Martelli's grandson well-suited for spotlight

PHIL MARTELLI had conducted interviews with three different national radio shows as of late yesterday afternoon. During each one, the Saint Joseph's coach said, the topic of conversation shifted to his grandson.

Philip Stephen Martelli, the now-famous 4-year-old, has become somewhat of an Internet sensation since Sunday's Atlantic 10 championship game, during which CBS highlighted him mimicking his grandfather's every move from behind the bench.

Since then, ABC's "Good Morning America" and NBC's "Today Show" replayed the clip, and at least two news stations had already been out to the Martellis' home to interview Philip Stephen, the longtime Hawks coach said.

"When he got up today he asked his grandmother if he could pack his two suits for Buffalo and get his stuff together," Martelli said. "And then all heck broke lose."

A crew from a national CBS show was set to interview Martelli and his grandson together today, the coach added.

"We've done everything short of talk to child psychologists to make sure that we're not, you know, frying his brain," Martelli quipped.

Martelli said he thinks his grandson has helped him become a bit less tense on game days. Having the grandkids around also has helped the Martellis get through tough times, they said. Since last basketball season, the coach and his family have been through a lot, including the death of Martelli's sister and sister in-law.

"It's not an exaggeration: From where we were last spring, having my two grandkids living at home, they really soothed both my wife and I's angst in what we were going through," Martelli said.

- Jake Kaplan