ONE ON ONE with Phil Martelli

Sporting News, The, Feb 12, 2001

TSN associate editor Jeff D'Alessio talks of Philadelphia ties and the Hawks' surprising start with St. Joseph's coach.

TSN: With 17 wins already in the books, have you started thinking about how many more you'll need to make the NCAA Tournament?

PM: It is my one concession to coachology, if that's a word: I honest to God think one day at a time. I am a very optimistic guy. I always see the glass half full. What I try to do--and this is at the beginning of every year--is ask the team and my staff and myself to try to get better every day. And then in March, we'll see where the record stands and I think we'll either be appropriately rewarded or appropriately dismissed. I don't know anything about magic numbers, I don't pay attention to RPIs.

TSN: How well did you know Al McGuire?

PM: Oh, geez. When I was growing up, when I decided to coach very early on, he was a guy that I really idolized from afar. And then when he went to television, I just thought it was sensational stuff that he did. In fact, to this day, I kind of do something that I heard or read that he did. If our bus is to leave at 5:45 or 6 o'clock, I always arrive five minutes later. I remember Al McGuire saying that the last person on the bus should be the head coach. That way, nobody else is late. And then you're on your way to the game--bus, main, plane--without incident. But if you're on the bus and someone's late, now you have to deal with it and you're really taking away from your preparation. So I do that all the time.

TSN: Who's your best friend in coaching?

PM: Geno Auriemma, Connecticut's women's coach. We've been friends for 25 years. Little-known story: I was the varsity head coach at Geno's alma mater. I asked Geno to be my assistant coach there. He coached my JV team at Bishop Kenrick High (Norristown, Pa.) for two years. When Debbie Ryan at Virginia had a full-time position on her staff, she called and asked if I wanted it. I said no, but I think you should him Geno. And that's how he got started in women's basketball.

TSN: Could you coach women?

PM: I don't think so. Another one of my best friends is Cathy Rush, the legendary coach from Immaculata College. In fact, my wife, Judy, played on three national title teams for Cathy Rush. I had the chance, for 10, 11, 12 years, to run her camps. It was terrific. It's just not what I would want to do.

TSN: Are the 76ers for real?

PM: Yes, because of three things. They have a great coach. They have a great player who can get a basket whenever they need a basket. And the other guys--the role players--think they're better than they are. There's another interesting connection them, too. I grew up with (76ers owner) Pat Croce. We've known each other since we were like 11. We traveled in different circles, but we lived in the same neighborhood. He was a high school wrestler at the court where I actually learned how to play basketball. Now here we are in Philadelphia with two high-profile basketball jobs.

TSN's Power Poll

Rk.   Team (last week)           Strk    W-L

 1.   North Carolina (4)         W16    19-2
 2.   Stanford (1)                L1    20-1
 3.   Michigan State (6)          W2    18-2
 4.   Duke (2)                    W1    20-2
 5.   Kansas (3)                  W1    18-2
 6.   Illinois (5)                W1    17-5
 7.   Boston College (10)         W4    16-2
 8.   Syracuse (11)               W3    18-3
 9.   Iowa State (12)             W6    19-3
10.   Tennessee (8)               W1    18-4
11.   Arizona (7)                 W1    15-6
12.   Wisconsin (9)               W1    14-5
13.   Florida (--)                W4    15-4
14.   Virginia (19)               W3    16-4
15.   Iowa (15)                   W3    17-4
16.   Mississippi (20)            W2    17-4
17.   Fresno State (14)           W1    18-3
18.   Notre Dame (22)             W5    14-5
19.   Georgetown (16)             W1    18-3
20.   Xavier (23)                 W6    17-3
21.   Southern California (21)    W1    16-5
22.   Maryland (13)               W1    15-6
23.   Alabama (18)                W1    17-4
24.   UCLA (25)                   W1    13-6
25.   Wake Forest (17)            L1    15-6

Dropout: Georgia (24).

Through Sunday's games. The TSN Power Poll is determined by TSN editors and writers.

For the complete text to this or other One-on-Ones, go to sportingnews.com/voices/jeff_dalessio.