One Man's Unrivaled Wizardry

John Robert Wooden was born four years before World War I, in 1910. From an early age, Wooden developed a love of three things: faith, his wife Nellie (whom he met at age 16), and basketball.

Few men in this world are as synonymous with their chosen profession as John Wooden was with his. Basketball and Coach Wooden go together like kindergarteners and crayons, or better yet like peanut butter and jelly.

Although Wooden was an All-American at Purdue, and a well-regarded coach at what is now Indiana State, he didn’t exactly pack the gym at what was then a non-factor program at UCLA during his first decade.

Beginning in 1948, Wooden had a successful record of 285-125 during his first decade plus in Los Angeles, but he wasn’t able to break through and win more than a conference title during his first 15 seasons.

Most coaches wouldn’t last in today’s sporting landscape for 15 years, but in his sixteenth season, Wooden’s tree of wisdom and patience began to bear fruit. In 1963, Wooden led his Bruin squad to a NCAA championship and an undefeated record of 30-0.

The wily veteran had finally broken through, but it didn’t stop there. Over the next 11 seasons, Wooden was able to capture an unprecedented 9 titles. During that run Wooden was able to guide UCLA to 4 perfect seasons, including an NCAA record 88 game winning streak from 1971 to 1974.

A career that began with exactly zero championships and a .695 winning percentage ended with 6 more titles than the next closest coaches (Duke’s Coach K & Kentucky’s Adolph Rupp) and a winning percentage of .938 over the dozen seasons.

It’s important to note that Wooden knew when to step away, retiring at age 65 in 1975 fresh off of his tenth national championship.

The most important takeaway from Coach Wooden has nothing to do with basketball, and everything to do with life. Sure, it doesn’t hurt that the man won an astounding 10 national championships. but it wasn’t about winning at all cost. It was about doing things the right way. The right way meant with integrity, respect, and a humble nature that is missing in athletics today.

The pyramid shown above laid the foundation of success for UCLA basketball, Coach John Wooden himself, droves of student-athletes (Lew Alcindor, Bill Walton, & Jamal Wilkes…the list is endless) that played under and learned how to behave as men under Wooden’s tutelage, and the millions worldwide that listened to him speak or read from his bestselling books.

Take the immediate connection to basketball out of your mind when looking at the pyramid.

Next, remove any intrinsic connection to John Wooden.

Now, tell me people are upset because a great basketball coach finally met his maker.

People are emotional because the world lost a great man. He just happened to be the greatest basketball coach that ever lived.

Stuck in an Early Rut

Ryan Howard and Cole Hammels aren’t exactly the first two names one would normally associate with losing or average performances. They’ve excelled on the biggest stage, propelling the Philadelphia Phillies to the status of a perennial force in the National League in recent years.

The boys from the city where freedom was born have won the last two league pennants, including a World Series title in 2008. Combine that record of success with the seemingly endless revenue stream provided by Citizens Bank Park and it’s easy to see that the Phillies are built for success not only in the present, but also in the future. Presently, however, two of the most popular Phillies are struggling to produce on a consistent basis.

Ryan Howard may be baseball’s latest $100 million man, but hasn’t been able find the broad side of a barn in the past week, hitting .120 in that span. The season on the whole hasn’t been terrible, but for one of the top players in the game, an on-base percentage of .336 and a pedestrian slugging percentage of .450 simply aren’t up to snuff. The most embarrassing stat is a strikeout to hit ratio that’s nearly 1 to 1 (54 whiffs to 59 hits). By comparison, reigning NL MVP Albert Pujols hits dingers more than twice as often as he leaves the plate swinging or looking.

The Phillies problems don’t end with their first baseman. Although he’s no longer the ace of the best rotation on the “senior circuit,” Cole Hammels has yet to regain his form of season’s past.

Hammels has consistently battled injuries over the last two seasons, but fans have come to expect more from the postseason stud than a 5-4 record and a 4.20 ERA. To make matters worse, Hammels has given up 11 homers in 11 starts, and has yet to record a shutout. Meanwhile, his ballyhooed counterpart, Roy Halladay, has a 7-3 record, and an ERA of 1.99 to go along with a tantalizing tandem of 5 complete games and 3 shutouts.

The baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint. Pennants aren’t won in the spring rains of April, or the burgeoning heat of an early June summer.

Pennants are won in the homestretch of August and September. Although Philadelphia has lost an alarming 8 of their last 10, including a 4 game sweep this week to Los Bravos, there isn’t a reason for Phillies fans to be legitimately worried, at least not yet.

If a similar streak reveals itself in late August or mid-September, Charlie Manuel had better get his fishing rod ready. He may have some time on his hands.

Living up to the Hype

The Indianapolis 500 has long been known as the greatest spectacle in racing. After Sunday’s exhilarating experience, it may be on its way to being the greatest event in all of modern sport.

Some 300,000 smiling spectators were treated to a heart-pounding marathon featuring wheel-to-wheel excitement, sunshine, and more than enough pre-race entertainment to go around. If you have any doubts about how intense the race was both live and on television, Google Mike Conway’s amazing crash (where he coincidently only broke a leg) and give it a look.

The fans weren’t the only ones fired up to watch 33 of the world’s top drivers. Oscar-winning actor Jack Nicholson was apparently so thrilled to be the official starter of the race that he decided he wasn’t coming down from the starter’s box until around 30 laps had been completed.

The race was stellar from start to finish. The expected conglomerate of Target/Chip Ganassi, Andretti Autosport, and Penske Racing showed why they are the dominant forces in the new IndyCar series, which merged with former rival CART in 2008.

Dario Franchitti, the eventual winner, showed early that he was a force to be reckoned with, passing three-time winner Helio Castroneves on the first lap and never looking back. The Scotsman led an astounding 155 laps, fighting off late challenges from the likes of Castroneves, fan-favorite Tony Kanaan, and former winner Dan Wheldon for his second victory at the Brickyard in three years.

Danica Patrick had a rough month of May, and it stayed rough from start to finish. From the boos that rang out after a less than tactful qualifying interview, to the lack of outright cheering during driver introductions, it wasn’t in the cards for Indycar’s most marketable star. Although she was able to garner a respectable fifth-place finish, Patrick was pretty much a non-factor.

The World Cup, the Super Bowl, and World Series are presently the three podium finishers of sporting greatness. If Indycar has its way, however, that pantheon will be challenged immediately.

The Indy 500 has always had a special place in the hearts of sports and non-sports fans alike due to the sheer spectacle and emotion of at all. There is no other single event that can bring together a quarter of a million plus people for one afternoon of good food, good times, fantastic wrecks, and flat-out great racing.

If Danica Patrick (or perhaps Lady Gaga and Betty White?) decides to show up for the party next year, we’ll have a whole other animal on our hands. And that’s a good thing.

Sans Compensation, But with Class

Athletes always talk about the love of the game as if it’s a given. It’s all about being able to play the game they grew up playing, or being on the field, with their teammates, and yada yada yada. That’s what they all say until the first round of tenuous contract negotiations.

Does anyone honestly think sports behemoths like Manny Ramirez or Alex Rodriguez love the game as much as they love what the game has done for their bank accounts? What about JaMarcus Russell? The recent Oakland Raider bust had no problem cashing his multi-million dollar paychecks ($31.5 million worth in parts of three seasons); he just had a problem actually earning them.

The modern sports culture is one of instant gratification. It’s not what have you done for me lately, but rather what are you doing for me now.

As a result, generations of supremely talented individuals want all the rewards of success without putting in the necessary sweat and tears like the athletes of yesteryear.

American soccer star Oguchi Onyewu seems to have been cut from a different cloth.

“Gooch” is one of the first athletes in the modern era to actually walk the walk, as he has asked for, and signed a one-year extension with Italian powerhouse AC Milan sans any compensation attached.

The precedent Onyewu has set is as impressive as it is dangerous. If he succumbs to another injury, or plays at a level unbecoming of a superstar, he may have permanently damaged his ability to get a high-end contract in future years.

On the positive side, however, the Rossoneri view Onyewu’s action as an “exemplary gesture which deserves sincere congratulations.” A solid performance in the upcoming World Cup could lead to a boost of confidence that would prove useful for AC Milan’s title hunt in Serie A next season.

Oguchi Onyewu may be naive, but he’s surely well intentioned. If nothing else, Gooch has shown that he does in fact play for the love of the game. He’s showing loyalty in the truest sense, standing by the team that stood by him even though he had a very serious injury early on in his historic Italian adventure.

Integrity and loyalty may be qualities that are lost on a generation, but not on Oguchi Onyewu. The soccer gods should reward him kindly, or at least help his American squad through the group stage of the World Cup next month.

I’d be ok with either of those results.

Perfect Scenario in Need of Fixing?

We like to tinker with things. It’s just human nature. Have nine good pairs of shoes? Well, why don’t you have ten?

The recent announcement by the NCAA that they will seriously explore expanding to a 96-team field is a great example of the powers that be (i.e. university presidents) having their own tinkering problem. The 2010 NCAA National Final features two teams in Duke & Butler that should demonstrate that no changes are needed in college basketball’s ultimate showcase.

This year’s edition of March Madness has been one of the most exciting and satisfying sporting events of the last twenty years. I’m not just talking about the standard upsets that we see every year, although teams like Cornell & Northern Iowa certainly deserve credit. I’m talking about the chance for the mighty Butler Bulldogs can make history while reminding us why we really watch sports.

Butler isn’t Milan High circa 1954. Although they hail from a small, mid-major conference in the Horizon League, Butler is one of the winningest basketball programs over the last decade.

Since 2000, they have won more conference titles than Purdue, Notre Dame and Indiana combined. The fact that Brad Stevens’ team has won 25 games in a row to close this season is no accident.

Duke isn’t the goliath in the typical sense. Sure, they win a lot of games, and make it to the Final Four as often as any team not coached by Tom Izzo. Coach K has led his Blue Devil teams to an amazing twelve Final Fours.

On the other hand, Duke doesn’t recruit like any other basketball powerhouse. Coach K’s coaching cache can get him into any living room in the country, but it can’t convince a kid who just wants to play basketball that he’s got to go to class.

Duke players may say that they do things the Duke way, just like Butler players don’t mince words when talking about doing things the Butler Way. Ultimately, however, both teams do it the same way: the right way.

The NCAA will give several reasons why they feel expanding the tournament is a good idea, but none of them will be absolutely true. Yes, expansion means more coaches and hard-working young men would get to taste the greatness of March Madness, but at what cost?

For an organization that has supposed paramount task of protecting the sanctity of the student athlete making changes that will take students out of class even more hardly seems right.

Over the past three weeks, we have seen exactly why the NCAA tournament should remain in its current format for the foreseeable future.

Look at the competitive nature, academic integrity, and basketball acumen of both Duke and Butler. Do you see why March Madness is so great, that it always works?

Good.

Now go buy that tenth pair of shoes you don’t need.

Let the Madness Begin

The most exciting week in sports is about to kickoff. I’m not talking about the Indianapolis 500, the Super Bowl, or even the World Cup. Nope, March Madness surpasses just about any event you can think of in terms of daily excitement and fan involvement. With that in mind…here are five random thoughts:

1) SOS may mean strength of schedule, but to some it clearly meant save (or slash) our season to teams on the tournament bubble.

Teams are rewarded not only for their conference records, but also for scheduling tough non-conference foes. Teams don’t need to win all such matchups, but they need to schedule several and win at least a few. Let’s take one of the last teams that made the field of 65 in Florida, as well as one of the first teams to be left out of the tournament in Virginia Tech.

Both teams play in power conferences and have had tournament success in recent years.

Florida was 20-11, including a 9-7 conference mark. In terms of non-conference quality wins, the Gators had 2 impressive resume builders in victories over Michigan State and Florida State. Both the Seminoles and the Spartans are tournament teams.

Virginia Tech had a similar record of 23-10, going 10-6 in an admittedly weak ACC. The Hokies non-conference schedule was laughable, and included games against the likes of Delaware, Charleston Southern, & UMBC. The fact that Virginia Tech didn’t beat a single team from the RPI top 30 (Minnesota, the last team in the tourney beat 3) didn’t help their cause.


2) Only one of the four number one seeds will make it to Indianapolis.

Although all four #1 seeds have only made the Final Four twice (1979 & 2008), most tournaments have ended with multiple top seeds in the last weekend showcase.

This year’s number one seeds, however, are deceptively weak. Syracuse is missing arguably its best player in the paint in Arinze Onuaku. Kentucky, although impressive is easily one of the youngest teams in the tournament. Coach Cal is counting on two freshmen to play like seniors in John Wall & Demarcus Cousins. Duke is a very good team, but not a great one, and is often manhandled by stronger, more physically mature teams (see Georgetown).


3) Upsets aren’t what they used to be.

Sure, if a #16 seed somehow were to shock a top seed, that would qualify as an upset. The days of a Chaminade taking down the likes of an ACC goliath are over.

Let’s take UTEP as an example. UTEP is an eleven seed, but according to several analysts, they have as many as 3 NBA caliber players on the roster. Murray State, a mid-major team that’s in the dance as a #13 seed, won 30 games this year. The low seeds aren’t Cinderellas; these are bona fide D-I Apollos. If you want proof, just look at what Butler has become over the past decade.

4) The time to expand may not be now, but it’s coming and there’s nothing you can do about it.

The NCAA tournament is a cash cow. Whereas most collegiate sports lose money, basketball makes money on the Division I level in large part due to the television contract with CBS. When the tournament is expanded (not if), it won’t be to let teams in that have a legitimate shot at the title; it will be for the money. The only way to add monetary value to the sport is to add more televised games.

5) Tiger’s return to golf at the Masters will be the most watched event not named the Super Bowl this year.

I couldn’t resist. He’ll most likely struggle to make the cut, but that won’t stop millions from hanging on his every shot.

Big Ben Becoming a Big Joke

Ben Roethlisberger is innocent until proven guilty. He has as much right to go out and have a good time as anyone else. The fact that he’s a highly-successful NFL quarterback doesn’t change that.

What that should change, however, is Roethlisberger’s decision making process. In the past year, Big Ben has already had one sexual misconduct charge thrown his way. A Lake Tahoe waitress has claimed that Roethlisberger raped her in 2008. Although the criminal case has been dismissed due to lack of evidence, the civil case is still on the docket.

The idea that an athlete that already has had legal issues and is a very similar situation is hardly newsworthy, unless the athlete involved a two-time Super Bowl champion in charge of leading one of America’s most recognizable sports franchises.

From all accounts, Big Ben is a likeable guy, but at some point, he needs to grow up. He may only be 28 years old, but Roethlisberger has little in common with his contemporaries. Ben has too much to lose and not very much to gain by going out to nightspots frequented by coeds nearly 10 years his junior. By continuing along with this immature pattern of behavior, Roethlisberger has embarrassed himself, his team, his city, and the NFL.

There is unlikely to be any sort of resolution in Roethlisberger’s case for weeks if not months. In the grand scheme, the only fact that matters is if Big Ben is charged with a crime, and if so, whether he is proven to be innocent or guilty. When all the dust settles, Roethlisberger may only be guilty of a bad decision that put him in the wrong place at the wrong time, but the damage to his image has been done.

Triumphs and mistakes on the field of play are often forgotten over time, but off the field problems can rain over an athlete’s career, and the public outcry is something from which they never escape.

Ben Roethlisberger’s small cloud might have just grown into a permanent hurricane.

Ready for The Next Step?

Whoever said there’s no such thing as a moral victory has never been an underdog.

The United States hockey team may have lost Sunday’s gold medal tilt against our neighbors to the north, but they have no reason to be ashamed of themselves.

Taking the behemoth that is Canada to the limit is a good reason not to be ashamed, but elevating hockey to the “it” topic of the weekend is an even better one. The gold medal matchup was absolutely exhilarating.

The US overcame an early 2-0 deficit with a game-tying goal by Parese in the game’s final thirty seconds. Although Sidney Crosby dashed the Yankee dream with a quick wrist shot around the halfway point in overtime, the majority of Americans couldn’t have been too upset.

Crosby had done nothing except lived up to his hype as the new great one. "Sid the Kid" had 27.5 million viewers in the United States alone watching as he did it. That rating is second all-time among hockey viewership to the 1980 gold medal game, when a miraculous US squad defeated Finland after shocking the Russian team at Lake Placid.

Hockey will probably always be a fringe sport in this country. It’s stuck below the three ball sports that dominate American sports culture. Ryan Miller, Zack Parese, and the rest of the Yanks were able to capture America’s sporting mind if only for an afternoon.

The sport of hockey is a beautiful one, and like many other Olympic sports, deserves attention more often than once every four years. In order for hockey to get to the next level in the US, it needs American stars in a constant showcase.

Yankee hockey may never reach the heights of Canadian genius led by artisans named Gretsky, Lemieux, and Crosby. But who says it needs to?

All that American hockey needs is for its players to bring the competiveness, never say die attitude, and the constant commitment to team that was shown during the 2010 games. If all those three things come to fruition, how can you not root for hockey to succeed in this country?

Better Man

Tiger Woods may have finally introduced himself to the world last Friday. Sure, Woods has lived under a microscope nearly his entire life, but its taken Woods most public and controversial failure to show hints of his true being.

By his own admission, Tiger Woods still has a long way to go. The important thing to take out of the most overblown public statement of 2010 is that a step was taken in the first place. The man didn’t have to say anything. All Woods had to do would be the most feared man on the golf course upon his return.

Woods faced the world Friday knowing that to many people, it wouldn’t matter what he said. Woods gave a simple, heartfelt apology, not only to his friends and family members, but also to his foundation and fans around the world. He also responded to criticisms that have been levied in regards to his on-course behavior,

Perhaps even more importantly Woods addressed a willingness to be a better man, and to lead a life of integrity. Even though he seemed to be addressing the public with such a promise, the words had the feel of a man’s inner promise to himself.

In recent years, it seems that the relief of non-defeat had replaced the thrill of victory. Woods obviously hasn’t been happy over the past few years, or perhaps such transgressions could’ve been avoided. While Tiger has never been one to smile while on the golf course, he hasn’t always been the guy throwing clubs or screaming expletives to anyone in a five-mile radius. When taking such small nuances into consideration, it’s easy to see that with the help of therapy, Tiger Woods is beginning to see the flaws present in his person and fix himself.

Woods probably didn’t win anyone over with his thirteen minutes heard round the world, but he didn’t lose anyone either. Most people have had their minds made up for months on whether or not to support him going forward. The undeniable fact of the matter is that Tiger’s public display took guts. That kind of cajones are something people in all walks of life can appreciate.

Tiger Woods is just a guy, but at least now we know he’s a guy who cares what you think. He cares what you think not because he needs more money or a higher Q rating, but because he knows that such opinions are based on the man that he is and the life that he leads.

The ones that care are the ones that really make a difference, not just in sports, but also in life.

One Thing Leads to Another

Things are never quite as good or bad as they seem. Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are living, breathing examples of that concept.

Brees has been considered one of the better quarterbacks in football since he and Shawn Payton first joined forces in the Big Easy in 2006. Prior to his Super Bowl triumph, however, he wasn’t in the conversation with signal callers like Manning, Farve, Brady, or Roethlisberger, all of whom have won championships.

Manning, on the other hand, is a three-time MVP and undisputedly the most cerebral passer in the game. Even though Manning is widely-respected by anyone and everyone affiliated with professional football, his Super Bowl defeat leaves him in familiar territory: he is once again the guy who has trouble winning the big game.

Football is a fickle mistress; one day you’re the best thing since sliced bread, and the next day you’re not even good enough to quarterback the Chicago Bears (see Kordell Stewart). John Elway may now be viewed as one of the top three quarterbacks to ever play the game, but until 1998, he was widely believed to be an amazing athlete who failed spectacularly in three Super Bowls in less than a decade.

Pre-Super Bowl, Brees was seen as a product of a pass-friendly system, while Manning was viewed as the epitome of what a quarterback could be in the modern game. One more ring and Manning was destined to be the greatest quarterback of all-time.

After the dust fell on Miami, however, many critics have shifted views. Manning now plays the role of star-crossed hero. Brees is not only Mardi Gras king, but New Orleans savior, future MVP, and all around good guy to boot.

The book has yet to be written on the careers of Drew Brees & Peyton Manning. The truth of the matter is that both men are great passers, capable of amazing feats when put into borderline situations. The destiny of each has as much to do with things like salary cap restrictions and collective bargaining as it does personal willpower.

It’s rather silly to offer predictions, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the ride.

Alone at the Top

So let it be written, so let it be done.

Roger Federer has cemented himself as the greatest tennis player of all–time, winning his fifth Australian Open in the process. Federer now finds himself tied with Andre Agassi for most titles down under in the Open Era with four.

Federer’s record-extending sixteenth grand slam title came at the expense of UK hopeful Andy Murray. Murray failed in his bid to become the first British man to win a grand slam title since 1936. The Scottish-born Murray is viewed by many who follow tennis as a shoe-in to bring smiles upon millions of Britons with an eventual grand slam title. He came into the 2010 final against Federer confident, having beaten Roger in an exhibition match in January of this year.

Having the confidence to win is one thing, but turning confidence into success against a player such as Federer is something totally different.

As Jimmy Connors famously explained in 2009, “In an era of specialists, you're either a clay court specialist, a grass court specialist, or a hard court specialist...or you're Roger Federer."

Although Roger Federer grew up idolizing Boris Becker, it’s hard to compare his all-around game of flick backhands, precise drop shots, and a killer forehand dubbed the “greatest shot in the history of the sport” according to John McEnroe, to Becker or anyone else.

Sure, Pete Sampras was the dominant man of his era, winning an amazing eight titles at the All-England Club to go along with six other grand slam titles. Sampras, however, wasn’t even the most talented player of his generation. That title would belong to Andre Agassi. Agassi may have won six fewer grand slam titles than Sampras, captivated audiences in ways Sampras never could.

Federer, on the other hand, is universally recognized as the greatest player ever, both by fans and former tennis greats. He’s been able to come back from crushing loses to Rafael Nadal (see Wimbledon in 2008 and the 2009 Australian Open) to regain his place as the most feared man in tennis.

It’s amazing to think that Roger has now won at least four titles at each grand slam event, with only the French Open as a singular title.

Dominance in any one sport is always a beautiful thing to watch. Roger Federer has been able to take the beauty of such domination to an entirely different level over the past eight years. He’s won with style and grace, all the while not forgetting that all sports fans love flair and the heart of a lion. Federer’s career may be in its second act, but it is by no means on the down-slope.

Roger Federer may go down not only as the greatest tennis player ever, but perhaps the greatest athlete in history. He just needs a few more grand slam finals like the one this past Sunday to get into that conversation.

Lost in Translation

Police blotter has taken over the sports page as of late. Gilbert Arenas, University of Tennessee basketball players, and even the mythical Tiger Woods have found themselves to be in hot water in recent weeks. The altercations shed light upon the idea of athletic stars being out of touch with society at large.

The lives of modern athletes are vastly different than the lives of most Americans. Those lives develop within a sports culture that is revered when championships are bestowed upon a city, and reviled when athletes are found with illegal weapons, drugs, and the like. The problem with athletes today, however, has as much to do with the gladiators themselves as it does with a society that treats them with kid gloves from an early age.

There are few things in life over which individuals have absolute control. The power to make the right decisions is one of said things. In order for sports to continue to have deep meaning for fans across the globe, a dramatic culture shift must take place.

Former Bengals receiver Chris Henry may have met a tragic ending, but his transformation in recent months shows us that superstars can be steered in the right direction with discipline and respect.

Since emerging as an NFL prospect during his freshman season at West Virginia in 2003, Chris Henry was plagued by problems with the law. The Bengals released him in April of 2008 after his sixth arrest in just less than two years with the team. Few professions allow for such transgressions to go without immediate termination (rockstars perhaps?). It was at point that many NFL veterans, including Michael Irvin reached out to Henry.

Henry responded by dropping many of the hangers-on that had disastrous effects on his decision-making. When the charges against Henry were dropped in August 2008 he was promptly re-signed by the Bengals, who used team resources and manpower to nurse Henry’s life and financial status to a productive point.

Athletes surely shoulder the largest responsibility for any major change in the world of sports. Parents, teachers, coaches, and fans must also bear the burden of responsibility. Athletes need to learn at a young age that they will always be held to the same standards of conduct and basic decency as everyone else. That said, players are afforded the same right to due process, and they shouldn’t be stripped over that right due to celebrity status.