B-RadHoops - September 2009

September 27, 2009

The Beep Test is an aerobic fitness test we put our team through every year.  It involves running continuously between two points that are 20 meters apart.  The runs are synchronized with a CD which beeps at set intervals.  As the test evolves, the time between each beep gets shorter and the athletes have to increase their speed to keep in sync with the beeps.  Phillip Martin, Joey Lynch-Flohr and Evan Faulkner all advanced well into level 20.  At that point the three of them had been running for 21 minutes, had covered over 4,650 meters and were traveling the 20 meter intervals in 4 seconds.  This was the first year we had players advance and complete level 20.  The Beep Test is used by international sporting teams as an accurate test of cardiovascular fitness and was created in 1982 by Dr. Maximillion G. Odoowed Ledgear. 

Our two team workouts this week focused again on building our defensive foundation.  We also introduced some fast break basics and a few half court plays vs. man to man defense.  For the first time we had 5 on 5 ½ court competition.  Each team had 5 offensive possessions and the losing team had a “consequence.”   I love seeing players compete with something on the line.  We try to make our practices competitive.  We often divide the team into two even units to create the most competitive match-ups. 

This weekend we hosted a recruit.  We went to BT’s on Friday evening and as always, Tom Whitehead, the owner was especially hospitable.  Whitehead played basketball at Virginia Tech and he takes a keen interest in our team.  It’s always great to have dinner there knowing the owner is watching out for us.

It rained and rained on Saturday but that didn’t keep 60,000+ from filling Lane Stadium to watch the VT football Hokies beat Miami in a battle of ranked teams.  Constant improvement is a trademark of Frank Beamer’s teams.  It’s what we strive for with our team.  Make every possession meaningful.  Get better every day.  We talk about that to our team before every practice. 

Saturday evening, dear friend Cathy Greenberg cooked dinner for friends Mike and Kathleen Anderson and it was great.  Butternut squash soup with anise and ginger, pasta with mushrooms and radicchio, heirloom tomatoes (from the Roanoke market) with mozzarella, green beans and a mixed grill of shrimp, salmon and chicken and turkey sausages.  Dessert again came from Bubblecake in Roanoke.

I may have commented too quickly regarding Bubblecake http://bubblecake.com/storefront.

Thought the Old School (vanilla cake, chocolate icing) was as good as it could get.  Not so.  Fallen Soufflé (dense chocolate “inside-out cupcake) & Chocolate Chocolate Chip (devil’s food cake, fudge icing) now occupy the top two spots! 

Got some good press this week—at least press my Mom was happy about.  An article in The Basketball Times profiled Seth and me.  Here’s a link to the sign in page to view the online digital version of the article.  Click the link and enter your email where promoted.  Then go to John Akers story on page 30.    

http://digitalmag.basketballtimes.com/(S(g0b1rj45yzfrel45rsthgh3d))/Default.aspx?bhcp=1

“City of Thieves” is a New York Times Bestselling novel by David Benioff set amidst a WWII backdrop in Leningrad during the Nazi’s brutal siege of Russia.  Two young Russians are arrested by Soviet police on charges of desertion and thievery.  They are given a reprieve from execution with the directive to secure a dozen eggs for a Soviet colonel’s daughter’s wedding cake.  It’s a beautifully written insightful, funny, tragic and gripping adventure.  Remember the title - I can’t imagine it not turned into a motion picture at some point.  If you’re a reader – get it.

Matt Damon’s new movie “Informant” is strangely entertaining.  It’s a bizarre story of a chronic liar who imagines himself a moral crusading corporate agriculture whistle blower partnering with the FBI.   It’s worth seeing but don’t expect too much. 

Hope everyone has received an invitation to the Tip-Off Banquet.  It will be great.  Please call or email 540-831-5125 and speak to Cheryl to reserve your spot now.  If you can’t come, please consider a donation to host a player at the event.

The Jewish High Holidays conclude Monday at sundown. Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year began at sundown on September 18^th and Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement began sundown September 27th and concludes Monday the 28^th at sundown. It’s a tradition to fast, reflect and pray during Yom Kippur the most solemn day of the Jewish calendar so I will take the day to do that. 

Shalom,

Brad  

September 20, 2009

We were allowed, as per NCAA rules, to work with our full team this week for the first time.  It was fun to be on the court with the entire squad.  First order of business for this year’s team is defense.  There are no secrets to building a strong defense.  It takes hard work and a scheme so all five defenders are on the same page.  I grew up in New York and watched the New York Knicks win championships in 1970 and 1973.  Red Holzman was the Knick coach with those championship teams and he preached “TEAM DEFENSE.”  I admit that I am more naturally inclined to work on offensive tactics than defensive strategies.  My brother Seth thinks it’s because when I played I liked to shoot! I did!!   And my mother always wanted us to shoot!! But after the 2007-2008 season (when we were not a good defensive team) we not only declared aspirations to become a stronger defensive team in 2008-2009, we developed a strategy to fulfill those aspirations.  And last season we were the best defensive team in the Big South. Our defensive field goal percentage (the percentage of field goal attempts our opponents made against us) was .399%.  That ranked us 33^rd out of 330 Division I teams.  We want to be a really good defensive team again this year.  So that’s what we focused on for the majority of our first workouts. It’s all about fundamentals.  Learning the right defensive stances and positioning when guarding the ball and when guarding someone without the ball.  We will teach multiple defenses and devote large portions of every practice to becoming a sound defensive team. It starts with man to man defensive principles.  I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how important our assistants are in helping us build a strong defensive team.  Rick Hall, Ali Ton and Cedric Smith are strong teachers of defense.  You need a lot of people focusing on it in practice to make sure all defensive players are doing their job and are in the right position. 

College basketball magazines are hitting newsstands and I saw a few last week that pick us to win the Big South.  It’s nice they cite our potential to repeat.  But as I told the team Saturday morning before our workout…..it doesn’t really mean anything.  I know it makes our fans feel good, and it helps create more excitement for the upcoming season.  However, our ability to become a good team this year will depend on what our players do on the court every day in practice to get better individually and as a unit.  We are counting on our veteran players to set the right example for our new players in that regard.  So far they have been terrific in doing that. 

We’re hearing back from people securing reservations for the 3^rd Annual RU Men’s Basketball Tip-Off Banquet.  It’s November 11 and it’s going to be a wonderful evening.  We will introduce this year’s team, honor some former players, and hear from one of the most respected coaches in the country – Fletcher Arritt of Fork Union Military Academy.  Coach Arritt is special and if you are within driving distance of Radford, you don’t want to miss this legendary coach and his message.  It’s an honor that he is joining us that evening.  Please call 540-831-5125 and speak to Cheryl for more details and to reserve a table or seat. 

I promised a loyal B-RadHoops reader to include something this week about food.  My daughter Ali came home from college this week to attend the VT – Nebraska football game (what a finish – Go Hokies) and also for her family and friends to celebrate her upcoming birthday.  Greenberg family birthday tradition demands we eat an enormous amount of Sushi. For desert we had the most decadent cupcakes imaginable.  If you live near Roanoke and want to celebrate with designer sweets try Bubblecake - http://bubblecake.com/storefront.   Ali's birthday cupcake was the Tiffany (vanilla cake with tiffany blue almond icing.  I recommend the Crème Brulee (vanilla bean with a crisp caramel shell) or the Old School (vanilla cake with chocolate icing).  The Old School sounds simple but don’t let it fool you.  Often time’s simple is best.  Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich.  Need I write more!  Well yeah, I should.  Sunday morning brunch was lox, cream cheese, bagels, onion and tomatoes.   Now that's a weekend!

Go Highlanders

Brad

September 13, 2009

Our guys worked hard this week.  In the weight room, conditioning on the track, and with skill work on the court.  I really like the spirit of the group.  I think we have a group of young men who are very coachable. 

Downtown Christiansburg was the place to be Friday evening.  Event creator extraordinaire Kevin Stoner’s Hokie – Thunder tailgate saw about three thousand folks mingling, eating, and being entertained in advance of Saturday’s football game.  Stoner, a Marshall grad, successfully attracted hundreds of Marshall fans to C’burg for a fun evening.  I saw lots of Radford people who are excited to see our team this season. I met Jack Trussell of Roanoke - he’s a friend of VMI coach Duggar Baucom.  He was doing a little espionage for his friend and asked me a lot of questions about our squad.  I think I may have convinced him to buy season tickets to our games!   

Saturday I attended a post VT football game party hosted by Pat and Nancy Artis at their Kent Square Condo in Blacksburg.  Pat is a VT alum and Nancy is a RU Alum and Vice Rector of the Board of Visitors.  Most of the couples at the gathering also shared the uniqueness of a VT – RU pairing.  Attendees included Director of Alumni Relations Laura Turk, Georgianne Snyder-Falkinham – VP of the RU Foundation Board, longtime RU friend and benefactor Sandy Cupp Davis and her husband Jack, RU VP of Advancement Cathy Greenberg, BT’s owners Tom (former VT basketball player) and wife (RU grad) Diane Whitehead, RU grad Allison Turk and husband Jimmy – a dear friend and one of the commonwealths finest attorneys, and Dean Faye Gilbert of the College of Business and Economics (COBE).  A new 44 million dollar, 107,000 square foot state of the art business building is in the works for RU and COBE.  Architectural plans are under review.  Exciting stuff!

Sunday I drove to Lexington to visit my daughter Ali and take her to lunch.  She is a freshman at Washington & Lee.  As I pulled up in front of her dorm I ran across Sam Dale, an RU grad living retired life in his hometown of Lexington.  He mentioned he recently ran into and good naturedly reminded a few VMI Keydets that Radford’s team is the current Big South Men’s Basketball Champs .  It will be interesting to see VMI this year without the Holmes twins or Reggie Williams.  Those guys were good.    

This Tuesday, September 15 is the first time we are allowed to work with our entire team together on the court with a ball.  It will be fun to see the whole group compete in front of the coaching staff. 

Pat Artis graciously reminded the attendees of the RU party Saturday of the Tip-off Banquet, November 11^th.  The keynote speaker is Fletcher Arritt, the head basketball coach of Fork Union Military Academy for the past 42 years.  He is the consummate basketball coach and the subject of a documentary in progress.   Here’s a link to the press release on the banquet and Coach Arritt. 

http://www.radfordathletics.com/news/2009/9/9/MBB_0909092912.aspx?path=mbball

Please check out www.thepassinggame.com to find out just how special Fletcher is.  The proceeds from the banquet help support our basketball program.  Please call to make your reservations now.  Individual tickets are $100 and table sponsorship are $1,000 and entitle the purchaser to eight seats, the company of a player or coach at the table, an autographed ball signed by this year’s Highlander team and special event opportunity with the team and coaches. Help build Radford’s basketball program with your attendance.  Call our office (540-831-5125) if you want to reserve a table.  Ask for Cheryl or Chad.  Or just call me.  I will be glad to fill you in on details and take your reservation.

Go Highlanders

Brad

September 6, 2009

From the opening day of school to October 16^th, the first day of “official” practice, the NCAA allows for just two hours a week of on court training.  So between August 31 and October 15^th we train our guys for 40 minutes - three times a week.  And until September 15 we are only allowed to do this with no more than four players in a group.  So we divide the groups by position and design 40 minute fundamental enhancement skill sessions to fit the personnel of each group.  Beginning September 15, we can work with the whole team for those two hours a week.  At that time we introduce offensive tactics and our team defensive philosophy.  We are allowed an additional six hours a week of strength and conditioning work, which our players do three times a week.  Those sessions total less than six hours and we are in total compliance. 

We also reserve court time in Dedmon for the guys to work out on their own.  We call that “free play.” Coaches are not allowed to participate in those workouts.  These rules are in place to allow for the proper balance of academic, athletic and social life for student-athletes.  Once we start official practices we can work with our players for 20 hours a week.  At all times of the school year coaches are required to give their teams at least one day off each week. 

We started both individual workouts and strength and conditioning work this week.  The effort of both the new and returning players in the weight room, on the track and on the court this week was pretty good.  Watching our squad work with Strength and Conditioning Coach Max Appleby, leads me to believe we have some pretty strong players.  Strength alone does not make a player, but a player with strength has advantages over a weaker player.  Superior strength can help a player establish position on offense and deny an opponent position on defense.  I like our chances of establishing favorable position near the basket.   Our strength and conditioning program is designed to also increase quickness, explosiveness and stamina.  Saturday, we spent time on the track.  Our first training TEST - interval sprint training –was 15 one hundred yard runs where the players sprinted the first 50 yards and jogged the last 50 with a brief rest between runs.  They followed that with five, one hundred yard sprints.  Most of the guys looked pretty good for the first time on the track.   A few guys got sick, but most managed to hold on to their breakfast.

One of the shooting drills we have our players do is 50 Threes.  It’s an around the three point arc shooting drill where they shoot 50 consecutive three point shots – ten at each of five perimeter spots on the floor.  Our coaches sometimes get the shooting bug after practice and test their marksmanship in this drill.  Sunday afternoon Coach Smith made 37 of 50 in a “set” shooting display which jogged my memory of his playing days at the University of South Florida.  Cedric is in the record books at USF with top 10 listings in scoring (#10 - 1,180 points), assists (#6 – 384), three point field goals made (#4 – 183), and steals (#1 – 231). 

Back on the court with our coaching staff reminded me of how fortunate I am to work with Rick Hall, Cedric Smith and Ali Ton.  The four of us are now entering our third season.  We work extremely well together and our teamwork sets the standard for the type of teamwork we expect from our team. 

Go Highlanders

Brad

P.S.  The 3^rd Radford Men’s Basketball Tip-Off Banquet is scheduled for November 11^th.  Call our office (540-831-5125) if you want to reserve a table.