Hoosiers

I hoped you enjoyed watching Hoosiers as much as I did.  It is one of my favorite movies of all time.  It is interesting how the movie and its meaning have changed for me over the years.  The movie was made in 1988, when I was playing high school basketball. 

From a player’s perspective, it is the thrill of each game, the hours of practice and the teammates.  The bond you form when you play together is unlike anything else I have experienced.  I am still friends today with the people I played soccer and basketball with since I was 10. 

From a coach’s point of view, you see the wisdom of helping a group of boys and the townspeople reshape their ideas about success and team and fun.  Keep in mind, when Coach Dale came into the town to begin coaching, the former coach had just passed away.  The season was already started.  In a small town (enrollment 64) when someone dies, it effects the entire town.  His commitment to coaching the boys (and the town) about the importance of team and belief in each other is critical to the movie and the lessons we learn. 

From a teacher’s perspective, I see the unwavering commitment to making them men.  The lessons they learned on and off the floor will stick with them throughout their lives.  They now and always will understand the importance of opening your mind to new ideas and the importance of friends.  At the end when Coach Dale tells his team he loves them, that is the only time in their lives they have ever heard someone say “I love you” other than their parents.  It take tremendous strength to say it and to accept it, but you know immediately, the relationship and the journey they are on is something special that does not come around very often.  When it does come around it is important to recognize it, embrace it, and enjoy every moment.

Why do we love these kinds of movies in America?  Although this is a sports movie, it is a life movie.  It uses basketball as a metaphor for life.  I think we like the movie because it is an underdog story.  American loves the underdog.  We always have embraced and honored the role of the underdog.  This goes back to our beginnings as a country.  We were the only colonies to go to war with Britain and win.  We came from behind against all odds to win our independence.  We believe in the American dream.  Anyone can be whatever they want.  The opportunities are endless.  We like to remind ourselves of this through our movies, television, stories.  Even through the United States is the greatest country on the planet, we still like to see ourselves as the underdog.  Us against the world. 

Trust me when I say I am not one to ruin a good movie.  But there are so many lessons to be learned in the movie, I want to hear from you.  From the coach’s relationship with the town and the team, to Jimmy, to Shooter, not to mention the role of Strap and Ollie in the regional finals, the lessons are endless.

What did you think of the movie?  If you liked it, why?  If you didn’t, why not?  What lessons for life spoke to you?  Which character did you relate to the best and why? 

Pearl Harbor

In the 1930’s and 1940’s the United States chose to operate under the idea of isolationism.  After the fallout of World War I and the immense debt not yet to be fully repaid, the United States was under tremendous pressure from citizens and politicians to take a neutral stance with respect to the break out of war in Europe and Asia.

This proved to be more difficult than thought.  Although the United States could pretend to ignore the issues occurring between Germany, Italy, Japan and the rest of the world, it was a matter of time before we would be forced to choose sides and join the fight.  One primary issue was trade.  International trade was critically important to the financial stability of the country.  Our preferred alliance with Britain and our defense of China showed the Axis powers are true loyalty would one day side with the British.  That being said, it was in the best interest of Germany, Italy, and Japan to keep the United States out of the battle for as long as possible.

This became a greater challenge for Japan than for the other countries.  Japan was highly dependent on the United States for iron and oil.  Both resources were critically important to a country engaged in warfare.  As the Japanese aggression grew in the Pacific, the United States implemented a number of embargoes disallowing the trade of oil with the Japanese.  Our refusal to trade without concessions from Japan was the beginning of the United States entry into the war in the Pacific. 

In November, Japan began plans to attack the United States at Pearl Harbor.  Unbeknownst to the United States Navy, the decision was made to move most of the US fleet to Hawaii in preparation of the coming war.  The United States never suspected or anticipated and attack at Pearl Harbor.  Japan had given no indications of their intentions.   

Early in the morning on December 7^th, the Japanese Navy attacked the American fleet.  By the end of the attack more than 2,000 soldiers and civilians were dead.  Nearly all of our battleships were either sunk or badly damaged.  The next day President Franklin Roosevelt spoke to the American people and to Congress urging the declaration of war.  Three days later Germany and Italy declared war on the United States.  We were now engaged in World War II.

What do you think of the United States decision to stay neutral?  When is it a good time to stay neutral in your life?  What is your reaction to the thoughts of a foreign country attacking the United States?  How should we respond?  Is it different today than in 1941?  If so, why?

Jimmy V Week

“Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” 

                  Jimmy Valvano, 1993 – announcing the Jimmy V Foundation

December 1-7 is Jimmy V week on ESPN.  You may not know who Jimmy Valvano was, but if you have had the misfortune of knowing someone afflicted with cancer, the odds are he and his life’s mission impacted your life. 

Jimmy Valvano was a successful basketball coach, commentator, and author.  He was a person of strong conviction and personal drive.  At an early age he pulled out white index cards and began to write down his personal goals for life.  He wanted to play high school and college basketball, he wanted to become an assistant coach, go on to become a head coach, cut down the nets in Madison Square Garden and win a National Championship.  At age 36, he was able to pull out those cards and cross off every item on the list.  Throughout his life he developed a personal philosophy which allowed an ordinary man to accomplish the extraordinary.  He once commented, “There are 86,400 seconds in a day.  It is up to you to decide what to do with them.”  Jimmy V chose to cherish and make the most of each one. 

After accomplishing his goals on the basketball court, he explored new directions from writing to commentating.  He was not interested in limiting himself to a single profession.  He embraced diversity in his life and his interests.

In 1993, Jimmy Valvano was given an obstacle that would prove to be his most difficult.  He was diagnosed with cancer.  The cancer proved to be too much for him to personally overcome, but through his vision and passion he has inspired and continues to inspire funding for education and research to cure cancer.  At the time of his diagnosis, cancer was an underfunded and devastating disease.  His charismatic and infectious attitude towards life and easy appeal to people made him an ideal person to raise the awareness of cancer and its impacts on our world and to raise arms to find a way to cure cancer.  While no cure has been found, through continued research many forms of treatment have been developed.  The Jimmy V Foundation has raised over $100 million over the past 18 years for cancer research and awareness.

Jimmy V is an inspiring person.  His attitude towards life, even in the face of overwhelming obstacles is something to admire.   

The URL below is a video clip from the 1993 ESPY awards when he received the Arthur Ashe award for Courage.  During his speech he announces the Jimmy V Foundation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuoVM9nm42E&feature=channel

The URL below is the highlights from the 1983 National Championship.  It was one of the most exciting endings the tournament has ever seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFolL4Is-sU&feature=related

What do you think of Jimmy Valvano, his life and his mission?  Do you have or are you developing a personal philosophy for how you live your life?  If so, would you mind sharing?  Who inspires you to be a better person?  What qualities do they possess you admire?