Pat Flannery leaned forward in his customary chair a few seats down from the Sojka Pavilion scorers' table, his hands clenched tightly together.
His feet were scrunched together, ready to explode from his brown docksiders. His hands parted only to run them hard through his dark hair.
The usually fiery Bucknell head coach was saying nothing at this point during a Jan. 26 game against visiting Colgate, but his body language spoke loud and clear.
Flannery, either by words or gestures, always was a demonstrative fellow during games and practices. His passion for his craft and his players has never been in question.
But on this winter day earlier this year, Flannery had tried hard to be someone else. Someone he is not.
In his return to the bench after a one-game suspension due to his behavior and ejection from a win eight days earlier at rival Holy Cross, Flannery gave his best John Wooden impression, maybe basketball's version of Tom Landry. For those who have seen the Bison play the last 14 years, you know Flannery is more Bob Knight than Dean Smith.
After physical and mental health issues arose the last few years -- causing him to miss or leave early more than a dozen games -- and coming off one of his most frustrating seasons as a head coach, Flannery felt it was time for an extended off-season.
He announced his retirement Friday and his plan to take a fundraising job at the university on July 1.
For those who know him well, this hardly is a shock.
For those who care about him -- especially his wife, Patti, and their two sons -- this was the right move.
The Bucknell alum's heart was exposed for all to see shortly after every tip-off.
Players knew they would be criticized for every mental error, every display of selfish play and especially when they didn't hustle. They also knew Flannery had their backs.
Officials knew he'd be on their backs the minute they missed a call.
Flannery gave 100 percent every time he laced up his sneakers at Bucknell and each time he put on his jacket and tie as the man in charge in Lewisburg. He expected the same from everyone else.
He studied opposing players and teams as much as any of his peers. He knew an awful lot about the officials working his games, too.
Flannery didn't go out on top. The Bison struggled in 2007-08, finishing 12-19 overall, 7-7 in the Patriot League and losing in the league semifinals to the host Raiders at Colgate.
It was the worst overall record in his storied career and tied for second-worst league showing.
Injuries crippled the Bison before the season started and continued throughout, but Flannery offered no excuses. This season's club didn't develop the character of their tough-as-nails coach like others had, but, again, no excuses.
Bucknell's program reached unprecedented heights under his tutelage, winning consecutive league tournament titles, winning two NCAA tournament games and leading the only team in league history to finish the regular season unbeaten.
Flannery didn't contemplate his latest move until the last year or so. His boys are getting older. He wants to enjoy watching them play whatever sports they enjoy, so his health became a priority. As long as he stayed in the current situation at Bucknell, his health likely would have only gotten worse.
Flannery made the right move at the right time for himself.
Will he ever coach again?
I think so, but it will be for all of the right reasons. He has others to consider.
It would make sense for his next coaching job to provide enough security for his family so that Patti didn't have to work and that his boys would be OK leaving an area and many friends they love.
Flannery made Bucknell competitive without suitable facilities and athletic scholarships. He took the program to places it may never be again when Sojka Pavilion opened and scholarships were approved.
He didn't bend any rules to put up his impressive numbers. He can sleep easy knowing he did it the right way.
Flannery was just having a hard time sleeping knowing he may have had to be someone else in order to keep coaching at this point in his life.
