Kevin DeShazo

I’ve been digesting this for a few weeks now, since ESPN failed journalism on a historic level by airing “The Decision.”  As we know, The Decision has been made.  LeBron James left Cleveland to hang out with friends in Miami.  Dan Gilbert, the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers wasn’t thrilled.  He wrote a letter, featured in The Plain Dealer, Cleveland’s local newspaper, referring to LeBron as a “narcissist, coward, self-proclaimed ‘King’” and declared that Cleveland would win a championship before the “cursed” LeBron James would.  Strong words from an NBA owner.  Honestly, I am a fan of Gilbert’s letter.  People criticize him for it, but if Mark Cuban did it, people would be praising his passion in defending his team.  I want an owner that fights for my team.  That being said, Gilbert holds a significant share of the responsibility with the entire LeBron debacle.  He made a lot of mistakes along the way.  Mistakes that many organizations make as well.  Mistakes that we need to learn from.  Here are 4 lessons that organizations and leaders can learn from this mess:

1.  One man does not make a team (or company). Cleveland never won a championship in LeBron James’ seven years.  Only made it to the Finals once.  They had what was arguably the best player in the league (along with Kobe).  Zero championships.  For all the hoopla around how great LeBron is, he couldn’t make the team great.  Companies are the same way.  One stellar employee doesn’t make you a great company.  You cannot get from good to great without a team.  Grow your team, not just your star.

2.  Treat all employees the same. This may start some arguments.  Gilbert made a huge mistake when it came to LeBron.  He let LeBron pick his coach (Mike Brown), pick his teammates (Mo Williams, Shaq, etc), pick his itinerary.  He got his coach fired (Mike Brown).  LeBron’s friends got high-paying jobs in the organization (friends with no college degrees that had no business working for an NBA organization).  LeBron got anything and everything he wanted.  He was The King.  He was Cleveland’s own.  He was the best, so they gave him everything in order to satisfy him.  To keep him.   All for nothing.   All for a great player that delivered no rings.  And in pro sports, rings define success.  He got everything, the organization (and team) got nothing (exaggerating a bit here).  Treat your employees the same.  Superstar employees don’t deserve special treatment.  It breeds resentment, lack of trust, and ruins a team.  I’ve seen it happen.  Gilbert wouldn’t stand up to LeBron, and it cost him dearly.  Nobody is above the team.

3.  Have people that can tell you “no.” At some point, somebody had to tell Gilbert he was making a mistake in the way he dealt with LeBron.  It seems clear to me that the only person he would listen to was LeBron.  Anybody that wanted to stand up to LeBron, got fired (see: Mike Brown, Danny Ferry).  As a result, Gilbert not only lost his star player, but he lost a good coach and good GM.  Gilbert needed to have a “no-man.”  Every leader needs that person.  They might just be the most valuable person in an organization.

4.  Have a backup plan. LeBron left.  Cleveland is now left with a lineup that strikes fear into only a little league team.  LeBron hadn’t communicated with Gilbert or anybody in the Cleveland organization for several weeks.  They had to have known he was leaving.  Yet they had no backup plan.  They were one of the top teams in the league the past few years.  They now immediately go back to being a low-rung NBA team, regardless of how much passion Gilbert’s letter had.  Always have a plan in place.  Treat people as though they are irreplaceable, but have a plan to replace them, as harsh as that sounds (re-read number 1).

What would you add to this list?

It seems like every summer Megan and I start watching a new show.  Let’s face it, the summer tv selection is pretty dim.  Outside of So You Think You Can Dance and Wipeout, you’ve got nothing.  And we all know the new format of SYTYCD is pretty lame.  I mean, there’s no reason to have a top 10 rather than a top 20, just to bring back has-beens from years past.  Dominic was creepy during his original time on the show.  We don’t need more of that.  Less Dominic, that’s what we need.  Wait, guys don’t watch SYTYCD?  Me either.

Last summer, we started Heroes.  We got hooked, got caught up on past seasons, then they cancelled it.  Time, wasted.  This year our summer show is Friday Night Lights.  We watched one of the new episodes and decided, “Hey, this is pretty legit.  We need to get caught up on this.”  Three weeks later we are almost finished with Season 3 (thank you Netflix streaming on the Wii.).  One word: dominating.  This show might be my all-time favorite.  Better than Seinfeld.  Better than House.  Better than LOST.  Did I just say “better than LOST?”  Believe it kids. Look, I went to High School at one of the top football schools in the country.  We won the state championship every year from my 8th grade year until a year after I graduated (that would be 6 years in a row).  We have multiple players playing Division 1 football and in the NFL.  High School football was kind of a big deal for us.  And everybody hated us for it (which I am still, amazingly enough, reminded of to this day every time I say where I went to HS).  For the record, I weighed approximately 72lbs in high school, so no, I wasn’t collecting rings.  My high school memories are part of what draws me to Friday Night Lights.  Outside of that, the characters (and actors) are amazing.  Anybody would want their kid to play for coach Eric Taylor.  His motto is: Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.  Freaking love that.  It also makes me rethink High School.  I look back on it and think about the people I judged without knowing their situation.  Who did I make fun of who was living at home, without any parents, having to care for their sick grandmother?  Who did I ignore that lived with an alcoholic waste of a mother?  We all knew these people.  We stayed away from them because they were “dirty” or “bad influences” or “not going anywhere with their life.”  Really, we just didn’t take the time to know their stories.  Hopefully I can convince my son to do it differently.

Check out this clip from the end of Season 1.  The star QB, Jason Street (think Peyton Manning, JR), takes a nasty hit during a game that puts him in the hospital.  The team, and the town, is trying to figure out how to cope.

Are you a fan of Friday Night Lights?  What is your favorite show?

Last night LeBron James, the self-proclaimed “King”, made a decision about his future.  A decision that has been hyped by ESPN for the last two years, in expectation of “The Summer of LeBron.”  A decision culminating in a one hour special on ESPN dubbed “The Decision.”  LeBron James was a Free Agent.  For non-sports fans, this is like The Bachelor.  They sign on for “marriage” and are engaged for approximately 8 months.  Once that time is up, they break-up, have a TV special about it, and are free to be with other people.  Get it?  LeBron could’ve have met with teams in their cities.  In their offices.  Instead, he made them come to his downtown Cleveland offices (yes, he has offices for his “company”) and present to him why he should come to their respective teams.  This video was part of the Cavs presentation.  Disgusting.  I’ve been a basketball fan my entire life.  I grew up watching Michael Jordan dominate the NBA.  I’m not sure I’ve ever been more disappointed in a player or a league as I was last night.  So, as a fan, here are 10 thoughts regarding “The Decision”:

1.  It isn’t about why LeBron left Cleveland, it’s about how he left Cleveland.  It was his home.  Every hope for a professional championship for the city of Cleveland rested on his shoulders.  They adore(d) him.  Worshipped him.  He held a one hour special to rip their hearts out?  And from all reports, the organization didn’t know his decision until it came out of his mouth on ESPN?  He didn’t have to re-sign with them.  He doesn’t owe them that.  But he does owe them respect.

2.  LeBron will never be MJ.  Or Kobe.  Or even DWade.  Heck, right now DWade is more MJ than LeBron is.  LeBron is now Scottie Pippen 2.0.  He couldn’t win championships with the role players he had in Cleveland.  I mean, he couldn’t get good enough players to come to Cleveland with him.  Yeah, that’s what I meant.  He has to settle for being second fiddle in Miami.  DWade’s town.  His team.  LeBron is now the sidekick.  I don’t think he will handle that well.  At all.

3.  LeBron isn’t the only athlete with an ego.  Let’s face it, the greatest athletes in the world, Kevin Durant aside, are selfish.  Michael Jordan may have the biggest ego on the planet.  That is, until last night.  Jordan screamed at his teammates, degraded his teammates, fought his teammates.  But Jordan won.  A lot.  He demanded greatness from his teammates and they gave him greatness.  If the media existed in Jordan’s era like it did today, most of us wouldn’t be Jordan fans.  (not to mention the fact that he cheated on his wife numerous times, resulting in their divorce)

4.  I love Kevin Durant.

5.  The Miami Heat will not win a championship with DWade, LeBron and Bosh.  Wade and LeBron are the same player.  They won’t be able to share.  This isn’t the Olympics.  If he wanted to win, he would’ve gone to the Bulls, in my opinion.  I don’t think the Heat can beat the Lakers.  DWade and Bosh, before adding LeBron, had a better chance to win.

6.  Never, ever is it ok to refer to yourself in the third person.  LeBron did this several times last night.  “LeBron James had to do what was best for LeBron James.  It came down to what was best for LeBron James and his family.”  Stop it.

7.  All this hype for a quitter?  LeBron has quit on his team in the last to NBA Playoffs.  Then whined, refused to shake hands and give press conferences.  And he has zero rings.  So why were teams catering to him?  Anybody?  Anybody?

8.  Kobe Bryant is on a mission.  You know he is praying that the Lakers make to the Finals and get to play the Heat.

9.  To LeBron’s credit, he is taking less money to go with Miami.  As much as it is about Brand LeBron, he legitimately thinks he has the best chance to win in Miami.  I disagree, but he took less money to go there.  Though given Florida’s tax laws, that’s debatable.  One pseudo-admirable move.

10.  I love Kevin Durant.

11.  We are all witnesses.  To something.  I just don’t know what to yet.  But it isn’t good. (I know, it’s 11.  But I really like Kevin Durant)

What did you think about The Decision?

I’ll admit it.  I’m one of “those” Americans.  You know what I’m talking about.  Those who hate soccer for 3.9 out of 4 years then acts excited about it during the World Cup.  I have no problem admitting that.  I didn’t play soccer growing up, don’t really understand it, but I can get excited about the World Cup.  But it is new for me.  I didn’t love it until four years ago.  It was just after March Madness, and we had hired a guy from Portugal at our office.  He saw how we pretty much shut down the office for the basketball tournament, with brackets covering our walls.  He innocently asked, “So what do you guys do for the World Cup?”  Really?  My response was, “Uh, work.”  He was crushed.  The World Cup came around, I saw how passionate he was about it, and I started watching some games.  He shared stories about how, during Portugal games, the entire country shuts down.  People fill pubs, pour into the streets, sing, dance and cheer together for the entirety of the game.  So I found myself glued to the TV.  I loved seeing countries come together and screaming their brains out for 90 minutes, shaking stadiums with their unified chants.  I was blown away.  The US only gets that unified over the Twilight Saga and its hatred for Britney Spears.  I found myself staying up late to watch games.  Getting up early to watch games.  I was watching soccer.  The one sport I had always hated (besides hockey, which still sucks).

It ended, Italy won, and I didn’t care about soccer anymore.  Four years later, the World Cup is back.  And I’ve been pumped.  I’ve watched as many games as I can – mostly online, but still.  The US had a huge match against England that ended in a tie.  I know, I know, ties are ridiculous.  I agree, but still it was a riveting game and the US was lucky to come out with a tie (thanks to England’s weak goal keeper).  Then came Slovenia.  The US was down 2-0.  Not good.  The second half was amazing.  Landon Donovan, a guy I can’t stand, had a ridiculous goal.  2-1.  Then Bradley scored.  2-2.  Game on.  In the final 10 minutes, Edu scored.  Game, set, match, US.  Wait, it didn’t count?  There was a penalty?  Of what?  On who?  Questions we still don’t have answers to, but it was ridiculous.  Here’s a picture of the US getting bear hugged on the goal.  Not sure where the US penalty was:

The US tied.  Hearts broken.  Outrage.  Suddenly America is interested in soccer.  Amazingly, the team handled it well.  Then Algeria.  Win and you advance.  Lose and you go home.  Tie and you still need some help.  I was impressed, the US came out firing.  Barely missing on some shots, but playing well.  Then Dempsey scores!  Wait, what?!  Offsides?  Clearly FIFA hates the United States.  Their quality control is worse than BP’s.  Here’s the mysterious off-sides:

If I’m the US, I probably quit right there.  Either that or have Dempsey, a Texan, calf-rope the ref into submission.  Ridiculous.  The US had what seemed like 10 shots on goal that barely missed.  England had scored in their match against Slovenia, so the US had to score in order to not go home.  Honestly, the US deserved to beat Algeria.  They had played incredible.  But after 90 minutes, 0-0.  They were awarded 4 minutes of extra time (something I still don’t understand, but sure do love right now).  45 seconds into extra time, Landon Donovan scored.  The US would go on to not only win the game, but win their group and advance.  Redemption.  I could watch this all day.

Go Soccer.  Go America.

photo by chris landsberger, The Oklahoman

Last week I wrote this post, giving my thoughts about the madness that was happening in college football.  The Big 12 was crumbling and teams were making a mass exodus towards other conferences.  The Pac 10 was becoming the Pac 16, Nebraska was in the Big 10 and college football as we knew it was forever changed.  Or not.

As it turns out, nothing major happened.  Nebraska left for the Big 10 (now Big 12?) and Colorado bolted for the Pac 10 (11?).  And that’s it.  Yesterday it was announced that the Big 12′s remaining 10 teams would stick together.  Texas and OU will get to have their own TV networks, and every school in the conference will get some serious cash.  Texas and OU will get an additional $20mil per year, while other schools will double their current amount, receiving at least $14mil.  The sickening thing about this, and those figures, it that we are talking about amateur athletes.  The schools just got significantly richer, while the athletes will continue to get abused.  I don’t know what the answer is in terms of fixing this problem, but it disgusts me.  Schools preach academics.  The NCAA does whatever it can do to penalize schools and players whenever a player accepts a gift (whether it be cash or otherwise).  USC just got 2 years probation, lost 30 scholarships and forfeited wins because a player 6 years ago accepted gifts from an agent.  Yet the schools of the Big 12 just added $14-20mil to their checkbook because of these same players?  Right.

Back to the non-conference-realignment.  Honestly, I was excited about the possibility of the new Pac 16.  I thought it was a good thing for the Big 12 and for Oklahoma State University, my alma mater.  That being said, I am excited that the Big 12 is sticking together, minus Nebraska and Colorado.  It dropped two weak links in basketball, and two weak links in football.  Yes, I know that Nebraska has a strong tradition in football.  But they’ve had 3 losing seasons in the past 6 years.  And they play in the Big 12 North.  Not exactly great football.  I’m not sad to see them go.  What I’m not sad about?  Playing Kansas twice a year in basketball (Yes, they are good.  Really good.  But I like watching good teams play).  Playing Texas twice a year in basketball (same as above).  Round robin football schedule, playing every team every year – though I still wish we would have a conference championship game.

So here we are, 5 days later, with nothing really changing.  Texas played their hand incredibly well and got what it wanted – it’s own TV network.  And a boatload of cash.  The other teams tagged right along, knowing that Texas was their meal-ticket.  It’s not the best way to run an organization, but it worked.  For now.

Thoughts?

Bye bye Big 12.  Assuming you don’t live in Afghanistan, you are aware that there are some serious changes happening in college football.  It all started when Colorado (a Big 12 school) bolted for the Pac 10 (or 11).  Then today, Boise State left the WAC for the MWC, which should now be a BCS conference, with BSU, Utah, BYU and TCU – dang…that’s pretty stout.  Also today, Nebraska is expected to abandon the Big 12 for the Big 10 (which is really the Big 11 to begin with, but is now the new Big 12?), leaving the Big 12 as the new Big 10…for now.  Next week, Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech are expected to join the Pac 10 (11), making it the Pac 16, or the Big Pac, or the Middle Pacific Conference of Football Domination.  That is, if A&M doesn’t go to the SEC (depending on which reports you read/believe).  That leaves Baylor, Kansas State, Iowa State and Kansas as the remaining Big 4 of the once mighty Big 12.  You follow?  Me either.

So what do I think about all this? I’m not going to go into all 473 angles on this.  I know there are a lot of things involved, these are just my thoughts (disclaimer, I am an Oklahoma State grad).  First, I am amazed that a conference as powerful as the Big 12 is being destroyed.  Nobody other than the SEC has enjoyed as much dominance in football in the last 14 years (since the Big 12 was formed).  And this is all about football.  Which is why I like it.  The Pac 10 is much better than the Big 12 North, when it comes to football.  Nebraska will be good this year, but has been awful for a decade.  Mizzouri and KU have had decent seasons, but are not football schools.  Kansas State was only good under Bill Snyder, and he won’t get them back to that level.  Iowa St and Colorado?  Please.  So we take most of the Big 12 South (besides Baylor), move to the Pac 10, and include Arizona and Arizona St in the division.  Throw in 2-3 games with the Pac 10 North (or whatever we call it), like USC, Oregon, Washington, UCLA…I’ll take it.  Fun road trips, power conference, big games.  Yes, USC is going to be hurting for a while given the smackdown the NCAA delivered to them yesterday, but they’ll rebound (hopefully without Lane Kiffin).  Initially I thought that OSU was screwed, in terms of competition.  I thought they’d get chewed up and spit out in this new conference.  Reality?  They should be top 3.  Texas, OU, OSU.  With USC’s probation, they are set back 5 years.  Oregon?  In disarray.  UCLA?  Still building.  Texas Tech?  No Leach, no program.  A&M?  Eh.  Oklahoma State, if things continue their recent trend, should be looking good in the new conference.  But that’s football.  Basketball?  OSU should be top 3  or 4 in the conference.  Honestly just the thought of OSU playing UCLA in Pauley Pavilion gives me chills.  Can’t wait for that road trip.

Three things I don’t like about it.  One, the culture.  The Big 12 has a distinct culture.  It is a working man’s conference.  Hard work, blue collar, down home goodness (I would venture to say similar to the SEC).  The Pac 10?  The Pac 10 is Hollywood.  They don’t care near as much about their sports as the Big 12.  They don’t live and die by wins and losses.  Number two, Kansas basketball.  One of the top 3 programs in the history of college basketball.  Done.  Left to beg itself into the Big East or MWC?  Heartbreaking.  Absolutely heartbraking.  Personally, I’d rather take them to the Pac 10 than Texas Tech.  KU and UCLA in the same basketball conference?  Yes please.  I feel bad for Kansas. Third,  Oklahoma City.  This move almost makes OKC irrelevant in the college sports world.  We’ve hosted Big 12 baseball, basketball, softball and women’s basketball tournaments.  I don’t see that happening in the new conference.  I hope I’m wrong.

So those are my jumbled thoughts about all of this madness.  The next few weeks will be crazy.  Buckle up.

What are your thoughts about all of this?

John Robert Wooden.  Coach Wooden.  The greatest coach ever.  Pro, college, any sport.  Nobody compares.  Not Lombardi, not Bryant, not coach K, not Belicheck.  John Wooden passed away last week at the age of 99.  10 NCAA Championships.  7 in a row.  Countless players mentored.  Never made more than $35k in a year.  Never asked for a raise.  Greatest coach ever, but an even better man and husband.

In my last job I went through some leadership training, part of which included reading one of Wooden’s books.  Growing up a basketball fan, I always admired Coach Wooden as a coach.  This book gave some serious insight into his wisdom, his faith and who he was as a man.  He was, admittedly, a man of faith.  One quote that sticks out to me of his is this, “I have always tried to make it clear that basketball is not the ultimate. It is of small importance in comparison to the total life we live. There is only one kind of life that truly wins, and that is the one that places faith in the hands of the Savior.  If I were ever prosecuted for my religion, I truly hope there would be enough evidence to convict me.”  Not exactly the type of words we are used to hearing from today’s coaches.  He is a man that you would die to play for.  To learn from.  His leadership lessons will go on for years.  On the day he died, tons of quotes of his were flying around the internet.  It was pretty amazing to witness.  Out of all of his inspirational quotes, one sticks out to me the most.  I read it during my last job and it pops back into my head on almost a weekly basis.

Don’t mistake activity for achievement.

Pretty simple.  I could write an entire post on just this quote, but to be brief, it helps me to be deliberate about my actions.  Being busy doesn’t mean I’m actually doing anything.  Having my calendar full doesn’t mean I’m having an impact.  Be deliberate about your actions.  Think before you do.  Don’t mistake activity for achievement.  Thanks Coach.

What is your favorite Coach Wooden quote?

50 win season.  NBA Scoring Champ (the youngest ever).  Now?  The NBA Playoffs against the Lakers.  It’s time.

Beat LA!

144 days since he last played competitive golf.
4 1/2 months since all hell broke loose in his world.
4 under par 68.
First time in his Masters career (16 years) to break 70 in the first round
2 Eagles in one round at The Masters for the first time.
2 shots off of the lead.

He’s back.  As a fan of golf, I love it.  As a fan of second chances, I embrace it.

How do you feel about it?  Do you care?

stole this from Scott Williams

Are you ready for the NCAA Championship game?  Go Butler!