Cinderella a better fit for Hoffman
Anyone remember the Arkansas Aeros?
The Aeros were a member of the American Basketball Association which began play in 2006. They played their home games in the All-Star Sports Arena in Springdale and compiled a 25-2 record before the team ceased operations on March 15, 2007, less than 72 hours before they were scheduled to host an ABA playoff game.
The Aeros were coached by a guy named Bob Hoffman, who has since found a more stable gig.
Since 2008, Hoffman has been the head men’s basketball coach at Mercer University, which recently won the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament and defeated Duke in a first-round game Friday in the NCAA Tournament. Mercer, a small school in Macon, Ga., had not played in the NCAA Tournament since 1985 and had never won a game in the NCAA Tournament.
Hoffman, 56, was understandably excited after Friday’s victory.
“You’re never too old to celebrate,” Hoffman told Rachel Nichols of Turner Sports after Friday’s game. “It’s unbelievable what these dudes believe about each other. … These guys are special.”
Hoffman’s first coaching job was in 1981 at Piedmont High School in rural Oklahoma. His college “break” was coaching the women’s team at Division II Southern Nazarene University (Okla.). He moved on to lead the men at Oklahoma Baptist and Texas-Pan American.
Mercer’s main motivation and confidence heading into the Duke game came from its league rival and last year’s March Madness darling Florida Gulf Coast University.
Mercer beat Florida Gulf Coast twice last season in Atlantic Sun Conference play, once by 14 points and the other time by 13. Then the tide turned in the Atlantic Sun final when Florida Gulf Coast earned the victory and the league’s automatic bid. It wound up in the Sweet 16, and “Dunk City” became the toast of the country.
The Bears sat at home and fumed that it wasn’t them.
Hoffman stoked that anger into work. He said the focus on being this year’s Florida Gulf Coast never wavered.
“It’s amazing the amount of work they put in however many days since we got beat by Florida Gulf Coast,” Hoffman told CBS.
Risky behavior
Former Denver Broncos player John Moffitt was arrested on charges of possession of cocaine, ecstasy pills and marijuana.
“He retired from the NFL in November, saying he was tired of risking his health,” wrote Reggie Hayes of The News-Sentinel of Fort Wayne, Ind. “However, it should be noted his alternative health plan is still considered fairly unorthodox.”
Searching challenge
“Forget the bracket challenge,” wrote Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com. “Maybe Warren Buffet should offer $1 billion to anyone who can find Malaysian Air flight 370.”Quote of the day “He was a misunderstood
champion. Sometimes he was portrayed other than what he really
was, which was a very compassionate and loving person but a very tough competitor.” Friend Ed Tallach on 1955 U.S. Open champion Jack Fleck
Sports, Pages 20 on 03/22/2014