Jim VanHootegem

Love this from #Illini head coach Brad Underwood - asked if he has any issue/finds it unfair to have to play Houston IN Houston in the Sweet 16. "I could care less... I'm an old JUCO ball coach. I drove on 16 passenger fans. I drove from Dodge City, Kansas to Mesa, Arizona for a basketball game... If you had told me back then that I'm getting to coach basketball in the Sweet 16 and play Houston - I would sign up for it, I would crawl to get there." Says regardless of where the game is, Illinois would/will need to play well to beat the Cougars. (Video from NCAA)

From Stephen Curry to Simone Biles… here are the 12 key mindsets of the world’s top athletes: 1) They never get bored with the basics. They work towards mastery of the fundamentals… during the Unseen Hours… every single day. 2) They earn their confidence through repetition. They know that repetition is not punishment but rather the most proven form of learning and skill acquisition of all time. 3) They remain humble. No matter good they are… they can always get better. This allows them to stay open to coaching and willing to accept feedback. 4) They have a clear vision of what they want to achieve. However, despite being goal driven, they focus heavily on the process. They spend minimal time wishing, wanting, and hoping. Instead, they work to develop the daily habits, behaviors, routines, and micro-skills needed to progressively inch toward their goal. 5) They make their preparation their separation. They maximize the Unseen Hours – the time behind the curtain when the lights are off and the arenas are empty. They understand that ‘To have it when you need it most you must practice it when you need it least.’ 6) They don’t fear mistakes – they embrace them! They understand that mistakes are part of the growth process. They acknowledge that ‘Success comes from good decisions. Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from bad decisions.’ 7) They control the controllables. They put their focus, energy, and attention into their own effort and attitude – and they let everything else go. They don’t allow the environment or circumstances to dictate how they show up. 8) They quickly move to the Next Play. When things don’t go their way, when they make a mistake, or when life is less than preferred… they quickly wipe the slate clean and move on! 9) They make those around them better. They lead by example, hold those they care about accountable, and live by the mantra that a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle. 10) They are relentlessly consistent and consistently relentless. They uphold a high standard of excellence even when they don’t feel like, when they don’t want to, or when it’s not convenient. 11) They have an attitude of extreme ownership. They take full responsibility for everything in their life. They don’t blame, complain, or make excuses. 12) They embrace pressure. They feel stress and pressure just like everyone else, they simply manage it more effectively be viewing it as a privilege. Well, there it is. A blueprint for performing at your best. And you don’t need to be Stephen Curry or Simone Biles to live these 12 mindsets – they are readily available and accessible to you right now. But don’t be tricked by their simplicity. Each of these mindsets is basic in premise, but very challenging to execute consistently. Remember, just because something is basic… it doesn’t mean that it’s easy!

Make room in the record book 😮‍💨 Ty Lott, 21.41m = new men’s weight throw school record holder

Research has found that sitting close to a high performer improved performance by 15%. Sitting close to a low performer decreased performance by 30%. Surround yourself wisely!

Aaron Rodgers on embracing the mundane and being disciplined with the details. “I embrace all the moments. I enjoy all of it. There’s a lot of beauty in the mundane. The mundane is the Monday to Saturday when you can actually win games. I embrace that part of the job and I’ve loved it. That’s why I’m still here, still playing.” Excellence filters people out through boredom, discomfort, and delayed rewards. It lives in the details that most people don't have the discipline or patience to honor every day. 📹: Pittsburgh Steelers

Honored and appreciative upon entering the USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame. Friends and colleagues, please take a couple of minutes to read. Thanks. sacspeed.com/wp/thoughts-on…

Nick Saban: "Everybody's smart that goes to medical school. But everybody doesn't make it through… It's the same kind of thing with athletes. Some of 'em have great talent but they don't have the right psychological disposition." Mindset Matters.

Congrats ⁦@BooSchex⁩ on induction into ⁦@USTFCCCA⁩ Hall of Fame

Philip Rivers’ post-game message:

💥“We didn’t win that game because I gave some speech at halftime. We won that game because of what we did six months ago.” 💪What you are doing in January, February, and March will help you win in October, November, and December!

Kelvin Sampson on why he continues coaching in the modern era of college basketball: “I’m hard headed about certain things and I refuse to let someone or some entity take my joy for coaching away from me. They don’t get to do that… I think these guys need me and my brethren more now than ever before… I still enjoy teaching the old school things because I think they’re important. I try to adjust and evolve, I think you have to.

The most NCAA Tournament wins in the 2020s 💪

This morning, our throws coach sent this to me - thought I’d share. Thank you to everyone that was apart of making this happen back in April for Coach T. ⁦@UHCougarTF⁩ ⁦@Carl_Lewis⁩

Just want to acknowledge how hard these two work for our program - Highest GPA ever last year because Angel and Emily rock! The time and passion they have for our student-athletes and this University is second to none. Thank you both! ⁦@UHCougarTF⁩⁦@Carl_Lewis⁩

Jim Nantz Donates $1 Million Of His Own Money To University of Houston’s Nantz Leadership Society — a PaperCity Exclusive papercitymag.com/culture/jim-na…

Congrats to Coach Fritz, his staff and his athletes. Great win. Go Coogs! @UHCougarTF

Strong words from Cam Ward “I grew up watching my Dad wake up at 4:30 for a job he didnt like, so if I can’t wake up early and work hard at a job I do like, I shouldn’t be playing Football”

Adams State honors the memory of legendary Coach Joe I. Vigil - Adams State University adams.edu/news/adams-sta…

There’s beauty in the struggle 🫡

The only Big Beautiful Bill I’ll ever care about