How often do you hear someone described as a legend?  It probably happens far too often in our "everyone is a superstar" society.  But, if you look closely, there are very few actual legends among us.  Pete Newell, basketball coach and teacher, was the very definition of the word legend.  He would have humbly argued about that designation but it doesn't change the facts.  Coach Pete Newell passed away Monday at the age of 93 and we are all poorer as a result.  Coach Newell was a true legend.

There are many fine tributes today to Pete Newell.  Television, newspapers, magazines and online sources have all posted wonderful tributes to a man that was both loved and admired.  I thought I would take a little time to add my personal experiences with Coach Newell, who I got to know very late in his storied life.

It's funny sometimes how the six degrees of seperation apply to different areas of one's life.  I guess it's not always a Kevin Bacon trivia game (or drinking game, depending on your personal stage in life).  I had read Coach Newell's seminal basketball instruction book, "Basketball Methods," as a much younger hoops playing version of myself.  In the last few years, as I had become a real coach, I had also brushed up on my instruction methods by reading "Pete Newell's Playing Big," which he penned with former player and student, Swen Nater.  All of this lead me back to an original 1962 copy of "Basketball Methods" that I had been given when my legendary coach, Jack Kenyon, passed away.

When my brother, high school and college coach Paul Eberhardt, turned 40 a few years ago I wanted to do something special for his birthday.  I've been lucky enough over the last number of years to make a large number of NBA contacts.  I thought they might be able to help me out and put together a basketball themed gift for Paul's special day.  As usual, all the best laid plans get sidetracked and for a variety of reasons I was unable to pull anything off for Paul during the actual basketball season.  In this case, however, basketball season ended and as summer approached, I was able to arrange for Paul and myself to attend the Pete Newell Big Man Camp on the campus on UNLV in Las Vegas.  We were inside the ropes.  Observer coaches.  Lemons had truly turned into lemonade.

The official Pete Newell Big Man Camp started years earlier in Hawaii with college and pro big men travelling to the islands to receive the most fundamental of instruction from the most fundamental of coaches.  The camp had started unofficially in the 1970's when Coach Newell began tutoring a raw and rough Kermit Washington.  Slowly, more and more players sought out the former Cal and US Olympic coach to help them polish their games through footwork and techniques that helped them play basketball the right way.

Waking-up each morning that week in Las Vegas was a joy.  It didn't matter that it was already 104 degrees before we even got close to the gym.  What mattered was the opportunity to watch and learn; drop steps, inside pivots, Shaq spins, Kiki moves and on and on it went.  The sweet simplicity of footwork, runners squeaking on the maple.  More importantly, we got to watch Coach Newell and his assistants teach.  Not coach but teach.

Keep in mind, Coach Newell was 90 at the time and had recently had lung surgery.  He shook it off and just kept teaching.   He just couldn't let his guys down.

My brother and I also had the opportunity to speak with Coach Newell.  Even better, we had the opportunity to listen to Coach Newell.  He passed on not only basketball knowledge, techniques, and strategy but lessons on how to treat people and live your life.  Coach was always friendly and gracious and treated us both with respect.  A multiple hall of famer and two schlubbs from Canada just talking hoops.

After returning from the Big Man Camp I was able to touch base with Coach Newell over the phone.  He was 90 years old but still sharp as a tack.  I'll always cherish that he answered the phone and let me learn.  Now, hopefully, I can pass on the lessons that I learned from Coach Newell to my young players.  The unsung legend would have liked that...

Pete Newell
1915 - 2008

The NBA season is only two weeks old and I'm already confused.  Black is white, cats are sleeping with dogs, up is down and with apologies to Seinfeld, Bizzaro Superman rules the day.  The Atlanta Hawks are 6-1 and the San Antonio Spurs are 2-5.  What the...

Okay, I can see the LA Lakers rolling out to a 7-0 record as they are truly an elite team with the best bench in the league.  They've got Andrew Bynum back in the line-up to anchor one of the best - new and improved - defenses in the league (if you want a great technical rundown of the Lakers new emphasis on D, check out Kevin Pelton's analysis over at Basketball Prospectus).  The Lakers still have the best cleaner this side of Mr. Wolf, Kobe Bryant, to stick daggers into the hearts of their opponents.  They still have one of the best coaching staffs in the league even with a beard boycotting Phil Jackson.  And perhaps most importantly of all, the Lakers still appear to be smarting from their Finals beatdown last spring at the hands of the Boston Celtics.  Anger and talent make for a perfect storm in team sports.

At the other end of the spectrum, usually, are the Atlanta Hawks.  Seemingly cursed from the day they moved to the Peach city from St. Louis, the Hawks have had few bright moments in their history.  Yes, I remember Pistol Pete.  Yes, I remember Dominique.  Yes, I remember some very strong Mike Fratello and Lenny Wilkins' teams that made the rounds in the playoffs.  But on the whole, the Hawks have been less than inspiring on the floor and less than successful with the front running fans of the new south.  'Cause remember, hoops ain't football and it sure enough ain't spring football.

This Atlanta Hawks team appears to be different.  Although they barely squeaked into the playoffs last season with a sub .500 record of 37-45 , the young Hawks played hard and with confidence, taking the eventual champion Celtics to seven games.  They return pretty much the same line-up (minus Mr. European Vacation, Josh Childress) with one more year of experience.  Veteran Mike Bibby is in from the jump with a full training camp and a better understanding of his role.  In Joe Johnson, the Hawks have a legitimate star who can quietly put up big numbers - he can finish at the rim, score off of the bounce, from midrange and is effective enough from 3 point land (38% last year) that you have to respect him 23 feet from the basket.

Combine the smooth game of Johnson with the ever improving inside game of Al "Tito" Horford and the scary athleticism of Josh Smith (presently injured) and what do you get?  A 6-1 start and a too legit up and coming franchise.  Again.  At least on the floor.  Now, if only Bizarro Superman can spin the NBA axis back in the right direction.  Who would be the exact opposite of Dwight Howard anyway?

The definition of identity is somewhat easy; sameness of essential character or individuality.  The definition of a basketball identity is much more difficult.  The Phoenix Suns are off to a quick and strong start at 3-1 but they are still searching for their collective basketball identity.

Are the Suns a strong defensive team?  I know Terry Porter was brought in to instill a defensive attitude and a greater sense of defensive responsibility amongst players - 'ya, that means you, Amare Stoudemire.  In the past, any and all Phoenix players knew the best defense was outscoring the opposition.  What I don't see with the formerly run and gun Suns is the dramatic changes in their line-up that might allow them to to play the way Coach Porter and GM Kerr want the Suns to play.

The trouble for Tenacious D - Shaquille O'Neal is still unable to do anything but "zone-up" on the high or wing pick and rolls.  Steve Nash is still unable to keep quicker young guards out of the paint (and will get physically beaten if he has to trail shooting guards off of screens all day).  Amare Stoudemire still rotates late from the weak side and commits sloppy, silly fouls.  However, Stoudemire has indicated that he is ready to change his defensive ways.  In a recent discussion with Sports Illustrated's Ian Thomsen, the newly christened Sun Tzu had these comments about his commitment to the defensive side of the ball.

"We're doing a lot of defensive drills,'' Stoudemire said. "We're going over the different tactics of defense. It's very important from my standpoint, being a young player. I never really had long practices on defense. It was never really forced. We talked about it, but as far as practicing it and really going through the preparation, it is the first of my career.''

The pick-up of Matt Barnes and Robin Lopez should help the defensive mindset but statistically, I just can't see Phoenix's defensive metrics changing dramatically - points per 100 possessions, scoring differential, opponent effective FG %, etc.  I'm guessing that they will be pretty much the same as Mike D'Antoni's defensive stats by the end of the season.  A little shoutout there to my basketball stat geek friends. 

Are the Suns still the "7 Seconds or Less" offensive machine they've been over the past four seasons?  Through their first 4 games the Suns have shown glimpes of past offensive brilliance.  With Shaq occupying much space on the low block, Amare has been free to roam the land and pillage the scoring column from the weak side and high post area.  Check out his line from the Indiana game on Wednesday evening (49 pts. on 17- 21 FG, 15 - 15 FT shooting) and you'll see that not much has changed for S.T.A.T., except maybe bigger stats.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said for some of Stoudemire's teammates.  For the near future, I think both Raja Bell and Leandro Barbosa will struggle with Terry Porter's new offense.   They're both used to running straight for the corners and setting their feet for the 3, whether it's on the break or on a ball reversal.  Now they'll be curling off of pin down screens and having to catch and shoot on the move.  Not a good set-up for either of the long range bombers.  Finding where to get their shots will be a challenge for them and other perimeter players.

And what about the former MVP and BC's favourite son, Steve Nash?  Because he's so intelligent and possesses one of the best basketball IQ's in the Association, he'll figure it all out.  Right now, knowing when to run and what is expected of him will be a little bit tricky.  From my inside sources I've learned that Coach Porter didn't keep any of Mike D'Antoni's fast break or secondary fast break "sets."  So, all those great read and react plays that Steve made look so easy over the past four seasons will now be just a little bit different.  Phoenix will still milk the Nash/Stoudemire pick and roll all day like Dwight Shrute in the family barn but their main offense will never be the same.

Can the Suns reach an effective and happy mid-point between what former Coach Mike D'Antoni achieved with his "7 Seconds or Less" style and the present vision of a more traditional NBA style (read San Antonio Spurs) that General Manager Steve Kerr yearns for the Suns foreseeable future?

The cliche of only time will tell applies best to the Phoenix Suns makeover but for now, they are truly a team in search of a basketball identity.