Fast And Furious

Perhaps, but the two coaches didn't account for Welling, whose pursuit of the prize was relentless. In 2005, after first hearing about Walberg's offense at the Pete Newell Big Man Camp in Las Vegas (where his stepson was a camper), Welling started breaking down game tapes that Walberg had sent him. Then Welling met Duane Silver, a retired high school coach in Waco, Texas, who had written a booklet on the drive-and-kick offense and maintained a coaching website. Silver introduced Welling to John Jordan, the coach at St. Francis High in La Ca�ada, Calif., who attended Walberg's clinics and drove six hours nearly every week to scout his games and practices in Fresno.

Jordan sent Welling a 100-page dossier on Walberg's offense and defense, which landed, in turn, on Hurley's desk in New Jersey. "Then I got various materials that they don't even know I have," says Welling. "We had about every clinic that Walberg's ever done. We had his practice booklet and a lot more. It would blow you away, but then I'd have to shoot you."

The Minister of Information also has Walberg's lingo down cold, from drop zones to Blood drills. And that's only the start. Last summer Welling made two DDM instructional videos—one with the offense and one with practice drills—that sell for $39.95 each or $71.95 together (plus shipping and handling) through Sysko's, the basketball-video retailer. "It's the Number 1 seller out of our catalog over the last year," says Sysko's executive Jim Blaine, "and it's only been out for seven of those 12 months."

That's right: Herb Welling, a security guard from Omaha, is outselling videos by Wooden, Carril, Duke's Mike Krzyzewski and North Carolina's Roy Williams. Told of Welling's success with his invention, Walberg—who turned down a Sysko's offer—manages only a thin smile. "Well," he finally says, "I guess that's America."

The way Walberg sees it, though, that's the least of his concerns at this point.

From: Ray West

Subj.: Why!

Date: Sat., Jan. 19, 2008, 11:28 p.m.

To: Vance Walberg

Dear Mr. Walberg,