Coaching fraternity counsels another through tragedy

0 Comments | USA TODAY, February, 2008 | by Mike Lopresti

One of the first things Seth Greenberg did when he heard the news from Northern Illinois University was pick up the phone.

A disturbed young man carrying demons and weapons had turned another campus into a killing ground. Students were gunned down in the spring of life and in the middle of class. All this Greenberg understood, from 740 miles away. He is the men's basketball coach at Virginia Tech.

There was one thing he immediately thought he must do. Call Ricardo Patton, men's basketball coach at Northern Illinois.

"It was almost like I felt like grieving again," Greenberg said Monday. "It was really important to reach out, let him know he's not alone."

"I really appreciated him calling me," Patton said. "There's nothing in any coaching...