Jennings: TrailBlazer; More Smoke than Fire? Part 2

In my last post, I discussed potential roadblocks on 18-year old Brandon Jennings' path to success in Rome.

His new team's coach, Jasmin Repesa, is one.

I saw the sideline-stomping, crew-cut sporting Repesa in action last fall and wrote after the game:

Lottomatica Roma head coach Jasmin Repesa is the single most intimidating coach I have ever witnessed. Our group sat just a couple of rows behind the visitors' bench and watched, slack-jawed, as Repesa tore into his players with a ferocity and laser-eyed intensity that simply had to be experienced to be understand. As I looked into Repesa's cold, black, beady pupils, I can only liken my impression to him as a combination of Dennis Hopper and Jaws. I do not think that his players made eye contact with him one time the entire game. I once read that there are two types of coaches - the kind that teaches through fear and intimidation (the "Bobby Knight" type) and the kind that teache primarily through patience and positive reinforcement (the "Mike Kryzewski" type). Well, in Europe, clearly the master of the "Bobby Knight" style of coaching is the Croatian Jasmin Repesa.

Chances are this won't be the best coach for a young, albeit talented, player just learning to play with grown men, learning the new FIBA rules and experiencing a trans-Atlantic cultural transition.

Then again, as easily as for a jumper, Jennings may rise to the occasion.