Great BR profile on Few

[MedZag]

SPOKANE, Wash. — Tipoff is just more than two hours away, but Mark Few's black Cadillac Escalade still sits in the driveway of his cabin-style home.
The Gonzaga coach's midnight-blue blazer hangs in a bedroom closet above his dress shoes, and, in the kitchen, Few's mother-in-law cooks turkey soup. His wife and four children play games and watch TV in the den. Few will join them shortly.
But right now he's outside with Stella.
For nearly three miles through a mountain bike trail in the forest, college basketball's active leader in winning percentage jogs with his German shepherd. Much like the towering pine trees that stretch beyond his vision, Few's thoughts have no boundaries.

http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles...rfect-marriage
A lot of the same narrative re: fly fishing, etc but some great quotes from few and the players and great photos (supplied by Marcy)

Bleacher Report... Who woulda thought?

[007Zag]

Bleacher Report has really been trying to step up their game lately...they have a ESPNMagazine-type platform called "The Lab" that publishes long-form editorials. Not the same quality, but I'm impressed by how far they've come. http://thelab.bleacherreport.com/

Nice piece.

[ValencyLovesZagsInAtlanta]

Bleacher Report in general is known by many as the laughing stock of college hoops journalism. Just the mere mention of BR to the average fan makes them cringe or laugh. Their pieces rarely are seen as remotely credible. It would be great if Stella was adopted or rescued. For the most part the piece went into detail about a coach that most of us already know. A guy who has many other priorities other than basketball. Basketball is just a part of his life to be incorporated into what are his true priorities. Coach Few won't be burning the mid night oil devising schemes to make the Final4 in all probability. That doesn't help our chances per se. He is honest about it though.

This article though was very very well written and Bleacher Report gets such a bad rap. Young or new journalists with a passion for hoops at BR many times are better than the ESPN and CBS figure heads that rely solely on the name of the company they work for because of who they may know. Dan O'Neil is pretty good though. I actually really like BR and the college hoops APP for smart phones is second to none. You get all the info you need right away on all the teams that interest you (favorites). The great work by our own Jim Meehan (just an amazing journalist that I love) are easily accessible via the BR APP.

German Shepherds are great dogs but you have to watch for hip dysplasia. Fidelco Guide Dog Assoc. uses all German Shepherds.

[DZ]

Thank you so muc MedZag. Yes, some of the same themes, but far more in depth with anecdotes and personal observations, a must read. Very nice catch - thx.

When recruits enter the Gonzaga locker room, they see a quote about the Zags from ESPN's Jay Bilas painted on the wall: "They go to school. They do their homework. They say please and thank you. But once you throw that ball up, they will rip your heart out and watch you bleed."

While some of his coaching rivals make it a point to attend almost every game of the prospect they're pursuing, Few's strategy is different. He tells players he likes that he'd love to sign and coach them, but that he won't be attending all of their AAU games. If a recruit needs his ego stroked to that extent, Few said, he probably wouldn't be a good fit at Gonzaga anyway.

Few was sitting by Wildcats coach John Calipari at a recruiting event in the summer of 2013 when Wiltjer texted the Kentucky coach about his decision to leave Lexington. Calipari nudged Few on the arm and held up his phone so he could see the message.

"Thanks for everything you've done," it read, "but I've decided to transfer to Gonzaga."

Calipari shook Few's hand and congratulated him on getting a great player.

"Who would've thought 16 years ago," Few said, "that Gonzaga would be getting a player from Kentucky?"

Much more.

Thx, MZ

[Birddog]

He lost me in the first sentence when he described Few's 4,000+ sq ft home as "cabin like". Just kidding, but I think "lodge like" would have been more appropriate. Good article though, I enjoyed the read and that might be a first for me re. BR.

[rennis]

Bravo to the author and BR. That was a good piece of lifeblog right there. Way better than the piece that was on ESPN a week or two ago, which rambled on and on and on about fly fishing...

[GoZags]

He lost me in the first sentence when he described Few's 4,000+ sq ft home as "cabin like". Just kidding, but I think "lodge like" would have been more appropriate. Good article though, I enjoyed the read and that might be a first for me re. BR.

I can't think of too many "cabins" that are built with extra high ceilings ... designed to accomodate frequent guests that are 7'+. Also, many "cabins" don't come with 30 private acres surrounding them ... let alone a pool with a view.

In the past, I've described the "Chateau D' Few" as "Ponderosa" like. That's as close as I can come.

[GonzagasaurusFlex]

Thanks for posting MedZag...great article with more details/tidbits offered than others I have read this year about Coach Few and the program as a whole. In addition to the ones Dixie has already highlighted, these were my favorite...both from Santangelo:

The wizard behind the curtain is Few, the quiet and unassuming coach who shuns the spotlight.

"He doesn't understand why anyone would want to take a selfie with him," said Matt Santangelo, the Zags radio color commentator and the point guard for the 1999 Elite Eight team. "He just doesn't think he's a big deal."

Santangelo, the former player and radio analyst, said he's sensed in the past that the monotony of winning big in the WCC causes complacency.

"When March rolls around you need this big, emotional rise," Santangelo says, "and our guys haven't been able to muster it. When I played it was us-against-the-world. Wichita State had the 'Play Angry' theme in 2013.

"This group gets into that routine of beating everyone by 30, but when they're challenged, they're not ready for a bar fight. Two years ago they moved to the top of the polls. You wanted to shake them and say, 'You're ranked No. 1! Act like it! Own it!'

Santangelo says Pangos, the Zags' senior point guard, is doing everything he can to evoke that type of attitude from his teammates. Pangos and backcourt mate Gary Bell Jr. are seniors who have never advanced to the Sweet 16. "

[CDC84]

The telephone belonging to Gonzaga athletic director Mike Roth will almost certainly light up again this spring with calls from major-conference schools seeking to interview Few for their open head coaching positions.

The interest could be particularly intense this offseason, as some analysts believe the third-ranked Zags are the best team Few has ever coached. Still, just as he did with Cal last spring, and UCLA and USC the year before, Few will likely tell his agent to reject the overtures before a position is ever offered.

Honestly, I think it has gotten to the point where AD's aren't even going to bother asking.

[Birddog]

Honestly, I think it has gotten to the point where AD's aren't even going to bother asking.

Much of that is now performed by Search Firms who contact the agents to test the waters. AD's in some cases are the last to know. It's only when it's time for an interview that AD's are for sure in the loop and even then sometimes they are in the dark. There is a sleazy side to all this too. Not suggesting that Few is a party to that kind of behavior, he's righteous by all accounts.

[CDC84]

Much of that is now performed by Search Firms who contact the agents to test the waters. AD's in some cases are the last to know. It's only when it's time for an interview that AD's are for sure in the loop and even then sometimes they are in the dark. There is a sleazy side to all this too. Not suggesting that few is a party to that kind of behavior, he's righteous by all accounts.

This is also part of the reason why so many coaching hires are terrible these days. A competent AD should have a clear idea of the person he or she wants as their head coach, and then use the search firm as an instrument to reach out and keep things quiet. And the process needs to start before the current coach gets fired or retires. There is a perfect coach for every job, and if an AD doesn't know that guy, they're in over their head. There are too many coaching candidates publicly rejecting jobs these days, and it's the result of these inane coaching lists (which too often involve unrealistic candidates) and AD's handing over too much responsbility to other entities. Public rejection (through media sources or otherwise) makes subsequent candidates concerned about the detriments of the position, and it drives up their prices. I think we can all think of a few coaches out there who are making more than they should simply because the school was desperate to make a hire after getting publicly rejected multiple times.

[Zagceo]

When recruits enter the Gonzaga locker room, they see a quote about the Zags from ESPN's Jay Bilas painted on the wall: "They go to school. They do their homework. They say please and thank you. But once you throw that ball up, they will rip your heart out and watch you bleed."

After the UCLA game I congratulated Byron on a great game and win……..his response……"thank you sir"

[FuManShoes]

Great read (In opinion anyway; my westside friends are sick of Gonzaga stories). I especially liked this part, even though I despise Keating.

Few comes across as reserved at times, but Pangos said there are plenty of moments when the coach's face has turned beet red with anger "with veins popping out of his neck." When Kyle Wiltjer dunked in the final seconds of a blowout win over Santa Clara last month (instead of letting the clock run out) Few made him call opposing coach Kerry Keating and two players the following day to apologize.

[LongIslandZagFan]

http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles...rfect-marriage
A lot of the same narrative re: fly fishing, etc but some great quotes from few and the players and great photos (supplied by Marcy)

Bleacher Report... Who woulda thought?

Some of the Senior Writers are good. Most writers are journalism students or aspiring journalists. So occasionally you get a good one.

[Zagger]

Nice. Very complimentary. Good story to share amongst other Zag fans who may not see it.
Can't wait to see what the Spokesman-Review may be cooking up for Senior Night - and/or after Vegas. Quite a team this year!

[ValencyLovesZagsInAtlanta]

I was pretty hardcore in my thoughts regarding Few ect ect...when I first started posting here. Most revolving around how magical it would be to witness a Gonzaga National Championship or Final4. At this point in the season for the first time I have bought into the whole enjoy what leads up to the NCAA Tournament (where champions are crowned) and understand there will never be a premium put on being the last team to cut down the nets. Learning this is part of the Gonzaga culture bred by Mark Few. There is no way he will or should ever leave Gonzaga. For 1 he seems like one of the best fisherman out of all the coaches in America. I am not being funny like how Charles Barkley used to make fun of NBA teams that lost early in the playoffs and then went fishing. Spokane and the surrounding areas seem to be a fisherman's heaven and that pic with the fish is absolutely priceless! That is 1 happy guy! Making millions without the big time pressure of delivering Final4 appearances is a gig that few people in the world can enjoy. When I see Mark Few it makes me want to try fishing somewhere one day. Maybe in an environment similar to one of the countries great national parks, SO much beauty and peace to be had on an excursion like that! Especially if done with great friends/and or family.

The whole idea that I had a hard time buying into... the NCAA Tournament is a "crap shoot" as Coach Few claims really helps to put expectations in perspective which is very healthy. The good thing even if something is a "crap shoot" you can still with luck get to where some dream of going. Is it like being at the roulette wheel at a raffle or casino? If so maybe it is our time to land on the #1 (Nat champ) or #4 (Final4). We haven't landed on them yet but maybe this is the year??? I guess the only question would be... is going undefeated in WCC play a "crap shoot" or based on great coaching and skilled players? That to me is one heck of an accomplishment no matter what the Kentucky fans would try and tell us. IF we get to the Final4 or Nat Champ there will still be haterz and doubters. It is part of being a great success. They will then say ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh the NCAA TOURNAMENT this year was just a lucky "crap shoot" that Gonzaga won (Some BCS school). That is why I am so glad that I am not expecting the unexpected with our team. A run to INDY and that is healthy!

[maynard g krebs]

Coach Few won't be burning the mid night oil devising schemes to make the Final4 in all probability. That doesn't help our chances per se. He is honest about it though.

Al McGuire, generally acknowledged as a great coach and a winner of a NC at Marquette, said he never worked more than 7 hours a day and that he was out riding his Harley every day at 3:30 pm. He said a leader surrounds himself with great people and delegates authority and trusts his staff.

[ZagNative]

bump. This was such a great piece, I'd hate or anyone to miss it.

[ValencyLovesZagsInAtlanta]

Al McGuire, generally acknowledged as a great coach and a winner of a NC at Marquette, said he never worked more than 7 hours a day and that he was out riding his Harley every day at 3:30 pm. He said a leader surrounds himself with great people and delegates authority and trusts his staff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxcpImdcEIA

He seemed like such a fun guy! Maynard check out the dance! Do you dance???

Imagine you and I doing the "Al Dance" when we make the Final4!

[maynard g krebs]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxcpImdcEIA

He seemed like such a fun guy! Maynard check out the dance! Do you dance???

Imagine you and I doing the "Al Dance" when we make the Final4!

Do I dance? I'm a neanderthal who can barely turn on a computer so I can't do a link, but for a sample you can google "Archie Bell and the Drells- Tighten Up" and play the youtube video (Hi e'erybody- we Archie Bell and the Drells from Houston Texas, and we not only sing, but we dance just as good as we walk).

Just picture a 60 yo bald white guy with a beard and 20 lbs of ### belly in jeans and a Grateful Dead t shirt and no shoes doing the Tighten Up while spinning a basketball on my index finger and hitting a cutter with a behind the back bounce pass through the key as the song ends. The question is, can you do the TIGHTEN UP while spinning a bb on your index finger? If so, you're on. I'll be practicing.

[ValencyLovesZagsInAtlanta]

Do I dance? I'm a neanderthal who can barely turn on a computer so I can't do a link, but for a sample you can google "Archie Bell and the Drells- Tighten Up" and play the youtube video (Hi e'erybody- we Archie Bell and the Drells from Houston Texas, and we not only sing, but we dance just as good as we walk).

Just picture a 60 yo bald white guy with a beard and 20 lbs of ### belly in jeans and a Grateful Dead t shirt and no shoes doing the Tighten Up while spinning a basketball on my index finger and hitting a cutter with a behind the back bounce pass through the key as the song ends. The question is, can you do the TIGHTEN UP while spinning a bb on your index finger? If so, you're on. I'll be practicing.

60 is YOUNG!!!!!!!! I have 1 of my best students in my Sunday class is 62! Long story! hahahaha I will check out the vid tonight! I like R & B, Jazz and a lil rap. I was thinking of converting you and ABE when we meet up at the Gonzaga National Championship parade (ABE will be a HUGE challenge though). I want to also meet ZagGranny she is so awesome! Dixie will get a free yoga lesson. Reno & Jazz hmmmmmmmm! haha...You guys are my connection...

Anyways...xo