Candid photos of coaches watching recruits are what gets me through the offseason

For whatever reason, I’ve had a lot of internships and jobs in the past eight-or-so years that have required me to attend events during the NCAA’s summer evaluation periods.

If you’re not aware, these are a few weekends each offseason where coaches are allowed to watch high school players compete on their travel teams. The big shoe companies — Nike, adidas, Under Armour — schedule their travel circuits so that they hold sessions during those weekends, and coaches from pretty much every Division I program stop by to see the next class of players.

There is usually a designated coaches section on one of the sidelines, and that’s where they gather in folding chairs to watch. It makes for some wonderful photos. Of course this one, featuring Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim fast asleep is the most famous:

But there are so many more, and each one tells its own awkward, goofy story.

For example, here’s Mike Krzyzewski and Rick Pitino deep in conversation while Coach K’s assistant Jon Scheyer sits off to the side, hanging his head in shame because he is not a Hall of Fame coach.

Jon Lopez

This next one comes from friend of the site and SB Nation’s own Mike Rutherford, who found perhaps the saddest photo ever taken of then-Washington assistant Raphael Chillious

Hubert Davis and Roy Williams appear to be having a normal conversation in this one, but take a look at Kevin Stallings, seated to Williams’ right. Admire his dedication to that soda. Friends, find someone who looks at you the way Kevin Stallings looks at a bottle of what I assume is raspberry Schweppes.

But I don’t mean to just sit here and make fun of these coaches. Some of them are actually quite photogenic! And LSU’s Will Wade knows it! Here he is striking his sexiest pose.

For whatever reason, Miami’s Jim Larranaga is a great candidate for these photos, so behold a couple of him in all his glory, featuring Leonard Hamilton’s best “look at this freakin’ guy” face:

Here’s a throwback for ya:

Palpable Buzz:

This one is from wayyyy back, but two things caught my eye: 1. the look of confusion on everyone’s faces and 2. Everyone in that seated row is wearing the same shorts.

Lastly, no list is complete without a picture of Tom Crean. Here is the most beautiful, photogenic coach in the history of college basketball.

IF YOU ARE ATTENDING ANY GRASSROOTS BASKETBALL EVENT THIS WEEKEND PLEASE SEND US PICTURES OF COACHES IN THEIR TEAM GEAR AND AWKWARD KHAKI SHORTS THANKS