When former Duke standout Bobby Hurley was recently hired as Arizona State’s new head basketball coach, his dad made the following comment: “The thing he probably learned from Mike Krzyzewski more than anything else is the daily communication with the college athlete…They’re comfortable coming in (to his office) when they have a problem. They can keep the air clear all the time so there are no individual problems.”

When athletes “keep the air clear” and don’t bottle-up their problems they’ll perform close to their skill levels on a consistent basis. But if they do bottle-up their problems it’s a form of lying that not only affects how they feel about themselves but also their ability to focus. That’s why open communication between players and coaches is so essential if a team is to be successful.

One last point about Coach Hurley. His Sun Devils should be competing for the national title within a three or four year period. Because of his relationship with Coach K he’ll probably be on the receiving end of a direct pipeline with Coach K sending him his overflow of championship caliber athletes for whom he doesn’t have scholarships.