Introducing "Transition Tuesdays" at The College Basketball Nostalgic
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Dear Prospective Reader,
When thinking back to all of the NCAA Tournament games that I have watched during my lifetime, all of the teams that I have been introduced to, all of the memories that I have formed, I must ask a simple question:
What appeals to me as a player, observer and lover of the game?
In other words, what made one team, one player, one game catch the eye and stand out all of these years later?
Quite honestly, this answer boils down to the concept of style, how a team plays, how a player moves about the floor, how the game flows.
The legendary John Wooden once said, "Be quick, but don't hurry." This Wooden-ism essentially talks about always being ready to react and attack, though doing so without sacrificing control of one's self.
This Wooden-ism has always appealed and describes my basketball philosophy quite well.
Ever since I was a younger basketball player and observer, I have always enjoyed when the game is played up-tempo, at a fast but controlled pace.
As a player, I always played better when I was able to get in the open floor, survey my surroundings and make an instant decision.
Pull up for a jumper here.
Kick the ball out to the corner for a three.
Drop the ball back to the trailer.
As a player, I always felt bogged down when those natural decisions were taken away, when too much predetermined thought outweighed gut instinct and in-the-moment reactions.
While set offense is an integral part of basketball, ultimately a lot of possessions simply come down to a player reacting and making a play.
With these contrasts in mind, I am branding Tuesdays at The College Basketball Nostalgic as "Transition Tuesdays."
In the simplest terms, I want Tuesdays to be the day where I start moving through various NCAA Tournaments at a fast and exciting place.
Let's be uptempo and cover as many games as possible.
Let's be quick but not hurry, giving each game the justified time it deserves.
Let's thrive on natural rather than preconceived, hot-take reactions.
Goal: Basically, I want "Transition Tuesdays" to be like those NCAA Tournament teams that played at a fun and exciting yet controlled pace.
Think of 1990 Loyola Marymount, running and gunning to the Elite Eight.
When thinking back to all of the NCAA Tournament games that I have watched during my lifetime, all of the teams that I have been introduced to, all of the memories that I have formed, I must ask a simple question:
What appeals to me as a player, observer and lover of the game?
In other words, what made one team, one player, one game catch the eye and stand out all of these years later?
Quite honestly, this answer boils down to the concept of style, how a team plays, how a player moves about the floor, how the game flows.
The legendary John Wooden once said, "Be quick, but don't hurry." This Wooden-ism essentially talks about always being ready to react and attack, though doing so without sacrificing control of one's self.
This Wooden-ism has always appealed and describes my basketball philosophy quite well.
Ever since I was a younger basketball player and observer, I have always enjoyed when the game is played up-tempo, at a fast but controlled pace.
As a player, I always played better when I was able to get in the open floor, survey my surroundings and make an instant decision.
Pull up for a jumper here.
Kick the ball out to the corner for a three.
Drop the ball back to the trailer.
As a player, I always felt bogged down when those natural decisions were taken away, when too much predetermined thought outweighed gut instinct and in-the-moment reactions.
While set offense is an integral part of basketball, ultimately a lot of possessions simply come down to a player reacting and making a play.
With these contrasts in mind, I am branding Tuesdays at The College Basketball Nostalgic as "Transition Tuesdays."
In the simplest terms, I want Tuesdays to be the day where I start moving through various NCAA Tournaments at a fast and exciting place.
Let's be uptempo and cover as many games as possible.
Let's be quick but not hurry, giving each game the justified time it deserves.
Let's thrive on natural rather than preconceived, hot-take reactions.
Goal: Basically, I want "Transition Tuesdays" to be like those NCAA Tournament teams that played at a fun and exciting yet controlled pace.
Think of 1990 Loyola Marymount, running and gunning to the Elite Eight.
Or 1993-1994 Arkansas, wreaking "40 minutes of hell" to claim a championship.
Or 1995-1996 Kentucky, extending the game full-court with its waves of talent.
Or 2003-2004 UAB, bouncing all over the court to the Sweet Sixteen.
Or 2010-2011 VCU, dictating its tempo en route from an unlikely journey from the First Four to the Final Four.
Or the first half of the 2013 championship game between Louisville and Michigan.
At The College Basketball Nostalgic, "Transition Tuesdays" will not be half-court grinders, drawn-out possessions, or four-corners offense.
It will not be a Big Ten game in February.
Nor will it be a referee-controlled game determined by fouls and free throws.
It will be fast and entertaining yet under-control content through three sections:
On Tuesdays at The College Basketball Nostalgic, be ready to run the court and play with pace.
All you have to do is fill your lane and follow your point guard, and The College Basketball Nostaglic will take you on an NCAA tournament fast-break!
Let's get moving.
It will not be a Big Ten game in February.
Nor will it be a referee-controlled game determined by fouls and free throws.
It will be fast and entertaining yet under-control content through three sections:
- Tuesday Turnover, which will creatively leave no stone unturned while covering all 94 feet of specific tournaments.
- Tragic Tuesdays, which will run through those personally-disappointing tournament losses that are still hard to accept.
- Tourney Trash Talk, which will use podcasts and videos to provide creative and entertaining recollections of different tournaments.
On Tuesdays at The College Basketball Nostalgic, be ready to run the court and play with pace.
All you have to do is fill your lane and follow your point guard, and The College Basketball Nostaglic will take you on an NCAA tournament fast-break!
Let's get moving.
Sincerely,
Chris Maynard
collegebasketballnostalgic@gmail.com
Chris Maynard
collegebasketballnostalgic@gmail.com