Chris Beard - 4:1 and a 2x4

When Chris Beard was coaching at Texas Tech he used to repeat a quote from Bobby Knight to his team. "The mental is to the physical as 4 is to 1." It became a big part of the mentality of his program, with "4:1" signs popping up, and some fans even getting tattoos.

He also used to carry a 2x4 piece of wood with him on every road trip. His point was that if he put that 2x4 down on the ground and asked a player to walk over it, they would have no problem doing it. But if he took the same 2x4 and brought it to to the top level of the arena and laid it across two beams at the top of the building, it would be much harder for anyone to walk across it. Even though it was the same 2x4 and the same ask, to simply walk across it. Nothing had changed, except the environment around you and the 2x4.

It's a great way to illustrate the challenge of playing on the road. Nothing is different, expect the environment around you. Are you going to let that affect the way you play?

https://www.everythinglubbock.com/sports/red-raider-nation/4-to-1-the-driving-force-behind-texas-tech-basketball/

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