Jack’s Blog

When budget numbers from the schools in the BCS are released, especially the ones everyone knows and loves (or loves to hate), there is a public outrage over the exorbitant amount of dollars that are spent - particularly from the football teams.  Granted, the spending wars have escalated over the years, even with the NCAA passing legislation to “even the playing field” and curb excesses.

But, other than coaching salaries, there might be a silver lining.  Now, I’m on record as saying salaries for coaches are way out of whack.  Heck, these guys are doing what they love, and if their salaries were reduced, most of them would do it anyway - and if they balked or quit, the line would be around the block for replacements, some of whom would probably do a better job for less dough.

The other expenditures do help society somewhat - not including the mega-bucks the lawyers get for trying Title IX cases, which are won and lost not on merit, but “better lawyering.”  If a team flies to a game and the travel party is over 100, think of the boom to the airline industry.  Same with the ground transportation once the plane lands.  All that food that’s consumed is being paid to restaurants, fast food joints or catering companies.

As far as equipment, there is a company benefiting from selling a good deal of it to the university and what’s given to the school for free, a) doesn’t cost the school and b) makes money for the donating company.  Don’t think those shoe companies aren’t getting a major return on their investment.  Even the absurd number of people working for an NCAA football squad means employment for a significant number of people.

The college football season is underway and people’s attitudes seemed to be buoyed - even those who have no vested interest in any certain team.  It’s just an attitude that permeates the air when fall is around the corner and the pigskin’s flying.  If you don’t have a little pep in your step on a game day - whatever level, from the little guys to high schoolers to the college pageantry to the NFL - look around you and you’re bound to see other people are livelier.

As Cavett Robert, founder of the National Speakers Association, used to say:

“If you don’t think every day is a good day, just try missing a few.”

How was your Saturday?  Late in the afternoon I walked into our family room and saw a message on the TV screen, which was on when I left the room a few moments earlier, that said, “One moment please.  This station will return shortly.”  No matter which channel I clicked onto, same message.  So I went to the computer - which had no Internet connection.  Since I nearly always use my cell phone, I had no idea our landline was dead as well. 

It’s what happens when everything is connected to Comcast and the signal goes out.  A call to their 800 number had a guy initially tell me he’d send out a repairman on Wed morning at 8 am.  After a brief chat, with me mostly doing the talking, we came to an understanding that Sunday at 8 am was a much better plan.  

Not trying to bore you, simply explaining why there was no blog yesterday.  Enjoy this one.

Although he didn’t have to, since he was under contract, Fresno State football coach Pat Hill agreed to the university’s request he shave $200,000 off of his 2010-11 salary.  “Sure, now he’s only making a cool mil,” some Bulldog supporters retorted.  My question to those detractors is, “How much would you take in salary reduction if your employer was having budget issues?”  My guess is not even two hundred.

One thing I noticed during my three decades in the college game is that coaches, whether or not they produce the results the fans, boosters and administrators want (expect), put in more hours than anyone else on - or off - campus.  As far as compensation is concerned, you might be surprised at Hill’s take, “Salaries are completely out of control now in college football.“  Spoken by a guy who loves the coaching aspect as much as he did when he entered the profession  - for a lot less money.  For the record, Pat’s salary barely gets him into the top 50 highest paid collegiate football coaches.

“But is he worth a million?”  Wrong question.  Other than Nick Saban and Chris Petersen, what coach in the country satisfied its fan base last season?  Mack Brown?  Pete Carroll?  Jim Tressel?  The question ought to be, “Is the school getting its money’s worth out of its coach?”  Even there we’ll find disagreement, but at least it’s a more fair standard.

To a football coach (and, from my experience, a basketball coach), what day of the week it is has no relevance.  For that matter, what time of day is usually of little significance as well.  In addition to practice and meetings (depending on the calendar), there’s always another recruiting call to be made, another player to work out, more film to break down, another game plan to help devise, camp to set up, another speech to give, - pick one (or more).  Meaning if there’s a spare moment, there’s always something you can do - and probably ought to be doing.  Tuesday or Saturday?  What difference does it make?

Of course, some guys work harder, or longer, than others, but I’ve always maintained that if all the employees on campus would put in the time that its coaches do, the school would run much more efficiently.  Plus, if this were the rule, the lazy people, e.g. tenured ones, would be forced to find another line of work or become more accountable.

One story I’ve repeated numerous times is about the times at Fresno State we’d check to make sure our guys were in class.  I can recall walking down the hall of academic buildings and seeing signs posted on classroom doors that read, “CLASS CANCELED.”  How can a professor cancel a class?  Isn’t that what they’re paid to do - teach?  The only time a class should be canceled is if the professor gets in a car wreck - on the way to class!  Sure, the students love it.  They get an unexpected mini-vacation.  They never stop to think they’re paying for that class their prof just blew off.

And office hours for college professors?  If anyone ever needed a definition of the word “fiction,” read the office hours on a syllabus.  If students actually find their prof in the office during office hours, the first thing they should do is buy a lottery ticket. I’ve had professors tell me the only reason they post office hours is that it’s required.

I have yet to touch on people in other walks of life but suffice to say, even if they work as long and hard as coaches do (and I’d give fairly substantial odds on that - if we’re talking over the course of a year and not a selected day here and there), none are under the intense scrutiny coaches are.

There’s absolutely no doubt coaches are overpaid, especially when they’re doing what they love to do.  And I’m fully aware they’re paid to win.  Heck, anybody can lose.  But when it’s time to criticize coaches, keep in mind that if everybody put in the effort and time coaches did, we’d all be better off.  And a heckuva lot more tired.

As Stephen Covey said:

“We judge others by their actions (and accomplishments); ourselves by our intentions.”

It took me a while but I finally located what I’d planned to blog for this past Monday (the first day of school).  This post was originally done on 8/19/07 but it still feels the same.  Nothing wrong with a little nostalgia.

With the idea they’re floating in Los Angeles regarding paying teachers based on performance, it’s also topical - however, commenting on that proposal would take more time than I have to blog and way more time than you have to read.  As with any new concept, it’s interesting and could possibly be the answer educators, parents and students are looking for, but first must be tweaked several times before most (because you’ll never get all) of the bugs worked out.  Meanwhile, enjoy my blast from the past.

First day of school!  Great memories for all of us.  Even the current students, although they’d never admit it, are looking forward to a new year in school, if for no other reason than the social aspect of it.  As for teachers, sure, we love summer vacation, but one thing that makes summer vacation so great is it follows a year of teaching!

Each student starts with a clean slate, goals all within reach.  For teachers, many of us wonder whether a couple of the new ideas we dreamed up during the break about trying something a little different in order to reach the kids will work as well as we anticipated, or should we just stick with the old, but effective, tried-and-true methods.

I read in an article a few years back the following quote, “The greatest gift a teacher can give is to inspire a desire to learn,” which I’ve modified to:

          “The greatest gift a teacher can give is to inspire a desire to think!”

Mets’ closer, Francisco Rodriguez, is done for the rest of this season and possibly beyond.  It seems something his girlfriend’s father said or did upset him so much, he hauled off and nailed the guy - after a game - at the stadium.  That totally undisciplined move cost the Mets’ fireballer a two-game suspension.

Turns out that was the least of his worries.  After having team physicians check out the hand that dealt what K-Rod surely thought at the time was “justice,” it was learned he’d injured it so badly that he’ll be shelved for the rest of this year’s campaign.

As all good professional athletes are taught, he showed contrition, apologizing to his team, the fans, the ownership and whomever else he was told - by his agent, advisers, etc.  Sorry if I’m cynical regarding these athletes’ “heartfelt” apologies, but if they truly felt that way, they wouldn’t have done something so stupid in the first place.  Didn’t it cross his mind prior to unloading on this guy, that getting into a fight at his place of employment would shed a negative light on those he subsequently apologized so profusely to?

It seems that the Mets are seriously looking into voiding the remainder of his contract - which happens to have the club on the hook for $11.5 million next year and $17.5 the following season.  Naturally, the Players’ Association will file a grievance.  On what grounds?  That players are volatile people following games, especially losses, and shouldn’t be held accountable for their actions if provoked?

The MLBPA won’t be K-Rod’s only ally.  Since his agent is due a small percentage of those large numbers above, he will do everything in his power to place some kind of non-negative spin to the public, while blackmailing the team (he undoubtedly represents others playing for the Mets or players elsewhere whom the team would like to obtain).

Really, it’s hard to blame him.  If he were to hold his player accountable, he’d be throwing away his own money and, probably of greater importance to him, would get fired by his client - who would then badmouth him to other potential (highly-paid) individuals.

It’s tough to make a living off of people who act how some pros do - and still maintain a value system.  I wonder what Rodriguez’s agent, as well as the head of the Players’ Association, tell their kids when they ask them why it seems the people they represent are held to less of a standard than the ones they fathered?

Ronald Reagan once said:

“We must reject the idea that every time a law is broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker.  It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.”

Nearly every time a professional athlete is interviewed, he says how blessed (the new magic word for players) he is to be able to play a game for a living.  Yet, each year, several of these blessed individuals don’t show up to work on time.  Why would that be?

If I were given three guesses, all three of them would be . . . agents.  I’m not demeaning that profession - it does enough of that to itself.  In fact, I happen to know a few sports agents (each of whom is described as belonging in the legitimate category) and understand how difficult a business it is.  For the purposes of this blog, let’s limit our discussion of agents to only those who are legit.  The underhanded ones don’t deserve the space - and are such easy targets for criticism, this post would be reduced to an uninspiring “preaching to the choir” entry.

The day Mark McCormack (the “inventor” of the sports agent) broached the subject of representing his good friend, Arnold Palmer, is one that changed the entire landscape of professional athletics.  The idea of a sports agent makes so much sense, it’s a wonder someone hadn’t thought of it even earlier.  The concept of it is quite sound: 1) allow the athlete to give his (and now, her) total focus to his (her) trade and not to worry about distractions such as contract negotiations, 2) remove the athlete from having to deal with owners, who are multi-millionaires (except for the ones whose description exchanges the “m” with a “b”) and who made most, if not all of their money using the “buy low, sell high” philosophy, 3) create additional revenue streams through endorsements and, in the case of good agents 4) form a team of advisers, financial people, accountants, realtors, etc. to mentor the athletes and make certain their “lives after sport” will be provided for - since the window of earning power, while almost infinitely greater than the average Joe, is so much shorter. 

The major flaw in all of this is the agent’s livelihood is completely dependent on the client, i.e. the agent’s sole means of support is a small percentage (usually no more than 4% of the contract and 10% of the endorsement deals) of what the client makes.  Also, the agent is forced to become a master spin doctor (if not an out-and-out. blatant liar).  It’s hard for me to recall an agent representing a client who screwed up, whether a minor infraction or a blatant violation of the law, holding that client accountable for any misdeed.  After all, that’s their meal ticket!

As far as players not attending team practices goes, it would be comical, if it wasn’t so insulting, listening to the agents explain why holding out is the right thing to do - especially for a rookie.  Try as I might, I can’t imagine a player, if asked prior to his final year on the “amateur” circuit if he’d play for, say, a guaranteed $15 million, not responding with, “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?”

Because it happens every year, it seems like agents have the knack of getting their client(s) to drink the Kool-Aid.  I simply can’t believe that, once again let’s talk about rookies, an untested player, regardless of stats, skill level or hype, doesn’t realize how holding out retards his development and is detrimental to the team (especially in terms of timing), not to mention what it does to team chemistry (especially if he’s making more than the veterans).

Like it or not, agents are here to stay.  There’s a great deal of money to be made (4% of a lot of money is more than enough to live on - quite comfortably), representing marquis clients usually means fame for agents as well and agents will be thought of as a major players, even if they’ve never suited up.  In the words of one of the best agents, Leigh Steinberg:

“Very narrow areas of expertise can be very productive.  Develop your own profile.  Develop your own niche.”

Finally out of that intense Las Vegas heat and back to Fresno - where, just to remind us of the fun we had in Sin City, the thermometer is well over 100.

Younger son, Alex, and the undermanned AAU team of kids from Central Cali (Organized Chaos), represented the Valley well, going undefeated (3-0) in their pool and winning two games in the “Championship” bracket (including a 77-51 trouncing of D-1 Sports of NC, led by Quincy Miller, rated by most as the #2 rising senior prospect in the nation) before dropping a two-point decision to Urban DFW in a contest in which OC led most of the way.

Other than getting a chance for my wife and I to watch our son and agonize over every missed shot and turnover, cheer every basket and assist and “help” the officials (some parents more than others - they know who they are), the trip gave me a chance to catch up with some old coaching friends I haven’t seen in a decade or longer.  NCAA rules preclude coaches from talking to parents of prospects at such an event but, because I have what’s referred to as a “pre-existing relationship” with so many of these guys, I enjoyed speaking, without fear of them getting in trouble, with many of the coaches whose profession I used to call my own.  Heck, I’ve known these guys a whole lot longer than I’ve known my son!

To paint a picture of what last Wed-Mon was like, there were three or four tournaments in Las Vegas involving high school prospects.  The one our kids played in (the adidas Super 64) had 40 pools of 4 teams in each pool.  160 teams!  Following pool play, teams were placed in “championship,” “gold,” “silver” or “bronze” divisions, depending on their record against the other three teams in their respective pool.  Then, single elimination tournaments began.  The other events were similar, although their numbers weren’t quite so high, more like 30-60 teams. 

One day, I received a call from a friend and former colleague who I had actually helped get into the business.  He’s currently an assistant coach at a school in a league that would be referred to as mid-major.  He called while travelling from one of the 20 or so sites.  The pace is hectic, as coaching staffs try to see (and be seen by) as many of their “top-line” prospects as they can, evaluate those players they’ve heard about or received interest from (but have yet to see play) and, especially in the case of low-to-mid-majors, maybe find an as yet unknown player whom they’d have a shot at successfully recruiting.

This coach remarked to me that he was fully aware his job was to get players, players who, in coaching parlance, “could play,” i.e. make their team better, win more games and get his team into the NCAA tournament - or get fired.  For the most part, that’s the prevailing attitude that exists in Division I now.  Why?

I posted a blog on 11/28/07 entitled The Biggest Problem in College Basketball Today.  My number one answer?  Colleges are paying coaches too much money.  Whether you agree or not, the blog is well worth reading and I suggest you check it out, keeping in mind I wrote it nearly three years ago.  The game - and profession - have progressed but, often, with progress comes problems.  Or in the case of today’s college basketball scene, increased pressure.  While what Gonzaga has done, i.e. seeing them in a Top 10 poll is no longer shocking, is remarkable, the presidents and athletics directors of the other seven teams in the WCC (Gonzaga’s conference) adopt a feeling of “If they can do it, why can’t we?” 

The WCC is a league of eight church-schools, six in California and the University of Portland, in addition to the Zags, so resources would seem to have been relatively equal throughout the league when Gonzaga began its ascent.  Don’t think the prez’s and AD’s don’t have egos.  When their counterparts from Gonzaga walk into WCC meetings, the “have-nots” begin to wonder, “Why not us?”  Changing the coach often becomes the answer.  So, while my friend’s statement about “get players or else” might have seemed a little dramatic, it’s become reality.

Yet, coaches love their profession.  Some for different reasons than others, but working long hours - and many days on the road - is just part of the job.  Consumed is the word that’s used when the coaching profession is discussed.  As a sort of personal experiment, I asked my friend if he knew who Shirley Sherrod was.  Although hers was the lead story in nearly every paper in the nation, he told me he didn’t.  In fact, when he called, he was in the car with an assistant coach from a high-major program (BCS) and he asked him if he knew about Shirley Sherrod.  Same response. 

I am not including this story to disparage nor criticize my friend and his associate.  It’s mentioned because, when I was an assistant (between 1972-2002), I wouldn’t have known about a front-page story like Shirley Sherrod either.  I don’t mean to infer that every coach on the Division I level is ignorant of the Shirley Sherrod story.  It’s just that, because of the consuming aspect of the job, there’s a feeling that nothing else matters other than what you ought to be doing to make your team better and advance your career (or keep from derailing it).  In addition, you get the (absurd) feeling that while you’re reading about that A-1 story, you could be calling a prospect or seeing another game.

My late, brilliant mentor, John Savage, used to say there were some people at opposite ends of the spectrum.  Most coaches were the latter in his statement:

“Some people are a mile wide and an inch deep, while others are an inch wide and a mile deep.”�

It’s off to SoCal and an AAU tournament - the first that son Alex will perform before NCAA coaches.  No pressure on him.  How he does could determine the course of his life - for the next 50+ years.  Relax and enjoy it.  Jack’s Blog will return Sunday.

Yeah, it’s good news - for David Lee.  We often hear about “character” guys in professional sports.  David Lee is the poster child for character guys.   No one with the talent Lee possesses and the effort he exerts - every night - should be stuck in such a mess as is the current Bockers.  Now that they’ve shelled out a max contract for Stoudamire, the Knicks will be forced to let Lee go.  Hooray for Lee! 

Some have asked why Amar’e would go to a club like the Knicks - a perennial loser with awful chemistry, led by Stoudamire’s former coach (whom he butted heads with often in Phoenix) and with no one at the point closely resembling Steve Nash?  Amar’e is considered a defensive liability - so that would explain why he’d want to play for Mike D’Antoni, a brilliant offensive mind who feels defense is something to be tolerated until you can get the ball back.  As for his feelings for Nash, please see my 7/1/10 post regarding Amar’e and it will explain why he doesn’t mind leaving his meal ticket.  Hint: I think he felt if anyone was anyone’s meal ticket, he (Amar’e) was the benefactor.  

Money is the one word answer that explains his decision.  In most players’ minds, that’s what matters.  “Rings” may separate players from each other but money is what separates them from the rest of society - especially the “haters” as they’re referred to.  Teachers are often placed in that category.  And why shouldn’t money be a determining factor?  After all, only one team is going to win the championship and each team begins the year as a 29:1 underdog.

Plus, should there be a lockout after next season, as many expect, Stoudamire doesn’t exactly possess an abundance of skills outside of those that make him one of the game’s best power players, so to lock in that kind of cash sets him up for life.  All his talk at the press conference about the tradition of the Knicks, being in New York and winning championships means squat when someone is putting a nine-figure deal in front of you.  Ditto for Joe Johnson and his agent’s spiel about how, now that Joe inked a max deal - 6 years for $120 million (put your arms around those numbers), his next move is to woo other stars to join him in Atlanta.  Yeah, Joe, the city that’s possibly the worst major market professional sports city in America.  One of the reasons you said you were looking to move.  Could leaving approximately $30 mil on the table had you signed anywhere else have been a factor in you choosing to stay with the Hawks?

Money means a lot to a good portion of society, more so in the NBA because, paraphrasing Mark Victor Hanson:

“Some people tie their self-worth to their net worth.”

The University of Georgia will be looking for a new director of athletics, a shocking statement considering they had one of the youngest and brightest stars in that field.  When Damon Evans was promoted from senior associate AD to the top spot in UGA athletics, the move didn’t come without controversy.  Without going into a long, detailed explanation, suffice to say that when president Michael Adams forced the highly popular (ex-football coach) Vince Dooley out as AD, many in Athens were upset.

Damon Evans was a rising star, a former football player for the Bulldogs who had received his undergraduate and masters degrees from UGA and worked in the SEC office.  A good-looking alum who stayed physically fit, he seemed like the perfect replacement for Dooley (if there was such an animal to some of their zealous boosters).

Only Evans did what, during another era, might have been overlooked or covered up.  He got caught drinking and driving.  The list of past DUI’s by coaches, players and, even athletics directors, that were ignored a decade or more ago would be shocking - if it were ever released.  But we’re not living in the 20th century any longer.  If anyone doesn’t understand that, google “Tiger Woods” and, while that search used to be 99% golf stories, that number is significantly lower now.

Evans indiscretion wasn’t only about the DUI though.  In the passenger seat was a 28-year-old woman who not his wife, and she was apparently intoxicated and a little too rambunctious for the officers’ taste.  Also found in the car were the young lady’s panties - on Evans’ lap.  No wonder he mentioned on several occasions to the officers that was the AD at Georgia.  To his credit, unlike many in a high profile job, he low-keyed the comment, more like “Please don’t arrest me; I’m the AD at UGA” and not the popular “Do you know who I am!” that many celebs employ.  It was also reported that, upon being arrested, Evans broke down and cried. 

His reaction shows that Damon Evans, even in an inebriated state, was aware that someone whose salary is $550,000/year and is in charge of an organization that announced a reported $85 million in revenues and employs 250 people can’t have its leader driving under the influence.  Nor can that leader survive a scandal of the magnitude of this one.

From all indications Damon Evans is a bright young man who made a few dreadful and dangerous decisions.  Yet, although I’ve never met him, I believe he will once again become a contributing member of society.  His star shone too brightly.  However, he just became the latest example of Stephen Covey’s now, all-too-pertinent line:

“You can’t talk yourself out of problems you behave yourself into.”

Theories, gut feelings and “inside information” (usually by that famous, all-knowing anonymous source) about which free agent is going to pair up with whatever other free agent or whatever current all-star(s) to form a formidable team have been running rampant for quite some time.  Well, at least since last Thursday.  Listening to the talking heads, whatever combination-of-the-day that eventually becomes reality ensures that franchise of not only next year’s Larry O’Brien trophy, but multiple “rings” (which used to be called championships back in the day when people spoke more about team accomplishments than the jewelry that was given to the individual).

A few days ago, it looked like Miami was going to have the Big 3 (Wade, James & Bosh).  Then, following Friday’s meetings, the front runner looked like the Knicks, after seeing and hearing an excited Mike D’Antoni.  Yesterday’s dynasty in the making was Chicago, who would be able to field a team, if all the pieces fell into place, of Derrick Rose, Dwayne Wade, LeBron James and Joakim Noah.  No one mentioned who the fifth starter would be.  Possibly, those four would be enough for the Bulls to place an order with Josten’s.

Once everything finally shakes out and the superstars realize that, while all this attention is intoxicating, they can only play for one team, the next step will be for lesser players to cash in on contracts that, in “normal” times, no owner in his right mind (which includes nearly all of them) would dole out.  This syndrome is similar to the average guy who gets the prom queen because she was on the rebound.  In this case, “lesser” does not refer to guys like Carlos Boozer or David Lee - deserving players whose performances have earned them a big paycheck) - but more like Darco Milicic, Drew Gooden and Tyrus Thomas - guys who have already been offered contracts that are so vastly overpaying them that they ought to collect their checks wearing a mask and carrying a gun.

When this circus finally ends, the NBA will be left with the new superpowers, the  franchises with talent (not only the Lakers and the Celtics, but the Spurs, Magic, Thunder, Jazz, Mavs and probably a few others).  The newly formed mega-team (NFMT) against the Lakers will be must-see TV.  The Celtics vs. whichever other newly formed mega-team (WONFMT) will also peak viewers’ interest - at least the first couple times they face off. 

On the other hand, the teams that weren’t good before and weren’t able to improve will be fodder for the those the first two groups.  This has been the case in the past, but this year’s, for lack of a better word, collusion by the top free agents has not only widened the gap between the clubs that will be able to place a competitive squad on the court and the bottom feeders, but increased the number of those bringing up the rear as well.  Without help, e.g. rookie surprises or divine intervention, there will be some really bad, as in unwatchable, games next season.  

Should things stay as they are, Indiana or Toronto (or the Cavs if LeBron leaves - or, worse, Miami if DWade DParts) vs. NFMT or WONFMT (or for that matter, even the Lakers) will be watched in its entirety by only family members or those who placed a wager on the over-under.  Also, there will be more “bad team vs. bad team” games.  If those teams thought they had attendance problems in the past, be prepared to close about half the concession stands and lay off a great many ticket takers and ushers.

The players who are reveling in all this attention and reaping in the cash now ought to enjoy it because, unless I’m missing something, all that’s currently going on will come back to haunt the (highly paid) worker bees (that includes every NBA player) when the new CBA is drafted, as all this outlay of funds has to strengthen the owners’ case when bargaining time arrives.  A couple of superstars/per team will be highly paid, the rest of the guys - probably including starters - will be making minimum.   

In a battle of monetary attrition between owners and players, my money (however little of it I still have) is on the owners.  Although it was around a century ago that George Washington Carver said the following, it rings so true today:

“We have become 99% money mad.  The method of living at home modestly and within our income, laying a little by systematically for the proverbial rainy day which is due to come, can almost be listed among the lost arts.”�

As the world knows by now, this is the “Year of the Free Agent.”  Never before has there been so much proven talent available to NBA teams.  Although LeBron James is the pearl of this free agent class, followed by Dwayne Wade and then Chris Bosh, there are several other players who have put up BIG numbers.  And those stats weren’t accumulated during high school, college or even in an overseas professional league.  These figures come out of the NBA office.

Some of the gaudiest totals belong to Amare (excuse me for excluding the accent, but I’m not nearly familiar enough with the fonts, etc. to figure out how to include it) Stoudamire.  Basketball people, media members and fans have often compared Steve Nash and Stoudamire to John Stockton and Karl Malone.  Each duo is composed of a crafty (relatively) little white guard and a physically imposing, skilled black forward - with both of the pairs executing pick & roll basketball to perfection, winning way more games than they lost, yet unable to win a championship.  The comparison is an understandable one.

To briefly make my point (and for those who know me, being brief will be more shocking than had I put the accent in his first name), a major difference I’ve observed between the Stockton-Malone combo and the Nash-Stoudamire pair is that Karl seemed to appreciate John a whole heckuva lot more than Amare does Steve.  “Why?” you might ask.  Since I spent 30 years in the world of college basketball, I tend to overemphasize the importance of “the college experience.”

For quite some time I’ve felt that guys who made the jump directly from high school to the NBA (excluding Kobe Bryant whose “out-of-high-school” education came from growing up in a foreign country) haven’t been exposed to enough of a variety of people, be they of similar age (fellow students) or older (coaches, professors, secretaries, staff, etc.)  While it may not necessarily be the determining factor to greater maturity, in my experiences, those youngsters (for the scope of this blog, from the U.S.) don’t seem as socially ready for NBA life.  This is not to infer that attending a university will mean a college player who enters the NBA will be fully (or, in some cases, even partially) mature, nor will the year(s) spent on a college campus eliminate selfishness from a player.  The counterexamples to that statement would be a figure that could be expressed in scientific notation (with 10’s exponent being a positive number for those technical critics).  It’s just that the social experience, if nothing else, adds a little something extra to a person’s life.

I’m not saying that they learned it at Gonzaga and Louisiana Tech, respectively, but Stockton and Malone seemed to have a unique mutual respect for each other, kind of like, “Sure, I could go it alone and be successful, but I’d never reach the level of proficiency I have without you.”  Maybe it’s my personal prejudice against guys who made the leap directly into the league that’s obscured my hearing but I don’t recall Stoudamire being anywhere near that appreciative of Nash.  While I’m not saying Nash claims he can’t survive without Stoudamire, keep in mind that Amare isn’t the first player for whom Steve has gotten easy looks, i.e. while they’re dynamite together, I believe the big guy needs his current partner more than vice versa.

Stoudamire is reportedly miffed that no one (to date) has offered him a max contract.  Whether my theory is the reason he isn’t receiving the love (and money) he feels he has “earned,” it would still be wise for him to follow the advice of Dr. Christine Northrup:

“Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life.”�