Former NBA coach helping out Fenwick boys basketball team

The name is Bach, Johnny Bach

Thursday, January 26th, 2012 2:15 PM

Updated: Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 12:50 PM

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Lending a hand: Johnny Bach, who was an assistant under Phil Jackson during the Bulls' three-peat in the early '90s, is helping coach the Fenwick boys basketball team this season.
Photos by J. GEIL/Photo Editor

Lending a hand: Johnny Bach, who was an assistant under Phil Jackson during the Bulls' three-peat in the early '90s, is helping coach the Fenwick boys basketball team this season.
Photos by J. GEIL/Photo Editor

By Marty Farmer

Contributing Reporter

While 15 of 18 players on the Fenwick boys basketball team are either sophomores or juniors, head coach John Quinn's most interesting addition to the program unequivocally has been 87-year-old "rookie" Johnny Bach.

Before his maiden voyage as an assistant coach with the Friars this season, it's essential for background to note that Bach served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and coached in college and the NBA for over six decades, highlighted by his stint as a Bulls assistant coach under Phil Jackson during the Bulls' first three-peat championship run in the early 1990s. He's also a devoted husband to his wife Mary, talented water color painter, avid reader of military history books, impeccable dresser and all-around man in full.

And yet for all of his lovely landscape paintings and Sean Connery 1960s cool fashion sense, the Brooklyn-born and bred Bach is fundamentally a fighter demanding only the best effort from himself and others. With a 5-10 overall record, Bach, Quinn and their bunch of young Friars have certainly learned from each other and shown signs of improvement — the team recently upset highly-regarded St. Rita 75-68 in overtime.

"Sometimes in practice I might start yelling a few curse words and John [Quinn] will step in and say, 'Whoa, Johnny,'" says Bach with a laugh, "but that's the way we often communicated in the Navy. Things had to be done quickly and without mistakes. Sometimes, I forget these are 16-year-old kids I'm dealing with in practice, but I'm enjoying it very much.

"These are bright kids who go to eight or nine classes a day and then have to get ready for practice in 15 minutes. It's hard to imagine but they have to be ordered regularly about no cell phones on the floor. Invariably, somebody's phone rings or even one of the coaches' phones. If it's the Governor [Pat Quinn] calling for his brother that's fine, but nobody else."

By his own choice, Bach doesn't sit on the Fenwick bench for games; however, he regularly takes copious notes in the bleachers. Bach's best impact is made behind the scenes during practice, which he attends about four times a week. The former Boston Celtics' 1948 draft choice primarily observes the players but also actively conducts drills and offers advice.

"We're definitely lucky to have coach Bach working with us," Fenwick center Sam Ainsworth said. "He's really bright and brings an energy and intensity to our team. Coach Bach always tells us stories about when he was in the Navy and it's very entertaining. It's just really an honor to play for him, especially knowing who else he has coached."

Added promising sophomore point guard Keshaun Smith: "Coach Bach has talked with me about footwork on the fast break and what it takes to be a true point guard. I think he has pulled aside everybody on the team at one time or another to help them."

Quinn echoed his players' sentiments about the well-received Bach, who decided to join the Fenwick staff after meeting with Quinn and mutual friend/former NBA coach Don Casey over a summer lunch on Taylor Street.

"Johnny is the voice of experience and the voice of history," Quinn said. "He's somebody who had Vince Lombardi as his freshman basketball coach at Fordham, coached with Joe Paterno, and served in the Navy and was part of the invasion of Japan.

"He just brings such a great perspective to young people. He has so much to give and is a selfless person. Johnny's also trying to get our kids to understand what it takes to truly be an outstanding team because he's been an integral part of world championship teams."

Of course, Bach reached the zenith of his coaching career while working with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and a strong supporting cast of players coupled with one of the greatest coaching staffs of all time — Phil Jackson, Tex Winter, Jim Cleamons and Bach. Chicago dominated the NBA narrative, notching consecutive titles in 1991, 1992 and 1993 in addition to unparalleled popularity and fame.

During that remarkable three-peat run, the Bulls amassed a 185-61 regular season record and a 45-13 mark in the playoffs.

"All championship teams have a building confidence that they are never truly behind in a game," Bach says. "If we were down 10 points with five minutes left in the game, we knew we could still win. It's more than a sense of pride; it's an abiding confidence."

The defensive end of the floor served as Bach's bailiwick which meshed well with Jackson's often unconventional coaching style. As architect of the Bulls' famed "Doberman" defense, Bach utilized the players' athleticism and length with run-and-jump surprise traps.

"Johnny always brought passion and intensity to the practice floor and in meetings," recalled Bulls Executive VP of Basketball Operations John Paxson, who remains a close friend of Bach. "So much of Johnny's charm is his perspective on life, especially when you think about him serving in the Navy. He grew up in an era where discipline and accountability were integral parts of who you were. He brought those principles to our team."

Bach cherishes the funny stories, memorable moments and lifelong relationships built within that Bulls group,

"I remember one time we had a bus parked on the ramp ready to go to the airport," Bach says. "As we came out to get on the bus, there was a woman underneath it. Obviously, that's a very small area and police couldn't get her out. She had a picture that she insisted Michael sign. Before you know it, there were emergency guys, in effect a swat team with armor and everything. Because of this harmless woman, they couldn't move the bus. Finally, Michael said, 'just get her out and I'll sign the damn thing.' That's Michael, he had enough of negotiations."

Last spring, Bach attended the Bulls' 20th anniversary celebration/reunion of the 1991 NBA title team at the United Center.

Currently, when he's not coaching as Quinn's Catholic League aide de camp, Bach enjoys his time living in downtown Chicago with his wife, Mary. He lovingly refers to her as a caring, highly intelligent woman who graduated summa cum laude from Cal-Berkeley and works as a top medical malpractice lawyer at Clifford Law. Bach endearingly describes her as a "tough little Irish gal."

Bach also remains an accomplished watercolorist, who enjoys painting landscapes, water scenes and people, notably military leaders.

A fan of Bach's artwork is legendary basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The two met at the screening of On the Shoulders of Giants, Abdul-Jabbar's fabulous documentary film about the story of the 1939 Harlem Rens, the first all-African American pro basketball team to win a World Championship.

Bach, who played against the Rens, painted a water color rendition of the team and sent it to a highly appreciative Abdul-Jabbar. Kareem responded with a note of thanks and quid pro quo a signed/framed jersey en route to a unique friendship between basketball lifers.

"I never really got to know coach Bach until I did my work on the documentary," notes Abdul-Jabbar. "Johnny is a very intelligent, personable man. His vast experience gives him the credibility and knowledge to advise basketball players at any level because he's been there and accomplished so much in the game."

While it's apparent the Friars' "rookie" has already accomplished so much in basketball, the Fenwick players are simply grateful he's on their side.