Frank Vogel (AP photo)
Was talking with a friend at the Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday, when I mentioned that the Pacers were leading the Bulls in the first round of their NBA playoff series.
“Who coaches the Pacers anyway?” asked the friend.
“I have no idea,” I said. “I know they fired Jim O’Brien (the former Rick Pitino assistant) during the season. I think they named one of his assistants head coach.”
Who knew that assistant/interim head coach has UK ties?
I didn’t, or at least not until I did an internet investigation to find the answer.
Turns out the Pacers interim coach is Frank Vogel, who was a student manager under Pitino at UK. Vogel was a transfer from Juniata College in Huntington, Pa., who also played on the junior varsity at Kentucky. He also graduated from UK.
When Pitino left after the 1997 season for the Boston Celtics, he took Vogel with him as head video coordinator. He was then an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers, and head scout with the Los Angeles Lakers and later the Washington Wizards. He rejoined O’Brien with the Pacers, and was elevated to interim head coach when O’Brien was relieved of his duties on Jan. 30.
Vogel led the Pacers to a 20-18 record and, according to Jeff Rabjohns of the Indianapolis Star, is the Cinderella story of the Pacers-Bulls series.
Chicago rallied to win the first game. The second game is tonight in Chicago. TNT has the action, starting at 9:30 p.m.
