What are coaches allowed to say to players?

I would say that I covered four college basketball coaches extensively.

First coach: If he was talking to the players, he was swearing. He called players "pussies" all the time. He was a master at motivating the players but was incredibly close with just about all of the players he coached and most of the players would have taken a bullet for the guy. His practices were all open and was by far the most open and honest coach I ever covered. He's won a national title and I would let my kids play for him without hesitation.

Second coach: No swearing allowed. Super religious. I never heard the guy swear and his players were not allowed to swear. He was much more hateful than that. He would berate the players regularly and they fucking hated him. He would frequently grab them by their jerseys and pull them to where he wanted them to be. I always found that very uncomfortable to watch, although other writers who covered him didn't think it was a big deal. I would not let my kids go near any program where he was coaching.

Third coach: If there were cameras around, he would be playful and joke with the players. If the cameras were not around he would curse at players all the time and would scream more than any coach I've ever been around. He's coaching one of the top programs in the country. I would not want my kids to play for him.

Fourth coach: Swears without mercy. If you watch one of his practices for more than 10 minutes you will hear him call players "motherfucking pussies" He is also a master motivator, his players love him and he's been to multiple Final Fours and won a title. I would let my kids play for him.

What's OK these days? What crosses the line? The n-word? Calling them fags? A national writer once told me that Coach K swears more than any coach he'd ever been around and would say things to players that would make anyone uncomfortable.

 

Swearing is fine. Excessive swearing is fine. Racial, religious or sexual slurs are uncouth and I'd have definite reservations. Physical harm is overboard. The odd grabbing of jersey and man-handling (physically moving a player to a spot on the flier they should be) is questionable, though not a deal-breaker. Throwing objects, or appendages, no chance.

All my opinion as to how I'd feel if it were my son or daughter. Each person will likely having varying degrees of what they see unfit.

 

I think the biggest compliment I could say about a coach would be to say that I would let my kids play for them.

Swearing, excessive swearing and even screaming don't bother me. Berating them or making it personal bothers me.

 

^^^^^

Any coach worth a damn will tell you that is what it is all about.

 

"What kind of f**king Republican are you, kid? Get the f**k off my court!"

 

Shitfuck, I just want to know who these coaches are. I have my suspicions about a couple, but the other two, no idea.

 

Each player needs to be reached in a different way.

Wooden was the master of this.

 

One's no longer coaching.
One is in the NBA.
Two are at top college programs.

 

This is a good example of a coach going nuts on the team and not an individual player.

 

What was it like covering John Calipari?

 

Not Calipari.

 

I do know Lou Henson's players fucking hated him with a white-hot, uh, hatred. He hasn't coached in quite a while, though.