Basketball Coaches: Undiscovered Actors or Upset Fathers

By Christy Flom on January 26, 2015

As a high school basketball player, one of the varsity team’s favorite pastimes was watching our junior varsity coach during one of his games. He would stomp his feet and contort into the strangest twirls and spins we had ever seen a normal man do.

While the players did a great job, it was often way more entertaining to watch his reaction to plays than to actually watch what was happening on the court.

Now that I am in college, being a part of the student section when we mimic opposing coach’s reactions is also extremely fun. There are so many absurdly red faces, big waving hands, foot stomps and fist pumps that have become trademarks of coaches across the country. With the coaches front and center, they are always a visible target for the fans to enjoy.

While there may not be any Jerry Tarkanians chomping towels on the sidelines, there are a few notable coaches these days that boldly display their passion for their teams during games.

Tom Izzo and John Calipari look intense even before games. Image via google.com

First up is Tom Izzo, from Michigan State University. Izzo, like many coaches, has fantastic facial expressions.

In fact most coaches would probably be great actors once they retire as they can encompass pain, frustration, joy and excitement in a matter of two seconds as momentum changes, personal fouls are called, dumb turnovers happen and major triumphs occur over and over again every game.

Izzo is already famous for his coaching ability as it is rare for the Spartans to not make an NCAA tournament appearance under his lead. So, while he may be a prime opportunity for opposing fans to mimic, his passion for coaching and inspiring his players is most impressive and sets a high bar for other coaches to follow.

Next Sean Miller, head coach of Arizona, has one of the best stare downs I’ve ever seen. His wide eyes and dark eyebrows make for an intimidating combination and are highly photogenic.

I would not want to be on the receiving end of his bulging eyes, but they are probably a key reason why Arizona is a top ranked team this season. Nothing motivates players more than a quick glance at the bench to see their coach’s eyes screaming out of his head.

Moving on to Kansas State, Bruce Weber seems like he could be your best friend when he is smiling. However, when he starts yelling during a game, his super wide and large mouth makes him look like your father when you crashed the car for the first time. I would call Coach Weber the vocal “angry father.”

Another coach with a quiet “angry father” syndrome would be Michigan head coach John Beilein. He rarely screams unless it’s at the referees for a questionable call, but he has a highly effective frown. It is just the slightest frown, but it is there and it is powerful.

I don’t know if it would break my heart or motivate me to do better if I were to look into Beilein’s disappointed or upset eyes after I messed up, but I think in many ways the smallest of gestures are more effective than screaming and stomping coaches.

There are many coaches who seem to personify “angry fathers,” and I think it is a true testament to how dedicated coaches are to their players and vice versa. Teams become a family, and it only makes sense that the head coaches would be the head of the family, too.

Kentucky head coach John Calipari looks best when he gets a little too frazzled during a game and his hair begins to spike up a little bit. His raised eyebrows complete the look, and he really understands how to utilize the entirety of his face while calling out plays. All the polls seem to think he has a pretty good team this year, so perhaps he’s doing something right when he yells that we just don’t know about, yet.

Coach Buzz Williams when he coached at Marquette University. Image via Flickr.com

The coach most notable as attention grabbing is Buzz Williams, the head coach of Virginia Tech. He loves to dance on the sidelines after his team finishes big plays. Unlike most other coaches, when he is photographed yelling, he appears a bit jolly as though he could break out into a smile and a dance at any point. His players know he expects excellence from them and when he coaches there seems to be pure joy on his face, especially when they win.

Perhaps all of this court-side exuberance and theatrics is an outlet and way for coaches today to maintain the joy of coaching. So much is demanded of coaches, including pre and post-game press conferences, recruiting, and intense scrutiny of every action that it often seems like coaches today have served a presidential term at press conferences after games.

Just as you can see the dramatically different physical appearance of a president before his term and then after his term(s), there is extreme aging in coaching from all the stress and demands placed on them. Maybe the sideline antics are their way of returning back to why they coached in the first place: they love being consumed by a thrilling battle with an opponent in a physically and mentally challenging sport that is exhilarating to watch and play.

Real fans of this amazing game will gladly take the crazy sidelines as just one more part of what makes the game so special.

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