A Pen And A Napkin- "Open Mic Monday" Volume I

A Pen And A Napkin- "Open Mic Monday" Volume I

Author: Martin Plum April 14, 2025 Duration: 34:07

Tony and I had some scheduling conflicts this weekend, so we were unable to do our usual thing . . . but I still had some stuff that I wanted to throw out there, so here's a shorter, solo pod with just me (for better or worse).

I'm really excited to announce that my second book will be available on July 1st, 2025! It's called "The Last Of The Cowboys: The Story of Snow Valley Basketball School",and at the center of the story is America's oldest, continuous basketball camp. Founded in 1961 in California, then later adapted and brought to Iowa in 1994, it will be celebrating it's 30th anniversary this summer. It's a great story about the true reasons why people coach basketball, so I encourage you to pick up a copy!

I also talk about the Houston-Florida game, the WNBA draft, chaos in the Nuggests front office and the NBA playoffs. We wrap up talking about our clinic this past weekend, which was a great success!

Hope you enjoy this; let me know what you think!


Imagine a whiteboard session after a big game, the kind where strategy gets scribbled on whatever's handy. That's the spirit of A Pen And A Napkin. This weekly conversation lives at the crossroads of sport and creative thinking, diving deep into the art of coaching basketball. Each episode feels like pulling up a chair in a gym office, listening to the nuanced discussions about player development, offensive sets, defensive adjustments, and the philosophy behind building a team. It’s less about Xs and Os in a vacuum and more about the why-the human elements and the creative problem-solving that define the craft. You’ll hear authentic breakdowns of game situations, reflections on leadership, and practical ideas that often start with a simple sketch. Think of it as a portable mentors’ roundtable, a clinic distilled into conversation, offering perspectives that resonate whether you’re on the sidelines or just appreciate the deeper layers of the game. Tune in for a podcast that captures the ongoing, ever-evolving dialogue at the heart of coaching.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

A Pen And A Napkin
Podcast Episodes
Basketball's Greatest Teams-Episode #1 The 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:43:19
NEW PODCAST ALERT!!!!!!!The game of basketball has been around since December of 1891, but have we ever really settled this question . . . what team, at the game's highest levels, has been the most dominant single season…
A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #290 John Thompson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:37
John Thompson, the longtime men's HC at North Carolina Wesleyan, comes on the pod this week to discuss a variety of topics! Coach talks about his career, his influences, the importance of basketball to his state of North…
A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #289 Brandon Henderson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:46
Really excited to have on the "Guru of the Post", Coach Brandon Henderson from Riverside Prep (CA) high school! Coach Henderson goes through alot of stuff in this podcast, including his journey as a coach, taking over th…
A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #288 Matt Thomas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:05
Really excited to have Matt Thomas, the new boys HC at Highland (MO) high school! Coach Thomas is a veteran coach who is looking to get the Highland program back to where it was in the recent past, so we will discuss tha…
A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #287 Derek Keizer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:22
I'm really excited to bring to the world episode #288, which features Derek Keizer, the head boys basketball coach at perhaps Iowa's most storied boys program, Western Christian (Hull). In this episode, Keizer details hi…
Episode #286-Summer Roundtable [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:24
It was a great night at Wine 121 with new Ralston boys HC Tom Krehbiel, Omaha Roncalli boys HC Chad Mustard and Elkhorn boys HC Nick Thompson to chat about a bunch of different topics, including summer goals, things that…