There’s ruthlessness in the best professional athletes, an ability to get the better of the opposition in a cool, sometimes coldhearted, fashion.
No give. No let-up. No softness.
Basketball star Carl English is beginning to discover the same qualities are required in his work off the court.
“At the end of the day, this can be a cutthroat business. Without saying too much, I think I might have to get meaner,” said English about his endeavours as the interim general manager of the St. John’s Edge, the team he led to a successful 2017-18 debut in the National Basketball League of Canada.
“The thing I’m trying to get used to, the thing I’ve found out is, that I can’t always be the good guy.
“It’s different business on this side of it, when I have to worry about what is best for the St. John’s Edge and the team’s fans.”
English is working to put together a roster for the Edge’s follow-up season, one he hopes can take the team beyond its showing in its inaugural season, when it fell to the defending and eventual champion London Lightning in a divisional final.
That means he is involved in what can be the tricky business of negotiating with players who were his teammates from last season and who might be again, seeing as English hasn’t yet announced he is retiring as a player.
We already know the future disposition— at least as far as the NBL Canada is concerned — of about a third of the Edge roster from last season,
Two players are definitely gone from St. John’s — point guard Coron Williams has signed with a team in Argentina’s top league and forward Russell Byrd is staying in the NBLC, but with the Island Storm, after signing with the Charlotetown, P.E.I., club as a free agent. But two more — popular Canadian guard Jarryn Skeete and Desmond Lee, named the Edge’s top defensive player last season — have re-upped, agreeing to new contracts last week.
Williams, Skeete and Lee were among the seven players listed on St. John’s off-season protected list. Frontcourt players Grandy Glaze, Ryan Reid and Charles Hinkle and guard Alex Johnson are the others.
“At the end of the day, this can be a cutthroat business. Without saying too much, I think I might have to get meaner. The thing I’m trying to get used to, the thing I’ve found out is, that I can’t always be the good guy.”
St. John’s Edge interim GM Carl English
Whoever returns, in whatever numbers, there will be turnover, and that means the Edge are looking for new bodies, too.
To that end, English, along with new head coach Doug Plumb and assistant Steve Marcus, was in Las Vegas earlier this month to take in Summer League action. The rosters of the participating teams include draft choices from the most recent NBA draft and some younger, mostly fringe players who have already seen time in the NBA. However, most of the competitors can be at best described as would-be NBAers, even if they don’t see it that way.
“Everybody in Vegas thought they were going to play in the NBA or if not the NBA, then with Barcelona and Real Madrid,” said English, the latter in reference to two of Europe’s top professional teams.
“But 97 percent of them will not. The thing is that you have to wait for them to realize that and that’s not going to happen early.
“Realistically, if I started in this in September, it would easier, because European deals are done and (NBA) training camp rosters are set. The picture is clearer then, but when you’re trying to get a jump on things early, trying to be proactive, it’s not as easy as people (think) it might be.”
While in Vegas, English ran into Hinkle, a fellow NBL all-star last season.
Given that he was a top five scorer in the league last season, Hinkle has always been seen as a player who might have multiple off-season options.
English acknowledged that, but stated “I still think we might be able to bring him back. I hope to have Charles figured out soon.”
But then he added the caution that comes with the knowledge NBL Canada isn’t a league tied to FIBA, the governing association for world basketball.
“That means even if I sign someone now, they could still go elsewhere, along as it’s outside (NBL Canada). If I sign a guy and he gets a better offer in a league elsewhere, I have no legal right to hold him to that contract.”
And as for the future status of the reigning NBL Canada most valuable player, who happens to be himself, English has suggested he could announce his decision with the next week to 10 days.
“I’m dealing with him on a day-to-day basis and he’s not an easy guy,” he said with a laugh.
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