Anticipation

[Berry, Mark]

It's one of the things that drive me crazy about NFL scouting. They put
so much emphasis on 40-yard-dash times, but almost no emphasis on
recognition and reaction speed. If one linebacker with a 4.5-second 40
time needs a full second to identify what the play is, while the other,
with a 4.8-second 40 time only needs a half-second, the 4.8 guy is going
to get to the right spot faster every single time.

Instincts are part of athletic IQ, but so are preparation, repetition,
roster stability and construction, and coaching. Basketball IQ can be
learned and improved. Some guys pick it up more quickly than others.
Some never pick it up. But it's not some magic power that Kevin Garnett
was born with and Al Jefferson wasn't.

Mark 

-----Original Message-----
From: celtics-bounces at igtc.com [mailto:celtics-bounces at igtc.com] On
Behalf Of Alden Brossseau
Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 2:44 PM
To: celtics at igtc.com
Subject: Anticipation

Right on, Josh.  You see it in baseball, too.

Great centerfielders, like DiMaggio and Mays, used their superior 
anticipation to get a jump on deep balls, allowing them to play
shallower 
and turn would-be Texas leaguers into outs.

_______________________________________________
The Boston Celtics Mailing List
celtics at igtc.com
http://www.igtc.com/mailman/listinfo/celtics