Secrets to scouting
Toolbox
Published: January 6, 2009
The guy I sat with at the Spaulding vs. Montpelier boys basketball game two weeks ago could be forgiven a few dreamy-eyed moments.
Fifteen years ago he was out there on the Tide court with the likes of Matt George, Travis Paquet and Judd LeBlanc draining treys en route to a 100-point game against the Solons.
Ancient memories aside, Mike Osborne, entering his fourth year as head coach at Johnson State College, his alma mater, had a job to do. He was looking over the talent.
What did he see?
"I always try to get to a game well before the tip to watch warmups and to administer the 'Eye Ball' test," Osborne said.
"Which team just looks physically superior? Which team just looks quicker, stronger and faster? More often than not, I feel you can get a good gauge of how the game might go."
Division I Spaulding had an obvious height advantage at most positions, but Osborne, a former talent evaluator for the Frost Heaves and player for the Washington Nationals, felt the more significant advantage was in girth and muscle relative to Division II Montpelier.
That showed up in the scramble for loose, or 5-0/50, balls.
"I felt SHS was able to react quicker to those balls or physically ward off their opponent and win a higher percentage of those balls," Osborne said.
The "Eye Ball" test during warmups does more than help predict game outcomes – it also tells him most of what he needs to know about the character of individual players.
"How do the young men that we are looking at prepare themselves? How are they helping in the preparation of their teammates? Do they go game speed through the various warmup activities? Do they appear mentally engaged in the warmup or are they gazing into the crowd or going through the motions? I love the guys that have the good body language, get a good sweat going and appear focused and ready for the contest."
Regionally, Osborne says he's been impressed with the increase in athleticism.
"Players and coaches are generally preparing themselves better and better as time goes on," he said. "Much of this is due to the advances in strength and conditioning in general as well as the focus of athletes on their particular sport at an earlier age."
Improved athleticism aside, Osborne says he finds himself "longing to see more true point guards, low-post scorers that have more than one 'go-to' post move and legitimate shooters with range."
When Osborne and his staff talk talent for Johnson State, the first question they ask themselves is simple: Can this guy play a particular position at the NCAA Division III level?
"I've seen some 5-foot-10 guys that have some very good post moves in the past," he said. "But the reality is that it would be very hard for a young man that size to step in at this level and have a ton of success playing the four or five position."
Other initial questions include: Can they compete physically? Do they have a unique skill such as 3-point shooting, low-post scoring, perimeter defender, etc?
What about heart? The sports cliché says, "You can't coach heart." But I've quibbled with that old saw for years, refusing to accept its dismal view of human potential.
So I asked Osborne about it.
"Heart, for me, has a lot to do with self-motivation," he responded. "One way you can help coach 'heart' is to surround one that might lack some of it with many others that possess it. At the college level I do have some ability to pick and choose the types of individuals with which we fill our roster. Best-case scenario, we have many self-motivated guys."
Sloppy on the bus, sloppy in the game
Our kindergarten teachers were right: neatness does count.
A surprise area where it also seems to count is scholastic sports performance. In fact, a local team bus driver has a 14-5 record this season in predicting the outcomes of games based solely on how neat the team leaves the bus.
Roger Crowley of Montpelier, an ex-coach, retired teacher and now a freelance photographer (CrowleyPhotos.com), is also a part-time driver for First Student. He has driven high school teams this season from Northfield, Williamstown, U-32, Montpelier and Spaulding the length of the state. The teams have included wrestling, hockey, hoops and cross-country.
"Winners," he says, "are more organized and tend to make sure the bus is clean and all belongings and equipment is accounted for. It's not quite that simple, but you get the idea. Losing teams leave the bus a mess before they even play the game. When I sweep the bus at the end of the trip, I find food leftovers, empty bottles, mouthpieces, boots, sneakers, water bottles, socks, gloves, hats, backpacks and unmentionables scattered around the back of the bus."
Crowley says his favorite teams to transport are the Montpelier girls basketball and girls hockey teams, the Spaulding girls hockey team and "any team (U-32's) Dan Gandin is coaching!"
Tough to argue with a 14-5 record.
Division IV hoops back on the air
A few local Division IV hoops teams are finally getting some "stinkin' respect" on the airwaves thanks to WGDR (91.1 FM) in Plainfield.
My old pal, station manager Greg Hooker, tells me they're ready to go for the third year running with live broadcasts of Twinfield vs. Cabot varsity basketball games.
"We're doing this again for the same reason as usual," Hooker says. "They, and other D-IV teams, don't get no stinkin' respect from the commercial stations, unless they get to the Aud."
He adds that GDR will also cover Cabor and Twinfield at the Aud. if they make it that far.
Hooker credits volunteer programmer Charles Rossel of Cabot as the prime mover behind the broadcasts, either on mic or running the board back in the studio.
Students interested in broadcasting are also encouraged to help with the project. "They'll get real hands-on experience, including the chance to go on mic and help us with play-by-play," says Hooker.
Here's the schedule:
Thurs. Jan. 8: Girls at Cabot
Fri. Jan 16: Boys at Twinfield
Thurs. Jan 29: Girls at Twinfield
Fri. Feb 6: Boys at Cabot
All game broadcast times are 7 pm.
Puzzler No. 109
Two weeks ago I asked folks to identify the NHL teams that made venue shifts in recent years. The answers:
A. The Spectrum to Wachovia Center (Answer: Philadelphia Flyers) B. Olympia Stadium to Joe Louis Arena (Detroit Red Wings) C. Maple Leaf Gardens to Air Canada Centre (Toronto Maple Leafs) D. Boston Garden to TD Banknorth Garden (Boston Bruins) E. Molson Centre to Bell Centre (Montreal Canadians) F. Mellon Arena to CONSOL Energy Center (Pittsburgh Penguins) G. Memorial Auditorium to Marine Midland Arena (Buffalo Sabres) H. Chicago Center to United Center (Chicago Blackhawks)
Congrats to Mike Lavin, Jan Gantzhorn, Jim Slotter and Sean Bradley.
Puzzler No. 110
The following sports are very popular in the countries listed. Your challenge is to match up the sport with the country.
A. Bog Snorkeling (Competitors use flippers to race through a water-filled trench cut through a peat bog.)
B. Toe Wrestling (Individuals lock toes together and force their opponent's foot to the ground.)
C. Man vs. Horse Marathon (Human contestants race through an obstacle course against mounted horse contestants.)
D. Wife Carrying (Male competitors race through an obstacle course while carrying a female teammate.)
E. Octopush (underwater hockey)
1. Wales
2. New Zealand/South Africa
3. Finland
4. United Kingdom
5. Wales (again)
Send your Puzzler answers and sporting news to jimhiggins@pshift.com.
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