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I’ve lost perspective on the Final Four. It’s chewing on my soul. Coach K irritates me. I wanted him to lose. It’s shallow but honest. College basketball causes us to lose perspective on what’s important. We get caught up complaining about Coach K. We wish for teams to lose, for fan bases to be sad – especially the Dukies.
The transfer portal makes college basketball a meat market, with young me being sold to the highest bidders. The human need for money, power, and control, especially the coaches and top NCAA brass, has led to a corrupt system that may be beyond repair.
Fortunately, there’s one guy in this messy system who is fighting against this tide of greed and selfishness and keeping what’s most important in mind better than most, and probably all, college basketball coaches.
Meet, or get reacquainted with, the incomparable, wickedly charismatic, and lovable Buzz Williams, the head coach of Texas A&M’s basketball team.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been watching several of his YouTube instructional videos to get my thinking straight and find relief from the college basketball imbroglio.
Buzz regularly meets with his players to talk about all kinds of important topics that have nothing to do with basketball. He has sessions on how to change a tire, introduce yourself to another person, and fill out a basic tax return.
There are others: “The Race to Maturity,” “What is Invisible Is Often the Most Valuable,” “Mirrors and Windows.”
With sincerity, grit, and clarity, he tells them about the meaning of compound interest in the context of creating a financially secure future over time. And links that concept to investing in your life the way you should now to achieve whatever goals you want to in the future.
He clarifies the differences between immediate gratification and delayed gratification, with the latter being more important. You invest in yourself today by, for example, studying thoroughly for a college exam so you can be educated and learn how to learn better later in life.
Buzz gets it. Sure he wants to win college basketball games. But he’s not consumed by that. His actions are proof. During those regular meetings, he could continue to talk about the scouting report of the next opponent but instead demonstrates he cares about helping his players prepare for their real lives, which will be more important and longer-lasting than their basketball careers.
Buzz is a rarity among college basketball coaches. Sure many talk about life lessons with their players, but I believe none pour their hearts into these life lesson sessions the way he does.
Watch this guy’s authenticity and passion:
He’s a mesmerizing preacher, a down-to-Earth speaker who talks about what matters more than basketball: being a good person, being honest, and being responsible.
To understand Buzz, you have to find out where he came from and how he rose to the level of a major Division 1 basketball coach.
His parents divorced when he was young. So he had to scramble for money. Then when he went to college he figured out he wanted to be a coach.
Every week he penned hand-written letters and sent them to 425 people in the coaching profession because he felt he needed to build relationships.
Who does that?
No one.
Only Buzz.
Only Buzz films a video showing his players how to change a tire. Only Buzz constantly says to his players during these how-to sessions “This is not about ball. This has nothing to do with the ball. This is about life.”
Buzz checks himself to make sure he’s not caught up in the temptations and egotistical thinking of major college basketball coaches. He doesn’t want to be consumed with his ego and winning and receiving compliments and doing press interviews.
Buzz is one of the special people in college sports who wants to focus on what’s more important than college sports, which is teaching young people to become more respectful, dignified, educated, and productive people for the rest of their lives. He doesn’t pay lip service to it; he invests his time and heart in this.
At this weekend’s Final Four, everybody’s thinking about winning and losing, knocking K off his pedestal. It’s an egotistical battle. Buzz is thinking about how he can help his players become better human beings.
I love this guy in so many ways. One of the biggest reasons is this. During his first speech after accepting the Texas A&M job two years ago titled “Overwhelmed with Gratefulness,” Buzz said: “I wasn’t smart enough to be admitted into Texas A&M.”
Most college basketball coaches wouldn’t allow themselves to be so vulnerable on such a big stage.
Most of them aren’t like Buzz.
So disarming, so refreshing, so honest, and so humble.
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Sammy Sportface, a sports blogger, galvanizes, inspires, and amuses The Baby Boomer Brotherhood. And you can learn about his vision and join this group's Facebook page here:
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Hey “Sammy”…pleasure to meet you tonight with your buddy Ted, who gave me info on your blog. The “Hoosier” aka Bobby Plump’s cousin…is now plugged into you.
Jim