Knitting and model making of course.

This article, by Atul Gawande, looks at why certain professions have coaches, and more importantly, why some don't. I liked this bit:

Good coaches know how to break down performance into its critical individual components. In sports, coaches focus on mechanics, conditioning, and strategy, and have ways to break each of those down, in turn. The U.C.L.A. basketball coach John Wooden, at the first squad meeting each season, even had his players practice putting their socks on. He demonstrated just how to do it: he carefully rolled each sock over his toes, up his foot, around the heel, and pulled it up snug, then went back to his toes and smoothed out the material along the sock’s length, making sure there were no wrinkles or creases. He had two purposes in doing this. First, wrinkles cause blisters. Blisters cost games. Second, he wanted his players to learn how crucial seemingly trivial details could be. “Details create success” was the creed of a coach who won ten N.C.A.A. men’s basketball championships.

The other interesting part was Gawande talking about being coached as a surgeon. He asked a former mentor to observe his surgeries and take notes. Almost immediately, Gawande discovers things he could do to make his surgeries more successful. The way Gawande talks about being coached makes clear doctor coaching is something that should be explored further.

I just want to make sure I’m Glen Davis wherever I’m at. I think I can be Glen Davis wherever. It just depends on the system, the people around the system, who’s going to let Glen Davis be Glen Davis, not make Glen Davis something they think he should be.

From a column by the terrible Dan Shaughnessy.

I'd never heard this story, but it just adds to the reason Kendrick Perkins was my second favorite Celtic. Big Baby Davis, is of course, first.

Via Long Reads

My favorite part about this video is that before Tracy said Sarah Palin was good masturbation material, he was very clearly going to say, "Both of them at the same time." Everything Tracy Jordan Said indeed.

In TNT's apology, they interestingly criticized Tracy, but not the hosts who set him up.



Via The Daily What

Here's a video of Big Baby Davis watching "Dunks of the Week". Click the Big Baby Davis tag below to see some more BBD awesomeness. I love this guy.



Via Simmons

If you thought I wouldn't post a video Big Baby Davis made of himself dancing to a rap song, you don't know me at all. AT ALL.



Thanks, Jake!

Last week, it was reported that 7'7" Sudanese basketball player Manute Bol passed away at the age of 47. Among several interesting tidbits about his life, Bol is also credited with popularizing the phrase 'my bad'.

-St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jan. 10, 1989: When he [Manute Bol] throws a bad pass, he'll say, "My bad" instead of "My fault," and now all the other players say the same thing.
-USA Today, Jan. 27, 1989: After making a bad pass, instead of saying "my fault," Manute Bol says, "my bad." Now all the other Warriors say it too.

Here's a feature about Manute from the SI Vault, which I continue to suggest is one of the better resources on the web.

Thanks Andy and Jonah.

Didn't see a whole lot of crazy from Rasheed Wallace this year. He actually didn't do much of anything until the playoffs. After they were over, he wanted to talk to referee Joey Crawford. Anyone know more?

Interesting look at Marvin 'Bad News' Barnes who had immense talent, but flamed out because of drugs and other trouble. At one point, it was hard to focus on basketball because he was making so much selling pot. Also this:

There is the legendary story about the Spirits getting ready to depart on a flight that left Louisville, Ky., at 8 p.m. and would get into St. Louis at 7:56 p.m. due to a time-zone change. Upon looking at the schedule, Barnes said, "I ain't getting on no time machine,'' and rented a car for the trip.