Archive for Links
The Wooden Legacy
Posted by: | CommentsIf you follow sports at all, you have already heard about this story in the most recent addition of Sports Illustrated regarding Head Coach Ben Howland and the UCLA basketball program.
Romana Shelburne has a good response over at ESPN.
I have met Howland a few times, but don’t really know him. My brother did play for him for a year and is still connected to the UCLA program, so he naturally knows much more than I. Anyhow, my initial response was that the SI article was probably just stating the obvious in light of their lack of success, because when a team lacks discipline and vision, well, it is inevitable that they take a fall. Certainly the article reveals quite a lot, but another thought from my end is that this same article could probably be written about many a program who has had a few difficult years. No doubt you can find any number of disgruntled players from any program in order to put something together rather negative.
Finally, I think it is vital to point out that it is my firm belief that though many coaches profess to adhere to Wooden’s philosophies as a Coach, very, very few actually embody his ideals. I don’t know about Howland, but I know that every Coach will talk about how great Wooden was, but few really live what he lived. After all, you can’t fake it. You either own it or you don’t. Wooden’t pyramid doesn’t work by magic. It is meant to be embraced and applied in every walk of life and then, in turn, to transform the way you lead your team.
C.S. Lewis on Friendship
Posted by: | CommentsFriendship arises…when two or more…discover that they have in common some insight or interest….As Emerson said, Do you love me? means Do you see the same truth? –or at least, Do you care about the same truth? The man who agrees with us that some question, little regarded by others, is of great importance can be our Friend….That is why those pathetic people who simply ‘want friends’ can never make any. The very condition of having friends is that we should want something else besides friends. Where the truth answer to the question “Do you see the same truth?” would be “I don’t care about the truth — I only want [you to be my] friend,” no friendship can arise. Friendship must be about something, even if it were only an enthusiasm for dominoes or white mice. Those who have nothing can share nothing; those who are going nowhere can have no fellow-travelers.
- From C.S. Lewis’ The Four Loves as quoted by Tim Keller in his great book, The Meaning of Marriage .
On Inordinate Desires
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“[Many] desires are normal and natural and become sinful only by abuse. Good and lawful desires become corrupted when they are desired inordinately. When you want something good (such as desiring your spouse to love you, or your children to honor you, or your boss to treat you with respect) so much that you are willing to sin in order to fulfill your desire (or to sin as a result of your desire not being fulfilled), your desire becomes idolatrous. Such desires are sinful not because some new verse suddenly appeared in your Bible that says, ‘You shall not want your spouse to love you,’ or ‘You shall not desire your children to honor you,’ or ‘You shall not try to please your boss.’ They are wrong because you have longed for them too intently. What may have begun as a legitimate God-given desire has now metastasized and mutated into an inordinate one.”
- Lou Priolo (Pleasing People
Professional Basketball Overseas
Posted by: | CommentsThis is the best documentary I have ever seen on professional basketball. Real professional basketball from a global perspective, particularly as it relates to the American player and how difficult it is to make money playing ball. I cannot recommend it enough to anyone aspiring to play professionally. And even if you aren’t aspiring, but simply want to have a better understanding of the professional basketball world, this documentary is easily the best place to turn.
Below is part 1 of 9.
(HT: to my beautiful wife, Married to a Baller)
Another Good One from Reilly
Posted by: | CommentsRick Reilly writes about the Hueytown (Ala.) High School baseball team and their coach, Rick Patterson. Humbling story that should obviously put sports in their proper perspective.
