For a college basketball coach, holiday games are ‘not great trips for family time’
The holiday season is a time for families to come together and enjoy each other’s company . . . unless you are a coach.
Ohio State Coach Chris Holtmann’s parents planned to travel to Las Vegas for Saturday’s game against Kentucky before the Buckeyes had to cancel the trip because of COVID-19 concerns in its program. But they did not expect much familial bonding beyond a wave of recognition from the court.
“He is so busy,” said John Holtmann, the coach’s father before news of the cancellation broke. “We have seen that and understand that totally.”
The elder Holtmann and the coach’s mother, Patty, looked forward to spending time with the coach’s wife, Lori, and their 11-year-old granddaughter, Nora, in Las Vegas.
“We say hi to Chris,” John Holtmann said. “That’s pretty much it.”
The Ohio State coach said his parents traveled to Florida earlier this season to watch Ohio State play in the Fort Myers Tip-Off. The Buckeyes beat Seton Hall on Nov. 22 and then lost to Florida on Nov. 24.
“I didn’t see them but a half-hour on a day off we had between games,” the coach said. “You’re either watching film or you’re studying or you’re meeting or you’re practicing. . . .
“Even when I’m with them, your mind is always in overdrive. So, they’re not great trips for family time. That’s for sure.”
On the plus side, Nora gets to spend time with her grandparents, Holtmann said.
When it was suggested this seemed a sad contrast to the holiday season, Holtmann agreed.
“Every time I come back (from a trip) I’m, like, man, I wish I’d been able to at least spend more time with dad and mom . . . ,” the Ohio State coach said. “Maybe it’s something I need to make an adjustment. It’s just our schedules are really hectic on those kind of events.”
‘Good hearts’
The “Kentucky United Tornado Disaster Relief” telethon raised more than $4 million to help victims of the tornadoes that devastated western Ketnucky last weekend, UK Coach John Calipari said.
Calipari noted that the estimate of $4.5 million equaled the population of Kentucky.
“That means every man, woman and child gave a dollar to this” on average, he said. “Which is incredible. We’re not a rich state. But we’ve got generous people with good hearts.”
Rushing the court
An avalanche of Notre Dame fans covered the court Saturday night after the Irish beat Kentucky.
Jacob Toppin suggested this did not come as a surprise.
“I mean, we’re Kentucky,” he said. “Everyone is going to do that. Every away game we go to they’re probably going to do that because we’re Kentucky. Everyone wants to beat Kentucky, so it’s not a surprise to us.”
Calipari said he showed the UK players video of the fans rushing onto the court. He added that he hoped to send a motivational message.
“Why don’t we try to ruin their weekend?” he said he told the players. “Because if not, you made their weekend because that’s what you’re going to see.”
Calipari said he enjoyed being booed.
“If I don’t get thoroughly booed on the road, it’s probably time to retire,” he said. “I want that boo to be so loud they try to take the roof off.”
His take on fans in road games was “just the mindset we’re trying to get these guys in,” he said.
Blood and water
The medieval proverb about blood being thicker than water means that family bonds are stronger than bonds of friendship or love.
The game against Kentucky would have been a modern test case of that proverb for Holtmann.
The Ohio State coach grew up in Kentucky in a family of UK fans. So, would the parents root for their son or their favorite team?
“Well, 100 percent Ohio State,” said John Holtmann, the coach’s father. “And 100 percent Chris.
“We love Kentucky. When Kentucky is playing, it’s on this TV. But we love our son and love what he’s doing at Ohio State.”
The coach’s brother, John Michael Holtmann, echoed that sentiment.
“I got to go with blood with this one,” he said. “But we love the Cats. We love the Cats as a family. But we’ve got to go with the Buckeyes.”
This story was originally published December 16, 2021 at 1:46 PM.
