Something new... A book review... Sacred Hoops by. Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty

I’m going to do something new because I did something I haven't done in a while… I read a book, cover to cover, in one afternoon. I went to Barnes and Noble the other day and purchased a few books I was hunting. This is one of them. Go buy it. Now.  

I’ve been looking for Phil Jackson’s books for a while, and looking for time to read them. It's summer break and I have two pools at my apt complex. After making it home from the store I realized I had nothing else to do for the day. I headed to the pool, book in hand. A few hours later, a few breaks, here and there, and I was done. It's a very well written book and this review is definitely meant to coax you into putting your eyes on a copy. There is a lot of wisdom in the pages and incredible insight into what it takes to lead people towards a common goal. 

First off, I grew up in the 90’s. Many of my most vivid memories are watching the greatest athlete of all time win 6 rings with the Chicago Bulls. My friends and I would watch them together, my dad loved watching Jordan play. I think now, he liked watching the Bulls play. I always knew there was something special about that team, there had to be. How else did they win so much? I was way to young and immature to see it then. Reading this book confirmed my suspicion, those were special teams. 

Phil Jackson was the coach of the Chicago Bulls during their two 3peats. He inherited Jordan as a member of the team. The other parts, and the development of their success was a collective effort, lead principally by Phil Jackson. 

Phil mentions, as many have already speculated, and believe, the idea that “anyone could have coached the Bulls with Jordan”. Well, while there is truth to that, and one can even hypothesize with the evidence in the text, anyone could have coached the Bulls. But they would not have won 6 titles. This book helps show why and how they managed to win 6 titles in 8 years. 

I was always intrigued by professional coaches. How did they do what they did? Surely, an NBA practice was more than drills and lay ups? I know those are the basics and all, but what else did they do? Also, it was weird to me that they did that for a job? Was practice 8 hours a day? What all else did they do? Of course, I was comparing this to my shallow knowledge of the game. Little league, and middle school ball. As I’ve grown, I’ve understood a lot more. And in that understanding, I have learned to find ways to learn and develop. I love learning new things, and there was a lot in this book. 

The book begins with a discussion over competing ideologies. This conflict serves as the thesis for why Phil is the way he is. 

Phil Grew up in a remarkably strict and devout Christian home. He discussed the influence of his mother and her faith.  Her strength and knowledge is a testament many in this country can relate. Later in the book this incredible piece of understanding clarifies how Phil allowed this to shape his being and actions. 

The value of our identity, all of it, is critical to our development as a person. Phil's ability to move beyond the binary understanding of our being and use all elements of our humanity to reach people is something we should take into account as teachers. Much like teams, our classes are remarkably diverse. All walks of life, all experiences, all income levels. This has to be a part of our understanding. And we have to be aware of this in decision making, classroom management, and how we conduct our classroom overall.

Throughout the text, Phil discussed his Zen philosophies and beliefs. He discussed his understanding of Christianity and how many of the attitudes and values were universal. The strength of compassion and care was not only discussed, but emphasized with moments. Phil worked to impart a philosophy and practice within his players. They were a part of something, and that something was going to be as great as they allowed to be. They were more than just players winning a game. During a playoff run Scottie Pippen lost his father. Phil and the team's reaction was not only personal, it helped deflect suspicion, innuendo, and criticism from outside. During the second 3peat Toni Kukoc had joined the team. Toni was from Croatia, which was in the midst of a bloody Civil War. While no one could have honestly sympathized or felt what Toni was going through, they worked to understand and made accommodations for Toni, as best they could. 

Side note: I remember this story and use it in my class. There is an ESPN 30 for 30 Documentary Once Brothers, over the former Yugoslavian basketball team. Dino Radja, Vlade Divac, Toni Kukoc, and Drazen Petrovic were all parts of this team, and all made it to the NBA. Go watch it and tell me it isn't a compelling story. 

Back to the Review: The word mindfulness is mentioned several times. And if you've ever had the chance to hear Phil discuss this in an interview, mindfulness is one of his favorite words. It would be a big one on his word cloud. He defines mindfulness as simply paying attention to what’s actually happening. When this practice is applied to all the other resources, a shift in awareness occurs (p. 5). People can become attuned with one another, and if you recall (how can you forget) how smooth and poetic the play of the entire Bulls teams, they were in tune with one another. 

I appreciate how Phil contrasts this with a more common view and understanding, the Puritan Work Ethic. Phil was raised in a home where "idle hands and minds were the devils tool." The constant necessity to be "doing" or "working" is something we can all, in some way, understand. This is how we live in this country. This is how we are forced to teach sometimes... What I took from this reading, and what I have learned as I've grown older is speed isn't everything. Taking our time to understand, taking a breath to pause and reflect, simply paying attention to "what's going on" can be powerful. Mindfulness isn't a scary or bad thing... 

The answer to one of my earlier question is, coaches do a lot. And a lot of it has little to do with the sport they coach. The egos, the personalities, the talent, the resources, the goal, all have to have shape and purpose. That's what coaches do. Phil found ways to elevate their talents. He found ways they could grow and learn. The religious discussions within the text often turn to spiritual conversations and journeys. Something much more palatable and workable in the unique dynamic of teams and even classrooms. Wisdom is rarely certain and always cautious. The necessity to be right and to win can often cloud true victories.

One thing I love about we humans, is regardless of the uniqueness the situation, we are a predictable and pattern-happy bunch. So much of what happens on a sports team can be applied to our classrooms. They can be infinitely applied to our competitive world of business and economics but, that's not what I do. I truly appreciate how Phil applies such selflessness and community into his coaching. That can tear down walls and create magic in our classrooms. 

I want you to read it so I won't keep writing about it. Something special happened this season in the NBA the Warriors went 73-9, besting the Bulls regular season record. They didn't win the title though. What the Warriors did (then didn't finish) was remarkable. Steve Kerr, the coach of the Warriors was, of course, a player under Phil Jackson during a few of those championships. I haven’t read a lot about Kerr’s coaching philosophy but I would be willing to bet it was no accident a pupil of Phil Jackson’s was the person to coach a team past his regular season record, even if they didn’t “get that ring”. 

I hope you go read this, in spite of my endorsement...