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With regards to today's earlier blog entry (entitled How "Sweep" It Is!), there is in hindsight one point I failed to make as clearly as I would have preferred, as it relates to Utah Coach Jim Boylen:
My observations regarding his on-court behavior last night were not to be construed as a personal attack, and in re-reading the post, I can understand a reader feeling I was too harsh in my criticisms.
If there's another thing I should have included, it is that I truly believe that when he hits the court, Coach Boylen is literally transformed--to the extent that his emotions take over, his passion is unrestrained, and his on-court persona amplifies his positive qualities to an extent that he acts in a way some might perceive as irrational.
Is it unusual for a coach to get after the officials regarding unhappiness with calls? Of course not, it happens all the time. Is it unusual to call a conference that includes the other coach to engage the officials in a discussion that might be reserved for a complaint to the league office, following established protocol? Absolutely. Was it unprecedented, as far as my experience was concerned? Yes.
Ultimately, Jim Boylen is going to make life in the Mountain West Conference interesting and competitive. He is going to improve the Utes as a team and a program, and he will engender affection and admiration from the Utah fan base, and these are things that not every coach is able to achieve. And like I said, the man is genuine--this is who he is, and you have to acknowledge the unvarnished way he goes about his business.
I do respect his talents as a coach, and I hope to continue to enjoy a professional relationship with him in the future. Thanks to all those who contacted me with regards to, or posted responses to the above-mentioned blog entry and others over the last number of months--it has been enjoyable to create and contribute to a forum in which passion for my craft and the Cougars can be expressed.
See you in San Diego!
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