- Bob Weltlich
College coach infobox
Name = Bob Weltlich
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CoachYears = 1997-2002
1990-1995
1982-1988
1976-1982
CoachTeams = South Alabama
Florida International
Texas
MississippiBob Weltlich is a former American
college basketball coach and author.Weltlich coached 22 seasons with a career record of 300-335 and three trips tothe
NCAA tournament . He washead coach at South Alabama, Florida International, Texas, and Mississippicite web|title="Ex-coach Weltlich gets last word on referees with novel approach"|firstname=Jerry|lastname=Potter|work=USA Today|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2005-01-25-weltlich-refs-novel_x.htm|date=2005-01-25|accessdate=2007-03-15] and one of only 19 coaches to lead three different teams to the NCAA Tournament.Coaching career
Indiana
Weltlich got his degree in
education from Ohio State in1967 and was set to teach. But he met Army coachBob Knight inOrrville, Ohio . Knight hired him as an assistant at Army, then took him to Indiana, where in1976 he helped coach a 32-0 team to the NCAA title.Mississippi
He left Indiana to become the head coach at Mississippi. Bob Weltlich manned the Rebel sidelines for six years (
1977 -1982 ) and directed "Ole Miss" to an SEC Tournament title and the program’s postseason debut in1981 .cite web|title="Rebels Face Road Challenge at South Alabama Saturday"|work=OleMissSports.com |url=http://www.olemisssports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=2600&ATCLID=723770&SPID=739&SPSID=12840|date=2006-12-14|accessdate=2007-03-15] One episode of his aggressive coaching style, foreshadowing criticism levied against him later in his career, followed the team splitting two games in Illinois in1979 ; after an all-night marathon bus/plane/bus trip that arrived back on campus on Christmas Day, Weltlich had the team dress for a tape session and practice. (This is described from playerSean Tuohy 's point of view in Michael Lewis'2006 book , pp. 55-56.) Upon setting up the projector to watch film (at 10 am on Christmas Day), Weltlich leaned into Tuohy's ear and said, "Hey 12, Merry Fucking Christmas."Texas
In 1982, second-year Texas Athletics Director
DeLoss Dodds hired Weltlich from theUniversity of Mississippi to serve as the next Texas men's basketball head coach. Nicknamed "Kaiser Bob" by Longhorn fans for his harshly disciplinarian approach, Weltlich was almost immediately faced with such a manpower shortage from the departures — both voluntary and involuntary — of so many Texas players that he famously had to press Texas male cheerleader Lance Watson into service during the Longhorns' abysmal 6-22 season of 1982-83. ["Texas basketball from A to Z," [http://www.statesman.com/horns/content/sports/stories/longhorns/11/15TEX_AZ.html Austin American-Statesman] ] cite web|title="How the Longhorns Got Hot"|last=Rosner|first=Mark|work=Austin-American Statesman|url=http://www.texassports.com/doc_lib/AAS_--_How_the_Longhorns_got_hot.pdf|date=2005-11-15|accessdate=2007-03-15]He coached the US national team in the
1982 FIBA World Championship , winning the silver medal. [ [http://www.usabasketball.com/history/mwc_1982.html 1982 USA Basketball] ]Weltlich's next three teams posted yearly improvements in overall records, with the 1985-86 team — which finished with a 19-12 mark and a share of the SWC Championship — representing the zenith of his tenure at Texas. After his teams finished 14-17 and 16-13 in the 1986-87 and 1987-88 seasons, respectively, Weltlich was dismissed with two years remaining on his contract. [cite web |url=http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/big12/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/04-guide-80-95.pdf | title=2004-05 Big 12 Men's Basketball Media Guide | work=big12sports.com | accessdate=2007-03-18] ["Timeline: A history of Texas basketball," [http://www.statesman.com/horns/content/sports/stories/longhorns/11/15timeline.html Austin American-Statesman] ]
Weltlich compiled a 77-98 record during six seasons as the head coach at Texas. None of his six teams managed an appearance in the NCAA Tournament; only the 1985-86 team participated in postseason competition, losing 71-65 to Ohio State in the second round of the
National Invitation Tournament . [cite web |url=http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/big12/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/04-guide-80-95.pdf | title=2004-05 Big 12 Men's Basketball Media Guide | work=big12sports.com | accessdate=2007-03-18]Florida International
Weltlich served as coach of Florida International Golden Panthers from
1990 to1995 .cite web|title="Tribute to a Legend"|work=Knight880.com |url=http://www.knight880.com/special/stories/assistants.shtml|accessdate=2007-03-15]Under Weltlich, the Panthers made their lone appearance to the NCAA Tournament in
1995 , losing to Jim Harrick's UCLA Bruins 92-56 in the field of 64.cite web |title="Florida International Golden Panthers in the NCAA Tournament" |work=MidMajority.com|url=http://www.midmajority.com/schools/FLAI/tournament|accessdate=2007-03-15]outh Alabama
The 17-year coaching veteran was named the interim coach at South Alabama on
October 27 ,1997 following Bill Musselman's sudden resignation onOctober 7 ,1997 .cite web|title="Weltlich Hired"|work=New York Times|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C01E2D91531F93BA15753C1A961958260|date=1997-10-28|accessdate=2007-03-15] Weltlich coached the Jags from1997 to2002 and compiled a record of 81-65 and three 20-win seasons.He resigned from South Alabama after the
2002 season, but he and his family remained inFairhope, Alabama , where he is amiddle school teacher, trying to complete the 10 years of service he needs to qualify for retirement from the state ofAlabama .Novel
In 2004, Weltlich's novel, "
Crooked Zebra ", was released. It tells the story of a college basketball referee who begins to affect outcomes of games based on his gambling habits.References
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