DDSCB23: 3s and Put Backs
May 1, 2022: Rick Loes here. Yeah, as a kid it was “Rick Blows,” “Rick Lose,” “Rick Loser,” and when I started coaching the same adolescent nonsense was thrown at me; still is from time to time.
My mom, when I was about 11, put it in perspective for me: “Ricky, (I insisted on “Rick” at about age 15 and it’s been Rick ever since) everyone gets teased. My best advice to you is to under react. The more they think it bothers you, the more they’ll do it. BUT, if it becomes really excessive, or if anyone gets physical, that’s more than teasing. You let me know and we’ll figure out a way to deal with it.”
As always, mom was right. She was always my closest friend and my confidant. About two years ago, as she was driving home from visiting her 95 year old mother in a nursing home, she was killed by a drunk driver. The s. o. b. didn’t even get a scratch. He served 18 months for it. EIGHTEEN MONTHS! I lost my mom when she was 68, and I miss her every single day. She always had the right thing to say. There are countless times when I go to pick up the phone to call her and then realize that I can’t do that any more.
Her mother just faded away after we told her about mom. She was dead in less than a month.
My dad, on the other hand… well, the less said the better. He’s dead, too. Died of a heart attack several years ago. No loss.
I have a sister who took after my mom, even became a pediatrician because that’s what mom was. I see her and her kids as often as I can. With my schedule that’s not often enough but we both try. I have one brother who, sadly, took after my dad. The only time I see him is when he’s broke. I’m a sucker. I always give him a couple hundred. Hey, he’s family.
Anyway, now I’m 40 years old. Just finished my twelfth season as head coach at Boston University, and stepped up to the head coaching job with the Akron Zips of the Mid American Conference.
I have this thing I’ve wanted to try for all these years. The A. D. at BU would never let me try it, but the A. D. here is on board.
Here’s the plan: My offense will be to shoot as many threes as possible- all threes if I can, although that’s pretty unlikely. My guards and SFs will shoot only threes, my bigs will shoot threes if their ratings are above 30%, otherwise only put backs. When they get an offensive rebound they will put it back up if they can, kick it out for another three otherwise.
(Author’s Note: I’ll go to Commissioner and set players to shoot 100% of their shots from beyond the line, except for those who shoot it too poorly. They will have 100% of their shots from in close.)
I will recruit for three point shooters, guys who play decent, or at worst adequate D, guards who handle the ball well, big guys who rebound well.
Akron is a mid level school and it will take a couple years to get the kinds of players I want, but I’m starting right in with this plan with whatever I have for players.
I’m pretty psyched about having this chance.
I was 300-72, .807 at BU, not bad. At the end of the season I realized I’d done all I could do at BU and I knew it was time to move on and move up. Eventually I want to coach at an elite school, hopefully UConn, since I’m from Southern New England.