I'm the world champion of drinking this tea I'm drinking.

I don't claim to have a solid grasp on the rules and plays (I've watched a bit and have some idea and do not discount the sport in the popular manner), but that minute took ten minutes to unfold so it became clear some ways out from the bell that the result was decided bar an amazing error.  Other years I've watched and it was quite exciting and tense, but this was interminable.  It's just too damn slow, tactics or no.

On that note, I read this interesting tidbit.

I didn't find it tense when I knew it should have been tense, but it was too drawn out.  Anyway, not bagging the sport per se.

Was it you or the other Matty that came over this way?

Matt82. And I'm there with you skez. Part of it is the nature of our game. No stoppages etc.

My under 14 champs!!!!

I haven't been able to bring myself to click on the link of that college kid's broken leg. Anyone had the guts?

Baseball is back! Watched seven hours of coverage last night and all set for the Blue Jays first game of the season tonight. Also, the Yankees are on pace to lose 162 games this season. Good times!

That is one of the great things with basketball, if it's your thing: there's an 82 game season and days when there's like 12 games at once. And barely a day during the season where there's no game.

Also, I get to coach some of the kids above in the mid year National South Sudanese Basketball comp this year (and the end of year tourney too). I'm only coaching the third string team, but it's gonna be a few of the older boys, and it's 3 days of solid basketball. CANNOT WAIT.

Mike, the HH head coach, can't make next monday's session.

I'll be in charge. Oh Yeah! They're such great kids that it'll kinda take care of itself, but still, looking forward to the test.

Can't even describe how much I'm enjoying it. Instant lift to my spirits every time I'm on the court. And now I've been doing it a year, the difference in the respect you get from the kids is so noticeable. You can't just come in and try and tell 'em stuff as a fly by night. You have to be there week in, week out. Super chuffed that they're calling me coach now, and also loving the guys from my u14 team who are moving up and the guys in u16 already who asking if I can coach 16s as well as 14s.

So best.

Live action Face there, heavens.

Facewon wrote:

Mike, the HH head coach, can't make next monday's session.

I'll be in charge. Oh Yeah! They're such great kids that it'll kinda take care of itself, but still, looking forward to the test.

Can't even describe how much I'm enjoying it. Instant lift to my spirits every time I'm on the court. And now I've been doing it a year, the difference in the respect you get from the kids is so noticeable. You can't just come in and try and tell 'em stuff as a fly by night. You have to be there week in, week out. Super chuffed that they're calling me coach now, and also loving the guys from my u14 team who are moving up and the guys in u16 already who asking if I can coach 16s as well as 14s.

So best.

So I did run the session last monday, and it did run very smoothly. Super happy. The kids weren't quite as in sync as they are with Mike, but certainly within range of it. It wasn't out of control, and I had the confidence to take them through some new drills, as well as some of Mike's stuff.

Great fun.

Have also taken on the u16s team for Longhorns. makes sense as it's a lot of my u14s from last season playing both 14s and 16s now.

My 14s have started 1-1, playing the two best teams (apart from us). Super happy. As we have new players in the rotation. We should be ready to pounce on the back to back title by the time finals roll around.

The 16s are 0-2. But again, playing the 2 best teams. And our big centre is out with a broken hand. So it's basically my 14s from last season playing 16s (who play 18s). They only lost by 2 points to a team that should basically all be in 18s on the weekend. Again, early days, and we'll be fine come finals time.

Been doing heaps of development of my own coaching too. Through HH I got in contact with the director of coaching for the Waverley Falcons, who play all manner of rep basketball and have teams in the Big V leagues (state level). Because a lot of the boys I coach for Longhorns and HH play there too, it's invaluable seeing what they're getting tought at rep level.

Having to now really learn myself how some more high level offensive systems work. Waverley run a system called Read and React (or at least a tweaked version of it) so I'm giving myself a crash course in how it works, and how I can incorporate it into Longhorns training in a simplified form.

Loving getting into the nitty gritty of it.

Also now there's another basketball academy opening later in the year run by Andrew Gaze and Nigel Purchase. Again, through HH, should be able to get in the loop as to what they're running. Will be a dream come true if I end up sitting at a table with Drewy discussing hoops and what systems they're running.







Last two weekends have basically been 12 hours a day of hoops.

Saturdays, get up before 8, catch a play off game while making coffee and having breakfast and getting ready. Get to stadium at 10am, starting herding the boys into something resembling organisation for their game at 1040. Coach the 16s too, then watch the 18s. Get back home around 3 for a break, then back to the training court at 5 for training until 8.

Sundays, get up early again, aim to get to the Waverley stadium at 0930. Get to sit down and just watch their training sessions and take notes and steal drills that I like. Watch 'em run the R and R offense. Then watch their Big V Youth League match. last week I got interviewed at half time for their webTV channel! (Seen by 10s of people, I'm sure.)

Yesterday, in the arvo, got to take a few of the HH guys to Dandy to play the National Deaf Basketball team (mens). The juniors struggled, but did ok, but the seniors held their own. Either way, great experience for all of them.

Got home around 6.

Back for HH training tonight.

(Last week had my first game back on Mondays for my team too.)

Fuck Yes!

Right, that's the Rangers through to the Eastern semis, so I guess I'm going to have to fork out for a NHL Gamecenter pass. Anyone else on here watching the playoffs?

Watching the IIHF worlds right now, no body tearing up trees, except Switzerland of all people. Still think this could be Finland's year but a semi final against either Sweden or Canada will not be easy, no matter how out of form they are. Though this one seems less important as its Olympics next year

Also games are free and live on YouTube, albeit with twenty minute delay, quarters today, semis Saturday and the final on Sunday

Have you got a 360?

I have NBA League Pass which works on 360 like a champ. All games live and in HD, replays as well.

We just got NHL game Center not long ago too through 360. Certainly worth looking into for next season. Yearly gold sub plus NHL payment is probably cheaper than cable sub. Maybe?

Spurs look like they have the number of the grizzles. Although it should be remembered that They were 2-0 up against OKC last season, and looked great, and then OKC kicked into gear and rinsed them 4-0 for the rest of the series.

Hoping Indy can get over the tight loss in game one in the east. I at least want them to have a good bash at Miami.

Pretty happy with the final four anyway. Spurs v Miami would be a great Finals series. As would Grizzles v Miami. I dare not dream of Indy making it through.

Meanwhile, really on a fast learning curve as far as coaching goes. Have been able to add some pretty complex stuff to Saturday night training, and get into the finer points of some things even with a big group.

it's helped we've been doing crazy station training at HH (see the 24 hour shootout thread). Have borrowed that idea of multiple drills and used it in small doses. Great way to mix in multiple drills, crack through them quickly and keep the kids from being bored waiting in a line.

Also had some success with one on one training with a couple of kids who have needed to come out of their shell. Big kids are actually usually very timid, it's kinda hard to get them to use their size to score. I think I finally got through to one of them though on Monday at HH. Works out handy too, as he's in my 16s team.