Coach Gao tells me that we need to forget about tonight's game and be positive about the fact that we won two out of three on the road and be happy with that.
Anyway, the snow is coming down hard in Changchun City as I write here, meaning that we may have to spend the night in a hotel OR leave at 11pm (it's 7pm now), and get into Changchun 45 mins.
Then I get back on the train and return to Changchun, leave the following day to Beijing for hopeful meetings regarding Head Coaching positions, and also making an appearance at Wang Fei's Basketball Academy.
As I said before, their standards and operations, both civic and militarily don't scare me or bother me as much as our dependence globally upon their resources for manufacturing goods, at the expense of cheap labor.
Which means, as coaches we have to do a better job of helping our players succeed in these situations better, and hopefully we'll learn that it's okay to come out of the game when you're tired.
February 18th, I plan on making a trip down south to LA, to visit our daughter Paige, who works for a design company there, and then on to San Diego to drop in on my Father, Coach Pete Newell.
One reminder to anyone who comes North of Beijing: bring your Thermals, upper and lower, and some thick wool socks, not that it matters but psychologically you feel like you're protecting yourself a lil bit.
Well, finished the clinics here in Vladivostok in fine fashion again as the coaches were very appreciative once again for Coach tom's visit ala Lee Larson, former Clackamas Girls Basketball Association Volunteer coach (Oregon).
It's the same in basketball, you must learn how to communicate through repetition of team drills and exercise, and when you do it will be easy to recognize when the situation arises in a game.
We then watched a DVD production that Lee Larson produced through his foundation a couple of years ago when I accompanied him on a humanitarian basketball clinic in the Northern Highlands of Guatemala, San Marcos de Atitlan.
So, when our players faced this scenario (by the way, we practiced this very situation for an hour and half last practice before the games commenced), we looked but didn't read and react or rotate properly.
There is no concept that 50pct goes to taxes and that by the time he pays his bills, he has a great job, that pays great money, but he isn't at a level that allows him to spend without limit.
That's the way my morning started with the hackin and coughin and seemingly endless backfires before I finally felt human again and could stand upright and walk around in my hotel room stepping East and West.
China, as their lives are one without a proper education nor the advantage of news information, thus relying on visits from Police and other civil servants who have to communicate and investigate their business transactions and get descriptions, etc.
But the one affair I am most humbled and honored by is the invitation by our Consulate General in Vladivostok, who is having a hosted party for me and the Russian college coaches who will be participating in my clinic.
Threatt made the ball appear as though it was made by Samsonite, 'cause he had a handle on it that went right to left very well and very quick to the Officials eyes, but not to mine.
Moscow and attended coaches clinics there and outside Moscow, to learn from the best, yet they would keep their distance from us, never greeting us like you, or asking us for questions, caring about what we need for our teams.
She then told me to put on heavy sweat pants, sweat shirt with a tee under that, wool thick socks, add another blanket and go lay down on the bed and go to sleep until tomorrow.
The need for equal rights when it comes to a salary structure is something that will be the greatest challenge and achievement this country could ever experience, in my opinion, and that doesn't mean much here.
There should be more CBA players playing in the NBA today, but as long as the coaches misunderstand the template for teaching and developing players, it is going to a very slow process of entry, I'm afraid.
Case in point: my Anta Team Bag was damaged recently by the airline, unbeknownst to me until I got back to the hotel, and now I need to have it repaired and I completely forgot about it.
For sure the Team meeting the night before where Coach Gao and his Staff, plus the GM, shared their soulful thoughts with the Team, and it must have had a positive effect, 'cause we got busy in this game.
Vladivostok, addressing a couple hundred kids about Proper Nutrition when playing sports, how to be successful when participating and also talking about making right decisions, off and on the field of one's activity, especially when parents aren't around.
Warrior spirit and best effort tonight, that we played team defense as well as we ever have and that IF we continue to work together and help one another on defense, we will not be disappointed at season's end.
Evidently, Blago was not ready to play prime time as they could not make their layups early or late in the first half, plus they had no answer for a very very talented 15yr.
KIDS are KIDS and they NEED to be reinforced with positive constructive comments, NOT dirty looks or discouraging comments that finish the competitive courage of the player for the rest of the game.
So, with the other team in the penalty, and their ability to stop the clock by driving right by us like a Nascar Pit Stop, we were being prepared like a Turkey gettin ready for Thursday.
Japanese over many years and how this rule and order shaped the country into what they are today: farmers, working laborers, teachers and intellectuals, all independent of one another but ever so sensitive to their cultural ties towards communism.
This team we're playing is NOT BETTER THAN US, wake up, be a man, be pissed off to the point that you do something better for the team this half, don't believe that you can't beat this team, YOU CAN.
Their eyes and eagerness to learn far surpass any disappointments and distractions the older players may cause me, because the lil fellers are trying so hard to do the drills the right way.
All parents are asked to contribute monies toward coach's gifts and awards, payable at the party (The person who paid up front fro everything should send an email reminder about the gifts and to bring a check or cash).
Russian Update: got an email from our State Department's Attache' Office in Vladivostok, Russia, confirming the Visa Documents have finally been approved by the Minister of Sport and Education and a couple of other Ministry closets.
Saturday morning: my box DID not, according to Security Cameras at the Red Buds, Changchun Hotel, indicate that I had 6 boxes, that they only counted 5 on the cart going outside to load up into the Taxi.
Have the Concierge write down on the Hotel Stationery in Chinese the place(s) you wish to visit and then on the backside of the paper, the name and address of the hotel WITH THE PHONE NUMBER.
Less I forget, Papasan Pete Newell and my younger brother, Roger, live together in Rancho Sante Fe, California, where the firestorm raged for days this past week, and had to evacuate their townhome on Monday morning.
NOT calling fouls; stopping in their tracks and looking at the Refs as though something SHOULD have been called here; backing down; not blocking out on weakside and going to the boards strong for missed shots and so on.
THEM UP, but he chose to focus on the Offense and I have to respect him and his decision to focus on what he knows best: Offense (remember, tom, you're a Geezer now, and in a mentoring role with this team).
Clinics Wrapup: so we met after the game and discussed what we saw and all agreed that the other team could not stop nor have an answer for the talented Big Player from Harbansk.
Close your comments about your love of being in the gym with the kids, and how grateful you are that the parents have put their faith in you to the share the game with their children.
If not, we'll just have to be more alert on picking the ball up early, covering the lanes on pass entries and of course blocking out and rebounding on missed perimeter shots.
The Officials didn't (again I was so happy they didn't) and we gave up, quit, stopped competing, always expecting the Official to stop play and make things right, as the Aussies went the other way for a layup.
Needless to say, I have no particular reaction to this, other than I think we better win the first game at home or some of these players may be on their way to somewhere colder than what's expected here this Winter.
This all came about by the Consul General's office offering me a ticket to attend along with Avi Dede, Voice of America broadcaster visiting Vladivostok and another Far Eastern city on behalf of the State Department.
