From Doc Rivers to Lane Kiffin to Joe Torre, Coaching's a Thankless Job

You know, there's gotta be an easier way to make a living.

What other job do you know of, where you're expected to lead your men, design plays on the fly, work in enemy territory, put up with tirades, frustrating refs, and even bad food?

Welcome to the job of a Professional Coach.

Don't get me wrong, either. It could be an NFL coach, a NBA coach, NHL, or even a MLB manager....all 4 are going to have their days in the sun, like Joe Torre....but just like Joe, you'll have days, where you'd use a package of Tums, and a chaser of Pepto, before the press conference.

BTW, I'm not supporting the overuse of either product.....but if you're a fan, and these two products are handy....they do work in moderation.

First off, is Doc Rivers. Last season, he got to stomach a team that had trouble remembering what winning felt like. After the season was done, Danny Ainge went out, and simply built and traded for the best team possible. Fine and dandy.

However, like all great plans, you can have issues like, emotional players who can get tossed, you can have players who want to rant and rave, forcing you to sound like a monotone robot with no feelings, and above all, trying to keep the team focused on the playoffs.

And then, the playoffs happen. you can't win on the road, but you can win at home.

Good thing you control the home field advantage.

Here's your pink bottle, Doc.

Our second Coach, has to keep some Rolaids handy in the clutch too, I imagine.

Lane Kiffin. His first head coaching job, paired him with a real taskmaster, Al Davis, of all people. The biggest thing haunting Kiffin, is his reality check he got from Al, when he wanted to bring in another Defensive coach. Al has a lockdown on who stays or goes, and in this case, the coach stayed, and Kiffin stuck around. It also means that when it comes to player personnel, that Al plays cards, deals you a hand, organizes the cards, and then tells you to go win.

Sometimes, it depends on what you get for a hand.

Sometimes, even the best hands won't win on a pair of 3's.

Don't get me wrong. Al had a time building the Bay Area Retirement Community. The club, from 2000-2002, won a number of games, and even got to one super bowl.

Now, it's Kiffin's turn, to bring back this hope, with two new high draft picks, and a patchwork defensive line.

Our third project, is now in a happier place, and to be honest, I can't blame him.

Joe Torre, for years, was the face of the New York Yankees. He managed a number of years, winning several titles.

The only problem, besides the media, is one King George. And not the president.

Steinbrenner, in a quote taken back in the 70s, said after his purchase of the club, said he would probably not be involved in a majority of the team's functions.

And i'm babe ruth.

For the Yankees, and Torre, there was some great times. Seeing rookies like Jeter develop. Clemens and Boggs both finally getting rings. Lots of feel-good stories.

But then, times started turning lean. There was the Diamondbacks series, when the normally solid closer, Rivera, was lit up in the desert. There was the self-destruction against Boston, after a strong lead.

In the end, probably the most insulting, is when they would only give him a 1 year contract, after all the rings he brought them.

Now, he's in Dodger Blue. Still a strange look.....but, I think we'll give him a pass.

Our last Coach, is simply a man to reckon with. Scotty Bowman. Retired a few years ago, only had 9 rings. But simply, when he wanted things to work, they would. Of course, talent of the players was one thing, but to control the lines, to keep the players fresh, and above all, the occasional retribution call....he was a man that rivaled the history books, when it came to the game.

But, like all good coaches, a smattering of humilty, can come to the best of them. The second to last year, for Scotty, saw them become a first round victim of the upset....some felt, perhaps that time had caught up to his gameplay.

So, for a mild cure....they won the following season....and he got to leave on top of the game.

And, i'm sure there's coaches out there for Soccer, rugby, and other sports, that have their own stomach churning moments.....enjoy!