Who am I?
I’m the only man to play professionally in the NFL and NBA; I was a three sport star at the University of Minnesota. I played football, basketball and baseball for my alma mater. I was a member of the Minneapolis Lakers from 1949-51 and on the 1950 NBA Championship team. I went on to play for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1951-1952 as a defensive end and wide receiver. Later (1953-56) I was a receiver for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.
After my playing career concluded I became a coach with the Bombers before becoming head coach of the NFL Vikings. I served as head coach of the Vikings from 1967-1983, I returned in 1985 for one more season. I was coach of the team leading them to the Super Bowl. There are enough hints thrown out, see if you can figure out who I am. I’ll help you my name it might be backwards, it could be first name last your duty is to unscramble it.
tnarg dub
Bio Wikipedia
The new and improved
My reference to the new and improved refers to Dwight Howard of the Rockets. I admit I’ve been highly critical of Howard in the past, a portion due to him “walking” away from my team (Lakers). His free-throw percentage is still terrible but other portions of his game have improved since his almost season long injury. Maybe we just misunderstood Howard perhaps he never wanted to be the Alpha Dog with the Lakers or Rockets.
An injury kept him out of the lineup for a major portion of the regular season. Would he be the same player when he returned? Would he adjust to the offense running through “The Beard”? Well Howard managed to surprise me (and others) especially in their series against the Mavs. He averaged a low 16.6 ppg while grabbing nearly 14 rebounds along with 3 block shots. Despite his early Superman persona with the Magic perhaps its okay for him to play second fiddle as long as he wins.
answer
Bud Grant, long-time coach of the NFL Vikings. Grant remains one of a few athletes to play professionally in two different sports.
Brown’s coaching tree
We hear all the time about the Spurs Gregg Popovich’s coaching tree. A further reminder was provided at the time Hawks Coach Mike Budenholzer was named NBA Coach of the Year. I checked and Larry Brown currently coaching SMU also has an extensive coaching tree. Truth is Popovich actually served one-year as an unpaid assistant while Brown was head coach at Kansas. Below is a partial list of assistants who served as head coaches or in a team’s front office. The list is comprised of Brown’s former players or coaching assistants it’s likely I missed names but you get the idea.
Alvin Gentry - Current assistant, ex-head coach
R.C. Buford - Spurs general manager
Gregg Popovich - Spurs coach
John Calipari - Kentucky head coach
Mark Turgeon - Maryland head coach
Tad Boyle - Colorado head coach
Danny Manning - Wake Forest head coach
Mike Woodson - Ex-Hawks coach
Kevin Pritchard - Former interim coach/general manager Blazers
Interesting
The ESPN headline read; “Austin Rivers still stuck in dad’s shadow”. I thought for a moment what has he accomplished to escape his father’s shadow? Before you decide I’m a hater I don’t dislike him I resent the fact he’s not very good. I resent the fact if not for his dad he might be in the D-League or somewhere else. How did we arrive at this point you might ask? After an outstanding high school career young Rivers enrolled at Duke. Rivers averaged nearly 16 ppg shooting .433 from the floor then declared for the NBA after his freshman season. Rivers would be drafted by the Hornets/Pelicans but in nearly three years in New Orleans he spent most of his time in a reserve role.
January 2015 Doc Rivers replaced his coaching hat with his president of basketball operations hat. The younger Rivers had been traded to the Celtics but never had an opportunity to suit up in a green jersey; three days after the trade president of basketball operations acquire Rivers for the Clippers. Sound a little like nepotism; I’ve never forgotten an NBA scout’s assessment of Rivers prior to the NBA Draft. The scout said; “He (Rivers) thinks he’s Kobe Bryant”. Someone might state Rivers view of himself expresses tremendous confidence on his part. I can agree with that view however it’s time for Rivers to prove he belongs in the NBA and not merely “hanging on” due to his coach/dad.
I’m curious
One by one the prospects in the Class of 2015 have made their decisions known. There are 150 prospects on Rivals list, as this is written only six remain uncommitted not counting Thon Make, he‘s the number 9 prospect. If you remember his story Maker was counted as a Class of 2016 prospect but reclassified to 2015. Even more interesting Maker’s list consists of 18 schools. We’d figure by early May he would have trimmed the list to a manageable number. Even stranger Maker has failed to visit a single school on his list according to all the information I could uncover. Maker is not listed on ESPNU’s Top 100 list, my guess Maker spent this past season playing in Canada.
Bits n Pieces
I’m borrowing this I didn’t originate it but thought it worthy enough to be shared. The statement was made in defense of former Thunder Coach Scott Brooks. “If Sam Presti (Thunder GM) is so smart why did he trade James Harden?” Harden remains MVP with a number of folks but will not win the honor.
It appears the NBA is going to seriously discuss eliminating Hack-a-Shaq. We realize coaches are only using the rules in place but the games become become difficult to watch. Dwight Howard, Josh Smith and Rajon Rondo are just a few of the players the Hack a rule has been used against.
This could be considered a coup d’état for Cal and Coach Cuzono Martin. They managed to secure the commitment of 5-star and Rivals number three prospect Jaylen Brown. The 6-7 200 pound wing passed on North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky, Arizona and Ohio State to name just a few. Last month Cal secured the services of 6-11 220 pound Ivan Rabb. Rabb also a 5-star prospect is listed as Rivals number 7 in the nation.
