contract offer

we have received a contract offer.  no... not for qsi.  that is still up in the air.  i met today with the team owner and team president of ak-bar - team in the local, professional basketball league.  very formal.  very funny.

they liked what i did last year coaching my club team and wanted me to take over as coach for their team.  the season is half way over and although the team is doing well and in second place (it is a six team league) - they feel like they need to make a change as the current coach isn't very strong.

it wasn't much of an interview.  they didn't ask me any questions other than if i wanted the job.  i did most of the asking.  the answers i got included:

the league is in its second year.  there are six teams and they are all either owned by wealthy business men or sponsored by local businesses.  the goal of the league owners is to expand the league to include other central asian countries and to import players from outside of the region to play. 

almost all the players have contracts.  playing basketball is their full time job.  my team practices twice a day (once in the morning and once at night - which is the only time i can make practice) on mondays, wednesdays and fridays.  they also lift weights on tuesdays and thrusdays.

most teams in the league have shoe contracts with some chinese sporting good companies. 

teams play a game once a week on saturday at the sports palace (which serves as the national sports gym). 

on my team are three guys who are also on the kyrgyz national team.  so if kyrgyzstan ever makes the olympics...  i can say i coached olympians!

as coach i will be paid a contract (we haven't worked out the details of that yet).

the meeting ended with "the first practice is tonight".

jen, always the wonderful and supportive wife, says i should do it although it will add to my already busy schedule.  i love her.

how cool is central asia?!