From our local newspaper here in Iowa City.
Lickliter shoots for Dec. 19 return
The game of basketball has been very good to Iowa coach Todd Lickliter and always will be a top priority for him.
It's made him financially secure, made him famous to a certain extent and made his life interesting.
But it wasn't basketball that made Lickliter's oldest son, Ry, travel all the way from Poland to be at his father's side last weekend. Ry rushed to Iowa City after learning that his father was scheduled to have a serious medical procedure done.
Lickliter now is recovering after having surgery last weekend to repair a tear in his carotid artery.
He will miss his third consecutive game tonight when Iowa (3-6) faces Iowa State (6-3) at Hilton Coliseum in Ames but hopes to return for the Drake game Dec. 19 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
And although Lickliter hates the thought of missing another game, his medical situation has reminded him about what really matters.
"I think I'd be less than honest if I didn't tell you that a lot goes through your mind," Lickliter said Thursday on a teleconference. Lickliter described how his family rallied behind him. In addition to his son traveling from Poland, Lickliter's brother also handled the spiritual aspects, including calling a priest, while his wife never left his side.
"You realize that maybe you do have some priorities," Lickliter said. "Maybe there are some things that hopefully you've done that they would know that I'd be there for them, too. "I think you have to prioritize, but that does not mean minimize your job. I don't think I've done that. I don't think I'll ever do that. I'm appreciative of the opportunity to coach and I want to do it well. And at the same time, I think you have to know that it's impossible to do what you love to do without your health." Lickliter praised and thanked all the people that helped him get through this ordeal.
"You put your trust in people," Lickliter said. "And I'm so thankful that the staff and the team and the doctors are people that are very deserving of trust. "I can't tell you how comforting it was to be at the hospital and being taken care of by those individuals.
On a side note, the Cyclones will try and run the Hawkeyes out of the gym, if they can remains to be seen.
