Looking Back: Why I Managed for 4 Years

Sorry for not blogging much this week, it's been a long week with the SEC Tournament. With this post I am going to try sum up the last four years and what they've meant to me. When we lost to Ole Miss on Saturday, that officially ended my affiliation with the Vanderbilt basketball team (in an official capacity), and as I cleaned out my stuff from Memorial Gym, I thought a lot about the experiences I've had.

I have always loved basketball from a young age. I'm not particularly skilled, outside of a very consistent mid-range jumpshot and a high basketball IQ, but I have always loved the game. I grew up playing basketball any time I could whether at the neighborhood court, in my driveway, or at school. I played all the time and even had a mini 6 foot hoop in the house I used to shoot around on during winter when it was too cold to go outside. My dad had Nets season tickets while I was in middle and high school and I lived and breathed Nets basketball. I was a die-hard and I had a good run with the Jason Kidd/Kenyon Martin/Richard Jefferson teams.

Me with Brook Lopez and former Net Ryan Anderson

I also collected trading cards, newspaper clippings, game programs, ticket stubs, and autographs over the years. My autograph collection is pretty extensive, ranging from Allen Iverson and Jason Kidd to Walt Frazier and Bill Walton. I would go to games hours early, thanks to my mom and dad's willingness to do that, seeking autographs and photos with my favorite players. I would bring a binder of cards to be signed and if I didn't have a player's card I would have them sign a game program.

I knew the ins and outs of the Meadowlands Arena like no other: where to position myself to get the most autographs, which security guards were easy to get by, and where the celebrities sat. Before each game, I also looked up the radio and TV announcers of each opposing team seeing if I recognized any former players or coaches among them. Mike Fratello, Flip Saunders, Cedric Maxwell, and Walt Frazier were among those I met. I also got autographs from celebrities like Jay-Z, Jeremy Shockey, and Spike Lee who went to the games. Ahmad Rashad took a leak next to me one time and I saw Stephen A. Smith at the concession stand another time.

This passion for basketball is why I responded to an email sent by then head manager Sam Ferry seeking new managers my freshman year. It is the reason I initially took the job. I wanted to be around an SEC Basketball program and see the inner workings of it. I remember being in awe my first practice of being there as an observer (I was part time as a freshman so I wasn't required to be at practice, but I observed it once or twice a week), thinking how unbelievably cool it was to be in that position.

On that first day, Sam told me not to rebound for anyone or do anything but after practice Steve Tchiengang came over to me and said "you a manager?" in his deep voice, I said, "kinda" and then he goes "then rebound for me. I need to practice my jumpshot." I knew I wasn't supposed to say yes, but honestly I was pretty intimidated by Steve, actually very intimidated so I got up and started rebounding for him. Sam came back and asked why I was doing that and I said, "well it didn't seem like Steve would take no for an answer" and that was a good enough reason for Sam.

Throughout the year I still pretty much in awe of the situation I was in particularly as I got to know more of the players and coaches particularly John Jenkins, Steve, and Chris Meriwether and Coach Dan Muller. It was also pretty sweet when I got to let the John Wall led Kentucky team into Memorial and met Erin Andrews. I had a really positive experience as a freshman and I liked working part time because I could work whenever I wanted to, I didn't have any set hours or obligations, and was essentially a volunteer.

Sophomore year I became a full time manager and that was much harder to deal with. What I didn't realize as a freshman only working part-time, is just how much of a grind the season is. No matter how passionate about basketball you are, your love for the game begins to wear down during the course of a season. It is very exhausting because you go to class all morning then to practice in the afternoon till 6 or 7 then have to do homework. It was really a tough adjustment. It was so much time and a lot of thankless grunt work. I still enjoyed being around the team and liked the access I had, but the passion just wasn't the same. The sheer amount of time you spend around the game is a commitment like no other and it came at the expense of doing other things on campus. I lost touch with some close friends and got kind of sucked into what I call the "Basketball Bubble".

The basketball bubble is essentially when during the season you really only see members of the basketball program. Your schedule is very different from that of other students, you can't really participate in many other extracurricular activities, and unless you make a conscious effort to stay in touch with people it is easy to lose touch because basketball becomes such a single focus. As someone who likes to change things up and can't stand doing the same thing every day, the sameness of the days started to irritate me and bore me. There were many days, and still were this year, where I didn't want to go to practice or shootaround and just wanted to do other things. The time off from basketball I did have I spent on schoolwork or catching up on sleep because I was so exhausted. It was a very tough adjustment.

Junior and senior year, I got to travel with the team which was my favorite part of the job, but still faced indifference towards many of the daily tasks associated with being a manager. Practice was tough to get excited about after the first month or so of the season and the standardization of everything was the same. Travelling helped change things up a bit and I got involved with Big Brothers, Big Sisters and wrote for The Vanderbilt Hustler and Dime Magazine during the year just to try and do some different things within the time I did have away from Memorial, so when looking back this past Saturday I came to a realization on why I stuck with this for 4 years.

I didn't stick with this because of my passion for basketball, though that is still there. I still love watching games on TV, talking to my dad about the NBA, and playing pickup with my friends, but that is not what made me stick with the program as a manager. It is easy to be a fan, rooting for the team when you want, but when basketball becomes a job it can be very hard to balance your passion with your responsibilities. That is why I always try to do different things within the context of the program whether it be playing ping pong after practice with Kevin Bright or exploring a new city on the road during downtime, I love maximizing the opportunities being a manager gives me.

And that is why I have stuck with it, because being a manager has given me the chance to experience things and meet people I never would have otherwise, and those experiences and people will stick with me the rest of my life. In 50 years I won't remember sitting through a 2 hour practice, but instead getting stuck in Oregon on the road trip from hell. I'll remember manager pick-up games before practice and travelling to places as diverse as Milwaukee and Starkville, Mississippi. I'll remember winning the SEC Championship and dancing with Mickey Mouse at Disney Land, but most importantly, I'll remember and stay in touch with the people I've met.

Through this program, I have had the opportunity to form a lot of new friendships and relationships that I hope to maintain over the years. I haven't liked everybody who's come through the program and I'm sure some people haven't liked me at various points (as hard as that may be for you all to believe), but I have met a lot of special, special people through this program. I want to specifically acknowledge our managing staff this year and last year: Will Hulings, Chris Clark, Zach Kleiner, Rafi Goldman, Tyler Anders, Brian Suh, Nick Souder, and Rob Cross. They are not only co-workers but like family to me because we spend so much time together and all share the same experiences whether it be going to a hot tub on the road or going out and pretending we are walk-ons (there will be some exclusive posts on this), these are great guys. Really good guys.

In NYC last year with the manager staff

I also want to recognize a few players who have had a profound impact on me. The first is John Jenkins who has been a great friend since freshman year, and you can read more about our relationship here. Also, Chris Meriwether who is the nicest, most helpful guy I have ever met. He doesn't know the word "no" exists because he never says no to anybody or anything. He is incredibly classy and an all-around unbelievable guy. Then there is Steve Tchiengang. Our relationship has evolved from that first encounter into where Steve told me I threw the best passes of any manager last year and try to help me improve my ever mediocre swag. Shelby Moats has also been a great friend, he is very insightful and there is much more to him than you just see on the basketball court. There are countless others I could name, but I feel like those guys have had the most impact on me throughout my time here so I wanted to recognize them.

Me and Steve last year

There is the coaching staff, particularly Dan Muller, David Cason, and Curtis Turner, and also people outside the program. Wes Rucker, the beat writer for GoVols247.com, has become a good friend and is one of the funniest, most knowledgeable guys I've ever met. I've met a lot of NBA GM's and scouts, with five or six calling me last year to ask me about various players in the SEC. It was pretty sweet that NBA talent evaluators valued my opinion and listened to what I had to say. John Hammond and Jeff Weltman of the Milwaukee Bucks being the most notable. They have invited me to practices and pre-draft workouts in the past and are first rate guys as is their whole staff in Milwaukee.

I won't continue on listing people because this post is long enough, but the experiences and the people are the reasons I did it all four years. The passion for basketball helped, but after that first year it wasn't the driving reason. To give up a good portion of your social life and all your vacations for the program requires more than just love of the game. It requires love of the people surrounding you each and every day.

WAKE UP BABY!

For those of you who know me, you know napping is a huge part of my every day routine. I love taking naps, and there are certain days when I wake up after going to bed very late where the first thing I ask myself is when I can lay back down to sleep. Naps are very rejuvenating for me especially because I keep really bad hours. I usually go to bed late which is something I've tried to change, but it is easier said than done.

Napping is also a crucial part of my gameday routine. After we have our team meal four hours before tip-off for home games, we have about an hour and a half of free time before we have to be back at the gym. During that time, I always take a nap, but not in my dorm. If I went back to my dorm to nap I'd be able to sleep for less of the time because I would have to account for the time it takes to go from the dorm and back, so I just nap in the gym.

There are two potential napping spots for me at Memorial. The first is the Rebounder's Room. This is where our basketball alumni can meet and greet during Games. It has drinks, popcorn, and sometimes other food for the alumni, but its key feature is two soft leather couches. The couch cushions on this couch kind of sink, and they are really comfortable. The second place I nap is the Coaches locker room, right across from the team locker room. This room has one couch and a few leather chairs. The couch in here is really firm, quite the opposite of the one in the Rebounder's Room.

Last year, after our team meal and before we played Kentucky on ESPN, I was taking my customary nap, this time in the Rebounder's Room. I was in a deep sleep because it had already been a long day with College Game Day, shootaround, and all the other festivities. I was tired and needed the nap. It was going well until about 45 minutes into the nap, the light in the room went on. At first I thought I was dreaming and tried to fall back asleep but then I opened my eyes and saw cameras and a whole crew of people. I was totally unaware of what was going on.

When I moved past the initial groggy stage of waking up from a nap, I heard someone say "Dick, I think this will work. We just have to wake the kid up on the couch". So the next thing that happens is Dick Vitale, Dickie V, comes over and says "WAKE UP BABY!" and one of the producers says we need to borrow the room to shoot this video. Despite waking up earlier than I would have liked, Dickie V does make for a better alarm than my phone.

A Conflicted Eric McClellan

The undisputed star of the Gold Bombers is Eric McClellan. While Nate Watkins is the off-the-court leader of the Gold Team, Eric or "E", is the on-court leader both with his play and his vocal nature. E had to sit out this year after transferring here from Tulsa where he averaged 8.5 points for the Golden Hurricane last year, but decided to transfer when the head coach at Tulsa was let go.

The only reason E is on the Gold Team is because he is ineligible this year. If he were eligible he would be one of the best players on the team, and he will make a huge impact on the team next year. He is a 6'5" pure point guard who is also a very good shooter, and someone who can get to the rim easily. He also gives 100 percent every time he steps on the court. He doesn't coast or take plays off, even if he gets hit hard going to the rim.

Most importantly though, E is a vocal leader. It would be easy for a guy as talented as Eric to act like a jerk or be selfish while playing with the Gold Team because he is far and away the most talented player (other players in the past have done that), but he has never done that. He always looks to get his teammates involved and never gets mad or shows poor body language around them, and is relentlessly positive. He always shouts out "good play" or "good shot" when one of his teammates does something well and is the first person to help them up. I think part of the reason E fits in so well with the Gold Team is that he had no high-major offers coming out of high school, so he can identify with being in that underdog role trying to prove himself every day, and he certainly has.

For example, during pre-season workouts Eric was recovering from a foot injury and while a lot of guys would sulk or feel sorry for themselves, E did the exact opposite. He was at every workout cheering other guys on, clapping on the side, and being attentive during the drills. His positive approach to dealing with injury was the best I've seen of anybody during my time here. It was very impressive, as is his attitude during the games. Even though he doesn't play, nobody cheers harder than E for the team to succeed. After every made basket, he is like a human pogo stick, jumping up and down wildly because he is so happy for his teammates, and that is why next year will be so hard for E.

Due to the fact that he is one of our better players, E will certainly be on the Black Team in practice next year. There is no doubt, but E has become so infatuated with the #Gold4Life(G4L) culture of the Gold Bombers that he doesn't want to turn his back on Gold Team. I think what E may attempt to do is try to make Gold the new Black so that he can retain his personal G4L status and convert a whole new group to Gold as well. I don't expect that to happen, but while E will be playing a lot of minutes next season, part of him will be torn about leaving the Bombers behind.

Carter Josephs: The Gold Glue

I am returning to my series on the Gold Bombers today with a profile on Carter Josephs, after doing ones on Nate Watkins and AJ Astroth already. Carter is the glue that keeps the Gold Bombers together. The Bombers have a unique set of personalities from the outgoing, boisterous Eric McClellan to the sarcastic, witty Nate Watkins, but Carter is a steadying influence on the squad. He is not judgmental in any way, gets along with everybody, and is a fantastic listener.

My first impression of Carter came when he visited campus last year with his dad. Carter came to practice twice, ate a team meal with us, and I still don't think he said a word on his visit. At least I didn't hear one come out of his mouth. His dad asked a lot of questions and was friendly but Carter was super quiet. I remember after he left, nobody had any idea what he thought of Vandy, and when he committed as a recruited walk-on later on in the year, some players' memories had to be triggered about who he was, but he has been a great addition to the team.

Carter is a sounding board for many guys on our team, not just the Gold Bombers. They can complain to Carter about class, playing time, other players, girls, or anything else and he will listen intently (or at least pretend to). He never interrupts or chimes in with his own opinion unless asked, which is refreshing for people on a team where everybody has an opinion on everything and they aren't afraid to share it. This is why Carter's roomate Sheldon Jeter has been known to start lengthy discussions on the meaning of life with Carter at 3 AM, because it is a good opportunity to get his thoughts out there without having them dissected.

Carter also is not a big fan of conflict so he seeks to avoid it at all costs. He doesn't like to rock the boat, he doesn't fluctuate much in his mood on a given day. He's very steady and consistent in his attitude and approach toward things.

He is also, as AJ Astroth pointed out, our most consistent practice player. A typical Carter day of practice includes one airballed three pointer toward the beginning during shooting drills, no more than 2 shots during practice, 3 to 4 assists, minimal turnovers, and a lot of steals and deflections. You know what you are going to get out of Carter every day and that is why the coaches and players like him because he works hard to make the other guys around him better. He knows his strengths and his limitations, and he plays to them. As Coach Stallings likes to say, "know the difference between what you can do and what you can't do" and Carter certainly does.

Carter is also a favorite of the managers because he always throws his laundry in on time, never loses anything, and most importantly is always willing to help us out. There are some players past and present who when asked to help carry something for instance or if we can put something next to them on a plane will ask why they have to do it and not someone else. I won't name names, but one of our players said earlier this year, "I don't why I have to carry something, you never would have made Jeff or the older guys last year do it. I shouldn't have to do it this year", that was an irritating and frustrating thing to hear.

Whereas Carter on the other hand, never says no to helping us out. He realizes we work hard and if we need help, he doesn't complain about having to do it. Other players who have a really good attitude toward helping us out are James Siakam and Nate Watkinsin particular. This kind of sums up Carter well though, he's always willing to lend a hand or listen if you want to talk. I'm glad Carter has evolved from his no-word recruiting visit cause it's been good getting to know him (and his friend Troy from home who came to visit and who is a really cool guy) this year.

Take a Climb Up the Social Ladder with Shannon Gordon

Shannon Gordon or "Gordo" as he is known around the program is the team's athletic trainer. Gordo's primary responsibilities include taping the guys before practice, arranging treatment, overseeing rehab from injuries, and keeping the guys and their bodies intact throughout the season. Gordo's secondary responsibilities revolve primarily around arranging team meals. Gordo is the point person on all catered meals at Memorial Gym, as well as hotel meals on the road. Any time the team eats, it is likely that Gordo arranged it.

While those two things occupy most of Gordo's time, over the past two years Gordo has been trying to carve out another niche in the program: that of the ultimate social climber. At team meals on the road, we usually have four tables. Two are for the players, one is for the managers and support staff (strength coach and SID), and one is for the coaching staff. Two years ago, and even at times last year, Gordo used to sit with the managers and support staff at team meals. He was one of us, but then something dramatic happened, that changed the trajectory of Gordo's career with the program.

One day, and I can't remember when it was exactly, Gordo sat for a team meal with the coaches. Myself, the other managers, and Curtis Turner, our strength coach, thought it would be a one time thing, but it has become permanent. Gordo is now regularly seated with the coaches, and he is not just a silent observer at their meals but often the most talkative member of the table. It is clear he is trying to ingratiate himself with the higher ups and inflate his value to the program, as more than just a trainer, but also an entertainer.

In addition to sitting with the coaches at meals, when Coach Stallings or one of the coaches is out recruiting and not travelling with the team, Gordo often sits at the front of the bus or plane. It is usually custom to leave those seats empty, but Gordo feels very comfortable sliding into them these days. He also loves to chat up boosters, administrators, and anyone else who comes to practice. He is like a party host who makes the rounds to everybody who shows up, and occasionally Coach has questioned Gordo's penchant to engage in "Social Hour" discussions during practice.

Recently, Gordo has had Patrick, another athletic trainer, come to practices and even sit on the bench during some games. Myself and Curtis believe that he is training Patrick to take over the role of trainer so he can move up the hierarchy into a new, more posh position with an office that doesn't include a cold tub. We aren't quite sure what position Gordo is angling for, but my guess is that since we didn't replace Coach Muller on staff this year after he left for Illinois State (we promoted Dan Cage, so we have 5 instead of 6 coaches this year), Gordo is trying to work himself into a full-time coaching position. I wouldn't be shocked if he's on the road next year recruiting or doing the pre-game interview with Joe Fisher, that is how quickly he is ascending into the bourgeoisie of the program.

Since I'll be gone next year, I'm counting on you Commodore fans to keep me posted on any developments with this. I have given you a peek into the social climbing, and now I expect you to make well informed observations on the man who could succeed Coach Stallings as head coach at this rate: Shannon Gordon.

Kevin Bright

I am going to take a short detour from my series on the Gold Bombers to feature Kevin Bright. I am doing this because Kevin has made repeated requests to appear in the blog, and usually I wouldn't oblige considering how much we already do for the players, but this case is different. Kevin is one of my favorite players to have been through the program in my time here. Other than Chris Meriwether and Brad Tinsley, I'm not sure any player has been as universally liked by everyone in the program as Kevin has. It is impossible to dislike that guy, really truly, and I can usually find faults in most people but there just really aren't any with Kevin.

Kevin rarely gets clowned on in the locker room because everybody just likes him. The only thing he gets made fun of for is his German accent and that doesn't even count. The thing about Kevin that I really like is that he treats everybody in the program in the same way. He treats the managers with the same respect he gives the coaches and everyone in between. I don't think he has a bad bone in his body, and I also like Kevin because of his unwavering faith in my jumpshot. While some players may not have faith in my ability to win a shooting contest, Kevin always has the faith I will pull through and last week I was on fire for him. I completely rewarded his confidence.

Kevin is also an incredibly hard worker, he works on his shot after practice all the time and shoots every shot at game speed. He is always very focused when he works out, he doesn't just do it for the sake of doing it, he wants to get a lot out of it, and he has because he's the best shooter on our team. It also helps that he isn't afraid to make a big shot. In addition to his shooting ability, Kevin is always tasked with guarding the other team's top scorer and along with Dai-Jon Parker is our best perimeter defender. He uses his size and length to really frustrate opposing players and make them work for everything they get, which isn't an easy role to take on as a freshman.

Kevin and I have also bonded over ping-pong. Our all-time series is something like 12-2 in favor of Kevin with a few close losses on my part, but it is still fun to trash talk him. He always wants to play but then when it comes time to play Kev tends to disappear. I'm not sure why, but he is still scared to play me, he just won't admit it at this point. Just say you're scared Kev. Just say it.

I can't even think of anything else to say about Kevin without repeating myself. So I'm going to end by saying, Kev that last haircut you got needs to never happen again. That was a bad cut bro, sorry to say but as an expert on all things hair, I just can't approve a cut like that. Other than that though, keep being yourself cause you're a great dude.

Senior Day and a Tribute to John Jenkins

The last few days have been pretty special for me. Working for the basketball team has been an unbelievable experience. I've gotten to meet people, see places, and do things not a lot of kids have been able to do. Being a manager is definitely not a glorious position and it can be very hard at times in the middle of the season to surmise the energy to go to practice another day after class. However, when it is all said and done, it's been an awesome four years. It was pretty cool to get interviewed by the Media on Friday and great to have my family in town for the game and to be presented with a new mop by Coach Stallings autographed by the team (thanks to Jeff Lockridge for the photo).



There was one thing this day was missing though and that was one of my best friends and my classmate John Jenkins. If John had been back for his senior year, this would have been his day too, a day to celebrate one of the best players in Commodore history. The only reason I made the Channel 4 News or The Tennessean is because John left me behind as the only senior, so I had to pay him back somehow. Just because John went off to pursue his dream of playing in the NBA, doesn't mean he shouldn't have a chance to be celebrated by the fans. So underneath my team polo, I wore a John Jenkins Hawks T-Shirt and pulled the polo off during the ceremony because I wanted to make John a part of this in someway. I thought wearing that would be the best way to include him in the ceremony without him actually being there in person (though his family was there).

John has meant a lot to me over the years. We met back in country music class as freshmen. After one of the listening quizzes, John tapped me on the shoulder to ask what the answer was to a few different questions cause he wanted to know if he go them right (unfortunately he didn't because despite being from Nashville, country music isn't John's type of thing). After that day in country music, was my first day attending practice and John and I talked for awhile after. Then we started playing video games, shooting around after practice, and hanging out a lot. His and Wes Tate's dorm room was like a second home for me freshman year, I was there so much.

I think the reasons me and John became so close are two-fold. I think the first reason is cause I am not really into status or who John was, I am going to be myself in any circumstance and I think he respected that about me. A lot of people try to impress him because of who he is, but I was always the same person whether around John or anyone else and I didn't treat him like a God of some sort. A good example of this is at campus parties. John was known across campus for his presence at parties, or lack thereof. John has never had alcohol in his life, and when we went out John always stood in the corner or against the wall watching the happenings around him with his polo buttoned all the way to the top. Most people couldn't get away with standing against the wall at a party, but because of John's status there would always be people coming and going out of the corner. Unfortunately, some of the time there were more drunken frat guys coming to say how great he was then cute girls, but those are the breaks sometimes. He appreciated that I wasn't one of those guys who sucked up to him at parties.

John is also very down to earth, so he liked to do things with "regular (non-athlete)" students. For example, the day after the team lost to Murray State in the NCAA's our freshman year, John came back and played football with a me and a bunch of my hallmates for 2 hours. It was a blast, then the next day we all played pick-up in Memorial. It was a blast for all of us and we did it a couple more times throughout the year. John also called my cousin when she was in the hospital for a stomach infection and never turned down a photo or autograph opportunity from anyone.

The second reason I think we became good friends is cause we both love basketball. I'm a total basketball junkie, I can recite random facts and stats about the NBA, and just know a lot about basketball history, the NBA, etc. John is also a basketball junkie, always watching film or working out to better himself. We both had a mutual respect for the passion and knowledge the other had for the game. John was the hardest worker I had ever seen in my life. He was completely and totally focused on the task at hand at all times, and wanted to gain every edge imaginable.

He would be in the gym all hours of the night, working out with anybody and everybody who would rebound for him. Sometimes it was Sam Ferry (our former head manager, now the Director of Basketball Operations at Monmouth), sometimes myself, sometimes Rob Cross (our current head manager), sometimes his high school coach Seth Massey, sometimes with our coaching staff, and then sometimes with his personal trainer Drew Hanlen.

Drew owns and operates Pure Sweat Basketball, a training company he started a few years ago, and is an absolutely brilliant basketball mind. His clients include John, David Lee, Bradley Beal, and Kim English among others. John epitomizes the philosophy Drew tries to instill in his clients "It's not the amount of hours you spend in the gym, it's how you spend the hours you are in the gym". John didn't need to spend 3 hours on a workout because he goes so hard in each one that he gets more out of a 20 minute workout than most guys get in an hour. He is so focused, and his reps are the same each and every time, that it is hard not to be amazed when watching him work out cause he never seems to get tired. At the end of the year, the coaches had to tell him to stay off his feet cause he was working too hard.

So to summarize this long and lengthy tribute to John, he is a special kid from a great family. I am honored to call him a friend, and I wanted to make him a part of my senior day because it should have been his senior day. He poured his heart and soul into the basketball program every single day, and took pride in putting on the Commodore uniform whether it be before practice or a game. It meant a lot to him to play for this program and it's unfortunate the fans never had a chance to formally thank him for his accomplishments. So that's why I wore my Jenkins jersey yesterday, he will always be my classmate.