What's a Napkin For?

Let's talk about quick hitters today, and then let's not talk about them again.  But first, a review...

For the first three weeks of the year, we've been working on Fast Break vs. M/M (Week One), Press Defense (Week Two), and Fast Break vs. Zone (Week Three).  Throughout each week we've installed our OB and Sideline plays vs. M/M and Zone, and our Sideline & OB defensive schemes.

Now we are ready to move to our "Daily" Schedule.  From this point forward we'll be working on a different area each day, rather than concentrating on something for an entire week.  So today we'll be focusing on Press work, reviewing our On and Off presses, the Missed Shot Press, and Defense vs. OB-Under & OB-Sideline.

Our second practice this week will focus on Fast Break vs. M/M, and we'll review some quick hitters along with our OB-Side & OB-Under offensive sets, preparing us for our Scrimmage #2 on Tuesday.

One thing I should mention is that many System coaches save workout time by limiting their OB-Under and Sideline plays, and by using specific options from their regular offense, rather than creating additional quick-hitters.  Honestly, I think this is possibly a better approach than mine, for one simple reason:  the less you have to work on, the less you have to screw up.

BUT, having defaced thousands of restaurant napkins throughout my career with my amazing play diagrams (a few of which are in the Smithsonian), I've had to compromise with the devil on this one.  I just can't resist the temptation to draw plays, to think about ways to use our personal in different ways. 

However, I also know that if I let this impulse to overcoach get out of control, our team will suffer!  The System itself serves as a deterrent to this "Play a Day" impulse of mine, because it only "allows" quick hitters following a dead ball.  And since there are relatively few dead ball situations in a game (compared to "after a score" and "after a rebound" situations, which--by their very nature within an uptempo system--need to allow for free-lance play unhampered by my play-calling genius), I have to limit my play-calling "creative juices."   (Wow... Mrs. Mitchell--my freshman English teacher at Spearman High School--would have just loved to make me diagram that last sentence!  Hope you could follow my twisted train of thought!)

Anyways, my feeling is that despite my need to draw and install plays, we'd probably be better off with NO quick hitters, and with ONE OBU and OBS play.  Problem is, I'd probably go crazy without the chance to come up with some "neat stuff" to try. 

So, I let myself doodle on those napkins, but then use most of them to blow my nose.