Andy Walshe, a globally recognized expert in the field of elite human performance, as one of the driving forces behind the new facility.

“The human being is one of the most complex systems in the universe,” Walshe said. “Thanks to technology, we’re starting to peel back the layers to unpack what really makes elite people operate at peak performance.”

The Spurs also expanded San Antonio’s market by hitting the I-35 corridor last season for a pair of games up the road in Austin, one in Mexico City and an exhibition game at the Alamodome in which the Spurs broke the league’s all-time attendance record. Long considered a small-market club, San Antonio played those four out-of-market home games in an attempt to deepen the fanbase from Mexico to Austin.  This plan could develop San Antonio into one of the NBA’s largest markets.

That’s partly where an international talent like Wembanyama comes into play.

Nearly every move made, such as creating cap space, adding draft assets the past few years aligns with this drafting of yet another exceptional big man like David Robinson and Tim Duncan before opening a new facility, and expanding their market.

“Brian, R.C. and [coach Gregg Popovich] deserve a tremendous amount of credit,” Holt said. “It’s not easy to go through transition. They have laid out a plan, a vision, for getting us back to championship-winning teams. That’s our goal. We are blessed to have this amazing team that will take this Draft process and add it into the overall framework to make sure we have sustainable success, and our legacy is one that’s living.”

The Spurs Quantum Entanglement continues!

Excerpts taken from:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/17/sports/basketball/victor-wembanyama-san-antonio-spurs.html?smid=nytcore-android-share

https://www.nba.com/news/how-spurs-laid-the-groundwork-for-2023-nba-draft-to-change-everything?lctg=5ec7f3061402375d2c24d5bb&lid=r6qysasrzr7v&utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=luisfvaldes2013%2Fmagazine%2FMindfuel+Magazine+2.0

Donald Trump & the USFL: Past Behavior is the Best Predictor of Future Behavior (VIDEO)

I ran into some guy last night at a restaurant.  Admittedly a Trump voter, the stranger reluctantly expressed concern and growing regret about his vote.  His sentiments may be evidence of a growing feeling of fear in Trump voters around the country.  This is after only one week of Trump's controversial presidency.    

But if you still have any illusions (or delusions) about Donald Trump's huge talents as a successful businessman, all you have to do is look carefully at his prominent role as an owner of the New Jersey Generals of the USFL.  Founded in the early 1980s, the USFL, a professional football league, was new and it was experiencing growing pains.    

At that time, a young Trump was certainly a brash, confident promoter and salesman.  Here he is in an interview during a New Jersey Generals game.  Also, forebodingly, listen to the owner of the Birmingham Stallions throw the media under the bus for their coverage of the league.

So, let's fast forward to the story about the demise of the USFL.  Here is a video clip highlighting Mr. Trump abilities as a leader of a league that backed his strategy and, then quickly, failed miserably. No success to be found here.

Now, let's look at a interview with Mr. Trump as he shows his impatience, arrogance, and short attention span, paranoia, lack of a sense of humor and inability to learn from his mistakes as he sits for a moment with the media to reflect on his USFL experience.  Pay careful attention to his attitude toward the media.

The behavioral and social sciences, including psychology, and criminology, and law enforcement all consider past behavior as the best predictor of future behavior.   Ironically, the hotel, casino and gaming industries all believe strongly in this theory.  

So, if we look at his past behavior through the lens of these videos, what is your best guess about about the ultimate outcome of his presidency?  

No, I don't want him to fail either, but we all have to prepare for it.  

  

NCAA Mens' Basketball Classic: A Lesson in Leadership and Courage

This is my first blog post in a while.  I had not been inspired to write recently--until this week.  The 2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Final was what did it.

I have only one conclusion from watching and analyzing that wonderful game between the champion Villanova Wildcats and the runner-up North Carolina Tar Heels.

Yes, Kris Jenkins of Villanova won the game with a once-in-a lifetime, buzzer-beating, long-distance jumper.  He is the obvious hero.  However, my more important take away from that game is that, at least in basketball, you don't give the ball to your best shooter or scorer when the game is on the line. You give the ball to your leader and let him (or her) put your team in the best position to win.  On Monday night, both experienced and highly respected coaches let their leader lead.  Tar Heel head coach Roy Williams put their leader, Marcus Paige in the driver's seat at the end of the game.   Late in the game, the courageous Paige, a senior, found ways to keep the Tar Heels in the game.

Similarly, Wildcat head coach, Jay Wright, put the ball in the hands of point guard Ryan Arcidiacono. Arcidiacono, also a senior.  Arciciacono, who had show much poise and scoring ability throughout the game, ran the final play that led to the winning Jenkins jump shot.  Though he considered shooting, he made the right pass at the right time to get Jenkins the ball in a position to shoot.

Watch the video and you will see.  Leadership and courage by Paige, and then Arcidiacono, led to a classic finish and a timelessly valuable basketball lesson.

Thank you, Tar Heels.  Thank you, Wildcats.  Congratulations to both teams.  Enjoy the video!  

Tony Romo Has Mastered the Elite Mindset

OK, I admit it.  I'm a huge homer.  I am a big Dallas Cowboy fan, and, perhaps, an even bigger Tony Romo fan.  Despite the many people who criticize Romo, label him a choker and think he only puts up big numbers, Romo has orchestrated more 4th quarter comebacks in the last decade than any other NFL quarterback.  

I particularly like to quote him because what he says often provides so much insight into the mindset of an elite athlete.  Here is what Romo had to say after he fired the winning touchdown with 7 seconds left to play in the opening game of the 2015 NFL season against the New York Giants.  His leadership helped the Cowboys to a 27-26 win.  

“What you have to understand is that you rehearse this and prepare for is in your mind way before the game,” Romo said. “The more times you can do that, it just feels like you’ve already gone through it. You can make it a repetitive thing that is systematic and not random.”

"You've just got to stay calm," Romo explained. "At that moment, at that point in the game, you can't just fall on it and protect the football. There's not much time left, and you've got to have poise in that situation when random things happen. Someone misses a block, ball is on the ground, whatever it is that comes up, you find through the years if you play long enough that the experiences you've had you can just get calm, get back up, trust your guys around you to do their job and then go through the progression."

Though the game was exciting and came down to the last play, Romo understands the importance of maintain the proper level of arousal, mental visualization, and the need to stay calm throughout the game.  He also understands that great plays and exciting comebacks are about preparation and deliberate practice.  

For more on mental conditioning, download the Mindfuel app:  http://appmc.hn/1aekztQ.   

For more about the Dallas Cowboys franchise, buy the book, Razor Thin:   The Difference Between Winning and Losing.  

Excerpts taken from ESPN.go.com.  

The Maturation of Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys

"Truthfully, before the season even started, we felt different, The biggest thing is, we stay together, we play together. We're more of a family. We respect one another and we try to bring out the best in each other. That's the difference."--Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys' wide receiver, who scored three touchdowns and 114 yards on six receptions against the Eagles in Philadelphia.

After three consecutive mediocre, non-playoff 8-8 seasons (and much criticism from fans and the media), the Dallas Cowboys are back on top of the NFC East after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles this past Sunday night. The Cowboys are 10-4 and in solid playoff contention with two regular season games to go.

What are the keys to the Cowboys success this season?

1.  Making solid personnel decisions based on football needs rather than marketing needs.

The Cowboys came very close to drafting Johnny Manziel this off-season.  While Manziel could still develop into an excellent NFL quarterback, the Cowboys resisted that splashy, sexy move. The drafting of Manziel would have created a media circus and disrupted a team that needed a quiet, focused off-season to prepare for 2014.  The move would also have created the quarterback controversy that has plagued the Cleveland Browns, who did draft Manziel, the entire season.

Instead, the Cowboys have found talent in unexpected places.  The Cowboys' quarterback, Tony Romo, was an undrafted rookie, when he signed with them.  DeMarco Murray, the NFL's leading rusher this season, was drafted in the third round out of Oklahoma.  Jason Witten, their veteran tight end, was also drafted in the third round out of Tennessee.

The Cowboys also stayed true to their long-term strategy of building a strong offensive line to take advantage of their talented skill position players. Rather than focusing on getting more star players, they continued to draft and sign quality linemen to protect Romo and open holes for their running backs.    

2.  Learning the lesson of continuity and patience.

The Cowboys resisted the temptation of making wholesale changes to pacify frustrated fans. They stuck with Jason Garrett as their head coach.  There are not many teams that would have shown the patience, confidence and loyalty to their head coach that the current regime in Dallas did.  This patience is paying dividends this season and, probably, beyond.

The Cowboys have also stuck with their talented but aging stars like Romo and Witten. Romo is one of the most criticized and polarizing players in the NFL.  Romo has been criticized and questioned for his talent as well as his ability to deal with pressure situations for years, yet the Cowboys have always had extreme confidence in his play and his leadership, as well as his mental toughness.   Witten, always a solid citizen in the locker room, continues to prove his NFL Hall of Fame credentials with his blocking and pass catching.

Despite off-field problems early in his career, Bryant has also matured and the Cowboys have stuck with him as well.  His performance this year as been crucial to their success.

There is much football yet to be played this season, but the Dallas Cowboys are in the thick of things due to their maturity, patience, and sound decision-making at the top.


For more on Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys, get the book:  Razor Thin:  The Difference Between Winning and Losing.

LeBron James and the Flow State

During the 2011 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks, I wrote a blogpost about LeBron James suggesting that he was thinking too much:

Peak Performance: The Blog: LeBron Is Not Shrinking From the Stage, He's Think...

Bless his heart, he is doing it again with the Cleveland Cavaliers.  LeBron may be too smart for his own and the team's good. As he works to help build a winning team and a climate of success in his return to Cleveland,  he may be back to thinking too much about his role, his teammates, how to facilitate, how to fit it. Of course those issues are important, but that is the coaches' job.

Right now, LeBron is still the best individual basketball player in the world.  He is best and the team works best when LeBron lets himself be LeBron. He works very hard at his craft.  He is at his best when he lets his extreme mental and physical preparation to what it does best:  let his talent and muscle memory take over during games.  It is his teammates responsibility to also do what they do best to act and react to his lead.

Yes, it will take time to make it all fit fluidly.  This is a different team than the Miami Heat.  Their point guard, Kyrie Irving, is a young, immature, shoot first, point guard.  The team is used to losing. The team will be better in March and April than it is now.

Yes, LeBron is a thoughtful, mature, generous, gracious teammate who want to be patient with his young team.  He is also a force of nature, will, intelligence, preparation and talent.  Only he can unleash that combination and bring himself to that point where purpose and preparation equal peak performance.

At this point in his career, with this team, his most valuable leadership trait is his example as a player. He may make a very good coach in the future, but now, in Cleveland, he must lead by example. He must be willing to create that "flow state" into which all of his teammates can enter. That is what the city of Cleveland wished for. They are waiting. We all are waiting.

Kobe Bryant Reaches for Next Step in his Maturity

"Right now we've really figured out how to bond together as a group. True chemistry is built through adversity. It's tough because it could cut either way. It seems to have brought us together."
--Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, in an interview prior to last season (October 2013).

And the adversity just keeps coming.  Many people have predicted another losing season for the Los Angeles Lakers, who have lost the first five games of the 2014-2015 NBA season. Though, Bryant, their leader, returns after two injury-plagued season, the team is not expected to return to the Lakers' typical place as an elite, championship-contending playoff team. Nevertheless, despite it being early in the season, Bryant has displayed an unexpected and surprising level of maturity in his reaction to the losses.

The Lakers are losing their games by an average of almost 15 points per game. Despite averaging 27 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists in five games this season, Bryant seems to realize that the Lakers need him to display a new Kobe.  The losses are frustrating; but the Lakers do not need just superstar, super-scorer Kobe.  They also need:      

Professionalism:

“I know him and I know he’ll stay professional about it,” Clippers forward Matt Barnes, who spent two seasons with the Lakers, said of Bryant. “You always want to see someone who’s had a historical career go out in the right way, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen that way. It’s going to be a long season for him.”

Leadership:

“They still take his lead,” Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said of Bryant. “He gives that team toughness, he gives them resolve. I guarantee you, whether they play well or not, they’re not going to be a team that gives in, because Kobe never gives in.”

Mentoring:

“You have to be able to assert yourself, especially on a team I’m playing on,” Bryant said. “I don’t want chumps and I don’t want pushovers. If you’re a chump and you’re a pushover, I will run over you. And so it’s important for them to have that toughness and to say ‘I believe in myself. I can step up and make these plays, I can perform.’ I think that’s very important.”


“Absolutely,” he said. “A lot more teaching. A lot more communication as opposed to the players we had in the past. Here it’s really kind of teaching, how to get things down, how to deal with the emotional roller coasters that take place throughout the course of games, the challenge of things and figuring things out.”

Resilience:

"We can't get discouraged by it," Bryant said. "It's a very long season. You just have to stay the course. Keep on looking to improve, keep on looking to get better and things will eventually break.

"You have to understand there is nothing you can do with what's transpired. You have to move on to tomorrow. Right? You have to. Kicking and screaming is not going to do anything.

"Lakers fans know it's a process. Things can turn pretty quickly. We've seen it there before. If there is anything we're relying on, we're relying on our history, what we've been able to accomplish and how quickly we are able to turn things around."

Loyalty:

"I've enjoyed a great amount of success here. You can't just enjoy the successful times and then run away from the bad ones. No, I don't even think about [departing]. I'm a Laker."

His leadership is in his mindset and mental conditioning.  That is why he has been successful for so long.  That is why he has come back from potential career-ending injuries.  And, now, he needs to help others' mental conditioning.  He just might turn things around.  He's a Laker.      

Excerpts taken from nytimes.com (11/1/2014) and sports.yahoo.com (11/2/2014).

Subtle Lesson in Leadership (VIDEO)

I attended a great professional basketball game on Tuesday night. It was the deciding Game 3 of the WNBA opening round, conference semifinal match up between the Eastern Conference's #1 seed, Atlanta Dream versus the #4 seeded Chicago Sky in Atlanta's Philips Arena.

The game included a classic individual match up pitting the Dream's leading scorer and two-time WNBA scoring champion, Angel McCoughtry, against last year's WNBA rookie of the year, Elena Delle Donne.

I expected a great game, but I did not expect a greater lesson in leadership in the Sky's 81-80 comeback victory over Atlanta to win their Eastern Conference semifinal series 2-1. The Dream had led by as many as 20 points and were up by 17 with just over 8 minutes left, at home, no less.

Turning Point

What all the news wire cover stories did not mention was the importance of an incident that, in hindsight, was the real turning point. Both stars struggled during the first half. As a team, Atlanta shot the ball well in the first quarter. Atlanta kept pouring it on in the second quarter and led by as many as 20 when Erika deSouza drove to the basket to give Atlanta a 44-24 lead with 5:46 left. The Dream was shooting 60% from the field and playing great team basketball.
  

The Sky looked beaten.  Delle Donne had scored only two points in the first quarter. Angel was doing a great job on her defensively.  The team was helping McCoughtry with stifling defense.  Delle Donne could have given up, she could have let frustration get to her; but, she persevered and scored an important 13 second-quarter points. She drilled a 3-pointer that cut lead to 52-41 just before halftime. A solid performance by the Sky's star, but her team was still behind. She showed great poise, grit and determination, but it wasn't looking like enough for an historic comeback.

However, lost in the Dream's big lead and forgotten by halftime, was an all too typical Angel McCoughtry meltdown near the end of the half.  Although McCoughtry had reportedly been displaying considerably more maturity this season, this was crunch time with playoff survival and advancement hanging in the balance.  With 3:20 left in the first half, McCoughtry was fouled by the Sky's Tamara Young, on a shot toward the basket. 

Young had been doing a great job of defending McCoughtry.  The Dream star had been frustrated by Young's physical, pesky defense.  McCoughtry got in Young's face and they had some words. The officials gave McCoughtry a technical foul for her troubles. McCoughtry's teammates, realizing that McCoughtry continued to talk to the referees, physically pulled her away from a second technical foul and automatic ejection. They realized that they needed their teammate to stay in the game and seal the win.

During the subsequent timeout, the entire Dream team surrounded McCoughtry to keep her cool and relaxed. Dream teammate DeSouza even resorted to rubbing McCoughtry's ears to keep her from flaring up again. Seemingly, it worked.  Despite the break in momentum, the Dream still led 72-55.  It seemed that the Dream had recovered.  

Delle Donne Sparks The Rally

Ever tenacious, though, Chicago scored seven straight points, including a three-point play from Delle Donne, to cut the margin to 10 points with 7:02 remaining. Sensing blood and following Delle Donne's lead, Chicago continued to attack and take advantage of Atlanta's increasingly poor shooting and passing. Still rallying, the Sky scored six straight points to complete a 14-2 run and trim the deficit even more to 74-69 with 4:27 left.

"We just got away from what we were doing so well," Dream coach Michael Cooper said. "We took some quick shots and bad shots and let it kind of get away from us." Without their poise nor the leadership of Angel McCoughtry, the Dream was in jeopardy of throwing away a clearly winnable game.  

It became clear that McCoughtry's tantrum had led to the entire Dream losing their team poise and focus. With the Dream looking for leadership, McCoughtry wasn't the same player who scored 39 points in the second game of the series in Chicago. On Tuesday night in Atlanta, she only shot 5-for-18 from the field and scored 17 points. Most tellingly, McCoughtry made one of eight shots in the cruicial fourth quarter. 

"I think we were playing to win," Dream player Sancho Lyttle said. "We just stopped executing, and all of a sudden it was a one-point lead and we wondered, 'How did that happen?'"

What happened was that the Dream's star player failed to accept the leadership challenge. She failed to keep her cool and deal with adversity. She failed to assert her will and lead the team to victory.   

Meanwhile, the quiet and poised Delle Donne hit a runner with 8.2 seconds left enabled the Sky to complete a 17-point, fourth-quarter comeback and beat the Dream by one point. The resilient Delle Donne posted a game-high point total on 10-of-19 shooting from the floor and 11-for-11 for the line. The 10 field goals matched her career high.  McCoughtry, who had drawn the defensive assignment to guard Della Donne, had been physical and somewhat effective, but Della Donne, kept her composure and continued work hard for her points.  

"We put the ball in her hands, and she made the plays," Chicago coach Pokey Chatman said. 

"In the fourth quarter, they put the ball in my hands. The team trusted me," Delle Donne said.

The Comparison and the Future

By contrast, following a number of questionably poor shots after her meltdown, Dream forward Angel McCoughtry's attempt at a game-winning jumper from the right side bounced on the rim several times before falling away as the horn sounded.

"It was a resilient effort by my team," Chatman said. "They stayed the course, and when it got late, my star player stepped up."  The role model for that resilience was Delle Donne.  The difference was one point but the real difference was leadership. The Sky had it, the Dream didn't.

The Sky moves on and the Dream looks ahead after another season of disappointment.  Can Angel McCoughtry find maturity and develop the leadership that she and the Dream so desperately need?  Will Elena Delle Donne lead this #4 seed to a championship through grit and resilience?   

  

  

Excerpts from the Chicago Tribune and ESPN.go.com (August 27, 2014).  







espn.go.com

The Surprisingly Mature Leadership of Jason Giambi

“His leadership, his presence, for me not to use that, I would be an idiot. I’ve leaned on him so much. He’s not making enough money, I tell him that all the time. He’s the best influence on players I’ve ever seen — ever, and I’ve been around some pretty good ones.”  

--Terry Francona, manager of the Cleveland Indians, talking about the value that Jason Giambi provides to his team.  

Terry Francona has been a player, coach, minor league manager, and a major league manager for 13 years. In all that time, Francona said last week, he had never met a person like Jason Giambi.

The Cleveland Indians are currently 86-70 this season, and have been in the thick of the division, wild-card and playoff races.  He has hit 8 home runs and has driven in 29 runs in limited playing time behind starter, Carlos Santana.

Giambi, 42, a designated hitter for the Indians, is the oldest position player in the major leagues. He weathered a steroid scandal earlier in his career to become a respected veteran who was a strong candidate last winter to be the manager of the Colorado Rockies. Ultimately, the Rockies hired Walt Weiss as their manager. So Giambi decided to continue his career as a designated hitter — and unofficial captain — for Francona’s Indians. And, he has Francona's back.

“I kind of call myself the ‘Protector.' I protect what he cares about, which is playing the game hard, playing the game right, making sure we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing. Tito and I are one in the same. I care about my teammates like he cares about his team." 

“Every single guy — from the Latin players to the white guys to the black guys — I’m tight with everybody. I get to care about them with no ulterior motives. I just want to see them succeed. I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs, and I want them to turn into the best players they can, because I truly believe that’s the gift you give back to this game.” 

--Jason Giambi. 

Who knew that Jason Giambi would eventually grow up?  Does your team have a Jason Giambi?

Excerpts taken from nytimes.com (9/22/2013).  

Jeremy Lin is Flourishing as a Leader in Houston

Source: performancevertical.jux.com via Luis on Pinterest

“I think we’re getting more mature as a team and as individuals. We’re understanding not to panic and to get back to what we do best.”

--Jeremy Lin, Houston Rockets, who has led his team to a 31-26 record in the NBA.

He is averaging 12.8 points and 6.2 assists per game this season. The Rockets are noticing what a good job Lin is doing, fitting into what the team is trying to do.  This includes fast-breaks, pick-and-rolls, and spreading the floor for open jump shots.  They are considered the fastest team in the league.

“He’s done a lot better job keeping us in our offense. He’s keeping us in our sets and doing all those little things that Coach was emphasizing.”

--Chandler Parsons, Houston Rockets forward.

Excerpts taken from www.nytimes.com, "Lin Does a lot by Not Doing Too Much" by Beckley Mason (February 24, 2013).


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Joe Flacco Has The Ravens Believing in Him

“When you lose three straight, people look at the quarterback, that’s part of the job. I think a lot is made and sometimes it really isn’t that much, and it’s not my job to really listen to [the criticism], so I don’t. … I believe in myself. I believe in this team.”

--Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens Quarterback, who leads the Ravens today against the Indianapolis Colts in an AFC wild-card game, despite a current three game losing streak. 

Flacco has displayed resiliency as a fifth-year quarterback. He has now led the Ravens to AFC North titles in back-to-back seasons, and has another shot at a playoff run.

The Ravens have won at least one playoff game each year since Flacco became their starting quarterback as a rookie in 2008, and they are going back to the postseason this year. His individual performances, however, haven’t matched his team’s success.

Over his career, Flacco has only completed 60.5 percent of his passes in regular-season action, and has thrown at least 10 interceptions per season. His postseason numbers are even worse.

While he has won five playoff games in four seasons, he has completed just 54.3 percent of his passes for 170.2 yards per game in nine career playoff games, and has an even number of touchdowns and interceptions thrown with eight apiece.

In spite of his overall success, Flacco is not seen as an elite quarterback by many critics. This year Flacco was the 12th-ranked passer in the NFL with 22 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and 3,817 yards.Though, it is doubtful that the Ravens would be back in the playoffs without his leadership.

 “I think it says that he’s a very good quarterback, number one,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said. “It also says that he has a lot of determination, a lot of pride, and he was able to handle that. That’s probably the biggest thing. You have to have thick skin, skin like an armadillo.”

His teammates spoke highly of what Flacco was able to do with his back against the wall.

“I’ve always said that he’s handled the pressure better than anybody I’ve ever seen,” running back Ray Rice said. “He’s done a great job handling it – and as I said, we go as Joe goes.”


“I think Joe plays big every week,” tight end Ed Dickson added. “When Joe is in the zone, he looks like one of the best quarterbacks out there. We told him as an offensive group that we have his back. … I think Joe stepped up big and he showed a little emotion today.”

 It appears that the Ravens have committed to have Flacco as their long-term quarterback. He is in the last year of his contract and many expect him to re-sign with the Ravens.

 "In terms of arm talent, he's a top five guy," Rich Gannon, pro football analyst says. "For a 6-6, 245 guy, he's very athletic. The question for Joe is about stepping up — with Ray Lewis retiring, Joe is going to have to step outside his comfort zone and be more demanding of teammates, play more of a demonstrative leadership role."


Excerpts from Bleacher Report.com (12/17/2012), USA Today (1/4/2013), ESPN.com.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Alex Rodriguez Shows Leadership

"I couldn’t be happier for Raul.  Ten years ago, I might have reacted differently. I admit I might not have taken it as well. But I have matured. I told Joe when he came to me that he had to do exactly what he felt he had to do." 

--Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees All-Star, celebrating a winning home run by the Raul Ibanez, who replaced him in the lineup in the ninth inning.  

Wednesday night in the Game Four of their best-of-five American League division series with the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium, with the New York Yankees behind and facing a 2-1 series deficit, Alex Rodriguez saw Yankees Manager Joe Girardi walking toward him.  It was the ninth inning, the Yankees were trailing by a run, and Rodriguez had gone 0 for 3 in the game, with two strikeouts.  Girardi told Rodriguez that he was going to replace him with Raul Ibanez, a pinch hitter.
Ibanez tied the game, 2-2, with a home run to right field. Perhaps surprisingly to many people, Rodriguez was the first Yankee to greet Ibanez at the top step of the dugout after he rounded the bases.

Then, in the 12th inning, Ibanez did it again, winning the game, 3-2, with a second homer.

Asked if he was insulted by Girardi’s decision or if he would harbor any hard feelings, Rodriguez shook his head.

“No, no way,” he answered. “I’m one of the leaders of this team now. It’s about winning. We won; I’m pleased. Whatever it takes.”

Excerpts from nytimes.com (October 11, 2012), "Slumping in Middle of Lineup, Rodriguez Is Center of Attention" by Bill Pennington.   

Tim Tebow's Take on Leadership

"You can't lead anyone unless you know where you're going and you can't lead anyone unless you've earned their respect. If they don't respect you, they're not going to follow you."

--Tim Tebow, New York Jets quarterback.

Excerpt from nytimes.com (9/2/2012), "Sharing the Stage," Ben Shpigel.

Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo Plays Brilliantly

"I know we're all in this together, but it's great when he takes over like that.  He's the smartest point guard I've ever been around. He's a brilliant player like that."

--Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, after Rajon Rondo, recorded 18 points, 17 rebounds (career high) and 20 assists in a come-from-behind overtime win over the New York Knicks on Sunday.

This was Rondo's fourth triple-double this season and the 17th of his career. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last player to record a triple-double with at least 17 in each category was Magic Johnson, who had 24 points, 17 assists and 17 rebounds on April 18, 1989. The last player to exceed Rondo's performance in each category was Wilt Chamberlain, who had 22 points, 25 rebounds and 21 assists on Feb. 2, 1968.

"That's the Rondo we like to see, playing with all that energy," teammate Paul Pierce said. "He got the guys the ball in open spots; he did everything for us tonight. He rebounded, he passed, he got the clutch rebound there in overtime and got the layup. That's the Rondo I like to see."

Pierce also had a great game, scoring 34 points, including a 3-point basket with 4.9 seconds left in regulation.

Excerpts from ESPN.com (March 4, 2012).

The Managerial Secret of Tony LaRussa

“He’s on a whole different level. He thinks about stuff nobody else is thinking about. I played for him, I know how he is. He’s one of a kind.” 

--Darren Oliver, Texas Rangers pitcher, discussing St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa.   

Tony La Russa has been a major league manager for 33 seasons.  In the opening game of the 2011 World Series on Wednesday night against the Rangers, La Russa pulled the right levers with his bullpen, making five changes. Each move went his way, and the Cardinals won the first games of the series.  3-2 in front of 46,406 at St. Louis’ Busch Stadium.

LaRussa emphasizes caring as a key component of this managerial style. 

“There’s a lot of smart baseball people around,” La Russa said. “Nowadays, with all the distractions, you better get kids that care for your message. And how do you get them to care? You care for them as people.”

It is not easy and it takes time. 

“Our staff, we believe in being very personal, up-close with our players,” La Russa said. 

“It’s not a line drawn and you rarely step over it. We really believe in a lot of intermingling and making each other personally accountable to each other. In other words, you care for your players. Actually, it’s a harder way to lead, because you spend a lot of time as a staff thinking about each and every guy, every day.”

Excerpts from the NYTimes.com (10/19/2011).

Leadership Lessons: The Pursuit of Osama bin Laden

Perhaps not since President John F. Kennedy stared down the Soviets during the Cuban Missile Crisis in the 1960's has a United States President been so clearly in charge and purposeful (at a time when perhaps his political career was so on the ropes).  

In successfully pursuing and eliminating Osama bin Laden, President Barack Obama displayed and has continued to display an inspiring level of leadership that has earned the respect of this country and our allies abroad.  President Obama has established a strong legacy and has solidified his stance as a respected leader here and throughout the world. His place in history is now safe. He is the leader that we hoped for and expected when we elected him.  He took his role as Commander-in-Chief seriously and took responsibility when it was most needed.  

So, what did he do?  What leadership model does he leave for us to follow?

• Vision:   Single-minded Pursuit of a Desired Outcome
• Responsibility and Accountability for Doing the Right Thing
• Patience
• Tenacity
• Perseverance

It took 10 years for us to find bin Laden.  We could have failed in our mission had we struck too soon or at the wrong place or without proper preparation.  We also could have struck in such a way that could have been questioned for years, particularly if we had been left with no proof of bin Laden's death.    

• Dealing with Ambiguity
• Calculated Risk Taking
• Failure not an Option

President Obama could not be assured of success, however, he moved forward when he needed to increase the likelihood of a positive outcome.  He was particularly vulnerable to attacks from political opponents.  

• Courage in the Face of Criticism
• Willingness to Accept the Consequences

President Obama used all the resources at his disposal:  strategic thinkers and experienced advisors; and deployed the right tactical strike team of the highest level of competence to achieve his goal.

• Full Use of Intelligence and Best Information Available
• Due Diligence
• Realistic Cost/Benefits Analysis
• Careful Planning
• Delegating To Those with the Right Skills

President Obama has made good decisions that have been hailed around the world as being culturally and politically sensitive when the wrong moves would have been costly, moving us backwards in the fight against terrorism and damaged our reputation with allies.  His mishandling of Osama bin Laden's remains could have been disastrous.    

• Sense of Humanity, Respect and Humility

Again, I applaud President Obama and thank all the people that were involved in this critical mission.  Congratulations.  We appreciate what you have done and what you have left us as a model for leadership. 

Tom Brady & the New England Patriots: Ready for a New Season?

"Playing these guys a few times in the playoffs, you look over and say 'Hey, we can go over and beat that team. What do they do that we don't do? We can win this game.' But then when you get here, you see his passion, you see the way he studies, you see how demanding he is of his players, the leadership. Right in front of you, it just jumps right out. You see why he's a proven winner."

--Fred Taylor, who signed with the New England Patriots after being released by the Jacksonville Jaguars, talking about how he is impressed with Tom Brady, the Patriots' veteran quarterback.

Brady is recovering from an injury to his left knee that he received in the opening game of the 2008 NFL season. Should Brady be back to his old self, the Patriots are one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl, despite being the oldest team in the league (an average age of 27-plus).

Excerpt from the New York Times (July 31, 2009).

For more on the New England Patriots, click on New England Patriots: Peak Performance Case Study.

For more on Peak Performance, click on The Handbook of Peak Performance.

Kobe Bryant: Hungry Leader of the Los Angeles Lakers

"I just want it so bad, that's all. I just want it really bad. You just put everything you have into the game and your emotions kind of flow out of you."

--Kobe Bryant, discussing his burning desire to win an NBA championship this year.

Bryant scored 40 points and had 8 rebounds and 8 assists in a game one blowout of the Orlando Magic in the NBA championship finals.


"It's been a long haul to get back here for all of us," Bryant said. "It makes you hungry and it wasn't just me, it was everybody on our team. They want to have that feeling in the NBA. I've had it three times already. Once you've had that celebration and that feeling of winning and accomplishment, you want to have it again."

"I admire his hunger as a player," Pao Gasol, his teammate, said.

"He's a great leader and somebody you look up to," another Laker teammate, Sasha Vujacic, says. "There are no words to describe him."



Excerpts taken from NBA.com (June 6, 2009)

For more on Peak Performance, click on The Handbook of Peak Performance.

The Cleveland Cavaliers Stay Alive in the 2009 NBA Playoffs

"I was attacking anyone in the way, no matter who it was. There's always a sense of urgency when you are on the brink of elimination."

--LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers, following a 112 to 102 victory in a must-win game five against the Orlando Magic in the NBA playoffs.

James, in a well-rounded, versatile fashion, had 37 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists.

"The mood is win or go home. It's simple at this point," James, the regular season MVP, said in his pre-game press conference. "I have a lot of faith in my teammates. Hopefully, they accept the challenge."

"Some star players just put their head down and attack the basket. They put blinders on. But he sees the whole floor, he's aware of what's going on out there, and he can pass over defenders. That's what makes him who he is."

--Ben Wallace, Cleveland Cavaliers' center, talking about LeBron James' vision on the court.

"His intensity and his passion are out of this world. We will follow him. When he gets it going, there is nothing you can do."

--Daniel Gibson, Cavaliers' guard, pointing out James' leadership.

"I don't care what the numbers are. I'll never waver from the trust I have in those guys."

--Mike Brown, Cleveland head coach, expressing his trust in the entire team.

The Cavaliers are still down three games to two to the Orlando Magic. They must continue to display teamwork, leadership, and the intensity they had in game 5 to force a game seven, win and advance to the NBA finals.

Excerpts from ESPN.com (May 29, 2009)

For more on peak performance, go to The Handbook of Peak Performance.

Mike Tomlin: Glimpses of a Championship Head Coach

"It's like chess to me. I like to control my emotions because I want to see things with clarity. I think that's what my team needs me to do in those instances. I think that's what my team needs me to do in those instances. Not that I don't enjoy it, I do, but I'm always trying to stay a step ahead.

"You wear many hats in this business, and I embrace that as much as I do the X's and O's. I probably get more enjoyment out of watching people grow than I do preparing winning football games. It's a beautiful thing. I believe that's what we're all called to do."

--Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach, discussing his sideline demeanor and various leadership and mentoring roles on the team.

Excerpts from the New York Times, February 3, 2009.

Watch the game-winning drive on YouTube below.