A SCOUT'S PERSPECTIVE - OBSERVATIONS & RUMINATIONS

Morice Fredrick Winter. If you stumbled upon this blog, you might be saying to yourself, 'who the hell is that?' But, if I say "Tex" Winter and you're a basketball aficionado, or a fan of the Chicago Bulls or Los Angeles Lakers, the name is instantly recognizable. Tex was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday, August 12, 2011 as a coach. Tex was not able to speak for himself on the night he was inducted into the Hall of Fame because of a debilitating stroke he had suffered in 2009. After listening to Tex's son, Chris Winter's rambling speech, I decided to start tweeting about Tex. Nothing I've ever tweeted has resonated more with those who follow me on twitter than the comments I made about Tex and Dennis Rodman . Here are my real time comments (slightly cleaned up) about Tex after he had been inducted into the HOF: I haven't commented on the BB HOF speeches; sad that Phil Jackson didn't give tha...

Four thoughts came to mind in watching the Mavericks sweep the Lakers in the second round of the 2011 NBA playoffs. Like Phil Jackson's kids, I was present for my father's, Clarence "Big House" Gaines, last game.  His last team wasn't very good and they got pummeled. During that game I thought about all the highs and lows that he had experienced in his career. Hated to see him go out that way, but it didn't detract from the great things he had done in basketball, and more importantly, in life.  With so many highs in Phil Jackson's career, it's somewhat fitting that he went out on a low. The good Lord has a sense of humor and has a way of humbling us all. Tex Winter introduced me to one of my favorite quotes. Tex, contributed the "Everything turns upon a trifle" part and Benjamin Franklin is responsible for the rest. "The Trifle" quote was ever-present in my mind in regards to this series. Everything turns upon a trifle: “Fo...

I wrote this note to a 9th grade basketball player in 1998. Attended one of his practices and then gave it to him.  I've shared it with a few other people and have read parts of the letter at a few basketball clinics. I hope you're enriched by reading this note and will pass it on to a young baller if you think they can gain insight from it. NOTE TO A YOUNG BASKETBALL PLAYER I enjoyed watching your gym class (a.k.a. BB Practice) on Friday. Your coach appears to have a sound understanding of the game and the teaching ability to impart his philosophy of the game to his players. I know he is high on you. You have the great moniker called potential attached to your name. My favorite definition for potential is excellence unrealized, and it can stay unrealized if the individual does not have the passion, intelligence, persistence, and determination to exceed the expectations/goals that one sets for his/herself. My sister gave me a poster with the following quote on it when I wa...