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The Best in Show
By Angela Lento
When the Sun Belt Conference tournament begins this week, most of the attention will be on Dennis Felton’s Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and perhaps some upset-minded hopefuls like Porter Moser and Arkansas-Little Rock, Jessie Evans and Louisiana-Lafayette and Lou Henson and his New Mexico State Aggies.
All are very accomplished coaches in their own right, but that’s on the court. Off the court, few -- if any -- could match the long list of non-basketball accomplishments of Middle Tennessee’s Randy Wiel.
The former Dean Smith player and assistant, who guided the Dutch National team in pre-Olympic competition, back in 1992, is both a linguist and talented musician. And that’s only the beginning.
Wiel, now in his sixth season at the helm at Middle Tennessee, speaks six languages fluently and has mastered several musical instruments. He has even strummed his guitar in the famous “Storyville” nightclub in New Orleans.
For most people, such talents would be more than enough to occupy their leisure time, but Randy Wiel is not your typical individual.
In addition to being a key member of the Dutch National team, in the early 1980’s, Wiel was part of the Dutch swim team, competing in the 1967 Pan-American Games at Winnipeg, Canada.
The following year he was a sprinter for the Netherlands Antilles, in the 1968 Olympic games in Mexico City. And he could have easily have added a Gold medal to his resume.
“I competed in the 100-yard and the 220-yard dash,” says Wiel. “In Mexico City I set the Dutch National record by running the 100 in 10.1 seconds. I actually ran it in 10 flat a couple of times, but they were wind aided runs.”
Four years earlier, America’s Bob Hayes became the first sprinter to run the 100-yard dash. His 9.9-second time was good enough for Gold. Ironically, in both the 1972 and 1976 Olympics the winning time in 100-yard dash was 10.1.
“After the 1968 Olympics, I became more interested in basketball so I turned my attention away from sprinting. Who knows what would or could have happened if I stuck with it for at least another four years.”
He speaks English, Dutch, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Papiamentoe. He’s an accomplished guitarist and trumpeter. He played and coached under Dean Smith. He played on and coached the Dutch National Team and he was among the world’s fastest sprinters at one time.
So that’s more than enough for any one person, right?
Well, there’s more.
Wiel was part of Dean Smith’s staff at North Carolina for seven years, which included a National Championship. But while coach Smith can boast a long list of thoroughbreds that helped him to win two National titles, Wiel can saddle up with his mentor.
That’s right -- Wiel has won two National Championships with the help of his horses. But his are of a totally different breed. His horses are of the Paso Fino variety.
The mount of the Spanish Conquistadors, the Paso Fino is the oldest true native breed of horse in the Western Hemisphere. The competition is similar to the Equestrian’s dressage and this show and presentation sport is a passion for Wiel.
“I have been riding all my life,” says Wiel. “Horses are a way of life on my native island of Curacao (Dutch Island, 42 miles East of Aruba). People there ride horses, not cars so it’s something that is a part of me.”
Wiel, who has even been to the drive-in movie on horseback continued to feed his passion, long after leaving Curacao. He studied dressage at the world famous Vienna Riding Academy, in Austria.
And recently, his years of study, training and a lifetime of riding helped him to capture two national titles, riding Don Fernando (Black Stallion) and Prodigio (White Stallion), which means prodigy in English.
So what does the prodigy’s mentor think of his saddle and show routine?
“Dean [Smith] prefers golf,” laughs Wiel. “I kid him all the time that it’s easier to train horses then basketball players because horses don’t reason. You can teach a player to box out, but he may still make a mistake no matter how much you try to reinforce it. But a horse will always follow your command.”
Some of Wiel chief rivals in the sport are a “who’s who” in the world of sports. Former stock car driver, Ernie Ervins now devotes the better part of his time to competing. Major League Baseball star, Ruben Rivera is also on the circuit and so is another fellow North Carolina Tar Heel.
“Davis Love III is really into it,” says Wiel. “I see Davis at almost every competition. When he’s not golfing, he’s competing against me.”
And don’t think for a moment that competing against Wiel is any easier than competing against Tiger Woods.
Nearly 500 years ago, on his second voyage from Spain, Christopher Columbus brought a select group of mares and stallions and settled them at Santa Domingo.
These horses were a mixture of Barb, Andalusian and Spanish Jennet. The result of the blending of the blending of these horses was to become known as the Paso Fino breed - Los Caballos de Paso Fino, which translates to ‘the horse with the fine step.’
And Wiel, who presently has nine Paso Fino horses in his stable, located at his home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is seemingly always one step ahead of the competition.
BOBBI VILLA
Former University of Kentucky All-American, Kyle Macy has very quietly rebuilt another program in the Blue Grass state. Now in his fifth season, Macy has put all the pieces in place this season, as his Morehead State squad finished second in the Ohio Valley Conference.
But while Kyle was constructing it on the hardwood, his wife was building it at home.
“My job is to build a winner,” says Macy. “Her job is to build our home.”
Of course Macy was making light of the fact that while he puts in countless hours in the basketball office, Tina Macy puts in equal time on the complete renovation of their home.
The Macy’s purchased a traditional two-story house, built in the 1930’s and badly in need of an overall.
“My goal was to make the house livable and functional for my family of five,” says Tina Macy. “I took photos and made notes of all the things, room by room, that I wanted to change. Then, with notebook in hand, I began visiting home supply, lighting, plumbing and hardware stores.”
Tina Macy had no prior experience in renovating a house, but was determined to hammer out a plan. So while Kyle was diagramming plays, Tina was drawing up the blueprints for their home.
“I’ve left in the morning for the office, while she was putting up sheetrock,” laughs Macy. “I didn’t know at the time, but it’s apparent that I married Ms. Bobbi Villa.”
When the final nail was driven home, she had put in hardwood flooring, light fixtures, electric box and wiring, sewer pipes, galvanized water lines, molding and trim, hot water heater, heating and cooling units, windows and even a little landscaping.
And what was Kyle’s contribution to this daunting project?
“I gave her a lot of morale support,” laughs Macy. “And I also screwed in a couple of light bulbs. We make a great renovating team.”
Current projects include renovating apartment above garage for guest room, adding deck and landscaping to back yard, and completing a photographic darkroom in the basement.
WRESTLING ALLIGATORS
Maryland’s Lonny Baxter and Juan Dixon will undoubtedly make many All-America teams, in the coming weeks. But you can make a good argument that Byron Mouton should get consideration as the Terrapin’s MVP.
Mouton’s relentless play has been a key to many Maryland victories this season and that approach stems from a toughness he developed as a youngster.
Growing up in Louisiana, Mouton wrestled alligators.
“Their teeth were sharp, but a lot smaller,” says Mouton. “They’re just babies.”
Mouton, who would go fishing with his father all the time, was barely a teenager when he began to work over gators on the Bayou.
His contagious enthusiasm has made him a crowd favorite at Cole Field House and his toughness and charismatic personality has made him a favorite among his teammates.
And mixing it up with alligators has helped to make him a non-favorite among opposing players in the paint.
BAIN’S LONG ROAD
Conference tournament time seemingly always produced a Cinderella story. But for every feel-good team epic, there are countless individual bylines.
Northeastern senior Jean Bain may play his final collegiate game this weekend, when the America East tournament begins in Boston, MA.
A local product, Bain was a two-year captain at Medford High and looked forward to playing college basketball, after graduation. But shortly thereafter, the first of a series of setbacks challenged Bain.
In 1995, Bain found out that he had Hodgkin’s disease and suddenly basketball was not the most important thing. But Bain battled back and was able to enroll at Bridgton Academy, in Maine.
He spent the 1996-97 campaign trying to regain his health and his game. And by season’s end, he was offered a scholarship to attend Northeastern.
But just prior to the start of the 1997-98 season, Bain broke his wrist and was forced to redshirt. However, that did not deter him.
The following season, Bain returned and earned America East Rookie of the Year honors. He got off to a great start to the 1999-2000 season, but on Jan. 28 he suffered another setback.
On that night, against Hofstra, Bain tore the ACL in his right knee and had to have reconstructive surgery.
Bain committed himself to a vigorous rehabilitation program and returned to the lineup in the fall. He did not fully shake off the effects of the injury until late in the season, but still managed to lead the team in assists (122), coming on strong down the stretch to the tune of 12 points and seven assists per game in February and March.
After a long series of trials and tribulations, Bain has managed to play in every game for the Huskies and enters the America East tournament as the team’s second leading scorer (10.8) and assist man (2.8).
He also enters the postseason gathering healthy.
The 5-foot-11 point guard doesn’t have a future in professional basketball, but after overcoming so much adversity, his future is definitely bright.
RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
Over the past few weeks, South Florida head coach Seth Greenberg has stirred up a lot of chatter in the fashion circles, with tongue-and-cheek remarks for some of his fellow coaches.
While some may argue about his fashion knowledge, there is no debating his knowledge of the game of b-ball. In 11 successful seasons, Greenberg has amassed nearly 200 wins and he’s done it without a lot of national hype.
The very successful Greenberg will try to cook up another recipe for success for the upcoming Conference-USA tournament.
GREEN CHICKEN
From the Kitchen of Karen Greenberg6 Skinless chicken breasts with rib meat
Juice from one lemon
1 tbsp. Oregano
1 tsp. Garlic powder
1 tsp. Pepper
2 cups nonfat plain yogurt
Feta cheeseMarinate chicken breasts in lemon juice, oregano and pepper.
Mix yogurt, garlic, oregano and pepper in small bowl and let sit for two hours.
Brush chicken breast with yogurt mixture and broil each side approximately 7-10 minutes. Add feta cheese and let melt for a few minutes.
Angela Lento is a big supporter of the “Bobbi Olson Foundation” and would like to urge you to make a contribution. For more information Click Here
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(Head Coach: 3-8-2002) 1. Bruiser Flint
2. John Calipari
3. Gary Waters
4. Willis Wilson
5. Jay Wright
6. Paul Graham
7. Tubby Smith
8. Rick Pitino
9. Melvin Watkins
10.Mike JarvisPlaying Catch with Satchel Paige
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Feb 4 FPI: John Calipari Remains No. 1
Sideline Style Poll is Clothes Call
Being No. 1 Suits Rutgers' Gary Waters Just Fine
Jan 21 FPI: John Calipari Tops Fashion Power Index
Carter, Felton, Lutz and Scruggs Combine Coaching and Style
Terry Gets Rave Reviews in North Carolina
Jan 7 FPI: Gary Waters Tops Fashion Power Index
Though Styles Differ, Smith and Pitino at Top of Their Game
December FPI: Georgetown and Drexel Top The Lists
Jesse "The Body" Ventura and a Kid at Delaware
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Pennsylvania: America’s Most Stylish State
In Search of Bigfoot with Dale Brown
Auctioning off Auburn coach Cliff Ellis
UCLA's Steve Lavin Talks Fashion
John Feinstein Plugs Fashionable Four
(Assistant: 3-8-2002) 1. Wayne Brent
2. Gary Stewart
3. Steve Sauers
4. Ronny Thompson
5. Tony Jones
6. Patrick Sellers
7. Reggie Hanson
8. Lew Hill
9. Tom Schuberth
10.Jennifer Johnston
AMERICA EAST:
Tom Brennan
ATLANTIC COAST:
Skip Prosser
ATLANTIC SUN:
Don Maestri
ATLANTIC 10:
Bob Hill
BIG EAST:
Gary Waters
BIG SKY:
Joel Sobotka
BIG SOUTH:
Pete Strickland
BIG TEN:
Jerry Dunn
BIG 12:
Melvin Watkins
BIG WEST:
Kevin Bromley
COLONIAL:
Bruiser Flint
CONFERENCE-USA:
John Calipari
HORIZON:
Ed Schilling
IVY LEAGUE:
James Jones
METRO ATLANTIC:
Don Harnum
MID-AMERICAN:
Stan Joplin
MID-CONTINENT:
Homer Drew
MID-EASTERN:
Cy Alexander
MISSOURI VALLEY:
Barry Hinson
MOUNTAIN WEST:
Charlie Spoonhour
NORTHEAST:
Bobby Jones
OHIO VALLEY:
Kyle Macy
PACIFIC-10:
Paul Graham
PATRIOT LEAGUE:
Sal Mentesana
SOUTHEASTERN:
Tubby Smith
SOUTHERN:
Bob McKillop
SOUHTLAND:
Mike Deane
SOUTHWESTERN:
Lafayette Stribbling
SUN BELT:
Dennis Felton
WEST COAST:
Michael Holton
WESTERN ATHLETIC
Willis Wilson
Take a stroll down last season's Runway to the Fashionable Four
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