If I shared this story with you before, please accept my apologizes for being seventy-four and forgetful; if you're hearing the story for the first time give me credit for remembering.
For the past 12 years, I have coordinated the annual Decatur Team Soy Capital Turkey Tournament; one of the State's premier boys invitational basketball tournament. A few years back, then Illinois coach, Bill Self was in the arena for the championship game of the 8-team classic between Peoria High School with highly recruited, Shaun Livingston playing rivals Bartonville- Limestone.
I was seated court side at the press table. Coach Self was seated between my wife, Gerry and I. The title match was everything it was promoted to be; a classic dual between two State rated squads. The fourth quarter showed only 1 minute and 40 seconds remaining in a see-saw contest that was knotted during this time-out.
My wife who had witnessed many nail biters during my 39-year high school coaching career leaned forward and shouted to me, "Mel, I'll see you at home, I'm GOING." A somewhat shocked Bill Self said, to her, "Are you kidding, don't your care how this thing ends?" My wife (calm collected and matter-of-fact) said, "Bill, I know how it ends! Tomorrow one coaches wife will have a good Sunday and the other will have a MISERABLE Sunday!" After a good belly laugh, Coach Self said, "Never heard a better and more accurate statement."
Today, Bill Self coaches the Kansas 'Jayhawks;' his wife's Sundays are problematic. I am retired from coaching; Gerry's Sundays are all GOOD!
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