RICHMOND, Va. - Tuesday afternoon, Phil Martelli Jr. was aiming for a quiet afternoon on his couch in his sweats.
Then his phone rang. VCU Athletic Director Ed McLaughlin was on his way to Rhode Island.
Martelli Jr. called his father, the second-winningest coach in the Atlantic 10 during his nearly quarter century at St. Josephs to tell him he thought McLaughlin was coming with an offer.
He was right.
Martelli Jr. was formally introduced at the Siegel Center Thursday morning having walked into his new basketball home for the first time minutes earlier. But he knew all about the VCU brand and tradition, which made his decision to accept McLaughlin's offer an easy one.
"It's VCU," Martelli Jr. explained. "I hate to simplify it that much, but you go anywhere in the country and you say 'VCU', they know what that means. There's not a lot of places like that in the country."
Martelli is fresh off an NCAA tournament appearance with the Bryant Bulldogs, the program with which he spent the last seven seasons, and for which he expressed his undying gratitude for the opportunity he was given.
"They have made all this possible for me," Martelli Jr said. "I'd be nowhere without them. I am forever indebted to each and every one of those people at that fantastic school."
Martelli Jr enters his new job with a keen appreciation for it's own history and profile. VCU has made the NCAA tournament 20 times in it's history, 11 in the past 15 seasons. Eight of the last nine Rams coaches have made the Big Dance at least once in their Broad Street tenure.
"We're chasing great," Martelli continued as his eyes drifted to the myriad banners hanging in the rafters. "We can do good. This is a place that's chasing greatness. When everyone has that vision, that's when you see things like this."
"He's had to work for this the whole way," said McLaughlin of his newest hire. "He's been a leader, he's learned from great mentors. He's taken programs to championships everywhere he's been. His ability to connect with people sold me above everything else."
Martelli's father, Phil Martelli Sr. offered his own scouting report on not just the coach, but the person the Rams are getting.
"He will give you unconditional love," Martelli Sr. said. "Not 'like'. There's a lot of people in life who 'like' somebody because of their talents, or skills, or money. My son has an unbelievable ability to give unconditional love. You're going to get all of him, and it's genuine."
Martelli's first order of business will be to rebuild the Rams roster, which at the time of his hiring, didn't have enough active players to take the court for a game. At the time of his introduction, 5 Rams had entered the transfer portal. Keeping any or all of them becomes his first task and he went to greet each of the players in attendance as soon as he entered the court.
"For me, it's about genuine relationships" Martelli Jr. continued. "I like hearing people's stories. I like knowing who they are, where they're coming from, what they've been through."
"It's a critical time," McLaughlin added. "We have to make sure we keep our talented young folks and also go to the portal and find some young folks who can be here with us."
McLaughlin stood on the same stage two years ago introducing Ryan Odom who left after two seasons to take over at Virginia. He would prefer to not be doing this again in two years. For his part, Martelli Jr. doesn't allow himself to think that far ahead.
"I don't think in hypotheticals," Martelli Jr. said. "I have this job, and this job I'm going to make greater than it already is. That's all I'm focused on."
