Q: When you have 2 days of practice like this, how much of it is just physically and mentally recharging the battery?
A: I don't know. I guess I'm way too old. You're playing basketball for a living. Recharge your batteries? Every morning you should get up and get on your knees and thank God that you're playing basketball for a living. Someone is actually paying you, in some cases millions and millions, in other cases hundreds of thousands at the minimum to play basketball. If you have to recharge your battery to play basketball, I understand recharging my battery that I've done three double shifts, I'm laying cement, and I come home. I understand that. I don't understand that, recharge your battery for what? To be able to come out here and play basketball for a living? If we have to do that, you're in the wrong sport, you're doing the wrong thing. This is a high energy game that requires total commitment but it's a joy to play. It's fun.
I am not a big fan of McHale as a coach, but as expected, he's just Old School. No nonsense, hard nosed, tough old school. What he said about getting paid millions and hundreds of thousands for minimum to play basketball, players should be grateful, is absolute truth.