The following story has relevance for me: I'm going to be the assistant coach for my son's Pee Wee basketball team. The games start in March, so over the next few weeks I'll be busy immersing myself in the writings of John Wooden, Dean Smith, and Phil Jackson (whose latest book, Zen and The Art of Teaching The Triangle Offense to Three-Year-Olds, should prove invaluable). One guy I won't be referencing: Mike Remillard.
Remillard coaches - er, coached - hoops at Leavitt Area High School in Maine. His halftime pep talk during a recent game was decidedly un-Hoosiers-like; he told his players that the game "was about who had the biggest (male genitalia) in town", and told them to stick their hands down their pants and "check their manhood". Remillard, who cites Bobby Knight as an influence, was fired, but didn't seem very contrite. He half-heartedly defended his actions by implying that having his players grab their junk while he watched produced a victory. Am I making that seem more lurid than it actually was? Hmmm...an adult
male telling a bunch of high school boys to stick their hand downs
their pants and fondle themselves...nope. That's fucked up.
Remillard was fired; no word on whether on not parents or the authorities will be taking additional action against him. Remillard will certainly have difficulty finding another coaching job, but if that doesn't work out, there's always politics.
