Being Del Harris

-----Original Message-----
From: Me
To: Del Harris
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 15:13:44 +0000
Subject: Re: e-mail interviews

Del,

Thank you very, very much for participating in this correspondence. We all enjoyed it immensely and at the same time have developed a deep respect for you. Because of your busy schedule we have decided to end the interview now.

If it is all right with you I will send you a final three questions after the Olympics to summarize your experience.

Good luck!

Yours sincerely,

Dan Malberg

 

The post above is what I sent him about when they played New Zealand. No reply but I think he will answer. He’s probably on vacation now so there is no need to hurry. As usual, please post a lot of questions and comment on other questions. Thanks.

Thanks for the recap Old Man Rock. Some good stuff from Del.

 

Hey guys. Just thought I’d post the questions before sending them this time. It’s been hard coming up with new ones but I do think we should let him really ponder and reflect on the whole Olympic experience. Remember, these are the last three questions.

Here are the ones I’m leaning towards:
- Looking back at the Olympics, what do you think you will cherish the most when you retire from coaching?
- What were your biggest challenges this summer? Do expect the CNT to fix them and improve a lot in Beijing in 2008?
- What do you expect from Yao in his career?

What do you think?

Also, I’ve opened up a new thread for those of you that want to be included in the e-mail and thank him for making our Olympic experience more fun and for increasing our understanding of Yao and the CNT. Let’s keep the names and thankyous in that thread and the questions in this. Thank you!

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Me
To: Del Harris
Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 11:14:01 +0000
Subject: Re: e-mail interviews

Hello Coach Harris,

Congratulations on your successful Olympic tournament!

As you know, the members of clutchfans.net have absolutely loved your insights throughout the summer. In this final correspondence we are hoping you will give us your final thoughts on your Olympic experience. As usual, there are three questions that we have prepared:

- Looking back at the Olympics, what do you think you will cherish the most from the experience?
- What were your biggest challenges this summer? Do expect the CNT to fix them and improve a lot in Beijing in 2008?
- What do you expect from Yao in his career?

Some of the members that have followed and contributed to our correspondence wants to give you a special thank you. They are included below.

Thank you very, very much for taking time out of your busy schedule this summer and good luck in the future.

Yours sincerely,

Daniel Malberg

Special thanks:
Tao, Ye, Montreal, Canada
Kenneth Powell, Houston, Texas
“Coach Harris, thanks for giving us your personal thoughts and insight on the Olympic experience.” – Rashmon, Austin, Texas
Wayne, Houston
Nathan Boren, Austin, TX
“Thank's Del!” – Jack, Houston
“Thanks Coach Harris for taking the time to answer questions and share insights into what must have been a most challenging and facinating experience! There is a good chance - that you have done more to promote good U.S.A. - China relations during your stay - than most U.S. diplomats assigned to China during their entire career! Thank you again!” – Humble, TX
“Thanx!” – Michael Chong, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
“Thanks Del! You're solid gold!” – Carl, Houston
“Thanks Del! I used to play basketball with your daughter and Joel in Houston at the Post Oak YMCA. Did they finally get married?” – Eric, Austin
“Thanks Coach Harris! I greatly appreciate all that you've done, which includes the time that you were here coaching our Rockets.” – Rocket fan in Houston.
“Your e-mails were above and beyond, Mr. Harris. Thanks.” – Nate in League City
“Thanks Del.”, Vicent Morris - Boston MA
“Thanks.” James - Rosemead, CA
“Xie (4) Xie(4) ni(3), Coach Harrison.”, Jason from Phoenix.
“Your insights were very much appreciated. Thanks.”, Dave - Houston
“Thanks a bunch, Del. You're a class act -- the league could use a few more like you.”, Chris - Los Angeles
“I really appreciate you taking the time to keep the fans up on Ming and the Chinese national team; you are a real gentleman, a first class guy, and an excellent coach. Thanks.”
“Del, As a basketball fan, I really appreciated you taking the time to communicate with us. If you are involved in any charities or community projects, please let us know.” - Albert, Houston, Texas
“Thanks Mr Harris for your kindness.” – P. Li , Paris France
“We all appreciate you taking out time to email us. Thank You.”
“Thanks Del.” – Die Hard Rox Fan in Clear Lake, Jody
“Thanks from Daniel in Los Angeles.”
“Thank You very much for your correspondence .. “ – John, San Francisco
“Thanks for all the cooperation Del you are truly a standup man. ” – Shriram, Los Angeles CA
“Thanks Coach Harris. No matter what happens, you'll always be The Mayor from Spin City to me.” – Jason Norman, OK
“Thanks!” – Henry, Stamford, CT
“Coach Harris, Thank you vey much for taking the time to answer our questions, and keep us informed on Ming & Chinese National Team. You really showed what a truely a class act you are. Good luck to you this coming season, and hopefully, we'll see you coaching team China in Beijing 2008.” – Joseph, Palo Alto CA
“Thanks a lot Del. I don't think many coaches on any level would have agreed to do this due to time constraints alone. Reading your responses has beeen one of the highlights of the NBA offseason. This was truly above and beyond the call of duty.” – Bo, Houston, TX
“thanks !” – DB, Houston
“Thanks Coach Del. You are a class act.” – The Fegwu family, Houston, Texas.
“Thank you coach Del!” – Ke, Dallas TX.
“Got me through the summer Del! Thanks!” – Brock Stapper, Austin
“Thanks a lot, Coach Harris! I really enjoy reading your emails, and you have shown us how a classic gentleman should be. Ever since the first email, I've become a fun of you. Best wishes to you and your family. ” – Ricky from Califonia
“Thanks, Del... ” – Bob Albel, Los Angeles
“Thanx for making time out of your busy schedule and helping us get through our summer. Good luck to you and Dallas in the coming NBA season! ” Min Kim, Houston, TX
“Thanks alot Del! I really appreciate it!” – YUKIO, Aliso Viejo, CA.
“Thank you Mr. Harris !” – KC from Boston, MA
“Thanks Coach Harris.” – Will, Austin, TX
“Thanks coach Harris, thank you for everything you did this summer, for the email, for the team china, and for YAO.” – Y.J Hu from SH China
“Much appreciated.” – John of Houston, currently in Taiwan
“Thanks Del, Lets hope that you lit a fire in Yao so he can have a monster season this season and many more to come.” – Manuel, Melbourne Australia

---------------------------------------------------------

From: Del Harris
To: Me
Date: Tue, 21 sept 2004 23:38:35
Subject: Re: e-mail interviews

Rockets fans/Yao fans---thanks for your kind comments that Dan has passed on to me---he excluded any bad ones, so thanks for that, too, Dan

Briefly to answer: 1. The most outstanding moment outside of the basketball was the opening nite ceremonies, of course. Our team really bonded well during that nite and I wish you could have seen how our team stayed together and we must have taken 500 pictures of each other, including abut 100 different team photos. You probably didn't see us sitting down in a huddle in the middle of all the other participants after we had been standing down there in the middle of it all for an hour or more. Of course, Yao was the star of the show that night. He signed 100's of autographs for other althetes.

But the most important was the win over Serbia that allowed us to move on to the next round. We were in the tougher pool by far---Arg was gold, Italy was silver, New Zealand came with the same 5op 7 that won 4th in the 02 World Games,, Serbia was the defending World Champions and Spain beat every one of us in the first round. To have our backs against the wall against Serbia and with them in the same must-win situation and to come out on top was truly amazing. It matched the feelings I have had in winning in going to the finals in 81 with the Rockets, winning 3 national titles in Puerto Rico, winning a high school tournament in Indiana, winning and going to the national NAIA finals at Earlham College, etc. Winning big games is the same at every level and this was really huge because it looked so improbable. Serbia had nailed us by 20 in early August at the Diamond Ball, which they won and they had Argentina and Lithuania in that tourney as well. I had thought going in that Serbia was the one team in our pool that I thought we could not beat. You never know. But it was great for our players who had worked so hard for 5 months. I was with them for the last 3 months of that. And we practiced 2X a day most of those day. The NBA rules only allow 5 2/days per season and these guys did 5 months.

I also had a special satisfaction because I had hadd to work so hard myself. MY main assistant Jonas missed the last 5 weeks going into the Oly. and made it there only after we had played the Spain game. He speaks decent English and is a good coach, but it was hard with out him, since that left only Yao to speak English of all the players and the Chinese coach. And then I had to buy VCR's and monitors because they had no film or editing equipment. I was able to round up some film and I did the editing, sometimes being up till 3 am just to get some stuff to show the players some of what they did and some of what the opponents might do to us.

As for the future I sent them a list of 14 things that they need to do to get better for 08---some of which may be hard for them to do. but they involved mainly getting a system set up in their league whereby the teams learn to use the same strength and conditioning training that the European and NBA teams use. Physically, the Chinese were overmatched, even tho this was s the best conditioned and strongest team they have had---there is still a gap. Even more importantly, they must find a way to play against the top world teams more than just every 2 years---ie, the Worlds and the Olympics. They must get there team together each summer and play some games against the top teams. All the top 15 teams in the world have their main players playing 80+ games a year in the NBA or in the Euro league. The Chinese league is not far enough along to allow the players to improve once the good players are divided up in the league---and they don't get top foreign players to come to China for the league---which has been only a 22 game league---going to 40 games this year. As anyone can see, this system is not set up to compete world wide at the top level. It will take a commitment and some money, but the men's basketball is the only male sport to qualify for the Olympics for China---who sent over 600 athletes and who has done so well in general in Olympic competition. Basketball is a centerpiece sport world wide and now in China as well and they must do what it takes to make these things happen or they will be disappointed greatly in 08. Just allowing the players to get 4 years older will not close the gap.

Yao was terrific as a leader, player and human being. He had a lot of trouble with this big toes and they need to address that issue. He had bloody feet after every game and played in a lot of pain. I know it looked at times like he was out of shpe, but he was actually slow up and down due to the pain. he showed a great deal of character and commitment to his country, despite showing the disappointment in the team play after out first game loss.

It was really hard for Yao to go against the International teams due to the zone defenses. In the NBA the people have to clear out or the middle more, but in the INt. game, all 5 can sit right on him. Since the rest of our players excluding Yao and Mo Ke shot less that 30% total for the 7 games, it was most difficult for him to score---still he averaged over 20 per. And the refs let them really beat on him since he is so big and an NBA player---he got no breaks. In our last game he fouled out and we were only down 9 I believe in the last quarter at the time. He shot no free throws in the game. They also fouled out Yi and Mo and yet we got only 10 free throws for the game. Spain ended up getting us by 16.

best wishes to all, del harris