Rick Carlisle NBA Champion, Not a Soccer Player

I wrote an article the other day about one home town guy that made it big, so I figured why not write a little piece on another guy that did. Rick Carlisle from Lisbon, NY.

Rick Carlisle is the head coach of the defending NBA Champions the Dallas Mavericks. He has also coached the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers. Carlisle was raised in Lisbon, NY. He gradueted from Worcester Academy and went on to play college basketball at the University of Maine for two years and then transferred to the University of Virginia.

He was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 23rd pick in the third round. He had the chance to win a NBA Championship with Larry Bird in 1986. He also had short stints with the New York Knicks and the New Jersey Nets.

In 1989 he accepted an assistant coaching position with the New Jersey Nets where he spent 5 seasons. In 1994 he then joined the Portland Trail Blazers as an assistant coach. He spent three season in Portland until he accepted an assistant coaching job in 1997 with former teammate Larry Bird in Indiana. When Larry Bird decided to step down as head coach he pushed for Carlisle to be promoted to the head coaching position but the team president decided to give the job to Isiah Thomas.

In 2001 the Detroit Pistons named Carlisle their new head coach. Carlisle lead the team to consecutive 50-32 records with central divions titles and playoff apperances. He was also named coach of the year in 2002. Even with all of the success after the 2002-2003 season they fired Carlisle and hired Larry Brown.

Once the 2003-2004 season rolled around Carlisle was re-hired be the Indiana Pacers but this time he was named head coach. In his first season as Pacers head coach he lead them to the Eastern Conference championship losing to the Detroit Pistons. He was nominated to coach the All-Star game that year.

In 2005 Carlisle was put into a situation no coach or player can ever plan for and would never want to be a part of. The infamous Pacers Pistons brawl. I'm sure everyone knows what that is and most likely remember it. If not here is the details of what happened. Despite all the injuries he had that year, and the suspensions from the brawl he was able to to get the Pacers into the Playoffs.

He then resigned from being the head coach of the pacers and executive vice president of the Pacers. After he left Indiana he worked as a studio analyst for ESPN before he signed with his current team the Dallas Mavericks.

As a head coach he is 443-295 and since 2001 as a coach has only missed the playoffs once. He is one of the only 11 people to win a NBA Championship as a coach and as a player.

He has had an impressive career so far any hopefully will continue to prosper. He get's a lot of credit from players, coaches, and anyone associated with the NBA on how great of a coach and person he really is. He is a reflection of his upbringing in Lisbon, NY. A hard working, polite, generous man who would do anything for his family , friends, and community. He continues to attend local camps when he has time which is a great way to help give back to the community in which he started his basketball career.

So in reading the headlines today on how Carlisle kicked a ball into the fans just remember that he is just like any of us and lost his temper. We all do that from time to time. Also remember that he learned how to kick that ball on the same field and same school as the one myself and my friends played on and graduated from.