To be a manager, you have to be selfless on some level because our job revolves around fulfilling the daily needs of our players and coaching staff. You can't have too big of an ego as a manager, because if you do then you won't do your job successfully. One of the first things you learn as a manager is that no job is beneath you. That may be cleaning the locker room before a game or going to pickup sandwiches for the coaches after practice. It could be anything, but there is no more selfless act as a manager than doing team laundry and working in the Memorial Gym laundry room. Not one.
Laundry is something that nobody likes to do, even for themselves. It is a hassle, especially to put away all your clothes after it is done. As a Seinfeld aficionado, one of my favorite George Costanza quotes is when he told a girl, "I hate laundry, if I could I would buy 365 pairs of underwear so that I only had to do laundry once a year". That quote sums up my attitude toward doing my own laundry, but for the last three years, especially last year I wasn't only doing my own laundry, but the team laundry as well.
Since Vanderbilt does not have an equipment manager, the managers are in charge of team laundry. There are few more humbling jobs than washing another man's clothes, particularly 15 of the sweatiest men on campus. The clothes we washed were full of the three S's: Sweat, Stench, and Shit. Not literally shit, but I'm using that as sort of an overarching word here to describe the accumulation of nastiness that was found at all times in our laundry bin.
As someone who has a mild case of OCD, having to siphon through the dirty drawls and soaked practice uniforms is disgusting. I'm sure it would be for anyone. The clothes get put into the bin weighing three times as much as they do when we return them to the guys, washed and dried. Touching this collection of clothing is like engrossing yourself in a garbage dump of sweat. It's just suffocatingly wet and the smell is often unbearable.
One part of doing team laundry is counting the uniforms after games, which I was a chief responsibility of mine. I became so familiar with the sweat patterns of our players, both from mopping the floor during games, and dealing with their clothes that I often could make a pretty educated guess about which player's uniform I was holding. I am not proud of this fact because how can you take pride in knowing the perspiration tendencies of other people? It is like someone taking pride in knowing when their roommate likes to watch porn and engage in affiliated activities. It is really something you would rather not know, but unfortunately this knowledge was heaped on me like an albatross around my neck. At least when I was mopping the sweat, the mop served as a mediator between me and the perspiration, but with laundry, the two forces collided head on.
I knew that Kedren Johnson's jersey would always be the heaviest, not because he played the most, but because Kedren would sweat in Antarctica. His glands operate on another level entirely. Kevin Bright and Shelby Moats also always got a good workout in on the court. Then there were the jerseys that were almost completely dry and those belonged to players like Nate Watkins and Carter Josephs. They were like the inverse of Kedren, they didn't sweat because the world was unfortunately deprived of seeing them in any significant action on the court.
While the laundry in itself is awful, what is worse is that the place where we wash the clothes is just as disgusting. The Memorial Gym laundry room is a smoldering pit of unrelenting humidity. It's like a laundry room located on the equator, it just burns vapor. Any time I walk in there with my glasses on, they come out fogged up, my breathing gets labored, and my shirt gets moist.
I never told our players this, but guys if you are reading this and want to make it appear to the coaches that you worked up a sweat before practice, without actually "working" just sit in the laundry room for 10 minutes and Coach will think you went hard in a pre-practice workout. I really hope one of them tries it and lets me know how it goes. I spent a lot of time in that laundry room, and that is a place I never intend to return.
There were a few positives to being such a laundry expert. First off, my sense of time has become immaculate. I practically have a mental alarm set to 27 minute washer and 60 minute dryer cycles. There was very little in-between time when I did laundry, it was flipped right away, like a one man assembly line (with help from some of the other managers on certain days). I was very efficient and I now have the ability to usually not need to set a timer to know how long I need to do something for, it's quite nice.
The second positive is that when the laundry is finished it needs to be folded and put away. This takes place in the locker room. Where there is a television. On days where practice was really long or after a poorly played game, I would seek out refuge in front of ESPN and take extra care when folding the towels. It was a nice way to be productive and at practice while working at your own pace. Nobody perfected this art like former manager Doug Browne, who was a senior my sophomore year. He mastered this like no other as he would disappear for long periods of time and be found watching SportsCenter after practice.
The third and most positive thing to come out of this task, is realizing that nothing is too belittling of a task for me to do going forward. Like I said earlier, having to do other people's laundry is a very humbling experience. It is complete and total servitude and if I can do that, then no task will ever be beneath me going forward. I really hope prospective employers (mainly NBA and NBA D-League teams) read this post and that my writing is so clear that they can visualize the sweaty jerseys and smell the stench for themselves, and then proceed to hire me to do a job nothing like this. That would be the ultimate laundromatic payoff.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Commitment to the Cause
One thing that many fans and people who are not around a college basketball program (or any college athletics program really) don't realize is that the player's commitment to the sport involves so much more than games and practices. It is easy to think that aside from those two things, athletes are allowed to live the lives of regular students, but they have so many other commitments to the program and the university as well. They have to go to class at least 12 hours a week, then there are film sessions, weight lifting, study hall hours, workouts with the coaches, community appearances, and treatments to consider, plus a lot of guys like to come in and shoot on their own. These guys work more than a full time job as a student athlete, their commitment to the sport always amazes me.
As a manager, the time commitment is huge as well, but I would have to be delusional to say it compares to what the players have to commit. All of the stuff I just mentioned above (except class and workouts with the coaches) are not things we have to do really. Also, the physical exertion of playing basketball at the highest level of Division I is truly exhausting. These guys practice anywhere from an hour to 2.5 hours per day, depending on the time of season, and then have to go to study hall or do their homework. It really is a lot on their plate, especially at a place like Vanderbilt. The obligations never end, not even after the season is over or before it starts.
Within two weeks of getting on campus, the players have weight lifting scheduled almost every day, along with individual skill workouts a few times a week, and then pickup games. That goes until the season starts and then when the season ends, all of that picks up about a week and a half later. You have all seen those commercials and t-shirts with the slogan "Basketball Never Stops", but these guys epitomize that phrase, all year round. And that is what brings me to my next point, these guys, not only are obligated to the program during the school year, but in the summer as well.
Most Vanderbilt students finish the school year at the end of April or early May, and then return home for the summer and usually find a job or an internship, while getting a chance to get real world experience in whatever field they plan to go into. It is also a time to get away from campus, spend time with your family, and reconnect with old friends, but for the most part, our basketball players don't experience this kind of summer. They get to be home for the month of May, but when June comes around, they are essentially required to be back on campus for summer school and summer workouts (NOTE: this does not only apply to Vanderbilt, it applies to the vast majority of Division I programs in the country). This is especially true now with NCAA rules allowing teams two hours per week over the summer to practice.
So while many Vanderbilt students are just beginning jobs or internships as June gets underway, our basketball team is back on campus ready to work. By spending the summers on campus, these athletes are in Nashville 11 out of 12 months a year. That is an insane commitment. There is no off-season for them, they always have something going on. If you compare this to the NBA schedule, when most players' seasons end in April, they are not required to be back at their team facility until September (unless playing in a Summer League). That is essentially five months off, away from the game of basketball, and those guys are making millions of dollars.
So while I know most of our fans truly appreciate the players we have, next time you see these guys, thank them for putting the time in to represent your favorite team. Obviously, getting a full ride to Vanderbilt and the opportunity to play in the SEC is one few people have, but the sheer amount of time these players put into being able to represent the Commodores is astounding. The craziest part is that they have these 11 months of basketball activity and play about 32 games (40 minutes long) which is 1280 available minutes per season. And let's say an average starter plays 25 minutes per game, that is 800 minutes they play per year which is the equivalent to 13.33 hours.
So to sum it up, these players are committing themselves to this university for over 300 days a year, all for the chance to play a game that matters for just over half of the hours in one day (and most players don't play 25 minutes a game). It is remarkable when you think about it, and is something that needs to be realized by those not around the team. Being a Division I athlete is not all glory and bright lights, but actually mainly grunt work and empty gymnasiums.
As a manager, the time commitment is huge as well, but I would have to be delusional to say it compares to what the players have to commit. All of the stuff I just mentioned above (except class and workouts with the coaches) are not things we have to do really. Also, the physical exertion of playing basketball at the highest level of Division I is truly exhausting. These guys practice anywhere from an hour to 2.5 hours per day, depending on the time of season, and then have to go to study hall or do their homework. It really is a lot on their plate, especially at a place like Vanderbilt. The obligations never end, not even after the season is over or before it starts.
Within two weeks of getting on campus, the players have weight lifting scheduled almost every day, along with individual skill workouts a few times a week, and then pickup games. That goes until the season starts and then when the season ends, all of that picks up about a week and a half later. You have all seen those commercials and t-shirts with the slogan "Basketball Never Stops", but these guys epitomize that phrase, all year round. And that is what brings me to my next point, these guys, not only are obligated to the program during the school year, but in the summer as well.
Most Vanderbilt students finish the school year at the end of April or early May, and then return home for the summer and usually find a job or an internship, while getting a chance to get real world experience in whatever field they plan to go into. It is also a time to get away from campus, spend time with your family, and reconnect with old friends, but for the most part, our basketball players don't experience this kind of summer. They get to be home for the month of May, but when June comes around, they are essentially required to be back on campus for summer school and summer workouts (NOTE: this does not only apply to Vanderbilt, it applies to the vast majority of Division I programs in the country). This is especially true now with NCAA rules allowing teams two hours per week over the summer to practice.
So while many Vanderbilt students are just beginning jobs or internships as June gets underway, our basketball team is back on campus ready to work. By spending the summers on campus, these athletes are in Nashville 11 out of 12 months a year. That is an insane commitment. There is no off-season for them, they always have something going on. If you compare this to the NBA schedule, when most players' seasons end in April, they are not required to be back at their team facility until September (unless playing in a Summer League). That is essentially five months off, away from the game of basketball, and those guys are making millions of dollars.
So while I know most of our fans truly appreciate the players we have, next time you see these guys, thank them for putting the time in to represent your favorite team. Obviously, getting a full ride to Vanderbilt and the opportunity to play in the SEC is one few people have, but the sheer amount of time these players put into being able to represent the Commodores is astounding. The craziest part is that they have these 11 months of basketball activity and play about 32 games (40 minutes long) which is 1280 available minutes per season. And let's say an average starter plays 25 minutes per game, that is 800 minutes they play per year which is the equivalent to 13.33 hours.
So to sum it up, these players are committing themselves to this university for over 300 days a year, all for the chance to play a game that matters for just over half of the hours in one day (and most players don't play 25 minutes a game). It is remarkable when you think about it, and is something that needs to be realized by those not around the team. Being a Division I athlete is not all glory and bright lights, but actually mainly grunt work and empty gymnasiums.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Managing Greatness: Being a Manager During the John, Jeff, + Fes Years
One of the coolest parts of being a manager over the last four years is having spent three of those years around three different NBA players on an almost daily basis. At many programs (unless it is place like Kansas or Kentucky), a manager is lucky to be around for one NBA player, but I got to watch three of them every single day, and it is pretty special to have been able to do that. While John Jenkins, Jeffery Taylor, and Festus Ezeli are all in the NBA, they each brought completely different things to the table while in school. Their greatness on the basketball court was so special, because each of their styles were so unique, and I am going to try to convey in this post just what it was like being around that every day.
JOHN JENKINS
John is the most driven individual I have ever been around. In college he had a singular focus: become the best player he could be, and he honed his skills each and every day with a zealousness I have not seen from anybody else in any field. John was in the gym every day and every night, putting up jumpers, working on ballhandling, or watching film. He couldn't stay away from the game, his love for it seeps through in everything that he does. Despite not being a vocal leader, John had the respect of everyone on the team and was named captain as a junior because of his relentless work ethic, and that didn't just come after practice, but it showed in every game and every practice as well.
John has an enormous chip on his shoulder. Despite being ranked the 15th overall recruit in the Class of 2009 by Rivals.com and averaging 42 points per game as a senior in high school, that wasn't good enough for John. Most kids would have rested on their laurels with those accomplishments but John wanted more. He craved more. He was devastated that he was not a McDonald's All-American and also wanted to be #1 in his class, and whatever criticisms there were of him, he took to heart: "Not strong enough", "Not a great athlete", "One dimensional", "lacks size", "doesn't defend". John stored those in his memory and worked with a maniacal passion and extreme confidence to prove that those things didn't apply to him or that he could overcome them and still be great.
That is why John's game, other than the end result, is never fully aesthetically pleasing. His jumpshot is pure and picture perfect and when he drains a 30 foot three with a swish, you just have to watch in awe, but what people forget is everything that it takes to get that split-second for an open look. John would run off screens, back and forth, back and forth, and never get tired. Nobody wanted to defend him not because he had such incredible stamina. It wasn't easy for John to get open, but he became an expert at how to find that crevice of daylight to launch his shot, and that is what I enjoyed most about watching John: the process.
It wasn't easy for him to be great, nothing was easy about his three years at Vanderbilt, but his relentlessness both on and off the court was just amazing. He just found a way to get it done, and he did. He always did.
JEFF TAYLOR
Jeff is kind of like the exact opposite of John in my mind. Whereas John never really had the "measurables" that NBA teams look for, that was never a problem with Jeff. While John was ranked higher coming out of high school than Jeff, it was clear from day one to people that Jeff had that "it" factor. He was just a natural at the game of basketball. Everything came so easily to Jeff and that is what made him such a joy to watch. Whereas John would work his tail off just to clear space, because of his ridiculous athleticism and strength, the game just never overwhelmed Jeff. He was so fluid on the court and just so smooth.
There is really no way to describe the way Jeff looked on a basketball court. He was like a natural, who was born to play the game of basketball. You felt like there was nothing Jeff could not do on a basketball court his senior year. While he struggled with confidence in his jumper his first two years, and even a little his third year, his senior year you felt like he was unstoppable. And when everything was clicking for Jeff, he was one of the best players in the country. He never missed a game in his career and played both ends of the floor with the same tenacity that made him so tough as an all-around player.
There were games and practices where all you could do was shake your head at what Jeff was doing. I remember distinctly, our game versus Florida in 2012 at their place. We weren't playing well as a team, particularly dealing with their press, but Jeff was awesome. He singlehandedly kept us in the game with his play on both sides of the floor. Then there was the Ole Miss game where hit his first seven shots and scored 23 points in the first half. It was an amazing display and one that captured just what a great player Jeff is when he has everything going for him. He tantalized you as a manager because everything would be ho-hum and then he would do something spectacular that would remind you just how special he was.
FESTUS EZELI
Watching Festus play was nothing like watching John or Jeff play, and a lot of that had to do with the fact that he picked up basketball so late in his life. Festus had never played organized basketball until he was 16 and was so raw at the time that he got cut from his high school team (for a fantastic profile of Fes' journey to Nashville, read this SI story by Pablo Torre), and watching Festus was at times like watching a high schooler or a young college player, because he was getting so much better every day. He was constantly improving and you felt like you were watching him go through basketball's equivalent of a growth spurt, but that's what made him so intriguing as a player.
Festus was so big and so strong, but he never really had any idea just how talented he was or just how much bigger he was than his opponents. Confidence was always an issue for Festus because he felt like he was perpetually playing catch-up to guys that had been playing since they were three years old and it frustrated him at times. It also frustrated Coach Stallings as well. For instance, Coach would design plays that got Fes the ball within 3 feet of the rim, but often times instead of just going up with the ball, he would take a dribble, and that never ended well. It was like he had to constantly be told what he should be doing because everything was still so new to him and he absorbed so much every day, that at times he forgot he was 6'11 and 260 pounds.
It was so rewarding to see Festus succeed for everyone in the program because he wanted to succeed so badly. Festus never wanted to let his teammates down and worked so hard not just to better himself but to prevent himself from ever failing the team. Despite the inevitable growing pains, he was frustrated when he would make the same mistakes over and over (like leaving his feet on pump fakes) and the those frustrations were so intense that Fes would sometimes be like in his own world it seemed like on the bench. He didn't always know how to let a mistake go and move on and it lingered with him because it crushed him if he let the team down. That is why for so many in the program, it is so awesome to see Fes playing a lot and playing well in the NBA. It's because he made it. After everything it took, he's at the top now.
JOHN JENKINS
John is the most driven individual I have ever been around. In college he had a singular focus: become the best player he could be, and he honed his skills each and every day with a zealousness I have not seen from anybody else in any field. John was in the gym every day and every night, putting up jumpers, working on ballhandling, or watching film. He couldn't stay away from the game, his love for it seeps through in everything that he does. Despite not being a vocal leader, John had the respect of everyone on the team and was named captain as a junior because of his relentless work ethic, and that didn't just come after practice, but it showed in every game and every practice as well.
John has an enormous chip on his shoulder. Despite being ranked the 15th overall recruit in the Class of 2009 by Rivals.com and averaging 42 points per game as a senior in high school, that wasn't good enough for John. Most kids would have rested on their laurels with those accomplishments but John wanted more. He craved more. He was devastated that he was not a McDonald's All-American and also wanted to be #1 in his class, and whatever criticisms there were of him, he took to heart: "Not strong enough", "Not a great athlete", "One dimensional", "lacks size", "doesn't defend". John stored those in his memory and worked with a maniacal passion and extreme confidence to prove that those things didn't apply to him or that he could overcome them and still be great.
That is why John's game, other than the end result, is never fully aesthetically pleasing. His jumpshot is pure and picture perfect and when he drains a 30 foot three with a swish, you just have to watch in awe, but what people forget is everything that it takes to get that split-second for an open look. John would run off screens, back and forth, back and forth, and never get tired. Nobody wanted to defend him not because he had such incredible stamina. It wasn't easy for John to get open, but he became an expert at how to find that crevice of daylight to launch his shot, and that is what I enjoyed most about watching John: the process.
It wasn't easy for him to be great, nothing was easy about his three years at Vanderbilt, but his relentlessness both on and off the court was just amazing. He just found a way to get it done, and he did. He always did.
JEFF TAYLOR
Jeff is kind of like the exact opposite of John in my mind. Whereas John never really had the "measurables" that NBA teams look for, that was never a problem with Jeff. While John was ranked higher coming out of high school than Jeff, it was clear from day one to people that Jeff had that "it" factor. He was just a natural at the game of basketball. Everything came so easily to Jeff and that is what made him such a joy to watch. Whereas John would work his tail off just to clear space, because of his ridiculous athleticism and strength, the game just never overwhelmed Jeff. He was so fluid on the court and just so smooth.
There is really no way to describe the way Jeff looked on a basketball court. He was like a natural, who was born to play the game of basketball. You felt like there was nothing Jeff could not do on a basketball court his senior year. While he struggled with confidence in his jumper his first two years, and even a little his third year, his senior year you felt like he was unstoppable. And when everything was clicking for Jeff, he was one of the best players in the country. He never missed a game in his career and played both ends of the floor with the same tenacity that made him so tough as an all-around player.
There were games and practices where all you could do was shake your head at what Jeff was doing. I remember distinctly, our game versus Florida in 2012 at their place. We weren't playing well as a team, particularly dealing with their press, but Jeff was awesome. He singlehandedly kept us in the game with his play on both sides of the floor. Then there was the Ole Miss game where hit his first seven shots and scored 23 points in the first half. It was an amazing display and one that captured just what a great player Jeff is when he has everything going for him. He tantalized you as a manager because everything would be ho-hum and then he would do something spectacular that would remind you just how special he was.
FESTUS EZELI
Watching Festus play was nothing like watching John or Jeff play, and a lot of that had to do with the fact that he picked up basketball so late in his life. Festus had never played organized basketball until he was 16 and was so raw at the time that he got cut from his high school team (for a fantastic profile of Fes' journey to Nashville, read this SI story by Pablo Torre), and watching Festus was at times like watching a high schooler or a young college player, because he was getting so much better every day. He was constantly improving and you felt like you were watching him go through basketball's equivalent of a growth spurt, but that's what made him so intriguing as a player.
Festus was so big and so strong, but he never really had any idea just how talented he was or just how much bigger he was than his opponents. Confidence was always an issue for Festus because he felt like he was perpetually playing catch-up to guys that had been playing since they were three years old and it frustrated him at times. It also frustrated Coach Stallings as well. For instance, Coach would design plays that got Fes the ball within 3 feet of the rim, but often times instead of just going up with the ball, he would take a dribble, and that never ended well. It was like he had to constantly be told what he should be doing because everything was still so new to him and he absorbed so much every day, that at times he forgot he was 6'11 and 260 pounds.
It was so rewarding to see Festus succeed for everyone in the program because he wanted to succeed so badly. Festus never wanted to let his teammates down and worked so hard not just to better himself but to prevent himself from ever failing the team. Despite the inevitable growing pains, he was frustrated when he would make the same mistakes over and over (like leaving his feet on pump fakes) and the those frustrations were so intense that Fes would sometimes be like in his own world it seemed like on the bench. He didn't always know how to let a mistake go and move on and it lingered with him because it crushed him if he let the team down. That is why for so many in the program, it is so awesome to see Fes playing a lot and playing well in the NBA. It's because he made it. After everything it took, he's at the top now.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Introducing Yanni Hufnagel to Vanderbilt
Despite being a manager for four years at Vandy, I really haven't gotten to know any coaches from other schools very well, except for two. One is Kentucky assistant John Robic who I got to know because his wife went to Vandy and we exchanged UK and Vandy t-shirts each year while catching up before each game. The other was our new assistant coach, Yanni Hufnagel.
I didn't know Yanni intially because I worked for Vandy, but our friendship began while I was working with the team. My first interaction with Yanni actually came at a basketball camp I went to in high school. There is a gym in New Jersey called Hoops Heaven that runs basketball camps each summer for kids of all ages, and while the Nets were still in New Jersey, they ran their camps out of Hoop Heaven, and I attended one of them while I was in high school and Yanni was one of the coaches for the week.
At the time, Yanni was an intern for the Nets and part of his responsibility was working their camps, and I had never seen anyone quite like him on a basketball court, and that was just my thought process during warmups. His energy was off the charts those first 20 minutes as he was trying to rile up the campers in what he anticipated would be a great day that by the time we got to the drills portion of the day, which was right after warmups, he had already fully drenched his shirt. Then after drills, the new shirt was soaking wet. He went through like 4 or 5 shirts a day because he was so active and engaged.
This wasn't a camp for elite high school prospects or future NBA players, this was a camp for local high school kids, but Yanni treated it as if he was preparing us for the NBA Finals. Each of the instructors was assigned a team to work with and Yanni's team was the only one to run plays and have offensive sets. He would go crazy on the sidelines when his team played well and was disappointed when they didn't, but he was more engaged in the action than many of the campers. It was impressive to see just how much he cared, and ever since that camp I had always remembered his name and wondered where he would end up, until I found out in the summer of 2010.
That summer I was interning for Dime Magazine and doing an interview with Harvard coach Tommy Amaker when I was on the Harvard website and I saw Yanni's picture on there and in his profile it mentioned his internship with the Nets. It was ironic that Yanni was at Harvard of all places, because that is my dad's alma mater, and I follow them closely. I reached out to him via email and we connected over the phone before meeting during the NCAA Tournament last season before we played his Harvard team, and I always thought if an opening was available he would be a good fit for our school.
Not only was he a coach at Harvard, but he went to Cornell as an undergrad and worked as a manager there for Steve Donahue, so he was familiar with high level academic institutions and what he was doing at Harvard was pretty remarkable. As the recruiting coordinator, he was responsible for essentially putting together their roster last season getting guys like Wes Saunders (who turned down USC for Harvard) or Kenyatta Smith (who turned down Cal) to enroll in Cambridge at a place with no athletic scholarships or athletic tradition. He was getting guys to turn down high major opportunities to play in the IVY League.
Now he has a chance to sell another elite academic institution in Vanderbilt (though don't mention that to former chancellor Gordon Gee), but with the chance to play in the SEC as well. With his energy, passion for the game, and recruiting prowess, I think Yanni is the perfect fit for our program and that our players, coaches, and fans will all benefit from his presence in Nashville.
I didn't know Yanni intially because I worked for Vandy, but our friendship began while I was working with the team. My first interaction with Yanni actually came at a basketball camp I went to in high school. There is a gym in New Jersey called Hoops Heaven that runs basketball camps each summer for kids of all ages, and while the Nets were still in New Jersey, they ran their camps out of Hoop Heaven, and I attended one of them while I was in high school and Yanni was one of the coaches for the week.
At the time, Yanni was an intern for the Nets and part of his responsibility was working their camps, and I had never seen anyone quite like him on a basketball court, and that was just my thought process during warmups. His energy was off the charts those first 20 minutes as he was trying to rile up the campers in what he anticipated would be a great day that by the time we got to the drills portion of the day, which was right after warmups, he had already fully drenched his shirt. Then after drills, the new shirt was soaking wet. He went through like 4 or 5 shirts a day because he was so active and engaged.
This wasn't a camp for elite high school prospects or future NBA players, this was a camp for local high school kids, but Yanni treated it as if he was preparing us for the NBA Finals. Each of the instructors was assigned a team to work with and Yanni's team was the only one to run plays and have offensive sets. He would go crazy on the sidelines when his team played well and was disappointed when they didn't, but he was more engaged in the action than many of the campers. It was impressive to see just how much he cared, and ever since that camp I had always remembered his name and wondered where he would end up, until I found out in the summer of 2010.
That summer I was interning for Dime Magazine and doing an interview with Harvard coach Tommy Amaker when I was on the Harvard website and I saw Yanni's picture on there and in his profile it mentioned his internship with the Nets. It was ironic that Yanni was at Harvard of all places, because that is my dad's alma mater, and I follow them closely. I reached out to him via email and we connected over the phone before meeting during the NCAA Tournament last season before we played his Harvard team, and I always thought if an opening was available he would be a good fit for our school.
Not only was he a coach at Harvard, but he went to Cornell as an undergrad and worked as a manager there for Steve Donahue, so he was familiar with high level academic institutions and what he was doing at Harvard was pretty remarkable. As the recruiting coordinator, he was responsible for essentially putting together their roster last season getting guys like Wes Saunders (who turned down USC for Harvard) or Kenyatta Smith (who turned down Cal) to enroll in Cambridge at a place with no athletic scholarships or athletic tradition. He was getting guys to turn down high major opportunities to play in the IVY League.
Now he has a chance to sell another elite academic institution in Vanderbilt (though don't mention that to former chancellor Gordon Gee), but with the chance to play in the SEC as well. With his energy, passion for the game, and recruiting prowess, I think Yanni is the perfect fit for our program and that our players, coaches, and fans will all benefit from his presence in Nashville.
Steve Tchiengang and The Constant Pursuit of Perfection
In life, everybody is friends with a perfectionist. This is the person who gets irritated when you confuse your and you're in a text or who continually revises a paper/resume/email until it is worded exactly the way they want. Despite those at times irritable qualities, if you remain friends with the person, it is because they must offer something else. Well in my life, this person is Steve Tchiengang.
Steve demands perfection not only from himself but from those around him. Rebounding for Steve is not like rebounding for any other player. Most players are happy that a manager is sticking around after practice to rebound for them and are content to just get their shots up then leave, but Steve is not like most players.
When you rebound for Steve, if you are not hustling after every missed shot or completely devoted to rebounding for him, the odds are that he is going to say something like "hey, pay attention, do your job, quit messing around". Or if you throw a pass that is not just the way Steve likes it, he will implore you to make he proper adjustments. At first I threw passes that were too soft, so then I made them have a little more juice but then Steve said they were hard to catch, and then I finally found a middle ground that made Steve pronounce, "I'm surprised to say this but Dan Mark you are the best manager passer we have" last season, and at that moment I knew I had arrived.
In addition to expecting excellence from his rebounder, Steve expected excellence from himself. Other than John Jenkins, nobody took more shots after practice than Steve, but the shots he took were always confounding. They were confounding because Steve took only threes. Despite being our backup five man and playing mostly down low, the part of his game Steve loved to work on was his three point shot. He averaged less than one three attempted per game, but Steve was convinced he was an outside shooter. This was both Steve's blessing and his curse.
On the one hand, Steve could shoot the three and his ability to stretch the floor helped us out enormously at times. Additionally, despite dying to play the four and be a stretch four man his entire career, Steve never complained once about being used as a center his last two seasons. He was the ultimate team player who put winning above everything else, even his personal desires. It wasn't the role he wanted necessarily (Steve would have Dirk Nowitzki's role if he could have), but nobody was tougher or more selfless on the basketball court than Steve as I pointed out in this profile I did on him for DIME Magazine.
Steve set bone jarring screens to help get John Jenkins and Jeff Taylor open while also defending some of the SEC's top interior players on a nightly basis like Jarnell Stokes and Anthony Davis. When you hear the term "serviceable big man" it sums up Steve well. He shows up and just gets the job done, whether that is in a game or in a practice pushing other guys to get better, but there was always that desire within him to be on the perimeter more.
Steve is 6'9" and around 240 pounds so really his natural place was down on the block, but Steve was convinced he was an elite jump shooter. He worked on his form and his shot over and over and over, more so than any other part of his game, and at times as a manager, a fan, but most importantly a friend it was infuriating to be completely honest. Steve had an incredible work ethic and strived every day to be the best player he could but he focused so much on a skillset that he rarely used in games. I wished Steve would have worked more on his post moves or other areas of his game, and he did work on those as well but not as much as his jumpshot, but Steve sees things in Black and White and he saw himself as a shooter so that is what he worked on until he perfected it.
While many players will strive for excellence on the court, what is impressive about Steve's perfectionist personality is that it extended to every area of his life. Now, Steve is not a perfectionist in that he wants everything to look and be perfect, he is more a perfectionist in the way that he sees the best in everybody and any situation and will do whatever he can to bring the best out of a person. Steve's clear sense of right and wrong alienated some at times because he was never shy about sharing his opinion on what a person could do better, it never really bothered me though. I think the reason it didn't is because Steve pointed things out to me that I knew I could do better, but was either too lazy or just didn't feel like doing and he held me to it.
Anybody that knows me knows that I love to eat, particularly free food. I just love food, but at the same time I don't want to blow up and gain a lot of weight so Steve always encouraged me to eat healthy and workout because he thought that would be best. Last year he told me to text him every night after I finished doing the ab workout he gave me and if I didn't text him, he would text me the next day asking why.
Or there were the times when Steve would try to improve my "swag" and introduce me to girls he knew. I was always kind of bashful when Steve would go up to a girl at a bar and say "This is Dan Mark, you need to know him" because he was so forceful in the introduction, I felt that it was a personal letdown to Steve if nothing came of it (and usually nothing did), but he kept advising me on what to wear or what to say.
I don't necessarily think Steve is the expert on those matters, but he saw qualities and traits in me that he tried hard to bring out. I am not the most talkative person and definitely not the best dressed, or most in shape, but Steve didn't think I should limit myself. He believed I was a good person and he truly wanted to help me out, even if I wasn't necessarily asking for it, and that is why I love Steve. He is always looking to help find the perfections that lie within each of us, whether it be me or the African refugees he volunteered with, and bring those qualities to the surface so that others can see them. It takes a special type of person to do that, and Steve is one of a kind.
Me and Steve
Steve demands perfection not only from himself but from those around him. Rebounding for Steve is not like rebounding for any other player. Most players are happy that a manager is sticking around after practice to rebound for them and are content to just get their shots up then leave, but Steve is not like most players.
When you rebound for Steve, if you are not hustling after every missed shot or completely devoted to rebounding for him, the odds are that he is going to say something like "hey, pay attention, do your job, quit messing around". Or if you throw a pass that is not just the way Steve likes it, he will implore you to make he proper adjustments. At first I threw passes that were too soft, so then I made them have a little more juice but then Steve said they were hard to catch, and then I finally found a middle ground that made Steve pronounce, "I'm surprised to say this but Dan Mark you are the best manager passer we have" last season, and at that moment I knew I had arrived.
In addition to expecting excellence from his rebounder, Steve expected excellence from himself. Other than John Jenkins, nobody took more shots after practice than Steve, but the shots he took were always confounding. They were confounding because Steve took only threes. Despite being our backup five man and playing mostly down low, the part of his game Steve loved to work on was his three point shot. He averaged less than one three attempted per game, but Steve was convinced he was an outside shooter. This was both Steve's blessing and his curse.
On the one hand, Steve could shoot the three and his ability to stretch the floor helped us out enormously at times. Additionally, despite dying to play the four and be a stretch four man his entire career, Steve never complained once about being used as a center his last two seasons. He was the ultimate team player who put winning above everything else, even his personal desires. It wasn't the role he wanted necessarily (Steve would have Dirk Nowitzki's role if he could have), but nobody was tougher or more selfless on the basketball court than Steve as I pointed out in this profile I did on him for DIME Magazine.
Steve set bone jarring screens to help get John Jenkins and Jeff Taylor open while also defending some of the SEC's top interior players on a nightly basis like Jarnell Stokes and Anthony Davis. When you hear the term "serviceable big man" it sums up Steve well. He shows up and just gets the job done, whether that is in a game or in a practice pushing other guys to get better, but there was always that desire within him to be on the perimeter more.
Steve is 6'9" and around 240 pounds so really his natural place was down on the block, but Steve was convinced he was an elite jump shooter. He worked on his form and his shot over and over and over, more so than any other part of his game, and at times as a manager, a fan, but most importantly a friend it was infuriating to be completely honest. Steve had an incredible work ethic and strived every day to be the best player he could but he focused so much on a skillset that he rarely used in games. I wished Steve would have worked more on his post moves or other areas of his game, and he did work on those as well but not as much as his jumpshot, but Steve sees things in Black and White and he saw himself as a shooter so that is what he worked on until he perfected it.
While many players will strive for excellence on the court, what is impressive about Steve's perfectionist personality is that it extended to every area of his life. Now, Steve is not a perfectionist in that he wants everything to look and be perfect, he is more a perfectionist in the way that he sees the best in everybody and any situation and will do whatever he can to bring the best out of a person. Steve's clear sense of right and wrong alienated some at times because he was never shy about sharing his opinion on what a person could do better, it never really bothered me though. I think the reason it didn't is because Steve pointed things out to me that I knew I could do better, but was either too lazy or just didn't feel like doing and he held me to it.
Anybody that knows me knows that I love to eat, particularly free food. I just love food, but at the same time I don't want to blow up and gain a lot of weight so Steve always encouraged me to eat healthy and workout because he thought that would be best. Last year he told me to text him every night after I finished doing the ab workout he gave me and if I didn't text him, he would text me the next day asking why.
Or there were the times when Steve would try to improve my "swag" and introduce me to girls he knew. I was always kind of bashful when Steve would go up to a girl at a bar and say "This is Dan Mark, you need to know him" because he was so forceful in the introduction, I felt that it was a personal letdown to Steve if nothing came of it (and usually nothing did), but he kept advising me on what to wear or what to say.
I don't necessarily think Steve is the expert on those matters, but he saw qualities and traits in me that he tried hard to bring out. I am not the most talkative person and definitely not the best dressed, or most in shape, but Steve didn't think I should limit myself. He believed I was a good person and he truly wanted to help me out, even if I wasn't necessarily asking for it, and that is why I love Steve. He is always looking to help find the perfections that lie within each of us, whether it be me or the African refugees he volunteered with, and bring those qualities to the surface so that others can see them. It takes a special type of person to do that, and Steve is one of a kind.
Me and Steve
Sunday, May 19, 2013
And Then There Were 3: A Tribute to the Freshman Class That Was
Every class that comes into the program is different from the others. No two classes are the same, but in my time with the team, no class as a whole has been more distinctive than this past year's freshman class. I absolutely loved being around all seven of our freshmen from last year because they were like a microcosm of society in general. Each one was a character totally unique from the others and they were seven pretty different people who ended up being a great group.
However, unfortunately that group of seven has dwindled to three as AJ Astroth and Sheldon Jeter have transferred while Andris Kehris and Alex Gendelman will not be playing again next. That leaves Kevin Bright, Nathan Watkins, and Carter Josephs as the last remnants of this freshman class. This blog post is a tribute to those seven and an appreciation for everything they brought to the program. So if you guys are reading this, thanks for being so freakin' great.
I'll start off with Kevin Bright. I don't want to refer to Kevin as the ringleader of the group because it wasn't like the other guys followed him around and tried to be like him, but Kev was like the cool kid. If this were high school, Kevin would have been most popular because he was well liked, a starter, and had a beautiful girlfriend. Everybody liked and respected Kevin because it was hard not to, he is just really a great guy.
Then there was AJ. I described AJ in detail in this blog post, but I will touch on some of the main points again here. AJ is a happy-go-lucky kid. No matter what is going on at a given time, AJ is always smiling and always in a good mood. AJ is kind of naive in the fact that he would often times ask questions with what seemed like obvious answers, but AJ truly didn't know the answer and that is why he asked. AJ was always talking and saying something, he was full of energy, and AJ didn't have any grand expectations or demands.
Obviously he was upset he wasn't playing (and that is why he ended up transferring), but AJ never vocalized that to the team or complained outwardly, instead embracing his role as a Gold Bomber on the scout team. A lot of guys would have said "screw this" and kind of loafed on the scout team, but AJ took it in stride and had a ton of fun with the "Gold Bombers". He was just happy to be there and be around the program each day, and his positivity is something that will be greatly missed.
Next up is Sheldon Jeter. Sheldon is a different cat. He marches to the beat of his own drummer and doesn't conform to the standards or expectations of those around him, which is why I respect Sheldon so much. A lot of times in a team setting, it is easy to change or try to "fit in", but Sheldon's attitude was I'm going to be myself whether you like it or not. In the piece linked above, I delve further into Sheldon's personality, but his individuality and intensely competitive nature were fun to observe this season. I have no doubt, he will have success wherever he ends up.
Then there was Nate "Swatkins" Watkins. Nate tried out for the team on a limb, never quite expecting to make it, but when he did make it, Nate was still shocked he was on the team. Nate spent most of his time with the squad last year crafting an alter ego of Swatkins, based on his tenacious shot-blocking capabilities, racking up Trillions (where a player plays 1 minute without racking up any other statistics), or promoting his candidacy for SEC Walk-On of the Year (a fictitious award that Nate "dreams" of one day capturing).
Walk-ons have a precarious place in the program. They are a part of the team and there to make others better, but you can't have an ego as a walk-on. You are essentially glorified practice players and you need to embrace your role, and Nate did that with reckless abandon. I look for him to continue his campaign toward the trillion leaderboard next year and for the Swatkins nickname to be revived, and I'm counting on you fans to help him out.
Next up is Carter. Carter is like Switzerland, stuck in eternal neutrality. Carter is the most even-keeled person I've ever met. He's like a road that is endlessly flat with no changes or curves. Carter pisses nobody off and is liked by everybody because you can't not like Carter because he doesn't do anything that would push you to not like him. Nate has said, "There is nothing Carter hates more than controversy" and he does an excellent job of avoiding it. He is never in the middle of any arguments and nobody ever thinks to bring him into one because often times they forget he is there or that he has an opinion. He is very smart (he could have gone to MIT), but doesn't show it or brag about it, he is humble and understated, and therefore well liked by those around him.
Then there was Alex Gendelman. Gendy was another walk-on, but he had one foot in Memorial and one foot on frat row the entire season. When you think of a frat guy, you think of Alex Gendelman. Always well groomed with his hair impeccably parted to the side (his hair never moved during a game or practice, it always maintained the part) and well-dressed, Alex looked more frat-star than D1 athlete, and he kind of was.
At one point during the season when Alex had a concussion, he disappeared for two weeks and nobody knew where he was. We thought he was gradually fading away from the team before announcing his shift to full time frat guy. The rumors and speculation were rampant in the locker room about the fate of the walk-on from New York. Then one night after a game, Alex appeared in the locker (he was alive!!!) just in time to get that night's per diem (I don't find his timing to be a mere coincidence...). Alex finished out the rest of the season, but will not be coming back next year.
Finally, there was Andris Kehris. Andris was hilarious and irritating all at once. Andris was very intelligent and insightful. He was actually very well versed in world history and basketball history, but his insights were taken with a grain of a salt because his GPA hovered closer to a Goose-Egg than a 4.0. Andris' case wasn't helped by the fact that he found an argument in anything. One of his favorite arguments was preaching Tony Romo as a better quarterback than Jay Cutler. Andris was obsessed with Romo and hated Cutler and he let everyone know. He was in the middle of every argument on the team.
In addition to his argumentative nature, Andris' mannerisms were a sight to see. He shot free throws by practically falling over to the left side of his body and when he would miss a lay-up, his face wreaked of disgust with himself before he would say "Damnnnn it" in his Latvian accent. Then there was the time he had a concussion at the SEC Tournament and on the bus ride home he practically curled up in the fetal position while panting "my head, my head". Needless to say, he didn't come to the next day's game, but Andris was always there when he could be, and the team loses a valuable source of entertainment next season with his departure.
I hope this gives you guys an insight into the special collection of people and players that made up this freshmen class. They were truly unforgettable.
However, unfortunately that group of seven has dwindled to three as AJ Astroth and Sheldon Jeter have transferred while Andris Kehris and Alex Gendelman will not be playing again next. That leaves Kevin Bright, Nathan Watkins, and Carter Josephs as the last remnants of this freshman class. This blog post is a tribute to those seven and an appreciation for everything they brought to the program. So if you guys are reading this, thanks for being so freakin' great.
I'll start off with Kevin Bright. I don't want to refer to Kevin as the ringleader of the group because it wasn't like the other guys followed him around and tried to be like him, but Kev was like the cool kid. If this were high school, Kevin would have been most popular because he was well liked, a starter, and had a beautiful girlfriend. Everybody liked and respected Kevin because it was hard not to, he is just really a great guy.
Then there was AJ. I described AJ in detail in this blog post, but I will touch on some of the main points again here. AJ is a happy-go-lucky kid. No matter what is going on at a given time, AJ is always smiling and always in a good mood. AJ is kind of naive in the fact that he would often times ask questions with what seemed like obvious answers, but AJ truly didn't know the answer and that is why he asked. AJ was always talking and saying something, he was full of energy, and AJ didn't have any grand expectations or demands.
Obviously he was upset he wasn't playing (and that is why he ended up transferring), but AJ never vocalized that to the team or complained outwardly, instead embracing his role as a Gold Bomber on the scout team. A lot of guys would have said "screw this" and kind of loafed on the scout team, but AJ took it in stride and had a ton of fun with the "Gold Bombers". He was just happy to be there and be around the program each day, and his positivity is something that will be greatly missed.
Next up is Sheldon Jeter. Sheldon is a different cat. He marches to the beat of his own drummer and doesn't conform to the standards or expectations of those around him, which is why I respect Sheldon so much. A lot of times in a team setting, it is easy to change or try to "fit in", but Sheldon's attitude was I'm going to be myself whether you like it or not. In the piece linked above, I delve further into Sheldon's personality, but his individuality and intensely competitive nature were fun to observe this season. I have no doubt, he will have success wherever he ends up.
Then there was Nate "Swatkins" Watkins. Nate tried out for the team on a limb, never quite expecting to make it, but when he did make it, Nate was still shocked he was on the team. Nate spent most of his time with the squad last year crafting an alter ego of Swatkins, based on his tenacious shot-blocking capabilities, racking up Trillions (where a player plays 1 minute without racking up any other statistics), or promoting his candidacy for SEC Walk-On of the Year (a fictitious award that Nate "dreams" of one day capturing).
Walk-ons have a precarious place in the program. They are a part of the team and there to make others better, but you can't have an ego as a walk-on. You are essentially glorified practice players and you need to embrace your role, and Nate did that with reckless abandon. I look for him to continue his campaign toward the trillion leaderboard next year and for the Swatkins nickname to be revived, and I'm counting on you fans to help him out.
Next up is Carter. Carter is like Switzerland, stuck in eternal neutrality. Carter is the most even-keeled person I've ever met. He's like a road that is endlessly flat with no changes or curves. Carter pisses nobody off and is liked by everybody because you can't not like Carter because he doesn't do anything that would push you to not like him. Nate has said, "There is nothing Carter hates more than controversy" and he does an excellent job of avoiding it. He is never in the middle of any arguments and nobody ever thinks to bring him into one because often times they forget he is there or that he has an opinion. He is very smart (he could have gone to MIT), but doesn't show it or brag about it, he is humble and understated, and therefore well liked by those around him.
Then there was Alex Gendelman. Gendy was another walk-on, but he had one foot in Memorial and one foot on frat row the entire season. When you think of a frat guy, you think of Alex Gendelman. Always well groomed with his hair impeccably parted to the side (his hair never moved during a game or practice, it always maintained the part) and well-dressed, Alex looked more frat-star than D1 athlete, and he kind of was.
At one point during the season when Alex had a concussion, he disappeared for two weeks and nobody knew where he was. We thought he was gradually fading away from the team before announcing his shift to full time frat guy. The rumors and speculation were rampant in the locker room about the fate of the walk-on from New York. Then one night after a game, Alex appeared in the locker (he was alive!!!) just in time to get that night's per diem (I don't find his timing to be a mere coincidence...). Alex finished out the rest of the season, but will not be coming back next year.
Finally, there was Andris Kehris. Andris was hilarious and irritating all at once. Andris was very intelligent and insightful. He was actually very well versed in world history and basketball history, but his insights were taken with a grain of a salt because his GPA hovered closer to a Goose-Egg than a 4.0. Andris' case wasn't helped by the fact that he found an argument in anything. One of his favorite arguments was preaching Tony Romo as a better quarterback than Jay Cutler. Andris was obsessed with Romo and hated Cutler and he let everyone know. He was in the middle of every argument on the team.
In addition to his argumentative nature, Andris' mannerisms were a sight to see. He shot free throws by practically falling over to the left side of his body and when he would miss a lay-up, his face wreaked of disgust with himself before he would say "Damnnnn it" in his Latvian accent. Then there was the time he had a concussion at the SEC Tournament and on the bus ride home he practically curled up in the fetal position while panting "my head, my head". Needless to say, he didn't come to the next day's game, but Andris was always there when he could be, and the team loses a valuable source of entertainment next season with his departure.
I hope this gives you guys an insight into the special collection of people and players that made up this freshmen class. They were truly unforgettable.
Friday, May 17, 2013
22 Little Known Facts In Honor of My 22nd Birthday
I turn 22 today and to celebrate I will be doing a number of things. One, I will be taking part in a 25 mile bike ride/fundraiser. I'm not sure what person celebrates their birthday by doing that unless their name is Lance Armstrong and they are heavily injected with PED's but I will be doing that at 10 AM this morning, and all jokes aside it should be pretty fun, assuming I'm still alive at the end of it. I will also be listening to Taylor Swift's "22" and singing along as I see fit, while going to a birthday dinner tonight with my family.
But for you loyal Managing Memorial readers, I have a special gift for you all: 22 little known/obscure/random facts about the program or people within the program. I hope you all enjoy:
1. Before our NCAA Tournament game versus Harvard last year, Festus Ezeli put on the wrong uniform at the hotel. Instead of wearing our home whites since we were the higher seed (the 5 versus the 12), Fes put on his away jersey for a reason still unbeknownst to us all. Then head manager Will Hulings noticed the issue about an hour before tip and asked Fes if he had his white uniform with him. Fes replied he did not. So, I was assigned a police escort and rode shotgun in an Albuquerque police car to get his jersey from the hotel which was 15 minutes away. I got there about 20 minutes before tip off with the jersey in hand.
2. If Coach Stallings curses on the road and an opposing fan tells him to watch his mouth because little kids are around, Coach Stallings will always turn around and apologize to that fan and do his best not to curse again.
3. Vanderbilt does not have a basketball equipment manager. The football and baseball teams each have equipment managers, but neither basketball program does so the managers also manage the equipment.
4. When we bus to a road game, we do not ride a coach bus. We ride two sleeper buses. The sleeper buses have a lounge in the front, 12 cots/bunks in the middle, and a lounge in the back. All of the players ride on one bus and the coaches and managers ride on another. The support staff drives a big van to meet us at the game.
5. On home gamedays, we always do shootaround 5 hours before tip-off, then eat our team meal 4 hours before tip off, and the guys then return to the gym around 2 hours before the game. After the game the players and managers each gets $15 of per diem money to be used for a post-game meal.
6. On team flights Coach Stallings always sits in the first row on the left side of the aisle (viewed from the front of the plane). All players get their own seats unless they need to sit with managers because of boosters or other support staff on the trip, and the players that get their own seats are determined by seniority.
7. Head manager Rob Cross will frequently fall asleep in the gym late at night because he works himself to exhaustion. It is not uncommon for him to wake up at 4:00 AM having passed out on a couch in the basketball offices for five hours.
8. Coach Frederick's brother, Brian Frederick, is the executive director of the Sports Fan Coalition, a lobbying group that was created to protect the interests of sports fans on such issues as taxpayer funded stadiums and television blackouts.
9. In the HBO documentary "Prayer for a Perfect Season" about Michael Kidd-Gilchrist's senior year team at St. Patrick's High School, their game versus Milton Academy, Dai-Jon Parker's high school is featured and Dai-Jon has a cameo in game action. Sheldon Jeter was also in an HBO documentary, "Namath", about Joe Namath who hails from the same hometown as Sheldon: Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.
10. Andre Walker watched "Jersey Shore" religiously and would always ask me why I didn't watch it or act like the characters from the show since I was from New Jersey.
11. Our former strength coach, Curtis Turner, now at Georgia Tech was an avid collector of folk art. He had a big art collection at his apartment and was constantly scouring art auction websites for items to bid on.
12. Before last year when he got drafted, John Jenkins would always hate watching the draft. He hated seeing guys from his high school class like John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, Xavier Henry, and Alec Burks get drafted and hear their name called before his was, but he used that as motivation before finally achieving his dream last year.
13. Dai-Jon Parker and Kedren Johnson have matching "Young Mafia" tattoos next to their right shoulders. The tattoos like sort of like New York Yankee logos.
14. Kyle Fuller's nickname "Zoomey" came during his freshman year in the locker room. Kyle was asking what a good nickname would be, and then manager Chris Clark and I had just watched one of those Mazda's commercials that end in Zoom, Zoom, Zoom and Chris suggested Kyle call himself Zoomey because he was fast like those cars. Kyle took to the nickname he long wanted and had everyone call him it for a long period of time, and that is how Kyle "Zoomey" Fuller was born.
15. Steve Tchiengang was high school teammates in Houston for a year with former UConn star and current Oklahoma City Thunder center Hasheem Thabeet. That was one big front-court.
16. When Festus was not putting his hands up on defense during his junior year, then assistant coach Dan Muller made the managers wrap two bricks in towels and wrote on each one "Keep your hands up Fes!" Fes had to do some drills where he ran around holding the bricks over his head.
17. Before practice each day, coach hands out a practice plan with an offensive emphasis of the day, defensive emphasis of the day, and thought for the day. After the 15 minutes of warmup time pre-practice the team gathers in a circle and a different player is quizzed on each of the three topics. If a given player forgets one, then the team may be subject to run. After going over those things, the team circles up and high fives each other before practice commences.
18. The reason we found Carter Josephs and recruited him to be a walk-on actually happened when we were recruiting one of his AAU teammates, Connor Lammert. Connor was a three-star power forward from Texas and when Coach Cason was watching him on the AAU circuit he saw Carter and we recruited him to be a walk-on. He chose Vanderbilt over MIT.
19. Brad Tinsley was an outstanding high school quarterback in Oregon who was garnering Pac-12 offers as a sophomore but he gave up football after his sophomore year to focus on basketball. Brad also initially committed to Pepperdine, but their head coach was let go and Brad was released from his letter of intent and chose to come here.
20. The first time Jermaine Beal ever texted me, toward the end of my freshman year and his senior year, he texted me saying "This is Dolla Beal, I want to shoot tonight, can you rebound?" The reference to himself as Dolla Beal was classic.
21. Former walk-on Andris Kehris' brother is the quarterback for the Latvian National Club Football team. It is not a full-time league and the chief rivals of the Latvians are the "Estonians to the north".
22. Former walk-on Joe Duffy was high school teammates with New York Giants' wide-receiver Hakeem Nicks.
But for you loyal Managing Memorial readers, I have a special gift for you all: 22 little known/obscure/random facts about the program or people within the program. I hope you all enjoy:
1. Before our NCAA Tournament game versus Harvard last year, Festus Ezeli put on the wrong uniform at the hotel. Instead of wearing our home whites since we were the higher seed (the 5 versus the 12), Fes put on his away jersey for a reason still unbeknownst to us all. Then head manager Will Hulings noticed the issue about an hour before tip and asked Fes if he had his white uniform with him. Fes replied he did not. So, I was assigned a police escort and rode shotgun in an Albuquerque police car to get his jersey from the hotel which was 15 minutes away. I got there about 20 minutes before tip off with the jersey in hand.
2. If Coach Stallings curses on the road and an opposing fan tells him to watch his mouth because little kids are around, Coach Stallings will always turn around and apologize to that fan and do his best not to curse again.
3. Vanderbilt does not have a basketball equipment manager. The football and baseball teams each have equipment managers, but neither basketball program does so the managers also manage the equipment.
4. When we bus to a road game, we do not ride a coach bus. We ride two sleeper buses. The sleeper buses have a lounge in the front, 12 cots/bunks in the middle, and a lounge in the back. All of the players ride on one bus and the coaches and managers ride on another. The support staff drives a big van to meet us at the game.
5. On home gamedays, we always do shootaround 5 hours before tip-off, then eat our team meal 4 hours before tip off, and the guys then return to the gym around 2 hours before the game. After the game the players and managers each gets $15 of per diem money to be used for a post-game meal.
6. On team flights Coach Stallings always sits in the first row on the left side of the aisle (viewed from the front of the plane). All players get their own seats unless they need to sit with managers because of boosters or other support staff on the trip, and the players that get their own seats are determined by seniority.
7. Head manager Rob Cross will frequently fall asleep in the gym late at night because he works himself to exhaustion. It is not uncommon for him to wake up at 4:00 AM having passed out on a couch in the basketball offices for five hours.
8. Coach Frederick's brother, Brian Frederick, is the executive director of the Sports Fan Coalition, a lobbying group that was created to protect the interests of sports fans on such issues as taxpayer funded stadiums and television blackouts.
9. In the HBO documentary "Prayer for a Perfect Season" about Michael Kidd-Gilchrist's senior year team at St. Patrick's High School, their game versus Milton Academy, Dai-Jon Parker's high school is featured and Dai-Jon has a cameo in game action. Sheldon Jeter was also in an HBO documentary, "Namath", about Joe Namath who hails from the same hometown as Sheldon: Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.
10. Andre Walker watched "Jersey Shore" religiously and would always ask me why I didn't watch it or act like the characters from the show since I was from New Jersey.
11. Our former strength coach, Curtis Turner, now at Georgia Tech was an avid collector of folk art. He had a big art collection at his apartment and was constantly scouring art auction websites for items to bid on.
12. Before last year when he got drafted, John Jenkins would always hate watching the draft. He hated seeing guys from his high school class like John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, Xavier Henry, and Alec Burks get drafted and hear their name called before his was, but he used that as motivation before finally achieving his dream last year.
13. Dai-Jon Parker and Kedren Johnson have matching "Young Mafia" tattoos next to their right shoulders. The tattoos like sort of like New York Yankee logos.
14. Kyle Fuller's nickname "Zoomey" came during his freshman year in the locker room. Kyle was asking what a good nickname would be, and then manager Chris Clark and I had just watched one of those Mazda's commercials that end in Zoom, Zoom, Zoom and Chris suggested Kyle call himself Zoomey because he was fast like those cars. Kyle took to the nickname he long wanted and had everyone call him it for a long period of time, and that is how Kyle "Zoomey" Fuller was born.
15. Steve Tchiengang was high school teammates in Houston for a year with former UConn star and current Oklahoma City Thunder center Hasheem Thabeet. That was one big front-court.
16. When Festus was not putting his hands up on defense during his junior year, then assistant coach Dan Muller made the managers wrap two bricks in towels and wrote on each one "Keep your hands up Fes!" Fes had to do some drills where he ran around holding the bricks over his head.
17. Before practice each day, coach hands out a practice plan with an offensive emphasis of the day, defensive emphasis of the day, and thought for the day. After the 15 minutes of warmup time pre-practice the team gathers in a circle and a different player is quizzed on each of the three topics. If a given player forgets one, then the team may be subject to run. After going over those things, the team circles up and high fives each other before practice commences.
18. The reason we found Carter Josephs and recruited him to be a walk-on actually happened when we were recruiting one of his AAU teammates, Connor Lammert. Connor was a three-star power forward from Texas and when Coach Cason was watching him on the AAU circuit he saw Carter and we recruited him to be a walk-on. He chose Vanderbilt over MIT.
19. Brad Tinsley was an outstanding high school quarterback in Oregon who was garnering Pac-12 offers as a sophomore but he gave up football after his sophomore year to focus on basketball. Brad also initially committed to Pepperdine, but their head coach was let go and Brad was released from his letter of intent and chose to come here.
20. The first time Jermaine Beal ever texted me, toward the end of my freshman year and his senior year, he texted me saying "This is Dolla Beal, I want to shoot tonight, can you rebound?" The reference to himself as Dolla Beal was classic.
21. Former walk-on Andris Kehris' brother is the quarterback for the Latvian National Club Football team. It is not a full-time league and the chief rivals of the Latvians are the "Estonians to the north".
22. Former walk-on Joe Duffy was high school teammates with New York Giants' wide-receiver Hakeem Nicks.
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