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University of Houston Athletics
Joe Curl Quotes
3/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
HOUSTON WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH Joe Curl
OPENING STATEMENT
"I was on the road recruiting in Albuquerque that year I had a heart attack and ever since I flew back, it has been a journey. I had a mild heart attack and then three of the last four road trips we took this year, I ended up in the hospital with congestive heart failure with my lungs and heart being filled up with water. Two cardiologists said I shouldn't fly at all. Out of the fairness to our kids, with the games I missed this year, some games last year and the entire year before, I'm resigning. I'm putting the kids in a situation I don't like, and that's not giving them what they need. They need a coach 24/7.
I'm truly resigning my position without any pressure from Mack (Rhoades). He has been awesome in this situation: He's been the best. We had a long talk about what I was going to do, and when I told him, he said `that's probably for the best.'
"I'm taking some time off to do what the doctors have told me. I will take one year off, tend to my yard, go on walks and do what they asked me to do the first time. I went running to the road for recruiting the first green light they gave me last time. If I get the itch to work again, and not just in basketball, it's just being around people, we'll see. I have my cooker, and I will enjoy cooking for the masses. I will come out and support the Cougars every way possible.
On what he is most proud of
"I'm most proud of our first two years, and we won a total of 12 games during that time. I never cut any player that I inherited. I have never done that in any program I have coached in. I'm most proud of that over my 32 years as a coach. I give players two options - go to class and take care of your business, or you're not on our team.
"I'm also proud of being hungry for more. Even after we went to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, I wanted more, needed more. My work ethic has certainly been challenged since I've been here."
On telling the team
"We met with the players less than an hour ago, and there wasn't a dry eye in the room including me and my family. I really don't want to get emotional about this but it's tough."
On his best memory
"Probably beating TCU in Fort Worth to go to the NCAA Tournament. I pretended I was on the radio, so I could watch every girl climb up the ladder to snip a piece of the net down. I never climbed up because it was those players that won the conference championship. And that was when we had all the big teams in it like TCU, Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida, Marquette and DePaul. It was a really good conference and those kids earned it.
On what he'll do in his free time
"I don't know; I really don't. I know I will sleep a little longer, rest a little more, but I'll have to find something else to do. I'm sure my wife is already sick of me just talking about it. I'll do a lot of reading and writing. I have a basketball curriculum about 400-pages long. I'll have some time to tweak that. I have no desire to make another move to another school. I have fit so well here at UH that I wouldn't ever entertain anything else.
On Wade Scott
"I talked to Mack about taking a hard look at him because he's a basketball guru. He's forgotten more basketball than most will ever know. He's a basketball freak - and that's a compliment.
On how he feels
"A few months ago, someone in the media asked me what I was going to do in the spring and I didn't have an answer for them. I think God evaluated that for me, and when two cardiologists say you can't get in an airplane anymore, how can you do your job? We need to take airplanes everywhere we go.
"I'm emotional, exhausted and passionate about Cougar Athletics. If I hit the lottery today, there will be an End Zone Facility, a new basketball practice facility and a brand new track.
"When two doctors tell you not to do something, it's time to start listening to them. I'm starting to feel what they have been telling me will happen. Just like when we went to Lubbock, how disappointing and disruptive is it when we get off the plane and the team goes to the hotel and I have to go to the hospital.
