Even if true, the scoreboard still showed at 0:00, Russia won the game---Adversity at its worst!

 

 

 

 

---

 

Dear Jones Boys,

 

Within a few months, you'll be here on campus expecting to do well.  In order to meet those expectations, I trust you are spending some time with a basketball.

 

The majority of our squad is going to be newcomers.  But what a talented group they are!  Still, it takes more than talent to win a championship.  Dedication, determination and hard work plus unselfishness are needed, and are more important than talent alone.  You've all known teams with a lot of talent and no character who just couldn't play up to their potential.  I guarantee we won't be like that.

 

With so many seniors gone, we're not going to be expected to do really well.  I shouldn't be surprised to see very little respect from the conference in the preseason predictions.  However, I know you guys.  Here are our team goals for the season.

 

     1.  Win our tournament.

     2.  Contend for the conference championship.

     3.  Win the Bethany games.

 

Men, this is college basketball.  For most of you basketball is a year around sport; but I am not that demanding as a coach.  I want you to play as many sports as you are capable of competing in.  But I do demand that you come here at the end of August in condition to play.  If you are not ready when you get here; quite likely someone will pass you by.  Remember, the best players play the most.  Seniority means nothing when it comes to playing time.

 

One last word from Hall of Famer in the NBA, Rick Barry:

 

          The Last Word..."If I were a young player today, I would practice

     shooting from outside the three-point circle.  I would shoot, shoot, shoot

     that shot.  Any good shooter should eat that shot alive."

 

Keep in touch,

 

Coach Jones

 

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July 1986

 

 

Dear Jones Boys,

 

     I had planned on sending you all a newsletter bout the summer from what our team members were doing.  However, the press reports about Len Bias compel me to deliver a sermon instead.  I didn't believe the nonsense about his being a first time user, and as the autopsy revealed, he wasn't.  The drug use had already damaged his heart and his best days were already behind him.  I do fel sorry for him.  I have also felt sorry for the players from our squad who were dismissed from our team for drug or academic mistakes similar to those of Len Bias.  But no matter how sorry I feel, we won't have any player with us long who drops two courses and fails four more.  Your education is the reason you're in college.

 

     Reggie Jackson in his autobiography, Reggie, had these comments:

 

          "I have rarely taken a drug in my life.  I can't say I've been perfect.

     I will drink my beers and have a glass of win now and then.  But the whole

     thought of it is sickening to me.  Everything I have in life stems from the

     fact that the Lord gave me this skillful body.  I have to think He gave it

     to me for a purpose.  I'll never abuse this body with drugs.  Never will.  My

     eyes, my strength, my coordination - those are my instruments, the tools

     of my trade.  I will not disease them with drugs.  And I can't have respect

     or sympathy for anyone who does.  You do drugs, you get arrested, you do 

     time?  Fine, I say.  You deserve everything you get.

          I am usually a little cynical about all athletes who have these well-

     publicized victories over booze and drugs.  It has become a fashionable

     hobby, and half the time I don't really believe a guy is cured at all.  It

     seems like every other day someone is driving past one of the rehab

     celebrity clinics, stopping for lunch, and calling a press conference

     announcing he is cured of liquor or cocaine, and driving on.

          It is just so damn stupid to do drugs.  It goes all the way back to

     the admonitions you always heard in childhood:  Don't touch the stove, it's

     hot and don't smoke cigarettes, they're bad for you.  And the rules, to me

     always seem to apply double or triple if you are an athlete.  You're

     supposed to get your rest.  Don't stay up late, man.  We got a game

     tomorrow.  There was this saying from the coaches in the minor leagues.

    You're going to run into wine, you're going to run into women, you're going to

     be around smoking.  You can get away with one.  Two will shorten your

     career.  All three will end it.  So be careful what you do when the game

     is over.

          I see it happening to athletes more and more, and it just sickens me.

     They look around and say:  I'm the ONE who can handle drinking to excess,

     I can handle the dope.  The are such fools.  They deserve what they get,

     and they get what they deserve."

 

     Reggie says it well.  See you in a month.

 

                                                         Sincerely,

 

                                                         Coach Jones

 

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Summer 1987 #1

 

Within a few short months, you will be here on campus expecting to do well.  But playing well is more than just expecting it to happen.  You need goals, and you need a plan for reaching those goals.

 

There are people who hold down a job just for the goal of earning a salary.  If their goal was to do the job well enough to increase business for the company, and they did so; more than likely their salary would increase too.  This is the type of goal with a plan that your input can influence.

 

These are our team goals for 1988:

     (1)  Have a winning season (14-12)

     (2)  Win one tournament

     (3)  Make the play-offs

     (4)  Winning record in non-conference (14-4 + 5-4 = 19-8)

     (5)  Win the KCAC (At least 14-4)

 

We are capable of doing better.  But it will take some dedication on your part.  We will not be good simply by our expectations.  The best players will play most.  If your are not ready when you get here; quite likely someone will pass you by.  Thisselection of the fittest probably means that if the incoming people are as good as I think, some veterans had better be busting their tails this summer to be able to play better next season.

 

I want to talk a little about the championship Indiana team this year.  Just the year before (1985) they had finished 7-11 in the Big 10.  The NCAA invites 64 teams.  For the first time in fourteen years, Indiana had not qualified.  They couldn't attack defensively the way Knight liked to attack.  The couldn't intimidate.  Worse than that, Knight thought they could be intimidated.  Although, they had some great talent:  Steve Alford, Daryl Thomas, Rick Calloway, his seniors:  Winston Morgan, Stew Robinson, and Courtney Witte did not have the expected senior seasons.  Andre Harris could not return, neither would Del Ray Brooks.  Yet in 1986, Indiana University was Natinal Champions.  Their junior college recruits plus the improvement of the returnees won the NCAA Championship.  Those close games previously lost were won in 1986.  How come?  Because it takes more than talent to win championships, it takes sacrificing a lot of pleasure, and giving up manjy temptations in order to win.  There is NO other way.

 

We missed the KCAC championship by only two games in 1987, and missed the play-offs by one lousy game.  That won't happen in 1988.

 

                              Be Ready,

 

                              Jerry Jones, Head Basketball Coach

 

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Summer 1987 #3

 

     I would like to hear from you.  You needn't worry about making up an interesting letter for me since I am going to tell you what I want in it.  Send me a victory list of your past successes.  This list of ten items will include those things that gave you the most satisfaction and confidence.  Let the time period be from childhood until right now.  It can cover whipping the guy who bullied your sister, making an "A" in a tough class, to hitting the pressure free throw.

 

     I want to be reminded and to have you remind yourself of what you've succeeded at in the past that you can do again - and again - and again.  As you make your list, remember these things that do not show up in talent contests:  dependability, ctickability, honesty, dedication, and conscientiousness.  Youu can work as hard as anyone else in the world.

 

     Again I remind you that you have a lot of ability.  You could become great, maybe even a national champion - if you really go to work and start believing in yourself, you can go all the way.

 

     The difference between happiness and unhappiness, being a champion or an also-ran is often measured in inches or even seconds, but the difference in the rewards for the winner and also-ran is enormous.  There is no commission on the sale you almost made, and no consolation for coming in second for the job you wanted.  There is no thrill in almost winning the game.  The thrill comes from the accomplishment, and many times the difference between accomplishment and failure is having the right mental attitude about your preparation, NOT just the so-called one big game.

 

     When coaches try to pick a championship team from tryouts, they don't choose selfish players.  It shows up quickly head to head.

 

     Quote from the Olympic BB Trails in Louisville, KY:  "Head Coach Denny Crum said Tuesday that neither politics nor pressure were involved in selecting the U.S. basketball team for the Pan American Games.

     "We picked the 12 young men we felt would fit into our style of play.  All are versatile," Crum said.

     Crum said that he and his seven man staff used a number of guidelines before making the final selection.

     "One of the things we watched was how well they did against each other.  And head-to-head competition had a lot to do with it," he told a news conference.

    About Malik Seikaly missing the cut, Crum said, "He didn't pass the ball as well as the others."

 

Mail the lists.

 

Sincerely,

 

Coach Jones

 

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Summer 1987 #5

 

     On the job, if you show up for work on time, give out with an honest days effort, are loyal to your employer, and accept money for this; you and your boss are exactly even.  You are maby doing enough to keep your job, but not enough to get a raise.

 

     In order to get paid more, you must be more valuable.  you do this with extra effort, extra loyalty, extra enthusiasm, extra hours, and taking on extra resonsibilities.  This kind of work habits guarantees your job in hard times and gets you raises and promotions in good times.  The best workers just do not get laid off.

 

     No one makes it big by just doing what hes paid to do.  Nearly everyone is willing to show up for 40 hours a week.  Doing more than that doesn't interest most people, so the competition for the top thins out.  As a matter of fast, it's pretty easy to be promoted if you are the only one trying.

 

     The Basketball World is no different.  You have a workout booklet.  Everyone who's notified me they want to be on the team has it.  Not everyone is using it.  A few feel that they'll get to play anyway.  They might - if no one else is trying either.  But I know better.  In every year I've coached, some rookie has spent the time it takes to move ahead of another player who was satisfied to just show up.  It happened last year; it will happen again this year.  Only this year, I will be neither sympathetic nor understanding to seniors who expected seniority was enough to earn their position.

 

     There are no favorites to make this team.  Folks used to tell my Dad that he didn't need to work us so hard to raise a crop.  His stock answer was always the same, "I'm not just raising a crop, I'm raising boys."

 

     (As ye sow, so shall ye reap.)  If you want to play the game, go through the pain.  I can recognize the efforts and the effects to become a better player.  The pride gained through such extra efforts carries teams to championships.  The guys who find a reason not to workout whether it be work, car, money, had to go to school, etc., are just using excuses.  It makes no difference if the excuse is good or bad.  Championships are not won by players who found excuses not to workout.  The summer is almost over.  The best teams will be working harder now.  I expect you to be the best.

 

     Coach Jones

 

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1987 August

 

Less than two weeks until you report to KWU.  These are two forms that will help you get ready for being here.  One is the schedule for our college.  All important dates are upon it regarding the campus events.  Also enclosed is a varsity basketball schedule.  I have tried to give the dates for reporting back to practice so you may have the opportunity to make plans.

 

An insurance form is extremely important.  This form must be filled out and on file here before you can begin practice here.  I advise you to fill it out riht now and mail it back to me.  Youu surely don't want to lose practice time because the forms weren't here.  We will take physical exams here during the second week of college.

 

Brad Bingesser has accepted the assignment as assistant coach.  He will be varsity defensive coordinator, head jv coach and will have recruiting responsibilities in Central Kansas.  Brad started every game here for four years.  He was twice chosen best defensive player, and was MVP as a junior; but more important, Brad started at point guard for the play-off team of '85 and was assistant coach for our '86 KCAC champions.  He knows what is expected and what it takes to win a championship.  Brad is going to be a great help to our young guards.

 

We have the potential to win every game, but at the same time; there is no one who can not beat us if we don't play to our potential.  KWU can be good, very good if everyone keeps working to become better.  I have not bee this uip for a season for at least a year.

 

The KCAC looks like Friends, Bethel and McPhereson will be tough, and maybe Bethany and Southwestern.  All second semester starters at Sterling will be back.

 

Benedictine looks to be a play-off team.  It depends upon summer grades at Marymount.

 

At KWU it depends on us.  If you want to take it personally, it depends on you. 

 

See you in two weeks,

 

Coach Jones

 

P.S.  Admissions has made arrangements to use van service to the airports at both Kansas City and Wichita.  Call and let admissions or me know your date and time of arrival at either Kansas City or Wichita.

 

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August 1, 1988

 

This time I want to write to you about your potential.  Not just what is showing or what you have sort of accepted as your limitations.  Jerry Krause is the general manager of the Chicago Bulls who drafted and signed Jordan.  Krause made these comments last year:

 

     "To me, the most important thing about a player is his work ethic," Krause said.  "The first time we take our team into Boston every year, we take the rookies to the Boston Garden at about 5:00, hours before game time, and tell them that they're going to see Bird there.  They don't believe it.  Charles Oakley didn't believe it two years ago, Brad Sellers didn't this year."

     "We walk out on the floor and don't see him, and the rookies are saying, 'So where is he?'  And we point to the mezzanine, and there's Bird running steps.  When he's through, at about 5:30, he comes down and shoots a couple houndred shots."

     "That's why the guy is the best."

 

You have a lot of ability.  Forget the self-image that you're pretty good for a small college player.  You are good, period.

 

But you need to start thinking like a champion, acting like a champion, seeing yourself as a champion - and permorming like a champion.  Back to the article on Bird, there are a lot of people in the pros with more, much more, talent than Bird.  However they are not running steps at 5:00 before the game (building up for the long season instead of resting for one game.)  They are not out shooting 200 shots a day especially on game days.  They are doing just what the average guy with super talent does, or what the average guy with average talent does --- no more, no less.

 

But Bird is doing more, so is Isiah.  The heart of a champion is developed, not born.  Believe me, you can go where you want to go, do what you want to do, have what you want to have, and be what you want to be...if you do the work! 

 

Is your goal starting for the team this year?  Then are you working towards that goal???  You don't have the time to work out?  There are 24 hours in every day for every man.  Maybe less sleep, maybe go to bed earlier and get up earlier, maybe skip a meal a day and work out OR maybe skip a meal a day and work out OR maybe you'd rather pretend it doesn't matter...your job doesn't let you get to a basketball goal or court...so you've chosen a summer job that prevents you from being a better player.  Well, it's your choice.  Someone else is getting ready to take that starting position.

 

October 10th is coming.  It will arrive whether you prepare or not.  In the game of life, one man took a brakeman's job to make $7.85 an hour.  Another man took the same job to work for the railroad.  Which one becomes president of the railroad?  If you work only for a salary, you will get one.  If you work for the betterment of the company yhour represent; not only will you get a bigger salary, but you will get personal satisfaction plus respect from your colleagues, and more rapid advancement.

 

In closing, there is no thrill in almost doing anything.  The thrill comes from the accomplishment.

 

You have the ability, the natural ability to play this game.  You also have the ability to work like Larry Bird.

 

Sincerely,

 

Ol' Coach Jones