Book I'm Reading: Pat Riley's The Winner Within
I love reading books—be it novels, especially those of John Grisham’s and Fran Peretti’s masterpieces or inspirational books, leadership or sports-related books.
Currently, I’m reading a book by Pat Riley, one of the few multi-titled NBA coaches.
My co-pastor Bong Navarro lent me Riley’s book, The Winner Within—a Life Plan for Team Players.
Find it very interesting, not just because I’m a sports fan and a sports lover, but also because of the decades of coaching and even corporate experience Riley had in the sports industry.
I just finished the first chapter of the book, which talks about the Innocent Climb, a term he coined to describe a team’s ability to come together even in the midst of adversity. And this ability happens even though the team lacks any achievement or accomplishment.
Though written and published in 1994, Riley’s book aims to reveal the importance of recognizing team changes while adjusting into it and making the most of every opportunity.
Riley's fierce competitive spirit and passion to transform mediocre teams into greatness differentiates him from other coaches in the NBA.
I think the most recent success he had ever accomplished in the confines of teamwork happened while he served as general manager, head coach and currently, as president of the Miami Heat.
The Heat, an expansion team during the 1988 season, were a mediocre team prior to Riley’s arrival. But by the time he joined the team in 1995 after a brief coaching stint with the New York Knicks, the Heat began to blossom from one of the favorite whipping teams to a feared playoff team.
Riley’s fierce competitive spirit and value for team play rubbed off into the team. He then, made sure the nucleus of the team be built up strong as evident in Miami’s acquisition of Alonzo Mourning from the Charlotte Hornets in the mid-1990s.
Mourning and Tim Hardaway, the point and shooting guard, formed the Heat’s cornerstone in leading the franchise to division titles from 1997-2000.
The Heat, then suffered major sub performances during the 2001 season, till the arrival of Dwyane Wade in 2003.
But in three years time, after carefully rebuilding the team through the core of Wade and executing a stunning off-season recruitment that brought in superstar center
Shaquille O’Neal entering the 2005 season, the Heat managed to barge into the NBA Finals for the first time in 2006, facing the Dallas Mavericks.
Riley guided the Heat through adversity. Miami dropped the first two games against Dallas, but the Heat refused to give up, riding on the inspired plays of Wade, O’Neal and their bunch of hungry players to collar the franchise’s first-ever NBA championship.
Adversity, oftentimes, it makes life uncomfortable. But it will always be there, whether you’re a student, a single professional or a parent.
However, you and I have a choice to make each time adversity stares down our face.The great thing about life is, you don’t have to face your adversity alone. God promised in His word to never leave you nor forsake you.
Shaq-Lebron Tandem Doesn't Guarantee NBA Title
Will the Shaq-Lebron tandem produce an NBA championship this 2009-2010 season?
On paper, Shaquille O’Neal’s journeyman route that ends at Cleveland recently can be threatening to a lot of teams from the East.
Orlando must have smelled something fishy in Cleveland, Ohio weeks after the Los Angeles Lakers’ NBA title conquest, so that the Magic engineered their own stunning deal that brought in former high-flyer Vince Carter to Florida.
But let me dissect for the moment Shaq’s new partnership with the so-called NBA “king” Lebron James.
After leading the Cavs to a franchise-best 66-16 win-loss record, a pair of series sweeps in the first two rounds against Detroit and Atlanta, Lebron and Co.’s supposed trip to the NBA Finals was cut short when “Superman” Dwight Howard and the Magic knocked them out of the “dream land”, turning what could have been a phenomenal season into a nightmarish end.
So, enter Shaq.
The 37-year-old center is a surefire attraction for the Cavs, whose front office is determined to flush in the toilet their forgettable 2008-2009 NBA campaign as soon as the “Diesel” officially joins the team’s practice.
And the Cavs’ immediate aim? Grab the NBA trophy away from Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
And that would surely be an interesting Finals plot should Shaq be able to help Lebron and the Cavs square up with Kobe and the Lakers 11 and a half months from now in the Last Dance.
However, before Cleveland even entertain thoughts of facing LA in a Finals match up, they should first set their sight on eliminating Orlando, Boston, Atlanta and even Chicago from the expected tight Eastern Conference power struggle.
Question is, “Can Shaq and his 37-year-old legs keep in step with the Cavs’ running game for 82 regular season games, and probably another four rounds in the Playoffs and the Finals?”
And can Cleveland provide enough backup big men to give breather for Shaq and preserve him in time for the Playoffs where Orlando and Boston are surely waiting?
Lebron, Delonte West and Mo Williams could surely sustain the Cavs’ running game, but watching Shaq run back for a nine-month grind would definitely take its toll on O’Neals’ body and legs.
I think if the Cavs want to last the distance in the 2009-2010 season, Cleveland needs to add up more bench support like a good back up center, a reliable power forward and some quality minutes from some players in the free agency market.
Shaq is no spring chicken. He sure can contribute as evident in his 17 points and eight rebounds average in 74 games with the Phoenix Suns last season.
But Father Time is Shaq’s biggest enemy from now on. And if Cleveland’s front office management will simply be contented with the Shaq-Lebron partnership, the probability of another frustrating season is not far for the Cavs.
Should that happen, Ben Wallace and Sahsa Pavlovic would have the last laugh.
That would be more painful than the 2009 season Playoffs meltdown.
History "Today": Duran Wins Big in "Brawl in Montreal"
June 20, 1980. Exactly today, Panama’s legendary boxing hero Roberto Duran cemented his status as one of the world’s greatest boxers after beating previously undefeated Sugar Ray Leonard in a 15-round title match for the WBC welterweight championship.
Duran finished his professional boxing career with 103 wins. 70 by knockouts and 16 losses.
That fight became known as the “Brawl in Montreal” as both fighters engaged ina neck and neck match.
Duran, nicknamed Hands of Stone, hiked his amazing professional record to 74-1 with that marathon, unanimous win against a young Leonard.
Adversity Brought The Best Out Of The Lakers This Year
The Los Angeles Lakers finally nailed their 15th NBA championship following their masterful 99-86 victory against the Orlando Magic to clinch the Finals series, 4-1 before a silent Amway Arena crowd just today.
For Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, there is definitely no "I" in the team.
And there are so many lessons we can derive from the Lakers chase for the championship.
Beaten up badly by Boston (39 points in Game 6) last season in the Finals, Los Angeles, led by this year’s Finals MVP Kobe Bryant, believed that had to be the turning point of their 2009 campaign as they vowed to win it all this year.
And the Lakers didn’t disappoint.
Several players were criticized for their performance in last year’s Finals.
Pau Gasol was labeled as “too soft” for a frontline man of LA. Lamar Odom, the subject of numerous trade talks in the past, has had his own struggles offensively and defensively, while Derek Fisher was said to be “aging fast that his three-point shooting wouldn’t drop anymore”.
But the seven-foot Gasol worked hard after that Finals debacle in 2008, upping his inside game, rebounding and defense several notches, more. Odom, meantime, learned to come out strong off the bench throughout this season to provide the energy LA needed.
Fisher, on the other hand, reserved his best game of the season with his heroic effort in Game 4, nailing a game-tying triple to send the game into overtime. Before hitting the go-ahead three-point shot in the extra five-minute session to cement his place among the NBA clutch shooters, while pushing LA to a 3-1 series lead.
And of course, Kobe Bryant has the biggest smile among these Laker players.
Long dismissed to be just a good player following the disintegration of his partnership with All-Star center Shaquille O’Neal at the end of the 2004 Finals defeat against Detroit, Bryant worked his way back to the top.
He sure, had his down moments during the post-O’Neal era of the Lakers.
But LA coach Phil Jackson gave a “capsulized” description of the Lakers 2009 edition.
“This (Laker) team is a learned team. They have learned from last year’s Finals (against the Celtics),” said Jackson, who is now the winningest coach with 10 NBA titles, surpassing Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach’s achievement.
And here’s O’Neal’s twitter message to Kobe.
“When you’re together, you can withstand adversity. Congratualtions Kobe, u deserve it. You played great. Enjoy it my man enjoy it.
The Laker land ain’t a Kobe show anymore because Bryant spells Los Angeles as TEAM.
Admiring Stan Van Gundy's NBA Finals Approach
Unintimidated though Orlando is facing a platoon of veterans in the Lakers, not to mention his one-on-one coaching duel with multi-titled NBA coach Phil Jackson
I admire Orlando head coach Stan Van Gundy’s approach to the NBA Finals.
As I watch him answer questions fielded in by the NBA press in the aftermath of the Magic’s stinging 91-99 overtime defeat that gave Los Angeles a commanding 3-1 series lead, Van Gundy said he doesn’t believe at all in championship experience coming to play for the Lakers.
As a former sports writer, sports slants (on articles) like an experienced team going up against a young, inexperienced one sells (which is what’s happening now in the ongoing NBA Finals) sells.
But Van Gundy was quick to point out that basketball is a game of five players. The game boils down to execution. It boils down to making the right plays and having the proper frame of mind.
Which is why, even though Orlando is the clear underdog talent-wise when matched up against Los Angeles, the Magic play like they’ve been to the Finals every year.
The intensity, the youthful zest, the impeccable shooting in the face of a tough Lakers defense (just take a look against at their Game 3 performance of 63 percent shooting)—all these were extracted by Van Gundy because his basic approach in the Finals is, we can match up against LA.
The biggest difference in the Magic’s Game 4 loss was their inability to hit their free throws (22-of-37 overall), their poor defense during regulation and eventually in the extra five-minute session—all of which cost them the game, and perhaps, the NBA title (should LA win Game 5).
Now, down 1-3, Van Gundy and his rather confused Magic are staring at a deficit that no team in so many years, have ever been able to overcome.
Though history is completely against the Magic at this point, I’m sure Van Gundy will do everything he can to prepare his players mentally and emotionally as they battle it out against the Lakers in Game 5 on Sunday (Monday morning in Manila).
Whatever happens to this Finals series, Van Gundy and his Magic are sure to benefit in the long run because of the battle scars they’ve gained.
And so Boston and Cleveland, better watch out because Orlando will be a dominant squad, a “beast in the East” in the years to come.
