Not quite from the other side

Jerry Tarkanian

Monday, Sept. 21, 2009 | 12:56 p.m.

I’m hearing from my family that I was really, really goofier than hell when I was in the hospital. They said I was talking like I was already dead.

“How nice it is … even after you die, you get a chance to communicate with your family.”

That’s how they said I was talking. They were wondering what the hell was the matter with me. They just kept telling me how strange I was.

That was a rough period, after those two broken ribs and breaking my shoulder in three places, and then I took a hell of a fall. The most amazing thing is I can’t remember any of that.

I go to rehab three days a week to Dr. Keith Kleven. He’s one of the best in the country. We’re really pleased with the progress I’ve made.

He stretches me up, loosens me out. He’s so widely regarded, I’m fortunate to be able to go to him. They are 45- or 50-minute sessions.

The most difficult part is I’m not able to use my right arm. That makes it tough eating and writing. I’m trying to write with my left hand but it’s not easy.

I should be back in shape in about eight weeks. I’m getting closer. I’m taking the sling off my right arm half the time now.

And I go to a balance center for an hour two days a week. I didn’t know how bad my balance was. You have to rise up with both eyes closed and stand on one foot. That tells you how bad you’re balance is.

They’ve got me doing a bunch of stuff. They worked me hard last week. I realized how bad a shape I had gotten into.

My family has been so super, my daughters Jody and Pam, and my granddaughter Dannielle … they were like full-time nurses for awhile.

My wife Lois, and my sons Danny and George, have all been super. Lois is so busy with her City Council business, but I have had all kinds of help. It’s been great.

I’m in my home full time but I don’t really go anywhere. I can’t drive. They don’t want me to drive until I get better with my balance. I haven’t driven a car since June.

This weekend I’m going to Ely with George to represent Danny, who’s going to run for a state Senate seat but will be out of town, at a big political function. It will be the first time I’ve gone anywhere.

I’ve also got speaking engagements in San Francisco, at a coaching clinic, and one in Wheeling, W. Va. They won’t let me travel alone, so my grandson, Jerry King, is going to go with me.

I was supposed to go to the Michigan State-Notre Dame football game, but my kids wouldn’t let me go. They were upset at me, said I’m not capable of doing that yet.

My balance is not that good, so if I fell it would be very critical. Anyways, I canceled.

But I am planning to see the Ole Miss-Arkansas football game Oct. 24 in Oxford, Miss. They tell me that’s a great place to watch a game. Andy Kennedy, the Mississippi basketball coach, is getting me tickets.

All I do is watch football. Lois gets mad at me when she rents movies. She’s all excited and comes home with Blockbuster movies, and I tell her, Lois, it’s football night! I go to the family room and watch football, and she stays in the bedroom and watches movies.

UNLV’s football game against Oregon State was a heartbreaker. The Rebels played great and had every right to win that game, they just didn’t make the big play at the end.

But they did great against Hawaii. That was a big victory heading into a couple of road games, but it would have been fantastic if UNLV were 3-0. I’m looking for big things from that team this season.

I will be getting out to watch UNLV’s basketball team practice. Charlie Spoonhour has been calling me, so anytime I want to get out he said to give him a call.

I think Lon Kruger’s team will be very good. They’ve got some big-time players who have come from some big-time schools. They’re not getting transfers from Johnny Junior High … Kentucky, Memphis, UCLA.

Those are big-time transfers and the Rebels are going to be very good. I’m also looking forward to some reunions from that fantastic 1989-90 season.

I can’t believe it will have been 20 years since that magical season.

I’ll review plenty about that campaign in the next few months, so keep reading and submit any questions you’d like me to address. Again, I can’t thank all of you enough for your support as I get back up to speed.