WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
By Crazy Dee
January 17, 2008
(A note about the author, by the author: As the only paid coach on the Tee’s Weekly staff I consider myself an expert contributor. This is primarily the reason I have not published an article before now -- I was not getting my due respect. Fortunately for you the reader, I have been given my proper title and dues. It is with great expectations that I present my bi-weekly article as a Tee’s Weekly contributor. It should be noted that before the Big East changed its policy on the six-foul rule, I was heavily recruited by an enormous minority of Big East (area) schools. However, after the Big East athletic directors voted to change back to five fouls, many coaches lost interest and I was resigned to switching sports. However, my credentials speak for themselves: Chief Investigative Reporter and Assistant Head Soccer Coach.)
Political theorists since the ground-breaking thesis “Halfway between Paris and Philadelphia: An Arendtian Analysis of the Irish Revolution” have long claimed that the evil empire known as the media determines the winner and losers of our society. No longer. No longer will I, Crazy Dee, let the media hold me and my heroes down. And in order to rise above the media by using the media, I will consistently have to fight traditional thought such as deadlines and smooth, logical, coherent writing.
But it will be through this madness that readers of the Weekly will start to sing the names of Crazy Dee and his heroes. It is my intention, through my humility, to shine the light on assistant coaches and college, PBL, DNBA, ABA and NBA “role players” across the country and the world. Here’s a look at the first candidates who will be immediately shot into greatness:
Russell Springmann -- As a former Bayside Coach of the Year (Mardela High, 1993), Texas Longhorns strength and conditioning coach Russell Springmann is not credited by the media (but should be) with single-handedly taking his team to four out of the last five Sweet 16s. Furthermore, as if the Bayside Coach of the Year was not enough, Springmann makes T.J Ford fast, Daniel Gibson strong, LaMarcus Aldridge long, and Kevin Durant a scorer. Look it up. You tell me why this man is not the Kentucky head coach.
Tamir Goodman – Tamir Goodman was rightfully ranked as the 25th best junior high school player in the country in 1997. Since then, the media has turned its back on this promising star. After a superb season and half at Towson University, where he averaged nearly a single quadruple, he left school early to join the pros. He was drafted by an Israeli first-division team and then by the government to serve in the Israeli Defense Force.
After blowing out his knee and serving his time he joined a second division team, where he was “filling it up” until his knee gave out again. He has recently moved back home and joined the Maryland Nighthawks. Look for big things out this player under the tutelage of head coach Lawrence Moten. In his first two games Tamir saw time, but he did not attempt a shot due in large part to the box-and-one he sees every time he steps on the court. The Nighthawks are 0-2 but have scored a total of 210 points in their two losses. Look for upcoming live reporting from a Nighthawks game.
Kevin Pittsnogle -- Kevin Lee Pittsnogle is primarily known for playing alongside Michael Gansey at West Virginia University. Surprisingly, Pittsnogle patented his physique (6’11’’, 36 1/2 stone) and fade-away, three-point jump shot in Martinsburg, West Virginia. In the moments when Gansey was slashing to the basket for a pull-up left-handed bank shot, he could always rely on ol’ Kevin to be hanging around the three-point line for a perfectly delivered kick-out and shot. Gansey could always get to the basket.
But I digress. Since the combo of Gansey and Pittsnogle have broken up, Gansey has gone on to do amazing things, but his sidekick is left underappreciated in the NBA Development League. Since graduating, he has had brief stints with the Boston Celtics, CBA Pittsburg Xplosion (holds league record for points in a game with 44), and now with the Austin Toros. While Pittsnogle has seen a slight slide in his last three games (10 minutes and 1.5 points), he is still averaging seven points a game and just fewer than three rebounds and one assist. It is hard to imagine that he won’t see an immediate boost of playing time after this article.
Until next week-ish, follow these players and coach closely; watch as they climb from the depths of Mardela, Towson University, and Martinsburg, WV, to the peaks of Poplar Hill Mansion. Also remember to click on my article at least once an hour; if I have 20 clicks per hour for a sustained five weeks then my current debt will be cut in squared -- as my contract says. Always remember that Crazy Dee isn’t just fighting for the underdog -- he is fighting for himself.