Today’s Illustration: Right Team, Wrong Coach

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Who: Bill Walton — “One of the 50 greatest players in NBA history and former basketball announcer for ABC, ESPN, and NBC”

Born November 5, 1952
Professional basketball player, television sportscaster – ESPN
Three Years — National College Player of the Year — 1972, 1973, 1974
First pick in the 1974 draft
Teams: Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics
6′ 11″
Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame – 1993
A well-known fan of the “Grateful Dead”

What: In an extensive interview on the Axe Files, by David Axelrod, Bill Walton says this . . . .

Pain:

“I spent half my adult life in the hospital. I spent so much time in my life just lying there waiting and then at the end, I just gave up because it was just too hard. It was just too much pain and there was no hope and there was no path forward,” he said. “Then this doctor, Steve Garfin, he steps up and says, ‘I’ve got an idea, I’ve got a plan and I’m willing to take the chance.’ And I had to take the chance. I had no choice. My only other choice was suicide.”

“When you’re in that space, more people commit suicide from back pain than from any other malady. It’s just overwhelming. It destroys every aspect of your life. It destroys every aspect of all the people around you. And here’s this situation where I had nothing, but then I had this surgery and I’m all better. I take no medication. I have no pain. I go full speed ahead now. I’ve never been busier. I’ve never been happier. I haven’t been this healthy since I was 13 years old. In all these years I never thought that I’d be free of pain, I never thought that I’d be happy in love, and I have both of those today. I am the luckiest guy on earth.”

Leadership:

“This is the greatest testament to leadership in the world and the value of coaching.

I’m the biggest believer in that guy who sits in the decision making chair and how valuable that guy is.

Because Golden State they had — they already had the team, but had the wrong coach . . . .

. . . . and so the owner saw this and the owner fired the coach — Mark Jackson — and they bring in a new coach — Steve Kerr — and with the same team they win the championship and go on the most incredible run — two year run – of the NBA.”

[Link: approximately the 49 min mark]

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Key Biblical Thoughts:

pain
leadership
key Bible people
human responsibility
waiting
patience
fellow laborers / co-workers
decision making
mentor / coaching
suicide

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Creating A BigIdea: You can use this illustration in a variety of ways. One way is to frame the BigIdea: “Right Team, Wrong Coach.”

Sermonic Example:

[Include whatever details you find useful]

Then Bill Walton says this . . . .

Because Golden State they had — they already had the team, but had the wrong coach . . . .

. . . . and so the owner saw this and the owner fired the coach — Marty Jackson — and they bring in a new coach — Steve Kerr — and with the same team they win the championship and go on the most incredible run — two year run – of the NBA.”

That reality is seen in the Scriptures. Saul failed to leader Israel, and David was offiially installed as Israel’s new coach and it all changed — Psalm 78:72. At times, there needs to be a change of leadership. It’s not the team . . . it’s not the sheep . . . . it’s the coach, the leadership , the administrator, the supervisor, the foreman, President, the CEO, and even the shepherd. That is one of the reasons as to why there is sudden growth after the new leader takes office. . . .

Other Information & Links:

— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Walton

— https://www.cnn.com/2016/06/20/politics/bill-walton-axelrod-axe-files/index.html
(Episode 59)

— https://www.jambase.com/article/interview-bill-walton-throw-it-down-big-man