Jim Larranaga
Jim Larranaga
James Joseph Larrañagais an American college basketball coach and the head coach of the University of Miami men's basketball program. Prior to his time at Miami, he was most recently the men's basketball coach at George Mason, where he coached the Patriots to 13 consecutive winning seasons and became a media sensation during the Patriots' improbable run to the Final Four of the 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
agreed athletes basketball both george immediate mason message needed represent rest send steps team university
We both agreed that this was something that doesn't represent George Mason University or our basketball program. That we needed to take immediate steps to send that message not only to Tony, but to the rest of our team and to the rest of the athletes who represent George Mason.
attitude community embrace embraced great identify players team underdog university
It's been really great for these players ... to see not only the university community embrace them but the whole country. I think we all feel like it would be great to be the underdog and to be the overachiever. I think we can all identify with that attitude and personality. This team has embraced that.
fun higher kids maybe pressure seeds stress
We don't feel the stress maybe the higher seeds feel because we're emphasizing to the kids to have fun with this and not to put that pressure on themselves, not to put other peoples' expectations on themselves.
coaches great hope major represent
There are so many great coaches who never get to the major level. I hope that I do represent them here.
certainly experience fifth guys helped maturity ncaa older season seniors throughout
I think it certainly has helped us. Each of our seniors is actually in their fifth year. . . . they are older guys and I certainly think their maturity and experience help us. It helped us throughout this season and particularly in the NCAA run.
athlete call diamonds foot hand knows lewis objectives quickness somebody talented
I think one of the objectives of any professional organization is to find diamonds in the rough, what they affectionately call 'sleepers,' somebody that no one else knows about. Jai Lewis is as talented an athlete as I've ever been around. His hand quickness and foot quickness are incredible.
band dancing excited kids players screaming
The players were dancing in the aisles. The kids were screaming 'George' ... 'Mason.' The pep band was playing. If you can't get excited for this, what can you? It was great. You live for this.
basketball far greater lose players responsibility stand teach whether win
What we stand for is far greater than whether we win or lose on a basketball floor. We are all educators. Our responsibility is to teach these youngsters, whether they're basketball players or any other student-athlete we're working with, to set the right example.
ahead bright chris confidence fleming future growing guy humble score shoot strong telling year
I have so much more confidence in Chris Fleming than Chris Fleming has in Chris Fleming. Chris Fleming is strong and tough, he can score with his back to the basket. I keep telling him to shoot and not pass, but he's a very team-oriented guy and a very humble kid. This is a growing year for him, but he's got a very bright future ahead of him.
define entire judgment lapse second
I didn't want him to think for a second that if we didn't get in, it was his fault. I told him one lapse of judgment would never define an entire season.
concern concerned emphasized foul game good group people smart stuff year
We have emphasized all year long not to put people on the foul line. Does it concern me? Before every game I'm always concerned about stuff like that. So far, we've got a very good group of smart players.
formed
Everything that I am as a coach, it was formed there.
amount everybody expected felt final national observe pressure trying win
Everybody expected us to win the national championship. I could observe the amount of pressure that we all felt trying to get to the Final Four.
funny horn line managers
When the horn did it at the end, and it was blaring in my ears, I put the managers on the line and made them run. How funny do you think that was to our players?