Simply the Best

That's the Tina Turner song that blared over the sounds system at State Farm Arena after Craig Winder hit The Shot Heard 'Round the Valley just over two months ago.

It's also what I think about Vipers team President Brian Michael Cooper.

Before I continue, first let me congratulate Maine Red Claws President Jon Jennings on winning the first NBA Development League Executive of the Year. He led an expansion team into a market that's far from the NBA D-League's prior geographical foot print, sold out the season and had great all around success.

This is not a post to say that Brian deserved it over him. That'd be idiotic on my part. They're both very deserving, and no matter who got the award, I doubt anyone would argue.

Obviously I think Brian deserved it. I worked with him everyday. I'm biased. I did not work with Jon. If I did, my guess is I'd think he deserved it.

The point of the post is simply to make sure he gets the recognition he deserves for a dream-season.

Among his accomplishments:

Working Out the First Hybrid Agreement
It's easy to say that the business office has nothing to do with what happens on the court, but that's not necessarily true. Did anyone else notice Coach Finch thanked Alonzo Cantu and Brian on VERSUS after winning the Championship? Well, without Brian, there's always the question that we can't answer – would there still be a single-affiliation agreement in place between the Rockets and the Vipers? He worked very hard to make it happen. That eventually led to the All-Star Coaching Staff of Finch, Paul Mokeski and Jai Steadman, General Manager Gersson Rosas, Director of Player Personnel Gerald Madkins, Director of Player Development Brent "BJ" Johnson, Director of Scouting Phillip Jabour as part of an unprecedented basketball operations staff that was full of knowledge, skill, preparation and more. And of course that helped to lead to a Championship.

Rockets Beat Celtics on Vipers' Court in Front of Record Sell-Out Crowd
Bringing a Rockets pre-season game down to the Valley can debatably count towards the previous year, since it was announced in February 2009. However, the game and RGV Rocket Launch 2009 were major successes. Additionally, he helped to make sure the game would not only be a sell-out, but that lots of underprivileged children would get to see it thanks to the Corporate Angels program. That was a big thing for Brian.

Rockets To Keep Coming to RGV
Before the Rockets-Celtics game was even sold out, Brian struck a deal with the Rockets to keep them coming back for at least three more years and always against top opponents (like the Magic this year).

Extended Business Agreement with the Rockets
Why just partner with the Rockets on the basketball side when you can partner with them on the business side? We get to interact directly with our NBA counterparts, run ideas by them and get advice. It's incredible to have such resources available to us.

Parade of Hall of Famers and Superstars
Moses Malone helped us to open up the Pro-Shop, Clyde Drexler helped us hand out awards to Valley Freedom Newspapers' All-Valley HS Football Players and jumped on the broadcast for a whole quarter, Yao Ming and Luis Scola came to games, Aaron Brooks visits often...

Expanding the Brand
After playing on the road for our first two pre-seasons, we got to a host an exhibition game out on South Padre Island. That's a good hour and a half away and it was a wonderful chance for fans who don't normally get to come to games to watch the Vipers not only play, but practice. We also had an autograph session. In addition to that, we've held countless Youth Clinics all over the Valley and led the league in Community Appearances. After all, as Brian always says, "it's all about kids."

Straight Cash Homey
I'm sorry for pulling out a Randy Moss line, but the one thing that can't be denied is business is booming. We successfully launch a Pro-Shop, led the league in Season Tickets (which is extraordinarily hard to do when competing with expansion teams), Group Tickets and average attendance (4,712).

Always Hit It Hard
One impressive thing about the Vipers is that we want every day to be a memorable experience. We don't look at a Monday game and say, let's just play ball and we'll worry about our weekend games. We say, what can we do to make this fun and worth going to? You can thank Brian for that mentality.

Primetime Players
Anyone else notice that we were the only team in the league to get three regular season home games on VERSUS and that we got two more during the playoffs? There's a reason for that, and it's not just on-court success. Brian wanted this team to be run like an NBA team at all times. First class all the way. We may not have the same staff or resources that an NBA team has available, but somehow we always find a way to make it happen. Brian wouldn't have it any other way.

Yeah, We're Talking About Playoffs
Historically in the minor leagues, playoffs are a losing proposition. The games aren't on your pocket, magnet or poster schedules. There isn't usually much time to advertise the dates or sell tickets. Well, not only did we have great crowds, but we had a Vipers record sellout for the Final game, you know, when Winder hit that shot? 6,198. Well beyond maximum capacity. The only reason we didn't pass Rockets-Celtics was because we had more seats available for that game (there was no kids zone, for example, allowing for more seats).

It's funny, as a I write this I become dissatisfied with the award. Not the choice of winner, but the individualism of it. As Jon Jennings said when he got this award today, and as Coach Finch said when he earned Coach of the Year, it's a total-team effort. Individual awards are a reflection of those around you.

We have an incredible front office with the Vipers. However, I also have no problem with giving Brian a ton of credit. He's had a lot of great ideas and he's an incredible motivator.

It does, however, make me wish there was a Franchise of the Year award.

Although Brian didn't get the award, he could have, and it would have been well deserved.

And, of course, I'm still waiting for a Communications Executive of the Year Award and ADB is waiting for a Broadcaster of the Year Award.

Baby Steps