上一篇提到了這位小將軍的恩師 這一篇有他比較詳盡的介紹 原文網址: http://0rz.tw/Pe2hb Meet the high school coach - who gave new New Jersey Nets coach Avery Johnson his voice 認識Avery Johnson高中時代的啟蒙恩師：Bernald Griffith As the new coach of the New Jersey Nets begins the arduous task of making over a 12-victory team, he'll do it with a competitive template that was shaped three decades ago in the Seventh Ward of New Orleans, not far from the housing project he grew up in. He'll do it with Bernard Griffith's voice in his psyche, and Bernard Griffith's messages and sayings on a loop that never stops, circling like the ramps that lead to the Meadowlands. Avery Johnson will look at Devin Harris and Brook Lopez and Terrence Williams on the floor, and probably feel the urge to say "Do it one more time." Or, "One star never shines as bright as the whole galaxy." Or, "Discipline will get us through anything." 三十年前，在紐奧良市第七區，Avery Johnson老家附近，出現了一位影響AJ甚深的 人物；三十年後，AJ接下了紐澤西籃網總教練一職，接下改造一支12勝球隊的艱辛任 務，他將用他從這位樣板人物身上所學到的一切，盡全力完成它。這個人叫做Bernard Griffith。Griffith的聲音將在AJ的靈魂中與其共同奮戰，他的一字一句也將串接成 一個不會停止的迴圈，就像是引領至Meadowlands(牧場？世外桃源？)的坡道一般。 當AJ看著Devin Harris、Brook Lopez、Terrence Williams，或許他會感到一陣激勵 而說，「讓我們再次站起來吧！」或者「一顆星星永遠無法比整個銀河系更加閃耀。 」(一把筷子折不斷！) 再不然，他可能會說，「紀律可以讓我們做到任何事。」 From his new office in East Rutherford Friday afternoon, Avery Johnson spoke of a man who has had a profound influence on his life, and said, "Coach Griff is all about perfection and mastery, and getting it right." Some 1,200 miles away, Bernard Griffith was pleased to be remembered. "They always said I was a nasty guy, but I thought, relatively (speaking), that I was a sweetheart," Griffith said. 在他位於東羅斯福鎮的新辦公室，AJ談到了這樣一位對他的人生有深遠影響的人，並 且說「Griff教練是個完美、威嚴，總是把事情做對的人。」 而在1200哩外，Griffith則是很開心他還被記得。 「他們總是說我是個糟糕的人，但我想，跟他們比起來我應該算是好人了！」 Griffith說。 Bernard Griffith is 61 years old, a 6-4, 250-pound man straight out of the old-school textbook. He has spent virtually his entire adult life teaching history and/or economics, and coaching basketball, telling his kids that the classroom is way more important than the court, and that if "you come to work and put forth effort, you will always get paid." Griffith coached for 27 years at St. Augustine's, his pupils including Johnson, as well as former Net guard Kerry Kittles. It is a parochial school where all the students are boys, and all the boys wear uniforms. Johnson wanted no part of going there. 61歲的Bernard Griffith，身高6呎4，體重250磅，他奉獻了他畢生精力在教歷史、經 濟學(?)，以及帶領籃球隊上，他告訴他的球員們別因為打球而忽略了課業，並告訴他 們一分耕耘，一分收穫。他擔任聖奧古斯丁校隊教練27年之久。曾經在他底下打球的包 括AJ，以及前籃網後衛Kerry Kittles。聖奧古斯丁是個地方小學校，所有的學生都是 男生，必需穿著制服，起初AJ一點都不想去那兒。 Griffith convinced Johnson's parents that he'd get a first-rate education, and discipline that would be with him his whole life. It was no throwaway line. Griffith wore a suit and tie to every St. Augustine's game, and forbade his players from talking on bus rides. If his ballplayers messed up in school, they didn't return to the court until the teacher approved it. If they messed up in practice, or if they hot-dogged or loafed, they would have to run stairs or run around the school, or get hit with Bernard Griffith's paddle. 後來Griffith說服了AJ的爸媽，保證他會受到一流的教育，並養成一生皆足以遵循的 良好紀律。在參與每一場聖奧古斯丁的比賽時，Griffith總是穿著西裝、打著領帶； 在公車上時，Griffith禁止他的球員們聊天。若是他的球員在學校出了問題，他不讓 他們回球場打球直到老師點頭；若是他的球員在練習時捅簍子，除非他們有傷，否則 他們就得跑樓梯、跑校園、或是挨Griffith的竹筍炒肉絲。 "Corporal punishment was allowed in the school, and we used it," Griffith said. When Johnson got it, it was usually because he was talking too much. "His methods wouldn't work in high school today; he was too tough," Johnson said. "But it really made me a fighter." 「在我們那時候，體罰是被允許的，所以我們就用了。(笑)」Griffith說。 「然而，如果今天Johnson被懲罰，大部份都是因為他自己太多話了。」 AJ則表示：「他的方法在今日的高中已經不適用了；他太嚴厲了。」 「但這確實讓我成為一位鬥士。」 It was Johnson's spirit that Bernard Griffith first noticed, when Avery was in junior high. Griffith watched him play, and was wowed not by skill and flash, but by his resolve. 在高中時，Griffith最先注意到的是AJ的精神。Griffith看著他打球，發出讚嘆，不 只是因為他的技巧和速度，而是由於他的堅決。 (待續) --

※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 112.104.36.77 ※ 編輯: purplecoldly 來自: 112.104.36.77 (06/20 21:10)