Re: Shaq's FTs (was Re: Pardon my enthusiasm)

["James A. Hill" <jahill@leasingservice.com>]

Alex expressed:

>So I come back to the list after vacation with the Celtics at 20-12, and
we're talking about Shaq's free throws and business philosophy. Here's my
take:

Jim Hill thinks that Shaq is lazy for not fixing his free throw woes, and
suggests that he doesn't deserve his paycheck because of it. He suggests
publicly embarrassing him to fix the problem. Tough luck if he doesn't like
it.

He later says that people should be paid for production. There's a
contradiction here I think, because in his original post, he's implying
that people should be paid for hard work. Of course production and hard
work are not the same; there are lazy talented people who outperform
hard-working idiots all the time. Shaq's an example of this: he's among the
best producers in NBA terms, despite the fact that he's supposedly
overweight and lazy about his free throws. He deserves to be among the
best-paid NBA players.

***The majority of times production happens because of effort (hard work).
The few who get by on skill alone flame out after awhile or are passed by as
their peers continue to grow as players.

We're talking about the NBA here not some structured office environment.
There are few hard-working idiots or lazy talented players that don't stand
out by themselves as they play in a public forum.  Most players are closer
to the hard-working talented player description in my opinion.  Anyone can
pick out players that are the HWI or LTP but that isn't the norm.

Regarding Shaq as an example,  Yes, Shaq is a great producer and is a very
highly paid player and deserves it.

>As for publicly embarrassing your employees to get better performance: I'm
no management guru but I'm really skeptical about this.

***See
http://news.mysanantonio.com/story.cfm?xla=saen&xlb=1290&xlc=527721&xld=1290

I think we must look beyond our own experiences and remember that this is a
pro basketball league.  I don't have any peers "talking trash" to me as I go
about my job, they do.  What is unacceptable in one environment is accepted
in another.  Players deficiencies are discussed as a matter of course as are
their salaries. Have you ever been critiqued while watching game film with
your team?  Ever done something that you would prefer wasn't captured for
all to see?  I suggest that embarrassment in front of your team in sports is
different then embarrassment in front of your co-workers at an accounting
firm.


>Jim mentions
Antoine being motivated by boos but honestly I haven't seen this. What has
the FleetCenter crowd booed the most in recent years? Missed three
pointers. And what is Antoine leading the league in?  And notice that
Antoine never kept to an offseason workout schedule when Pitino constantly
harped on it, but he did when O'Brien took over and constantly praised him
despite his conditioning?

*** I recall the boo's were for ill-advised 3 pt shots.  Some were because
of his conditioning in the early season, some were just bad shots, some were
because some fans wanted to boo him.  This year the 3 is an option shot
because he has had his legs form the first game on and can drive or shoot
from outside.  Good conditioning helps both the inside and outside shot.

I think the fact that Walker HAD to work out or he wasn't allowed to play in
the best off-season pick-up games in America played a role in his coming
into camp in shape.  The fact Pierce was going to be in great shape had a
role.  The boo's had a role as well, IMO.  The recent comments by other
coaches, former Celtics etc...  Plus Walker is older and wiser as well.

Walkers shot selection is much better this year in my opinion.  Most of his
shots are within the flow of the game unless he is forced to post up or go
one-on-one in clutch time.

>O'Brien has never embarrassed his players
publicly - in fact it's almost comical how much he praises them - but they
seem to be performing because of it.

These NBA players are extremely valuable employees that are not so easily
replaced. Maybe Jim's tough guy employer approach - "Shape up or ship out!"
- works when you're managing a McDonalds. When your employees are actually
worth millions of dollars in terms of both personal wealth and production
value, you're not going to get through with threats and humiliation.

*** Peer pressure is very powerful.  Humiliation and threats are your ideas,
not mine.  But you can't hide lack of playing time when it's posted in the
paper.  Nor can you hide the fact your being removed at the end of a close
game because the coach is unhappy with your commitment to sinking FT's.  The
coach doesn't have to "call out" a player in public, he just has to cut his
minutes at different times in a game.

Having your minutes cut is an embarrassment in a league where contract money
is referred to as respect.

>Basically the only motivation Shaq has is his personal goals and pride.
Maybe he has a huge ego and cares about his perception in the media, and
Phil Jackson harping on it in the media actually will motivate him.

*** Bingo. Most professional athlete's I have met have strong ego's.  Not
negative ego's, just strong ego's.

>On the other hand he could say, "You know what? I've won two titles and I'm
probably the most valuable player in the NBA. If Phil disrespects me in the
media, maybe I'll just demand a trade." Whoops.

*** He has before.  Don't count on it next contract.  He is in LA.  Where
else would he go?  NY?  Boston?  Orlando?


>But this idea of cutting off his paycheck because he doesn't deserve it is
ridiculous, even if it
were possible.

*** Of course it is.  Shaq is still the best center in the league.  That is
why other influence will be applied.  A change in contract style will change
the league as a whole but it won't affect a Shaq until the end of his
career.  It is of course just my own opinion but my experience has been that
team members recognize the different skill level's of each player.  They
also recognize different effort by team members.  When it isn't equal the
team leader steps up and say's something to the others.  This is why it is
so important for the Celtics "team" for Walker to come in each year in great
shape.  Walker didn't have Larry and Kevin to learn from.  That's something
that Pitino was supposed to bring.


>Similarly, if you decide to embarrass your valuable employees because
they're not meeting their ultimate potential, they can find other jobs.

*** Other job's?  Other teams maybe in a trade or FA.  If you just want them
to play #2 to their older cousin Vince Carter they may leave anyway.  This
is basketball.  Not biotech.  Your job as the coach is to get the most
productivity from your players regardless of their individual skill set.
Until you get past the point of diminishing return, effort is a key
indicator of potential productivity for each player.

Jackson will get the most from Shaq.  The amazing thing is how much better
he can really be.


<Jim



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