Thursday, November 27, 2008

The annals of bad coaching, Part 1

Happy Thanksgiving, FH readers. I know today is going to be a huge football day. But here's an interesting item about an odd - and ultimately losing - basketball strategy. Call it strategery:

The nation’s leading scorer was held without a point and took only three shots. But the game was never in doubt because Davidson played the entire game on a virtual power play.

All this was courtesy of a bizarre coaching move by Loyola’s Jimmy Patsos.

“We had to play against an NBA player tonight,” Patsos explained. “Anybody else ever hold him scoreless? I’m a history major. They’re going to remember that we held him scoreless or we lost by 30?”

So he knows history - maybe. What about math? You know, the part where his team lost 78-48.

Patsos' job is to win games, not make his team a historical footnote. He might want to start grading his team's success by the scoreboard and not the boxscore. I've gotta imagine that's the standard his boss is using.

In fact, Patsos should consult with a coach who talks a lot about winning games - not that he's had much recent experience.

UPDATE: Speaking of Davidson and Stephen Curry, a friend of mine from work has written a book about their improbable run through the NCAA tournament last season. He's a great writer, so I can only assume the book will be worth a read. Check it out.

2 comments:

maria said...

i apologize that i cannot comment on anything related to sports (other than how it is really soft porn on a HD tv), but i LOVE your use of the word "strategery."

wonder if the bushies will be clever enough to leave any parting words of advice for the incoming admin?

nah! what AM i thinking!?

blackink said...

If the incoming administration is clever itself, they might want to go ahead and ignore any tips the Bushies try to offer them.

And Maria, you've got to get beyond the "soft porn" factor of sports. If only for the fact that I don't want you to make sports awkward for me.