A team has two separate groups that must work together in order to achieve success: the players in the rotation and those that aren’t. Our two-part analysis will begin with the more important of the two groups in terms of overall team chemistry, those that aren’t. They are the foundation and life that a true team is built upon. While Joe Henricksen may not write about these type of guys in the his Hoops Report and The Schmidt Brothers will probably not rank the state's best benches on their site, that doesn't mean that this part of the team is unimportant. In fact, they might be considered the carbon of basketball chemistry. In other words, if what my chemistry teacher taught me is true, "The guys that aren't" are absolutely essential!
Like many coaches, I am a firm believer that there must be a
consistent rotation in order to achieve success. Eight to nine players is optimal. Anything more disrupts the flow of the
game. It’s similar to those huge movie
ensembles in romantic-comedies like Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve which
fail miserably because there are too many stars. We, the consumer, can’t get into a good
viewing rhythm because there’s no clear definition of roles. Which Jessica is supposed to be the hot one:
is it Biel or Alba? Who is supposed to
be the funny guy: Ashton Kutcher, Jamie
Foxx, or George Lopez? How about the TV
Medical Drama Star who is looking to pull himself a Clooney and transition to
movie star: McSteamy or McDreamy? All these questions leave us confused and
disappointed.
The same is true for a basketball team. You can’t go too deep into your bench without
sacrificing flow, rhythm, and chemistry.
Obviously there are exceptions to this rule. An example would be a team who full-court
presses the entire game. They can get
away with playing a ton of guys because they are not worried about rhythm and
flow. In fact, their entire style is
predicated on disrupting those two things for their opponent. Rarely, will you find a team who does not
play an up-tempo, full-court brand of basketball, who can successfully manage a
rotation of ten-plus guys. Those teams
are an exception and not the rule. In
other words, they have “Love Actuallyed” (now a verb) their way to success
against all odds.
With this concept in mind, where does that leave players who
aren’t in the rotation? From my
standpoint, they are instrumental in building team chemistry. A great team has guys on the bench who
understand their collective role on the team.
At the same time, they are able to find individual roles which allow them
to personally contribute and take ownership in their team’s success. If we use a school as an example, it would
be a mistake to think that teachers and administrators are the sole
stakeholders in a school’s success.
Without the school’s custodial staff, security guards, classroom aides,
cafeteria workers, and secretaries, success would not be possible. They are the backbone of a school, and while
they never receive any glory, like great bench players do for players in the
rotation, they make the jobs of teachers and administrators easier. The key is getting them to understand their
value to the school and for them to take pride in executing their role to the
best of their ability. Great bench guys
follow the same protocol.
In order to examine the Power of the Pine, it is important to
understand the collective and individual roles of the bench. First, we will take a look at the 5 key
factors that the bench is responsible for as a GROUP. Then, in the next blog post we will dive
deeper and examine the individual roles that must be filled in order to have
the foundation for great team chemistry.
Collective Roles
1.
Energy
Providers: A couple years ago, I was
watching Conant play at the Jack Tosh Holliday tournament at York High
School. During warm-ups, I turned to
the guy next to me and said “Conant is going to get killed.” They failed the eye test miserably. They were outmatched in the Holy Trinity of
Basketball: size, skill, and
athleticism. Even though I knew Conant’s
coach Tom McCormack was one of the best, there was simply no way that his team
would be able to overcome their deficiencies against the team they were
playing.
Immediately, I was proven wrong, very wrong. Conant’s bench was into the game from the opening tip. They were going absolutely crazy on the sideline. They were screaming and hollering at the top of their lungs when their teammates were on the defensive end. Every time they got a stop it was as if they had won the state championship. When the opposing coach called time-out, they sprinted on to the court to congratulate their buddies. They broke every huddle with little kid-like enthusiasm. When a player on their team made a nice pass, the bench acted as if he had just assisted humanity against complete annihilation. The charge was the ultimate. There are no words, analogies, or hyperbole that could describe their reaction to a player who sacrificed his body for his team. The video below is the only thing that could possibly do their reaction justice.
Immediately, I was proven wrong, very wrong. Conant’s bench was into the game from the opening tip. They were going absolutely crazy on the sideline. They were screaming and hollering at the top of their lungs when their teammates were on the defensive end. Every time they got a stop it was as if they had won the state championship. When the opposing coach called time-out, they sprinted on to the court to congratulate their buddies. They broke every huddle with little kid-like enthusiasm. When a player on their team made a nice pass, the bench acted as if he had just assisted humanity against complete annihilation. The charge was the ultimate. There are no words, analogies, or hyperbole that could describe their reaction to a player who sacrificed his body for his team. The video below is the only thing that could possibly do their reaction justice.
Conant’s spirit was so over-the-top that at
first that it seemed like a joke. As
the game wore on, it became clear that this was not a gimmick. The players on their bench actually took
pride in influencing the game from the sideline. Not only did they create psychological
warfare on their opponent, but they understood that the energy they brought,
particularly on the defensive end, was transferred to their teammates on the
floor. The players on the floor fed off
this energy and competed as hard as I have ever seen a team compete before. This effort only served to motivate the bench
guys further. By the end of the first
quarter, Conant was up by 15 and in complete control. The game of energy one-upmanship continued
throughout, ultimately resulting in the end of the bench getting a chance
to play almost the entire fourth quarter.
Fittingly, the starters now had an opportunity to return the favor which
they happily obliged.
The lesson learned this day was the
importance the bench could have in an outcome of a game. There is no doubt in my mind that had Conant
not possessed this unbelievable level of chemistry, they’d have lost handily. The guys who entered the game only when they
were up 30 understood their role and executed it to perfection. While they may not have scored a
single basket or blocked any shots until the game was decided, they were its most
valuable players. THAT is The Power of the Pine.
2. Ultimate Competitors in Practice: As a group, the guys who ride the pine need to treat practice like it is their Final Four. It takes an incredible amount of drive, mental toughness, and competitive fire to do this day in and day out, knowing that playing time will be limited. Few are capable of doing it, but those that do improve at an incredibly high rate. More importantly, for the team, the Pine’s sacrifices make the players IN the rotation better because they are consistently being challenged. If a team has players who buy into this concept and have the ability to push the rotational guys, you have the makings of a successful team with great chemistry. As a coach, these bench guys need to CONSTANTLY be praised and recognized for their contributions.
The best team that I ever played on had unbelievable chemistry thanks in large part to the collective intensity of each practice. Our coach had a short bench, usually only playing about 6 players, maybe seven in any given game. We had the talent to deeper, but he believed in a short rotation. Despite not receiving any playing time, our bench was unbelievable in practice. They created an ultra-competitive environment that I had never seen before or since. Scrimmages were more intense, physical, and competitive than games were. During practice, we absolutely hated each other and skirmishes would frequently break out. Afterwards we were able to flip the switch, hang out together, and act like nothing happened, only to then repeat the cycle over again the following day.
My best friend, the starting quarterback on the football team, used to grab, hold, push, and body me around the court as if I was his worst enemy. Even though I was our team’s leading scorer, it was difficult for me to even get A shot off against him at practice, let alone score. I absolutely hated when he guarded me and used to get angry about it on a daily basis. All the bone bruises, internal bleeding, and damage to my self-esteem were all worth it though because when games arrived, I felt like Andy Dufresne after he escaped from Shawshank and arrived in Zihuatenejo. While Andy was able to achieve his dream by ridding himself of the warden, the sisters, and the shackles of Shawshank, I felt like without my buddy guarding me, I was now free to play. Game days became so much easier than going up against him and the other guys on our bench every day, and as a result, our team thrived. THAT's the Power of the Pine.
| Me On Non-Practice Days |
This type of environment is hard to manufacture, maybe even impossible. Can someone coach bench players to buy in to being ultimate team players? Or, is it more the luck of the draw where every once in a while you get a special group of competitive kids who understand the importance of pushing each other? It’s probably more of the latter. But, that does not mean the coach can’t select his team in a way that makes this situation more plausible. At the high school level, the only way for this situation to occur is by making sure that your seniors are players who are either in the rotation or right on the cusp of it. If not, there is little incentive for them to compete every day, beyond simply being a great teammate (Possible, but rare). Your underclassmen bench players don’t necessarily have to be on the cusp because they still have another year to work with. Their motivation is to compete as hard as they possibly can to improve so that they can be a part of the rotation the following year. Long story short, it is important for a coach to consider a players year in school when selecting their end of the bench guys. Unless a senior has demonstrated a strong desire to be a part of the team with no complaints, go with the underclassmen.
3. Don’t Worry Be Happy Guys: Complaining spreads like wildfire on a basketball team. If your end of the bench players don’t have a realistic view of their role, it’s a problem. They will start to complain and so will their parents. While often times this comes from a positive place, as the player simply wants to contribute to team success, it leads to negative results. When one player begins to express their dissatisfaction, another will be soon to follow. Eventually you will have a mutiny on your hand, the team chemistry will collapse, and you’ll feel like Jon Voight at the end of Varsity Blues. Just think, all this happened because one kid had a bad and misinformed idea.
 |
| Atrocious |
Incredibly similar and totally comparable, if a coach does not weed out complainers early, a promising season could become a miserable one and the Manpri effect could develop and fester. When selecting players to fill the last spots on a roster, it is important to select guys who will be content in that role. A player who is simply happy to be a part of a team is much more valuable than a kid who is more talented but a complainer. If neither kid is likely to play unless your team is up or down thirty, what is the point of selecting the better player? There is none. It is better to err on the side of the better teammate. The better teammate is the one who doesn't complain and understands their role. THAT's the Power of the Pine.
4. Reality Checkers: We all complain at some point in our lives. It is human nature. We always want more, no matter how much or how little we have. Donald Trump will complain when one of his investments drops by a percentage point even if that brings his net worth down to 1.1 Billion. The Kardashians will complain when they aren’t on the cover of US Weekly for the fifth week in a row. Even Lady Ga Ga probably complained after Miley Cyrus stole a little of her “creepiest woman in America” spotlight at the VMAs last Sunday. (Don’t worry Ga Ga, you will probably win a life-time achievement award in creepiness, let Hannah Montana have her day in the Sun).
In order for human beings to be brought down to size, we often need someone or something to provide us with perspective. This perspective will usually help bring us back to reality. Think about what your parents said to you as a kid when you didn’t eat your meal or complained about being forced to eat too many vegetables. Johnny, the starving kid in India would cherish a green bean. Similarly as an adult, you may start to hate your job and constantly grumble to anyone that will listen. But when a bunch of your coworkers get laid off, you suddenly become thankful that you even have a job. Personal misfortune of others like cancer, divorce, and bankruptcy seem to have a way of making your little problems seem a little less serious. Khloe Calls Kim Fat doesn’t seem worthy of a magazine cover anymore when Michael Douglas Battles Cancer is available.
Similarly, bench players who work hard, don’t complain, and simply enjoy being a part of a team have a funny way of humbling those who are in the rotation. How can your starting forward justify dogging it at practice when your 15th man plays his heart out every day? He’d have to be a true piece of work if he did (Which sometimes is the case). Would your point guard complain about the number of shots he gets during games when he realizes that the end of the bench only gets to shoot when they run scout team in practice? He might, but the presence of a great group of bench players would certainly make him think twice before doing so. Even little Timmy’s father would have a real hard time pressing send on an email with the subject line titled “Timmy’s AAU Coach and I Think Timmy Should Start. P.S. We could coach this team better #you’redumb” when there are players who have not played a second all season. He’d at least have to take the principal and superintendent off the CC’d line. Wouldn’t he?
It’s true; some players just can’t be brought back to reality solely by seeing the struggle of others. Sometimes, only observing what their less gifted teammates go through on a daily basis does not register. Instead, they need to be prompted by the coach to pay closer attention. A coach with the luxury of a great bench can verbally point out how much he respects and admires the hard work that those guys put forth every day. I will tell you what; John, Matt, and Michael, you guys have my ultimate respect. You bring it every day, no questions asked. No complaints. You three are invaluable to our team. I hope everyone here understands how important these guys are. All of us could learn something from the three of them. Let’s clap it up for them right now. They deserve it. If you truly have great “Reality Checkers” on your bench, this will at least buy you some time before the next fire needs to be put out. THAT’s The Power of the Pine.
5. The Jerry Lawlyer All-Stars: Anybody who watched WWF wrestling in the nineties and early 2000s knows who Jerry “the King” Lawlyer was. In case you were not a wrestling fan (may God have mercy on your soul), Jerry Lawlyer was a former wrestler, turned color commentator, for the WWF’s television coverage. Like most color guys in wrestling, the shtick was that he always sided with and supported the heel (the bad guy) no matter what, much to the television audience and play by play guy’s dismay. The heel could do no wrong in his eyes. A guy could literally whack his opponent across the head with a sledge hammer when the ref wasn’t looking, and proceed to spit on him while he was down, all while taunting his opponents’ wife and children. The King’s Response?
The King:
What a crafty move by the veteran.
You got to admire his smarts, don’t you McMahon?
Vince McMahon: That was the most despicable thing I have
ever seen a human do. Not only did he
use a weapon in the ring, but he spit on him.
He’s a disgrace. That’s what he
is!
The King:
You got it all wrong McMahon, he thought Mick Foley was thirsty so he
was really just trying to hydrate him.
He actually should be given an award for that!
Vince McMahon: Should he be given an award for flicking off
Mick’s beloved wife and kids after he did it.
The King:
That’s a sign of respect in his culture.
Stop being so ignorant and educate yourself McMahon.
The bench guys need to be like Lawyler in a
way. The coach may be critical of a
player, but the bench can’t be. They
need to constantly be building the guys in the rotation up instead of tearing
them down. When a player gets screamed
at and taken out of the game for a bad pass, they need to be the one’s telling
that player what a great idea it was. They need
to be the guys slapping the starters on the butt after an off night. They need to find a positive in everything
and be willing to be vocal about it.
Simple acts like these could be the difference between a player in the
rotation keeping their confidence or completely losing it. We coaches can be relentless at times. What the player sees as negativity, we see as
constructive criticism. Bench players
who follow the King’s lead can alleviate what is lost in translation by being
supportive and encouraging. These
actions will go a long way in terms of overall chemistry and team success. THAT's the Power of the Pine.
Every coach in America talks about how important the players at the end of bench are. Sometimes it may sound like an overused cliché. Hopefully, coaches realize that it is not a cliché and that it is their job to sell this concept to the entire team. The players on the pine need to truly feel it and the rotation players need to be taught to appreciate the Pine’s role. If this can be accomplished, great chemistry is possible. Without it, the team will continually underachieve. It THAT is not the Power of the Pine, I don't know what is.
Next Up: Individual Roles of the Bench Defined.
1.
Team Clown
2.
The Mediator
3.
The Vocal Leader
4.
The Crowd Pleaser
5.
The Agitators
6.
The Horse Whisperer
7.
The On the Fence Guys
