Spokane Stars Basketball

Archive for July, 2007

Don Todrin asked:




John Wooden, arguably the greatest coach ever, built a lifetime dynasty of success in college basketball and has been called a coaching genius. He provided many of his basketball stars with the foundation to become successful business owners after they completed their sports careers. Wooden was teaching them how to operate successfully as a team in basketball; they all say the same principles apply in business and life.

According to Wooden, the same principles apply to any competitive environment. Leadership is built on many interlocking principles and once understood, success is attainable. Wooden defined success as follows: Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.

He described his concept as the “Pyramid of Success”, to which he added his 12 lessons in leadership:

1) Good values attract good people.

2) Love is the most powerful four-letter word.

3) Call yourself a teacher.

4) Emotion is your enemy.

5) It takes ten hands to make a basket. (A reference to basketball.)

6) Little things make big things happen.

7) Make each day your masterpiece.

The carrot is mightier than a stick.

9) Make greatness attainable by all.

10) Seek significant change.

11) Don’t look at the scoreboard.

12) Adversity is your asset.

His record for success speaks for itself; the winning teams he created were monumental and many of his star players went on to become successful in other endeavors. Many report back that his “Pyramid of Success” has been their foundation for success in everything they do. Check out the pyramid at: http://www.coachwooden.com

You cannot argue with success. Look at it, consider it and learn from it.

Freddy C asked:




In the NBA, there are teams that are fun to watch, there are teams that win NBA Championships, and once in a while, you get both in the same barrel. The Los Angeles Lakers with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, and the Michael Jordan Bulls come to mind. The Denver Nuggets are lightin’ it up with Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson, but is the duo ready and able to win an NBA Title? Both players are All-Star starters, and love to ring up the scoring column. Will it be enough?

There is no doubt they make the Denver Nuggets a fun watch, and also a tough out come NBA Playoff time. Are they created to go the distance? Although the Denver Nuggets have been better than I thought they would be, they are not to the point where they can dance with the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns in 7-game series and come out on top.

The Denver Nuggets can score with anyone, but in the NBA Playoffs, half-court basketball is the order of the day, and that is definitely not the strong suit of the Denver Nuggets. The addition of Allen Iverson is pretty tough to argue. However, there is a curve that every team reaches, and sometimes a team is designed that curves as a second-round out.

The Denver Nuggets are built to make their fans happy and entertained, but moving past a loaded, absolutely stacked Western Conference come Spring is an order as tall as the Rocky Mountains.