The definition of a coach

With the dismissal of Mike Fratello last week and the Tony Barone Sr. era just underway, I began to wonder just what is the purpose of a head coach/manager in professional sports.

First, let's review the current situation with the Grizzlies. I think Tony Barone may have captured the very essence of what modern day coaching in professional sports should really be all about. Today's article by Graham Kendrick from grizzlies.com has a quote from Barone that I think personifies his style as well as his personality. With the team appearing winded, Barone suggests that he call the plays in the rest of the way (surely knowing what the response would be), then challenges the guys to get out there and keep running. Mike Fratello's method of coaching, while tried and true, had become truly tired. His ranting around like a maniacal little despot, screaming players down and barking in assignments every time down the court at its best discouraged the team and at worst incited the mutiny that ended his tenure in Memphis.

So where is the disconnect where coaches go from an objective, encouraging voice on the sideline, lending insightful wisdom from another vantage point to the ego maniac who bans headbands and music in the locker room before games? Does today's player need discipline and instruction? High School - Yes. College - To varying degrees, Yes. But by the time one reaches the pinnacle of professional sports, if a player lacks discipline there is no coach that will be able to reign in someone like that. Their career length will be determined by the ratio of their God given ability compared to their stupidity. Once God given ability is less than intelligence, start applying for those ditch digging jobs my lanky, ignorant 7 foot friend. I believe the best mentor for a rookie are the veteran teammates who remember what is what like entering a professional league and a coach can assist with that transition. But, short of Avery Johnson with the Dallas Mavericks, most professional coaches either never played or when they did play it was challenging games of HORSE with James Naismith shooting into peach baskets.

And lets not even get started with baseball managers. Those guys get issued a number and a UNIFORM! Like they would have the ability to go out there and shag flies in the outfield. Some of them need a friggin' pinch runner just to climb the dugout steps and walk to the mound to change pitchers.

Anyway, this has taken me a while to write. I am very pleased with the job Tony has done, and I congratulate him and the organization for getting this lackluster season turned in the right direction.