Ask the Coach
Gay in the NBA Hey, Coach! Former Penn State basketball player John Amaechi recently came out that he was gay while playing in the NBA. He said he did not officially announce his sexuality because it would have hurt his career. Do you agree with that?
Also, when you played in your day, did you have any gay teammates at WVU or elsewhere? If so, how were they treated by everyone?
Keep up the good work. Your column is always interesting.
Signed…..Inquisitive
Dear Inquisitive: Thanks for your kind comments.
It is the Coach’s understanding that no NBA player has ever come out during his career, and that only three NFL players have acknowledged their sexuality while still playing.
It speaks volumes that no NBA player has ever stepped forward, yet Charles Barkley/others have said that they had a number of teammates and opponents who were gay. The Coach believes this to be evidence that gay players feel coming out would not be in their best interests and could potentially damage their career.
It’s a sad commentary, but that’s where we are today in our society.
Please note that when Cheryl Swoopes, an all-everything in the WNBA, said that she was gay, she received positive headlines and commentary across the board.
Would there be a double standard for men? No one wants to be the first to find out. Again, gay players don’t want to take that chance.
With that said, perhaps someone will step forward in the near future, even if it’s just a lesser-known player near the end of his career.
Someone may want to step up and be the one to try to break down another wall.
As for the Coach having any gay teammates at WVU, Robert Morris University, the military or in high school, he was not aware of any.
If there were, hopefully, we would have all treated them with respect.
Biggest Winner: 386 to 354
The Biggest Winner continues to make excellent progress.
The Coach met up with Phil Michael last weekend, and there is definitely a noticeable difference in his appearance. Phil’s clothes are starting to fit a little looser, and he looked good.
He acknowledged still having a long way to go, but the Coach is a firm believer that Phil will continue to climb up the ladder, and thus, slide down the scale. Truth be known, Phil was unable to work out for a few days recently and was a little upset.
This may happen from time to time. We all get busy and have responsibilities that take us away from our perfect worlds. During these times, we just need to make sure that we continue to eat properly.
Despite a lack of workouts, Phil lost three and two pounds, respectively, the last two weeks. That brings him to 354 pounds — for a loss of 32 pounds since Jan. 1.
This is great and makes the Coach very happy for Phil. Hopefully, this makes Phil even happier.
It probably wasn’t easy for him to agree to step forward and let the “whole world” see/read about his battle with the bulge. But hopefully this matter has brought a positive connection between Phil and many of our readers. He is proving what most of us have seen on the Biggest Loser TV show: Weight loss can and will happen with the proper knowledge, great determination and discipline.
Good job, Phil! Now, get down and give the Coach 100 push-ups.
Hup, two, three, four.
Coach’s Comments: Life is not always a piece of cake. When adversity strikes, it’s how we act and react that’s important and really defines us.
Thanks for making the Coach a part of your day. Have a safe weekend.
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You can contact the Coach at
askthecoach2003@yahoo.com.
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Column 175 March 5 for March 17, 2007
20 Minutes a Day
Hey, Coach! For those of us who have a limited amount of time to exercise, what recommendations do you have for a quick 15-20 minute workout that can be done daily? Is there a sure-fire way to implement a workout routine that anyone can complete without having to get up at 5 a.m. or stay up until 10 p.m., and still get the proper amount of exercise? Signed….Have No Time
Dear Have No Time: Wow! You’ve really put the pressure on the Coach with only 20 minutes. The Department of Health strongly recommends intense activity for 60 minutes on most days of the week, but 20 minutes a day is better than doing nothing. Using the full 20 minutes, let’s remember that we should warm up a little, and that would leave us only 15 minutes. If you choose to do nothing but cardio, swimming, jogging, biking and intense walking come to mind. Of course, we’re left with no time to cool down and static stretch; plus we have no time to shower, etc. The suggestion here is to engage in cardio every other day, or four days a week, with strength training also being done every other day, or at least twice a week on non-consecutive days. The Coach believes one can get through a complete head-to-toe workout in 15 minutes by doing super sets, which means using less weight and then doing one set of 15 to 20 reps, or something close to what’s called “exhaustion.”. If possible, try to alternate upper and lower body exercises and move quickly from station to station. Again, twenty minutes is not a lot, but every little bit of exercise helps the heart become stronger. If nothing else, you are encouraged to take a quick, twenty minute walk whenever possible. And, of course, it is a great strategy to have a work out buddy.
Work’s a Pain
Hey, Coach! I hate my job. I’m 19 years old, and I don’t like what I’m doing, and I don’t like the people I work with. My boss is bossy, and everybody gossips about everyone else, and I’m just tired of it. People should put more emphasis on their work instead of worrying about everyone else’s business, and the boss should be there to help us instead of just criticizing all the time. Do you have any suggestions to help get me through my days? Signed…..Just a Pup
Dear Just a Pup: We have used this phrase often in this column; welcome to the real world. Hate is a very strong word, so the Coach is saddened to hear of your situation. Please know that there are very few perfect worlds out there, if any. The first thing that comes to mind when someone isn’t happy in their job is to suggest looking elsewhere. In the interim, you are encouraged to work as hard as possible and to also be as professional/pleasant as possible. These are traits of a good and valuable employee, which you need to be as long as you continue in your present position. If others gossip, try to get away from it or be direct and say that you’re not interested in listening. Regarding the bossy boss, not all management styles are what employees want and like. With that said, the Coach would offer that sometimes the boss does in fact need to be bossy depending on the situation and the personnel. If you have concerns, perhaps a good suggestion is to ask the boss for a brief meeting. Be professional, and be a great communicator and listener. By the sounds of things, it appears you have very little to lose. Good luck.
Coach’s Comments: The tragedy in life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal(s). The tragedy lies in having no goal(s) to reach. Thanks for making the Coach a part of your day. Have a safe weekend!