Phil Jackson - 1945 –

Born: September 17, 1945 Deer Lodge, Montana, U.S.

High school: Williston (Williston, North Dakota)

College: University of North Dakota (1964–1967)

NBA Player New York Knicks 1967–1978 New Jersey Nets 1978 – 1980 Player Award NBA title New York Knicks – 1973

Coach Awards Chicago Bulls - NBA championships (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998).

Los Angeles Lakers to (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010). NBA record for NBA

championships

NBA Coach of the Year - 1996

Basketball Hall of Fame - 2007

Growing up in northern Illinois makes me a lifelong fan of the Chicago Bears, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Black Hawks, and because I was a basketball player and coach, an even greater fan of the Chicago Bulls. Being a fan of Coach Phil Jackson during the 1990s is an unforgettable experience.

Reading Sacred Hoops was a textbook; being let into the thoughts and actions of this unique head coach of a professional team. Lest we linger on the professional aspect of this book, I was able to use much of Phil Jackson’s wisdom while coaching Babe Ruth baseball and junior-high school basketball. His teachings on the individual player and the team, such as:

The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team. --Sacred Hoops

are guides for teams, and all other groups of people, to learn, to grow, to enjoy.

Sacred Hoops Immediately after opening his book, Sacred Hoops, you’re struck with statements that are simple and deep, e,g, –“In basketball–as in life–true joy comes from being fully present in each and every moment, not just when things are going your way” page 4 – and you know that you are going to experience something that is different and unforgettable.

Sacred Hoops Immediately after opening his book, Sacred Hoops, you’re struck with statements that are simple and deep, e,g, –“In basketball–as in life–true joy comes from being fully present in each and every moment, not just when things are going your way” page 4 – and you know that you are going to experience something that is different and unforgettable.

Concept #1 - “We > Me”

“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” – Phil Jackson

Sacred Hoops is not a book about coaching basketball - it’s a book about your relationship to the other people in your life. It’s a book about your church gospel study group, it’s a book about your college classroom, it’s a book about teaching your junior high school math students, it’s a book about your responsibilities to your community, it’s a book about your allegiance to your country, it’s a book about you and the people you care about.

"After placing individuals in positions that fully realize their potential, a leader secures harmony among them by giving them all of the credit for their distinctive achievements." – Phil Jackson

Phil Jackson - The Coach - was able to take a diverse group of “star” players; including Steve Kerr, Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan, Toni Kukoć, Dennis Rodman and to help them interact with one another so that they played together at the highest level. They learned that selflessness is the soul of teamwork.

"Not only is there more to life than basketball, there's a lot more to basketball than basketball." – Phil Jackson

Concept #2 Wisdom - Zen Buddhism, et al.

Phil Jackson used Zen Buddhist and Native American beliefs in his interaction with others; including his teams. Zen is a practice of mindful meditation and action designed to free us to live compassionate, healthy, and energized lives. In Zen Buddhism, you find truth and divinity. You play with a clear mind--not thinking, just doing; you respect your opponents without anger; calmly staying in the moment in the midst of any distractions.

Phil Jackson’s introduction to Buddhism affected his lifelong religious beliefs. His use of Zen Buddhist meditation enabled him to feel and relate to the virtues which defined his belief; his ethical behavior.

Jackson expresses that in order for him to fully place his belief in anything, he needs to both feel and relate to the virtues being presented to him. It was when he began regular meditation, which Zen Buddhism is based upon, that he was able to find truth and divinity.

Right from the first pages of Sacred Hoops, you are introduced to his Zen Buddhist approach to coaching; directing his players to act with a clear, calm mind -

"Like life, basketball is messy and unpredictable. It has its way with you no matter how hard you try and control it. The trick is to experience each moment with a clear mind and an open heart. When you do that, the game - and life - will take care of itself. – Phil Jackson

“Always keep an open mind and a compassionate heart. The most we can hope for is to create the best possible conditions for success, then let go of the outcome.“ – Phil Jackson

Concept 3 - Mindfulness

"I learned to trust the moment, to immerse myself as mindfully as possible, so I could start to react spontaneously to whatever was taking place." – Sacred Hoops

Phil Jackson believes that the simple paths to success are for us to be fully aware of our actions – of vigilant mindfulness and fully immersing ourselves into our actions. (In business school we learn the acronym K.I.S.S = “Keep It Simple Silly”) Being realistic and humble will get you where you want to go.

"Always keep an open mind and a compassionate heart. The most we can hope for is to create the best possible conditions for success, then let go of the outcome. –Sacred Hoops

“Trying to eliminate anger never works. The more you try to suppress it, the more likely it is to erupt later in a more virulent form. A better approach is to become as intimate as possible with how anger works on your mind and body so that you can transform its underlying energy into something productive.” --Sacred Hoops

Basketball is a Metaphor for Life

"Like life, basketball is messy and unpredictable. It has its way with you no matter how hard you try and control it. The trick is to experience each moment with a clear mind and an open heart. When you do that, the game - and life - will take care of itself." -- Sacred Hoops

Red Holzman, coach of the New York Knicks gave rookie Phil Jackson these gems of coaching wisdom:

(1) Don’t let anger or heavy objects cloud the mind. (2) Awareness is everything. (3) The power of “We” is stronger than the power of “Me.”

These lessons are not in Jackson’s Buddhist - Native American philosophy but their use enables him to tie his spiritual awareness to his coaching situations.

"I learned to trust the moment, to immerse myself as mindfully as possible, so I could start to react spontaneously to whatever was taking place." -- Sacred Hoops

Phil Jackson maintains that the use of vigilant mindfulness and fully immersing ourselves into our actions, can allow us to control the outcome. Remaining realistic and humble are the simplest paths to success.