I finally finished reading Derek's book, Character Driven-Life, Lessons, and Basketball. It was an interesting book, but I was disappointed that he didn't write more about his time at UALR, and while there were several pictures of him in uniform from his pro team, there were none from his time here. The most said about UALR was his telling of the events surrounding the 'boycott' that took place with Platt. Other than that, very little mention of UALR. I thought he missed a good chance to give the school some good publicity.

(02-20-2010 09:29 AM)LRTrojan Wrote:  I finally finished reading Derek's book, Character Driven-Life, Lessons, and Basketball. It was an interesting book, but I was disappointed that he didn't write more about his time at UALR, and while there were several pictures of him in uniform from his pro team, there were none from his time here. The most said about UALR was his telling of the events surrounding the 'boycott' that took place with Platt. Other than that, very little mention of UALR. I thought he missed a good chance to give the school some good publicity.

I always wondered what the boycott was about. The fact that Derek was involved in the boycott, is the only reason I didn't think it was simply the result of spoiled, self-centered players. I felt if Derek took part their must have been some legitimate reasons for it (although I think Derek was an underclassman at the time and probably not the organizer). Did he elaborate on the reasons for the boycott and how he felt about it in hindsight?

(02-20-2010 09:52 AM)mjs Wrote:  

(02-20-2010 09:29 AM)LRTrojan Wrote:  I finally finished reading Derek's book, Character Driven-Life, Lessons, and Basketball. It was an interesting book, but I was disappointed that he didn't write more about his time at UALR, and while there were several pictures of him in uniform from his pro team, there were none from his time here. The most said about UALR was his telling of the events surrounding the 'boycott' that took place with Platt. Other than that, very little mention of UALR. I thought he missed a good chance to give the school some good publicity.

I always wondered what the boycott was about. The fact that Derek was involved in the boycott, is the only reason I didn't think it was simply the result of spoiled, self-centered players. I felt if Derek took part their must have been some legitimate reasons for it (although I think Derek was an underclassman at the time and probably not the organizer). Did he elaborate on the reasons for the boycott and how he felt about it in hindsight?

Derek wasn't the organizer(he didn't say who was), but even though he was an underclassman, he was chosen to be the spokesman for the team when they met with Mike Hamrick after the walkout. Derek even indicated that he felt somewhat bad about the situation, because he had always been taught to respect his coaches and elders. I interrupted his words to mean that the team felt that Platt was 'mentally' abusive to the players, always negative, and always putting them down. Never being positive with them. Perhaps someone else who has read the book can elaborate.

(02-20-2010 10:10 AM)LRTrojan Wrote:  

(02-20-2010 09:52 AM)mjs Wrote:  

(02-20-2010 09:29 AM)LRTrojan Wrote:  I finally finished reading Derek's book, Character Driven-Life, Lessons, and Basketball. It was an interesting book, but I was disappointed that he didn't write more about his time at UALR, and while there were several pictures of him in uniform from his pro team, there were none from his time here. The most said about UALR was his telling of the events surrounding the 'boycott' that took place with Platt. Other than that, very little mention of UALR. I thought he missed a good chance to give the school some good publicity.

I always wondered what the boycott was about. The fact that Derek was involved in the boycott, is the only reason I didn't think it was simply the result of spoiled, self-centered players. I felt if Derek took part their must have been some legitimate reasons for it (although I think Derek was an underclassman at the time and probably not the organizer). Did he elaborate on the reasons for the boycott and how he felt about it in hindsight?

Derek wasn't the organizer(he didn't say who was), but even though he was an underclassman, he was chosen to be the spokesman for the team when they met with Mike Hamrick after the walkout. Derek even indicated that he felt somewhat bad about the situation, because he had always been taught to respect his coaches and elders. I interrupted his words to mean that the team felt that Platt was 'mentally' abusive to the players, always negative, and always putting them down. Never being positive with them. Perhaps someone else who has read the book can elaborate.

Interesting. Interpersonally, Jim was an extremely nice person. He was my neighbor and would do anything for you without a seconds hesitation. I can only assume that he was "coaching" in the "old school" style he had been taught. Just hard for me to imagine he would deliberately "harm" anyone.

Makes we wonder, what percent of players would say they "like" their coach during their playing days? I think Houston Nutt is a "players coach" and his kids really like him. Many would say its not good for a coach to be a "friend" to the players. I doubt most of Coach Knight's players "liked" him during their playing days, but most of his alumni seem to hold him in high regard and believe he made them a better person.

(02-20-2010 12:31 PM)mjs Wrote:  

(02-20-2010 10:10 AM)LRTrojan Wrote:  

(02-20-2010 09:52 AM)mjs Wrote:  

(02-20-2010 09:29 AM)LRTrojan Wrote:  I finally finished reading Derek's book, Character Driven-Life, Lessons, and Basketball. It was an interesting book, but I was disappointed that he didn't write more about his time at UALR, and while there were several pictures of him in uniform from his pro team, there were none from his time here. The most said about UALR was his telling of the events surrounding the 'boycott' that took place with Platt. Other than that, very little mention of UALR. I thought he missed a good chance to give the school some good publicity.

I always wondered what the boycott was about. The fact that Derek was involved in the boycott, is the only reason I didn't think it was simply the result of spoiled, self-centered players. I felt if Derek took part their must have been some legitimate reasons for it (although I think Derek was an underclassman at the time and probably not the organizer). Did he elaborate on the reasons for the boycott and how he felt about it in hindsight?

Derek wasn't the organizer(he didn't say who was), but even though he was an underclassman, he was chosen to be the spokesman for the team when they met with Mike Hamrick after the walkout. Derek even indicated that he felt somewhat bad about the situation, because he had always been taught to respect his coaches and elders. I interrupted his words to mean that the team felt that Platt was 'mentally' abusive to the players, always negative, and always putting them down. Never being positive with them. Perhaps someone else who has read the book can elaborate.

Interesting. Interpersonally, Jim was an extremely nice person. He was my neighbor and would do anything for you without a seconds hesitation. I can only assume that he was "coaching" in the "old school" style he had been taught. Just hard for me to imagine he would deliberately "harm" anyone.

Makes we wonder, what percent of players would say they "like" their coach during their playing days? I think Houston Nutt is a "players coach" and his kids really like him. Many would say its not good for a coach to be a "friend" to the players. I doubt most of Coach Knight's players "liked" him during their playing days, but most of his alumni seem to hold him in high regard and believe he made them a better person.

I would think that most successful coaches are tough(have to be)on their players, and that most kids probably like them when they play for them, because they understand that if a coach is too easy on them, they won't get the job done. They may not like some of the things that they have to go through at the time, but they respect the coaches, and they realize that things they say and do aren't personal. Some probably don't like the toughness of the coaches, and they may be the ones who quit, or transfer on the college level.

I don't know anything about Platt, other than I didn't think he was a good game coach, and that's all I'd ever known about him. Reading Derek's book, evidently those that played for Platt that season didn't like the way he handled things. He also wasn't Mr. Personality either. The same players played hard and well for Wimp the following year. And Wimp wasn't Mr. Personality as we all know. He was tough on his players, and they responded in a positive way. Players seem to know when a coach is hard on them, he is also making them better players and human beings. I'm sure that they also knew that Wimp had been a very successful coach at Alabama, and that he knew what he was talking about.

One thing in Derek's book that concerned him personally, was the first time he reported at UALR, the first thing Platt said to him was, "you're fat," and that he(Platt)couldn't promise him any playing time." I take it that Derek didn't think he was fat, and that he didn't expect any promises of playing time, that he knew it was his responsibility to earn his playing time.