While Sutton recovers, assistants running Tech's day-to-day operation
Steve Payne hasn't had much time to play a lot of golf recently. Normally during the summer months, the Tennessee Tech assistant men's basketball coach can fit in a couple of rounds on the links when he's not recruiting or working basketball camp. Not this year. Payne and the rest of the TTU men's basketball staff have been working overtime to keep the program headed in the right direction while Golden Eagle head coach Mike Sutton remains in critical condition in a Nashville hospital.
Steve
Payne hasn't had much time to play a lot of golf recently.
Normally during the summer months, the Tennessee Tech assistant
men's basketball coach can fit in a couple of rounds on the links
when he's not recruiting or working basketball camp. Not this
year.
Payne and the rest of the TTU men's basketball staff have been
working overtime to keep the program headed in the right direction
while Golden Eagle head coach Mike
Sutton remains in critical condition in a Nashville hospital.
"Coach Payne and the entire staff have worked very hard to provide continuity to our student-athletes and our program. I don't think we have missed a beat," said TTU Athletic's Director Mark Wilson. "They have had to work extra hard and have had to pick up the pace to make sure everything gets done."
Payne and fellow assistants Dexter Williams, Saul Smith and Ryan Parnell, along with basketball secretary Debbie Turnbow and manager Scott Berger, have been hard at it since Sutton was hospitalized on April 10 with Guillain-Barre' Syndrome -- an inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nerves that has paralyzed almost his entire body.
"He's really improving and that's a plus," Payne said about Sutton. "I'm sure he's ready to jump out of bed and get some work done. He is very much involved in everything.
"He's doing better," continued Payne. "We are kind of getting in a routine and it's good. It's not the same as when he's here every day but we are getting a rhythm going."
The 49-year-old Sutton is getting into a routine of physical therapy at Specialty Select Hospital following a two-week stay at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville. Sutton, who just finished up his third season at Tech after leading the Golden Eagles to the 2005 Ohio Valley Conference regular season championship, appears to be on a slow but steady recovery schedule.
"Mike continues to make progress," Wilson said. "There is progress every day. He is working hard on his physical therapy and his occupational therapy. By medical definition he is still in intensive care."
While Sutton remains in critical condition, Payne keeps him informed on what is happening with the Golden Eagle hoopsters. Despite the constant communication, Payne says it's not the same as when Sutton is in the office.
"The hardest part is that you have a guy who is not only your boss but a guy who is one of my best friends," explained Payne. "I talk to him three or four times a day when we aren't in the office. The hardest part is going through everything without him being here. The work part can be handled. The hard part is not having a friend here -- someone you like and trust and talk to and like being around."
Not having the head coach around could be challenging for most basketball staffs but Payne and the other Golden Eagle assistants seem to be well-prepared and very knowledgeable about how to handle the day-to-day operations.
"I've been a head coach and so has Dexter," said Payne, who spent a couple of years as a head coach at Frank Phillips Junior College. "We understand what he goes through and what he does. Our staff is pretty unified and we know what is going on in the program. Coach wants his assistant coaches to understand the whole concept of what is going on in the program."
Payne says Golden Eagle fans also want to know what's going on with the program but, more importantly, what's going on with Sutton.
"People are concerned," he said. "Not as much with me but with what is going on with Coach Sutton. People are generally concerned with Coach Sutton's health. Nobody is more concerned with the job than his health. Coach has done a great job of reaching out and being part of this community."
The past couple of months have been tough to handle for everyone associated with the TTU men's basketball program. But Payne believes as long as Coach Sutton continues to improve, so will the Golden Eagles.
"I think it already has brought our staff and our team much closer. Basketball is basketball but this is much more important."
