This March Madness insanity seems like the biggest, most important, completely overwhelming event in a coach’s year.
But it’s not.
While the Red Storm has been living the dream, assistant coaches Tony Chiles and Rico Hines also have been experiencing the emotional roller coaster of life.
Chiles rejoined the team Tuesday after the birth of his son, Christopher Marcel Chiles, at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan on Monday.
“CMC,” weighing 6 pounds and 13 ounces, was immediately extended an invitation to walk on by coach Steve Lavin.
Christopher is named after his wife MaChere’s uncle, who passed away shortly after the couple learned she was pregnant.
“My life is totally crazy right now,” Chiles told The Post.
“Nineteen hours in the hospital. I think I ran after they kicked me out of the hospital to my barber’s house to get a haircut. Woke up the next morning to pick up my son, Taj, took him over to meet his brother. Hung out with my wife and my son; went to practice, got on a plane, I’m now here.”
The news was not nearly as good for Hines. On Tuesday he attended the funeral of Leila “Madea” Nicholson, the grandmother of his best friend, former UCLA teammate Baron Davis. Nicholson, 89, was like a second mom to Hines, who knew virtually no one in L.A. after arriving to play at UCLA.
Hines, who was the best man at Davis’ wedding, rejoined the team yesterday in Denver.
“When I first got there I’d go to his house and have dinner,” said Hines. “She was always a good lady; she always made you feel at home. She took care of the whole neighborhood, not just myself.”