Didn't See That Coming

One of my favorite things about my current job is that I spend a decent amount of time every day in the car listening to ESPN radio. I enjoy hearing the breaking news as soon as it happens, but the other day it was a good thing I was alone on a particular stretch of road as I heard some of the most stunning news ever: Brad Stevens had been named the new head coach of the Boston Celtics.

Will Brad Stevens succeed in the NBA? I'll bet so.

I literally started screaming because I was so shocked. I wasn't screaming anything in particular or at anyone specifically, I was just genuinely stunned at the news. My favorite college basketball coach in the country was no longer a college basketball coach.

My logical mind was trying to convince my heart that this is a good thing. It still hasn't worked.

It's just that I never expected something like this. Brad Stevens is everything you'd ever want in a college coach. He teaches and lives by The Butler Way, which I've mentioned before is something I buy into. He's smart. He works hard. He turns overlooked players into superstars. And even though he never said it, we all thought he was going to stay at Butler forever.

Even though I'm shocked and perhaps even a little dismayed at it, I think it's a smart move for both parties. The Celtics are rebuilding, so why spend money on a big name and veteran NBA coach? And it can't hurt Brad Stevens' career to go to the NBA. If he flops, he'll still be a great college coach. But he is incredibly smart so I think he might make it. In fact, I'm betting he will. It'll be a slow start because the Celtics are going to be absolutely awful the next year or two, but that means the expectations are low so it could give him time to adjust.

The biggest question I have is whether or not he will be able to get the respect of Rajon Rondo, who is really the only star left on the roster. Rondo's had some authority problems before, so will he respect a coach who's only a few years older than him and has no NBA experience whatsoever? If he can get Rondo to buy in and get the team to rally around Stevens, Boston's rebuilding will go a little smoother. If not, they just may ship Rondo out somewhere else. They're clearly not afraid of rebuilding and risks.

A Rockin' Suprise - Can It Last?

Troy Tulowitzki and the Colorado Rockies are off to a hot start. Can they sustain it throughout the season?

Statistics, injuries, and observations are all as of the morning of  April 27.

For the time being, the Colorado Rockies are sitting atop the National League West. For a brief moment they even had the best record in baseball. The pitchers have been doing their job and pitching like a somewhat reliable staff, something they've never been. The bats have been on fire, though they've cooled slightly the past few games. And if I had written this last week like I meant to, there would have been no significant injuries to worry about.

In order for the Rockies to succeed this season and make a run at postseason play they need the bats to stay hot, the pitching staff to be consistent and solid, and key players to stay injury free. I apologize for my pessimism, but I have been a Rockies fan for far too long to believe that all of these things are a possibility, especially if the past couple of years are any indication.

Dexter Fowler is hitting with more power
than we are used to seeing.

The Bats Are Hot

Rockies fans are used to this. The Blake Street Bombers are tops in the big leagues in batting average (.279) and slugging percentage (.463) and on base percentage (.344), and second in runs scored (123) . None of this should surprise anyone. Two of the games most dangerous hitters, Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki, anchor the Rockies offense, but it doesn't stop there. Most of the lineup -- Dexter Fowler, Josh Rutledge, CarGo, Tulo, Michael Cuddyer, and Wilin Rosario -- are downright dangerous.

The numbers and MLB rankings aren't surprising. What is surprising is who leads the team in some of the offensive categories. Dex is first on the team in slugging percentage (.610) and home runs, with seven dingers through 23 games; his career best is 13 in a season. Cuddy tops the charts with a .325 batting average and .393 on base percentage. Will they stay at the top? I doubt it, but if the Rockies are to be considered postseason contenders by the end of the year they will need to still be impact players and threats to put the ball in play and drive in runs.

Improved Pitching Staff

The Rockies pitchers currently have a 3.90 ERA, and while that is good for only 17th in baseball, it is one of the most promising starts we have seen from the Rox staff for as long as I can recall.

Obviously if the bats don't stay hot, the Rockies have no hope, but if the pitchers can stay healthy and consistent all year long and hover somewhere around a 4.00 ERA collectively, this team could suddenly become very, very good. Pitching has been Colorado's Achilles heel for years and remains a difficult riddle to solve, but prospects are looking up.

Injury Concerns

Injuries are always a concern, but last year they completely derailed the Rockies season. That's not to say the Rox were destined for the playoffs by any means, but it turned into the worst season in Rockies history and was a little demoralizing.

If Jhoulys Chacin and the Rox staff can stay healthy and
consistent, the Rockies could be competitive.

Troy Tulowitzki went down with a groin injury and missed most of the year. Durability is a bit of a question for Tulo as he has only played over 140 games three times in his career. Carlos Gonzalez has only played over 140 games once in his career. As the two best players in the Rockies organization, their health and durability are essential to the Rockies success.

Last season the pitching staff struggled to stay healthy and it seemed as though the entire starting rotation went out with an injury for an extended amount of time. This pitching staff is off to a hot start and cannot afford to see guys out on the DL, but it has already begun with Jhoulys Chacin on the 15-day DL beginning April 20 with a lower back strain. Here's to hoping he recovers quickly and the pitching staff, or any of the rest of the Rockies, suffer any long-term injuries the rest of the year.

If all the key players can stay healthy, the pitching staff stays at least average, and the bats stay hot, this team could make a postseason run. But I've been following Rockies baseball for too long to have full faith in the possibility after just 23 games have been played. Ah, well. Here's to hoping for a baseball miracle!

Ziggy

The story of Ezekiel "Ziggy" Ansah has been extremely well documented, so I don't want to bore you with the whole story again, but if somehow you missed it take the time and read the full story from Sports Illustrated. And this recent article by ESPN is worth a read and will make you laugh, guaranteed.

And in case you don't want to read all that, here's a recap, which also serves as the general framework of Ziggy's version of The Blindside:

• Ezekiel Ansah, a Ghana native, has dreams of coming to the United States and playing in the NBA.
• He comes to BYU for school and to pursue a basketball career.
• Never making the cut for basketball, he runs track.
• Barely being able to fit in the track lane, he is taken to Coach Mendenhall about playing football.
• After being taught how to put on his pads, he walks onto the football team.
• For the first couple of years, he is a really nice story and fan favorite.
• Suddenly, in the middle of his senior year, he becomes a dominant force on the football field.



Ziggy always seems to be in the right place at the right time.
That's a gift.

• Now he is projected to be a top ten pick in the NFL draft.

I sure wish that would happen for me. Your dreams of playing in the NBA didn't work out? I'm sorry, but here is a nice consolation prize of playing in the NFL!

Somehow he skyrocket from being brand new to the gridiron to a guaranteed first round draft pick. More than that, he has been projected to go as high as second in the draft, and it is suddenly almost unheard of to see him listed outside the top ten.

So what is it about Ziggy that has caused this meteoric rise? I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a football expert. I don't know how to study football film or the intricacies of the game that will make any player great, but especially a defensive end. I'm pretty clueless.

But I have some ideas based on my research and observations, and in spite of my limited knowledge of the game of football, I think I have a pretty good handle on why Ziggy is turning heads.

Freakish Athleticism

If you have watched him play at all, you know Ziggy has some unbelievable physical gifts. The dude is 6'6" and 273 pounds. When I hear that I picture a huge man, but I don't necessarily picture a guy who is pure muscle and scary fast like Ziggy. He's big, strong, fast (4.56 40 time), and can jump (34.5 inch vertical, and a BYU trainer says he's seen him do better). His closing speed surprises people, and that strength of his leads to some pretty big hits, especially evidenced by the research done by ESPN's Sports Science. You can get a feel for that speed and athleticism in the highlight reel from his senior year.

Unlimited Potential

As a result of the unreal amounts of athletic ability he possesses, nobody really knows where his ceiling is. He's only been playing football for a couple of years, and if he continues to improve at the rate he has thus far, he could end up being one of the best. More realistically he'll end up being a productive NFL player who makes it to a Pro Bowl or two before he retires, but with the raw talent he has you just never know.

Jason Pierre-Paul

Born to Haitian immigrants, Jason Pierre-Paul didn't begin playing football until his junior year of high school. Basketball had been his focus until that point. After a couple of years of junior college football, he transferred to South Florida where he had a dominating junior year before bolting to the NFL.

Comparisons to Jason Pierre-Paul are intriguing.

In summary, JPP left his love of basketball to play football where he excelled because of his size, speed, and natural athletic ability. He caught NFL scouts off guard, but went in the first round of the NFL draft. In his first three seasons he hasn't just lived up to expectations, he's exceeded them.

The similarities on and off the field are striking and it seems that NFL execs are ready to see if Ziggy really is the next JPP.

High Level of Intelligence

He's majoring in Actuarial Science. Do I need to say anything more than that?

His football intelligence is growing. He went from being absolutely lost on a football field to being able to play special teams, lineman, and linebacker. Ziggy is learning the nuances of the game at an incredibly fast rate. This quote from Coach Bronco Mendenhall, BYU's head coach, says a lot about Ansah's football IQ:

"Remember that first time on special teams? Fast-forward to our last game of 2012, the Poinsettia Bowl against San Diego State. We were calling a defense that had Ziggy as the screen defender. He popped off the line and drew the block from the tackle. When the tackle released, Ziggy turned, got in his hip pocket and made the play. This was a guy who understood the nuances of the game. He was basically fake rushing, inviting the screen so he could make a play on it. That's where we are no, just a couple dozen games removed from 'Go hit the guy with the ball.'"

Winning MVP honors in the Senior Bowl caused
Ziggy's draft stock to soar. 

He went from "Go hit the guy with the ball" to Senior Bowl MVP and projected top ten draft pick in three seasons, with limited playing time in the first two seasons especially. It takes a lot of intelligence to move up that quickly.

Hard Work

Ezekiel Ansah is a great example of someone who pursues his dreams and never gives up. He came to America and BYU to pursue a career in basketball. He got cut after tryouts, but he came back to try again. He got cut a second time, but still found a way to use his athletic talents. Perhaps he doesn't have a firm grasp on what the NFL is or what his potential is, but he was once pursuing a professional basketball career, so he knows how to chase a dream. If his impressive learning curve on the gridiron is any indication, he's caught hold of the NFL vision and is willing to work hard to make it happen and reach his full potential. And if he ever does reach that potential, he is going to be scary good.

**********

Think about it: he was a walk-on project that had never even seen a football game a mere three years ago. He didn't start a game until part way into his senior year, then he finished the year by winning MVP honors at the Senior Bowl. Now he's generally considered the best defensive end prospect in the draft, a first round lock, and a probably top ten pick.

I think he's worth taking a chance on, don't you?

Ten Shockers of the NCAA Tournament

My dear, sweet wife, who had never filled out a bracket for March Madness prior to this year, nearly accomplished something that I have failed to do my whole life: beat my dad in the family bracket pool.

I finish every year in second place. Every single year. And now, with the latest addition to the family, my wife is pushing me down to third. And she didn't just beat me. She killed me. By ESPN's scoring system she beat me by 330 points, 730-400. That was the first big shocker of this year's tournament. It was the greatest Cinderella story I can remember, and unfortunately ended just like Wichita State's Cinderella run.

No, seriously. Her run ended the exact moment Wichita State's did. Had they held on and won that game, Michigan's win later that night would have given her the win in our family pool.

I'm torn. On the one hand I wanted my wife to win so I could give my dad a hard time. But on the other hand, he could have given me a pretty bad time by reminding me she had just accomplished something I never could. So maybe it's for the best that one of the greatest upsets in college basketball history never happened.

Regardless, I need to warm up my hands for the massage I now owe her.

But this tournament was not void of upsets, Cinderellas, and madness. There was plenty of that to go around. This post will look at the "Shockers" of the tournament, named after that Wichita State Shockers squad with came within two baskets of being the lowest seed to ever reach the National Championship game.

Shocker #2: Florida Gulf Coast

There were only a couple of things that could possibly overshadow Wichita State's run to the Final Four and one of those was a 15 seed making it to the second weekend of the tournament. And the fact that it happened is incredible.

They were fun to watch, weren't they? Just in case you've forgotten just how fun, here is a video with some of their dunks and dances for your enjoyment:

I picked Georgetown do go to the Final Four, but I had no problem celebrating the seventh 15 seed to win an NCAA tournament game. It was historic, and it was entertaining, and it just kept on getting better.

I made sure to catch their second game from start to finish, just in case they made even more history by becoming the first 15 seed to reach the Sweet Sixteen. Not only did they do it, they did it in style. They certainly looked more like a seventh seed than San Diego State did. They played with energy and a whole lot of confidence. They were loose, playing with nothing to lose, and having fun. Teams should take note of their relaxed style of play. It worked wonders and FGCU dominated their way into the Sweet Sixteen and the history books.

I'm not sure if Sherwood Brown or Brett Comer or any of the rest of the guys have NBA futures, but they sure are talented athletes. And congratulations to Coach Andy Enfield being hired as the new head coach at USC.

Shocker #3: The Shockers themselves

Wichita State wasn't as electrifying or fun to watch as FGCU was, and they are a bit of an interesting case for a Cinderella team, but they were seeded ninth and reached the Final Four. It was an impressive run. They spent much of the season ranked, beginning the season with a 19-2 record before a three game losing skid and finishing the season 7-6 in their last 13 games prior to the NCAA tournament.

It was because of that less than stellar stretch that many picked Pitt to win over Wichita State, and even those that picked the Shockers certainly didn't pick them over the top-seeded Zags.

Wichita State came within 5 points of a title game appearance

They grabbed the attention of a lot of people after that win, including NFL quarterback athlete Tim Tebow, who gave them quite a pep talk heading into the Sweet Sixteen. It worked, and they had quite a run. They won in blowout fashion and ground it out in some tight games. And they nearly pulled off an incredible upset that would have helped them become the lowest seed to ever reach the championship game.

They may not have set that record, but they lived up to their name and shocked everyone by reaching the Final Four.

Shocker #4: Oregon's 12 seed

This one was just a tragedy. Perhaps it should even be considered a crime. Oregon was ranked as high as 10th during the season, and still ranked 25th on March 4. Then they proceeded to win the Pac-12 tournament, and what was their reward? A 12 seed!

Unfortunately for Oklahoma State, their first opponent
was a woefully under-seeded Oregon squad.

The Selection Committee should be ashamed of themselves on this one. They robbed a quality Oklahoma State team of the "second" round match-up they had earned by being pitted against a very, very good opponent. It was even unfair to Saint Louis, who should have been playing Oklahoma State or a lesser 12 seed, not a grossly underrated Oregon squad playing with a chip on their collective shoulder.

But bravo to this Oregon Ducks squad. I have expected them to play frustrated and angry at the injustice of their low seed, but instead we watched them respond like they had something to prove. And prove it they did, making a run to the Sweet Sixteen before running into the Louisville buzz saw that nobody could quite keep pace with. But they hung tough even in that game.

In spite of the crimes committed against them, they still created a memorable tournament they should be proud of.

Shocker #5: Mountain West Conference

For some reason, we all thought that the Mountain West was like the Big East. We all thought these teams beat themselves up because they were all really, really good and that one or two of the five teams to break into the Big Dance could make a nice run, with the most likely candidate being New Mexico. But as it turns out, unlike the Big East, this conference was once again lackluster and failed to live up to the hype.

(AUTHOR'S NOTE: I still think the Big East as we've known it the past few years, was overrated. But they did make runs and win some national titles, which is significantly more than the Mountain West accomplished this year.)

The Mountain West was 2-5 in the NCAA tournament this year, with the only wins coming against 8th and 10th seeded teams. One of those losses found its way into the history books as San Diego State became the first team to allow a 15 seed to advance to the second weekend, and they did it in style. The ten point result makes it seem like it may have been a relatively close game. It wasn't. They never stood a chance. They got flat-out embarrassed.

Harvard helped expose the mediocrity of the MWC.

If the Mountain West had been such a great conference, you would think that the team that somehow managed to win both the regular season title and conference tournament crown would be able to take down 14th seeded Harvard, right? Nope. And it was such a disappointment it prompted one of their beat writers to call it quits after 33 years following the team.

Now that's a disappointment.

Shocker #6: Harvard

Okay, did anyone honestly see it coming? I don't know of a single person who predicted Harvard to win over New Mexico, and I can't imagine too many people did. Except for maybe Harvard grads. They're probably smart enough to realize the Mountain West was going to fold.

Shocker #7: The "other" 1 seeds

I know that the big buzzword around college basketball this year was "parity," but I still didn't entirely see the collapse of all the non-Louisville one seeds coming. I knew Kansas would pack their bags early, though they actually made it one round farther than I thought they would.

But I had Gonzaga in the Final Four and Indiana was my pick to cut down the nets in Atlanta.

I thought Gonzaga had a relatively weak region, and I thought Indiana was the best overall team in the country. That was kind of disappointing.

Gonzaga went down in the Round of 32, and Indiana and Kansas both lost in the Sweet Sixteen. Parity, parity, parity. And it was still a shock to see all three go home that early.

Shocker #8: Mitch McGary

McGary was a monster
in the tournament.

He only started two games prior to the NCAA tournament. But John Beilein made what turned out to be a genius move by thrusting McGary into a starting role for the Big Dance.

And he thrived on it. He scored in double figures in every game other than the championship. He had three double-doubles, and was one rebound short of a double-double in two other games. Prior to the championship game he averaged 16 points and 11.6 rebounds per game in the tournament. Credit Louisville for holding him to 6 points and 6 boards, because prior to that is was looking like he was absolutely unstoppable.

On a team that had the National Player of the Year in Trey Burke, who would have thought Mitch McGary would be the one to steal the show?

Shocker #9: Kevin Ware's injury

Don't worry. I will not post, or link to, any pictures or videos of Kevin Ware's horrific injury.

Wow. It was rough. My heart goes out to the guy. The only injury that compares is Joe Theismann's career ending leg break. I won't link to that one either.

In all my life I have never seen anything that bad on a basketball court. Sure there is the occasional broken bone, ACL tear, or dislocated shoulder, but nothing like this.

Louisville cut down the nets for Kevin Ware.

But what impressed me most was the response of everyone involved. The team battling in a close game at the time of the injury to blowing it wide open for a 22 point victory in the second half. They didn't fight off the emotion, they used it to their advantage. They went out and made sure they didn't let their teammate down, and it was incredible to watch. They rode that emotion through the title game, overcoming deficits to come out on top.

I was also impressed with Kevin Ware's response. From the moment it happened, saying "I'll be okay, Coach, just win," to his ability to make light of the situation on Letterman's Top Ten. He seems like an impressive kid, and I wish him the best in his recovery and the remainder of his career.

Shocker #10: Louisville Cardinals

In a year where being the top dog meant losing within days of earning a top ranking, the Cardinals took their number one overall seed and did exactly what they were supposed to do with it: they won.

Shocker.

BYU Basketball Season in Review

For those who are extremely loyal followers of this blog, you may remember what I'm about to reference. Seriously though, you'd have to have been here from the beginning. This post literally only got four views.

Last April I made the following statement: "In one of Matt Carlino's remaining three years, BYU will earn [a] trip to the Final Four." I even went so far as to say it would likely come in the 2012-2013 season.

Matt Carlino helped lead BYU to an NIT Final Four appearance. 

Well I nailed it.



Right?

Okay, so it wasn't the Final Four that we dream of reaching, but it was a pretty entertaining run to the NIT semifinals. It also turned out to be a nice ending, and maybe the saving grace, for perhaps what will be viewed as a disappointing year.

But 24 wins in a rebuilding year? Some schools can't even dream of a winning record when they rebuild. So was this year a disappointment? Yes and no. Should BYU have been better? Perhaps. Is it disappointing to see an NIT appearance after six consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament? Absolutely. But this team played a postseason game in April, something that no other Cougar team has ever accomplished.

And it's kind of fitting that BYU made a  trip to Madison Square Garden for the NIT semifinals in the year that saw the 1951 NIT National Championship team honored and retired the jerseys of Mel Hutchins and Roland Minson.

BYU started the season 14-4, losing only to Florida State, NIT finalist Baylor, and NCAA tournament teams Notre Dame and Iowa State.

Then, it appears, one shot changed the course of the entire season.

Haws averaged 21.7 points per game
as a sophomore.

Tyler Haws hit a tough, tie-breaking with 2.5 seconds remaining. The Marriott Center erupted, thinking BYU had won the game. Then Matthew Dellavedova ripped the hearts out of all of Cougar Nation when he hit a running 35-foot three at the buzzer.

If you can stomach it, you can watch the final seconds of that game here.

From that Saint Mary's game through the end of the conference tournament, BYU went 7-7. The Cougars were limping so badly into the postseason I wasn't convinced we'd get an invitation to the NIT, let alone a high enough seed to get some games in the Marriott Center.

But they did. BYU was seeded third and hosted a first round game against Washington, a 90-79 victory, and a second round game against Mercer, a 90-71 win. They then went on the road to completely dismantle Southern Mississippi to reach the NIT semifinals.

It was the first time BYU suffered a double-digit number of losses since Dave Rose took over at head coach, and it was the first time since his inaugural year that BYU failed to reach 25 wins and the NCAA tournament. As disappointing as that is, just take a second to think about that. BYU has reached a postseason tournament and 20+ wins each and every year that Dave Rose has been the coach. Cougar fans are truly blessed.

In spite of that, there is a lingering feeling that this squad didn't live up to its potential. Hopes were high for Brandon Davies, Tyler Haws, and Matt Carlino. Fans were expecting junior college transfers Raul Delgado and Agustin Ambrosino to be instant impact players. Stephen Rogers and Chris Collinsworth weren't supposed to have to call it quits due to nagging injuries. Nate Austin and Anson Winder were supposed to be solid contributors, but they also were troubled by injury. And the list goes on.

Brandon Davies finished his BYU career strong,
averaging 17.7 points and 8 rebounds per game

The "Big Three," - Davies, Haws, and Carlino - had a roller coaster year. That was mostly on Carlino's end, but even Davies had swings where he would go from looking like a first round draft pick to a turnover prone big who forced too much. Carlino again flashed potential, just as he did as a freshman, but he was still prone to try and do to much. However, a lot of credit needs to go to him for several clutch performances and shots this year (against Utah and Pepperdine come to mind quickly). It is also worth noting that his current career average of 4.7 assists per game is tied for the all-time lead in BYU history.

Every BYU fan in the world was excited for the return of Tyler Haws, and even with all the excitement and expectations he still managed to exceed them all. Averaging 21.7 points per game he was the unquestioned go-to guy on this roster. He had only one truly poor performance (1 point at Gonzaga). I don't believe anyone was expecting him to be as good as he actually was.

There were some incredibly memorable moments by the players from this up-and-down year: Josh Sharps's monster dunks, Craig Cusick's put-back to beat Utah State just hours after finding out his father had cancer, Tyler Haws dropping 42 on Virginia Tech, Matt Carlino saving the day against Utah, Brandon Davies faking out two defenders with a fake pass, Brock Zylstra lighting up Southern Mississippi,

There is a lot of talent on this team to excite Cougar fans for the future, including a lot of talent in the recruiting well. But take a minute to think about the run of success the Cougars have had in recent years including this supposed disappointing year, and let's thank our seniors - Brandon Davies, Craig Cusick, and Brock Zylstra - for playing a large role in making it happen.

Seeking a Culture of Basketball: An Idealistic Future

This post is the sequel to "Seeking a Culture of Basketball: My Journey So Far"

I have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Predominantly Inattentive Type, or as it is commonly known, ADD. I am pretty open about that, and I am pretty open about the struggles that I face with it, what I do to overcome it, and the triumphs I enjoy. I have found that any tendencies toward hyperactivity, few though they are for me, are overcome by regular physical activity. To a certain degree this also seems to help my focus throughout the day, but I have only found one activity where my ADD is not an issue, and is actually an ally: basketball.

Basketball means the world to me. It is one of a handful of activities that provides me a complete release from any struggles I may face. Whether the basketball helps the ADD, the ADD helps the basketball, or there is another benefit entirely, I don't really care. I love the game.

It is common for those with ADD to be able to hyper-focus when adrenaline is involved. Sometimes that is because of an impending deadline, and sometimes it is because it is something you are passionate about. Many world class athletes and entertainers have ADD or ADHD. In an interview for The Haney Project, Michael Phelps' mother talked about Michael's ADHD. He developed a passion for swimming, and his ADHD helped him to lock in completely on the sport. Completely submersing himself  in swimming (pun not initially intended, but when I realized what I had done I kept it), he became perhaps the greatest swimmer of all-time and a national icon. His hyper-focus led him to the top, and while mine will never lead me to be the greatest basketball player of all-time, it has helped me to find relief from the day-to-day stresses of life.

I have a tendency to completely immerse myself in the world of sports. Never is that more evident than in the month of March, as my poor wife is about to discover. My brain, which is constantly bouncing around at 174 miles per hour, relaxes, focuses, and finds peace and satisfaction when I am involved in some aspect of basketball. 

I have seen the benefits of basketball physically, socially, and emotionally. I want to enjoy those benefits throughout my life, and I want my future kids to enjoy those same benefits. This has me seeking a culture of basketball, and I think I know where I can find it.

**********

As I mentioned before I served a mission for my church in Colorado. My missionary trainer there was a 5'5" 21 year old young man from Indiana. His name is Bocephus. His uncle is also his grandpa. They call him Uncpa. Don't ask: it's as weird as it sounds.

He left me with the impression that there was no more backwards place in the world than the state of Indiana, and even though he was a nice guy himself, I just knew I could never raise my kids in place like Indiana.

Basketball is everywhere in Indiana. How awesome is that?

So then, what on earth possessed me to walk into my kitchen a couple of weeks back and tell my wife I wanted to raise our kids in Indiana? Let me explain.

I could probably just finish here by referring you to Dana O'Neil's article on ESPN.com that goes in depth about the culture of basketball that is found in Indiana. In fact, I would definitely encourage you to read that article. A lot of what I have left to say is based on thoughts that I had after reading that article, so if you find me incredibly boring, feel free to read Dana O'Neil's thoughts and tap out.

For the two or three of you who are still reading - presumably my mom, best friend, and possibly my wife - I'll try and make this worth it for you.

**********

My love affair with Indiana all begins, as I'm sure you could guess, with the movie Hoosiers. If you haven't seen it, I'll wait. You can continue reading upon its conclusion in 114 minutes.

Bobby Plump (shooting) - hit the game winner that won
tiny Milan High the Indiana state title.

Hoosiers tells the story of Hickory High School, a tiny school that goes on to *SPOILER ALERT* win the state championship. It is an adaptation of the real life story of Milan High School, a small school in Indiana that has now been immortalized by Hollywood. Milan High, a school with 161 students, made a remarkable journey in 1953 to the state championship. That doesn't sound completely unreasonable, but if you consider the fact that at the time, Indiana didn't have classes like we have now. There was no 5A, 4A, 3A, etc. school divisions based one your size. Just making the state finals was an accomplishment, but the following year they topped it by winning the state title over Muncie Central, a school with a student enrollment over 1,600. The miracle team from Milan won the state championship game against a school with 10 times as many students as they had. Impressive.

I love the scene in Hoosiers when Coach takes his players into Butler Fieldhouse (now Hinkle Fieldhouse) before the championship game. The players look around in absolute awe at the magnitude of the gym. He walks onto the court, and has his players measure the free throw line. 15 feet from the basket. He has them measure the height of the rim. 10 feet. "I believe you'll find it's the exact same measurements as our gym back in Hickory."

This is Chrystler High School's gym in New Castle, IN.
It seats 9,325.

It seems like you'd have to do that a lot in Indiana, and not just when you visit Assembly Hall at the University of Indiana or the landmark site of Hinkle Fieldhouse at Butler University. As Dana O'Neil reported, Indiana is home to 13 of the 16 largest high school gyms in America, with the largest arena seating 9,325. It's bigger than Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium. That blows my mind. The largest crowd I have ever played in front of was that European Championship game, and I would estimate there were something like 1,500 to 2,000 people there. That's a lot for high school, but nothing compared to some of these gyms in Indiana. The full capacity of some gyms exceeds the population of the town. Why? Because everyone will be there for the game, and the visiting town will travel in, too.

The atmosphere at my championship game was electrifying. We lost, but the crowd was behind us, the underdog. I cannot tell you how exhilarating it was to play in front of so many people who are cheering for you. The noise was deafening at times. But in Indiana it's bigger, and it's the hometown crowd. That has to be incredible. One day my wife and I will have kids. If they're even the tiniest bit like me, they would love hearing their name announced in front of thousands of fans. It would be an awesome experience that they'll never forget.

**********

As you now know of my past, I took some turns that derailed any chance I had at obtaining my athletic dreams. At least as a player. I still have this overwhelming desire to coach, and my big dream is to be the head coach at a  Division I college basketball program. It is a lofty goal, and certainly one that will be difficult to obtain, but it could happen. Maybe.

I know I'll never have the Dukes or Kentuckys of the college basketball world calling for me to coach their programs. That seems absurd. (Though if it happens, sign me up!) But honestly, putting my allegiance to BYU aside and prior to me being named head coach of some tiny school, if there is one place in the country I could coach, I would love to be an assistant in Brad Stevens' program at Butler.

Brad Stevens is one of the top coaches in basketball.

I mean, think about it. It's in the state of Indiana, the greatest basketball state in existence, and I would be coaching in historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. Seriously, take the time to read about that place. It's a National Historic Landmark. In 1928 some guy named John Wooden played in the state championship game there, missing a free throw that lost his team the game 13-12. Milan High won the state championship on that floor in 1954 on a miraculous shot made by Bobby Plump, something I wouldn't even know about if it weren't for Hoosiers, which, by the way, was also filmed in that Fieldhouse. You could go on for a while, but it has a rich history that would be awesome to be part of. As Brad Stevens put it, it's "Hinkle Magic."

But it's not just the magic that makes Butler great. It also isn't the recent success of their basketball program, with recent back to back trips to the national championship game. It's "The Butler Way." And even if I never live in Indiana or coach in the Bulldogs' basketball program, the Butler Way is how people should live everywhere.

"The Butler Way demands commitment, denies selfishness, accepts reality, yet seeks improvement everyday while putting the team above self."

Does that not sound like an excellent way to live life? I want to have that perspective and live that way, and I want my kids to do the same.

**********

This isn't me saying that I'm going to pursue a college coaching job relentlessly. It's also not a declaration that I am moving to Indiana. Nor is it my way of saying that I will live out my dreams through my future children.

Please! Don't think that I'm going to be living out my dreams through my kids. I never made it to the NBA and the odds are certainly not in my favor to coach college basketball. Will my kids have the same dreams? Who knows. I would guess they probably will, or at least similar. I would assume they'll be sports fans because they'll be my offspring, and my wife is no slouch in the sporting world herself. Although, she jokes we're going to end up with a band kid and have no idea what to do with him or her (I was going to say "it" but that just didn't feel right).

With the glory days behind me, who knows what
the future will hold.

If they do love sports, great. I'll know exactly what to do. And it's not just basketball. The lessons I've learned from basketball I also learned in my experiences with baseball, soccer, and tennis. For me, basketball carried me the farthest and I see it in my future more than any other sport. That is why this has been about my love of basketball, and that is why I feel drawn to Indiana culture.

Will I ever live in Indiana? I sure doubt that one; it seems unlikely. But it's not like basketball doesn't exist in other parts of America. And I love all sports, and they're available everywhere. The principles of team and the Butler Way can be taught anywhere. I can coach high school ball in any state and I could get my shot at the college level in any part of the country.

As I mentioned before, my three life motivations are my wife, my faith, and sports. Before sports dictate where my family lives and what we do, I would imagine that God and Shantel will have a pretty big say.

My point is this: basketball has been a blessing in my life. It has calmed my mind, given me purpose, and taught me how to live. It is a lifelong love for me, and wherever I can find a culture that promotes the same lessons and provides the same opportunities as basketball, that is where I want to be.

Seeking a Culture of Basketball: My Journey So Far

Being game day, I looked in the mirror and realized I needed to shave. You see, BYU has a rule that men must be clean shaven in order to participate in intramural activities. I hate shaving. I'm just too dang lazy to take two whole minutes out of my day to use my electric razor and get rid of the peach fuzz that is imperceptible to everyone but my wife and the dictators within BYU's intramural program. Consequently, there are really only two times that I'll shave: when my wife tells me I need to, and when I have an intramural game that day.

As I thought of my motivations to shave, I realized that I have three main motivations for nearly everything I do in my life: my wife, my faith, and sports.

Why am I still in school? Because my wife won't let me quit and because a prophet of God, Gordon B. Hinckley, said to "Get as much education as possible."

Why couldn't I attend your wedding reception? Because BYU was playing Utah that day.

Why am I going to clip my fingernails tomorrow? Because today I have a game and clipping them now will affect how the ball feels coming off my fingers.

Why did I skip my test retake? BYU had a game that night. And boy, am I glad I went! Craig Cusick's buzzer beater to defeat Utah State will be a great memory.

Why was I on Academic Warning after two of my first four semesters at college? Because school was getting in the way of March Madness.

Why do I want to move to Indiana? Basketball is their culture, and I want it to be mine.

***********

Switch hitting from an early age in my
Stockton length shorts.

My basketball journey has had some pretty dramatic ups and downs, but sports have been a part of who I am since the beginning. My first word, "ball," set the stages for the sports fanatic I would become. As a kid, everything I did was sports related. I watched sports. I played them as often as I could. I wore short shorts because if they were good enough for John Stockton, they were good enough for me. I collected baseball cards, and cards from all sports. My favorite number is 14 because Ty Detmer, BYU's lone Heisman Trophy winner, wore the number 14. When I was told to go clean my room, my mom would occasionally come check on me to make sure I was doing it. More often than not she found me reorganizing my cards in their binders and protective sleeves. It didn't matter how many times she told me that wasn't cleaning, it was still all I did. Sorry, Mom.

When I was young my favorite sport would fluctuate with whatever season it was. In the summer it was baseball (how many six year-old switch hitters do you know?), in the fall it was football, in the winter it was basketball. But one thing always remained constant, and that was the tiny, plastic, adjustable basketball hoop that lived in my basement. I played on that thing even when my head was high above the five-foot rim. It was a staple in my home.

It was on that basket where I first developed my knack for shooting the ball. I discovered I had some "sweet spots" where I felt like I never missed. I loved being a shooter. That continued when my dad got an adjustable standard for our driveway in Colorado. I loved to shoot from as far away as I possibly could, and boy was I excited when I would nail a shot from the sidewalk at the end of the driveway.

I started to play organized ball when my family moved to Washington just after my tenth birthday. I remember being told by my friend's mother that I would one day be a great three-point shooter. I wondered why she said that because I didn't even attempt a three-pointer as a ten year old. It was outside my range and I knew it. But she pointed out that even when I had a clear lane to the basket, I would dribble out for a shot at the edge of my range. And I would make it.

I never became a "great" long-distance shooter. I never even became a volume scorer in my competitive career, not by any stretch of the imagination. But to an extent she was right. I eventually discovered I had some of those "sweet spots" on a real court. I felt like I never missed from the elbow, and whenever I could I would pull up for that mid-range jumper. My high school coaches my senior year gave me the green light to pull the trigger from deep, but for most of the season I lacked the confidence to do so. I shot one three in the regular season, but my 100 percent 3-point shooting percentage is still a school record. If, of course, you ignore the minimum attempts requirement. Now, after my competitive career is over, I've found my basketball niche from beyond the arc. On my rec and intramural teams, that's what I'm there for: to hit threes.

After playing parks and rec in Washington, I finally graduated to school ball and made the seventh grade "B" team. I was a starter for much of the year, but I don't think I ever made a significant contribution. I barely remember that season, but I do remember it was the last I would play for a long time.

I hit a dark place in my life in eighth grade. I was running with the wrong friends, and being a stupid kid. I lacked a lot of self-confidence; I was picked on for being a bit of a geek and teased relentlessly for being Mormon. I went where I was accepted. It just so happened that was a small group of friends that were gamers and big-time nerds. I don't want to be critical of them. I'm sure they turned out to be great guys, but at the time they certainly did not encourage me to be even remotely who I was at the core. From the end of my seventh grade basketball season to the spring of my freshman year of high school I didn't play a single organized sport.

It was tough to get my life back on track. In the spring of my freshman year I knew what I had to do: I had to start playing sports again. I went back and forth in my decision between baseball and golf, but I eventually landed on baseball. I had been a decent Little Leaguer, and there aren't a lot of switch-hitters out there so I figured I had a shot. Boy was I wrong. My high school had the top baseball program in the state, and if the coaches didn't have an eye on you for the past few years, you didn't stand a chance. And to be honest, I just wasn't that good anymore. I was cut from the team.

After being cut, I knew I still had to play something. This time I couldn't decide between track and tennis. I actually talked to one of the track coaches, and I will always respect what he said to me. He didn't try and recruit me to the track team, but he instead tried to help me make the decision that was best for me. He asked, "Well, you play basketball don't you?" He was unaware that I had given up basketball, and for some reason I still responded with a yes. He then said, "Tennis would be really good for your footwork in basketball. You might want to consider that."

I did, and it began a wonderful love affair with the game of tennis. For the remainder of high school, tennis was my game and how I defined myself. I finished my inaugural tennis season on Varsity, quite an accomplishment considering it was the first time in my life I had played the sport competitively.

2005 District Tennis Tournament in Hanford, WA

Prior to my sophomore season I found out my family would be moving to England after the school year ended. This was tough news because I was hopeful that my tennis career would turn into something special. My coach said he envisioned me competing at the State Championships by my senior year. I had hoped that would lead to a chance to play collegiate tennis, but now we were moving to a foreign country. My new school wouldn't have a tennis program, and I knew I wouldn't be able to afford a membership to a tennis club. I begged to stay in Washington, but my family turned my pleas away. My sophomore tennis season would be my last.

I had a fairly successful year in doubles, but eventually I was moved to playing number two singles. Going into the district tournament I had still never won a Varsity singles match. I lost a close match in the first round, and I lost an even closer one in the consolation round. I was heartbroken my career was ending win-less in singles.

I moved to England desperate to find a way to compete in tennis. I played frequently with my dad and anyone else I could find. I was attending an American school and they nicknamed me "Tennis Boy" because that is really who I was. I competed in a couple of tournaments around the country with no success, but I was still enjoying my time competing.

My junior year I ran track. I hated running in circles, but I was a pretty decent distance runner. Nothing amazing, but not bad. My coach loved me and thought I had a ton of potential as a runner, even telling me he thought I could earn a track scholarship to BYU, but my senior year I opted not to run cross country. Instead, that same coach, because he loved me and respected my decision, helped arrange for me to play tennis against other American schools in England even though it wasn't officially sanctioned. I appreciated this opportunity, but it was where my competitive tennis career would end. I was ever-so-lightly recruited to play college tennis - and by that I mean I never received an offer and I was only contacted by a couple of schools - but that was where it ended.

After school one day, late in the fall of my senior year, I was at the gym with a bunch of my friends from school shooting a basketball. Most of the guys were gearing up for the start of the basketball season, and they had casually recruited me a couple of times simply because I am 6'3".

For the first time in a long time, I picked up a basketball to shoot. I went to the left elbow, that old sweet spot of mine, pulled up, and then let it fly. I missed, but I believe that shot has forever changed the course of my life.

**********

Immediately after I let that shot go, the recruiting to get me to play ball my senior year intensified. Le'Shawn, a classmate of mine, ran over to me and immediately made the announcement I was playing basketball that year. It was like I didn't even have a say in the matter. I quickly pointed out that I had missed the shot, but apparently that didn't matter. He saw the form and the technique. He saw the potential. And he recruited me hard.

My tennis career was over, and I knew it. The words of that track coach in Washington were ringing in my head. "Well, you play basketball don't you? Tennis would be really good for your footwork in basketball. You might want to consider that."

I did consider it. And I decided to play basketball my senior year. My high school had 95 students. 16 people tried out for the team that year, and for the first time ever they were going to be making cuts. One day after practice I had to ask my coach a question. I started "Coach, if I make the team..." He cut me off, looked me dead in the eyes, and said with a smile, "You're going to make the team." I didn't realize how much I wanted it until I heard those words. I was thrilled to play basketball again.

Division IV European Runner-ups: Menwith Hill HS

It was a magical season. Menwith Hill High School, perennial cellar dwellers in tiny Division IV, went on to win a DIII conference crown and finish second in the European Championships. It was the kind of season Hollywood makes movies about. It was Hoosiers meets Glory Road meets Coach Carter. A tiny underdog school with a bunch of misfits battle adversity, including academic suspensions and violent attacks in the town, to win their conference and play for the title. We lost to the defending DIII champions who had been downsized to DIV. Maybe one day I'll write the story of that season in full, but for now I think it's sufficient to say that that magical run cemented a love for basketball in my heart forever.

**********

During my freshman year of college I played on what may be the worst intramural basketball team in the history of the sport. Games were played on a 40 minute running clock and I remember losing one game by 50 points. That's not a joke.

After my freshman year, I served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in northern Colorado and western Nebraska. It was a remarkable experience, and one that I don't regret in the slightest. I played basketball maybe twice a month on average throughout the two years, but if you were to ask me if I would rather have my mission memories or my basketball memories, I would take the mission every time.

Having said that, even a mission increased my love of basketball. I came home hungry. I wanted to play basketball and get my skills back and improve as much as I could. I took a basketball class my second semester back so that I could play several times a week and have a coach helping me get back on track. I played a rusty but exciting intramural season and it just felt good to play consistently again.

At the time I was  PE Teaching and Coaching major. Perhaps my favorite class that I have ever taken was called "Coaching Basketball." I was coached on how to coach the game that I love. Immediately following the semester I tested what I had learned as I coached a sixth grade Jr. Jazz basketball team.

The "Senseis" after practice (missing one player)

That year of coaching was one of the greatest experiences of my life, not just basketball. I watched as kids were transformed through the game of basketball. That team voted to call themselves the "Senseis" so they could teach the other teams how to lose. Pretty clever of them, huh? The season didn't start that way, but it quickly turned around.

We lost our first game because of my limited coaching experience. I hadn't learned how to manage my timeouts and we ended up losing a real tight game because I couldn't stop the clock and run a play out of bounds under our own basket. Would we have hit a game winning shot? I'll never know, but I learned a something that day: despite all my experience playing, watching, and studying basketball, I was still clueless on how to coach. I could run a practice and organize my team, but I still needed to learn how to manage a game.

I put everything into that volunteer coaching position because I was afraid I had jumped in too deep and might let these kids down. Having played a variety of sports for most of my life I know the impact a coach has. Sometimes it is good, and sometimes it is bad. I wanted to make sure my impact was an overwhelmingly positive one. I bought instructional DVDs, I read books - and if you know me you know it's a big deal for me to take the time to read - about coaching, I emailed my high school assistant coach and asked for his advice, and I talked to my dad several times a week to run new ideas by him and seek his counsel. Most importantly I worked closely with my roommate and assistant coach Adam. We discussed the team as a whole and players as individuals to diagnose problems and draw up and execute practice plans. We did everything we could to give this team the greatest possibility to succeed.

I know that for sixth graders wins and losses are insignificant. Many people don't believe they should even be acknowledged at that age. But for this team I believe it reflects my learning curve as a coach, and therefore the learning curve of my players. We started the season 1-3 but finished 5-3. We finished the season on an incredible four game winning streak. Each week we got better and better, culminating in a game they turned the scoreboard off just after halftime because we were winning by about 30. We estimate we won that game by approximately 50 points on a 32 minute running clock. That's not a joke.

I joked that our star player would probably be a starter on my intramural team that year. Actually, that may not be a joke, either.

As you can tell, I am extremely proud of this team. I know they are only in sixth grade, but there are a few of them I expect to watch on ESPN one day. Even if none of them decide to pursue an athletic career, they were all incredible young men that will make a difference in the world. My prideful nature hopes that I played a role in that.

**********

Coaching had an impact on my intramural playing "career" as well. As a coach I focused on the fundamentals, and as a result I got back to the basics as a player and I played remarkable, albeit inconsistent. I scored a lifetime high of 15 points twice that season, only to be bested by a 19 point effort later that year. I was also held scoreless in two of the six games, including the last game of the season.

Once again I was hungry for more. I planned to play basketball nearly every day over my summer break. My life took an unexpectedly beautiful turn that altered those plans dramatically. I met Shantel, a gorgeous girl who got my attention the day we met, which happened to be the first day of that summer break. We started dating and I spent nearly all my time either at work or with her and left myself very little room for basketball. Much like my mission, she took priority over basketball, and I don't regret it for a second. We were married on November 17, 2012.

I didn't know how it was going to be balancing two schedules, so I decided to take this season off from coaching. I am, however, just beginning a second job instructing and officiating first and second grade basketball. I officiated a little bit in my teenage years, but I am excited to once again take part in another aspect of the game.

I am a basketball player, coach, fan, analyst, and official. I love this game.

**********

By no means do I feel that my story and experience in basketball is remarkable, but I do believe it is unique. My experience has led me to a deep and incredible love for basketball and I want to be a part of its magic for the rest of my life. That love has led me to where I am in my life now: seeking a culture of basketball.