Clay Henry: Staying Cool The Mission For Eric Musselman, Hogs
By Clay Henry
Senior Hogs+ Contributor
Senior Hogs+ Contributor
When Bo Mattingly approached me last spring about Hogs+ opportunities, one of the first projects that I pitched was to attend an Eric Musselman basketball practice with Jim Counce.Most realize that Counce played at Arkansas for Eddie Sutton’s 1978 Final Four team. They also may realize that he’s a top heart surgeon at Washington Regional Medical Center.They probably don’t know that he also coached three years with Sutton at Arkansas before going to medical school before the start of the 1982 season. I covered him as a player and coach.I’ve heard stories about Counce through his college roommate, Marvin Delph, since I was working as sports editor at the Conway Log Cabin Democrat. Marvin is a Conway legend.I love talking basketball with Counce. It’s common for one of us to reach out to the other after a big Arkansas basketball game. Our conversations are deep into the weeds, often technical coaching jargon.It was after an early season game last year when Counce called to tell me some detail on what he saw on defense from Jaylin Williams, the national leader in charges taken last year. I still recall the way Counce gave up his body taking charges for Sutton’s teams.
OK, long story short, a plan was developed to watch a practice last week, with a gracious invitation from Musselman.
