One More Chance

People on the outside think I'm a bitch. Often times, my players have the same feelings about me. They think I'm a bitch because I put up with a lot of stuff that the average coach just wouldn't deal with. In this case being a "bitch" just means I'm a human doormat in their eyes. For instance, a few years ago a player called me a faggot in front of the team and I didn't cut him immediately. Another player blasted me publicly on facebook one summer for ruining the team's chances to win a championship, yet I took him back on the team months later.

In both cases, I issued a punishment for the slight then moved on after an apology was issued to me. I don't offer explanations to anybody but my coaches about my rationale, so the perception just grows about me among those who are in the dark about my thought process. My players, who are all told from Day 1 that I'm a devout follower of Bill Belichick, are left confused as to why I would just accept an apology for something Belichick would NEVER tolerate...

Last season, Lanky came perilously close to getting the pink slip. It was his first season on the team. Not only did he often stray from the game plan on offense and defense, he was a major headache in practice. Along the way, I suspended Lanky from games and made him run laps around campus, but the change in his attitude was often short lived. One day, I decided if he sneezed at the wrong time in practice that he'd get the boot.

I told my Assistant (who had coached him in high school) about my intentions. He begged me not to do it. I told him to have a side conversation to let Lanky know that I was done waiting for his attitude to change. After practice I decided to speak directly with Lanky.

Me: I'm just about done with the bullshit, man. I don't know what the fuck your problem is. I've spoken to you like an adult countless times and nothing changes!
Lanky: Did I have a bad practice?
Me: Your body language sucked. Your grades suck. Why are you here?!?!
Lanky: I love ball. I wanna be on a team. I don't know.
Me: So then act like it!
Lanky: I don't get what I did, though?
Me: You don't know that your body language sucks? You think it's okay to ask teammates for an explanation of shit that I just explained? Do they speak some kind of fuckin language that I don't know?!? Are you oppositionally defiant?
Lanky: Nah. I mean, I don't know. My teacher in elementary school had me tested for that. What is it?
Me: It means you act like a 4 year old when people ask you to do simple shit!
Lanky: I mean, I don't do it on purpose. I respect you and all. I don't know. I guess I just do it without knowing.
Me: What would you do if I kicked you off the team right now?!
Lanky: I'd drop out of school. I'm not really feelin school to begin with. It isn't for me.

I kept Lanky on the team. At the time he had a 1.8 GPA. A year later, his GPA went up to a 2.46 and he's now headed to a 4 year school--which was a pipe dream just two years ago. The two guys I forgave for insulting me are working towards their Bachelor's degree as well. That's the price I pay for being a bitch...