Man, you wouldn’t believe the day I had yesterday. All I wanted to do was shoot some hoops, get a good workout in, right? So, I started digging around, trying to find some inspiration, and I stumbled upon this guy, Pat Carroll. Heard of him? No? Well, let me tell you, this dude’s got game.
I started with a simple search, just typed in “Pat Carroll basketball” into the search bar. First thing I see is that he’s a retired professional basketball player, a shooting guard, and get this – a three-point specialist! Now that’s something I can get behind. I’m 6 feet 5 inches, 190 pounds, so seeing his height and weight at 6’5″, 190 lbs got me even more interested. We’re practically the same size!
Then I found out more. Turns out, Pat Carroll played high school ball at Hatboro-Horsham High School in Horsham, Pennsylvania. That’s not too far from where I grew up, so it felt like a cool connection. I even saw that his high school coach was Walt Ostrowski. It’s funny how these little details can make you feel more invested in someone’s story. Then it goes on to say that he played college ball at Saint Joseph’s University under Phil Martelli. This guy was legit.
After the basic bio, I went deeper. One website talked about how Carroll is one of Saint Joseph’s greatest perimeter shooters of all time. He holds their all-time record for three-point field goals with 294! Imagine that. Hitting that many threes at the college level? It’s insane! I watched a few clips, and man, his form is smooth. It’s like the ball just glides off his fingertips.
His career history is pretty interesting too. I found an article about how, during a game at the Palestra, he was introduced as Saint Joseph’s all-time three-point record holder, and he actually had to correct the announcer. Talk about a humble brag, right? But that just shows you the kind of player he was – always on point, always accurate.
Practice Time
So, after getting hyped up on all this Pat Carroll info, I grabbed my ball and headed to the court. I spent the next hour just working on my threes, trying to channel my inner Pat Carroll. I was picturing his form, his release, everything. I even pretended I was playing at the Palestra, with the crowd going wild. It’s amazing how much more fun you can have when you have someone specific to look up to.
- Warm-up: Started with some basic stretches, focusing on my arms and shoulders.
- Free Throws: Knocked down 20 free throws, just to get my shot warmed up.
- Three-Point Drills: Ran around the arc, catching and shooting, focusing on a quick release.
- Game Simulation: Played a little one-on-none, imagining I was in a close game, needing to hit clutch threes.
I have to say, even though it was just me out there, I felt like I had a pretty solid practice. I didn’t hit 294 threes, obviously, but I definitely felt an improvement in my shot. It’s like, knowing that someone like Pat Carroll exists and has achieved that level of skill makes it feel more attainable. Plus, it’s just cool to learn about a new player, especially one with a connection to your own area.
Anyway, that was my day. A little research, a lot of practice, and a whole new appreciation for the art of the three-pointer. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be setting my own records. Until then, I’ll just keep practicing and maybe look up some more players for inspiration. You never know who you might discover. It also makes me think about starting my own “Carroll Camps”!
