They rarely get recognition, but assistant coaches can be integral to a team's success, especially when a team has just one, like the Dakota Wizards and the Bismarck Bobcats.

Both teams underwent changes in their coaching staffs in the past 10 days. Duane Ticknor's assistant, Dean Martin, left the Wizards after a single season with the team to take the same job with the Bakersfield Jam. Meanwhile Byron Pool hired Aaron Kinslow as his right-hand man.

In both the D-League and the NAHL, there is no person as integral to a team's success as the head coach. He is the decision-maker when it comes to acquiring talent and the one who decides how best to utilize that talent.

But a good assistant coach can have a big impact.

Dave Joerger won five championships with four different coaching staffs in three different leagues with two different teams.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out the constant in that equation. That's why Joerger is coaching in the NBA now, back in the assistant's role he once ably filled for Ticknor.

But it's no coincidence that theWizards were at their absolute best when Joerger's assistant was Casey Owens. Though they ended up at odds, Joerger always acknowledged the contributions Owens made, especially with rounding up talent.

Similarly, the Bobcats have had a run of excellent assistants. Scott Langer was a major asset for both John Becanic and Chad Johnson during the Bobcats' early years. Since leaving, Langer has had a terrific run as a head coach, leading Topeka to a third-place finish at this year's national tournament.

Although his head coaching stint wasn't as successful, Dane Litke played a key role as Johnson's assistant as the Bobcats went to three national tournaments. Litke's work with the defense was an essential part of Bismarck's run.

Then came Mike Peluso, whose NHL experience and offensive skill was invaluable to the organization.

Pool didn't have the benefit of an assistant last season. Instead he had to go it alone when he took over the head coaching job upon the resignation of Litke, and it's no surprise the Bobcats struggled as a result.

Whether Kinslow can help Pool turn the Bobcats into winners remains to be seen, although the fact he came from the Fargo-Moorhead Jets, a strong organization on the ice, is a good sign.

Having the right head coach is critical, but as the Bobcats and Wizards have both found out, having the right guy helping him can make a big difference.

"Costas Now"

If you have access to HBO, I highly recommend you check out the latest edition of "Costas Now" with the town hall meeting on sports media.

The show, hosted of course by Bob Costas, always offers a thoughtful look at the world of sports. But this particular episode offers both light and heat as it examines the rapid changes in how sports are covered and how that impacts our perception of them.

The show focuses on five themes - talk radio, the internet, television, athletes' relationship with the media, and race.

Though the last segment seemed somewhat out of place, it also was one of the most intriguing, thanks to the outstanding panel of columnists Michael Wilbon (Washington Post) and Jason Whitlock (Kansas City Star) and former Viking Cris Carter.

Undoubtedly what generated the most discussion were the heated exchanges between Pulitzer Prize-winning author Buzz Bissinger ("Friday Night Lights") and deadspin.com's Will Leitch.

I'm sympathetic with many of the points Bissinger was trying to make about how blogs, message boards and the like have created a poisonous environment. It's a topic that's come up frequently at the Tribune with the comments section on our own Web site.

But Bissinger undermined his own argument with the viciousness of his attack (which he has since apologized for) and by not acknowledging that there are some blogs out there that are terrific.

Regardless of whether you think the Bissinger-Leitch conflict was great TV or a train wreck, the rest of the show is chock full of engaging discussion. It's worth going out of your way to see.

(Lou Babiarz is the Tribune sports editor).