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Basketball Fool's Gold - Have You Been Hooked?
By Coach Randy Brown

Fool's gold is defined as "unlike the real stuff, relatively worthless". When a mirage rises above the horizon in the desert, it appears as if there is a fountain of refreshment ahead. Once at the site, nothing but heat and sand exist. This same scenario is illustrated in any basketball game, regardless of level.

The same goes for the game of basketball in many ways. Parts of the game "appear" glamorous or fancy to the average fan or coach. What is fool's gold in the game of basketball? Are you a fascinated fan or a flavor-of-the-day coach? If so, the following list will surprise you.

1. The Slam Dunk---The dunk is a great part of the game only when kept in perspective. The shot counts the same as a lay-up, 12-footer, or two free throws. It is beneficial because of the message is can send and momentum is can create.

The slam dunk is fool's gold because: 1. It is linked to player ability. Many times the ability to dunk has NOTHING to do with the players' ability to understand and play the game properly. 2. Kids spend an inordinate amount of time working to dunk the ball and a pathetically minimal amount of time working on fundamentals, shooting, and working on their game the right way. 3. E.S.P.N. dictates a lot of basketball "knowledge" to American viewers and dunks always make the highlights. Because of this fact, purists have labeled the dunk, "The Idiots Delight".

2. Blocked Shot---The blocked shot can be a momentum changer and a defensive weapon. It is a part, albeit a small part, of a defensive system of play.

The blocked shot is fool's gold because: 1. It is associated with playing great defense. Good team do block shots occasionally, but there are many awful defensive teams that block shots too. 2. By "trying" to block shots, players give up position, rebounding advantage, and usually remove themselves from the play once the block is not made. In other words, for what you gain, most of the time you put your team at a disadvantage when trying to block shots. 3. Many times the attempt to block a shot is nothing more than excuse to disregard a solid defensive effort and bail out on your team. 4. A majority of blocked shots go out of bounds, giving possession back to the offense.

3. Three Point Shots---The three point shot is an incredible offensive weapon. Many teams have built their offensive attack around the "trifecta". College coaches recruit players for their sharpshooting ability. Not only is the three-pointer a potent weapon, it has added greatly to interest and excitement for the game.

The three point shot is fool's gold because: 1. Teams that see the shot as their ticket to the promised land often fall short of victory. Live by the three and die by the three as they say. 2. Taking a three can be a cope out for persevering through the 35 second shot clock. It is often a bail out shot, meaning the team or player are willing to "settle" for taking the easy three. 3. Do your homework and check out three-point percentages. A little math will prove why this shot can be fool's gold. 4. It is seen as a way to get back into a game, but many times by launching too many threes, a team will dig a hole too deep to get out of.

4. Tattoos---Tattoos are as common as Chuck Taylor's used to be. There may be messages hidden in these human art pieces, but I'm not sure it adds to the game.

Tattoos are fool's gold because: 1. When tattoos first surfaced on the basketball floor, they brought an air of toughness with them. Now any ol' wimp can wear a tattoo! 2. Pistol Pete Maravich didn't need a tattoo to score 44 points a game throughout his college career.

5. Hustle---By all means, the game needs players that hustle all over the floor. The trained observer can spot a player that seems to be playing hard but in actuality gets nothing positive done.

Hustle is fool's gold because: 1. There is smart hustle and dumb hustle. Many coaches can not distinguish between the two. There is a huge difference between the two. 2. The game should be played hard AND smart. Some players equate hard play and hustle with productive play. 3. A great example is a player that attempts a steal. The play appears to be good hustle, but this attempt actually hurts the team. Why? A player will steal the ball about 1 of 5 times. In 4 of 5 situations, the player puts his team in a 5 vs. 4 disadvantage situation. This disadvantage is known as "outside looking in" and usually creates a foul or points for the opponent.

6. The Ball Handling Wiz---We all love the player that controls the ball as if an extension of his hand. Good ball handlers are commonplace in today's game. Great ball handlers are few and far between.

The ball handling wiz is fool's gold because: 1. Over-dribbling is one of the common "offensive killers" in basketball. It shows the dribbling ability of the player but little else. The dribble is best used purposefully and three dribbles is usually a good rule. 2. When a player is dribbling, he is not passing. Too many baskets are bypassed because of excessive dribbling. 3. A player with the ball is much easier to guard than a player without the ball. That's why Dr. James Naismith invented the game to include the dribble and the pass!