You have a good sense of humor also Peter.... specialists at 14? LOL ....... I understand, it is some of your strengths.
I hope you are not relying on blocking shots rather than being a solid m2m defender... ?? Better to smile & laugh than to be an ole grouch.... who wants to deal with that?

You being 4-5 inches taller doesn't hurt your game vs Matt either. He just has to play harder which will make him a better player. YOU taking sdvantage of Matt.... Nahhhh.... :-)


As for the behind the back dribble, NOT one of my favorite moves, especially in traffic... I prefer the crossover or between the legs to change direction.... JMO I'm glad to hear that you guys don't trash talk... can only make the guy mad and play harder.... and over here IF the refs catch it, you get a T! I told my players, you get 5 fouls before you are out of the game, I get two before I get tossed.... so stay out of my property. lol A lot of people thought I got a lot of Ts... not so. In 16 years of varsity coaching I got two..... not too shabby. One I deserrved and one was cheap.... in the first minute of the game,... what the heck is that about?

Did Matt pry himself away from his GF long enough for you guys to work out this weekend? How did it go? I bet you guys are looking forward to the season to start. Remember your goals.

Hi ken
We might not be specialist but u will always be da specialist of SARcasm.
I agree with you ken life's too short like matt (SARcasm remember) to wast and who wants to be the one who wastes it.
Trash talking never helped anyone u obviously know what it did to the knicks after spike lee got his mouth flapping #MILLERTIME. I have been listening to you bout blocking ive been forcing them to take hard shots and only aiming to block someone every once in a while. My m2m d is very good i pride myself on playing good d as they say offense wins games and defense wins championships. If i make the nba i dont want to be that guy who was a great player but didnt win a championship eg. CHARLES BARKLEY. Can't wait till my season starts and the NBA one too #LETSGOCELTICS even if they are not going to make the playoffs.

Hi Peter -

I pride myself the way I use SARcasm :-)



I hope Matt is reading all of this.... it might make him work a little harder. Has he been working at his game too??

I think a lot of the PROS trash talk.. Jordan & Brid were masters of it from what I understand.... but they could back it up. In the HS game you get a T and there is always someone better than you are.... maybe?? And the coach will find you a seat on the bench.



Glad to hear that you are listening to that....making guys change their shots can be just as effective and it sure will keep you out of foul trouble. What do you mean... IF you make the NBA... its WHEN isn't it? :-) Don't forget my season tickets and plane fare.

I always liked Sir Charles... I love to listen to him when he is on TV I was hoping that the Bulls would pick him up at some point... he would have been a good addition to their team.

Celtics?? OMG!!! How do I get YOU and MATT to cheer for a real team... Da Bulls!!!

Peter -

Do they have any Basketball Camps over there? Maybe at the high school or some college coaches running them?

There is a ball handling camp in the Chicago area in a month... if you start swimming now, you might make it. :-)

Seriously, it would be worth it for you to go to any camp they have there as long as they deal with fundamentals too.

Just a thought.

HI Ken
Your right ken if im not confident that i can make the NBA, i wont.
Bulls NO WAY!!!! isn't it interesting that your favorite team is the bulls, matts is the Lakers and mine is the 17 CHAMPIONSHIP CELTICS!!!
They are arguably the three most successful and popular teams.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN MUCH OF A SWIMMER AND I HEARD ITS WINDY IN CHICAGO LOL.
Yes they have basketball camps over here and at the start of next year i might be attending one run by pro NZ players.

Hi Peter -

Your ultimate goal is the NBA..... but everyone should have a Plan B! What is it that you would like to do if it doesn't happen for you?? You could make the NBA and blow out a knee... so its always good to have a back up plan.

To play in Chicago is like heaven... the Fans are great, You play to a full house most of the time regardless of your record. Look at the Cubs.... Will I live long enough for them to win a worlds championship? Not sure, its been well over a 100 years now. The Black Hawks always sell out and that place goes nuts and the game hasn't even started yet.
The Bulls... well, all you have to do is watch them play. OK, I won't hold it against you or Matt for not being a Bulls fan, everyone is entitled to make a mistake LOL.... SARcasm

I got it, the WINDY CITY LOL

Too bad that you didn't get involved in a camp this summer (here) You can always learn something from other coaches and certainly from Pro Players...even IF they are from NZ LOL

Here is a little tip I always told my players..... "Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves."

Hope all is well.... by the way, they screwed up the paint job in my family room and will have to do part of it over..... and didn't order the carpeting so I did it myself. The old saying.... IF you want something done right, do it YOURSELF. Keep working at your game and have fun.

Hi Ken
Plan B is probably Olympic sprinting or basketball coaching or chasing this girl i like (don't worry she likes me 2). As you see i aim high and don't sell myself short (LIKE MATT AGAIN #SARcasm). Even if i don't have a training camp this spring (here) i hav the next best thing a basketball coach (its u by the way) with lots of knowledge about basketball and life. :)
How can they not get painting not right THEY ARE PROFESSIONALS they get paid to paint lol. Lets say playing in BOSTON and CHICAGO is heaven but playing in LA isn't real basketball it's FLASH and STYLE not how basketball is supposed to be played. All is well over in little NZ nothing really happens in my neighborhood. I live in a little town called Balclutha by the way.

Hi Peter......

I like your Plan B ( not sure about chasing the girl lol ) NIce to know that you have someone that cares about you and you her. Be nice to each other. Poor Matt.... you keep picking on him :-) He must be busy since he doesn't write anymore. Take good care of the "little" man and keep him focused too.

Thanks for the kind words Peter... its nice to know that you think well of me. I have a lot of experience about the game after all those years...., coaching was the best thing I ever did in my life career wise. I had a lot of fun and laughs too... some of the things that happened in my coaching career had my players and myself laughting.... many of them during games. So, thanks again. I think you have a great sense of humor and some good goals

As for Boston and Chicago.... I guess we are a little predjudiced but everyone is entitiled. Take a look at this game, it was in 1992... NOT 1892 wise guy LOL We are in light colored jerseys playing the #8 team in the state... we handled them well.... of course we were 9 for 10 from the arc and were amazing from the free throw line, especially in the 4th qtr. Matt... our point guard was 4'10 as a freshman...... so size doesn't matter, its what's in your heart, you cant measure that.

http://www.ihigh.com/osbornecardinals/video_886382.html

Peter -

Its funny that I picture you with a smile like Shaq has. :-) This is a great letter from Coach Brown.... with a lot of good advice.... YOU can use it also.
I have a workout that D Rose uses that I am going to send you also.... its all about developing good form.


Letter to Shaq after his Rookie Year

Dear Shaquille,

Congratulations on a great rookie year in the NBA. I was so proud of you and especially in the manner that you conducted yourself.

I shall never forget our first meeting in the mountains of West Germany, when you were only 13 years old. You have grown not only in stature, but in talent, from that day when you were cut from the high school team, when they told you, you were too clumsy and to try soccer.

Now, being constantly in the spotlight, you must be alert to all the pressures it brings. Coach John Wooden knew how to handle fame better than anyone I’ve ever known. He said, “The Coach must recognize that his profession places him in the public eye and he will at times, receive both unjustifiable criticism and underserved praise, and he must not be unduly affected by either.” Live by this creed, Shaquille and you’ll never lose that contagious smile of yours.

Don’t be content. Continue to work on improving your game and as you’ve heard a thousand times over and over again, while playing at LSU: Hard work pays off, and when the going gets rough on the team, remember our HIT philosophy at LSU; play hard, play intelligent, and play together—and everything works out for the best.

Stay away from all distractions because concentration is imperative for ultimate success. It is a supreme art that few ever master.
Be a good listener. One of the most consistent qualities of those that are labeled as extraordinary athletes is they have been coachable. There have been very few exceptions.

Be careful of the parasites who, for selfish motives, want you as their friend. Yes, some will even have visions of the dollar bills floating around.

Trust, but never cease to be vigilant. Hold onto that school boy spirit that touched me so strongly when we met eight years ago—a spirit with its natural grace, easy dignity, and the blossoming buds of a genius on a basketball court.

Make your dignity as tall as your body. Never, ever drop it or sell it or become complimented out of it. Respect others, even the most humble, and remember that above all else, you are a member of a group called mankind.

Be a role model. A lot of kids have absolutely no one in whom to turn, and what you do and say will be more than mere words or actions for the game plan that is their life.

Affect mankind. Affect your fellow man, and always for the good. Shaquille, leave a legacy beyond trophies and statistics because, and I hate to say this but, your time will also pass and the glory you enjoy will only be a memory.

So, be your brother’s keeper. Lift him up when he has fallen; bandage him up when he is wounded.

In body, he may not be as big as you, but in spirit, he is.

Well, that’s my advice to you, Shaquille. You really don’t need it. You are what you are: a good man, full of love.

Love you,
Coach Brown

Hi Ken
I'm sorry about not replying for a while my life has been very busy lately. Matts doing great and we just joke with each other a lot such as the short jokes ive been saying i agree with you size doesn't matter. Some of the shortest players have had the most HEART and COURAGE. Thank you for the shaq letter it really touched me. Me and him are very similar in personality. He jokes around with his friends but when hes playing BASKETBALL it's all business. He is also one of my favorite players of all time. I have grown up with role models who have treated others as good as themselves.
That is why i try to be humble and unselfish.