We Did It Eagles!

Well to be honest I don't think any of the eagles thought we could do it. To be honest I didn't know we had it in us either. We eagles may be able to charm the pants of ladies and other authority figures, but we don't usually reap the benefits from doing so... well not today. The rag-tag eagles went to Cedar Rapids home of the eagles and harnessed that energy to put together a 2-1 record as well as a sportsmanship award. CHARACTER COUNTS BABY!!

I know Albert and Clint mentioned they didn't want any part of the award but not so i tried to take their negatives and turn it into a positive. Although they weren't too bad everyone on the Eagles should be very proud. (i mean it). We did a good thing up there and paved the way for many more eagle victories to come. Plus since Jim Bowers didn't play i think i got an extra awards medal from him.

So keep those beaks up and fly high. I love you all eagles GREAT JOB.
Let's get sweaty people. Basketball sweaty.

Member. Player. Coach. You need a 4th reason for season tickets next year you are looking at it.
BIG BEAR

Bitter Sweet

The Flying Eagles ventured out in the winter cold and apprently terrible road conditions and meet up in Cedar Rapids Iowa for the Basketball portion of the Iowa games. A number of event took place. A friday night poker night at the Hipster's house Saw Marcus "Jim" Thie out last the likes of the Wildman, Kylebuddy, the hipster and the mule to take home first place pirze money.

Saturday Morning it was off to the Kirkwood Community College rec center for some B-ball. You low and behold we've got home court advantage there are Eagles every where as mascot of Kirkwood is an Eagle. There was a GVC reunion of sorts the 118 of Clint, Prater, Wildmann, Big Bear, and the Hipster all getting to ball together again. Those Eagles ran out to a fast start flying circles around competetion and ca-cawed thier way to a 19 to 2 lead. It was paced by the hipster, wildmann and Clint running the floor. Unfortunetly the other team clawed back into and it was a one point game at half time. Kylebuddy who was the score keep for the entire first have provided fresh legs, a offensive rebound and a couple of steals to spark a quick second half by the Eagles. The Egale won by six securring the first Flying Eagle Athletic department Win.

The second game didn't bold so well for the carriers of the spirit of Black Hawk. The game turned into a street mugging as the other team hacked and bruised the eagles attack. The Eagles only manage 10 first half points as they were a terrible 4 for 10 from the free throw line and missed a bunch of bunnies. The second half saw the Eagle struggle some more but they fought through the frustration and pecked there way back to being down just two. But the second game was not for the Eagles as the clanked thier way to a 12 point loss, Oh the effort was there but the shots were not.

Facing the pool's best player and the only remaining unbeaten team in thier bracket The Eagles faced a must win to survive until Sunday. the Eagles quick strike attack offense sprang back to life by the spirit of Big Bear grabbing reboung after rebound, the Wildman's condor swoops to the basket, Jim's D-schaff D on the other team's best player and the long touch of Steve, Suddenly Pratter was throwing half court oops to Jim, and the Mule was head faking fools. The Eagles were up 18 in a must win game. The Eagles walked away with a 9 point win and 2 and 1 record. They had forced a three way tie for First.

The Eagles meet at Steven's house to await the phone call to see if they would be advanvcing. But the Eagles lost out on Tie-breakers and would not be advancing, but they did right the ship of the Flying Eagles Athletic Department.

That night saw the Eagles Celebrate thier efforts with a Eagle Cake from Steve's wife, at Cici's pizza, The Irish Democrat, and the Piano Lounge. Leave it to the guy who offers to be the designated Driver to leave Kyle Buddy's lights on. So at 1:30 in the morning Steven has to drive Mule's car down to jump start the Maxima.

Sunday brought a visit from President Dean-o. Off the Ghengas Grill for Lunch with the President. All in all a good weekend.

New and Notes
Braden found your gloves, they were at my house, I'll return them next time I see you

Also I nominate Mike "Michelle" and Albert "Fat head" to become full time members of the flying eagles. I think we all know why they are being nominated.

Also I think we need to add one more Eagle award for our best athlete "Athegle of the year" for the eagle having the best showing in all the Athletic department events

Thanks every one for coming to Cedar Rapids and hanging out it was a great time

From the Desk of John P Derryberry saying "Fake it till you make it"

Derryberry's Scouting Report for Success

Defense + Defense + Defense = the big "0"

I can't believe I'm going to be channleing Dennis Schaffer here but I'm going to. I start this by saying I love playing offense. I think are goal should be to try to score 55 each game with a run and gun style Braden is talking about(i'll get to that in second) We should start in a strictly 2-3 zone, pact it in behind the 3 three-point line and try to slow them down and see if they have shooters. If they don't have shooters make it impossible for them to penetrate and get easy baskets. Frustration, Frustration, Frustration. Alomst Everyone is going to want to score in the Iowa games (unless we run into a real patience old man team) If we make them suffer on Offense, thier Defense will suffer as well. If they do have a couple of shooters we go to man to man but really get after it. Use myself, Scottie, and Kyle to D-up there best player on straight full court ball denial. Basically not be much of a factor on the Offense end. Our job will be to hound thier best player. A three headed monster with 15 fouls to give. If thier best player is a low post player, We have Clint, Zach, Albert and Braden if needed for Twenty fouls. We need deny as much as possible in the low post. We really need to expend energy on the D trying to hold to them right around 20 points a half. (that should be our goal)
Rules to live by in the 2-3 to start
1) Make them beat us from long range until they prove they can shoot us out of the gym. Pact the zone in tight and play everything out to 17 feet, if we have to make adjustments becuase they have a shooter or two we will.
2)No easy lay-ups or Buckets make them go to the free throw line, use our fouls. Like I siad Frustration for them, make them earn every point.
3)Keep them out of the middle, that kills a zone
4) Hands up we aren't overally big but we are long, with Braden, Marcus, Clint, Zach, and myself we have wing spans we need to use that to our advantage.

Our Man to man
1) Communication, talk out screens, switches.
2) Identify who we think their best player is and then hound him by facing guarding him with a different guy very two minutes. Wear him down with fresh legs and fouls. I nominate my self to be one of the guys doing this as well as Kyle, Scottie (Because they can use thier fouls) and Braden becuase of his length (only if the Wildman isn't in foul Trouble.)
3) No easy baskets, with eleven guys we have 55 fouls, make guys hit free throws when their tired.


On to the offense. (Attacking, Attacking, Attacking,)
I agree with both of you on the run and gun style. I think If Marcus, Braden, Pratter, Myself, Mike get the rebound let's go. We must feel lanes and run with them for it to work. The more easy buckets the better. Shooting Layups is better than hoisting threes. I also agree with the motion, but we must maintain movement. The big down fall of every team I have played on in the Iowa games, Intermurals, or Y league stuff has been hoisting threes. If we don't get the intial easy bucket we need to be patience and not force bad shoots. Dribble penitration with drive and kicks or drop offs, Or the inside out game. Any way you draw up an offense you are looking for ball movement and inside out action. Zach I like your motion sets but I think we have a better weapon we could use. The Suns high screen and roll with Clint in the high post. Clint is a great passer, with a HIgh IQ as a b-ball player. If we can get him with in the middle with the ball 15 feet away or rolling to the hoop we got something. Then Braden and I can make cuts off of Clint. I think we start the offense with the Suns high screen and roll 4 out 5 times, when Clint and I are on the floor together. Either they don't switch and I'm in the middle attacking the hoop with passing lanes, or Clint is in the middle of the defense with cutters going to the hoop. And this works if Marcus, Braden, Pratter, or my self brings it up the court. Pick and Roll is so tough to defend correctly. It forces the defense to make adjustment on the fly, and it always starts your offense in attack mode. The key to being a running gun team (attacking the rim and taking wide open jumpers)

What I think the starting line-ups should be
PG Myself
SG Pratter
SF Marcus
PF Braden
C Clint

Let's not kid our selves, Marcus and Braden our our two pest players. We need them on the floor as much as possible. their long, athletic, and smart ball players. Plus Both of them can play from the Guard spots and fowards. Giving us a chance to creat match up problems. Braden does a alot of junk work crashing the boards, Marcus plays great defense help side or on the ball. We go with Pratter if we think we need the shooting, If I remember right He could shoot. and Clint for his earlier mentioned Passing skills and big body. Zach I hate hockey subs and Won't be apart of it. No more then subbing two guys at a time. To hard to get a rythm and flow going. Plus I think this line-up works the suns high screen the best.

This is where I think we make our money, Let's say the other team has a big guy on Braden. on the the first sub, we take me and Pratter out. Bring in Mike at SG/SF Mike is a perfect sixth amn for our club, and Zach. Roll Braden to the point

So We have
PG Yauk
SG Mike
SF Marcus
PF Zach
C Clint

All the Sudden they have to make some choices as who to guard Braden with. If they put someone big on him we pick and roll them to death, if they put a guard on him. We have Mouse in the house Run the motion until we get Braden in the post. Two point or free throws.

To Recap: My thoughts 2-3 Zone to start inside the 3 point line
Go to man to man and take away one of thier options with straight denail defense
Cuase Frustation

Offense The Suns high pick and Roll when CLint is in the game
Attack the rim, attack the rim, attack the rim
Use Braden to create mis-matchs.
Marucs and Braden play as much as thier legs can carry them
And Finally No Hockey Subs

Hope this help Coach Letzring and Yauk
I really think that Suns high Screen with Clint will cuase problems

From The desk of the assistant Coach.

Schedules Released

The schedules have been released and i will post a jpeg of the schedule for your viewing pleasure or you can get it off the iowagames.org website.

The important info is this we are on court 1 Pool 2. We Play at 8:50 AM Saturday Morning against the Team "Spencer"

Kirkwood CC Rec Center
Saturday February 9th, 2008 @ 8:50 am
Court 1 versus Spencer
**Please be there 20 minutes early to sign waivers & warm up. Bring balls.

Good and bad news we win our pool we play on Sunday in the morning.
I will most likely need $11 dollars from all who are playing
Thanks for participating i am looking forward to seeing all of you there.