THERE’S an oft-used phrase in professional sports that “players win games, coaches lose them.”

As both a player and a coach myself, I won’t dispute this saying although it’s better to expound on what it really means, particularly in today’s basketball world.

Truth is, coaches being removed from their posts nowadays are dime-a-dozen while players, although in some instances not playing up to par, live out to the end of their careers with their team or get traded, the latter not a bad prospect at all.

So back to the earlier phrase, do coaches really lose games and players win them?

If you look at how a coach generally develops his coaching program, it is not just a simple matter of showing up in each game, pointing left or right, screaming at the referees for perceived bad calls or nagging players for costly mistakes.

A coach in today’s world is responsible for coming up with a plan on how to build his team, finding the players who fit the style of play or system which he believes is appropriate and making sure these are being executed properly and if changes are necessary, be quick enough to recognize these and make appropriate adjustments.

A coach may come up with all the adequate preparations, but there is still the possibility of losing should the players fail to perform as expected or as planned or if the other team plays exceptionally well or counteracts the game plan.

In this instance, it is now up for the player to step up, draw from his game reserve and do the adlib when the situation calls for it.

Coach Ron Jacobs, one the coaches inducted in the PBA Hall of Fame, was once asked who are the players he wanted to hold the ball come winning time.

Jacobs named guys like Alvin Patrimonio, Allan Caidic and Samboy Lim, among his top choices. If Michael Jordan was Filipino, he would have been picked too by coach Ron.

Asked on the common denominator among his choices, coach Ron said “inner strength.”

Inner strength comes with wanting the ball at crunch time and knowing how to bring a team from the pitfalls of possible defeat to a certain win.

Some players shy away from the responsibility, these players willingly take on the challenge head-on and accept the responsibility of being burdened with the setback.

These players’ careers were an array of highlights, not only in the dying seconds, but also how they could single-handedly decide the outcome of the game, whether scoring points or merely providing leadership. Rare are such players.

Talent is aplenty in today’s basketball world, but much appreciated are the other characteristics like leadership, excellence, attitude and discipline. These may or may not be statistically measurable but the proof of the pudding is definitely in the eating, when there’s the “W” or the handsomely-crafted trophy adorning one’s trophy case.

But behind all these players is a mentor who taught them the basics and motivated them when they were on the way to being stars.

Jordan will probably be without the championship belt if not for Phil Jackson, who also whipped up Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’ Neal for the Lakers’ modern title run.

The fact is, a coach can have all the star players in his team, but if he fails to fit in all the parts into one cohesive unit, his ability to coach is suspect.

I am a big fan of coach Ron, particularly on how he steered a rag-tag San Miguel team to a third place finish in 1997, beating me, coach Tim Cone and I think coach Robert Jaworski for the top coaching honors that year.

He had the likes of Freddie Abuda, a diamond-in-the-rough Olsen Racela, Mike Mustre, Nelson Asaytono in that team along with injured players Caidic and Lim, but displayed excellent coaching and broad knowledge of the game.

I remember him saying, “You must put a player in a position where he can succeed,” which explains why Abuda’s career shone anew with a Defensive Player of the Year Award while Asaytono’s offensive prowess was maximized to the hilt.

Sometimes, I do believe that value of a coach is proven when he is given nothing and turns it into something.

It’s the magic of transformation that makes us stop and gaze with wonder on how he does it.

*****

This week’s query comes from Nenita S. of Sta. Mesa, Manila, who wrote:

Dear Coach E,

WHAT are your thoughts on coaches who curse their players during games? Is this approach ideal?

Dear Nenita,

Thanks for your interesting question. In basketball coaching, it’s to each his own and what works with another coach may not work for another one. It is in the same manner that some players respond to a coach who shows anger than someone who has a cool demeanor or vice versa. But there should be a healthy balance between cracking the whip and motivating the players. Coaches must not only be detailed in their preparation and firm in their resolve, but be wary of damaging a player’s self-esteem with uncalled for remarks.

Coach E

(Original Article was published last April 18, 2007 at the Business Mirror Sports Section in the column Ask Coach E.)