The Coaches Podcast: Sports Biographies, Leadership, & Strategy

Joe Owens
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Sports
  • Updated Biweekly

I dig through the biographies of the legends to find the strategy, mindset, and leadership lessons you can use every day.

  1. Jul 30

    Curt Cignetti - Please Explain. (1/2)

    In this 2-part series on Curt Cignetti we'll attempt to deconstruct the man in order to help explain the wild success we're seeing him have at Indiana. Spoiler alert: it's a 56 year overnight success story. We'll learn about the foundations his Dad set, the market conditions in college football that are helping him, but mostly, we'll just learn that this man has been at it for a while and is just really, really good. 00:00 Intro04:19 Point 1 - Compounding - Frank Cignetti Sr.08:17 Point 2 - Compounding - Cignetti & Buffett 12:12 Point 2b - Compounding - Steph Curry14:48 Point 2c - Compounding - Curt's Staff18:15 Point 3 - Money, Market Conditions, & Mark Cuban27:18 Point 4 - Unexpected Promoter31:12 Conclusion Articles Used/Referenced: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6852835/2025/12/03/indiana-football-coach-curt-cignetti-big-ten-championship/ https://www.newyorker.com/sports/sporting-scene/how-a-sixtysomething-coach-from-a-so-so-school-turned-indiana-into-world-beaters https://www.nbcsports.com/college-football/news/indianas-secret-sauce-its-much-more-than-curt-cignetti# https://www.catholicbusinessjournal.com/voices/columns/thomas-m-loarie/the-cignetti-effect-why-the-long-game-wins-in-a-world-of-instant-gratification/ https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/the-new-sheriff-of-college-football-has-a-message-for/502151 https://www.mattmayberryonline.com/5-leadership-lessons-from-indianas-national-championship/ https://iuhoosiers.com/news/2026/1/18/football-cignettis-maximum-impact-approach-hit-them-right-between-the-eyeshttps://www.idsnews.com/article/2026/01/iu-football-curt-cignetti-champion-football-indiana https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2026/01/19/curt-cignetti-dad-frank-cignetti-sr-indiana-football-iup/88235421007/ Books Referenced:Intelligent Fanatics Project - Sean Iddings and Ian Casselhttps://www.amazon.com/Intelligent-Fanatics-Project-Sustainable-Businesses/dp/0997576502/ref=sr_1_1 Amp It Up - Frank Slootmanhttps://www.amazon.com/s?k=amp+it+up+frank+slootman Shot Read by Steph Curry:https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Shot-Ready/dp/B0F2VZQVFF/ref=sr_1_1

  2. Jul 16

    Dick Bennett 3 - Journaling | Inner Conflicts | Quality Basketball

    In our final episode on Dick Bennett we're going to hear about his awesome journaling habit, some of the personal struggles that he has that season, and more on his beautiful views of quality basketball. Thanks for listening. 00:00 Intro 03:17 Quality Basketball | The Whole Is Greater Than the Sum of It's Parts 06:49 Journaling / Introspection 12:56 Dick's Inner Conflict 16:45 Conclusion to the 1996-97 Season - "Everything Leads To Something" Show Notes: Upside Down Leadership - Travis Wycoff https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DVSZ1DKB?lv=shuf&hvlocphy=9021340 A Season With Coach Dick Bennett - Eric Ferris https://www.amazon.com/Season-Coach-Dick-Bennett/dp/1879483483  X, Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok: the_coaches_pod e: thecoachespodcast@icloud.com

  3. Jul 2

    Dick Bennett 2 - Bennett Ball. (Based on "A Season with Coach Dick Bennett")

    Part 2 on Dick Bennett is much more basketball centric. We'll talk more about that 1996-97 Wisconsin Badgers team, and the "sea of sameness" problem Bennett has with them. We'll also cover the awesome story / parable of walk-on David Burkemper, Bennett's brilliant takes on "playing not to lose", and the important concept of addition by subtraction . Thanks for listening. 00:00 Intro 02:07  1 996-97 Season | A Sea Of Sameness 06:05 Parable of David Burkemper 13:19 Addition By Subtraction 14:23 Underrated - "Playing Not To Lose" 19:30 The Gospel of D 22:58 Conclusion A Season With Coach Dick Bennett by Eric Ferris: https://www.amazon.com/Season-Coach-Dick-Bennett/dp/1879483483 Pack Line Defense Overview:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xicOzvbB6A&t=21sthecoachespodcast@icloud.com

  4. Jun 18

    Dick Bennett 1 - Everything Leads To Something. (Based on "A Season with Coach Dick Bennett")

    Today we launch a 3 part series on Dick Bennett. Underrated. Brilliant. Flawed. Earnest. Faithful. There are many layers to the man that we will study based on a very unique source text - A Season with Coach Dick Bennett by Eric Ferris, which chronicles exclusively the 1996-1997 Wisconsin Badgers basketball season. It features highlights, and lowlights, and we'll zoom out from there. I hope you enjoy. 00:00 Everything Leads To Something 05:00 Early Life. 05:28 Early Life - Dad 08:44 Early Life - Conclusion / Mom 09:47 Faith & Family 14:15 Dick's "Why" - Quality Basketball 17:39 Conclusion Books Mentioned: A Season with Coach Dick Bennett by Eric Ferris: https://www.amazon.com/Season-Coach-Dick-Bennett/dp/1879483483 Actor's Life, A Survival Guide by Jenna Fischer: https://www.amazon.com/Actors-Life-Survival-Guide/dp/1944648224 Contact Me: X, Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok: the_coaches_pod Email: thecoachespodcast@icloud.com

  5. Jun 4

    Earl Weaver 2 - Mob Bosses, Video Games, & Umpire Fights. (Based on the book "The Last Manager")

    The stories keep rolling in part 2 on Earl Weaver. You'll hear more about Earl as a player, his famous clashes with umpires, the hard to believe stories about his mob boss uncle, and the flagship baseball video game Earl helped create. I hope you enjoy! 00:00 EW2 - Mob Bosses, Video Games, & Umpires (Based on the book "The Last Manager") 01:05  Deep Insecurity From Not Making It As A Player 08:09 Earl Vs. Umpires 11:41 Mob Boss Uncle - Uncle "Bud" 16:04 Video Game - Earl Weaver Baseball - Precursor to Madden 18:58 Hard Drinking 22:47 Conclusion Mental Game Podcast With Dan Hurley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP_DyHH35-k The Last Manager: How Earl Weaver Tricked, Tormented, and Reinvented Baseball  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1668030926  Bill Haller "HOT MIC" Argument: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrhmUGRaOwY

  6. May 21

    Earl Weaver 1 - Crazy Like A Fox. (Based on the book "The Last Manager")

    You're going to love learning about Earl Weaver in this episode. His life is as entertaining as it is legendary. We use John W. Miller's The Last Manager: How Earl Weaver Tricked, Tormented, and Reinvented Baseball as our source text. It's an incredibly well done book. I add some commentary and insights as well. I hope you enjoy! 00:00 Intro 03:38 Then Vs. Now - Star Manager to Corporate Manager 08:04 Then vs. Now - Relationships Still Key 10:17 Visionary & Innovator 10:42 Visionary - The Shortstop Position & Cal Ripken Jr. 12:16 Visionary - The Radar Gun 15:12 Visionary - "Money Ball" Before Money Ball 17:39 Coaching Takeaways - Weaver on Strategy Book 19:35 Coaching Takeaways - Emotional Intelligence 23:45 Coaching Takeaways - Intensity 25:17 Coaching Takeaways - Genius of a Madman - Conversation with Steve Stone 28:12 Conclusion The Last Manager: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Manager-Tormented-Reinvented-Baseball/dp/1668030926 Weaver on Stategy: https://www.amazon.com/Weaver-Strategy-Classic-Managing-Baseball/dp/1574884247 The Coaches Podcast Social Media: X: the_coaches_pod Instagram: the_coaches_pod TikTok: the_coaches_pod Email: thecoachespodcast@icloud.com

  7. May 7

    Joe Maddon 3 - Man Vs. Machines. (Based on "The Book of Joe")

    In our final episode on Joe Maddon, we explore the age old debate of man vs. machines...baseball analytics vs. gut instinct. We also dive into the magical moments of the Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series Game 7, with some amazing words from Theo Epstein regarding that rain delay and the Jason Heyward led team meeting that transpired. 00:00 Intro - Man Vs. Machines 01:24 Analytics vs. Instintc - Man Vs. Machines 14:45 Analytics vs. Instinct - Game 7 2016 WS - Pitching Decisions 24:04 Series Conclusion: Rain Delay - Let The Lead Bulls Run Joe Maddon's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Joe-Trying-Suck-Baseball/dp/1538751798/ The Coaches Podcast Social Media: X: the_coaches_pod Instagram: the_coaches_pod TikTok: the_coaches_pod Email: thecoachespodcast@icloud.com

  8. Apr 23

    Joe Maddon 2 - DON'T MESS With Greatness. (Based on "The Book of Joe")

    Shohei Ohtani. Jake Arrieta. These guys were unlocked by Maddon's belief that you shouldn't mess with greatness. For Shohei, it was to stop coddling him. Give him more, not less. Quit monitoring him so closely, and let him go be an athlete. For Arrieta, it was to let him pitch cross-body. Let him pitch complete games. Let him be himself. There is so much wisdom from Joe Maddon in this episode today. I hope you enjoy. 00:00 Intro 01:25 Don't Mess With Greatness - Shohei Ohtani 09:34 Don't Mess With Greatness - Complete Games 12:29 Don't Mess With Greatness - Jake Arrieta 17:33 Relationships & Trust 23:45 Conclusion Joe's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Joe-Trying-Suck-Baseball/dp/1538751798 The Coaches Podcast Social Media: X: the_coaches_pod Instagram: the_coaches_pod TikTok: the_coaches_pod Email: thecoachespodcast@icloud.com

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I dig through the biographies of the legends to find the strategy, mindset, and leadership lessons you can use every day.

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