Athletic coaches encounter frustrations most of us never realize, although they have no corner on the market for troubling undercurrents. Imagine what a good doctor, minister or college chancellor encounters while making his or her appointed rounds. There are so many shoulda-coulda-woulda’s we never recognize what might be pestering others while we try to deal with our own pitfalls and demons.
Many at various times lead lives of quiet desperation. Coaches are like the rest of us, except with much higher profiles. There are countless imponderables and interminables beyond the human grasp.
The recent Kansas basketball get-together for Special Olympians who are physically or mentally challenged the way they all ask so little and appreciate Jayhawk kindness and tenderness so much recalled an experience from long ago. Each year, the local Olympics session might get KU coach Roy Williams to thinking about what ought to be, the way another Carolina icon often did.
In the late 1950s, my wife and I attended a summer sports camp in Estes Park, Colo. It featured numerous role models and inspirational personalities. Like Don Meredith, Bob Pettit, Deacon Dan Towler, Dick Harp, Lawrence’s John Hadl not far removed from high school, former Lion football coach Al Woolard, and Frank McGuire, then the celebrated North Carolina basketball coach.
I’d met McGuire as the coach of the St. John’s team Kansas whipped for the 1952 NCAA championship. The acquaintance was renewed when he led the 1957 Carolina club that edged KU, Wilt Chamberlain and Harp 54-53 in triple-overtime in the college title match. Closer contact showed me that McGuire was anything but the villain most Kansas followers tended to consider him. A fine coach, recruiter and orchestrator, he also had a sweet, sensitive side he shared with wife Pat and their son, Frankie Jr.
Frankie was handicapped and Frank and Pat had to spend a lot of special time with him. In one discussion, coach Frank commented: “I see Frankie struggling so hard, so very hard, just to tie his shoes. Then I watch some of my players, like York Larese, Lee Shaffer and Doug Moe, with all their marvelous physical and mental gifts not measuring up to their incredible potential. I get jealous and it sometimes drives me a little nuts. They don’t realize how blessed they are and how important it is to get the most from all that ability and potential.”
Each year, Roy Williams sees the Special Olympians working so hard to do the very best they can, with gifted Jayhawk basketeers helping them in such caring fashion. Roy’s bound to be a little perturbed that the athletes can’t take note of how blessed they are, and don’t get at least a little bit better because of that realization. In some respects, Roy probably feels the same frustration as Frank McGuire.
Yet more often than not, the average human doesn’t appreciate what he or she has or has had until part or all of it is taken away, sometimes for a while, sometimes forever.
You can be sure Jayhawk Drew Gooden understands better than at any other time in his life how lucky he is when he is physically whole, without that wrist problem. Same for Luke Axtell who has been belabored by so many ailments. Missouri’s injured Kareem Rush is counting the minutes until he gets his groove back. KU’s Nick Collison feels fortunate to get through that flu-like siege.
None of these guys recognized how much they had going for them until it was short-circuited or denied. We can all relate, right?
l Sorry to hear Gooden’s even entertaining the notion of going into the NBA draft after only his sophomore year. Talented, though erratic, as he is, he isn’t ready to ride the bench and rust with the pros. If he thinks he’s been frustrated in drydock here, imagine being hale, hearty and in limbo in the NBA. OK, money talks, but can Drew hit a jackpot at this “iffy” stage?
Another frustration. I’ll bet Roy Williams wanted to beat Drew with a ball rack when he took off his cast prematurely and began horsing around with an injury that could be career-threatening if it’s pushed too far too soon.
l As for the departure of freshman Mario Kinsey to get his academics in order, it hurts KU. Kinsey could have become that quick third guard the Jayhawks so desperately need. But he’s still a “student athlete” and if he’s classroom blotto, he won’t play basketball or football. Makes you wonder if he’ll get into enough academic trouble and not be able to give next fall’s football team his touted quarterbacking skills.
If that happens, is some kind of transfer a prospect? Restless jocks don’t stick with the company store anywhere near the way they once did. As hard up as KU is for a football quarterback, the loss of Kinsey could be devastating. Both Gooden and Kinsey would be wise to be around and eligible for next year. KU, of course, would benefit.
You know all those trash sports on television? I have a suggestion: How about a Road Rage Triage involving Mike Tyson, Bob Knight and O.J. Simpson? Wanna guess what the ratings might be for that donnybrook?
Back to Roy Williams’ coaching frustrations, wonder if he’s considered getting one of those Hannibal Lecter-type masks to keep players like Eric Chenowith and Kenny Gregory from uttering those goofy remarks.
