The Gonz Show: Tommy Amaker

Harvard’s new men’s basketball coach has a winning plan for his team—but it doesn’t include taking advice from John Gonzalez.

By John Gonzalez

What happened at Michigan? When you started there, the program was reeling from NCAA sanctions. You cleaned it up, but never made it to the NCAA tournament. I’d like to reflect back on the positive moments. I definitely disagreed with the decision, but I understand the world of college athletics, and the dynamics that play into things like my dismissal. I have no bitterness about the opportunity I was afforded. Sometimes life takes you in a different path.

The Ivy League is perennially dominated by Penn and Princeton. Let’s test your institutional knowledge: When was the last time Harvard won the league? We’ve never won.

How is it possible that Harvard can mold multiple presidents but not a single champion men’s basketball team? That’s one of the strong attractions to be here. There aren’t many places on this campus where you can go and say, “This hasn’t ever been done here before.”

James Brown from CBS’s The NFL Today show was one of the Crimson’s all-time great hoops players. Maybe he has some eligibility left. I bet he could still dominate the paint. I’ve already checked on it. The call went in, and he doesn’t have any eligibility left.

So how do you plan to whip your players into shape? It’s going to take time, but it’s a journey, and we’ll fight, claw, and build and be hungry. We’ll be happy about what we’re doing and who we are.

When you’re on the sidelines coaching, you’re a big fan of the sweater or turtleneck-under-jacket look. Are you anti-tie? No, I never gave it much thought. I’ve never been that calculating about it in terms of how I’ll look. I just want to be comfortable.

But now that you’re at Harvard, what do you think about upgrading to an ascot? I appreciate your thoughts, but I’ll respectfully decline. I’m not sure that would be fitting for me. Maybe for someone else, but not for me.

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