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Wayne23

The Blade [a DDSCB3 story]

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January 1, 2011

 

A one game week. We go to Wash. and beat them by 17.


January 8

 

2 home wins by 30+ points. +13.3 in RBpg, +7.0 in Apg, +20.0 in PTSpg.

 

#10 Arizona is next, there. That will be a good test.

 

January 15

 

73-59 at Arizona and then we came home and beat USC by 28. Alex Link, our first guy off the bench, strained a hamstring. He’s out for about 10 days.

 

Arizona worked hard to stop our inside game. They pretty much did but our starting guards combined for 42.

 

Back on the road for the next 2.

 

We’re finally #1 again. RPI #3.

 

Papa Joe and Lili expect their business to hit the market on or about June 1. They will call it “BestPrice.com”, and that’s the web site (obviously). Neither of them had connected their name to the fact that Lili and I have “Price” as our last name. When I mentioned it they laughed, and liked the name even more.

 

January 22


29 point win at Oregon, 18 at Stanford. Samm and Mark combine for 84, 33, 18 for the week.

 

2 at home this week. The 2nd is with Cal and they’re just 1 game back of us.

 

January 29


62-38 over Arizona ST. 77-42 over Cal. 

 

Al Samm #2, Brad Vann #12, Sid Nee #23 on the Norton list. No idea why Robb Mark isn’t on it.

 

Everyone hits our SAT score.

 

Mai says she’s a little uncomfortable. That never happened with the first two but then she’s 7 years older than she was when Lou was born. She’s only gained 11 pounds so far.

 

February 5

 

2 easy wins but Alex Link is hurt again. Wrist this time. 10 days to 2 weeks.

 

We’re 21-1, 11-0, up by 2 over Cal, 3 or more over the rest with 5 to play. +21.2 points, +14.6 RBs, +6.3 TOs.

 

February 12

 

2 more easy wins. 17 TOs in the 1st which did not make me happy.


Al Samm is leading the nation in rebounding by a wide margin, and Robb Mark is 4th in scoring. Brad Vann is leading in assists. In conf. we’re completely dominating the stats.

 

This week we play #16 Arizona again. At home this time.

 

February 19

 

2 more wins. We’re up 4 games on Cal and Stanford, 6 or more on the rest.

 

1 more regular season game to play. We’re #1, RPI #1.

 

February 20

 

I have another daughter. Ling was born at 4:30 a.m. She and Mai are doing fine.

 

February 26


We run the table in conf., 16-0.

 

March 5

 

Lost Al Samm, Rob Mark, and Alex Link to the draft. I was surprised about Link.

 

March 10

 

We play USC in the round of 8. We beat them by 28 and 21.

 

Ling is too young for Mai to leave her so she won’t be at any of our postseason games.

 

March 11

 

65-51 over USC. Upsets in all of the other games so we play #21 Arizona in the semis. Huh? Actually, Arizona had sunk to the #5 seed ion conf. Their record is 21-9, 8-8. #11 seed Wash. plays #7 seed Oregon in the other game.

 

March 12

 

58-39 over Arizona and it’s #11 seed Washington, 12-18, 5-11 for the title. Talk about getting hot at the right time! We beat them by 17 and 24 in the regular season but they weren’t hot then.

 

67-43.

 

Now we wait, but I am confident we’ll be #1 overall.

 

Yep, we’re #1 in the East. #2 is Michigan, #3 BYU, #4 North Carolina and #5 Minnesota. Other #1 seeds are Florida, Kentucky and UConn.

 

March 16

 

We beat NC A & T by 15. We shot 28.3%, 22.5 from long range. Good thing we were playing a cupcake! +16 TO.

 

 

Next up will be #8 seed Oklahoma. They are the only team to beat us all year, in the 2nd game of the season. They scored 82 on us, 16 more than anyone else has. Their SF and PF did most of the damage. They lost Brown, as well as their starting C, to grades. But they’ve won their last 7.

 

March 18

 

72-61. Rob Mark had 32, 9, and 7, Al Samm had 15, 14, 3.

 

March 23

 

#13 seed Penn, 25-10, fought their way to the Sweet Sixteen.

 

77-56. This is the first time we’ve played well in the tournament. As we go deeper in we need to be at our best. ]

Next up is #9 ranked, #7 seed New Mexico ST, 26-7. They are very strong inside. They’re on a 12 game win streak. They do everything well so we’ll need to be on our game.

 

March 25

 

78-63. Samm and Mark combined for 45, Vann had 8 assists, and Nee had 12 RBs. We played well again.

 

The final four is set. We play #2 Florida, the team that sent us home both last year and the year before. #4 UConn plays #6 Cincinnati in the other game.

 

FL, 31-5, is tough again this year. Strong all the way, they score outside and rebound well. They don’t turn it over. They play good D. We’ll need to really play well.

 

April 1

 

79-72! 13 lead changes and 9 ties. Brad Vann was terrific at PG, scoring 25 and shutting down the FL PG. Al Samm had 16 and 21, Sid Nee had 10 and 10, Rob Mark had 14, 7, 3. +10 RB and 11 TOs. 


We’ll play #4 UConn, 33-3, for the title. They’ve won 25 of their last 26. They are powerful inside; they score and rebound very well. Their guards don’t score much but they are excellent with the ball. We need our guards to score and our bigs to hold their own.

 

April 3


65-50! A title at last! The guys who got us here brought it home. Samm had 17, 14, 3, Mark had 20, 11, 3, Nee had 14, 8, Vann had 8 assists and no TOs. As a team we had an amazing 4 TOs (+12), and we were +6 on the boards. What a feeling!

 

April 4

 

Awards: Rob Mark was tourney MOP. Al Samm was 1st team All American. I was named national coach of the year. In conf., Al was POY, freshman OY, Defensive POY and 1st team, along with Rob Mark and Sid Nee. Brad Vann made 2nd team.

 

April 9

 

Duke, Iowa, LSU, Michigan State, Syracuse are among the schools that call about their head coaching vacancies. I’m staying here.

 

April 16

 

We hire a whole new coaching staff. All of our assistants moved up, 2 to head coaching positions, the other to a #1 assistant job.

April 23

 

I ask for a facilities upgrade. I don’t get it.

 

Duke, Iowa, LSU, Michigan State, Syracuse are among the schools that call about their head coaching vacancies. I’m staying here.

 

April 16

 

We hire a whole new coaching staff. All of our assistants moved up, 2 to head coaching positions, the other to a #1 assistant job.

 

April 23

 

I ask for a facilities upgrade. I don’t get it.

 

We finished at 35-1 with the national title. Team Prestige is now 97. My record is: 490-173, .739. My reputation is 96.

 

April 29

 

“This championship means a lot to you, doesn’t it, Alvin.”

 

“Yes it does, Papa Joe. It puts me in the top tier of coaches.”

 

“That’s great. And of course another one, or a few more, would be even better.”

 

“Definitely.”

 

“Is it better to win all of them at one school, or to move and win at more than one school?”

 

“I don’t think it matters, really. Why, do you want us to move?”

 

“No, but it will not matter where we live if Lili and I have an internet business. That does not restrict us to any location.”

 

“I would love to live back East, closer to my parents; they are getting older. And I like the seasons. Here the weather is always the same.”

 

“Well, if the opportunity presents itself it is fine with me.”

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June 9

 

We look at the transfers but there’s no one we want.

 

BestPrice.com opens. It charges subscribers $1 a month. One million people join on day 1. 5 million by the end of the first week. Papa Joe says the prediction is 50 million by the end of the first month, and 100 million in three months, 1/3 of the U. S. population. The concept is simple. People buy things or at least check prices, and post the item, the price, the store, and the location. No one is paid to post. No doubt there will be some people who post incorrect prices, either on purpose or in error. The expectation is that businesses running sales will also post. Papa Joe and Lili will pay a Web Master and his small staff, including computer repair people, and that’s it. If the 100 million figure is true they will bring in 1.2 billion a year, just about all of it profit.

 

June 26

 

4 scholarships. We’re looking at 9.

 

July 1

 

And BestPrice.com wound up with 75 million customers at the end of the first month.

 

August 7


7 on the Norton list: #2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 14, 22.

 

August 21

 

We offer to 3 bigs and an SG.

 

September 18 


We get 3, lose 1. We got an SG and 2 bigs.

 

We’re going to the preseason NIT, and we’ve loaded up the schedule, all top 20 except one.

 

 October 1

 

We get a PG. If they hit the SAT score, which they all should, we’re done.

 

BestPrice.com hits 130 million customers. Papa Joe figures it has about maxed out, He and Lili, being the only two stock holders, will bring in 1.56 billion a year. They will pay their few employees very handsomely but will wind up with more than 750 million a year profit. 99.999% of Lili’s will go into a trust, which Mai and I will control until her 21st birthday. We will take no salary for this. The money is hers. We don’t need any of it. But she will not be spoiled. She will get all of the computers and tech equipment she needs from the trust, but everything else she needs and wants (we will decide on the wants) will be provided by us, her parents. She will NOT be spoiled. Fortunately, at least so far, she isn’t interested in the financial aspects of all of this.

 

October 2

 

First day of practice and we’re loaded!

 

 

November 6

 

Ready for the season. #1 in all the polls.

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November 20

 

We romped through the NIT, winning by 28, 29, 18, and 20; the last 3 opponents were ranked. All 5 starters averaging in double figures. +4.8 RBs, 9.5 TOs.


November 27


Crushed #10 North Carolina here, then challenged by Pitt there before winning by 8. Starting PH Keb Monk bruised abdominals in the Pitt game. Out for about 2 weeks. Adam Brow will take his spot.

 

Papa Joe says he was right about BestPrice.com stabilizing. The membership is at about 134 million. Next year they will expend to most countries in Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, South Africa, and several in Latin America. The groundwork is being laid now. Eventually some other countries will be added, probably the year after next. Papa Joe says within 2-3 years there will probably be well over a million customers. He says there will soon be other web sites doing what he does but getting in first and growing so rapidly pretty much insures that BestPrice.com will hold most of its customers. It will be difficult for competitors to break his hold.

 

December 4


Beat Wake Forest there by 19, #3 Michigan here by 18. But the injury bug hit us again. Starting SG Will Muir strained a calf and he’s out 10 days to 2 weeks. 2 starters out for at least the next week to 10 days. Good thing we’re deep, Raul Mitt will take Muir’s spot.

 

December 11

 

83-46 over #2 Uconn at home, then 83-64 over #7 Iowa here. Not bad for having 2 starters out! They’ll both be back for our next game.

 

December 18


2 road wins this week. 2 more non-conf. opponents before conf. play begins. We’re #1, RPI 1. 4 starters in double figures. Keb Monk isn’t only because in the game when he was hurt he played only 8 minutes.

 

December 25


2 more wins including a 22 point win over #8 Ohio State on the road. Center Vin Stig had 34 and 16 in that one.

 

January 1


One game this week, we beat Wash. by 38 to start conf. play. Cal, Arizona and Oregon are probably our three toughest opponents.

Well, my daughter isn’t a billionaire yet, but she’s on her way. Papa Joe says that after taxes, as of 1/1/2012, she will be worth about 200 million.

 

January 8


2 more wins. We’re outscoring our opponents by 23.8, outrebounding them by 11.1, +5.7 in TOs. Some of the reporters are comparing us to the greatest college teams ever. When reporters ask I say it’s way too soon for that, which it is.

 

January 15


Crushed 2 more teams by huge margins including Arizona by 31.

 

Unintended consequence for BestPrice.com. Many companies are advertising “yes but” type ads. Some of our prices may not be the lowest but we offer coupons, or loyal customer bonuses, or other things. If you spend at least $x here you will receive (whatever). It’s getting interesting. Papa Joe says the team is working on ways to incorporate all of that on the site. The new countries should be up and running I within 2-3 weeks.

 

January 22


2 more, but we play #11 Cal, there, this week.

 

January 29

 

Beat Cal 84-77. Closest game so far. We’re 23-0, 9-0.

 

February 5

 

We beat #13 Oregon by 19.

 

February 12

 

27-0, 13-0.

 

February 19


29-0, 15-0 with one to play. 4 games up on  Cal., 5 on Oregon, 6 or more on the rest.

 

BestPrice.com is being sued for 10 billion dollars by McDonald’s, Walmart, Coca Cola and Shell Oil for illegal restraint of trade and several other things. Papa Joe says it is nonsense and he isn’t at all worried. 

 

February 26


Perfect going to the post season. 30-0, 16-0.

 

March 5

 

We lose 4 starters, Stig, Dane, Muir, and Monk to the draft. All are freshman and none is a surprise.

 

The big corporations get a bought and paid for judge to issues a stop order on Best.Price.com, which means the web site is to come down immediately. Papa Joe’s attorneys appeal it to the next level and it is rescinded.

 

“This kind of nonsense is liable to go on for a while. They cannot stop us and they know it but if they can disrupt our service they think we may lose customers. We pay go money to have the very best attorneys at our disposal.”

 

March 12

 

We play #10 Cal for the conf. title.

 

81-64.

 

We're #1 in the East as expected.


March 23

 

We get to the Sweet Sixteen seamlessly. We play #4 seed, #13 ranked Texas.

 

73-48.

 

March 25

 

#2 seed, #4 ranked Kansas in the Elite Eight.

 

77-48. 

 

We’ll play #3 ranked Michigan in the round of 4; we beat them by 20 and by 18 in the regular season. #9 Mississippi State vs. #8 Kentucky in the other game.

 

April 1

 

80-66 over Michigan. We will play #8 Kentucky, 28-10, for the title.

 

April 4


78-65 and our 2nd straight title. Undefeated, 73 in a row.

 

Awards: Vin Stig was tourney MOP, Will Muir was national freshman OY, both were 1st team All Americans, Brad Vann was 2nd team, and I got the coach award. In conf., Will got the freshman award, he and Vin made 1st team, Brad and Des Dane made 2nd team.


April 9

 

I am not leaving UCLA. It’s complicated. We’ve won 73 in a row. I’d like a shot at 88. After next year I will probably move. This year was almost boring because winning was too easy. 

 

April 23

 

I ask for a facilities upgrade. Approved. Facilities now at A.

 

Team Prestige is 100. My record is 529-173, .754. Reputation is 96.

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June 26

 

We’re #1 in the preseason polls.

 

No one interesting in the transfer pool.

 

6 scholarships. Looking at 10.

 

The law suits continue. Papa Joe says they are just obstructionist and none of them will come to anything. BestPrice.com is now in every industrialized country. 1.44 billion members which means annual revenue of about 17.3 billion, at least 17 billion of it profit. Yes, my soon to be 10 year old daughter is a billionaire, several times over. The difficulty with that is  now we need all sorts of alarm systems, electric fences, body guards- ugh!

 

August 7

 

5 on the Norton list.

 

August 21

 

We offer to 3 bigs, 3 PGs.

 

September 18


We got 2 PFs and a PG.

 

We’re going to the WS Midwest tourney. We’ve loaded up on ranked teams again.

 

October 2

 

Not quite as loaded as last year but I’ll take this team and take my chances!

 

November 6

 

Ready for the season. We start out with our 73 game win streak on the line. Let’s see what happens on the way to 89.


November 20

 

We beat #9 Iowa by 33 at home, and #14 Maryland by 25 there. Heading for the WS Midwest.

 

November 27

 

4 games in 4 days led to 4 wins but we were not as dominating. 6-0, 79 in a row. +13.5 RBs, +1.8 TOs, +20.0 Pts per game. PG Brad Vann is our leading scorer. Laz Wilk, our C, is 2nd, and he’s our #1 rebounder.

 

Papa Joe tells me that the corporations who have been filing all of the nuisance law suits made a secret offer of 50 billion for the company. Papa Joe turned it down.

 

“I would take 100 billion, maybe 85. But the trouble is that I would have to have an idea for another new company. Lili and I are discussing this.

 

Sing is pregnant again, due in June.

 

“Last baby, I’m getting too old.”

 

I don’t know if Papa Joe will ever be old, but he’ll be 64 when the baby is born..

 

December 4

 

2 wins, the 2nd over #5 Ohio ST by 11 at home. The media are publicizing the “countdown.” We’re at 81. Laz, Brad and SG Raul Mitt are all but scoring at will.

 

December 11

 

10 in a row, 83 in a row. 

 

Laz Wilk is leading the nation in rebounding. He and Brad Vann are #1 and #2 in the conf. in scoring, he’s #1 in rebounding, Brad is #1 in assists, and Raul Mitt is #2.

 

We’re #1 in the country in rebounds and blocks, #2 in assists, #5 in PPG.

 

December 18

 

And it ends! We beat Georgia Tech to get to 84, and then we traveled to New Mexico and lost 79-80 on a 50 footer at the buzzer. We blew a 10 point lead and we gave up 23 points more than our average. To lose on a lucky shot is tough but we should never have put ourselves in that position. Hopefully we learn that lesson. The most important thing is the national championship and that remains our primary goal.

 

Papa Joe says the offer is up to 82 billion but a group called Consumer’s Union for an Equitable Marketplace is pressuring him not to sell. The feeling is that if the mega-corporations buy BestPrice.com they will skew the data to make it appear that only the mega-corps have the lowest prices.

 

“I would sell for 88 billion but now it is something to think about. CUEM does not have the resources to buy our company but the point they make is a consideration. I am consulting with Lili about this. Being the age she is, she is very idealistic, and perhaps it is good for me to be exposed to this.”

 

December 25

 

Back on the winning track. 12-1 going to conf. play.

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January 1, 2013

 

Happy New Year.

 

We start conf. play with a win against #19 Wash.

 

Consumer’s Union for an Equitable Marketplace (CUEM) mounts a massive campaign to raise funds after Papa Joe tells them that the way to save BestPrice.com is to buy it from him and Lili.

 

“They can never match the price of the big international corporations but Lili and I do not care. We will sell them controlling interest, 51%, for much less than we could get from the monster corporations. We are working out details.”

 

January 8

 

3-0 in conf. Kevin West, the 1st big guy off the bench, sprained an ankle. He’s out for about 10 days. Laz has a sore back but it’s minor. We’re #1, RPI #1.

 

January 15

 

We go to Arizona and get a scare but win 67-60. 5-0, tied with Cal., 2 ahead of the rest.


Papa Joe and Lili sell 51% to CUEM for $1 billion up front, and another 25 billion to be paid over a period of 7 years. This keeps the company out of the hands of the big guys, ensures that it will stay legitimate and useful, gives, at present profit margins, $12.5 billion each to Papa Joe and Lili, as well as giving them an annual income of $4 billion for the foreseeable future. Not bad! Papa Joe and Lili are consulting regarding what is next.

“We’re going to do something humanitarian, not for profit. We are willing to use most of our wealth to establish a corporation that will help suffering people. We are not certain of the specifics as yet.”

 

Fascinating, but then my father-in-law and my daughter usually are. Mai and I control Lili’s money but we would certainly go along with this idea. Let’s see how it develops.

 

January 22

 

California loses twice and we don’t. We are up 2 on them, and Wash., 3 or more on the rest. We are averaging 18.9 points more than the opposition, 10.5 RBs, 5.7 TOs. 

 

Laz is #1 in the country in RBs, #3 in scoring, #2 in blocks. Raul Mitt is #2 in assists.

 

January 29

 

We crush Cal. by 33. 21-1, 9-0.

 

Laz is #1 on the Norton list and Brad Vann is #2.

 

February 5

 

We beat Colorado by 30 at home then Oregon upsets us 67-69. Not a game we should have lost but we gave up 16 threes, and Laz played only 28 minutes due to foul trouble. 

 

Only one up on Wash. They come to us next.

 

February 12

 

We beat Wash. by 15. 2 games up with 3 to play. Everyone else is at least 4 back.

 

February 19

 

2 easy wins. Up 2 on Wash., 5 or more on the rest. Laz had 28 and 26 against Utah. He’s 1st in the nation in rebounds and blocks, 3rd in scoring. 

February 26

 

We end the regular season 27-2, 15-1, up 3 on Wash.

 

March 5

 

We lose 3 to the draft, Kevin West, Djor Stol, Ray Jones. Stol was our starting SG, West is the first big off the bench, Jones was an SG who didn’t play much. We’re thrilled that Wilk is returning.


Papa Joe and Lili think they can greatly reduce world hunger. There are many places that won’t let us in, even to help the hungry. Papa and Lili are working up a plan to help the people who live in the places that will allow us to help. They believe that their annual income of about 10 billion (income from BestPrice.com plus interest on the resources they already have), will feed those who are hungry as well as planting crops which, in time, will allow these people to be self-sustaining, with regard to having enough to eat. They think it will take 2-3 years of before the self-sustaining aspect is in place. At that point their focus will turn to education unless they are able to get into the closed areas. They will continue their efforts to do so.

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March 12

 

#17 Washington for the title. Their starting C is banged up but he’ll play.

 

69-48.

 

#1 in the East.

March 19

 

We get to the Sweet Sixteen with no problem. We play #4 seed, #10 ranked New Mexico, the team that snapped our winning streak at 84. We played terrible D that night and didn’t take care of the ball. They scored 10 more on us than anyone else has this season.

 

March 23

 

93-49. I guess my guys had something to prove. Stol sprained an ankle. He’s out for about a week and a half. He’ll miss our next game. If we win, we’ll see after that. Curr and Brim will split Stol’s minutes.

 

We play #3 seed, #12 ranked Kentucky in the Elite Eight

 

March 25

 

72-71. Whew! The refs called everything, especially on us, we didn’t shoot well, especially long range- 6-33. But we won, and we’re in the final four.

 

We’ll play #2 ranked Brigham Young, 34-4. In the other game #3 Florida will play #8 Maryland. We will play Stol, but not as many minutes as usual.

 

April 1

 

60-41. We led all the way. We’ll play #8 Maryland for the title. They’ve won their last 12, 14 of 15. We need to dominate inside in order to win. We beat them by 25 there in the 2nd game of the season. We were +21 on RBs.

 

April 3

 

93-65. We never trailed. 36, 12, 4 for Vann.

 

April 4

 

Awards: Laz got the Norton, the WS POY, and the tourney MOP, National Freshman OY and Def. POY, 1st team as well as Brad Vann. I was national COY. In conf. Laz got all the same awards. He, Brad, and Adam Brow made 1st team. Raul Mitt made 2nd team.

 

April 9

 

We’re moving. UConn, Duke, Temple, and Michigan State are the contenders. We will visit all four. It’s down to UConn and Temple because they are both close to home.


I want (1) the bigger challenge, and (2) to not have to cross NYC to get home. We’re going to Temple. 


April 23

 

I hire a new staff. I ask for $. Don’t get it.

 

I moved here immediately but the family will take some time to make the move. Mai was hired here immediately. She has a tremendous reputation in her field.


Temple’s Team Prestige is 76. The American Athletic Conf. Prestige is 69. My numbers:

565-175, .764. Reputation- 96. Ready for the new challenge!

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June 5

 

I’ve been in Philly for about 6 weeks. The family finally arrived a few days ago. We’re in rented space until our homes are built. Papa Joe is on it. He and Lili are also busy with the “Feed the Hungry” project. More about that later.

 

We’re looking at transfers.

 

June 26

 

No luck in the transfer pool. We have 6 scholarships and we need just about everything. Looking at 20 guys.

 

Mai is settling in at the university. She has met her team and looks forward to getting started. 

 

Lili is home schooled now, in some senses barely doing school at all. The work she did on BestPrice, and the work she is doing on Feed the Hungry are truly an education. We have a tutor come in to work with her on science and higher math- she’s doing pre-calculus right now, and another to work with her on literature and history. We want her to be well rounded.

 

Lou is in a private school that allows students to go at their own pace, mostly studying what they want to study. For him that’s medieval history and plant biology right now, but it changes often, and is all over the place. 

 

Ling is only two so he plays. Papa Joe and Sing’s two children are a bit young for school although Khee, about to turn 3, is looking like he will be an intellectual explorer. The new baby, Mai Li is 2 ½ weeks old.

 

July 4

 

It’s interesting starting over at a new school. It is certainly something I’m accustomed to, having now coached at 7 schools. The big difference is that I became so used to winning at UCLA, and to having absolutely the very top talent, that I need to remind myself that that isn’t true here. I look forward to the challenges of building a program. It’s hard to believe that this is the start of my 23rd year as a head coach. It’s even harder to believe that I am 45 years old and Mai is 40, although she still looks about 27.

 

August 7

 

We have 1 on the Norton List, junior PG Kori Ellis.

 

Recruiting is moving along. There are many players with lots of interest.

 

Things are not quite normal yet around here, but the family is settling in more and more all the time. Papa Joe and Lili spend 8-10 hours a day working together. It would be more but that’s all we allow.

 

August 21

 

We offer to 2 Cs, 1 PF, 1 SG, 2 PGs. I’ll be thrilled if we get half of them.

 

September 18

 

Wow! We got 4 of the guys we were after, 2 PGs and 2 bigs.

 

We’re invited to the JAG Holiday. All in all it’s a fairly challenging schedule for the first year.

 

October 2

 

Lost a few potential recruits but we got a PF. First day of practice. Not the talent level I’m used to. We’re stronger outside than in.

We’re picked 7th in our 12 team conf.

 

October 9

 

We get a C to commit. We wind up with 2 PGs, 2 PFs, and 2 Cs. 2 are questionable about whether they’ll hit our SAT score.

 

November 6

 

I had forgotten the process of determining a rotation when you have a team that is less than amazing. Kori Ellis and Mo Ladd are both very stronger defenders and they can score and take care of the ball. They’ll start at guard with Stan Haze as my back up. Ted Day and Chaz Sork can score inside and they can rebound so they’ll be at 5 and 4. Del Lee is my starting SF. Jim Brow is my first big off the bench. I’m sure I’ll be making adjustments as time passes.

 

November 13

 

We’re ready to start the season- I hope!

 

Papa Joe and Lili Are about to begin actual work with “Feed the Hungry.” It has taken a long time to put the pieces together. Unlike their last venture this one requires a huge staff and lots of people in supervisory and administrative positions. They will be well paid. There is also a group of people hired to travel to wherever FtH is working in order to check on efficiency as well as honesty. There are always some who- well, you know. These people are all relatives. Dani, Sami, and the cousins have now all left Thai Gardens in order to work on this project.

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November 20

 

Great 1st week! We traveled to the Fighting Icyballs of Nome and beat them 58-50. Our C, Ted Day, had 15, 12, PG Kori Ellis had 16, 4, 5, and SG Mo Ladd had 17, 2, 2. Chaz Sork had 9 and 8 at PF. Del Lee didn’t do much at SF but he played good D. Same can be said for the bench. +7 RBs but 15 TOs. We know TOs are an area that needs work.

 

Then we beat Virginia here, 82-59. Day had 30, 9, 2, Del Lee had a great game, 13 and 10, our other starters all put up numbers, and our bench also contributed. 10 TOs, 32 RBs.

 

All 6 recruits sign the LOI.

 

2 top 25 teams at home this week.

 

November 27

 

2 close games. We beat Oregon 58-56. 16, 4, 6, with 3 steals for Kori, and 18, 5, 1 for Ted. Stan Haze had 8, 4, 4 from the bench. Del Lee had 10 RBs. 16 TOs though.

 

Then we lost 74-77 in OT to UNLV. It was close all the way but they hammered us on the boards, 41-30, and their bench scored 31 to our 15. 17, 5, 6 for Kori, 18 and 5 for Mo Ladd, 9, 8, 2 for Ted.

 

After 4 games we’re 3-1, +7.5 PPG, +0.8 RBPG, even on TOs. Center Ted Day and PG Kori Ellis are leading us on O.

 

Away at Marquette and Wash. ST this week.

 

Papa Joe and Lili are beginning the Feed the Hungry project here in the U. S., and in Thailand. Our people are organizing volunteer campaigns.. We’ve started soup kitchens wherever we can find a space to house one and the people to operate it. The kitchens try to provide 3 meals a day, 7 days a week. We operate independently for many reasons, chief of which is that we want nothing to do with providing meals at the cost of people being subject to propaganda, either religious or political. We will accept donations and volunteers from any source but anyone found to be distributing anything but totally neutral, informative literature, or found to be espousing political or religious views at our facilities is immediately banned for life. Some existing food kitchens have chosen to close in order to join with us. Others have remained open because their purpose is to promote their views. The same policies hold in Thailand, as they will wherever else we go. This will undoubtedly keep us out of some countries and/or communities.

 

The campaign for donations and volunteers has been very extensive and quite successful. We simply cannot provide all of the personnel we need and all of the funds required. We provide the supervisory personnel- above local facility management in most cases, in an advisory capacity, and provide the funds we can. In cases of extreme need we provide all necessary funds. Of course a hungry person is in extreme need by definition.

 

December 4

 

One and one week, which I’ll take. Marquette crushed us 41-63. We shot 24.6%, 15.4% from long range. Not one player in double figures. We had only 7 TOs but were -16 on the boards. The D wasn’t bad, really, but you need to hit shots.

 

We beat Wash. ST 72-63. 15, 11, 3 for Ted, 14, 6, 5 for Kori. Chaz had 10 and 9 and the bench contributed. My only major complaint? 16 TOs again. I like to average below 12.0 and we’re at 13.2 right now.

 

This week Georgetown at home and #21 Mississippi ST on the road. 

 

December 11

 

Another 1-1 week. We squeaked out a 2 point win over Georgetown, 82-80 in OT. This one was a battle from start to finish. We forced OT when Mo Ladd hit a 3 with under a second to go, and won in OT when Mo hit another one with about 1.5 to go. Kori had 23, 3, 6, Mo 19, 3, 5, Del Lee 13, 4, 3, Ted and Chaz had 9 each, and Stan Haze had 7 from the bench. 11 TOs, but -7 on the boards.

 

#21 MS ST beat us by 13, 54-67. They were the better team and led most of the way. 11 TOs again. We’re really making progress in that area right now, but -6 in rebounds. 16 each for Kori and Ted but everyone else was pretty much handcuffed- the rest of the lineup shot 6-29., 3-14 from long range.

 

We’re 5-3. Given the level of competition, and that it’s my first year here, that isn’t bad.

 

Only one game this week. We’re at Latrobe State. They’re 3-3.

 

As the weather gets colder in much of the U. S., Papa Joe and Lili are considering providing homeless shelters. The difficulty is that they don’t want to dilute their efforts at feeding hungry people. At this point they are advertising to people who have closed homeless shelters to join with them, asking that they consider providing shelter for the homeless, whether just a bed or two, or an entire facility. They’ve taken on an enormous project. 

 

Papa Joe says he feels they are doing really well in urban areas, but they need to get into suburban and rural areas where the hungry people are more spread out and harder to reach. The goal has been to end hunger in the U. S. and Thailand within three years, while expanding to other countries as rapidly as possible.

 

We have capped Lili’s working time to 8 hours a day (although we know she sneaks more work time in). What she is doing is enormously educational in countless ways.

 

Papa Joe sets aside 3 hours per day for “family time” and spends the rest of his waking hours working.

 

December 18

 

71-61 win at Latrobe ST. Only +2 RBs but we won this one inside. Ted had 17, 9, 2, 8 and 8 for Del, and 13, 3 for Chaz, plus 7 for Jim Brow from the bench. The guards were fine, 17 for Kori, but this was fought and won in the paint. 14 TOs, our worst in a few games.

 

#3 LSU is here this week. Then we head for the JAG Holiday.

 

December 25

 

A very frustrating 1-1 week. In my most satisfying victory in the short time I’ve been here we beat #3 LSU 66-54. We won this one on D, holding them to 26.3%, 19.2% from long range. We were +5 in RBs, and only -1 in TOs. As big a factor as the D was the bench. Stan Haze had 11, 3, 2, Jim Brow had 8 and 6. Ted Day fouled out in only 22 minutes but he had 15 and 7; Brow was outstanding stepping in for him. Kori had 7, 3, 4 and also fouled out, in 27 minutes; Stan Haze was excellent in his spot. 10, 7 for Chaz, 10, 5, 3 for Mo. It was a VERY satisfying win.

 

Then we went to the JAG tourney and played our 3rd OT game of the young season, losing to Sam Louis 74-75. They were up 19 in early in the second half and we came all the way back, hitting a 3 at the buzzer in regulation by Mo to send it to OT. Unfortunately, Chaz missed an 8 footer at the end of OT that would have given us the win.


We close pre-conf. play at 7-4, which is very good, all in all. I’d like to have those 2 OT losses in the win column but we did well and we got to know each other. We’re in a tough conference but I think we’ll be okay. We start at always tough Memphis. They’re not having one of their better years but they’re still tough.

 

January 1, 2014

 

Memphis beat us but it was close, 57-62. Ted had 15, 11, 4, Mo 11, 3, 2. -6 TOs but +6 RBs. 11 threes is probably what sank us. The overall D was good but 57 points won’t get the job done.

 

This week we host SMU and travel to Winthrop. Neither will be easy but we really think both are winnable.

 

Papa Joe says an enormous number of people were fed on XMas day and throughout the week. He feels that Feed the Hungry is making a very big difference already.

 

January 8

 

A 2 win week to put us at 2-1 in conf. 9 TOs and +1 RBs against SMU, 70-41. We were on fire for most of the night, shooting 53.3%. 16, 4, 4 for Mo, 14 each for Ted and Kori, 12 for Chaz, 9 for Del.

 

Then we went to 10-4 Winthrop and beat them by 11, 82-71. It was an offensive, sloppy game but we had the edge after the first few minutes. 24, 4, 6 for Kori, 20 for Mo, 13 and 10 for Ted. We had 17 TOs but they had 19. This 2 win week should be a confidence builder.

 

Coming up are 6-8, 0-3 SO. FL at home, and 9-5, 1-2 Central FL there.

 

January 15

 

Disappointed with a 1-1 week. We beat So FL by 9 here. We played good D and we took care of the ball, more or less- 13 TOs (+8). But we were -4 on the boards, which is getting to be an issue. No one had a huge offensive game but all 7 who played contributed.

 

Then we went to Central FL and got beat up, 43-60. 43 won’t get you many wins. We shot 31%, 21% from long range. Ted had 12, 11, 3, but no one else did much.We were about even in TOs and RBs. 

 

There are so many things to work on: we need to score more points. We need to rebound better. We could have better shot selection. We don’t always get out on the outside shooter. Oh well, one day at a time.

 

Coming up are 10-6, 4-1 Tulsa, here, and 0-16, 0-5 GA Southern there. The Tulsa game will be a challenge, they’re really playing well. Few things scare me as much as playing away with a team that hasn’t won yet. They’re going to win one sometime and it’s easy to feel too cocky and give them that opportunity.

 

January 22

 

Another 1-1 week. It could easily have been 2-0 or 0-2. Tulsa beat us here 50-53. Once again we were awful on O, shooting 33.3%, 2-17 on threes. +6 on TOs, -7 on RBs. 14, 9, 3 for Ted, but not much else. 

 

We beat GA Southern but barely, 76-71. We shot well, 26-46, but had 18 TOS (so did they). Mo Ladd had 15, 2, 5, hitting 5 of 9 threes; the rest of the team was 2-9 on threes. Chaz had 16, Del had 13 and 7, and our 2 subs, Brow and Haze, had 10 each.

 

We’re holding our own in conf. play, but barely. Coming up are #24 Cincinnati, 14-5, 6-1, at home, and then UConn, 11-8, 4-3 there. Tough week!

 

January 29

 

Still another 1-1 week but given the competition I suppose that’s not so bad. We beat #24 Cincinnati here, 78-62. Our guards really did the job, 19, 6, 6 for Kori, 20, 2, 5 for Mo. 12 and 16 for Ted, our besting rebounding performance by anyone  all season. Del had 10 and 8. I was very happy with 6 TOs and 39 RBs. I was pretty happy in general. We played really well.

 

Then we went to UConn and got hammered, 51-77. -2 TOs and +2 RBs, but when we lose it’s because we shoot terribly, and 14-53, 2-20 long range pretty much defines shooting poorly. Some of it was good D, some of it was poor shot selection, all of it was painful to watch. Our starting guards shot 2-19! Ted had 20 and 12, Chaz 13 and 5, and everyone else mailed it in.

 

We’re 12-8, 5-4, tied for 5th place but only a game from 4th and 2 games from the top. A little consistency is badly needed. 

 

12-8, 5-4 Houston is here to start the week, and then we travel to 7-13, 3-6 Tulane. We desperately need a 2 win week.

 

January 29

 

All 6 recruits hit our SAT score. We’re looking at 4 more recruits in case a spot or 2 opens up on our roster in April.

 

Kori Ellis is #16 on the Norton list.

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February 5

 

A great week. We beat Houston here, 79-62. 10 TOs and +1 RBs. 18, 4, 5 for Kori, 17, 6 for Chaz, and 15, 2, 3 for Ted. All 7 did what they needed to do. The bench came up very big in the 2nd half when 3 of our starters were in foul trouble.

 

Then we went to Tulane and beat them 68-52. Mo had 24, 7, 1, Ted 18, 12, 3 with 4 steals, Del 11, 8. +12 on the boards.

 

We’re 14-8, 7-4, in a 3 way tie for 3rd, 1 back of 2nd, 2 back of 1st. We’re now +3.6 PPG, +1.7 TOPG, +0.2 RBPG. The rebound # is actually an improvement.

 

This week it’s a return with 1st place Memphis, 13-9, 9-2, at home. They won by 5 there. We need to stop the 3, take care of the ball and have better shot selection than last time. 

 

Then we go to 7-15, 5-6 SMU. We won by 29 at home. 

 

February 12

 

And another great week! We beat 1st place Memphis by 15 here. +8 TOs offset -10 RBs. We shot 48% and held them to 33%. 19, 4 for Del, 13, 8 for Ted, 12, 7, 6 for Kori, 11 each for Chaz and Mo, and great work from Haze and Brow. We led for the final 38 minutes.

 

Then we went to SMU and beat them 61-52. +3 TO, -2 RB. Ted Day had 13, 11, 3, Kori had 15, and sub Stan Haze had 11, 4. We led all the way.


With 3 to play we are in a 3 way tie for 2nd, 1 back of Memphis.

 

This week it’s Winthrop here. We beat them by 9 at their place. Then we go to South FL who we beat by 9 at home. They’re all big games at this point.

 

February 19

 

Good news, bad news. Good news is we won both games and we’re alone in 2nd. Bad news is Kori Ellis sprained a toe and is out for about a week and a half. That means one game, but it’s the last regular season game and we need a win. Stan Haze will get his minutes. Stan’s been playing well and we have lots of confidence in him.

 

We beat Winthrop 59-43 at home. +15 TOs and +2 RBs gave us 19 more shots at the basket and we took advantage. We didn’t shoot well but they didn’t either. 13 and 9 for Ted, and everyone else was in the 7-10 range. A good win!

 

Then we beat SO FL 69-58 at their place. I didn’t like 15 TOs (-3) but we were +6 on the boards. 17, 15, 4 for Ted, 17, 2, 2 for Mo. 11, 7, 2, 2 for Del. Kori got hurt early in the 2nd half. He played through it for a while but when we got the lead to 15 I took him out. 

 

The last game of the regular season is with 16-10, 8-7 Central FL. It’s probably an even bigger game for them than it is for us. They beat us by 17 at their place on one of those nights when we didn’t make any shots. We need to take care of the ball and find the open man on offense, and not let them beat us outside, which they did last time. We’ve won 6 in a row, and 8 of 9.

 

February 26

 

We win, 69-52, to finish 2nd, 1 behind Memphis. Mo Ladd had a terrific game at PG, 22, 5, 2, 3 steals. 15, 11 for Ted, 12, 7, 2 for Del. Stan Haze did a great job of filling in, 6, 4, 5. 10 TOs and +10 on the boards.


We end the regular season 19-8, 12-4.

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March 10

 

All the favorites won the play in game except for #10 seed Tulane upsetting #7 Central FL. We’ll play Tulane in the round of 8. We won by 16 there. Mo and Ted led the way last time. Kori is 100%.

 

73-65. They gave us a battle. Ted came up very big with 23, 9, and 4. 15, 7 for Chaz, 14, 4, 2 for Del. We won this one up front, but Mo had 11, 8, 4, and Kori had 8, 5, 4. 7 TOs, 37 RBs. Not much to be unhappy about!

 

It’s #3 seed 18-11 Cincinnati in the semifinal round. We beat them by 16 at our place. On paper it figures to be a close game. We won with great back court play last time, 6 TOs, 39 for our starting guards, and solid D. We were also +12 on the boards. That’s just what I want to see again! 

 

March 11

 

56-64. We were up 11 at the half, and then it all went downhill. We shot 12-28, 3-8 in the 1st half. We shot 6-28, 0-11 in the 2nd. Ted had 21, 12, 3, and Del 10, 8, 2 but for both it was mostly in the 1st half. We allowed 13 threes and that was a big part of it as well.

 

Our RPI is 44, so it will be close as to whether we go to the NCAA or not. If not, we’ll certainly be a very high seed in the NIT. Not sure which I prefer.

 

March 12

 

The team and I are gathered together to watch the selection show. Our RPI is #43 so I think we’re in, but it wouldn’t be a very high seed if we are.

 

Not in the East.


#11 in the Midwest. We play #6, #22 ranked Sid Bonney, 23-8.

 

They’re a tough team. On paper they definitely seem better than us. They were upset in the 1st round of their tourney or they’d be a few seeds higher. Their scoring is very balanced and they’re good with the ball. We absolutely must win the inside game. I actually like our chances. Most of their losses have come against teams that I feel we would do well against. 

 

March 16

 

73-55! We did a lot of things right- we shot 47.5%, +5 TOs, +8 RBs, stayed out of foul trouble, and we won the inside game by a wide margin. Our starting bigs had 43, 23, 6 and theirs had 24, 14, 8. That accounted for our margin of victory and it really tells the story. Chaz led the way with 22 and 10, Ted had 12 and 9, Del had 9, 4, 3. Kori had 13 and Mo 9, and our bench gave us solid minutes. It was a great night!

 

We face #25 ranked, #3 seed Florida ST, 24-8. Sort of the opposite of the last game. Our edge is outside. They have a very strong front line. Our guys will need to hold their own inside and our guards will absolutely have to hit the outside shot. You never want this but their starting PG broke his elbow in their last game, and their back up has a sore hip; he’ll play, but not at full strength. We need to cause TOs, and we need to work hard to get RBs. 

 

March 18


59-51 and we’re in the Sweet Sixteen! We buried their vaunted front line. Our 3 bigs had 37, 19, 6, and theirs had 18, 11, 0. Now THAT’S burying a front line! Our guards held their own as did our bench. 12, 12 for Chaz, two games in a row where he has been the big man, 15, 2, 2, 2 for Del, 10, 5, 3, 2 for Ted, 9, 2,3 for Stan Haze from the bench. 16 TOs, but they had 18.

 

Next up is #2 seed, #9 ranked Maryland, 26-9. They’re good, they’re big, and they’re deep. Their D is good, but it isn’t outstanding. We need to create and then knock down the shots. Obviously we need to play good D as well.

 

March 23

 

59-79. They’re a very good team. They forced a season high 21 TOs on us, and they completely shut down our inside game. Mo had a great game, 28, 3, 3 and Kori had 9, 3, 7 bur he had 8 TOs. After that the less said the better.

 

We’re losing 1 starter, Del Lee, and 2 subs, Stan Haze who is really our 6th man, and Carl More, who played very little. With the guys we have coming back and the guys we have coming in, I think we’re going to be a pretty good team next year.

 

Now that the winter is nearly over Papa Joe says the job gets a tiny bit easier. In urban areas the hunger problem is really difficult to solve on a long term basis. Most of the hungry are not in a position to get jobs without some sort of education and training, and there again, spending money on that would dilute the effectiveness of keeping people fed. In rural areas crops, or at least gardens can be planted. We have resources for people to come in in an advisory capacity for this. Anyway, Papa Joe says the program is going to reach out to as many new areas as possible in the coming months and it is going to expand to several countries in Asia and Africa.

 

April 4

 

I went to the final four, of course. #2 UCLA, yes, I know, beat #9 Maryland in a great game, 64-62. I talked to a lot of old friends.


Awards: Ted Day got Conf. POY and 1st team. Kori Ellis and Mo Ladd made 2nd team. I am mystified as to how Kori didn’t make 1st.

 

April 9

 

Lots of calls. My agent was instructed to tell all of them that I wasn’t interested. A few A.D.s got through to me because they are absolutely upper echelon, but they got the same answer from me.

 

April 23

 

I ask for $. I don’t get it.

 

We were 22-10, 12-4, hit all of our goals, improved Team prestige from 76 to 83.

 

My record is now 587-185, .760. Reputation is 96.

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June 12

 

We’re ranked #7 in preseason polls.

 

We look at the transfer pool but there’s no one there we have any interest in.

 

June 26


We have 2 scholarships and we need guards. Looking at 8.

 

August 7


3 on the Norton list: PG Kori Ellis #16, C Keb Cobb #20, C Khal Green #36.

 

August 21

 

We offer to a PG and an SG.

 

September 11


We get our PG, #13 rated in the pool.

 

September 18

 

We get our SG. #7. Both are iffy as to whether they will hit our SAT score so we’ll keep talking to recruits.

 

Disappointed not to be invited to an early season tournament. 10 ranked teams on the schedule.

 

October 2

 

First day of practice. I think we will definitely be competitive. 


We’re picked to finish 1st in our conference, with #9 UConn 2nd, then Memphis, Cincy, Tulsa.

 

With winter coming on Papa Joe is concerned about how many homeless people will suffer in cold climates. He is working on plans to have many of his feeding stations open as overnight shelters. The operation is expanding both in the U. S. and abroad. They will feed about three times as many in 2015 as they did in 2013.

 

November 6


And we have a lineup, pretty firm at 1 and 5, up for grabs, at least somewhat at the other spots. Kori Ellis is our PG. Newcomer Andy Ayg looks like a budding superstar and he’ll play mostly C, although he can play anywhere in an emergency. Mo Ladd is my other guard but Em Ecks looks awfully good so they’ll share time. Khal Green is at 3 and Keb Cobb at 4 but Ted Day will get lots of minutes and could well wind up starting. I need to find minutes for Chaz Sork and Lee Kidd, both of whom look good but are caught in the middle.

 

November 20

 

We start off with 2 home wins. We beat Cal 91-55 behind 24 and 10 from Andy Ayg. Kori did a great job of leading the attack and Chaz Sork had 14 from the bench in only 7 minutes. 12 TOs, 39 RBs.

 

#17 Creighton was more of a challenge, 69-62. Ayg had 28, 14, and he looks like the real thing! 12, 5, 5 for Kori, 10 for Em Ecks from the bench. 7 and 10 for Keb Cobb. 10 TOs, 46 RBs. We’re now #4 in the country.

 

#13 No. Carolina and #3 New Mexico, both at home this week.

 

An early cold snap caused great suffering among the homeless population in the Midwest. Papa Joe is working furiously to get more shelters in place at his feeding stations.

 

November 27

 

We had 2 more ranked teams at home this week. We beat #13 No. Carolina 85-66. 33 and 10 for Andy Ayg in this one. Em Ecks had 16, 3, 5 filling in at guard. Kori was in foul trouble all night and played just 12 minutes but Em was terrific. 8, 7, 2 for Keb. 5 TOs, 33 RBs.

 

We beat #3 New Mexico 82-64. 37, 7, 2 for Andy, who seems stronger every game. 15, 8, 5 for Mo Ladd, 9, 4, 7 for Kori. 13 RBs for Keb. Good bench play, 8 TOs, 40 RBs.

 

We’re now #3 and our stats are off the charts. Considering 3 of the 4 games were against ranked opponents it’s really impressive. 

 

At Michigan State and home to #24 Duke this week.

 

December 4


The road is tough. Michigan ST beat us 54-57. We shot only 33.3% and were 3-23 from long range. Andy had only 17, 8, 4, Em had 10, and no one else had more than 7. 14 TOs, a season high (but +3), -5 RBs. We fell behind early and spent the night playing catch up and we never quite go there.

 

Then we came home and beat #24 Duke 51-37. Only 8 TOs, +4 RBs, and great D. Andy had 17 and 10, 9, 1, 5 for Mo and good bench play, but it was the D.

 

Another tough road game this week against #13 UNLV. Then home with #5 Oregon.

 

December 11

 

We’ve played 6 home games, 2 road games. We won all 6 at home and lost both on the road. 48-60 at UNLV. 15 TOs, our new high for the year, but 43 RBs. Andy had 18 and 7 despite foul trouble. 9, 8, 1 for Kori. Khal had 12 RBs. 8 and 7 for Keb. We shot 27.1%, 1-13 from long range. That explains a great deal.

 

We beat #5 Oregon here 77-52. Andy had 30 and 14, Khal 11 and 9, Mo 14, 0, 5. 6, 6, 6 for Kori, and good bench play. 9 TOs, 39 RBs.

 

Admittedly we’ve played tough teams on the road but we need to win away from home. This week it’s Latrobe ST here, then Kansas, unranked but always tough, there.

 

December 18

 

8-2 after a 2 win week. We beat Latrobe ST 65-45 here. 20, 10, 4, with 5 steals for Andy. 11, 8, 2 for Keb. 12 TOs, 37 RBs. 

 

Then we went to Kansas and won- barely. 16 lead changes, 8 ties, and we won 56-54 when Andy hit 2 free throws with less than a second left. He had 14, 12, 2, 3. 

 

The other starters, Ted and Em all contributed. We played good D. 44 RBs (+19), but we survived a truly horrible 27 TOs, more than twice our average.

 

This week it’s BYU there. 

 

December 25


A really tough loss to BYU, 76-77. They doubled Andy who had 11, 4, 2, 3. Keb had 11, 5, Kori led us with 18, 4, 5. We did a lot of things right but we gave up 13 threes, and that was the difference. We end the pre-conf. season at 8-3. 

 

We start conf. play at home with #16 Memphis.

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January 1, 2015

 

62-50 over Memphis. They were all over Andy all night long. They got in foul trouble but he did, too. He wound up with 12 and 8. Kori led us with 21, 7, 5, 4 steals. Keb and Ted had 9 each. +5 TOs, and a good win over a tough team.

 

This week we’re at 7-5, 1-0 SMU, and then we host 8-4, 1-0 Winthrop.

 

Sing came to me yesterday, concerned that Papa Joe is working too hard.

 

“He does not get enough sleep. He comes to bed and an hour or two later he is up and downstairs on the computer. If I go to him and ask him to return to bed he tells me he will be there soon. I fall asleep and when I wake later he is still downstairs. He is 65 years old and he looks tired all the time.”

 

She asked me to speak with him. I will, as soon as I can.

 

Mai is doing great with the people she works with here. She is the director of the research team and they are doing some very impressive things. She and I have a great relationship. We’ve been married for nearly 16 years, amazing as it sounds, and we still get along wonderfully well. We don’t spend as much time together as we like but that’s my only complaint about the marriage. 

 

January 8

 

We beat SMU, there, 66-55. They controlled the first 14-15 minutes building an 11 point lead. We chipped away and led by 1 at the half. The 2nd half was all ours. 22, 6 for Andy, 13, 6, 10 for Kori, and great work by the subs. 13 TOs, 41 RBs.

 

Then we came home and beat Winthrop 66-52. We led this one all the way after the first 2-3 minutes. 19, 6 for Andy, 15, 2, 2 for Mo, solid play by all 8 who got into the game. 9 TOs. -6 on the boards but it didn’t matter.

 

We’re 11-3, 3-0, and the only undefeated team in conf. Ranked #5, RPI 3.

 

This week it’s on the road with SO. FL, 4-10, 1-2, and then home with Central FL, 8-6, 0-3.

 

I spoke with Papa Joe. He seems to have lost his center. He is definitely working too hard. He can’t seem to let go regarding the sufferings of hungry and homeless people.

 

“No matter what we do there are still people starving, and still people suffering, and sometimes dying in the cold.”

 

“Papa Joe, you are helping millions-”

 

“Yes, I know but-”

 

“No, listen to me! You are probably doing more than anyone in history ever has. In time you will reduce the numbers of hungry and homeless people to a small percent of what it is now. It takes time.”

 

“A starving person has no time.”

 

We talked for a long time. At some point Lili joined us and we started brainstorming ideas. We decided after much discussion that went way past Lili’s supposed bedtime, that we would make a massive effort to get organizations, businesses large and small, and individuals to join the fight. Then the best idea of all. Lili would do the ads. She’s 12 ½ but small for her age, and beautiful, if I do say so. She has a great voice and a wonderful presence. Papa Joe thought the ads could be done and the organizational stuff put in place within a month, since much of it was already in place. The goal would be to at least double the amount of available funds. We wanted donations, either for immediate use or for an annuity type fund which would only spend the interest and dividends. That would keep the effort ongoing. This would be in conjunction with the fight against hunger, which would remain as the first priority, but funds would also be used to provide shelters in bad weather, and to educate people in how to grow their own food, in areas where that was feasible. It was quite a conversation!

 

January 15


Another 2 win week. 59-41 at SO. FL. 28, 10 for Andy Ayg, 12 RBs for Keb Cobb, 42 RBs. I didn’t like 19 TOs though.

 

Central FL gave us a battle here at home. We took control in the 2nd half and won 70-59. 14, 9, 2 for Andy, 12, 10, 4 for Keb, 13, 3, 4 for Kori, 15 for Em Ecks from the bench. 13 TOs.

 

1 game up on Winthrop, 2 or more on the rest.

 

This week it’s 11-5, 3-2 Tulsa there, and 6-10, 2-3 GA SO. here.

 

January 22

 

1st loss in conf. Tulsa beat us 55-57 there. We got down by as much as 17 in the 1st half and went in down 14. We chipped away all through the 2nd, even taking the lead three tyimes, but in the end we came up just a bit short. They hit 8 threes we hit 4, and that was the difference. Andy had 21, 13, 3, 2, 2. +5 TOs, -3 RBs. Their bench had 23 and ours 5.

 

We came home and won easily over GA Southern, 75-57. 24, 13, 2, 3 for Sndy, 14, 6, 4 for Kori, 11, 5, 2 for Khal Green. 7 TOs, 34 RBs.

 

We hold a 1 game lead over UConn, Tulsa, and Winthrop.

 

This week we’re at 11-7, 3-4 Cincinnati, and home with 13-6, 5-2 UConn.

 

January 29

 

We beat Cincy 75-59 there. 20, 2, 5 for Em Ecks from the bench, 16, 10 for Andy, 8, 7 for Ted. The bench came up big for us. 42 RBs but 17 TOs.

 

Then we came home and lost to #19 UConn, 72-80. They destroyed us in the 1st half, 30-55. It was embarrassing. We tried to come back in the 2nd, and outscored them 42-25, but the mountain was too high. We gave up 16 threes, 11 in the 1st half. 25, 7 for Andy, 12, 6, 3 for Ted, 10, 4, 6, 2 for Ted, but those threes did us in. Even in TOs, -5 in RBs.

 

We still lead the conf. by 1 game over UConn and Tulsa.

 

This week we start at 13-9, 5-4 Houston and then host 13-7, 5-4 Tulane. No slouches this week!

 

February 5

 

We lost at Houston, 65-72. Foul trouble in the 2nd half limited our effectiveness. Sometimes the bench steps up but not this night. It’s hard to point to a factor as being crucial. Poor free throw shooting, 16-31, and poor three point shooting, 3-15, were as big as anything else.

 

We beat Tulane, here, 74-49. 25, 14, 2 for Andy, 6 TOs, 42 RBs. We’re 12-1 at home and 4-5 on the road and that says a great deal.

 

3 way tie for first with Tulsa and UConn, 2 or more ahead of the rest. #8, RPI #6.

 

This week we’re at 15-8, 6-5 Memphis in what looks to be a tough game, and then at home with 9-13, 3-8 SMU.

 

February 12

 

4th 1-1 week in a row.

 

Memphis embarrassed us, 53-71. Andy had 18, Em had 13. 18 TOs and -17 RBs. Ugh, the less said the better. We have got to start winning on the road.

 

Home is not a problem, we beat SMU 68-38. 18, 7 for Andy, 13, 5, 4 for Kori, good numbers for everyone else. 11 TOs, 34 RBs. We are two different teams. Can’t do wrong at home, can’t do right on the road.

 

This week we’re at 13-11, 6-7 Winthrop and it really is a must win game. Then home with 6-18, 3-10 South Florida.

 

The response to Lili’s ads, which started running a week ago has been phenomenal. Some giant corporations have pledged millions, and smaller companies and individuals have been more than generous. Papa Joe thinks this may be the last winter when anyone freezes to death in the U. S., and he will bring the program to other cold weather countries where the governments do not take care of people in need.

 

February 19

 

Yet another 1-1 week due to a loss on the road where we are now 4-7. 81-85 in OT at Winthrop. They scored the last 5 in regulation, including a three at the buzzer. 33, 10, 2 for Andy, 18, 4, 9 for Kori. +2 TOs, +5 RBs. Not many teams have beaten us inside but they did.

 

Then we won easily at home, 58-42 over SO FL. 16, 6, 2 for Andy and help from everyone else. +9 TOs.

 

One more regular season game, on the road at Central FL. 

 

February 26

 

We won a road game! 58-46 over Central FL. 19, 5, 4 for Andy, 11 TOs, 40 RBs.

 

We end the regular season in 2nd place, 1 back of UConn, 19-8, 11-5, #11, RPI #6.

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March 9

 

#10 seed GA Southern upset #7 Cincy so we’ll play them. We won by 18 at home in the regular season.

 

March 10

 

56-32. 12, 9 for Andy, 10, 6 for Keb, 8, 6 for Khal, 6, 5 for Ted. We won this one inside. 42 RBs. 

 

It’s #3 seed Houston in the semifinal round. They beat us by 7 there so we need to play well.

 

March 11

 

79-66. Andy was insane, 38 and 10. Everyone else had between 5 and 10. +10 TOs, +7 RBs.

 

It’s #1 seed, #15 ranked UConn for the title. They gave us our only home loss of the season, 72-80. The three killed us that night.

 

March 12

 

67-63. We held them to 7 threes which was a huge factor, but we won it at the line. Scoring was very balanced, 7 guys between 5 and 15 points. Em Ecks had 15. The Centers banged heads all night and neutralized each other. +3 TOs, +6 RBs.

 

A big win. Enough to get us a #1 seed? Hard to say. 22-8, 11-5, #10, RPI #6. Probably a #2.

 

We gather in the locker room to watch the selection show.

 

#3 in the East. Too low and I won’t be shy about letting the media know I feel that way. We deserved better. We’ll play MD Eastern Shore.

 

Papa Joe has been much calmer and Sing says he’s sleeping more. The campaign has been extremely successful and they have an enormous amount of money to work with. Papa Joe has had to delegate lots of things.

March 16

 

84-64. 26, 16, 5, 2 for Andy, 15, 3, 2 for Khal, 11, 3, 5 for Em, who is really coming into his own. We are giving him more minutes.

 

#6 seed, #19 ranked Akron in the round of 32. They are 26-8. If we stop the three we’ll be fine.

 

March 18

 

59-45. Our guards got the points, our bigs controlled the boards. 18 for Kori, 16 for Mo, 11 for Em, 12 boards each for Andy and Khal. +11 boards and we only gave up 5 threes. I didn’t like the 17 TOs.

 

Next up is #2 seed, #11 ranked Minnesota, 26-7. They have a good PG but are stronger inside than out. This is as far as we got last year so we’re hoping to go beyond the round of 16.

 

March 23

 

70-61! We led most of the way. 16, 11, 3, 6, 1 for Andy who was outstanding. 13, 10 for Keb, 13, 2, 2 for Mo, 9, 5 fopr Em. +13 RBs but too many TOs, 18, again.

 

Next is #1 seed, #3 ranked, #2 RPI Maryland, 33-2. This is going to be one tough game. Their SG is the #1 scorer in the nation, and their PF is the #1 rebounder. We think we’re better at the other 3 positions and we have a stronger bench but we need to contain those two guys to have a chance.

 

March 25


76-70 and we’re in the Final Four! We didn’t stop their SG from scoring and we didn’t stop their PF from rebounding. We decided to stop everyone else instead, and it worked. We were +1 on the boards so it didn’t hurt that their big guy got 14. Andy had 18, 11, 2 and Kori 20, 4, and 2, and the rest of our guys did enough. We stayed out of foul trouble while playing solid D. We rotated three defenders on their scorer, Ladd, Ellis, and Ecks, and wore him out. He had 22 in the 1st half, 8 in the 1st 10 minutes of the 2nd but he was gassed at that point and got only 4 more. Keeping a fresh defender on him did exactly what we wanted it to do. Great win!


It’s #1 in the country Kentucky, 35-2 in the round of 4. UCLA plays Mississippi ST on the other side. KY is very strong at 2, 3, and 4, and they are deep. They hit a lot of threes and really rebound well. We feel we’re better at 1 and 5. If we play D, rebound, and get good bench play we have a shot.

 

April 1

 

78-89. 31, 11, 3 for Andy but it wasn’t enough. -12 on the boards and they got 14 threes. Kori had 14 and Em 12.

 

It was a very good season and we’re losing only Kori. That’s a big loss, but only one guy si pretty good. We’ll be back.

 

It’s KY vs. UCLA for the title.

 

April 3


UCLA wins another title.

 

April 4


Awards: Andy Ayg got conf. POY, freshman OY, 1st team. Kori got 2nd team and I was COY.

 

April 23

 

Lots of offers but I’m not going anywhere. I ask for $. Never seen anything like this before. The budget was at $273,100.  I got $ all right. It is now at $410,000!

 

Team Prestige is 89. After 24 years of coaching my record is:613-194, .760. Reputation is 96.

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June 12

 

We pick up a PF in the transfer pool.

 

We’re ranked #3 in the pre-season polls.


June 26

 

5 scholarships. Looking at 8 guys.

 

August 7


3 on the Norton list: Tab Kell, PG, #13, Keb Cobb, C, #26, Khal Green, C, #50.

 

August 21

 

We offer to a C, a PF, 2 PGs, and an SF.

 

September 11

 

Got a PG. He’s #2 in the country but he’s iffy regarding the SAT score. Fingers crossed.

 

September 18

 

Clean sweep, a C, #1 in the country, a PF, #4, an SF, #6, a PG, #19. We’ll court some guards, just in case.

 

We’re in the Coaches Classic. Next year will be hell because this year we have almost all home games in the pre-conf. schedule.

 

Papa Joe and Lili have done a lot of work. They feel like they are getting to an enormous number of hungry people. There are, of course, some countries where this completely taken care of, and so their efforts are not needed. Unfortunately there are countries which claim to be meeting the needs on their own, but which are not. FeedtheHungry is in at least some form of negotiation with nearly all of these. 

 

“North Korea will not even talk with us, but the other countries will, all of them. They are very determined that nothing we do will embarrass them or cause them to lose face. We are trying to assure them that this will not happen. I hope that, one at a time, we can reach agreement with them.”

 

The efforts to provide shelters is also making great progress. The effort in the U. S. is in very good shape in all urban areas where cold weather is a problem. Suburban and rural areas are more difficult but even in those areas great progress has been made. FeedtheHungry is also working in other cold weather countries where their services are needed.

 

October 2

 

We are 10 deep. After one practice I can say that this is the strongest team I have had here at Temple. Three guys I had penciled in as started at the end of last season look like they’ll be subs. Mu new guys look that good!


We’re picked 1st in conf. over #10 UConn, the only other ranked team at least right now.

 

November 6

 

We’re up to #2 in the most recent polls.

 

Exhibition games changed a lot of things. Tab Kell will still start at PG. The other guard spot will be shared between Mo Ladd and Em Ecks. Andy Ayg will start at C. The other two spots will be shared among Khal Green, Keb Cobb, and Chaz Sork. We expect that over time we’ll find out who earns more playing time.

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November 13

 

We’re rated at #2 or #3 in the polls and we’re the #7 seed in the Coaches Classic?

 

#15 ranked Texas Tech up first.


62-51. Excellent D against a really good team. Held them to 30.1%, 14.8% from long range. 11,11, 3 for Tab, 8, 13, 2, 2, 1 for Andy, 9, 8 for Khal, 14 for Mo. 

Next up is #15 seed Gonzaga who upset #2 or #3 ranked Kentucky. They look really good at 2 and 5.

 

November 15

 

62-52. I call that consistent! 16, 13, 4 for Andy, 16, 2, 3 for Tab, 6 TOs. We were -9 on the boards though.


#3 seed, #4 ranked Mississippi ST is next. They are strong inside.

 

November 17

 

81-62. 20, 10, 4 for Andy, 12 each for Tab and Mo, 6, 10, 2 for Khal, 14, 3, 3 for Em, 8, 5, 2 for Chaz. +12 RBs.

 

Next up is my old team, #1 in the country UCLA. This game will tell us a lot but it’s early. We’ve played really well but I don’t think we’re as good as we will be in Feb. and March. We’re expecting a very tough game. UCLA is #1 for a reason- lots of reasons!

 

November 19

 

63-78. They are a very good team. They exploded out of the gate and we never caught up. We never quit though. +5 TOs, -4 RBs. Great bench work, Chaz had 15, 9, Em 13 and 5. Tab had 13, 6, 3. We were over matched. I expect to get better and if we see them in March I expect a stronger showing. I was going to say a stronger effort but there was nothing wrong with our effort.

 

All 5 recruits who committed signed.

 

We’re #2 in the country. 8 of our next 9 are at home.

 

November 27

 

2 wins this week. We beat Charlotte 71-53. Chaz and Em have been really strong from the bench, as have Andy and Tab at C and PG. 8 TOs, 39 RBs.


#9 Minnesota came to town and we won 82-50. 22, 14 for Andy, 20 and 6 for Em, 13 each for Tab and Chaz. 6 TOs, 49 RBs.


We’re +12.5 PPG, +5.8 RBPG, +3.5 TOPG, + 3.5 in steals per. The staff discussed lineup changes. No changes at present. We really like having Em and Chaz on the bench. When they come in we don’t lose a thing. There’s only one basketball. Sometimes having your 5 best on the court at the same time isn’t the most effective way to play.

 

Papa Joe and Lili are working hard. This is a very busy time of year. Cold weather is starting in the Northern hemisphere and the race to provide shelters is on. I spoke with Sing and she isn’t as worried this year as last. Papa Joe seems to have struck a healthier balance.

 

December 4

 

We beat 2 top 10 teams this week. #10 Creighton came in and we won 70-52. Andy was inhuman- 38, 16, 3. +24 RB.

 

Then it was #4 Oregon, 73-49. 15, 16, 3 for Andy, 17, 5, 2 for Tab, 12, 6, 2 for Keb, 13 for Chaz. 7 TOs, 37 RBs.

 

December 11


We beat #25 Duke 69-44. 18, 9, 3, 4 for Andy, 23 for Tab. 9 TOs.

 

Then #8 Kentucky came in and beat us, 84-90. Nobody played D in this one but we played less than they did. Two teams have scored more than 58 against us, KY and UCLA. Our only 2 losses. We were +2 TOs, but -8 RBs. Our outside D was awful, they shot 16-33 on threes. That’s what did us in. 30 and 9 for Andy, 11, 3, 9 for Tab, 12, 4, 1 for Chaz. And #1 UCLA is here this week.

 

December 18

 

We won a road game then came back home and beat #1 UCLA 78-57. It was a balanced effort on O, 17, 6, 4 for Tab, 14, 8, 2 for Andy, 15, 3, 1 for Em, 11 for Mo, 7 and 9 for Khal, 8, 7, 3 for Chaz. On D we held them to 26.2%, 27.3% on threes. +3 TOs, -1 RBs. This was my biggest win since coming here.

 

December 25

 

We beat #9 Dayton at home, 67-54. Our two leaders did the job on O, 28, 13, 4 for Andy, and 24, 8 for Tab.9 TOs, 35 RBs.

 

Then we traveled to Brigham Young and won 68-54. 24, 13, 1, 3, 2 for Andy, 12, 7 for Khal, and everyone else contributed. 41 RBs, but an uncharacteristic 18 TOs.

 

We end the pre-conf. season 12-2, #2, RPI #1.

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January 1

 

A one game week. We beat Memphis, there, 57-43. Team effort. Andy had 13, 17, 3, seldom used Ed Grey had 10 and 10. Khal Green bruised abdominals and is out for 10 days to 2 weeks.

 

January 8

 

We beat SMU 78-61 here. 29, 13, 5 for Andy. 5 TOs- for the team. 

 

Then we traveled to Winthrop and got surprised, 64-67. A 12 point 2nd half did us in. We blew a 12 point lead. 32, 11 for Andy and not much for anyone else. 0-12 on threes, 3-26 in the 2nd half. 

 

The middle of winter and Papa Joe is generally pleased.

 

“I know there are people we are unable to help but we estimate that about 95% of those who were without food in the U. S. when we began are now being fed regularly. About the same is true in my home country. Very few people do not have access to a shelter in the cold weather here. We want to do even more, of course, here and throughout the world.”

 

Lili is 13 ½. She is in many ways a typical teenager but in so many others she is anything but typical. She spends lots of time with friends but even more time working. She does not seem to need much sleep which is good, since she doesn’t get very much.

 

January 15

 

67-48 over So. FL here. 21, 4, 4 for Tab, 10, 9, 3 for Andy.16 for Chaz. 

 

We went to Central FL and won 77-67. 28, 8, 3 for Andy, 11, 4, 7 for Tab.

 

January 22

 

Beat Tulsa here, 62-51. 16, 9, 4 for Andy, 10, 9 for Keb, 12, 1, 5 for Mo.

 

Then we went to GA Southern and won 101-84. Crazy game, obviously. Tab had 33, , Andy 17, 6, 2, 4, Mo 16, 2, 5, Chaz 12, Ted Day 10 and 5.

 

This week it’s undefeated in conf. Cincy at home and UConn, tied with us in 2nd, on the road.

 

January 29

 

69-41 over Cincy here. 16, 14, 2 for Andy, 16 for Em Ecks. 11 TOs, 43 RBs.

 

Then went to UConn and lost 64-65 in OT. Back and forth all night. Andy fouled out with 1 ½ to go in OT.  They outscored us 6-2 from then on and that was that. +8 TOs, -8 RBs. 19,7 with 6 steals for Andy, 13 for Em, 11, 5, 5, 2 for Tab. We shot 2-13 on threes and only 66.7% from the line. Those two things did us in more than anything. 

 

Cincy and UConn are tied for 1st and we’re one back. 7 to play and we need to win ‘em all.

 

Everyone made the SAT score.

 

Tab Kell is #3 on the Norton list. I will never understand that list. Why in the world wasn’t Andy nominated either last year or this?

 

February 5

 

Beat Houston at home, 75-51. 31, 6 for Andy, 14, 5, 5 for Tab. 6 TOs.

 

Beat Tulane there, 61-51. 28, 13 for Andy. UConn lost so we’re tied for 2nd, 1 back.

 

February 12

 

Tied for 1st with Cincy, 1 ahead of UConn with 3 to play. Beat Memphis at home, 75-56. 29, 14, 3 for Andy who has been red hot. 3 TOs! 41 RBs.

 

78-72 over SMU on the road. 33, 11 for Andy. +14 TOs, +8 RBs.

 

February 19


Alone in 1st! We beat Winthrop here 74-52, to avenge a 3 point loss at their place. Andy tweaked his knee early and played only 11 minutes. It doesn’t seem serious. 16,3, 6 for Tab, and Ted Day and Keb Cobb did a good job of filling in for Andy. 7 TOs.

 

We went to So. FL and won 62-56. Andy played only 16 minutes but got 10 and 4. 10 and 6 for Khal, 13, 4, 3 for Chaz. 10 TOs. 

 

One to play, at home against Central FL. We won by 10 there.

 

February 26

 

And we win our final game. Cincy and UConn are 1 back of us, tied for 2nd. We beat Central FL 80-67. Andy was 100% and got 30, 14, 6, 4. 6 TOs.


We end the regular season #2, RPI #2, 26-4, 14-2. +13.9 PPG, +6.5 RBPG, +6.0 TOPG, +3.1 steals PG, and +1.9 assists PG. Andy is 4th in the nation in scoring, 2nd in rebounding. The team is 3rd in RBs nationally. In conf. we dominate the individual and team categories.

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March 10

 

#8 seed GA Southern won the play in so we play them. We won by 17 there, scoring 101 points.

 

70-48. 16, 8, 4 for Andy, and all 7 contributed in this blow out. #5 seed Memphis in the semifinal. We beat them by 14 and 19.

 

March 11

 

78-59. A triple double for Andy Ayg, 15, 10, 12. 23 for Em. It’s #17 Cincy for the title. They beat UConn by 3. We beat them by 28 at our place.

 

March 12


72-49 and the title! 24, 9 for Chaz, 24, 6, 2 for Andy. 8 TOs, 39 RBs.

 

We expect to be #2 overall since we’re ranked #2, RPI #2.


#1 in the Midwest. We’ll play 18-12 Central Arkansas.

 

March 16

 

80-50. 24, 10, 3 for Andy, 19, 2, 3 for Tab, 13, 2, 2 for Mo, 11, 6 for Keb, 6, 4, 3 for Em. 6 TOs, +5 RBs.


#8 seed Auburn up next. They’re 19-10. They have a very good SG.

 

March 18

 

62-40. 21, 8, 2, 2 for Andy, 18, 7 for Tab, 8, 8 for Chaz. 9 TOs, 42 RBs.

 

We’re in the Sweet Sixteen and we’ll play #5 seed, #19 ranked Oklahoma which just beat Cincy. They’re very good outside. 


March 23

 

And the ride ends, 67-70. 1-16 on threes, 31.9% over all, Andy fouled out in 20 minutes. He still managed to lead us with 18 and 8, 19, 6, 3 for Tab, 10, 7 for Em, 11, 7, 3 for Chaz. -3 TOs, but +16 RBs. Some nights it just won’t go in the basket and unfortunately, this was one of them.

 

If it’s any consolation, #1 UCLA and #6 Texas Tech also lost today.

 

“FeedtheHungry” has won several humanitarian awards over the past few months. I understand they have even been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Wow! Just Wow!

 

April 4

 

Mai and I went to the Final Four. #9 ranked MS ST played #14 KY, and unranked Stan Jones played #4 New Mexico. The path was wide open for us but we didn’t walk it.


#14 KY won the title.


Awards: WS Player of the Year: Andy Ayg. He didn’t make either 1st or 2nd team but Tab Kell made 2nd. My assistant at CLA, Art Black got National Coach of the Year.

 

In conf. Andy was POY and 1st team along with Tab, Chaz Sork made 2nd team and I got COY.

 

April 23

 

I ask for a facilities upgrade. I don’t get it.

 

We end up 31-5. Team Prestige is 88.

 

At the end of my 25th season I’m at 644-199, .764. Reputation still at 96.

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June 5


Preseason #1!

 

Slim pickings in the transfer pool.

 

June 26


4 scholarships. I’d like to get 3 guards.

 

Looking at 12.

 

August 7


7 on the Norton list. Center Keb Lee is #1, PF Ev Przy is #4, SF Mick Jones is #7

 

August 21

 

Not a lot of guards interested in us. We offered to 2 SGs and 2 PFs.

 

September 18

 

We got 2 PFs and an SG.

 

No early season tourney this year but lots of contenders on the schedule.

 

October 2

 

Having trouble getting a guard to fill the last scholarship.

 

First day of practice. We’re going to be hard to beat.


Taking a VERY long shot on the #2 recruit in the country. Why long? His GPA is 2.0. We offered.

 

And all hell has broken loose with FeedtheHungry. It appears that someone here at the central office in Philly has managed to slip 250 million dollars out of the corporation treasury. This just broke today. Papa Joe is trying to calm the waters. Computer experts, police and FBI are all working on the case. No one employed by FtH has disappeared so either it’s a long distance computer criminal who hacked the system or someone has very large- ahem. I’m sure there will be a lot more on this soon. Papa Joe is assuring people that all passwords have been changed and new, tighter computer and building security is in place in every facility that FtH operates. He also says he will make up any uninsured losses out of his own pocket.

 

November 1

 

Despite a massive effort the perpetrator(s) of the ¼ billion dollar theft at FtH have not been found. Cops and FBI don’t seem to have a clue but the computer guys think they may be close. No further losses have occurred but donations are off by close to 50%. Papa Joe made up the loss and said his money will stay even if the stolen funds are eventually recovered.

 

November 20


We beat 2 top 20 teams during week one. We have a very strong starting lineup and Ed Grey, 1st guard off the bench could easily start as well. 

 

November 27

 

Beat #8 Michigan and Dayton this week. TOs are a problem so far but not much else is. Tab Kell at PG, and Mick Jones at SF are our leading scorers but Keb Lee at Center may be our best all around player so far.

 

December 1

 

3 men in India were arrested yesterday in the theft of $250 million from Feed the Hungry. The money has not yet been found. The men were working together, and this was all done via computer, the largest cyber theft in history. Police are hoping to discover where the thieves placed the money, whether in Swiss bank accounts or in stocks and/or bonds. Evidently if they can locate and recover the money they are willing to make a deal with whichever of the three is cooperative. Papa Joe reiterated his pledge not to take back the money he used to replace that which was stolen.

 

December 4

 

Beat Oklahoma at home and #22 Indiana there. 22, 23 for Keb Lee against OK, then he got 23, 17 vs. Indiana. We get lots of TOs but we start a PG, an SF, a PF, and 2 Cs. +14.5 in RBs, -2.3 in TOs. 6-0, #1, RPI #1.

 

December 11

 

Beat #11 Kentucky by 20 and then Oregon, there, by 14. 17, 15, then 14, 15 for Keb Lee, but all 5 starters are playing well. Averaging 41.1 RBs per game.

 

Start of a huge advertising campaign by FtH. They hope to get contributions and donations up to the pre-theft level. They are increasing but not quickly enough. The ads feature Lili and test markets love them. Security is exceedingly tight, both cyber and in house. The belief is that at present only an “inside job” is possible and even that would be extremely difficult. You’re always just a step ahead of the potential perps though so vigilance is vital.

 

December 18

 

Two 27 point wins this week. Keb had 16 and 24, 29 and 19.

 

One game this week, #5 UCLA, here.

 

December 25

 

78-60 over UCLA. We go to conf. play 11-0. Average margin of victory 17.1. 42.8 RBs per game, +17.4. Still -1.6 TOs.

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January 1, 2016


29 point win over #16 Memphis, our chief conf. rival. 42, 16 for Keb, who leads the nation in rebounding.

 

January 8


Now 3-0 in conf. 25, 20, 22, 15 for Keb. Closest game so far, 9 point win over Michigan. Everything else double figures.

 

The FtH ad campaign worked. Donations and contributions at record levels. The world loves Lili. She is completely unaffected. We don’t allow media interviews or photo ops but they run stories everywhere, pulling stills from the ad campaigns. She doesn’t read any of it or watch it on TV. 

 

“It’s stupid, and they make everything up.”


#2 in the country committed. Now if he can hit our SAT score!

 

January 15

 

5-0. TOs are improving we’re +1.0 now.

 

Keb had 19, 9, 8, 4, 2 in a game this week.

 

Lili tells me that in their “spare time” she and Papa Joe are working on some educational programs for “smart kids.” They’re starting with math and the sciences since these are areas of interest, and areas where U. S. kids have the most difficulty. Since Lou is completely absorbed with math and the sciences, he is no part of this fledgling enterprise.

 

January 22

 

We were not at our best this week, a 9 point win at Tulsa and only by 13 at home vs. GA Southern. At #17 Cincinnati this week and they’re only 1 back of us.

 

January 29

 

5 point win over Cincy. 20-0, 9-0, 2 game lead on Cincy, 3 or more on the rest.

 

#3 recruit in the country didn’t qualify, let alone hitting our score. Looking at 3 guards.

 

Keb Lee #1 on the Norton List, PF Ev Przy #16.

 

February 5

 

2 blow outs this week. 44 and 40 for the week for Keb.

 

If there’s a team with a legitimate shot to beat us in the regular season it’s our next game, #15 Memphis, there. 

 

February 12

 

We beat Memphis 67-55. 15 each for Lee and Mick Jones. +10 RBs. At one point they were up by 7, the most we’ve been behind all year.

We also beat SMU with Keb getting 28 and 17. +11 TOs, +15 RBs.

 

3 up with 3 to play.

 

It looks like Papa Joe, Lili and now Lou are planning to start that “Educating Smart Kids” on line business. When Papa Joe and Lili don’t have their heads together with FtH, the three of them do with the new company.

 

February 19

 

26-0. 4 up with 1 to play. Keb had 52 and 40 for the week. We’re +17.3 RBs, +2.8 TOs.

February 26

 

And we run the table. We head to the post season 27-0, up 4 on Cincy, 5 on UConn. Keb is #2 in scoring, #1 in rebounding, #2 in blocks. Ev Pryz is #2 in shooting pct. As a team we’re #4 in scoring, #1 in rebounding, #3 in blocks, #2 in assists.

 

March 5


We lost 4 to the draft: Keb Lee, Ev Przy, Mick Jones, Marc Topp. Ouch, but about as expected.

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March 10

 

It’s #8 seed South FL in the ¼ final. We beat them by 21 and 33.

 

62-43. 20, 22, 3, 2, 2 for Keb, 25, 7, 1, 4, 1 for Ev.

 

Cincy, UConn, and Tulsa were all upset. #23 ranked Memphis finished 5th in conf. They’re next. We beat them by 29 and 12.

 

March 11

 

67-59. 21, 12 for Keb. 10, 2, 7, 5 for PG Tab Kell.

 

#6 seed GA Southern is in the final. We beat them by only 13 at our place but their starting PF is out with a broken leg. 

 

March 12


79-55. 20, 6, 4, 2, 1 for Tab, all 5 in double figures.


Selected #1 overall.

 

March 16


68-30 over Low Point. 30, 11 for Keb. 

 

#8 seed Cincy, our conf. rival, is next. We won by only 5 there. 

 

March 18


79-46. A real team effort. 6 guys in doubles including big guy Dave Chip who will figure greatly in our plans next year.

 

Next up is #5 seed, #17 ranked Pepperdine, 25-8.

 

March 23

 

63-43. 19, 17 for Keb.


#3 seed, #11 ranked Mississippi State, 24-8, is next, in the Elite Eight. I am working to keep my guys focused. It has been way too easy and one off night can end it all.

 

March 25

 

75-53 and we’re in the Final Four. Now the bad news. Keb fell hard to the floor, 6 minutes in, and banged his head. We’re not sure if he’ll be ready for our next game. We won by 22 without him due to some great team effort. 


We’ll play #9 ranked, #6 seed New Mexico State in the round of 4. On the other side it will be #2 ranked Duke vs. #3 ranked UCLA.

 

NMSU is 29-7. They’ve won their last 11. Their C is the best Keb has faced all year. He’ll play as much as he can. 

 

April 1

 

69-48! 14, 11 for Keb in 21 minutes. 15, 7 for Mick Jones. 11, 9, 2 for Ev. 10 TOs, 42 RBs, and we’re in the title game against Duke, who won by 1.

 

Duke is #2 in the country, RPI #3, 35-3. They’ve won 9 in a row, and the 14 before that. They score more outside than in, they play good D, and they take care of the ball. We need to play good D and control the boards. Keb is 88-90% but he’ll play, hopefully not more than 25-28 minutes. Best team we’ve faced all year.

 

April 3


And the closest score all year, 66-62 and the title! 16, 15, 1, 3, 1 for Keb, 15, 6 for Ev, 12, 1, 5 for Tab. 10 TOs (+9), 37 RBs (+6) Duke was up 16 with 12:22 to play, 38-54.

 

I called a TO at that point and simply said, “This is the season. We worked all year for this and now it’s slipping away. How bad do you want it?” I put in no new formations, changed no strategies. From then on it was 28-8 for us.

 

April 4

 

Awards: Keb won ‘em all at the national level, Norton, WS, Freshman, Defensive, 1st team. I got national COY. In conf. Keb got ‘em all again, joined on 1st team by Ev Pryz. Mick Jones made 2nd team, and we’re losing all three. Oh well, fun ride.

 

April 23

 

I ask for facilities. Nope. We’ll have lots of new faces on the team next year but some very good players coming back. Let’s go for 2 in a row. I have 3 with UCLA and now this one with Temple. 


36-0. Team Prestige is 96. My record after 26 years as a head coach is 680-199, .774. Reputation is 96.

 

Papa Joe, Lili and Lou have formed “CoolSmart,” an on line resource for “smart kids” and those who live and/or work with them. They have the five leaders in the field of gifted education, from UConn (2), Purdue, USC, and Virginia on their Board of Directors, all of whom are working for a percentage. Given Papa Joe’s business history that’s a pretty safe bet. It will be about 4-6 months before they are available. They’re already planning commercials with Lili, Lou, Ling, Khee, and Mai Li.

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June 5

 

Ready to defend our national title, or try to; preseason #1. We’re after a high flying transfer. Soph Ron Barr who started every game at Duke last season and was ranked #5 recruit in his class. Duke wasn’t a good fit and he seems very interested in Temple.

 

June 9

 

Got him!

 

“CoolSmart thinks they’ll be ready to open for business on about August 15. They want to get a leg up on the back to school market.

 

June 26


4 scholarships. We’d like 2 and 2 but 3-1 either way would be okay. Looking at 10 guys.

 

August 7


4 on the Norton list: PF Kip Brown #4, SF Jed Mill #12, PG Ryan Prow #16, PF Dave Chip #17.

 

August 16

 

“CoolSmart” hits the market one day late. Ads featuring the kids are everywhere, and the first day response is so overwhelming it almost brings down the site.

 

August 21

 

We offer to 2 Cs, an SG, and a PG.

 

September 18

 

Got ‘em all. One is marginal regarding passing the SAT score.

 

We’re in the Coaches Classic and loading the schedule with contenders.

 

October 2

 

First day of practice and we’re loaded again this year. I’m going with a one guard offense again. This year instead of “Favor Inside” we’re going to try “Heavy Inside.”

 

October 16

 

On the two month anniversary of opening “CoolSmart” has more than 10 million customers. Some are buying lectures, some are buying courses, some are buying full access. Average amount spent is $145. You do the math. Expanding worldwide in January. 

 

November 6

 

Exhibitions played, ready for the season to begin. #1 seed in the Coaches Classic.

 

November 15

 

Played one game using “Heavy Inside.” We won by 18 but I didn’t like it. Going back to “Favor Inside.”

 

November 19

 

#10 ranked Minnesota gave us a scare, a BIG scare, 71-70. #7 seed Arizona upset #2 Kentucky and then #6 California, so we play them for the title.


November 20


63-52 for the title. After 4 games we’re +13.5 in points, +7.5 in rebounds, and +8.7 in TOs, averaging 8.3. Considering I’m going with only one guard that’s incredible. Ayg at C, Kip Brown at PF, and Dave Chip at SG are doing the scoring. Ayg, Brown and Jed Mill at SF are doing the rebounding. Ed Grey, my 6th man, is too good not to start but I don’t have a spot for him.

 

All four recruits signed LOI. 

 

We just played 4 at a neutral site. Now 6 of the next 7 are on the road. #21 Creighton and #12 New Mexico this week.

 

November 27


The win streak ends at 40. Creighton beat us 58-70. We got 15 more rebounds, took 10 more shots, and we still lost. Shooting 26.6% will do that. We righted the ship at New Mexico, 87-80. We’re giving up too many points. 70 or more in 3 of the last 4 games.

 

At #25 Alabama and home with #16 Michigan ST this week.

 

December 4

 

It could be a long season. We won 75-57 at #25 Alabama but Kip Brown stubbed a toe and will miss at least one game. 29, 9, 3 for Andy to lead us.


Then we came home. With Kip out and Jed Mill in foul trouble all night we managed to lose 65-68. Ayg led us again with 25, 8, 2, 3 but it wasn’t enough.

 

Two losses in our first 8 games. We need to figure this out.

 

At #15 MS ST and Maryland this week.

 

December 11

 

A 2 win week. 33, 15 for Andy in an 82-61 win over #15 MS ST. 13, 7, 3 for Jed Mill.

 

75-64 over MD. 23, 11 for Andy, 20, 5 for Dave Chip.

 

I am close to throwing SG Bret Layn off the team. He has been nothing but trouble.

 

Despite our 2 losses we’re still #1, +9.6 ppg, +5.5 RBpg, +5.3 assists pg. 

 

At Georgetown then home against #4 UCLA.

 

“CoolSmart” is exploding with growth. Papa Joe thinks the holiday season will be really profitable.

 

Lineup change. Ed Grey is starting. Both Jed Mill and Dave Chip will lose playing time.

 

December 18

 

The new lineup gives us a 2 win week, fewer points, better D. 53-45 over Georgetown. 41 RBs, 10 TOs. 

 

56-46 over #4 UCLA. 9, 21, 5 for Andy, 16, 6, 2 for PG Ryan Prow. Grey was very effective on D in both games.

 

This week it’s #14 Michigan at home, then we end the pre-conf. season at Oregon.

 

December 25


76-65 over #14 Michigan. 18, 13, 4 for Andy, 16 each for Grey and Brown, 14, 5, 2 for Prow.

 

Then yet another loss, 69-74, at Oregon. 50 RBs, 12 TOs, we took 10 more shots than they did. We shot 33.3%, and gave up 11 threes. 24, 18 for Kip, 13, 15, 4 for Andy.

 

NOT happy with 11-3. Staff is in regular discussion regarding solutions as we head to the conf. season.

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January 1, 2018

 

88-75 at 3-10 Memphis. Ed Grey had 22, 8, 3, Andy 17, 14, 4, 2. All 5 starters in double figures but we should have won by more against this team.

 

January 8

 

We beat SMU here, 81-51. 27, 12 for Kip Brown, 26, 9, 3, 3 for Andy. 5 TOs, 38 RBs. We played really well.

 

Went to Winthrop and beat them 52-43. Great D but we shot poorly, 29.3%, 0-14 on threes. 18, 7, 2 for Andy. +14 TOs. Ed Grey twisted his back. He’s out for at least one game.

 

Papa Joe says preliminary reports regarding December sales for “CoolSmart” are “astronomical.”

 

“FeedtheHungry” has more than halved world hunger rates. Even though there are still a few countries FtH cannot get to, estimates are that well over half of those who were starving are no longer, and shelters have saved an enormous number of lives during bad weather. This could be the year they win a Nobel.

 

January 15

 

2 wins, the second took a bit of luck. 68-58 over So FL here. 27, 14 for Kip, 18, 6 for Jed Mill. Andy fouled out, playing only 16 minutes. Good D won this one.

 

Then we went to Central FL and were lucky to escape, 61-59 on a 28 footer at the buzzer by Kip Brown, who doesn’t shoot threes. It was our only three of the night and it was a luck shot. We gave up 13 of them. 31, 14 for Andy. We were flat all night.

 

January 22

 

We played better this week. 75-51 over Tulsa here. Ryan Prow fouled out, playing only 20, but before he did he got 20 points. Em Ecks got 8 filling in. 6 TOs, 38 RBs, and we were never challenged.

 

Then we went on the road and beat GA Southern 76-60. 23, 7, 3, 3 for Andy, 17, 9 for Kip, +7 TOs, +7 RBs.


Only SMU, who we beat by 30, is one back of us. We’re 18-3, 7-0.

 

Challenging week, Cincy here, and then at #13 UConn.

 

January 29

 

We played well in a 71-52 home win over Cincinnati. 6 guys in double figures. 7 TOs, 35 RBs. 

 

Then we went to UConn and lost 68-74. They beat us outside, 15 threes. 47 rebounds 11 TOs, but we didn’t get out on the long distance shots and they made them all night long.


We’re one up on UConn and SMU, 3 or more on the rest, with 7 to play.

 

February 5

 

A good week. 66-44 over Houston here. 27, 10 for Andy, 17, 12, 2, 4, 2 for Kip, 4 TOs, 43 RBs, great D.

 

 

Then we traveled to Tulane and beat them 73-51. 19, 12, 4 for Andy, 17, 16, 3 for Kip. 6 TOs, 54 RBs. We are a force inside.


Up 2 on UConn, 3 or more on the rest, with 5 to play.

 

Final numbers in on December sales for CoolSmart and Papa Joe says he didn’t think they could possibly sell as much as they have. Their programs- lectures, videos, games, seminars, labs in all of the sciences, courses… are selling in incredible numbers. In January they went worldwide and Papa Joe expects big things there as well. They have hired as many experts in gifted education and related fields as possible, and this has made their programs the best available, and that’s according to all of the experts in the field.

 

Mai and I have been trying to push Lili to begin college for several years now. She has never shown the slightest interest. We’re concerned that she has become far too isolated by her work with BestPrice- though she and Papa Joe are no longer involved there, FtH and CoolSmart. We feel she needs to interact with other people, particularly people her age. We’re going to mandate that she take two classes per semester, starting in the fall, either here at UML, at BU, or at any other college in the Boston area. She can choose the courses, but they must be live, with no on line component. That conversation will happen sometime this month and it may appear on the Richter scale.

 

February 12

 

Another good week and now we’re 2 up on UConn, 4 or more on the rest. We beat Memphis here, 78-53. 24, 10, 3 for Andy, 5 guys in double figures. +12 TOs, +7 RBs. 

 

93-70 at SMU. 5 in double figures again. +15 TOs, +5 RBs.


We’re outscoring the other team by 12.2, in RBs it’s +9.0, in TOs +6.3. #1 in the country in RBs.

 

February 19

 

A 2 win week. 2 up on UConn, 5 on Cincy, 6 or more on the rest with 1 to play.


72-26 over Winthrop at home (Flaw in the game, 26? Come on!). 6 TOs, 48 RBs.

 

Then we beat So FL 67-56 at their place. Andy got hurt 9 minutes in, shoulder. He’s out for our last regular season game but should be 100% for the start of the post season. 9 TOs, 38 RBs. Dave Chip and T. J. Larry did a great job filling in for Andy.

 

We finish with Central FL here. They very nearly beat us at their place. The game means nothing to us. We’ve already clinched/ But we want a win.

 

February 21

 

That explosion that was felt all over the country was our conversation with Lili. We had it a few days ago. She spent two days in her room sulking. When she came out she was still livid, and absolutely refused to discuss our plan for her to take courses.

 

“Give it a few more days and I will speak with her.”

 

Papa Joe’s idea made sense and he certainly has more influence over her than anyone else. After she calms down a little she may listen to him. She always has.

 

February 26


65-48 over Central FL. 11 TOs, 40 RBs, and Chip and Larry did great filling in for Andy, who will be back in plenty of time. 26-4, 15-1, #1, RPI #1, going to the post season.

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March 3

Papa Joe had the talk with Lili a few days ago. She’s still sulking but it’s clear she’s looking for courses and doing other things related to college.

March 5

We lost Ed Grey to the NBA draft. With Ayg, Ecks, and Chip graduating that’s four to replace. Great incoming class though. I was worried about losing Kip Brown and I’m thrilled that he decided to stay. Kip is #7 on the latest Norton list.

I’m concerned about the post season. We have been beatable this year. We’ll do what we can and hope for the best.

March 10

#9 seed Houston, 14-14, upset #8 SO FL, so we’ll play them in the round of 8. Oh, Bret Layn was given his last warning yesterday. He’s one sneeze away from off the team.

58-37. 29, 16 for Andy but he hurt his right arm late. Her got it caught with another player going for a rebound. I think he’s out for the tourney.

#4 ranked SMU, 18-11 in the semifinals. We beat them by 30 and 23.

March 11

66-50. 15, 11 for Kip Brown playing C, 15, 9 for Dave Chip playing PF, 13, 7, 2 for Jed Mill playing SF. 38 RBs, 11 TOs.

Cincinnati, #3 seed, 20-10, upset UConn. We beat them by 19. Andy is out again for this game.

March 12

78-56 for the title. 27, 15 for Kip, 13, 8, 2 for Jed. 7 TOs, 45 RBs. 

We are NOT #1 overall despite being #1 ranked, #1 RPI! Makes no sense. 

We are NOT #1 in the Midwest!

We are #1 in the South. We’ll play Morehead ST, 17-13.

March 14

Lili came to Mai and me last night to discuss college. She found a small school that would give credit by examination. She passed every course she needed in order to get a B.S. in math. She paid the fees and showed us the degree. She was upset when we congratulated her and said it didn’t change anything, she still needed to take two classes, live, every semester starting with this fall. We’re surrounded by sulks again.

March 17

 

62-39 over Morehead ST. Andy was back and had 28, 8, 5. 5 TOs, 38 RBs.


#9 seed No. Carolina ST, 21-9, won so they’re next. 

 

March 19

 

84-62. 24, 6, 4 for Ed Grey, 6 in double figures. 14 TOs, 44 RBs.

 

Those two teams the committee thought were better than us? They’re both gone. 

 

#5 seed MS ST, 22-10 beat #4 Charlotte so we face them in the Sweet 16. We beat them by 21 at their place.

 

March 24

 

77-62. 28, 9, 7, 3, 1 for Andy, 13, 9 for Kip. 12 TOs, 47 RBs. Jed Mill smacked his head. We kept him out for the rest of the game. Not sure if he’ll play on Sunday.


#3 seed #19 ranked LSU, 25-9 in the Elite Eight. They have 2 hurt and a starter who flunked off the team. All 3 were starters.

 

March 26


68-59 and we’re back to the Final Four. 22, 26, 4, 6 for Andy. 16, 7 for Kip, 18, 4, 4 for Ed Grey. 9 TOs, 49 RBs.

 

We’ll play #5 ranked Kentucky. #18 Oklahoma and unranked Arkansas in the Final Four on the other side.

 

Kentucky is as good as anyone we’ve played this year. The key is to not let the PG do what he wants to do. We’ll double him some.

 

April 1

 

60-61. We scored with 1.2 seconds left to lead 60-58. They got it to their PG at half court. He launched it. It went in. I was convinced he got it off too late, still am. The refs spent a very long time with the video and ruled that it counted and the game was over. We took 18 more shots than they did and lost. That speaks volumes regarding our shooting, 19-78, 8-33 on threes. We got 55 rebounds. Web turned it over only 11 times. And somehow we lost. Tough way to end the season and the defense of our title.

 

Kentucky will play unranked Arkansas for the title. 

 

April 4


Kentucky won the title game by 27.

 

Awards: Kip Brown made national 1st team and I got national COY. In conf. Andy Ayg got POY, Kip Brown got Freshman OY and Defensive POY, they both made 1st team.

 

April 9

 

I explained to Mai a couple of weeks ago that I’d like to be the first coach to win titles at 3 schools, and would love to win titles at 4 or even 5 before I retire.

 

“As long as we go where I can do my work.”


We visited Oregon, Purdue, Indiana, Kansas, and Missouri. She said Purdue and Oregon had programs that she would fit in very well with. We’re going to Oregon.

 

April 12

 

A bomb dropped. Lili, Lou, and Papa Joe all want to stay in Philadelphia. Our first reaction was absolutely not, as far as our kids were concerned. Now? We’re considering it. Sing is great with them and she shares our values. The kids spend most of their time working with Papa Joe and they both idolize him. Lili will be 16 in 2 months and Lou 15 in November. We’re considering it, and we’re trying to talk Papa Joe into moving with us. He says he has moved enough times and does not wish to move again, especially since I intend to move at least once more. We’ll see what happens.

 

We have the routine down. I move immediately. Mai, Ling, and hopefully the rest of the family will follow later on. 

 

April 18

 

Sing wants to move. She feels it is important for all of us to be together. Papa Joe is resisting but I doubt that he can say no to Sing, he never has.

 

April 23

 

Papa Joe has agreed to the move. The family expects to be here by June 1.

 

I emailed Lili and Mai information about the colleges within a reasonable distance of Eugene. The deal has not changed. Lou is anxious to go to college so no pressure. He could enroll as a freshman now but he says he wants to wait until next year, which is fine with us.

 

Another season finished. Another new challenge. Starting as a head coach with my 8th team in what will be my 28th season. My record as a head coach is 713-204, .778. Let’s see about getting a title at my third university. It will take a few years no doubt.

 

FtH is ever increasing the number of people it is feeding and sheltering. “CoolSmart” is making billions and reaching tens of millions.

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June 6

 

Adjusting to being at Oregon. The family is here and we’re living in temporary housing. No one in the transfer pool grabs our interest.


June 26


6 scholarships. Looking at 20 guys, 6 PGs, 1 SG, 6 SFs, 3 PFs, 4 Cs.

 

Lili will take an advanced computer programming class and a class in topology here at Oregon in the fall.

 

August 7

 

Mike Kidd, our C, is #11 on the Norton list.

 

August 21


We offer to a PG, an SG, 2 SFs, a PF, and a C. Most are showing interest. 2 are questionable regarding hitting our SAT score.

 

“CoolSmart” is worldwide and enormously successful. “Feed the Hungry” is everywhere it is likely to be any time soon. And it is probably feeding and sheltering 95% or more of the needy in every country where it is allowed to work. Fundraising is never ending but most of the profits from “CoolSmart” or at least our family’s portion, are given to FtH. Papa Joe and Lili’s first company, “BestPrice.com” continues to be everywhere and to provide a much valued service.

 

School starts at Oregon a week from tomorrow. Lou decided to take both classes with Lili and they’re actually sounding somewhat excited about it. Given how famous and wealthy they both are we will, of course, have bodyguards accompanying them, as all of us do, 24/7 on our property (still temporary, but the estate is coming along rapidly), and whenever we leave the property. I find it annoying as can be but I understand the need for it.

 

September 13


Disaster has struck our family. Lili and Lou were abducted as they were walking toward the limo after class today. The limo driver and the four bodyguards were all shot and killed. The police were at the scene in moments. Witnesses described the four abductors and the vehicle they escaped in, a blue van. The van was abandoned less than a mile from campus. Naturally, it was stolen. No prints other than some for Lili and Lou were found. Descriptions of the perpetrators vary somewhat and they all were masked, but it seems to be three men and a woman. The men were all tall and strong looking, the woman, short. Very little to go on, really. We expect a call or some type of contact regarding ransom. I will be away from my job for the time being. Jed Trey, my #1 will be in charge of the team while I am away.


September 14

 

Papa Joe asked to speak with me privately late last evening, or maybe it was early this morning.

 

“Alvin, I have contacted some associates. They are able to do many things and to speak with many people that the police cannot. I believe they will greatly increase our chances of getting Lili and Lou back, assuming… In any case ask no questions. they will contact neither the family nor the police.”

 

"... assuming..." Yeah. None of us can even say it. The police detective heading up the investigation said there’s no way to know whether the kids are… yeah. Still no ransom request. He also said we should hope it's about money, not politics. I didn't need to think about that for long to understand what he was saying.

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September 16

 

The ransom message came- to Ling’s email account. She’s 7 ½. The detective said to be calm. They’re using her just to try to rattle us. Anyway, they want 100 million, details to follow. Detective says it will be to some kind of blind account that is untraceable. There was a photo of the kids sitting together holding up a copy of today’s San Francisco Chronicle. After very carefully inspecting it the forensic people said it was not photo shopped or altered in any way, and that it was genuine. So we know the kids are still… yeah. Lili looked extremely angry but in control. Lou looked terrified.

 

September 17

 

Papa Joe again asked to speak with me alone. “Alvin, my people have a very, very tiny lead.”

 

“How in the world-”

 

“No. No questions. Only know that always, ALWAYS, someone talks, at least a little bit. My people have ears everywhere. The lead is not enough but the source drinks alcohol. He will find that he has friends who are happy to buy a round or as many rounds as it takes. My people are skilled and subtle, but it may take a little time and who knows how much time we have?”

 

“Make sure they don’t do anything dangerous for the kids.”

 

He smiled, and then put his hand on my shoulder. “Alvin, this is very delicate, and unbelievably dangerous. My people know what they are doing, believe me, but there can be no guarantees.”

 

The man is incredible. Mai Li is, of course, a mess, as are we all. I only tell her that we are confident and that her father is working through different avenues. She looks at me and then nods. I think she understands, and may know more than I do regarding her father’s “connections.”

 

September 18 

 

Jed Trey here. We got 3 commitments and lost a recruit. SF Sy Reed, #14,. PG Ty Fitz, #20, and PF Fin Jay, #31 all committed to us. None of the three should have a problem with the SAT score although there are no guarantees.

 

We’re invited to the Hawaiian Shootout. Lots of ranked teams. My new A.D. says we’re being too ambitious. Maybe so. I’m trying to do what I think Blade would do and he’s ambitious.

 

September 21

 

Evidently Papa Joe’s people spoke with the contact again. He got a night off last night. They bought several rounds. Papa says the man was being very careful but without realizing it he spilled something.

 

“My people think that within 24 hours they will know where the children are being held. At that point they will need to learn how heavy the security is. They can only learn this by observing comings and goings, and hopefully seeing through the windows using powerful scopes from long distance. We are getting close.”

 

“Yes, but how much time do we have?”

 

“I understand they only gave details of how to transfer the money today. It is reasonable to say that it will take 2 or 3 days to make the arrangements. That may be all we need. The critical moment will come when they have the money. At that time they will do what they have planned to do regarding the children. They are definitely professionals so they have already decided. You are still receiving a photo every day?”

 

“Yes, with a different newspaper from a different city. The police are watching lots of places where newspapers from other cities are sold but there are so many.”

 

“And the photos are still genuine?”

 

“The forensics people say there is no doubt of that.”

 

Papa Joe is with me except for when he contacts his “people.” He says he needs to know everything that the policed learn, which so far is almost nothing. He asks for and gets copies of the photos every day, his question was just to soothe me or to assess my reactions.

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