 |
|
|
 |
VikingsFrontTest.bm)
J'Nathan Bullock: Lessons Learned
By: Mark Adams
I go to practice early whenever I broadcast a game for ESPN/ESPNU because over the years I have found that while the practice itself is always enlightening, it is even better to see who arrives for practice early. I cannot tell you how many times the best players are the ones who show up early before practice to work on a specific aspect of their game.
J'Nathan Bullock is one such player who walked on the court at 1:15PM on Thursday, December 4th, 2008 before the scheduled 2:00PM shoot around in preparation for their game that evening with the defending Horizon League champions, the Butler Bulldogs. As is my custom is such settings I walked out and asked if he needed a rebounder. Every player loves a designated rebounder and I have found this to be a most enjoyable and most educational way to get to know the players I will be talking about during the broadcasts.
J'Nathan Bullock is from Flint, MI and I have recruited kids from Flint before. Many failed along the way as poverty and drugs led them to a life of crime. J’Nathan Bullock is not one of those kids. He is focused and driven to succeed. He appreciates his opportunity at Cleveland State and he is taking full advantage of that opportunity in multiple ways. Yes, he is getting a great education in Mechanical Engineering and yes he will get his degree in May as he only has 5 credits to go.
Bullock is also an accomplished all-around basketball player who combines strength with quickness to be a scoring threat from inside and out. In fact, that very combination was on stage with 5.6 seconds to go when CSU Head Coach Gary Watters put the game in Bullock's hands on the left side block. J’Nathan dribbled with his back to the basket as he wheeled toward the middle of the lane then dealed to the baseline for a nifty left handed finish off the glass for the Viking one point lead. He did it matter of factly and he did it fundamentally and he did it like a successful young man who has learned a few lessons along the way from mentors he cherishes.
His Dad is retired and his Mom is holding down a job at GM in Detroit. She now makes the trek to Detroit everyday since the Flint plants closed over the years. He obviously values and admires their hard work. But, there is also another strong parental influence in his life, Gary Waters!
Waters can literally show you the book where he put together the plan to take Cleveland State from worst to first. He flipped from 21 losses to 21 wins over the last two seasons at CSU and now his Vikings led by J'Nathan Bullock are picked as the pre-season favorites in the Horizon League. Waters has a recruiting plan designed for success for the long term. Gary Waters is not interested in a short term/short cut approach. He learned from a stint at Rutgers in the Big East that the minute you start responding to the pressures to just win the results both on and off the court might bring immediate gratification but it is fleeting and temporary.
Waters has literally taught his team that there are three characteristics that a successful program must have to find success. . . a vision, a plan and quality people. Waters personally taught a class to his team based on that premise in 2006-07. He used John Wooden's Pyramid of Success as the textbook for the class. CSU players are literally taught what it takes to become more than a winner, but how to be successful both on the court and in life. Every player has been challenged to build their own pyramid.
J'Nathan Bullock’s pyramid was succinctly and clearly stated to me when I asked him what he had learned from Waters' course on success. “The little things count, take it step by step, and it is about much more than basketball, it’s about life.” he answered.
With 5.6 seconds to go and the game on the line J'Nathan Bullock delivered the go-ahead basket for his team because he did the little things, he took that possession and that read from that low block scoring opportunity step by step but Butler had one more chance.
The ball was inbounded to Gordon Hayward the 6-8 freshman who is soon to be the next great one for the Butler Bulldogs. At 6-8 he can see over defenders, even the full court defenders of the Cleveland State Vikings did not obstruct his full court vision. Hayward found an open Zach Hahn on the left hand wing. Hahn head-faked the Butler way as a Viking defender bought it hook, line and sinker. Hahn buried the game winner at the buzzer. Butler had won on the pre-season favorite’s floor 50-48.
As Michael Reghi called the shot only as he can, I looked at J'Nathan Bullock. Bullock was obviously disappointed but he re-grouped and shook the opponent’s hands. I thought back to his third lesson learned from Gary Watters, “It’s about much more than basketball. It’s about life!”
Lesson learned, the little things count, time for the next step by step process to improvement for Bullock and Cleveland State.
Mark Adams is a college basketball analyst on the ESPN family of networks.
|
|
| | |
|
|
|
The Fan Home of the Cleveland State Vikings
|
| |
| |
|
Get a FREE Web Site Powered by LeagueLineup.com
LeagueLineup can also be used for Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Fantasy Leagues, Games (Xbox, etc.) and more.
|
|
|
Administration Login
|
| | |
| | |
|
