We are Pirates, by Tim Shea

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Its over, its done, we lost and I can now begin. The Major League Baseball (my first love) “World Series” is over and my New York Yankees lost 4 games to 1 to the new 2024 World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, so as I stated I can now dedicate my thoughts on my other passion, the wonderful world of basketball

I need to say that my contributions to Piratas Del Basket, will NOT be characterized by my biting my tongue or closing my mind. I hope I will make you feel something above and beyond what you are comfortable with. And if I can make you think then I have accomplished something more.

Unlike MLB, the NBA “World Champions” title has for been changed to “The Larry O’Brian Trophy Winners” and the term World Champions has all been eliminated from the NBA terminology.

I would, however like to comment that, although there are some very good, highly competitive CLUB teams outside the NBA, they would not, in any way, shape or form, in a seven game series be able to defeat an NBA championship caliber team no matter what some Euro League coaches declare publicly.

You can bet some euros on that. Keep in mind that:

The NBA is a league where top players around the world are playing. In addition to LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, Nigerian-European players such as Giannis Antetokounmpo (who has already become MVP twice) and Slovenian Luka Doncic are also considered as one of the best players in the league. They average solid statistics both during regular and post-season. If we take a look at the status and level of different players, the abundance of NBA world-class athletes is evident and visible. Finally, The United States has dominated the basketball world for the past decades winning the gold medals in the 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024 Olympics. The domination of the United States is visible and because of the fact that they have the strongest team in the world, it also affects their status as world champions. The NBA are the STRONGEST CLUBS and the winner of that league deserves to call themselves WORLD CHAMPIONS. End of story.

A little bit about me. I have been coaching, with a curiosity and passion, in one way or another, since I was 15 years old starting with of course that first love, baseball. Rockaway Beach, New York was my hometown and I was part of the recreational, juvenile programs that happened in all New York Public School system, in the summer months, all over our peninsula. Mine was Public School #54. I was the big boss of 10-12 year old’s learning sports(softball) in our cement covered playground. I was their instructor, coach, big brother, friend and umpire. And the city paid me to do it. It was I think it was back then that I began to feel that this “Coaching thing” had the desirable goal of seeking, Some Form of Perfection.

That it was like trying to compose the #1 Hit on the music charts or Painting a Renoir or Maybe “just” a mystical Van Gogh? In a word a Masterpiece.

And as years went by and as I followed my destiny to become a professional coach it becomes almost an obsession that I wanted to coach that game where EVERYTHING went PERFECTLY. That it went exactly as it was planned. As it turned out there were some near perfect ones.(and some disasters too)

Which all brings me to the subject of this piece and a man that came as close to coaching a perfect game as I have ever seen.

The one and only Coach Dan Peterson.

The coach that became THE MAN in Italian Basketball. The man that became ambassador and voice of the world of Pallacanestro.

Dustin Hoffman starred in the movie “Little Big Man”-“Pequeño Gran Hombre” and it is what I nicknamed Coach Dan. He would tell me, “Stay out of trouble, Timmy” referring to my Irish temperament and my propensity for receiving Technical Fouls often gifted to me by the Italian referees.

I latched on to absolutely EVERYTHING Coach Peterson wrote, said or did. And that man eventually won or was awarded the following accolades.

Euroleague champion (1987),
European Coach of the Year (1987),
50 Greatest Euro League Contributors (2008),
FIBA Korać Cup champion (1985)
5× Italian League champion (1976, 1982, 1985–1987),
3× Italian Cup winner (1974, ’86, ’87),
2× Italian Coach of the Year (1986, 1987),
Italian Basketball Hall of Fame (2012),
Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame (1995)

I attended his camps in Salsomaggiore Terme, I went to his clinics in Montecatini, I went to his games both in Milan and Bologna, I went to his practice sessions in Milan and in Bologna. And finally, I have his books that are studied, used and worn down with love.

Never losing his cool, or raising his voice in games but always being in command and under control, he was the epitome of excellence.

I suggest and recommend that any coach that wishes to know the secrets of success and know how to become a Grand Mister in this game we love so dearly take the time and the expense needed to get to know arguably the greatest coach from across the pond to ever work in Europe (more about him in the future)

Thank you for you time and I leave you with some thoughts:

Jump Ball Section

A small note to all our dear TV basketball announcers -I question if they are doing it because their intentions are dishonest and that they are loudly trying out to become higher paid, soccer game announcers. It must be said here that these are TWO VERY DIFFERENT games and while BASKETBALL has UNLIMITED substitutions, the other, SOCCER allows, IN GENERAL, a maximum of just five. Basketball games can have five substitutions in the first five minutes of play!

Basketball has numerous time outs while Soccer does not.

The difference in the penalty aspect is an entire world!

One is played indoors!!. Finally one defines itself by creating mismatches and changing rhythms!! Maybe our dear TV commentators can start to describe these aspects also and not just tell us who has the ball?

Nothing good comes from Hysteria Department:

Coach Epi of LEYMA Coruna is the example of cool, calm and collected, and the maintaining the nerves necessary to be a good coach. Bravo!

Replay Refs

Can some order be brought to the never ending interruptions of professional basketball games? It has become like an infected tooth that needs treatment. Please!!

Final Two

My friends, this word of advice as you go forward in this life we live:

The battles you choose not to fight are every bit as important as the ones you do. & To sport clubs.. As in business those that make decisions based on politics will fail while those that decide based on logic will succeed.