Most basketball teams' media guides don't have a parody of Harry Potter on the cover.
But, then again, most basketball teams don't have Phil Martelli as a coach.
Rather, make that "Martelli the Magnificent."
Like many of his peers, the St. Joseph's head man hosts a coach's show which airs on Comcast Sportsnet.
But unlike other coaches, Martelli's show is more Johnny Carson than Dean Smith.
The Hawks' chief does segments which feature viewer mail, Top-10 lists, and a take-off on Carson's old Carnac character -- Martelli the Magnificent.
"When I was approached to do a show, I said I didn't want to do one that was run-of-the-mill," Martelli said. "Because I've seen other coaches shows, and, frankly, they're boring."
Episodes of HawkTawk have featured guests, such as the team chaplain, Martelli's wife and the Hawk mascot. During a losing streak, the show was done in reverse.
But Martelli is not all fun and games.
"The show is a lot more fun to do when we win," he said. "During the three losing seasons we've had, it's been hard. I don't want people to take it the wrong way and think that I don't care if we lose."
Make no mistake, Martelli is serious about basketball. He first decided he wanted to get into coaching at while he was in ninth grade at 14 years of age.
Martelli began as the Junior Varsity coach for Cardinal O'Hara High School in Springfield, Pa., and then moved up to an assistant job at his alma mater, Widener, where he helped guide the Pioneers to the NCAA Division III Final Four.
The following year, he accepted the head spot at Bishop Kenrick High in Norristown, Pa. In 1982, he was named high school Coach of the Year by both the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
Martelli cited Bud Gardler, who still coaches hoops at Cardinal O'Hara, and Kathy Rush, who guided the Immaculata women's basketball team to three NCAA championships in the 70's as two coaches who helped him get his foot in the door.
After moving to the Hawks as an assistant in 1985-86, he assumed the head role on July 20, 1995.
Martelli has posted a 107-78 record since taking that job.
Despite this success at such a small school -- the second-smallest in the NCAA Tournament last season -- Martelli does not think it's that strange.
"We're a school that has a lot of passion for basketball," he said. "We're in a city that has a passion for basketball, and coaches have had success here before.
"There's no reason to build a box and say, 'This is the best we can do.'"
Martelli certainly has not built a box. After a trip to the NIT Finals in 1995-96, he followed that up by getting to the round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament the next year. And despite three straight losing seasons, Martelli persevered, and last season's team matched the 26-7 record his Sweet 16 team did.
"He has done a terrific job," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said. "The Hawks, "have good players, they have a very respected program."
The Hawks have gained this respectability through Martelli's leadership, and -- perhaps --ÿhis teaching. He brought in a psychologist after a tumultuous 1999-00 season, in which the Hawks finished 13-16. The Cityliners responded by doubling their wins last season.
But Martelli doesn't seem to think of himself as a teacher.
"I'm not going to kid myself here, the primary thing I'm charged with is winning basketball games," he said. "But I want to win the right way... you have to get the players to put aside individual personalities and use the players' strengths to help the team in their own way."
The coach may be selling himself short a bit here. Martelli --ÿalong with his players, and, of course, the Hawk -- always comes by for "Hand in Hand," the annual carnival held for mentally challenged youths at St. Joseph's in the spring. He also speaks at basketball camps and had many speaking engagements during 2001.
Dunphy, who is 2-5 coaching against the St. Joe's head man, says he has a great respect for and rapport with Martelli.
"He's done a tremendous job of coaching St. Joe's. I think he adds a lot to the community -- he's a very generous and caring person," he said. "I think he's nuts. But I like how nuts he is. He's an asset to their program."
