What's left to say...

... about Coach Walsh. You can't add to the legend. You can't write or say anything that will say more that the championships and adulation of players. To not say anything, however, would be less than honest about his impact. Very few times in my life have I been in awe of someone in athletics or any other part of my life. Granted I've never met the sports heroes of my youth (Dr. J, Ozzie Newsome and Wilie Stargell), but I'm fairly confident that I'd be happy just to talk to them and move on. I've sat down to lunch and dinner with Judges, Representatives, Senators, Mayors, Bank Presidents, and Bishops. No big deal. They're all wonderful people, but simply people just the same. Recently Bob left me in awe.

It wasn't about his win total. It wasn't about experience. Cross off ranting, drawing up a play, substitutions and taking a time out at the right time. It was about understanding the game, but even more than that.

So why the reaction? Let me add a little background info. My first interaction with Coach Walsh, I believe, was the summer between seventh and eighth grades. I attended a basketball camp hosted by then Lorain County Community College Coach Steve Bankson (the Head Coach at Baldwin Wallace College since 1980). I remember the guy that ran the defensive station. The two things that I remember most about that station are 1) you were always dead tired after going through that workout, and 2) we never had a basketball at the station. Never. It was about footwork, body position, angles, stamina, focus, rotation, help... As a young guy really just learning the game, it made no sense to me - basketball without a ball, no shooting, no dribbling. What's this guy smoking? Of course it all became clearer years later. And it served me well as I moved through my high school career playing for another guy that believed in tough man-to-man defense - Larry Stark. The point here is that it took me a while, but I got it. I understood. He got me to buy in.

Before I elaborate, let me set the stage. February 28, 2008. I was sitting in the press box at Midview broadcasting (with my partner that night Dave DeNatale) as Elyria and Strongsville went at it again. Can't tell you how many times over the last few years I've watched this game - it's always entertaining. Not a bad deal to watch Walsh battle his friend/nemesis Joe Lynch. Elyria's playing OK, but nothing special and the Mustangs are on cruise control. Somewhere around the 5 minute mark in the third quarter, the game changed. The Pioneers came out with a renewed energy/intensity/desire. It took them to about the 6:00 minute mark in the forth to truly get back in the game. The forth quarter was all Elyria and they won a tight one by four having been down by 18 a quarter and a half earlier.

OK. So what's the big deal.

In our post game interview on WDLW, Coach Walsh told us that he wanted to hold off on the big pressure until the forth quarter. The plan, according to coach, was to hold back and make one big run at the end, to actually concede three quarters. My jaw, and I mean this literally, dropped open. It took me a second to recoup. I understood the strategy straight away. Pretty impressive. More impressive that he pulled it off against an opposing coach as good as Lynch.

Here's the reason for the reaction, though. He got them to buy in. These guys, who weren't even born when he won his last state title, who's fathers could have played for Walsh, got it. Walsh - gray haired, crusty, old school, mean old #$%&* - connected with this group of teenagers and taught them about what it means to play beyond their individual skill sets. And they understood, ultimately, that if they did it his way, they could win. Think about it again. A bunch of street ballers running a half court, set offense (when they had to) and team defense. And they respected him for it.

I had a chance to talk to Bob at the All-Star game last weekend. Even in retirement, he wanted to make sure that I understood it was about the kids. I always knew that. Nobody commits to coaching a high school sports team if it's not about the kids. I guess the difference is that now I truly understand how impactful one individual can be on those kids.

Thanks Bob.