Monday, Nov. 23, 1998 | 10:28 a.m.
If someone asks Ron Abegglen if he feels like taking a spin on the Manhattan Express roller coaster at New York-New York today and he politely declines, it will be understandable.
The Weber State coach's life has been so topsy-turvy the past couple of years that a spin on a coaster would hardly cause his pulse to quicken.
He has felt the joys of victory, beating the likes of Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament and handing Jerry Tarkanian his first defeat as coach at Fresno State. And he has felt the anguish and shame of being charged with domestic violence by his wife and sanctions against the basketball program for NCAA violations.
So it stands to reason why Abegglen, who will step down after this, his eighth and final season at Weber State, tries to take it one day at a time.
"I don't think about it," the 61-year-old Abegglen said of what life without basketball might be like for him after 37 years as a coach. "I still love being on the court.
"Once in a while, I'll have a twinge. But right now, my focus is on this team."
The Wildcats, who bring a 2-0 record into Tuesday's game with 2-1 UNLV at the Thomas & Mack Center, have had a successful run during Abegglen's tenure.
WSU has won 63 percent of its games in Abegglen's first seven seasons. In 1995, the Wildcats went to the NCAA Tournament, beat Michigan State and nearly upset Georgetown in the second round, falling short at the buzzer, 53-51.
"We've always taken a lot of pride in preparing to play," Abegglen said. "That's the fun part of coaching -- putting the pieces of the puzzle together."
But sometimes, the pieces don't fit. And when you try to jam them together to make them fit, the picture comes out wrong.
In 1996, the NCAA made its way to Ogden, Utah, citing eight major violations in the WSU program, including recruiting violations, tuition assistance and travel and lodging improprieties.
That alone might have been enough to get Abegglen fired. But the school stuck with him, went the summary disposition route to accept responsibility for the charges and placed self-imposed sanctions on the program. Abegglen was put on two years' probation and was docked approximately $22,000.
But while he was towing the line on the court, he was having problems at home. An argument with his wife, Nedra, in his office in July got physical and she lost her balance and fell, breaking her wrist and injuring her back.
Abegglen was put on three weeks' administrative leave while the courts tried to figure out what to do. Nedra Abegglen asked for and received a restraining order barring Abegglen from their home.
Abegglen was reinstated in early August when it was announced that he would step down at the end of the season. He had four years remaining on his contract and Weber State will pay him $95,000 as part of the agreement.
Abegglen would not talk about his personal situation, other than to say he's doing OK. But back in July, he told the Ogden Standard-Examiner the incident involving his wife as "An accident. It scared me and it scared her."
After his hearing, Abegglen was quoted in the Salt Lake Tribune, saying, "The second marriage is always tough. Being married to a coach, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone."
So Abegglen focuses on the present, for he's not sure what his future holds. He could go overseas and coach. Or he could get involved with his other passion -- golf. A six-handicapper, Abegglen's three sons are golf pros and he may go into business with one or all of them.
"I don't know what I'm going to do," he said. "I'll just take it one day at a time."
Today's time is taken with trying to figure out how to slow down UNLV, which had the brakes applied to its fast start by Southern Cal's 2-3 matchup zone defense in last Friday's 71-68 loss.
"We've got to find a way to deal with their speed," Abegglen said. "They're a lot faster than we are."
But this final team of Abegglen's can do some things.
In both of its wins, Weber State has had five players score in double figures. JC transfer Harold Arceneaux has delivered big-time, averaging 21.5 points in his first two games. Point guard Eddie Gill from Salt Lake Community College is averaging 16 points.
"I like their mental toughness," Abegglen said of his team. "We got off to a good start in both games and we're making our free throws. We've been strong down to the wire. Whatever it takes to get it done, they're doing it."
With only four underclassmen in the program, there's a good chance the Wildcats' experience will give Abegglen his 38th winning season as a coach. He has never had a losing season at any level of his career -- high school, JC, Division II or Division I.
"We're just having a lot of fun with these guys," he said.
Whether it makes up for the considerable heartache he has endured the past couple of years, only Abegglen knows what's on that scoreboard.
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