In the annals of sports, no rivalry stands the test of time like Lakers versus Celts, a rivalry that begins anew when the NBA finals start on Thursday night.
Nothing can touch the history (count ‘em - 16 NBA championships for the Celtics, 14 for the Lakers, 10 head-to-head match-ups in the finals).
When you utter names like Russell, Cousy, Chamberlain, West, Magic, Bird, McHale, Kareem and Kobe, so many magical moments come to mind. It’s the proverbial smorgasbord of great performances.
And are there two more iconic and timeless leaders than Zen-like Phil Jackson and victory cigar toting Red Auerbach, both of whom are tied for an NBA-most nine championships?
As a fan, I love all sports because I love the drama, the angst, the heartbreak, the joy and the moments of triumph captured in time.
As an entrepreneur, I love sports as a metaphor for winning, team, coaching, counter-moves, clock management and the indelible-ness of individual brilliant performances within the construct of winning.
Basketball, however, holds a special place for me. As a lifelong Lakers fan, I grew up during the rise of the Magic-al Showtime Lakers, thrilled to the chaotic greatness of the Kobe-Shaq-Phil championships, and this year has been, oh so satisfying, akin to a virtuous performance.
Plus, basketball has always been to me the perfect blending of superstar talent, individual performances blended into team, speed, drama, between-game adjustments, and a series mindset that has no rival in football (and baseball is just too slow, too cerebral).
In any event, fingers crossed for the Lakers to reach the pinnacle in this year (and in the years ahead).
What follows are some random sports nuggets:
- Phil Jackson on leadership (from Sacred Hoops): Most leaders tend to view teamwork as a social engineering problem: take x group, add y motivational technique and get z result. But working with the Bulls I've learned that the most effective way to forge a winning team is to call on the players' need to connect with something larger than themselves. Even for those who don't consider themselves "spiritual" in a conventional sense, creating a successful team -- whether it's an NBA champion or a record-setting sales force -- is essentially a spiritual act... When players practice what is known as mindfulness -- simply paying attention to what's actually happening -- not only do they play better and win more, they also become more attuned with each other. And the joy they experience working in harmony is a powerful motivating force that comes from deep within, not from some frenzied coach pacing along the sidelines, shouting obscenities into the air.
- Two great books blending sports/leadership/strategy: Think Like a Champion (by Mike Shanahan); Finding a Way to Win (by Bill Parcells)
- Forum Blue and Gold: the best most insightful, knowledgeable, Laker blog, with great analysis in comments
- Kobe highlights reel from Lakers v. San Antonio on YouTube (click watch in high quality below player)
- John Wooden's Pyramid of Success Graphic (explained in detail in Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations On and Off the Court)
