There’s a story of questionable validity that’s embedded into the tradition of Morgantown, West Virginia. It goes like this:
When Virginia was first given statehood, lengthy earlier than West Virginia existed independently, the settlers residing in Morgantown had been tasked with naming their county. To acknowledge the significance and cultural significance of the Monongahela River which runs proper by means of downtown Morgantown and is among the “three rivers” of Pittsburgh fame, these settlers wished to call their county after it.
Sadly, these future West Virginians didn’t fairly transcribe the identify of the river appropriately on the paperwork declaring the official identify of the county. That they had misspelled Monongahela. The result’s that Morgantown, which lies alongside the Monongahela River and is in Monongalia County.
It’s a microcosm of a lot of West Virginia: an earnest effort, a mistake, and an try to reside with the outcomes. It’s usually a footnote in historical past. Take Jerry West, basketball royalty. He’s finest recognized for his Lakers profession and longtime success in administration for a number of groups. He’s additionally far and away the perfect basketball participant from West Virginia and West Virginia College. It’s a indisputable fact that’s of little consequence to basketball followers, however one among nice import to West Virginians.
Picture by Mitchell Layton/Getty Pictures
There’s an plain unfavorable notion of West Virginia and the individuals who reside right here. Having moved right here from Massachusetts in 2012, I’ve skilled it firsthand — that dismissive facial twitch once you inform somebody the place you reside, the ever present stereotypes (moonshine is definitely scrumptious), the ignorance of even its existence.
“Oh, I’ve been to Richmond.” Nice, that’s a completely completely different state. It’s not simply regarded down upon. It’s forgotten, which may be worse.
It’s with this backdrop that Joe Mazzulla lower his enamel as a basketball participant and coach. Joe was nicely cherished on the courtroom throughout his time at WVU, evidencing the pragmatic and hard-working angle West Virginians delight themselves on, borne from a inhabitants descended from coal miners.
He performed for 2 of the best coaches in program historical past, John Beilein and Bob Huggins. If West was the king of West Virginia basketball, Huggins was the prince, at the very least till just lately. To say Huggs had a fall from grace could be placing it evenly, and he deserves all of the criticism he’s obtained, however Bob’s fingerprints are throughout Joe Mazzulla, the Boston Celtics head coach.
The choice methods Joe motivates his staff, will get them to understand the journey, and what it means to be an expert basketball participant is consummate Huggins. One of many extra well-known Huggins tales includes him bringing the staff right into a coal mine:
“I needed them to know once they run on the market and we’ve acquired 14,000 individuals in there cheering for them, I needed them to know what these individuals do to have the ability to pay cash to come back watch them play,” Huggins mentioned.
“I assumed it was essential for them to understand what the individuals up there cheering for them undergo each day.”
It’s an unorthodox means to supply his gamers with a distinct perspective, to assume critically about themselves and the sport of basketball, a mantra Mazzulla embodies almost each time he opens his mouth.
Greater than Huggs, although, it’s his teaching tenure the place West Virginia left its largest mark on Joe. He mirrored on this in his interview with JJ Reddick previous to the season, the place the low stakes and little consideration of DII hoops let him experiment, get artistic. Or, as Joe poetically put it, “on the DII stage, you are able to do something you need.”
Joe spent three completely different stints teaching in West Virginia, first at mighty Glenville State College, then at Fairmont State College as an assistant, earlier than lastly getting his first head teaching alternative additionally at Fairmont (after a quick interruption with the Maine Purple Claws).
In that very same interview, Joe really credit West Liberty College’s coach, Jim Crutchfield, with giving him a distinct perspective on basketball. WLU gained video games on the margins, urgent, taking pictures 3s and layups, and crashing the offensive glass. It was groundbreaking basketball idea being performed out in a state not recognized for innovation.
West Virginia usually has little or no to have fun. It’s a state wrought with hardships towards the backdrop of lovely mountain views. However these hardships, present and historic, give the state a tradition in contrast to some other. There’s a fierce loyalty right here. They’ll shield their very own and have fun the success of different Mountaineers prefer it’s their very own, making the perfect out of the errors of the previous.
WVU’s, and by proxy the state’s, unofficial slogan is “As soon as a Mountaineer, at all times a Mountaineer.” It’s an embodiment of this mindset and the surface world’s preconceived notions hardening an unmatched togetherness and sense of neighborhood. Joe could be very a lot part of that neighborhood. It’s becoming that simply days after the loss of life of 1 West Virginia basketball legend, one other was born. Joe Mazzulla has earned basketball immortality, and I believe I can converse for all the state once I say thanks for bringing somewhat little bit of us together with you.
