This newsletter is being sent to 46 individuals this week!
It only took me 1,321 tweets to go somewhat viral.
That wasn’t really the plan. I was just explaining what a Division III head men’s basketball coach had said to me a few years ago.
The podcast name is bold. I understand that. But, I’ve been trying to target a specific type of coach. Those who were fired, resigned or had a contract not renewed.
I’ve had coaches say “the optics don’t look great” being on the podcast. Which is completely fine.
I’m not the Bogeyman. Just trying to normalize that being fired is okay after the dust settles. For the past month, I’ve had roughly one coach each week DM me about how the podcast has helped them get through their own firing. Whether that be at the college level, high school level, wherever. Their words mean the same to me as the podcast means to them.
Did you know…Dusty May and Dan Hurley have been on staffs that were fired? Dusty May was an assistant on the Louisiana Tech staff when Kerry Rupp was let go in 2011. Dan Hurley was an assistant on the Rutgers staff when Kevin Bannon was fired in 2001.
Did you know…Nick Saban and Bill Belichick have been fired? Nick Saban was the defensive backs coach at Ohio State and was let go after a poor 1981 season (at least in The Ohio State University’s eyes) that ended in a Liberty Bowl victory over Navy, 31-28. Belichick was fired on February 15, 1996 by Art Modell.
I could go on and on. But the point is, most people are completely unaware that coaches who have led programs to the mountaintop were once let go.
There are very few coaches like Mike Krzyzewski. The ones who haven’t been fired are truly the outliers.
“There's two kinds of coaches, them that's fired and them that's gonna be fired.”
I’ve shared on X the growth of the podcast over the past few months. It’s been a fun having meaningful conversations at least once a week. Connecting, learning about individuals journeys and hearing them open up about a tough time that they experienced along the way.
The best part? Most have taken time to reflect and grow from that dark moment.
In the nearly 90 episodes that’s one of the best takeaways. When people have been let go, for a variety of different reasons, they’ve had a chance to stop, reflect and grow. In life, that’s all you can ask for.
Something just happened to me. What did I learn? How can I be better moving forward?
A life lesson for us all.
Episode #87 - Nick Pasqua
Coach Pasqua shares his journey through the highs and lows of coaching college basketball. He emphasizes lessons learned from early failures, the importance of adaptability, and leadership during challenging times. We talk about Coach Pasqua playing career at King University in Tennessee and transition into coaching at the Division II level. We touch on his stops as a head coach at Tusculum University, Southern Wesleyan University, Converse University and now currently at Coker University in Hartsville, South Carolina. Insights on recruiting winners, transfer portal, program culture, integrity, learning from failure, being yourself and getting better!
Episode #88 - Rick Pietri
Recently retired coach Rick Pietri shares his incredible coaching career spanning high school and college. He was the head women’s basketball coach at Jacksonville State and South Alabama over 26 years. 417 wins, won the Sun Belt and ASUN, has been coach of the year and an all-time leader in wins. He also won a state championship in high school on the boys basketball side. Nearly 40 years in coaching! We discuss the importance of family, connecting, establishing standards, along with the ability to adapt.
Book Review
(2010)
Everybody takes notes
Everybody says “Yes, sir” “Yes, ma’am” “No, sir”, “No, ma’am”
Everybody picks up trash (leave it better than you found it)
“The single most important factor is team morale.” - Dean Smith
“Don’t Whine. Don’t Complain. Don’t Make Excuses.” - John Wooden
“If you wrestle with a pig you’re going to get muddy and only the pig enjoys it.”
Don’t be too proud to do dirty jobs
Next-game mentality whether you win or lose
Play each possession like it’s the last game
If you think about losing you will lose
There’s more worth in the struggle than in the championship
The measurement of a man is his response to adversity
Only thing you can control is your attitude and your effort
Intentionally step in the lane on free throw when up 2 with under 10 seconds left and team only having one free throw
Quote of the Week
“Everyone you meet knows something you don’t.” - Kevin Eastman
Worth Your Time
Just finished the first episode on Season 1 of “This Was SportsCenter” hosted by Rich Eisen. Since this is #TBT, enjoy taking a trip down memory lane. Lot of good nuggets in here. Especially from Dan Patrick’s early days prior to ESPN and then with the mothership.
Fired Coaches Podcast started in May 2020. The podcast interviews coaches, scouts, media and others connected to the sports world that fell from the mountaintop. They were either fired, resigned or told that their contract would not be renewed. Level does not matter. The story does.