I grew up in a time of basketball where Michael Jordan was king, Magic Johnson and Isaiah Thomas were superstars and where Charles Barkley didn’t want to be a role model. I consider all of them to be wildly talented and gifted players, All-Stars in their own right. There is one person in the game who has had more of a profound affect than any other.

John Wooden was the head coach at UCLA from 1945-1978. Under his tenure, the Bruins achieved the unthinkable, winning a record 88 straight games and 7 consecutive National Championships (10 overall), accomplishments never to be seen again in our modern NCAA sports world.

John Wooden is NCAA’s winningest basketball coach. To label Wooden only as a basketball coach would be short sighted.

In 1948, Wooden developed a concrete set of ideals to help teach. Wooden’s “Pyramid of Success” has been used everywhere from locker rooms to boardrooms. It’s many applications are in part because Wooden’s “Pyramid of Success” is not just about the hardwood. It is about life and everything from individual preparation to working together as a team.

What made John Wooden so great to me was that according to him success was not determined by the final score of a game. In fact, Wooden didn’t fully agree with Webster’s definition of success (the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence). In 1934, while teaching high school english in Indiana, Wooden defined success in his own words, “Success is peace of mind obtained only through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you are capable.”

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Some of my favorite of Coach Wooden’s Maxims

“Happiness begins where selfishness ends.”

“Earn the right to be proud and confident.”

“I will get ready and then, perhaps, my chance will come.”

“If i am through learning, then I am through.”

“If you do not have the time to do it right, when will you find the time to do it over?”

“A man who is afraid to risk failure, seldom has to face success.”

“It is what you learn after you know it all that counts.”

“There is nothing stronger than gentleness.”

“You handle things, you work with people.”

“As long as you try your best you are never a failure, that is, unless you blame others.”

“Don’t let making a living prevent you from making a life.”

“If we magnified blessings the way we magnified disappointments we would all be much happier.”

“The best thing a father can do for their children is love their mother.”

“Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Character is what you really are, reputation is merely what you are perceived to be.”

“Love is the greatest of all words in our language.”

“Much can be accomplished by teamwork when no one is concerned about who gets credit.”

“Never be disagreeable just because you disagree.”

“Be more concerned what you can do for others than what others can do for you. You will be surprised at the results.”

“You cannot live a perfect day without doing something for another without thought of something in return.”

“Do not mistake activity for achievement.”

“Make each day your masterpiece.”

“Treat all people with dignity and respect.”

This all builds up to the main thing this Fall, College basketball. My friends and I do a website dedicated to VCU Rams basketball, VCURamNation.com. Last season was the first season that we started doing video highlights of all the home games and whichever road games we could make it out to. The videos have been a success on the site.

Each season for Ram Nation, I try to step up our game a little bit. I am looking forward to rolling out a new feature for the site this season. Using Apple Motion’s ability to create content and save it as a template I’ll be producing a Top 10 plays of the month. I’ve already created the template and I feel like it will be a very nice addition to the site and fans always want more high quality video content. I’ve spent a lot of time this off season continuing to raise my editing/motion graphic design abilities with help from tutorials such as Final Cut Studio School and Video Co-Pilot.

Check out our podcast at www.vcuramnation.com

After 5 years the letters would be mailed to our permanent address and we were to open it and see how things have changed or how we either met our goal or went down a different path altogether. I am sure that most people wrote what they’d wish to be doing in 5 years (Who writes that they think they will have an unplanned pregnancy or become a substance abuser.)

The time between the writing of that letter and the 5 years subsequent are probably the most formative years of one’s life. In high school you feel like life is over when you leave, the reality is that it is just beginning. So the thought of predicting the next 5 years at the time didn’t seem overwhelming or even difficult.

In those 5 years, I lived in 4 states and 1 District. Needless to say, I could not have predicted that. So my 5 year letter was going to probably be an interesting read when it arrived in 2005.

I had completely forgotten about the letter when my mom said that I got something in the mail and she would forward it to me.

I bet everyone couldn’t wait to open theirs and read it and reminisce about what their high school aspirations were and how they can have a laugh at how right or wrong their predictions were.

Mine had arrived back in 2005. To this day, almost 10 years later, it still remains sealed. Like Doc Brown said in Back To The Future III “…your future hasn’t been written yet. No one’s has. Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one… “

vcuatheltics.com

A lot of media outlets and NBA analysts were saying that this is one of the weaker drafts in more recent history. I understood what they were talking about, the obvious overall #1 pick was blake Griffin but after that it was somewhat of a toss-up. But personally, I couldn’t disagree more.

To me this was the most exciting draft ever. This was the first time I had personal stake in the process. Eric Maynor, VCU’s all time leading scorer and all time assist leader, has been touted as a first round pick and potential lottery pick (top 14). It was great, VCU Young Alumni and a lot of the VCU Athletic Dept. as well as Coach Smart and the ESPN Radio 950 team were all huddled into a room over a Blackfinn.

With each pick going by in the draft, the mystery would build as to where Eric Maynor would end up. He would go 20th overall to the Utah Jazz. I think most of us wanted to see him go to an East Coast team but I am lucky to have him in the NBA and knew wherever he would end up would by right up there with the Pistons as my favorite team.

There were some things that did surprise me and somethings that didn’t about this years draft, lets look at the top 25 picks:

1. LA Clippers Blake Griffin PF - obvious pick, congrats and good luck, we’ll never hear from you again!
2. Memphis Hasheem Thabeet C - Rubio was the talk at #2, and then it was Tyreke Evans, sure enough, a Big goes 2nd
3. Oklahoma City James Harden SG - Upset pick of the night and I mean, I upset and befuddled to see Harden go this high
4. Sacramento Tyreke Evans SG - Tyreke Evans I think is a lock to be a good NBA-er
5. Minnesota Ricky Rubio PG - His pops and Agent don’t want him in a small market, sounds like Yi when he was drafted by the Bucks
6. Minnesota Jonny Flynn PG - Flynn’s stock rose very late, right before the draft, thought T-wolves would trade him but not so sure now
7. Golden State Stephen Curry PG - Too bad, refer to #1 pick comments, I think I can still hear Mike D’Antoni (Knicks coach) still crying in the distance

8. New York Jordan Hill PF - I guess he was pretty good, who doesn’t look good next to Chase Budinger
9. Toronto DeMar DeRozan SG - Have fun in Toronto, not winning
10 Milwaukee Brandon Jennings PG - Surprising Jennings fell this far in the draft, thought he would go higher
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11. New Jersey Terrence Williams SG - T. Williams is a beast, ask Pitino, think he will work out great….with Lebron in 2010 in NJ
12. Charlotte Gerald Henderson SG - Wow, the Bobcats pick a NC boy….ask Sean May how that worked out
13. Indiana Tyler Hansbrough PF - Heard a lot of boos druing this one, I think we will actually be hearing about him more than we anticipate
14. Phoenix Earl Clark SF - Surprised we didn’t hear more buzz about L-ville players in the draft
15. Detroit Austin Daye SF - Was hoping that Maynor would get picked by my Pistons, the Pistons are trying to find an identity, still hungover from losing Billups

16. Chicago James Johnson PF - Baby Bulls keep getting younger
17. Philadelphia Jrue Holiday PG - Was hoping Maynorwould go to Philly too, saw both Holliday and Maynor play in Philly together.
18. Minnesota Ty Lawson PG - T-wolves grab another point guard, traded to Denver
19. Atlanta Jeff Teague PG - Will be interesting to see what the Hawks look like when Bibby is gone
20. Utah Eric Maynor PG - My new fav team, too bad it isn’t east coast and he is behind Derron Williams but proud and excited
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21. New Orleans Darren Collison PG - Like that Maynor went ahead of him, have fun NOT playing behind Chris Paul
22. Portland Victor Claver PF - more pleased with their pick of Patty Mills
23. Sacramento Omri Casspi SF - First Isreal to be picked in the NBA Draft
24. Dallas BJ Mullens C - Shawn Bradley’s Ghost has come back to play no D and to get dunked on like old times
25. Oklahoma City Rodrigue Beaubois - sure…why not

One of the more popular blogs, that I never frequent, posted this video of Taylor Swift doing a rap video with T-Pain. It’s great. Swift is able to have fun with her “good girl” persona and still come off as having a little street cred’.

Click here to view the video from PerezHilton.com…

T-Pain & T-Swift

Dear Mr. Van Gundy,

This year has been a good one to you. After taking Billy Donovan’s leftovers two years ago after he changed his mind about coaching the Magic, you have had some former players call you out and you have had your current players call you out but yet, you are still coaching in June.

Half way through the season, your former player with the Miami Heat, Shaquille O’Neal, called you the “Master of Panic” saying that you lose your composure at the end when the game is on the line. O’Neal took it further calling you a “nobody” and a “frontrunner”. I am sure you try to brush those comments off your shoulders like Jay-Z waving off haters, but surely, having the most dominant player in today’s NBA call you out must have a knock on your self-esteem. Nevermind the fact that you were ousted halfway through the season by Heat GM, Pat Riley, and they went on to collect a ring that same season, without you.

Before the playoff even kicked off this year, people had your Orlando Magic only as an afterthough to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. You were fortunate enough to have Celtic, Kevin Garnett miss the rest of this season due to an injury, almost ruling Boston out as the favoriate in the East to repeat. Next in line to take the East, and now with KG out for Boston, was the Cavaliers led by MVP Lebron James. Your Magic, still an afterthought.

Your first match up in the playoffs, the under acheiving Philadelphia 76ers. Yet it still took you 6 games and a scare to get past one of the worst teams in the East. After the 76ers series, people questioned whether you could get past the Boston Celtics after struggling the way you did with the 76ers.

After a must win game 5 loss to Boston, your team leader, Superman, Dwight Howard called you out, saying he didn’t get enough touches, questioning your adjustments in the game and that he didn’t get enough touches. What is it with you and your big men? You know you gotta keep them happy, especially when they are future Hall of Famers and your leading offensive threat.

You lost, All Star Jameer Nelson, to a horrible shoulder injury after the All Star break. That must have been brutal but your GM helped out by grabbing Raefor Alston from the Rockets which gave a good injection of new blood into the lineup, limiting the setback from losing Nelson.

You made it past the Celtics and then did the unthinkable, stunning the Cavs and Lebron, handing the city of Cleveland another bitter dissappointing loss to end the Cavs best season ever, one that even had me calling it “Destiny” for Lebron to get his first ring. For that I can only applaud the effort your players put forth and your coaching effort by you and your staff.

Now that you had made it to the NBA Finals to face the Lakers there was talk that made me unsettled. Reports had surfaced about the possibility of Nelson coming off the injured list and making himself available for the NBA Finals. I was hoping that this chatter would just die down and he would assume the position of leading from the bench. I mean, after all the guy hasn’t played a game since February.

As you tip off game 1 in L.A., sure enough, Nelson enters the line up. This was mind-boggling to me. Why are you straying from the proven, battle-tested (and victorious) line up by taking Alston out and adding Nelson? I don’t care how good Nelson is, not playing for months and having your first game back be in the Finals, maybe not the best game to shake all that rust off. Game 1 was embarrassing watching your team get blasted on the boards and with Dwight Howard only having one field goal and no dunks, can’t equal a win but only a horrible beating. Where were the adjustments there that helped you get past the Celtics, 76ers and the best in the east, the Cavs?

Which brings us to game 2 last night in L.A. Your team looked strong and aggressive and it was obvious that adjustments were made that countered L.A.’s threat on the boards. But one question I have to ask, why did you give former Dukie, J.J. Redick 27 minutes on the court last night? That had to have been the most minutes this unproven NBA player has received all season long, even with Nelson out earlier. Which brings to me the bigger question overall, why change your team’s proven winning chemistry at this point in the season? Maybe Shaq is right, here we find your team, late in the season, trying to make adjustments when really, you already had the winning formula.

Signed,
Michael Hagan

The evolution of the producer
(David O. Selznick to Judd Apatow)

I have included an excerpt but you really should follow the link and check out the whole post. It pretty much sums up what I view the role of a producer should be, facilitate the director and help provide the tools to make the best film one can make.

Read Ted Hope’s full post here

“Producing is all I do and the only credit I get. The meaning and value of that credit erodes all the time as financiers and packagers and directors seek to share it. I do something very specific though that none of those other collaborators do. I am there from the very beginning until the very end doing my best to make sure that the best team assembled, best environment created, best film made, full potential realized, best release and marketing strategy conceived, and maximum revenue (within those other considerations) achieved. It is my role to make sure that all options are considered and the ramification of each choice considered in advance.

I contribute to the script but take no credit — yet people comment how “my body of work” has common themes and threads. I help design the production, from the look, to the cast, to the crew, to the rhythm, to the tone, to the marketing — yet people don’t think my credit is a creative one (because it has been undervalued by all those that glom on to it)…”

What if 'Melo gets a ring before Lebron?

It’s obvious that David Stern and the League would love to see another marquee match up in this year’s finals with Kobe v. Lebron like last year’s Celtics/Lakers Finals.

I understand why people would want to see that but with the Cavs loss last night, it looks like the Magic maybe coming out of the East (anything can happen though). Why are people over looking all the other possible match ups?

Cavs v. Nuggets – How come I am not hearing more about this possibility. Remember in 2003 when we had Lebron and Carmelo be to two big stars that year and everyone wondered how long until we saw them meet up in the Finals. Well, I could go for that.

Shiny Happy People

Magic v. Nuggets – This is the match up that League officials don’t want you to see. Two medium sized media markets battling for the NBA Finals. The new “big man” star and friendly face of the NBA, Dwight Howard, superman himself going against a ruthless contenders in Nene and Kenyon Martin could prove to be the match up under the glass that we find most entertaining. How about the point guard match up between Raefer Alston and Chauncy Billups?

Lakers v. Cavs – This would be the better one on one match up but not the better team play matchup. Aside from having the two best players in the league, both the Lakers and Cavs have plenty left to be desired. It appears at times that both teams have the mentality of “we are the side act to Kobe (or Lebron)”. The Cavs and Lakers need people to come strong off the bench or another starter have playoff highs. Kobe or Lebron cannot do it on their own, despite what they think.

Will losing encourage Lebron to go to NY?

Lakers v. Magic – I feel like two or three seasons ago and the way people talked about Andrew Bynum, a Bynum/Dwight Howard match up would have been epic. Now, not so much. Andrew Bynum, has been injured but never really been the star center that the Lakers would have hoped. I still think this could be a really good series that could fall to the Magic.

If the Cavs lose to the Magic, the NBA will have to suspend the Kobe v. Lebron Puppet show for another year. Did anybody learn the importance of team play from 2004 when a Laker team filled with all stars and hall of famers, Shaq, Karl Malone, Gary Payton, Kobe Bryant, Rick Fox could not get past a group of no namers from Detroit who played as one?

Kobe, doin' ALL the work

]]> http://michaelahagan.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/the-nba-finals-potential-match-ups/feed/ 0 michaelahagan Melo DwightSmile Lebron Kobe http://michaelahagan.wordpress.com/2009/05/22/should-the-nba-ever-change-their-logo/ http://michaelahagan.wordpress.com/2009/05/22/should-the-nba-ever-change-their-logo/#comments Fri, 22 May 2009 14:49:52 +0000 michaelahagan http://www.michaelahagan.com/?p=818 ]]> Adding fuel to the fire on the debate of who is better, Kobe or Lebron, NBA Hall of Famer and face of the NBA logo, Jerry West, weighed in with his opinion. The former L.A. Lakers GM who got Kobe to the Lakers, says that Lebron is the better player but Kobe is the best clutch player.

Jerry West is the NBA Logo

People can come to whatever conclusion they want, but it brought me to the idea of the logo and would the NBA ever change the logo. You would have to think that over time, at some point, in an attempt to change and adapt with the league. The NFL logo has gone through a few different formations over its long tenure, why wouldn’t the NBA?

Jordan as the new NBA Logo

What other iconic silhouette could possibly even replace the current logo? If Nike would ever dare to sell or give up the rights, the silhouette of Michael Jordan dunking, used for the Nike “Air” logo (jump man logo). I think this would be a good fit for what the league has turned into since its origins of being a team sport to a league that is focused more on the “star” that the team. It took a long time before the “dunk” was incorporated into the game and even if the NCAA’s for a while it wasn’t allowed. Now the dunk if the showcase of the sport.

thoughts?

The only other surprise in the west was the new team that the Rockets were forced to assemble after losing both centers, Yao Ming & Dikembe Mutumbo to injuries. They gave the Lakers a run for their money but the Lakers decided to show up and play at home for game 7 on Sunday.

Can the Cav's rested legs help or hurt?

I think everyone who had a clue, could foresee Lebron and the Cavaliers making it all the way to the Eastern Conference finals. They managed to get there in just 8 games, sweeping the Pistons and then the Atlanta Hawks, winning all games by double digits.

Once Kevin Garnett was out for the season for the Celtics, I didn’t think Boston stood a chance against the Orlando Magic after the long fight with the Chicago Bulls. They found new stars on their team, especially in Glen “Big Baby” Davis.

Let’s start off with the Eastern Conference Finals.

Howard, ready for the Finals

With how Lebron has been playing, I can’t really imagine anyone beating the Cavs to make it to the NBA Finals. TNT analyst, Charles Barkley, thinks differently. He said on air after the Magic/Cetlics game 7 on sunday night, that he see the Magic beating the Cavs to advance. He mentions that the Cavs have All-Stars in Lebron James and Mo Williams, but that can’t match up with the inside presence of Dwight Howard and backcourt of Raifer Alston and Hedo Turkolgu. I understand what Barkley is saying. Like Carolina was “destined” to win the NCAA tournament this past April, I believe the Cavs have the same destiny. This is Lebron’s year.

Which Laker team will show?

I use to feel the same way about the Lakers out west as I do the Cavs here in the East. With the Lakers struggling against the Rockets the way they did leads me to think that the Nuggets will come out each night with their “grind it out” style of play and strong defense.

Someone who stands to earn a lot from this series and very little to lose is Denver fav, Chauncy Billups. Think about it. It took him 8 different teams before he found one that saw his leadership the way he has all along. He was a veteran before becoming the Finals MVP in 2004 after leading the Pistons past the Kobe led Lakers. Can he do it again?

Can Billups get past the Lakers like in 2004?

If the Lakers play every game with the urgency they show at home, they have a strong chance to win it all. If they play with the “bi-polar” personality that Kobe Bryant say they show, they are going to get slapped around by Nene, Kenyon Martin and the “Birdman” Chris Andersen.

Being a huge lifelong Pistons fan, I am pulling for Billups to make it past the Lakers. I am prolly breaking some hearts of some dear Ohio transplants to L.A. by saying this but I would love to see Dwight Howard and the Magic make it to the finals. That won’t happen.