A Pen And A Napkin

Jen Wragge of Elkhorn (NE) GBB jumps on this edition of "The Film Room" to break down an early 2000's classic film, "Love And Basketball", starring Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan. We chat about the importance this movie gave to women's basketball, a few plot holes and alot more!

We're back at Wine 121 in Omaha with another "Roundtable" format with Andy King, boys basketball coach at Elkhorn North, Tom Krehbiel, boys basketball coach at Boys Town, and the legend simply known as "G", Andy Gerlecz, the girls basketball coach at Papillion LaVista-South. We chat about the MBCA, getting ready for the season, youth programs and much more!

Part of our purpose as coaches is to develop the whole person, not just the basketball player, and we also want our players to have a sense that they are one with the community and the community is one with them. This week on "The Coaching Staff", Tony and I discuss different service projects our programs have done and how to implement them, along with their importance to both your players and your community.

The Loyola Marymount Lions, under Coach Paul Westhead and with All-Americans Bo Kimble and Hank Gathers, were must-see TV for basketball fans in the late 1980's. Playing the "Philly Style", Marymount set scoring records that will never be broken. This great run was marred by great tragedy when Gathers tragically died on the floor on March 4th, 1990. Millard West GBB HC Marc Kruger and I breakdown the great "30 for 30" "The Guru of Go" examining the Marymount era, Gathers' death and its fallout, both good and bad.

This week, we are really excited to host Aaron Thomas, the head boys basketball coach at Aplington-Parkersburg (IA)! We have a great discussion on a variety of topics, including the influence of his father, the legendary Ed Thomas, on both his coaching career and the community of A-P. Along with that, we discuss teaching leadership, transition offense and scoring alot of points, developing your youth program, and much more! Great discussion with one of Iowa's best!

A big part of our job as high school coaches is supporting other programs while also thinking of new and different ways to garner support for our programs. In this episode of the "Coaching Staff", Tony and I discuss what you can do to make other programs feel appreciated while also discovering different ways to get your community involved with your program!

Tyler Shaw and I break down the "He Got Game", the 1998 basketball classic directed by Spike Lee and starring Ray Allen and Denzel Washington. We discuss redemption, the pressure on athletes from the "hangers on", where would Jesus Shuttlesworth have been drafted if he had gone pro and perhaps the greatest sports agent ever captured on film, Mr. Dom Pagnotti!

Back from the ashes is the "Quick Hitter" format! This week we talk with three coaches that I worked the Snow Valley Basketball School with earlier this summer; Ryan McAdams, the WBB HC at Arkansas-Fort Smith discusses rebounding, while Dave Schlabaugh discusses building motion offense. Liz Kay brings us home with a discussion on special situations and end of game situations. Great discussion with three terrific coaches!

In Episode #2 of "The Coaching Staff", Coach Vis and I chat about different aspects of a necessary evil to any good high school program, the process of fundraising. Coach Vis and I discuss alot of the do's and don'ts of fundraising, and what are efficient ways that we've come up with to help increase the budget of your program!!

Bob Hurley Sr. of St. Anthony's (NJ) might be the greatest high school coach in the history of the game. With over 900 wins, 23 state championships and 3 "national championships", Hurley's legacy only grows with time. In 2010, the documentary "The Street Stops Here" details the journey of his 2008 team, along with the ups and downs of trying to keep St. Anthony's open. My friend Nate Wall of David City Aquinas (NE) helps me break down this tremendous documentary!