Rick Brunson wasn't really interested in staying in the NBA. Not as a coach.
The 35-year-old Salemite retired as an active player after 10 years, spent the past season as a coaching assistant with the Denver Nuggets and felt it was a worthwhile experience.
Nonetheless, he only had eyes for the world of college basketball after his Nuggets contract was up.
He wanted to teach the game and obviously working with the pros means dealing with egos more than instruction and Xs and Os.
Which is why it'll be announced shortly that Brunson has been appointed an assistant varsity coach at the University of Virginia, where ex-Northeastern coach Dave Leitao is the head coach of the Cavaliers. Leitao was named Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year last season.
Once upon a time Leitao was an assistant at Connecticut and tried to recruit Brunson out of Salem High. This connection was a much easier match.
"I'm not getting into the Temple job," Brunson said, perhaps still disappointed that he fell short as a coaching candidate at his alma mater. "I'm not looking back. I'm just looking ahead to Virginia."
He apparently had several other opportunities in college hoops, but declined to identify the schools.
"It's my first college job and a good school. It's a good start for me," Brunson said from his South Jersey home. "I'm going down there with my eyes and ears open. This is something I've always wanted to do, coach college basketball. Hopefully, it'll be the first step in becoming a head coach in the near future.
"It's always been my dream," he said. "I applied, interviewed and I guess I did a good job. Denver was good for me, a good experience, but my heart was set on college ball. I didn't want anything to do with the pros. I appreciate what the NBA did for me, but I'm going in a different direction and will do what I most want to do, teach the game."
Temple Watchers were disappointed he didn't get the Owls' job, despite the recommendation of John Chaney, who retired. Brunson was at least a finalist.
"I'm not commenting on that," he re-asserted.
The Brunsons have two children, Jalen, 11, a fifth grader, and Erica, 6, a first grader, who started school in Jersey the other day. His family will be joining Rick in late November.
The 35-year-old Salemite retired as an active player after 10 years, spent the past season as a coaching assistant with the Denver Nuggets and felt it was a worthwhile experience.
Nonetheless, he only had eyes for the world of college basketball after his Nuggets contract was up.
He wanted to teach the game and obviously working with the pros means dealing with egos more than instruction and Xs and Os.
Which is why it'll be announced shortly that Brunson has been appointed an assistant varsity coach at the University of Virginia, where ex-Northeastern coach Dave Leitao is the head coach of the Cavaliers. Leitao was named Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year last season.
Once upon a time Leitao was an assistant at Connecticut and tried to recruit Brunson out of Salem High. This connection was a much easier match.
"I'm not getting into the Temple job," Brunson said, perhaps still disappointed that he fell short as a coaching candidate at his alma mater. "I'm not looking back. I'm just looking ahead to Virginia."
He apparently had several other opportunities in college hoops, but declined to identify the schools.
"It's my first college job and a good school. It's a good start for me," Brunson said from his South Jersey home. "I'm going down there with my eyes and ears open. This is something I've always wanted to do, coach college basketball. Hopefully, it'll be the first step in becoming a head coach in the near future.
"It's always been my dream," he said. "I applied, interviewed and I guess I did a good job. Denver was good for me, a good experience, but my heart was set on college ball. I didn't want anything to do with the pros. I appreciate what the NBA did for me, but I'm going in a different direction and will do what I most want to do, teach the game."
Temple Watchers were disappointed he didn't get the Owls' job, despite the recommendation of John Chaney, who retired. Brunson was at least a finalist.
"I'm not commenting on that," he re-asserted.
The Brunsons have two children, Jalen, 11, a fifth grader, and Erica, 6, a first grader, who started school in Jersey the other day. His family will be joining Rick in late November.
Jalen has already displayed a talent for the game, performing for a standout traveling team around the east coast.
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How tough is it to win a football game in Gloucester? Ask Winthrop. For all their success, the Vikings haven't left Newell Stadium with a 'W' since 1993, a 14-6 decision that left Gloucester 0-3 after three weeks. The Fishermen did rally to end up 5-5. Gloucester's domination at home vs. Winthrop adds up to six in a row: 27-7, 28-13, 28-6, 39-6, 14-0,and 13-12.
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Meanwhile, Winthrop's Anthony Fucillo was the No. 1 quarterback for Colgate in the Red Raiders' 13-11 opening victor over Albany State. He was 4-for-9 passing with no picks and 31 yards and got sacked for 60 yards in losses. It only gets tougher for Fucillo Saturday when the No. 3 ranked UMass Minutemen roll into town. Danvers' Nick Hennessey is also starting for Colgate at right tackle in the offensive line.
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The MVP of the annual Legends-Peabody Police Jimmy Fund baseball event was none other Alex Rocklein, an ex-PHS captain and catcher who went behind the plate and did the receiving for both teams, since it's a tough position, especially on a sunny day. Rocklein, a regular at Gordon College, delighted in the ironman role. What young catcher wouldn't like to pair up with ex-major leaguers like John Tudor, Jim Corci, Rawley Eastwick and Ken Ryan?
"I've been here three years in a row, but it's the first time I did the catching for both sides. It was hot. I had no idea I would be doubling up until I arrived," Rocklein said.
Peabody police officer Mark Bettencourt, who is also the Peabody High baseball coach, recruits Rocklein for the holiday game, but usually also has other PHS catching alumnus like Steve Lomasney, Garrett Greer, Matt Sucharewicz or Bryan Garrity to serve behind the plate. Lomasney's in Florida, Sucharewicz and Garrity returned to school and Greer had a commitment.
"There's no question Rocklein was the man today," Bettencourt said.
Attendance was down somewhat this year at Emerson Park, leaving the organizers to think that the game could be played a week later in conjunction with the Peabody International Festival.
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As for attendance, the North Shore Spirit's numbers weren't much better than a year ago and once again there's speculation that the club may move. There's also a new wrinkle: owner Nick Lopardo may take on a co-owner or sell to a group that will keep the club in Lynn.
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The pastor at St. Vasilios in Peabody, the Rev. Christopher Foustoukis, was recently mentioned among the dignitaries who have graduated from St. John's Prep. He played football and ran track there.
"I can recall telling our football coach, Fred Glatz, that I couldn't practice on a particular day because I had to study for a test. He said to me, 'What if everybody on the team decided to take the day off and study, what do you think would happen?' I said to him, 'I imagine they would all get A's.'"
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Dick and son Ricky Hoyt are nationally known as the father who pushed his son through the Boston Marathon. Sunday they'll be among 220 starters in the North Shore Triathlon sponsored by the Beverly Athletic Club and directed by Harry Pratt. Dick will be towing Ricky from a boat in the swim phase. It starts at 10 a.m. at Lynch Park and finishes at the park as well. Janda Ricci-Munn of Rockport is the favorite.
Bill Kipouras is a staff writer at The Salem News. He can be reached at 978-338-2615 or by e-mail: bkipouras@ecnnews.com.
