Endless smiles. Quick one-liners. Southern-fried charm. An encouraging word and a drop of wisdom for everyone who crossed his path. Bill Selfs close friend Barry Hinson showed that face to the public during his four years in Lawrence working for the Kansas University athletic department in the wake of his unjust firing by Missouri State.

Now that hes back in the ranks of head coach, hired March 28 by Southern Illinois University, Hinson reveals that was his poker face Lawrence saw. Behind it, a bruise stretched from head to heart to gut.

There were probably only three people in Lawrence who knew how much it bothered me and how much it hurt me, Hinson said by phone from his new office in Carbondale, Ill. My wife, Angie, coach Self and Cindy Self.

Hinson didnt hide his true feelings when interviewed by the SIU search committee charged with finding a replacement for Chris Lowery. After nearly two hours of answering questions, Hinson was asked if he had any himself. He said he had one question and then a statement.

The question: Im going to ask you guys if you have any concerns with me because I got fired.

Hinson said it was quiet until one member said if they had concerns he would not be standing in front of them.

The statement: Im not damaged goods. We won at Missouri State. We didnt have any violations. We graduated our student-athletes. And we had the third-best record in the Missouri Valley (Conference) in my nine years. Im not damaged goods. If you hire me, youre going to hire a guy who comes into this conference extremely upset.

Hinson said he grew very emotional during that point of the interview.

Later to find out, he said, they liked it.

They also liked that Hinson had the highest academic-progress rate in the conference. SIU athletic director Mario Moccia mentioned a decline in academics first when citing the reasons for Lowerys dismissal. In every public appearance with his new coach Moccia has cited Hinsons academic record as the No. 1 reason for his hiring, Hinson said.

Read more:
Ex-KU aide Barry Hinson sets out on coaching comeback at SIU