Thoughts about the NCAA Tournament

What a tournament this year!!!! I've been religiously watching the NCAA tournament for about 25 years now and I think I can honestly say this was maybe the best tournament I have seen. From opening round upsets to buzzer beating game winning shots, from teams playing with strong traditions to improbable rises of the new kids on the block, 2010 demonstrated why this time of year has become known as March Madness.

This year was full of bracket busting games. Only .003 percent of the people who filled out brackets had Butler and Duke playing in the finals. Most experts predicted at least three number one seeds making it to the Final Four, with Duke being the only number one team not to advance. But along the way, Kansas, Kentucky, and Syracuse all fell, throwing the race for the National Championship wide open.

Then there was the Butler story. The team that captured America's hearts. They were labeled as the Cinderella team. But there was nothing fairy tale about Butler. They were a legitimate condider all along, spending much of the year ranked in the top 10 and were riding a 25 game winning streak - best in the nation.

Yes, this was the best overall tournament I have seen. And I am just not saying that because my favorite team, the Duke Blue Devils won it. Had Butler hit that half court shot to win the final game, I would have even said with more conviction that it was the best tournament I have ever seen.

More thoughts on what it took to succeed in this years tournament coming later.

A Weekend at the State Tournament

This past weekend I was in Austin to watch the Texas High School Girls Basketball Championships. Besides seeing some great games and visiting with coaching friends from around the state, one thought struck me rather emphatically. We didn't belong here. I know that sounds bad for me to say, but it was the truth.

This became increasingly evident while watching the 3A State semi-finals. Earlier in the tournament we lost to Giddings by 19 points. Giddings played in one of those Semi-Finals. They lost by over 30. On a perfect day, playing our perfect game, we could have beaten Giddings. However, no amount of perfection would have enabled us to beat any of the other teams at State. Giddings was far outclassed. We would have been more outclassed.

With that said, I remember turning to another coach at the end of one of that game and said, "If you tell me right now I will be here next year and will lose by 30 ore more points in the semi-finals, I would take it right away." That is how special it would be to go to State. Winning it is gravy. Getting there is the ultimate goal.

Movie Trailer

I have always found that for me the best way to put closure to a basketball season is by making a highlight film of the season. I've always enjoyed the creative end of putting a film together and each year I try to step up and do it in a different way. Once I complete the highlight film, which this year is going to run more like a documentary that chronicles our journey through the fire, I like to have a team party or banquet to show the film. This would then be the final time that the team as we knew it would meet together. It celebrates the season and then puts it to rest. Below is a trailer for the film. Due to the fact that it is on youtube, and I am using various overlays, superimposed videos and pictures, and titles, it doesn't come out with the exact spacing that is on the original. But it should get the idea across. The DVD version has the proper spacing.