Well, it's time for some basketball...old school. After little deliberation I've decided to fill a coaching void and step in as the girls' 9th grade basketball coach. There was a vacancy so I thought I would revisit days of old and throw the whistle back around my neck. The circumstances are strangely, yet comfortably, different this time.
I'll be coaching in Dan Welch's program. Welch, the long-time basketball guru, defeated my Mustang team when I was coaching the boys' team ages ago. I'm not sure if this is coming full circle but it's odd how the Lord works everything out.
I will also be sharing court time with Kevin Murawski, check out his blog - a link to it is found on the right side of this page. I was fortunate enough to be coaching when Kevin decided to leave the agrarian fields of Armada and attend Lutheran North. Now we both share the gym as coaches of basketball at the same school. In fact, if he reads this blog and I know he does, he will recognize some familiar plays.
Yes, we will break out X, Mo and even Philly.
I'm excited about the new opportunity and the blog fodder it will present.
15 comments:
I'm sure Philly will work well with the high risers on your new squad. Welcome back!
Stelmachowicz had us run plays called Bradley.. and William and Mary! Check the banner...it worked! I can send you a play diagram...
I think those plays were never as good as the players: Mooneyham, Arndt, Finkel, Bailey, Herman, Schoehner, Henneman...and a host of others who I still think to this day was the best men's hoops team in LHN history. Others may disagree. I don't.
At least at these games the fans won't be holding up newspapers during introductions or making fun of your bald players...hopefully.
Nice job recalling the names! A district final loss to the Clem (in the Clem) put a damper on a great season. The Clem lost to Oak Park, who lost to state champion Grand Rapids South Christian, who had Mr. Basketball, Matt Stegenga, who played at State. How’s that for a history lesson?
The best ever? I won’t disagree too much with you. The most depth? Definitely. I don’t think that you’ll see a team as deep as the 88 squad for a long time. LHNW was in it's infancy and we had 4 guys that probably would have played there (Moon, Bailey, Shoemaker and possibly Arndt).
I do tip my hat to Mo’s team, winning Districts and getting a shot at Battier, despite the 50 point L. That team did something we didn’t. And yes, I was in the stands at Foley to see for myself (row 4, behind the scorers table)! Being a HS sports junkie…I can produce the program!
One more thing…I did have a tear in my eye after I got the phone call from Mr. Reincke, moments after LHN ended the 18 year drought with a 2006 Metro Conference Championship in Mens Basketball! Yes, I saw that team also. Congrats to the 4th best team in LHN history…maybe!
I must disagree, some may say losing by 50 is a really bad loss, I care to think of it as losing in style. Maybe we should drag both the 88 and 95 teams back into the gym and settle it on the floor. Who's going to bring the oxygen?
d. rhode - we'll talk about your comment next time I see you!
I know it was a long time ago coach and your memory maybe a little fuzzy these days, but I do remember winning the game against Clintondale!
The old plays are great but what I really am interested to know is if you are breaking the plyo boxes out of retirement?
After ruining Chris Stager's shins, my lawyer thought it might not be a good idea.
Oxygen would definitely be an issue, I agree. Going full court could get ugly...and people would break out the newspapers because they've seen enough.
Then again, I've listened to enough sports talk radio to know that all great sports debates, in this case 88 v. 95, is most entertaining off the court than on.
Hey Mo...I'll introduce myself the next time I see you drop your son off at preschool (if you are who I think you are).
Commish, Let me tell you how to know if it's Mo or not. Pass him the ball. If you get it back, you've got the wrong guy.
last time I checked.....Mr.Brandt, you have a teaching "job" that takes place on the weekdays....so, I hope you're not taking away from the students of one of your English classes (which could be my little sister)to write commments on this blog......oh, and by the way...GO BLUE!!!!......hart attack.....oh, from what I've heard, 88 was the best and deepest team that north has ever placed on the court!
Ouch, I have never heard that one before!
88 vs. 95?? Now that is an interesting debate
Coach, perhaps recruit Candace Parker to finish Philly correctly. Great to hear you are getting back in the game, that is a very lucky 9th grade team.
As for the 88 vs. 95 debate? I don't know what to tell you. I think it would have been a close game, but i have to agree with Big Mo. We got a bad deal against a very good LHE team at home which cost us the Conference Title. We steamrolled, dominated (insert your own adjective here, i think Mo would use "dunked") a very good Clem team by 25. We took care of a very talented Dragon squad in the final. Then lost to the State Champs. Not a bad resume
It wasn't just a one year success...we won back-2-back Metro Conference Championships. Our Freshmen team went 13-1, with 3 Freshmen starting on JV. Sophomore year, we went 18-2, with 4 up on Varsity. Junior year, won the first ever Metro in school history. Senior year, won the Metro again and and finished 21-2. I'd be so bold to say that we still underachieved. We were a run-n-gun, fast break, 3 point shooting team that would rather goof around than play defense.
I knew you had it in you coach.
Its been a while since i last said that to you, but if you can bring back some of that St.Peter magic, I think your going to have a good run. Course you don't have me or my playbook to help you out this time, so good luck with those plays.
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