DeadSpin: The Moment A D-I Basketball Coach Stumbled Out Of A Crackhouse

Fascinating read:

In 1986, Kevin Mackey led the Cleveland State men's basketball team to a stunning upset victory over Bob Knight's Indiana Hoosiers in the NCAA tournament. Four years later, he came wobbling out of a Cleveland crackhouse into the waiting arms of the police. The local news station was also there, capturing the whole surreal moment on camera.

Earlier this week, we republished Scott Raab's 1992 profile of Kevin Mackey, "Asphalt Junkie." In it, Raab describes the moment Mackey emerged from the crackhouse, effectively ending his career as a coach:

http://thestacks.deadspin.com/the-f...-junkie-cinder-1553579005/1561035020/+Tom_Ley

Go Gophers!!

I remember both Cleveland State's run to the Sweet 16 and Kevin Mackey's fall from grace like it was yesterday. CSU's run that season, in year two of the 64 team field, played a big role in making the tourney such a hot item going forward. The number of upsets and chances of them happening had been less in the smaller field. Mackey is now a scout for the Indiana Pacers. He coached some minor league pro ball, but the crack arrest finished him on a big league level. As villified as someone in his position would be now for crack use, in 1990 it was as if he'd committed a capital crime. Had it been powder he'd have had a chance to at least be an assistant somewhere down the line, but crack was at a whole other level.

This was a great read. Thanks for sharing.

Sports_Realist said:

I remember both Cleveland State's run to the Sweet 16 and Kevin Mackey's fall from grace like it was yesterday. CSU's run that season, in year two of the 64 team field, played a big role in making the tourney such a hot item going forward. The number of upsets and chances of them happening had been less in the smaller field. Mackey is now a scout for the Indiana Pacers. He coached some minor league pro ball, but the crack arrest finished him on a big league level. As villified as someone in his position would be now for crack use, in 1990 it was as if he'd committed a capital crime. Had it been powder he'd have had a chance to at least be an assistant somewhere down the line, but crack was at a whole other level.

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Apparently Mackey is a scout for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA for the last 10 years (2003-present).

The last "crackhouse" I stumbled out of was my late Grandparents' outhouse that needed anew toilet seat.