No disrespect to my colleagues, but do we really need another blog about playing freshmen (usually not ready) or winning on the road (usually can’t)? It has all been written, heck, I’ve written it! This blog is about a man’s best friend and this coach’s best friend, his dog. My wife and I adopted Nora about a year and a half ago. She was found running along a Hoosier state highway, and ended up on doggie death row at the local pound. Since I have never successfully recruited a player from Indiana I figured this was a sure thing, certainly a dog in her predicament couldn’t say“no.” Nora is no Paris Hilton lap dog. She is a “dog’s dog,” a 90 pound Great Pyrenees that sheds like crazy, barks at strangers, and chases squirrels. You know you have a “real dog” when you ask for the extra large poop bags at PETCO.This is why Nora is the best friend a coach can have: she has never complained about meal money, getting more“touches” or having the offense run through her. Throw her a ball and she lays out for it. Two weeks ago one of our cats came running at her, and I swear she took a charge. Nora is like a Bo Ryan defense – remarkably consistent. Experience a bad loss – tail wags. Miss a big free throw down the stretch – tail wags. Put on a few pounds during the season – tail wags. You get the idea. Not once has Nora demanded that her son have more playing time…hell, she’s spayed! Talk about coachable; no one beats Nora. Stick a treat over her head and she will place her rear end on the floor with perfect precision for as long as it takes to please. It’s usually a struggle for our guys to play in a stance for 35 seconds. Nora is always willing to compromise. The other night I changed the TV from the Lifetime network to watch a Big East game; she could have cared less. Try doing that with your wife.
Every coach needs to own a dog; it should be mandatory therapy. Even Nora’s flaws are endearing. When she dribbles too much, you clean it up with a paper towel. I wish I could do that with our guards. Nora is not the brightest of dogs, and her listening skills need some work, but I’ve never worried about her being ineligible for anything. A sliding scale to Nora is that big contraption at the vet. Maybe it’s something about Nora being from Indiana, but I actually think she likes college basketball. Two weeks ago when the Hoosiers beat Kentucky on a last-second shot, she barked like crazy.
I think of what Nora’s life would have been like if we had not adopted her. The Humane Society estimates that there are some 6-8 million dogs in need of adoption every year. Many will be euthanatized because good homes cannot be found for them. We work in a hectic, high stressed profession where coaches are often judged on their win - loss record. A dog never judges. A dog wants to be fed, petted, walked and loved. Every coach could use a friend like that.
