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Anthology

On By ethomasparhamIn A2. THE LITTLE GREEN BOOK OF TENNISLeave a comment
Image of all of Tom Parham's books

For anyone who is interested in my writing, here are links to free versions of all of my books. Just tap the book title to access a free PDF file on Google Drive.

Little Green Book of Tennis (3rd edition)
A new 2023 digital-only version of the Little Green Book edited to only tennis related writing, including some new chapters from the past few years. You can also download the3rd edition— a revised edition. Play is Where Life is is the first book I wrote.


Em Ole Coaches
Lessons learned from my family, friends, and colleagues over my career. This book is a personal collection of insights from some of my favorite people.


A Level of Thinking
A collection of essays on a wide variety of subjects including sports, politics, and American culture.


Helping
A collection of essays on tennis and coaching, many of which are posted here on the blog. The second half of the book chronicles the impact of international players on college tennis.


Thanksgiving
A collection of personal thoughts, stories, and pictures. Many of the essays were also posted here on my blog.


Nearly Fifty
For almost fifty years, my closest friends gathered once a year for a men’s weekend. This book collects some of my favorite stories and pictures from this tradition. If you would like a copy of this book, please email me.

DAVID BROOKS’ NYT FAREWELL

On By ethomasparhamIn K. PHILOSOPHY, L. RACE, M. POLITICS, N. RELIGION, WARLeave a comment
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#label/keepsakes%2FKEEPSAKES+4%2FSelected+Keepsakes/KtbxLzGHhzFtwLjxLGsvgKGKndkXdmKwzg

Heartland  == BOB AND WILLIE

There’s a big achin’ hole in my chest now where my heart was

And a hole in the sky where God used to be.

My American dream

Fell apart at the seams.

You tell me what it means,

You tell me what it means.

Blaze Starr

On By ethomasparhamIn M. POLITICSLeave a comment

The Emperor’s New Clothes


“The emperor’s noblemen pretend to lift the fabric’s train from the floor as the procession commences, refusing to admit that they are empty-handed. As the procession begins, the gathered crowd initially pretends to be impressed with the emperor’s fine clothes as well, since nobody wants to expose themselves as a “fool.” At last, a small child in the crowd calls out that the emperor is not wearing any clothes at all. The child’s words quickly make their way through the crowd before the whole town declares in unison that the emperor is, in fact, not wearing any clothes.

The emperor is distressed, as he suspects the townspeople are correct. In spite of this, he continues to walk on “more proudly than ever” (Paragraph 31), still unwilling to admit his foolishness.”

*******

Greatest Ever Quotes on Truth, Trust & Credibility

  1. Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom. ~Thomas Jefferson  
  2. Honesty doesn’t always pay, but dishonesty always costs. ~Michael Josephson
  3. Honesty is the best policy; but he who is governed by that maxim is not an honest man. – Richard Whately
  4. Alternative facts are not facts, they’re falsehoods. ~Chuck Todd, 2017 January 22nd, to Kellyanne Conway, Meet the Press (NBC
  5. O what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive! Sir Walter Scott
  6. Building trust is like building a tower, stone by stone. But no matter how high or strong the tower seems, if you remove a stone from the bottom the tower will collapse. Lying destroys the foundation needed for trust. Michael Josephson
  7. An honest man’s the noblest work of God. – Robert Burns
  8. Lies breed more lies. Each lie requires bodyguard of other lies to prevent discovery. – Michael Josephson
  9. A reputation for good judgment, for fair dealing, for truth, and for rectitude, is itself a fortune. Henry Ward Beecher (1813 – 1887)
  10. A truth that’s told with bad intent/ Beats all the lies you can invent. ~William Blake
  11. Honesty is the fastest way to prevent a mistake from turning into a failure. James Altucher
  12. A lie has speed, but truth has endurance. ~Edgar J. Mohn
  13. That a lie which is all a lie may be met and fought with outright truth, / But a lie which is part a truth is a harder matter to fight. Alfred Tennyson
  14. Hide nothing from the masses of our people. Tell no lies. Expose lies whenever they are told. Mask no difficulties, mistakes, failures. Claim no easy victories. Amílcar Cabral (1921 – 1973) Guinean revolutionary leader and freedom fighter. Party directive
  15. With lies you will go far, but not back again. – Yiddish proverb.
  16. Never forget, someone who will lie in front of you will lie to you. – Michael Josephson
  17. He who does not bellow the truth when he knows the truth makes himself the accomplice of liars and forgers. Charles Pierre Péguy (1873 – 1914)  French writer
  18. How many lies can someone tell you before distrust sets in? How many lies can you tell before you are a liar? Once someone has lied to us we look back on past conversations and ask: “What else has he lied to me about?” – Michael Josephson
  19. Beware of the half truth. You may have gotten hold of the wrong half. ~Author Unknown
  20. A half truth is a whole lie. ~Yiddish Proverb
  21. It is hard to believe that a man is telling the truth when you know that you would lie if you were in his place. ~Henry Louis Mencken,
  22. A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put its pants on. ~Winston Churchill
  23. Honesty pays, but it don’t seem to pay enough to suit some people. ~Frank McKinney “Kin” Hubbard
  24. The cruelest lies are often told in silence. ~Adlai Stevenson
  25. No legacy is so rich as honesty. – William Shakespeare

THE TRUTH HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME (T. PARHAM )

*****************

In scene from the movie BLAZE,  Governor Long (Paul Newman ) and Blaze Starr (Lolita Davidovitch) discuss their future together:

Blaze:  I have a confession to make.

Governor Long:  What’s that ?

Blaze :  I can’t cook.

Governor Long:  We’ll work around it .

“OH CANADA “

On By ethomasparhamIn M. POLITICSLeave a comment

“OH CANADA “

Yesterday, Mark Carney, Canada’s prime minister, offered stark remarks about the end of an American-led world order and received a standing ovation.

TP–We will be buying fresh water and oil from Canada “…til all the stars have turned to stone.”

Total Estimated Economic Value of IU’s National Football Season (2025–26)

On By ethomasparhamIn E. SPORTS COMMENTARYLeave a comment

From Chat/GPT

Total Estimated Economic Value of IU’s National Football Season (2025–26).

CategoryEstimated Value (USD)
Direct Football Program Revenue (Incremental)$10 M – $20 M
Baseline Annual Football Revenue$60 M (ongoing)
Local Economic Impact (Tourism, Lodging, Spending)$60 M – $100 M+
Media & Brand Value (Exposure)$20 M – $50 M+
Total Estimated Economic Value≈ $150 M – $230 M+

Bottom Line:
 Indiana University’s historic national championship season likely generated at least in the low hundreds of millions of dollars in combined direct revenue, local economic activity, and media/brand value. The total could exceed $200 M when counting the broader impact on the university, Bloomington economy, and future revenue streams.

LET THE TRUE CHURCH ROLL ON

On By ethomasparhamIn M. POLITICS, N. RELIGION, WARLeave a comment

MAUREEN DOWD–Jan. 20, 2026

It’s almost quaint to look at the misrule of W. and Cheney. At least they made up some highfalutin’ cover story about bringing democracy to the Middle East, when the real story was closer to daddy issues for W. and a Halliburton windfall for Cheney.

THIS STARTED THE WHOLE FRIGGIN MESS

THIS STARTED THE WHOLE FRIGGIN MESS

” I’LL FOLLOW YOU DOWN ‘TIL MY VOICE WILL HAUNT YOU” (Fleetwood Mac, SILVER SPRINGS )

BEAR BRYANT: “Coaching is only for those who can’t live without it.”

On By ethomasparhamIn E. SPORTS COMMENTARYLeave a comment

 COACH DAN (Son #2)

After thinking about your question about “plays “ for basketball junior teams,  I realized maybe I’d be more helpful listing fundamental ideas that may be simple and redundant.  

FOR THE TEAM

  • Listen to your Coach(es )
  • Team and teammates before self.
  • Don’t quit !
  • Play AHEAD,  Pressure on them. 
  • Control “nervousness “, control anger.
  • No whiners.  Limit excuses and blame.
  • Tired ? Hurt ? Tell your coach.
  • Talk to your team and coaches. Not your opponents or referees or fans.  

INDIVIDUAL  SKILLS AND SUGGESTIONS

*Offense and DEFENSE !

*Defense

    Proper athletic stance–ready is quick

    Hands up

    Move your feet

    Block out

    Keep yourself  between your man and the goal. 

    KNOW WHAT DEFENSE YOU ARE PLAYING!

    ( Man to man, zone and what kind, press, matchups and combinations ).

Offense

     Baseball saying :  “ There ain’t substitute for speed afoot !”

     The advantage of being in shape

      Fake and drive.  Faking is an art.

      Fake and Step back  ( Hardin )

      Fake, 1 or 2 or 3 dribbles–jump/shoot

      Follow your shot.  

      Use the backboard.

      Protect the ball.  Use either hand to dribble without looking at the ball.

      Peripheral vision ?

      Rebound with two firm hands.   Out let pass? Fast break–2 on 1, 3 on 2.

 Coast to coast ?  Practice this full court by yourself.  Make that layup !

      Free throw fundamentals :  Relax, deep breath.  Balance.   Pressure? Myelin ! Or practice.  Try to groove the free throws smoothly.  No violent or jerky shots.  

***********************

Team feedback from son # 1 ( Coach Tee )

MAN TO MAN OR ZONE?

Tee called last night.  He wants to know if he can get some help with his 10 years old basketball team.  Maybe one of the Odom boys.  

There are nine players.   Son Lennox warned his Dad on the way to the first practice :  ” … Four of these kids are crazy!”

Coach Tee spoke about 15 seconds before “the worst of the four” emptied his water cooler on the floor.  Tee said “the four” have never since acknowledged that Tee  was there.

Luckily 1.  The other five are pretty good, And 2, the gym has two goals. 

The  4 took off to goal 2.   Tee’s 5 worked hard interrupted by several fights and obscene language from the 4 goal.    Tee admitted seeing one 4 kick a wet floor pylon that drew blood from another.  

He also confessed he told his five— I will bring them up to play.  Beat them bad.

Worst 4 beat best 5.  Worst of the 4 hit the winner.

Team vote on team name —BOULDER MAYHEM.*

Russell Rawlings is coming tomorrow.  He is not only a four graduate, but revelled in coaching them.  He’ll help.  

P.S. The team voted to change their team name to ” THE TOADS.” *

BEAR # 2—” It’s hard to get the student body to rally around MATH !”

“SNOOTY COOCHER ” (X-RATED )

On By ethomasparhamIn E. SPORTS COMMENTARY, HUMOR/ ODDS AND ENDSLeave a comment

SNOOTY COOCHER (X-RATED)   

THE ATHLETIC summarized college football’s frequent flyers today:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K3qpwHvh4PtTWvhcDcCtVE2CuBBaJ8_JIWuX6fZelb0/edit?tab=t.0

The abandonment of traditional rules has, it seems, allowed a great way to make money!

“ A window of opportunity!”

Assuming some governance will  soon be enforced, then these transfers might be an unparalleled opportunity.  Who can blame the players?

From the mid 60’s till the 70’s  ( Post pill to pre- Aids ), there were “opportunities”.

“ PICNIC DAY FOR TEDDYBEARS”