We all know that basketball is a great vehicle to teach and reinforce impoortant life skills but it can also provide an opportunity to identify some personal qualities and charactersistics. In his book Values of the Game, Senator Bill Bradley, a former NBA star and champion with the New York Knicks, shares a great example of this truth in action.

I can learn more about people by playing three on three with them for 20 minutes than I can by talking with them for a week. I once hired a new director for my US Senate offices. I liked him but it wasn’t until I played basketball with him that I knew I’d made the right choice. I found out that he was a hard worker (he went for rebounds), competitive with a fierce desire to win (he played tight defense), and unselfish (he screened away from the ball).

Just think about your own team for a second. The players who work the hard on the court generally work hard off the court as well.  Players who are selfish on the court also seem to be selfish off the court. Motivated self starters in the gym are usually motivated self starters in other areas of their life too. I guess whoever said Basketball doesn’t always build character but it most certainly reveals it was exactly right!

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Kevin Eastman of the Boston Celtics has long been recognized as one of the best teachers of the game and always has extremely useful things to say, The following 9 ideas from Coach Eastman should give even the most experienced coach some food for thought. In their written form, these ideas were borrowed from Bob Starkey, an Assistant Women’s Coach at the University of Central Florida.

1. Every now and then we should just sit and think. Never know what you will come up with.

2. Success has a price and players have to know that they have to pay it just as much as you and your staff have to.

3. Success does have down payments: work ethic, discipline, preparation, consistency.

4. We are the sum total of the experiences we’ve had and the people we’ve met. What have you done? Who have you associated with?

5. Preparation is so important because it can help eliminate fear and
doubt.

6. Before we can eliminate excuses that keep us from improving we have to recognize what those excuses are. Write down your top three excuses and then eliminate them for the next month. This will create a habit of not using them any more!

7. It’s very important to take a close look at your locker room. Whose voices are being heard? Are these the messages that you would want being sent?

8. What messages are on your locker room wall? May seem corny but it’s something that players will see — and probably read — almost every day!

9. Never be concerned about repeating a message; repetitive verbal teaching is a great form of teaching. Teaching doesn’t always have to be physical.

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I’ve been a fan of Pat Riley’s ever since he started coaching the Lakers decades ago and have made it a point to read anything and everything he has written. The things he wrote in his book The Winner Within applies to coaches, players, parents, businessmen, and just about everyone else I can think of. Here is what he has to say about teamwork:

Teamwork is the essence of life.

If there is one thing on which I am an authority, it’s how to blend the talents and strengths of individuals into a force that becomes greater than the sum of the parts. My driving belief is this: great teamwork is the only way to reach our ultimate moments, to create breakthroughs that define our careers, to fulfill our lives with a sense of lasting significance.

When our teams excel, we win. Our best efforts, combined with those of our teammates, grow into something far greater and far more satisfying than anything we could have achieved on our own. Teams make us part of something that matters.

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Here are the final 25 items listed by Peter Robert Casey as the things he loves most about the game of basketball. I’ve had a lot of fun looking up all these links and immersing myself in the history of the game. If there are things that you love about basketball but don’t see them on these past lists, please send them to me and I’ll share them on this blog.

1. Steve Nash’s creativity
2. Stockton to Malone
3. Tark’s lineup of LJ, Augmon, and Greg Anthony
4. Team Flight Brothers
5. Texas Western’s ’66 NCAA title
6. The Bone Collector, Larry Williams, dominating NYC playgrounds
7. The Breaks of the Game, by David Halberstam
8. The City Game, by Pete Axthelm
9. The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
10. The Harlem Rens’ barnstorming brilliance
11. The impossible becomes real
12. The Last Shot, by Darcy Frey
13. The Miracle of St. Anthony, by Adrian Wojnarowski
14. The passion of Drazen Petrovic
15. The Wizard of Westwood (his legacy and philosophies on life and the game)
16. Throwback jerseys
17. Tim Duncan’s bankshot
18. Tim Hardaway’s killer crossover
19. Venice Beach runs
20. Villanova stuns G’town in ’84
21. Vince Carter over Frederic Weis
22. West 4th Street – The Cage
23. White Men Can’t Jump
24. Wllis Reed limping from the locker room
25. Wilt’s 100 point game

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According to Hall of Fame Basketball Coach Pat Riley, here are the “6 Danger Signals of the Disease of Me.”

1. Chronic feelings of under appreciation – focus on oneself
2. Paranoia over being cheated out of one’s rightful share
3. Leadership vacuum resulting from formation of cliques and rivalries
4. Feelings of frustration even when the team performs successfully
5. Personal effort increased solely to outshine one’s teammate
6. Resentment of the competence and success of another

Coach Riley goes on to state that, “The most difficult thing for individuals to do when they become part of a team is to sacrifice. It is much easier to be selfish!”

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The following links are items 101-125 of Peter Robert Casey’s list of everything he loves about basketball. As you’ve been reading these lists the last few weeks I hope you have tried listing all the things YOU love about the greatest game on earth.

Come back next Monday for the 6th and final part of this series.

1. Pee Wee Kirkland talking in the 3rd Person
2. Pete Maravich’s LSU days
3. Phi Slamma Jamma
4. President Barack loves the game too
5. Princeton’s Offense
6. Rebound: The Story of Earl “The Goat” Manigault
7. Red Auerbach lighting up a cigar on the sideline
8. Redeem Team capturing gold in the 2008 Summer Olympics
9. Reebok Pumps
10. Reggie Miller owning the Knicks, putting up the choke sign
11. Rick Barry’s underhand free throws
12. Rock Chalk Jayhawk Chant
13. Dennis Rodman’s hair
14. Rucker Park
15. Run TMC
16. Scott Odom starting stand-up amputee basketball
17. Seeing the Globetrotters as a kid
18. Selection Sunday
19. Shaq dominating the NBA on Twitter
20. SLAM Magazine
21. Soul in The Hole
22. Spud Webb’s ’86 dunk title
23. Squeaking sneakers on a clean gym floor
24. Starks heft-handed dunk
25. Stephen Curry in the 2008 NCAA Tournament

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With Thanksgiving coming up later this week, what better time to reflect back on all the things concerning the game of basketball that make us grateful! Here is the newest installment of Peter Robert Casey’s list of everything he loves about hoops.

Come back next monday for Part 5!

1. Life on the Run, by Bill Bradley
2. Loose Balls, by Terry Pluto
3. Lou Carnesecca’s sweater
4. Louisville vs. Kentucky rivalry
5. Magic Johnson leading the fast break
6. Manute Bol burying 3s and blocking shots
7. Marbury vs. Iverson in college
8. March Madness opening rounds
9. Marv Albert: “a SPECTACULAR move by Michael Jordan!”
10. McDonald’s All-American Game
11. Michael Jordan’s entire career (pick one)
12. Michigan’s Fab 5
13. Muggsy Bogues overcoming a lack of height
14. NBA Draft Suits
15. NBA Fantasy League Rotisserie
16. NBA Jam
17. Nike commercials: I’m Not a Role Model, Mars Blackmon, Lil’ Penny, Freestyle, LeBron/Kobe puppets
18. Dominique Wilkins vs. Larry Bird  in ’88
19. Olaf Shorts
20. Olajuwon abusing the Admiral during the 1995 Western Conference Finals
21. One one One with Robbie Benson
22. One Shining Moment
23. Oscar Robertson averaging a triple-double over an entire season
24. Patrick Ewing sweating at the foul line
25. Pearl Jam’s original band name: Mookie Blaylock

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Have you ever sat down and thought about why you really love the game of basketball? I’m willing to bet it’s not just one thing, but several and maybe dozens of things.  Here is Part 3 of a six part series listing all the things that Peter Robert Casey loves about the game. If you can add to any of these lists please send me your thoughts.

Check back next Monday for a new list of 25!

1. Hoop Dreams: Book and Movie
2. Hoop-it-up 3-on-3 tournaments
3. HoopsTV.com, now defunct, but never forgotten
4. Hoosiers
5. Hubie Brown lecturing or breaking down a game
6. Indiana’s old high school playoff system
7. Jason Kidd’s passes
8. Jason McElwain’s 20 points in four minutes
9. Jason William’s off the elbow pass
10. Jerry West’s silhouette in the NBA logo
11. Jim Boeheim’s press conferences
12. Jim Phelan’s bowties
13. Jim Valvano looking for a hug after winning the 1983 NCAA Tournament
14. Joe Jones vs. James Jones Ivy league rivalry
15. John Thompson’s towel
16. Jordan’s final shot
17. Kareem’s sky hook
18. Kenny Anderson in HS and College
19. Kevin Johnson’s dunk over Olajuwon
20. Knee-high socks
21. Kobe Bryant’s 4th ring; first without Shaq
22. Lakers/Celtics rivalry
23. Larry Bird: A Basketball Legend DVD
24. LeBron James in high school
25. Let Me Tell You a Story, Red Auerbach with John Feinstein

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Here are another 25 items for Peter Robert Casey’s blog post called “150 Things I Love About Basketball” How many of these do you know first hand? If you get a chance, start your own list – it will help you remember just how great our favorite game has been to you!

Check back here next Monday for 25 more!

1. Darryl Dawkins naming his dunks: I.e. The Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam, Glass-Breaker-I-Am-Jam
2. Derrick Rose’s ability to leap and elude defenses on the ground
3. Detroit’s Bad Boys
4. Dick Vitale calling a game
5. Dikembe Mutombo’s finger wag
6. Double Dribble for Nintendo
7. Dr. James Naismith inventing the game as a class assignment
8. Dr. J’s cradle dunk in the ’80 Final
9. Dream Team
10. Duke vs. UNC
11. Dwyane Wade’s love letter to the game
12. Earl “The Pearl” Monroe’s spin move
13. Empty gym workouts
14. Filling out NCAA brackets
15. Final Four Weekend
16. First trip to the Basketball Hall of Fame
17. Five-Star Basketball Camp
18. George Gervin’s finger roll
19. Gerry McNamara’s 2006 Big East Tourney performance
20. God Shammgod’s signature crossover
21. Grandmama
22. Grinell College’s offense
23. Harry Statham’s 995 wins over 43 years McKendree University
24. He Got Game
25. Heaven is a Playground, by Rick Telander

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Pat Williams has spent nearly his entire professional career as an NBA executive with several different teams. Here are some of his thoughts on assembling teams with promoting team chemistry in mind as written in his book Extreme Dreams depend on Teams:

Make sure you’ve got some confident yet coachable high-talent leaders, some risk takers and slam dunkers, some skilled yet humble role players, some motivators and cheerleaders, and some tough minded spark plugs. Assemble a well rounded, well balanced mix of skills and temperaments.

Your goal is to assemble a cohesive group of people who represent a diversity of skills, personality types, temperaments, and points of view – but who share an absolute unity of purpose. Once you achieve that, you’ve got chemistry. You’ve got a platoon of people who are ready to go to war for one another.

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