mthoopsfan
Well-known member
"On Wednesday, Sprinkle turned emotional every step of the way as he explained himself and his journey. Yet his words might have been the most heartfelt when he pointed out that RaeQuan Battle and his mother were mixed in among the media, the fans and current and former Husky basketball players crowded together to see him.
Battle is one of the reasons a coaching change was badly needed, and, with a touch of irony, why this job shifted hands from Mike Hopkins to Sprinkle.
The 6-foot-5 Battle, a shooting guard from Tulalip, Washington, spent two frustrating seasons at the UW, briefly given an opportunity to play before being shunted aside. This gangly kid would transfer to Montana State, where Sprinkle demanded much more from him and developed Battle into a first-team All-Big Sky player, a conference tourney MVP and twice a 17-point scorer for the Bobcats before he moved to West Virginia, where he will graduate.
"I love him like a son," Sprinkle said, speaking directly to Battle. "I'm not here without you. You know that.”
The gifted guard described getting tossed out of Montana State practice when he and Sprinkle didn't see eye to eye and of having to wear kneepads when the coach warned everyone play was going to be extra aggressive that day.
"That person changed my life," Battle said. "Coming from Washington to Montana State, it was a rough transition for me. It was my first time as a local guy playing away from home. It was different for me. I respect that man. I love him to death."
"Five years ago today, I was living in a one-bedroom apartment in Brea, California," Sprinkle said. " Like nobody understands that. They think I've kind of been handed stuff. I haven't been handed nothing. I'm proud of that. I don't want to be handed anything. It's how i grew up. It's what my family is built with -- it's blue collar and it's not going to change."
Taken to the arena, Sprinkle moved from interviewer to interviewer and posed for photos, offering more chapters to his story. He mentioned he would bring Andy Hill, one of his Utah State and Montana State assistant coaches, with him to Montlake, providing Hill didn't replace him in Logan, Utah."
www.si.com
Battle is one of the reasons a coaching change was badly needed, and, with a touch of irony, why this job shifted hands from Mike Hopkins to Sprinkle.
The 6-foot-5 Battle, a shooting guard from Tulalip, Washington, spent two frustrating seasons at the UW, briefly given an opportunity to play before being shunted aside. This gangly kid would transfer to Montana State, where Sprinkle demanded much more from him and developed Battle into a first-team All-Big Sky player, a conference tourney MVP and twice a 17-point scorer for the Bobcats before he moved to West Virginia, where he will graduate.
"I love him like a son," Sprinkle said, speaking directly to Battle. "I'm not here without you. You know that.”
The gifted guard described getting tossed out of Montana State practice when he and Sprinkle didn't see eye to eye and of having to wear kneepads when the coach warned everyone play was going to be extra aggressive that day.
"That person changed my life," Battle said. "Coming from Washington to Montana State, it was a rough transition for me. It was my first time as a local guy playing away from home. It was different for me. I respect that man. I love him to death."
"Five years ago today, I was living in a one-bedroom apartment in Brea, California," Sprinkle said. " Like nobody understands that. They think I've kind of been handed stuff. I haven't been handed nothing. I'm proud of that. I don't want to be handed anything. It's how i grew up. It's what my family is built with -- it's blue collar and it's not going to change."
Taken to the arena, Sprinkle moved from interviewer to interviewer and posed for photos, offering more chapters to his story. He mentioned he would bring Andy Hill, one of his Utah State and Montana State assistant coaches, with him to Montlake, providing Hill didn't replace him in Logan, Utah."
Sprinkle Brings Out a Large Gathering to His UW Coaching Unveiling
Danny Sprinkle welcomed as the new Husky basketball leader.
www.si.com
