I wish I
could have asked Rick Pitino some follow up questions to
his interview on ESPN with Andy Katz, not to the
personal stuff he has gone through. Instead, I wanted a
follow up question after one of the boldest and most
genuine statements I have ever heard in coaching: “I
coach for my players, I coach for my family and coach
for true love of the game. That’s it. Not for fame or
fortune. That was part of my 20’s and 30’s.” The rest of
the quote continues and I think is even more
interesting. Here is my question for Coach Pitino and
any coach that works in college athletics; Do you think
the motivation of fame and fortune is a good thing for
college athletics or is it at the core of what is wrong
with college athletics?
I knew I wanted to be a college basketball coach since I
was 15 years old, and the allure of the fame certainly
drew me to the sport. I wanted to hear Dick Vitale bark
my name, the adulation of beating a Dean Smith, the
ultimate prize of winning a National Championship, and
to earn the lifelong respect of a John Wooden. However,
I also was idealistic and the draw to being a college
coach had more to do with being in a position to impact
kids. I thought college coaching was a great forum to
learn and teach life lessons, to give kids who otherwise
would have no chance to attend college, the guidance
necessary to graduate and succeed in life outside of
basketball.
This is a great question for all coaches to ask
themselves; I would love to know how many would select
fame and fortune as a greater motivator than being an
impact of the lives of young me, who are seeking
guidance. I wonder how many athletic directors ask this
question of a coach that they choose to hire; head or
assistant coach. Although there are plenty of coaches
who sought fame and fortune in the 1990’s, I believe
this number has increased dramatically with the increase
of salaries.
Pitino goes on to say regarding fame and fortune in his
20’s and 30’s, “That was part of my younger arrogance as
I see with so many coaches. That’s normal.” I was one of
those young coaches in the 90’s who did not like Rick
Pitino for his “younger arrogance.” Today I find myself
cheering for him, as he clearly is one of the great
college coaches of the last 20-25 years. I can only hope
some coaches listen to this interview before the season
and will coach for the players, family and true love of
the game before they coach for the fame and fortune that
college basketball can bring.
OTHER THOUGHTS:
I feel badly for Jim Zorn and there is no doubt the
Redskins situation was mishandled, but why would he be
the quarterbacks coach, call the plays and be head coach
in his first two years as a head coach anyway? Being
the head man is hard enough when you are getting
started.
Terelle Pryor ‘s high school coach criticizing the
Buckeyes offense and being given a forum to give his
views – give me a break? You should have to win a game
as a college coach to talk about a college coach.
Yuck to this self-promoting coach.
It is too bad John Lackey does not get another chance to
pitch in the postseason. Even the best coaches
(managers), and Scioscia is one of the best, can make a
mistake.
Bob Knight pays $25,000 for pushing former and long-time
assistant Ron Felling in anger, but gets $75,000 from
Indiana donors because the school did not defend him
properly. Does it pay to be a bully?
David Adelman was a college basketball assistant for
nine years, seven years as a Division 1 assistant and
spent two years as the General Manager and Assistant
Coach for the Westchester Wildfire in the professional
league USBL. He currently resides in Chicago where he
operates his Play Hard Hoops Business (www.playhardhoops.com)that
includes, but is not limited to basketball instruction
and events.
