June 1, 2019

A broken-down van to the NBA Finals - rookie coach Nick Nurse of the Toronto Raptors

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26844126/got-take-ourselves-nick-nurse-journey-nba-finals

And we haven't even discussed the buffalo plaid suits yet.

So, we wonder about this rookie head coach who has guided Toronto into the Finals, whose nomadic coaching journey included multiple stops in the British Basketball League, a duo of D League incarnations and a three-day stint as associate head coach at Iowa State that netted him hundreds of thousands of dollars (more on that later). The general consensus appears to be this dude is fun.
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It came in the form of an overseas opportunity with the Derby Storm in the British Basketball League as player-coach. The team traveled to all its games in a creaky white van, but there was a problem: Nurse, at 23, wasn't old enough to secure the rental to take the wheel.

"I had to make my center Martin Ford drive," Nurse says. "He wasn't happy about it, either."

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One of the perks of the D-League was a chance for players to sign up for free continuing education. Nurse became the rare coach who cashed in, taking an online course from Michigan State on interpersonal communication and conflict management.

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"Nick believes you should throw stuff against the wall and see if it sticks," McDermott says, "because if you aren't throwing anything against the wall, nothing sticks."

June 1, 2019

Who doesn't love some breezy BEACH music?

June 1, 2019

The New American Gothic- your commentary please