Phil Jackson

Jackson: I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you're doing. You have to be a salesman and you have to get your players, particularly your leaders, to believe in what you're trying to accomplish on the basketball floor. We have a statement in our organization, "It's not what you do, but it's how you do it that matters." It's not whether you run the triangle offense like the Bulls run it, but whatever you do, as long as everybody does it and executes it. So you have to be able to preach that. You have to be able to manage a group of guys. In "Casey Stengel-ese," you have to keep nine guys happy and three guys not so sure whether they're unhappy or happy or just happy to belong to a club, because nine guys are going to get to play, the 10th a little bit and the 11th and 12th will have to be balancing it off. So they can't be a disruptive force.

You have to be able to psychologically help your players, support-wise, be in touch with them, so I think managing people is very important. You've got to understand the scheduling of a season. You've got to know what an NBA player's body is going through and I think having been a player helps in that regard. You know the duress these players physically are under, what kind of travel schedule they have, the pressures they have in their home, their families and how to manipulate the season, so it's at least palpable to have a family or a lifestyle so they can continue to have a reasonable life going along at a very hectic schedule. So those are some of the things. The rest of the staff is important. Your medical staff, your trainers, general manager, all those things that support a coach are really important to have the stability of people. You have to be thoughtful about the process, understanding the immediacy of the day for coaching but seeing the long term aspect of the team.

Phil: Approach the game with no preset agendas and you'll probably come away surprised at your overall efforts.

Phil: I gave it my body and mind, but I have kept my soul.

Phil: Wisdom is always an overmatch for strength.

Phil: Love is the force that ignites the spirit and binds teams together.

Phil: Always keep an open mind and a compassionate heart

Phil: Wisdom is always an overmatch for strength.