21 Questions

#4 posting 1.28.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

21 QUESTIONS
Today is another installment of Seashells & Balloons, but this time the tables are turned and Coach Teas & I answer 21 questions.

Kja, we’ve heard a lot about the players that you and the infamous Coach Teas cover. But, we readers want answers to the burning questions we all have regarding the basketball guys behind the camera and theme book. You do a great of analyzing players. It’s time for a little Twenty One Questions….Seashells and Balloons-style:

1. Guys, what makes you so driven to see all the games every week?

KJA: I want to see as many players and teams as possible so folks have a handle on what to expect in March and to shine the light on who really can play. I also want to showcase games, players, teams that may not get some attention during the year. I unfortunately can’t see all the teams I want.

Coach Teas: Anyone who does anything as unusual and as well as kjs deserves support. I am retired, like girls basketball, need things to do that keep me out of trouble and enjoy kja’s company. My wife likes that I am “Out & About.”

2. We’ve heard a little about Coach Teas’ pet peeves. What are your pet peeves about traveling with each other?

KJA: Coach Teas needs to listen to me when it comes to directions. Turn when Google Maps indicates a turn. Also when coach Teas starts patting his head means he is getting tired. That means we need to find some Red Bull or coffee fast if he is driving or we will be in the ditch.

Coach Teas: He has a press pass and I do not. I have press pass envy.

3. You had a four hour car ride not so long ago. Any fights over the radio or how did you pass the time?

KJA: Usually we don’t listen to the radio. We discuss players, past, present and future. We recoach the game on the way back. When we went to Pipestone we were in Coach Teas' vehicle and he has satellite radio so we played around with that on the way back.

Coach Teas: We have the radio on some of the time especially on primary nights, but more often argue about his love of guards.

4. What is your favorite mascot and why?

KJA: First I think I can eliminate all the standards. I like the unique and different. No Eagles for me. For teams I HAVE NOT seen—the Yuma Criminals might be the best name out there. For extinct names there was the Cattlefeeders down in Iowa. Right now there is the Irrigators out in Newell, SD; Hodags in Rhinelander, WI. Of course the Blooming Prairie Blossoms come to mind in Minnesota. “Go out and fight like a Blossom” is something I don’t think I would say. As far as names from this season Zephyrs is probably the coolest. It is supposed to be the god of the west wind, but at Henry Sibley they have banners up with the conference schools and the Mahtomedi Zephyrs look like warmed over Spartans.

Coach Teas: Granite Falls Kilowatts or the Lady Popes of Milwaukee Pius.

5. Favorite School colors?

KJA: I have been Blue & Gold; Maroon & Gold (twice), Black & Orange (twice); and Red & Grey. I don’t know if I have a favorite, but the colors need to be rich, vibrant deep colors. No pale, washed out colors for me.

Coach Teas: Green & White

KJA: Coach Teas is from Pipestone so that makes sense.

6. Best pep band? And favorite pep band song?

KJA: There haven’t seen or heard too many bands this year, but Mankato West was probably the best. There school song is based on “Anchors Away”. I will take a band any day to the same old canned mix tape that circulates from school to school.

Coach Teas: I hardly notice Pep Bands.

7. Which would you rather see, great offense or great defense? Why?

KJA: Offense. I don’t think there is such a thing as great defense. I think defense exposes poor offensive skills and decisions.

Coach Teas: Great offense vs great defense. One sided games are not very interesting.

8. KJA, you have mentioned you use a theme book to write down all the game stats. College rule or regular line spacing? And what is your writing instrument of choice?

KJA: For all you stat nerds out there I use the B Wired 1 subject 100 sheet college rule notebook. I have tried others, but the secret is the B Wired has 34 lines (17 possessions per page). If the teams have 17 points by the time I am done with the first page I can tell if they are on pace for 100 pp100.
As far as pen I use black ink standard Office max brand. One pen was dying on Saturday and I switched to a Blue pen. That coincided with the stopping of the Crookston run. I use a red papermate to count the defensive wraps.

9. Coach Teas, you’re the photographer in addition to your analysis. What camera is your favorite?

Coach Teas: kja’s Canon. It is the only one we have, unless you include an old box camera in my attic.

10. What part of the gym is your favorite location to view a game?

KJA: If there are end zone seats we will sit at the end line. We can see how things flow and don’t have to turn our head. If no end zone, underneath the free throw line to the baseline side, a corner view. Before I had a camera I would go to the rafters to get a back rest. The camera likes to be closer to the action.

Coach Teas: corner, lower level or seat under one of the baskets close to the floor.

11. Bleachers or Folding Chairs?

KJA: cushioned folding chairs. Heavy on the cushion. I can also state the gyms with wide leg room seats (Apple Valley) are hard on my back. Luckily we were given seats at the desk on that tournament.

Coach Teas: folding chairs.

12. What’s your favorite concession food and drink?

KJA: Hot dogs are probably the universal food of choice at most games. Mpls North grilled theirs (that was during volleyball season) and didn’t give them a bath or put them on the Quik-E-Mart rollers. Drink—I need to have diet due to diabetes. I like carbonated beverages and can’t understand why people pay for bottled water they can get for free out of a fountain.

Coach Teas: popcorn, there is no other.

13. What has been one of the heartwarming things you have seen on the basketball court?

KJA: I have seen more heartwarming things in the presidential debates than I have seen on the basketball court. Now if you include the “awww” moments I believe there was a game where they had honorary ball girls, four and six years old. They delivered the ball to the ref before tip off. I think it was Centennial, but I may be wrong. If that counts as heartwarming that would be it.

Coach Teas: Heartwarming? At a basketball game? Coaches saying to officials “nice call” I remember that once about 8 years ago.

14. Funniest thing?

KJA: a player losing their shoe they were moving too fast. I can’t remember where, who, or when. It was NOT Herschel Walker.

Coach Teas: It was funny we got lost going to St. Clair on the backroads.

15. Let’s turn the tables for a minute. What would your player profile say…including your numbers and KJA-style comments…..

KJA: needs to increase speed. A half step slower than Heinz Catsup (or is it Ketchup). Needs to be give more credit to playmakers. Needs to have pens with ink in his arsenal. Needs a new wardrobe. Sweatshirts are older than the players being covered. (I was reviewing me, not Coach Teas here).

Coach Teas: kja is way below the 100 standard in driving to games. He can’t go to his left and is way to concered with getting back on defense rather than aggressively going for the parking space close to the gym door.

16. What have been the highlights of this year so far?

KJA: #1 the atmosphere at Wrenshall for the Barnum game last week. It is too bad every kid doesn’t get to play in such a venue where there is not one empty seat.
As far as games---the Centennial/St. Paul Central battle for the Hamline tournament championship. The Kennedy/Chaska (Boler/Boylan) first game confrontation. Any time the losing team gets over 100 pp100 you know things were hoping. And the finals of the Hopkins Tournament with 6AAAA rivals Hopkins and Mpls South.

Coach Teas: Centennial vs Central; Kennedy vs Chaska; South vs Hopkins, and this past week with Barnum at Wrenshall and Jordan at Holy Family.

17. If you had just one thing to say to the players, what would it be?

KJA: be more aware.

Coach Teas: Listen to your coach, try not to be distracted by others concerning your basketball.

18. How about to the coaches?

KJA: Believe and have confidence in what you are doing. It is all about Execution.

Coach Teas: No one knows your kids and team as well as you do. Listen to your mind and heart.

19. And especially to the parents?

KJA: Truly enjoy the moment because it is over before you know it.

Coach Teas: Enjoy watching your daughter play, give her praise when she does well, support when she makes mistakes and let the coaches coach. Too much involvement by you is a distraction.

20. One of my basketball heroes is Coach Al McGuire (no surprise, right?) Who are your hoops heroes and why?

KJA: Coach Thorpe of Osseo. He understood kids and human nature better than anyone I have seen. As far as player go they would include Chad Boom at Ellsworth for his response after I told him he shot 60% one game “I’ll try to do better next game coach.” He also made about seven game winning shots in his career. I am talking buzzer beating shots. He was a clutch ultra trench player. I have plenty of other players at Osseo, South, the Renegades and AAU teams too. There isn’t enough time to delve into each detail. Ellsworth ’87, Osseo ’94, ’96, 2000. Renegades ’95; Power Play ’96 & ’97 were all great team experiences.

Coach Teas: Coach Jack Kelly of Windom; Dave Thorpe of Osseo. Players—Hana Peljto of Osseo & Harvard; Lou Hudson of the Gophers; and Lindsey Whalen of the Gophers

21. To borrow from James Lipton of Bravo TV’s Actors Studio, if there is a God, what do you think he (and James Naismith) will say when he sees you at the Pearly Gates?

KJA: Wow. To be honest this question stumped me for a long time. Maybe "Thanks for shedding some light on the players outside the bright lights." (?)

Coach Teas: If you used Map Quest you would have been here prior to tip off.

Thanks KJA and Coach Teas for helping us get to know you a little bit better. And on behalf of the readers, thanks for all of your efforts to report on the best of girls’ basketball from all over the Midwest. It’s clear you love the game as much as we do.

Seashells and Balloons

Next up: Afternoon Grab Bag