Greener Grass?

In his book WINNING EVERY DAY, the former Notre Dame football coach, Lou Holtz, tells the story of the Trappist monk who was allowed to say only two words every three years. After the first three years, he met with the his order’s Brother Superior and  said, “Bad bed!” 3 years later, he came back to say, “Bad food!” After 3 more years of silence, the monk said, “No TV!” Another 3 years passed. This time, when the monk met with Brother Superior, he handed him his robes and sandals and announced, “I quit!” Brother Superior said, “Well don’t expect me to try to dissuade you. You’ve done nothing but complain since you got here!”

Complaints, excuses, envy, ambition...we’ve all been there.  Unless you are in a perfect place (which would make you an Angel), the grass may appear to be greener on the other side of the fence. The truth is that every job, every person, every situation has some flaws.  Until you own your circumstances, you will never truly maximize the potential of your situation.

Coach Holtz repeatedly has commented, “Make the big-time where you are at.”  Your job isn’t as good as another?  Your department doesn’t have what another has?  Your budget is too low?  Maybe you should start watering the grass on your side of the fence a little bit more.

Success and happiness are not always about resources but rather being resourceful. Andy Carter,  my athletic director when I was at Newberry College,  used to say “If it was easy we wouldn’t need you.” If you complain too much or make too many excuses, then you are indirectly saying that you are not the man for the job.

The late, great UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden, used to say, “Don’t let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do”.  Yes, he had all-time greats Bill Walton and Lew Alcindor.  However, one year he also had the shortest team to ever win a NCAA basketball title.  He was forced to find a way to win without height, thus bringing the game of basketball the 2-2-1 full-court trapping defense.

As Albert Einstein used to say, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” You are in your position for a reason.  Own your situation.  Make it perfect for you.  How will you take advantage of your opportunities?  How will you make your grass greener?  Each of us has a water hose...the question is “will we use it”?

The "I GOT FIRED" Club

Springtime.  March Madness.  What a great time of the year.  The flowers are blooming, the weather is nicer, yard sale signs are going up and basketball tournaments are providing us with great excitement.  However, it is also a difficult time of the year for some folks in the coaching profession.  The internet is beginning to be littered with stories and rumors of coaches being fired or getting "resigned".  As fans of basketball, this is natural and expected.  Our team isn't performing like we want them to be and so we want change.  For coaches everywhere, this is also a normal occurrence, though not one that we want our friends and acquaintances to go through.  And by all means, we don't want to go through it ourselves.  It is said that coaches are hired to be fired.  If you are a coach and haven't been fired (or had your contract renewed, or asked to resign, or been re-assigned, etc...) then you are either a relatively young coach or one of the very few fortunate ones.  Notice, I didn't say that you are one of the good coaches.  Bad coaches get fired.  Average coaches get fired.  Good coaches get fired.  Men get fired.  Women get fired.  Alums get fired.  Coach of the Year winners get fired.  No one is immune to this phenomenon.  Sometimes we see it coming; other times it blindsides us.  As a member of one of the biggest clubs around, I wanted to make mention of a couple of things you should keep in mind if you should find yourself joining (or getting your membership renewed in) The "I was fired" Club.  

1.  Proper Attitude--The old Charles Swindoll quote, "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it" is true.  Getting rejected (i.e. fired) stinks.  However, you can choose how you react to it.  Have class.  Stay focused on what you need to do...just like you do in games during that 14-2 run the opponent just put on you.

2.  Don't Burn Bridges--You never know when you'll need a good reference, help with another job, or something else.  Burning bridges rarely helps.  It might make you feel good at that instant but it is not a long-term solution.  

3.  Improve--You obviously were not the right person for the job, anymore, according to somebody with power.  Does that mean you are a bad coach or did something blatantly wrong?  No.  However, you will want to take stock of what you did (or didn't do) and try to improve upon it.  We tend to be stubborn or defensive in these situations, but that doesn't help us in the next situation.  Just like that 5-point game that you lost, where your star went 2/17 from the field and your point guard had two crucial turnovers down the stretch; you still pour over the film analyzing your decisions (when you called or should of called timeout, who/when you substituted, what plays you called, etc...).  Even though you may not have been able to avoid the loss, you still try to find an edge to help you next time.  Same thing with losing a job.

4.  Be a Blessing--Many people don't want to listen to how you got the shaft or were wronged or what your problems are time and time again.  They have their own problems.  However, think of how refreshing it would be to be out with friends and to talk with them about their life?  To ask about their issues, their families, their hopes and dreams?  Most of us want to talk about our selves and the predicament that we now find ourselves in.  Turn it around and be an encourager to others.  Be an inspiration. Wouldn't it be great if someone said this about us... "Wow, so and so really is staying positive after what happened to her.  I know I'd be ticked.  I wish I could have that attitude.  But I guess if she can be positive, then my problems are not so big after all."  

5.  Bad Things Happen to Good People--This doesn't mean it is easy or fun, but you can move on from this (sometimes to bigger and better things). Harvey MacKay, in his book "We Got Fired!...And It's the Best Thing that Ever Happened to Us". mentions so many examples of people getting fired and making better things come of it (Lou Holtz, Larry King, Bill Belichick, Joe Torre, Michael Bloomburg, just to name a few).  If you get fired, you are not a loser.  It is not the end of the road.  It is just the beginning of a new adventure.  Don't dwell on the bad stuff or think you are worthless.  See where this new road takes you.

6.  Public Relations--You may or may not be able to control the news of your firing.  It depends on a number of factors.  Try to keep a clear mind and a long-term perspective on this short-term problem.  Much like the bridge burning issue, in the age of social media, internet and "small-world" networking, a mistake in handling your dismissal could limit your future opportunities.  Just like you can't get rattled in a game and say things to players that you will later regret, you don't want to say or do things publicly that you'll regret.  How will the school's website handle the decision?  What will your administrators say about you? Will you be able to address the media?  Will you be able to address the team?  How will the dismissal be worded or presented to the public?  These are all questions to think about.

7.  Maintain Integrity--This can relate to the public relations issue, at times.  Not everyone needs to know every detail of your dismissal.  However, you don't want to get into a such a vicious cycle of spin that you are telling five different versions depending upon who you are talking to.  That can catch up to you eventually.  The old adage of "If you tell the truth, then you never have to remember what you told someone" is often true.  Honesty is normally the best policy, though it still is important to have some wisdom and discernment.   

8.  Be Prepared--Think about questions people might ask or situations that might come up and know how to address them.  A fan might not like the fact that New England hired Bill Belichick after his Cleveland Browns debacle.  However, the Patriots management liked his answers to what he learned with the Browns and how that experience would benefit the Patriots in the future.  You can do the same.  Just like you are always taught in interviews to turn "your weaknesses" into a positive, do the same with your dismissal.

9.  Be Picky but not a Job Snob--It is important that you bounce back in a positive manner.  Your next job can be crucial for your future.  It is important not to settle and take any old job that comes your way (depending upon your family's financial situation, of course).  You want to be picky and make sure that it is the right situation for you.  However, don't be a job snob.  You may be a great coach.  You may have a lot to offer an institution and its' student-athletes.  However, the job market is difficult.  Not everyone may see your talents or be the one to give you a second-chance.  Don't be afraid to take an assistant's job with a good program and get a little mojo back.  Don't be afraid to take that DII job or that mid-major DI job. Coaching is coaching....though the pay, prestige and pressure may vary.

When I was fired, a coaching mentor of mine (Ed Schilling) sent me a book entitled "God Meant it for Good" by R.T. Kendall.  It talks about Joseph from the Bible and all the junk he went through that wasn't his fault and how he rose above the circumstances to be a blessing to so many.  I would also recommend this book to those that have experienced a dismissal.

By the way, if you are not yet a member of the "I Got Fired" club, then file these thoughts away or keep them in mind to help out a colleague.  Also, pick up a copy of Harvey McKay's outstanding book "Dig Your Well Before You Are Thirsty".  One of the best books ever on building a true network of friends/contacts that can be a blessing to you when you enter the hallowed grounds of THE CLUB.

Best Basketball Coaches Not on TV

Union's Mark Campbell, winner of 4 NAIA National Championships and 89% of his games in 13 years as coach

A recent blog posting by Helen Wheelock got me thinking about coaching job searches and who administrators hire.  Seems like most of the talk always centers around the DI coaches, especially the “up-and-comers”.  I do not profess to know exactly what makes a good coach in all situations.  Good coaches in a bad situation can lead to struggles and failures, whereas unproven coaches (i.e. assistants) in good situations can lead to success and excitement.  I decided to put together a list of some of the best coaches I know.  These coaches are not necessarily up-and-comers.  They are just individuals that know what they are doing and have proven they can get the job done.  Isn’t that what is important for an A.D. anyway?  Coaching X’s and O’s are pretty much a common language across the divisions. 
In fact, often at the lower levels, a coach needs to be even more diverse and versatile in their coaching strategies because they are not always able to hand pick the exact team that they’d like to have each year like their Division I counterparts.  In terms of recruiting, it all is a game of salesmanship.  What is the product that you are selling, how much do you believe in the product and how will you best sell it.  For a small college coach, there are numerous obstacles (cost, lack of name recognition and branding, less gear, less television exposure, etc…).  Small college coaches are like the paper salespeople in the hit TV show “The Office” when going up against Office Depot and Staples…they have to be creative, persistent, and truly believe in what they are doing.  I would suggest that small college coaches can coach at the DI level successfully.  A lack of DI experience by the head coach can be made up by a competent staff that does have some DI experience.  So, without further a due, here are some of the best coaches that I know (I’ve been around a lot of places over the years and have met some great coaches that aren’t on this list…that doesn’t mean they can’t coach or that I think less of them, I’ve just limited it to those that come to mind right away).

MATT BOLLANT (UW-Green Bay) – Doesn’t really fit this category anymore because he is the head coach at UW-Green Bay.  However, five years ago, he was an NAIA head coach at Bryan College.   I just wanted to mention him because he is a great coach and a great recruiter.  He deserved to get a good Division I job.  He has not disappointed as he led the Phoenix to the Sweet-16 last year and this year is primed to experience similar success. I personally believe that he didn’t get the Wisconsin job this past spring because they wanted to go with a more glamorous assistant and not with a proven winner.  At the time, he said that he wasn’t too disappointed because his Horizon League team was actually better than the in-state Big Ten team.  Then all he did this year was go out and whoop Wisconsin...oops.

MARK CAMPBELL (Union University) – His numbers are so extravagant that you would think they are a typo…In 13 seasons as a head coach, he has won 4 NAIA National Championships, won 89% of his games, won 35 games in a season six times, held the #1 NAIA ranking for 48 straight polls (2006-2011) and been WBCA coach of the year twice.  As a coach in Mark’s conference, all I heard this year was that this was a down year for Union.  That was true, they only went 31-2, averaged 71 ppg and were #2 nationally.  As crazy as these numbers are, he is a great guy.  He and his wife have adopted a child from India which is quite an unselfish act.  He wants to win as much as the next guy but he truly wants to do it the right way and has a good perspective on things.

ROBIN HAGEN-SMITH (Shawnee State) – I don’t know her personally but everybody I have ever talked to about her has good things to say about her character and her coaching ability.  When I attended the 2011 NAIA National Tournament, everywhere I went, it seemed that people couldn’t say enough about her coaching abilities when she led Shawnee State to the Final Four in a Cinderella run.  This year, she has her team back in the Top-10 going into the national tournament.

CRAIG JACKSON (Montreat College) – Former University of Pacific head coach was a nemesis of mine for three years when I was at Bryan College.  He absolutely knows his basketball.  He is always prepared.  He took a Montreat program that had very little institutional support, scholarship money or tradition and he has turned it around.  They have been ranked the last few years and has had a number of 20-win seasons.  That is not easy to do at Montreat College.

RUSTY KENNEDY (Our Lady of the Lakes) – Nobody I know has done more with less than Rusty.  He has found ways to win games at many different institutions where others have failed.  He is not polished like most coaches.  He doesn’t fit your stereotypical image of a big-time coach but the man can coach.  He isn’t necessarily a “player’s coach” but his players seem to love him.  The comparison that comes to mind is Bob Huggins but with less baggage and controversy.  He just won the Red River Conference Tournament and is finally rewarded with his first trip to the national tournament.  He is very deserving.

CHRIS KIELSMEIER (Wayne State University) – I coached against him for 4 years when I was in Texas.  He finally won a NCAA-III National Championship during the 2007-08 season and then got rewarded with a DII job.  He has made that program something special.  They are now a consistent resident in the Top-25 polls.  He started at Iowa State for Bill Fennelly as a graduate assistant so that has helped him establishing a big-time mentality no matter where he is at.  Entering this season (his 11^th), he has a career record of 246-66.

MARTY ROWE (Lee University) – I first learned of him when he took an overachieving Brescia College team to the NAIA Final Four in the early 2000’s.  I was asked to interview to replace him when he left for Lee.  What I learned in my research convinced me that I didn’t want to be the guy to replace him at Brescia, where they were short on talent, short on funding and but high on expectations after his successful stint.  I have since become friends with him and have seen up close (practices, games, camps, clinics) how good of a coach he is.  He is also a great recruiter.  At the small college level, he’s as good as you get.  When he decides he wants a prospect, he normally gets them…even if they are a DI prospect.