COFFEE WILL NEVER TASTE THE SAME
By Bo Ryan, Wisconsin

Coffee and Conversation with Al McGuire


 A few years ago, I had the privilege of sitting down with Al McGuire at 'Einstein Bagels,' in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

I had just purchased a house right down the road from Coach McGuire and, over coffee and bagels, he welcomed me to the neighborhood.

We talked about a lot things that day, but one thing makes me chuckle, whenever I think about it.

Coach McGuire described an experience he had with a referee. "I asked him if I could get a technical foul for what I was thinking," he said. "The official turned to me, with a puzzled look and said no. I said good because I 'think' you are the worst referee that I have ever seen."

That was Al McGuire, quite the character.

His recent death was a tremendous to blow to anyone who knew him. He was such a great person who was more concerned with people and life than he was with the game of basketball.

Sure he loved the game, but he loved people more. Any discussion that I ever had with Al was dominated by life in general.

He spoke his own language and anybody who knew him fully understood him.

Al was genuine. Self-absorbed would never find its way into a sentence describing him. He had a passion for coaching, which he carried over to the broadcast booth, but he really and truly had a passion for people.

That day, at 'Einstein Bagels,' he talked to him about dealing with adversity and overcoming those who want to see me fail. I had spent 15 seasons coaching at, Division III, Wisconsin-Platteville and Al knew all about my career.

That was Al, always having the utmost respect for coaches at every level. It did not matter to him if you were the head coach at UCLA or assistant high school coach.

But the fact that he knew my entire timeline at UW-Platteville was somewhat overwhelming.

He gave me advice on dealing with that success and not letting adversity get to me. Al told me that when he retired from the game, he waited two years before he went back to Marquette. He did not want to interfere or become a distraction to the new staff.

And he advised me, as tough as it would be, to do the same.

Imagine that? Today there are so many people who want to bask in the glory of their success, but not Al. Selfish is another word that could never be associated with Coach McGuire.

As I sipped my coffee, he told about making the transition from the big city to Milwaukee. Al was a New York City guy, having played his college ball at St. John's. I was not a NY native, but I was from the East Coast, in Philadelphia, so I could relate to what he was expressing to me.

I don't know how many cups of coffee we had that day, but I do know, for certain, that the entire conversation was directed to me, not him.

Here was a guy who had reached the pinnacle of his profession and my future success, not his accomplishments, was more important to him.

Winning will bring the support of city to your front door and Al certainly had that. But that was only a part of his mystique.

While many communities praise coaches, few would embrace them like the city of Milwaukee embraced Al.

His basketball resume was very impressive, but his resume as a person made him special.

After that day, coffee never quite had the same flavor again.