Novice Coach Switches Coasts

[Zingo]

March 12, 2035, 9:01PM Fordham Men's Basketball Facility, Selection Sunday

Coach S. settled in to watch Selection Sunday. It was the first time in awhile that he had been nervous about whether the team had the ability to perform in the tournament this year. The team finished with a solid winning record, one of the best since he had been here as a coach, but had just suffered an unfortunate loss to Dayton in the Conference Championship.

The team sat and watched the program intently. "Fordham #6 will face Purdue #11." The team let out an audible sigh as they were nervous about facing such an established program. Coach S. knew Purdue was a solid team as well. Not only did they have a good season, but they had been in this position before and had more familiarity with the NCAA Tournament as a program than Fordham did. Even if Fordham was the superior seed, this game would be a challenge.

Coach S. figured he should give another speech in an effort to improve his team's morale, "Listen Purdue is a tough team, but so are we. You've played great ball all year, don't let up now. Now let's go out there and beat some Boilermakers!"



Tournament Information
March 16, 2035: Fordham 27-7 (6) v.s. Purdue 22-11 (11)
This is Fordham's 8th NCAA Tournament appearance.
This is Coach S.'s third NCAA Tournament bid and sixth post-season tournament bid in his career.

Author's Note: I accidentally edited this post when I went to copy it so I had to go back and recreate it to the best of my memory, so there are identifiable changes. Sorry.

[Zingo]

April 6, 2035, 8:46PM Fordham Athletics Player's Lounge

Coach S. stepped out of the post-season party and took a moment to reflect on the past season. The team had made the Sweet Sixteen, for only the second time in history. Not only that, but Fordham had the Conference Player of the Year (Sam Robinson) and Freshman of the Year (Adam Midgley), both of whom were also 1st Team All Conference. He also managed to bring home his first Conference Coach of the Year award. It was quite a season.

Coach S. had already made the rounds. Shook a few hands, wished Sam Robinson well and all the best with the NBA Draft, "Not too many players can come in with the versatility you have and do what you did, it's been an honor coaching you." "Thanks coach, I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the program and for your faith in me." He finally had a chance to step back into his office.

Coach S. felt as though he finally had built the program he tried to for so many years. The next obvious goals were Conference Champions and NCAA Tournament Champions, lofty ambitions but sure attainable in time. He stared out the glass window of his office looking at the banner that had been unveiled just a few hours ago signifying Fordham's Sweet Sixteen appearance. He'd spent ten years with this program, something he didn't anticipate he would do when he first joined. Sure, there had been ups and downs, not to mention the Martin Duncan debacle, but this was a place that felt like home to him. There were great players and staff He was unsure if he would leave. He did know it'd have to be a damn good offer though.

Final Record: 29-8(15-3)
78.3 PPG, 68.9 OPPG, 19.1 APG, 33.0 RPG, NET 32



An asterisk denotes a starter. Sam Robinson was the starting SG.

One recruit this year, but a damn good one. Torris Hunter was a Top 10 PF and a Top 50 Recruit Nationally who should be able to step in as an immediate contributor. It was certainly another factor that weighed in favor of staying. There was also a transfer coming in at SF, but they would likely serve a reserve role given Midgley's performance.


Fordham Men's Basketball Recruit Class 2035

Other Notable Facts From the Season:
NCAA Final: Texas (70) over BYU (67). It was heartbreak in Utah as Texas claimed their fourth NCAA Tournament Title in School History. BYU missed out on what would have been their first title.
ATL-10 Championship Game: Dayton (84) over Fordham (79)
Conference Player of the Year: Sam Robinson SR, PG/SG: 18.4 PPG, 2.7 APG, 3.6 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Conference Freshman of the Year: Adam Midgley FR, SF: 14.0 PPG, 1.6 APG, 4.9 RPG, 2.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG
All-Conference 1st Team: Sam Robinson SR, PG/SG: 18.4 PPG, 2.7 APG, 3.6 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 0.4 BPG, Adam Midgley FR, SF: 14.0 PPG, 1.6 APG, 4.9 RPG, 2.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Team MVP[s]: Sam Robinson
Best Win: 95-89 (OT) @ Nevada (NCAA Tournament)
Worst Loss: 79-84 v.s. Dayton (A10 Finals)
Notable Graduates: Sam Robinson
Jeremy Montross was a Norton award nominee.
This was Coach S.'s 13th season and 10th with Fordham. His overall record sits at 248-200.
Coach S. is currently 3-3 in the NCAA Tournament. This was his first Sweet Sixteen appearance.
UPDATE: No draft for Sam Robinson.

[Wayne23]

Sweet Sixteen! Not too shabby!

[Zingo]

January 19, 2036, 12:05PM Fordham Men's Basketball Court, Exterior Hallway

Coach S. admired the trophy as it sat in a display case just outside of the basketball court. "Cancun Challenge Champions 2035 - Fordham" the engraving read. A few years ago Coach S. would have been elated to have won such an event. Now however, it was a microcosm in the grand scheme of things. There were bigger fish to fry, but the team this year had to get to frying. There were some embarrassing pre-conference losses for which there was no valid excuse. Yet at the same time they had won this thing and blown out some decent teams. However by now Coach S. knew that struggles with consistency generally meant trouble ahead, but he still held out hope for this team, especially given the crop of young talent.

Chairman McNeely strolled up beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Good work Coach S."

"It's alright, just a Pre-Season Tournament. I'd prefer a Post-Season one."

"Well, so would we but I'm sure you'll have something in time."

"We might already if the board ever decided to invest in this program."

"What was that?"

Coach S. jerked his shoulder away and turned to face the chairman, "Eleven years Michael! Eleven years I've asked for some investment in the facilities or some additional funding and in eleven years the Board has turned me down every time."

"Well, if you increase the prestige of the program I bit more I'm sure we could justify..."

"Increase the prestige? I put Fordham on the f*cking map. This team was nothing after Neubauer left. Struggling to attract any decent talent. I stepped in and made it happen. I did Michael! It was me! And you still can't afford to throw this program anything after all I've done?"

"Careful Coach S! Remember who has the power to remove you," McNeely threatened, his face turning stern and red.

"This is my team McNeely. It could be ours, but right now its mine. And it'll stay that way until the Board decides they want to invest in this program and take it to the next level. We are winning now! We need to strike while we can to not just sustain this success but to build on it! If you can't see that, maybe the Board doesn't share the same vision I do..."

Coach S. turned and walked away as McNeely, a bit flustered, yelled after him.

"You'd do well to remember your place coach! You'd do well..."

Top Players (this season):
Devone Smith (SG): 15.2 PPG, 2.6 APG, 2.2 RPG
Torris Hunter (PF): 11.9 PPG, 1.1 APG, 6.9 RPG
Adam Midgley (SF): 12.0 PPG, 2.0 APG, 4.6 RPG

Current Record: 12-6 (4-1)
80.8 PPG, 69.1 OPPG, 20.3 APG, 34.3 RPG, NET 37


The Fordham Rams were the champions of the Cancun Challenge despite being the #8 seed. They beat Rutgers in the finals 87-66.

[Zingo]

March 12, 2036, 9:03PM Fordham Men's Basketball Facility, Selection Sunday

Coach S. settled in to watch Selection Sunday. It was the first time in awhile that he had been nervous about te team making the NCAA Tournament. The team finished 22-10 (14-4) after an early Conference exit to VCU 109-102.

There was a lot of individual talent this year. This team could go in and beat anyone on any given day, but they could also lose in a similar fashion, which made each week shrouded with uncertainty. Coach S. noticed Chairman McNeely walk in and stared at him bitterly. The two had not been on the best of terms since their encounter in January, and Coach S. wasn't ready to make amends.

The team sat and watched the program intently. "Virginia Tech the #8 seed facing Fordham #9." The team celebrated making the tournament. Many of them were young, excited, and ready to forge their own legacy.

Coach S. stood up and addressed the room with a short speech, "Go out there and win. We can't be inconsistent now, just go out an win."



Tournament Information
March 17, 2036: Fordham 22-10 (9) @ Virginia Tech 22-10 (8)
This is Fordham's 9th NCAA Tournament appearance.
This is Coach S.'s fourth NCAA Tournament bid and seventh post-season tournament bid in his career.

[Zingo]

April 6, 2036, 5:30PM Fordham Men's Basketball Coach's Office

Coach S. was sitting in his office reviewing the prior year. It hadn't been their best of seasons. In fact it was the first time in his NCAA runs that the team had proactively taken a step backward. The close loss the Virginia Tech was gut-wrenching, it was a game that really came down to the wire in overtime and would likely be remembered as one of the better ones of this particular tournament.

Coach S. knew he still had a good team, but the persistent doubts of something better being out there lingered in his mind again. On the heels of his greatest season and a pre-season tournament win, he had enhanced conflicts with the Board and a Round 1 exit in both the NCAA and Conference Tournaments. Perhaps it was time to move on. But he'd been saying that in his head for years. Something about Fordham was keeping him rooted here. Hope for the future, the progress he had built so far, the positive memories? It remained unclear, but his heart was with this program, in some sense. He wasn't sure if he would leave, but every year, as evident in his own thoughts, there was a little pull telling him to do it.

Final Record: 22-11(14-4)
79.0 PPG, 68.8 OPPG, 19.9 APG, 35.4 RPG, NET 35



An asterisk denotes a starter. Marc Harmon was starting C.

Coach spent a moment reviewing the incoming class as per usual around this time of year. Wilfork and Barkley stood out as solid prospects. With both behind in the Top 75 Nationally, Coach S. was confident they could develop into starting players on the team fairly early in their careers. Smith was more of a depth option but had potential as a starter in his later years.

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Fordham Men's Basketball Recruit Class 2036

Other Notable Facts From the Season:
NCAA Final: Michigan State (83) over Oregon (68). Michigan State claims their third NCAA Tournament Title in School History. Oregon missed out on what would have been their second title.
ATL-10 Championship Game: VCU (78) over Saint Louis (77)
Team MVP[s]: Devone Smith, Jeremy Montross
Best Win: 88-69 @ Dayton (#20)
Worst Loss: 89-92 (OT) @ Virginia Tech (NCAA Tournament)
Notable Graduates: Jeremy Montross
Jeremy Montross and Torris Hunter were Norton award nominees. Hunter was a quarterfinalist.
This was Coach S.'s 14th season and 11th with Fordham. His overall record sits at 270-211.
Coach S. is currently 3-4 in the NCAA Tournament.

[Zingo]

April 11, 2036, 1:00PM Butler Athletics Press Room

Coach S. stepped out into the press room to a wall of cameras and barrage of questions. Wait a minute... this felt familiar, although the colors he was wearing certainly didn't. Neither did the little Bulldog pinned to his lapel. He sat down as the press took photos. Judy DuPont, Butler's Director of Basketball Operations, spoke first. "For us, it was a pretty easy decision. We believe Coach S. is the right coach to restore Butler as a contender in the NCAA and we're incredibly excited to have him joining the team. Now, you'll hear from Coach S. himself."


Get used to seeing this logo for the next few years. Sure beats a giant "F" with a Ram.

Coach S. sat there before taking off his prescription aviator shades (that he bought just for this occasion) and addressed the crowd, "Before we begin, I just want to say it was an honor to be selected as the next coach for the Butler Men's Basketball Team. This program has a rich history and I'm excited to be a part of something great and make Butler one of the premier teams here." He turned to Ms. DuPont, "I just want to thank Judy and the Board for entrusting me with this role. I also want to thank Fordham University for the many years I've spent there. It was an honor helping to build that program and I am forever grateful for my time with the Rams. With that said, I'll be taking questions."

"Coach S., it was a big move from New York to Indianapolis, how are you settling in so far?"

"Doing alright, thanks for asking, next question."

"Coach, a lot of speculation surrounding your departure from Fordham, was there any strained relationship between you and the team?"

"Not at all. It was just the right time for me to move on to something else. Like I said, I'm grateful for my time at Fordham, it was an incredible experience and a formative one, but I'm ready for a new challenge."

"What is your first course of action at Butler?"

"I'll be looking to build the roster up. We have a couple of solid players right now, but we could use more and I'm here to make sure we get some of the best in the nation to play for us."

"Why Butler?"

"This is a program with a rich history. Butler's been a contender in the NCAA before and has come close to winning it all before. I hope to be the coach to push the team over the top and to that goal."

Coach S. addressed a few more questions before stepping out of the prep. room. Judy then showed him around the various facilities, including the stadium. "Hinkle Fieldhouse is an incredible venue and one of the top spots in Indianapolis. I'm sure you'll enjoy the games here coach." He could already envision the packed court in his head, lights shining on the players, the thrill of the game gripping him in a way it couldn't have in Fordham.


The vision in Coach S.'s daydream.

"Oh yea, it'll definitely be great coaching games here" he said, smiling at the thought.

Finally, she brought him back to his office. While it wasn't overlooking the court like his prior one, it had a nice window with an outdoor view and was one of the larger offices in the facility, certainly larger than his one in Fordham. "Thanks so much Judy, I appreciate it and I'm excited to get to work."

"So are we. Best of luck Coach S., we have no doubt you'll surpass our expectations. Talk to you soon," she said as she shook his hand and left.

As he settled in his chair, he noticed a few texts:

The first from his old friend, Amy Oliver. "Hey Coach S.! Congratulations on the new gig! I'm actually the 1st Assistant Coach to the Indiana Hoosiers now if you can believe that, we should catch up some time if you're interested."

"Sounds good to me Amy!"

The remaining few were old staff like Jonathan and Lucious along with a few of his former and current players. He appreciated the outcry of support, but the appointment was just the first step. Butler certainly had the tools to build a title contender, but right now they were a far cry from it. The team had just finished 14-18 and hadn't had a winning season in 8 years. The roster was in dire need of an overhaul in a few key positions. Beyond this, the Big East wasn't an easy conference. Nearly every team here had historic success or the chance to make a run.

On top of all that, the Board had set some pretty lofty expectations for him, requiring that he qualify for the NCAA Tournament, finish in the top half of the Conference, and finish above .500 overall. He knew it would be slow going this first few seasons, but he did it at Fordham, why couldn't he do it here?

He put his feet up and looked around. Time to build a dynasty.

Butler Program Facts:
-Butler finished 14-18 last season under Coach Ed Cooley, who was presumably fired after failing to meet the Board's criteria (as he is now the 1st Assistant at Wisconsin)
-Butler's last tournament appearance was in 2033 where they lost in the First Round at the NIT
-Butler's last NCAA Tournament appearance was under Jon Scheyer, who led them to moderate NCAA Tournament success from 2023-2025 (three appearances, one Sweet 16, AP Ranked twice). Butler has had three coaches and only two NIT appearances since then
-Historically, Butler's best seasons were under Brad Stevens in 2010 and 2011 where they were back to back runners up in the NCAA Tournament. Butler has not yet won an NCAA tournament
-In total, Butler has a school winning percentage of .574 (1889-1402), 9 Conference Championships, 0 Nat'l Championships in 19 Appearances with 7 Round of 16 showings and 2 Semifinal showings (the Brad Stevens era), 12 NIT appearances, and 1 CBI appearance
-Butler has a team prestige of 3* (51/100) and conference prestige of 4* (78/100). Butler has C+ facilities and B- Academics (920 SAT)

[PointGuard]

Plays the Jeffersons' song: "Movin' On Up!"[list=][/list]

[Wayne23]

Good move! Butler is a team that you could really do something with in time.

[Zingo]

January 15, 2037, 12:17PM Prime 47, Indianapolis, Indiana

Coach S. stepped into the restaurant only to be greeted by a warm smile and hug from his old friend Amy Oliver. Wow she still looked amazing. Sure, they stayed in touch and he saw all of her updates on social media, but it had been awhile since he last saw her in person. A few years to be exact.



"Zach, it's so great to see you!" she said, departing from the hug.

"Amy, the pleasure is mine! You look amazing."

"So do you. Hey, they say forty is the new thirty."

"Ugh, don't remind me. The years just fly by in this profession."


Amy Oliver, now 34, 1st Assistant Coach of the Indiana Hoosiers Women's Basketball Team.

The host greets them, "Ah Coach S., right this way sir."

They take a seat at their table and browse the menu as Amy looks around.

"Wow, this is such a fancy place and they sat you right away! You must be a big shot around town already."

"I've always been a big shot. It's part of who I am now. It's called winning."

She looked at him and furrowed her brow, before shaking her head once, "Okay then... so tell me, how are things? I was sad to hear you leave Fordham," she said, putting down the menu and smiling.

"Things are great. I'm on top like I said before. Fordham couldn't really contain me anymore, I felt boxed in. Like a caged bird almost, you know?"

"Not really... I always liked that place! Some of my favorite years were spent there."

"It was a sh*thole, I'm just looking for my next way to the top now. You can't enter this game expecting to have lasting loyalty or you get strapped down for a decade and end up hating yourself and everything around you."

Amy placed down the menu and audibly scoffed, "What is wrong with you? This isn't the coach I remember or the one I've talked to online."

"Times change baby, best get used to the new me," he said, putting his shades on with his feet up on the table.

"Well, the new you is a real a**hole and I'm not wasting my time in lunch with him," she said as she got up to leave.

Coach S. thought for a moment before getting up and walking after her, "Amy? Amy wait!"

She stopped and turned around as he closed the gap between the two of them before he spoke, "I'm sorry. I've been in such a weird headspace since the NCAA Tournament, I feel like I have to exude a certain image."

"You don't though. You just need to be a good coach. Stay humble and don't become a cocky d*ck! You know, I heard some of the rumors about you and McNeely and the Board at Fordham... it seems like you have a massive ego now."

"Amy please, can we talk about this? I really wanted to enjoy lunch with you today."

"You know, I was really looking forward to seeing you too but you've changed Zach. Call me when whenever 'this' disturbing version of you goes away," she said as she walked out of the restaurant.

A few patrons were now staring at him. "What?! This ain't the Lifetime channel!" he shouted as he proceeded back to the table and sorrowfully ordered and ate a ribeye steak.

Maybe what Amy said was right, he thought on his car ride home. That outburst against McNeely, all that nonsense about it being his team, how he built it. That wasn't like him. In fact even the whole shades gimmick was kind of stupid. He pulled over and threw the shades outside before beginning to drive again... wait, those cost a lot of money, especially since they were prescription. Well as symbolic as that was that was dumb...

In any event, maybe he should remedy his attitude going forward. This cockiness wasn't even deserved, it wasn't like he won the NCAA Tournament. He did okay and had a few big years at what was traditionally a lower tier school. Big deal. And even if he had won the tournament, it still didn't justify his behavior or give him license to be an a**hole.

Also, that "baby" **** in the restaurant? What the f*ck was that? He really owed Amy an apology. He'd be sure to set the record straight. Maybe some flowers to her office at Indiana. Wait, flowers? They weren't romantically involved. I mean, she was a very attractive woman, quirky, fun, in the same field as him, but there wasn't anything serious here. He'd dated throughout the years but hadn't settled down with anyone or been involved in anything too serious. The game made that too difficult. But maybe someone in the field would understand more?

No, what was he thinking? He'd been the Head Coach when she was a graduate assistant. If that wasn't weird enough, she was probably married or had a boyfriend at least, although he hadn't seen a ring... not that he was looking! Ugh, in any event yea, flowers seemed like a good idea. He'd have to get a bouquet sent over next week. More importantly though he had to amend his sh*tty behavior. Not for her sake, but for his own. Sometimes it took an outside perspective to help remedy thing. He had to focus on what made him fall in the love with this game the most.

Top Players (this season):
Nick Thorton (C): 10.8 PPG, 2.2 APG, 8.0 RPG
David Edward(C/PF): 10.3 PPG, 1.3 APG, 7.6 RPG
Kendrick Davis (SG): 15.4 PPG, 2.9 APG, 4.0 RPG

Current Record: 13-5 (4-3)
75.8 PPG, 67.8 OPPG, 17.2 APG, 35.2 RPG, NET 65


The Butler Bulldogs were the champions of the Wooden Legacy Tournament as the #4 seed. They beat Temple in the finals (after upsetting a Ranked Ohio State team) 71-67.