Reunion

I was invited out to some basketball games last weekend. My favorite coaches from the old office (From Hell!) were both coaching. The men's coach is with a different university now and the women's coach is still with my old department. But I was excited to see them and the remaining players still eligible to play.

See, my old boss (From Hell! --I'll stop that now, for this post anyway) had fired the one coach at the beginning of the season before taking off himself "for greener pastures". The coach eventually got a job at another university with an open position and fortunately a long-time rivalry with the old team.

When his first home game came up, I got a call to come out and see the game.

I jumped at the chance, knowing he'd be there, his son would be there, and I still knew a couple player's on the men's team. The women were playing too, and there were a couple I knew there too, as well as a number of former players filling the stands.

When I first arrived, I walked in right behind the president from my old office. He kept looking at me in the ticket line, obviously trying to place me. He wasn't doing so well since it's been 4 years since he last stole my fries at an after-game dinner. But look he did, and I could tell he was frustrated. The man's a huge basketball fan and that would help him figure it out later.

Once I got to my seat, I saw the pres sit 2 rows in front of me. And yes, he kept looking back throughout the first game.... still not placing me. As the former players started coming in, he figured it out. Here's national championship players walking right by their "biggest fan" and giving me hugs and handshakes. Their "biggest fan" lost their support when he allowed their favorite coach to be fired. They all made sure he heard them say that too. National champions, national athletes of the year, even national team members were coming over to talk and reacquaint, all in sight of this poor man who was finally cluing in. It was great.

See, the thing he never realized and obviously my boss could never grasp while I was there was that I loved the kids. I was there to make sure they were successful on the court and off of it. I was there to make sure they didn't have needless distractions. I was there to ensure they got an education and not just play a sport for a year. I was there for them and for their future.

So was their coach. And he was fired for it.

The kids knew who was there for them and on this night they showed it and didn't care if someone else's ego was crushed. He did some crushing of his own before.