It’s easy to root for Compton basketball coach

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Let me tell you a secret...

Often, sports reporters root for a certain team or player or coach -- even in a game that we are covering. That’s blasphemy to some hardcore hacks who preach the life-or-death mantra: There’s no cheering in the press box.

Hey, I wouldn’t dare cheer -- at least not out loud.

But, on Friday, I felt myself rooting for the Compton boys’ basketball team in the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Division I-AA playoffs against Santa Margarita, all because of one reason: Coach Tony Thomas. This guy’s easy to cheer on. Never did he diss one of my 30 or so calls this season. Never did he give me stock replies to my often inane questions. Never did he cut me short when I called him at late hours. And also never did he stop being honest. His answers were blunt and sincere. Just the way reporters like it.

Well, Thomas and Compton lost. It was a tough one -- for me.

But I’ll keeping rooting for Thomas. Uh, silently.

-- Anthony Stitt

- Image from http://www.erikcooper.com