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Stan’s the man
A salute to the ‘nicest guy’ in Toledo college sports
published February 28th 2007
My wife and I are friendly with Stan Joplin and his wife LaDonna. While reading the daily paper or hearing commentary on local sportscasts, I often find myself thinking that the true story of Jop is left untold. He could be described as “the nicest guy I’ve ever met,” but that still would not do him justice. Watching him interact with his players both on the court during game time and in less structured social settings shows that he really cares for them and does not look at them so much as factors to help them achieve a goal but rather as individuals to be appreciated.
In an effort to test my hypothesis on Joplin’s “nicest guy” image I spoke with college coaches across the country who had crossed paths with Joplin to get their take.
Tom Izzo
Head coach, Michigan State University
Quick bio: Head coach at Michigan State for the past 12 years — whose team recently upended No. 1 ranked Wisconsin — Izzo has produced one NCAA National Championship, four regular season Big Ten Championships, two Big Ten Tournament titles, and four Final Four appearances. He’s also been named National Coach of the Year four times. Izzo first met Joplin as a player on the court.
“Upon meeting Stan, you can easily determine he is really a quality, special guy. I owe a big debt of gratitude to Stan Joplin for the two classes he recruited when he was still an assistant coach at Michigan State. Mateen Cleves and Antonio Smith are two guys that he recruited (when Joplin was working at Michigan State as an assistant under Judd Heathcote before Izzo began) that paid big dividends for me. (Stan) personifies class. He can walk on eitherside of the fence. He does a good job of recruiting and finding the talent. He is an individual who can talk to anybody and makes parents of prospective recruits feel comfortable. Stan has great integrity and success in his program at Toledo.”
Ben Braun
Head coach, University of California
Quick bio: Now in his 11th year as head coach of the Cal Golden Bears, Braun previously served as the head coach of Eastern Michigan University. He has coached the Bears to more postseason victories than any coach in UC history, with five NCAA Tournament wins and an NIT championship. Braun coached Joplin when Stan was a player in Adrian, Mich. and maintained a friendship with Joplin even as the two fought through the MAC Conference.
“Stan is truly one of the good guys in coaching. He is the kind of person that takes the time for you no matter how things are going in his program. Whether he is on a winning streak or not, he is always the same guy. He treats you personably and I have always respected him.”
Stan Heath
Head coach, University of Arkansas
Quick bio: Pro-moted to coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks after earning a MAC Championship and advancing one step away from the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament. Heath met Joplin while working as an assistant coach at Wayne State University in the mid-’90s and he claims Joplin helped him move up the ladder to become an assistant coach at Michigan State University after Joplin left.
“Stan is a very consistent coach. He has weathered the storms and handled adversity well. He has been at the same school (University of Toledo) for 11 years. That’s amazing in this business and a credit to him. You’re not going to find a better guy than Stan Joplin; he is a first-class person — well-liked and respected in the coaches fraternity across the country. Stan is a guy who just doesn’t have an ego.”
Al Skinner
Head coach, Boston College
Quick bio: A 19-year coaching veteran, Skinner came to Boston in ’97 after working nine years as the head coach for Rhode Island State University. He was awarded Big East Coach of the Year honors in 2004 and ’05, as well as being named National Coach of the Year in 2000-2001. His team has racked up almost 150 victories in the last six years, winning three Big East regular season crowns and one Big East tournament championship.
“Stan’s winning basketball games, graduating athletes, and scandal-free. He’s competitive in the league and bringing honor to the program. More than anything else, Stan’s an ethical guy. You can tell by the way his (players) respond in public. How he handles himself on the court is an indication of the type of person that he is. If a coach is not a quality guy then his behavior is different on the court and off the court. Stan Joplin is just a terrific person. I don’t know anything more of what a university could want from a coaching staff than what Stan is doing.”
My ties in college athletics have always been with the University of Michigan, focusing primarily on the football program but, to a lesser extent, on the basketball team as well. Since I have met Stan Joplin, however, I am also a big Rocket basketball fan. I not only root for the team, but also for the individuals on the court including the one guiding them on the sidelines. I’m not directly involved in the competitive, sometimes cut-throat world of college athletics. I’m sure the nationally recognized coaches who I talked to for this column have differing opinions on a number of issues. However, we do agree fully on one thing — Stan Joplin is a truly class guy.
Good luck to Stan as his team completes its MAC Conference schedule and heads to Cleveland for the MAC Conference tournament. Go Rockets!
