Winners in Waiting? A Letter to Byron Scott and the Cavaliers

Dear Byron,

Let me introduce myself. I am the WIN Coach, and I help prepare teams to win. It's what I do, and today, I thought I would provide a free WIN Clinic for you and the guys (you're welcome). While most others give information in their articles, I teach readers about winning. Enjoy.

Listen, I get it. You were a championship player in the NBA, and you're quite an accomplished coach, also. I'm just some brilliant guy with some pretty outrageous ideas about winning. But, you're losing, and I keep winning. So, you have no obligation to listen or respond, but these concepts work. Cool?

The first thing you need to know is that the foundation of the whole organization might be flawed. You weren't the coach there last year, but I am sure you must have seen the losing statement in the corridors just outside the court.

This big banner said, "The Harder You Work, the Harder it is to Surrender."

Huh?

Now, was that supposed to be a reminder for LeBron and the boys to win? Well, it didn't work. It says that if you work hard, it'll take longer for you to surrender.

I mean, how dumb is that?

Listen coach, your current team might have this ridiculous concept stuck in their minds, hearts and souls. Harder it is to surrender? Really? Heck, the simplest studies show that the more times a person sees certain words and internalizes those words, the more ingrained those words become. Thus, the word surrender might be ingrained in your boyz.

No wonder the Bronster left town.

The next thing, coach, is you gotta be careful with the things you say. When you took over as coach, you said something like, "Let the journey begin." Coach, I hate to tell ya, but anybody on a journey probably isn't going to win a whole lot. Those on a journey are the ones who usually enjoy the experience, which is OK with me if that's what you want.

However, your opponents probably have a destination to win, which is going to make it pretty ugly on youz guys. You know, at the same time you made your statement, D-Fish out in So-Cal said, "Let the hunt begin."

If I'm in the NBA, I'm thinking that a hunt for a championship in Lakerland is far more effective than being on a journey to Outtaplayoff City. You feelin' me, coach?

Nonetheless, coach, I truly believe that you are in a perfect position to begin winning should you choose to embrace this position. Let me explain it.

There's only one way to go, and that's up. So, the way to do this is two-fold. First, decide that two seasons from now you will be in the playoffs. Don't hope, don't try and please, please, don't have a goal to make it, because you won't.

Get with the team and set your destination.

Decide what it takes to get there and freaking get there. If you have a destination to make it to the playoffs, you will get there—somehow, someway.

It has nothing to do with passion or hunger or any of that other nonsense, it's about deciding to win and reaching the playoffs. In short, it's a destination. Let the others try, "leave it on the court," or do their best. Decide to win, and you will. Hope or try to win, well, anyone can do that.

Secondly, teach your players to quit worrying about losing or losing streaks—just focus on winning behavior. When you reach the playoffs in 2013 (or sooner—BAM!), nobody will even care about some stupid streak in 2011. 

This puts you in the perfect position to teach your players winning actions, which leads to winning habits, which leads to winning character, which leads to winning results. So, if you don't have to worry about losing, how great is that?

Too many teams freak out about losing and so-called streaks and all they do is perpetuate losing actions.

How freaking sad.

Coach, if necessary, concentrate on winnable moments, which is doing the winning thing over and over, moment by moment. So, if it's a box-out, a free throw or moving feet instead of reaching, eventually—these winning moments become automatic winning behavior and well, you'll be calling and thanking me. Fo sho.

Let me quickly summarize my points so you can use this as a checklist for winning.

1. Burn the sign about surrendering and buy one which talks about winning. Words are powerful, baby. Ingrained words lead to winning or losing.

2. Stop talking about journeys and start setting destinations for your next playoff appearance. It'll happen—because, coach, you've already been there.

3. Never think about losing. Concentrate on doing winning things. The losing will end and winning will become automatic behavior.

4. If necessary, break your games into moments. Usually, the team who has the most winning moments wins the games.

Coach, let me close this bad boy. You've got the game to win. It's been great writing to you. I know this streak was a drag, but when you start winning, who's gonna care? Uh, nobody me-thinks. You just whacked the Clippers, so you know that winning is in you. 

Listen—Tiger, Sharapova and Jeff Gordon will be in the winner's column again soon and you should too, should you decide to be. Hey, losing is, "Will we ever win again?"

Winning says, "When we win again."

Make sense? If you need any help, give me a call. BAM!

Oh, and remember. Success is great and excellence is great, but winning is best.