UCLA legend John Wooden passes away

[MikeI]

UCLA legend John Wooden said to be gravely ill | The Fabulous Forum | Los Angeles Times

 

[yaz96]

Isn't the guy like 150 years old?

 

[Jimbo]

I saw that last night .....

John Wooden is 99 ..... WOW.

Hang in there John :

 

[Ramy]

I heard this on SportCenter this morning. He hasn't been great for a while, but he still keeps on.

 

[Lkr]

ESPN reporting he died. RIP

 

[DodgerKing]

RIP.

He lived a long, wonderful life that had a positive impact on many. The world would be much better if it were full of Woodens'.

 

[DodgerKing]

Vin Scully talks about Wooden during an honorary ceremony

 

[Mr Tony]

RIP

 

[Mr Tony]

changed title to reflect update

 

[pro96]

In that dozen years, he won 10 national titles (including seven in a row), ran up a record of 335 victories against just 22 losses and finished a record four seasons undefeated at 30-0. No college coach has ever so dominated a major sport.


RIP Coach

 

[salsadancer7]

In that dozen years, he won 10 national titles (including seven in a row), ran up a record of 335 victories against just 22 losses and finished a record four seasons undefeated at 30-0. No college coach has ever so dominated a major sport.


RIP Coach

You got that right! And no coach ever will! He was THE BEST basketball coach EVER....regardless of whether it was college or the NBA.

RIP!

 

[AntAltMike]

You got that right! And no coach ever will! He was THE BEST basketball coach EVER....regardless of whether it was college or the NBA...!

He got seriously outcoached when his team blew a seven point lead in overtime against North Carolina State in 1974. He never had to run a stall offense when he had all the horses.

A few years ago, I heard him talk about how, if he were coaching a player today and the player acted immaturely, celebrating on the court during a game, he would sit the man down and tell him that he wasn't to act that way. Riiiiight. He was dreaming if he really thought that he could turn back the clock like he could when a west coast player either played for UCLA or was relegated to obscurity elsewhere.

 

[AntAltMike]

I wasn't familiar with the name or history of Sam Gilbert until I came across it in a John Wooden post-mortem column this morning. Here is what I found when I "Googled" it.

Call Him Irreplaceable

Sports Illustrated, April 11, 1988

(Former UCLA coach Larry) Brown ..ran afoul of Sam Gilbert, the late Bruin booster whom UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian once wickedly called the most important stone in Wooden's famous "Pyramid of Success.

I regard Jerry Tarkanian as eminently qualified to comment on sleazy college basketball practices. Tarkanian's brief NBA coaching career was hampered by his newly encountered constraint of dealing with a salary cap.

From Wikipedia entry

Sam Gilbert (American Businessman)

Athletic booster

Known as "Papa Sam" and "Papa G" to UCLA players, he began his relationship with UCLA basketball sometime around 1966-1967, when UCLA player Willie Naulls brought Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Lucius Allen, to him for some counseling. He opened up his Pacific Palisades home to the players and became an advisor to many.[4] He bought clothes, cars, and even arranged abortions for players' girlfriends.[5]

Sam became the sports agent for the professional contracts of Alcindor, Allen, Sidney Wicks, Henry Bibby, Bill Walton and Swen Nater.[6][7][8]

Coach Gene Bartow, who followed John Wooden as coach of the Bruin men's basketball team, felt his life was threatened by Sam Gilbert. He thanked the NCAA in 1993 for not investigating the UCLA program in 1976.[9]

Following the death of UCLA Athletic Director J.D. Morgan in 1980, Gilbert began to exert more influence on the UCLA basketball team. Coach Larry Brown "ran afoul" of Gilbert according to a 1988 Sports Illustrated article.[10]

Following an investigation in 1981, in which, according to the Los Angeles Times, 15 years worth of evidence of transgressions had been collected[11][12], The UCLA basketball team was given two years' NCAA probation.[13] UCLA also was forced to vacate its Final Four appearance in the 1980 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament due to recruiting violations involving Kiki Vandeweghe and Rod Foster.

In 2007 film, The UCLA Dynasty, produced by HBO, there is a 2 and 1/2 minute segment on Sam Gilbert.[14] "HBO producer George Roy believes he was journalistically responsible to include it or face criticism."[12]

(footnote links available in Wikipedia entry).

If Coach Cal has to have his Memphis Final Four appearance "vacated" for playing a player that had someone else take his college boads for him, or whatever the exact offense was, maybe the Alcindor/Walton UCLA championships should be vacated, too.

 

[Ramy]

R.I.P.

 

[HIFI]

R.I.P.

 

[salsadancer7]

I wasn't familiar with the name or history of Sam Gilbert until I came across it in a John Wooden post-mortem column this morning. Here is what I found when I "Googled" it.

Call Him Irreplaceable

Sports Illustrated, April 11, 1988



I regard Jerry Tarkanian as eminently qualified to comment on sleazy college basketball practices. Tarkanian's brief NBA coaching career was hampered by his newly encountered constraint of dealing with a salary cap.

From Wikipedia entry

Sam Gilbert (American Businessman)



(footnote links available in Wikipedia entry).

If Coach Cal has to have his Memphis Final Four appearance "vacated" for playing a player that had someone else take his college boads for him, or whatever the exact offense was, maybe the Alcindor/Walton UCLA championships should be vacated, too.

It MUST be true then. I mean wikipedia is THE most realible source of information and fact on ALL of the internet.

UNTIL someone can duplicate what he has done as far as championships in that 12-13 year span....he is the greatest coached that ever lived. PERIOD.

 

[iceturkee]

second most influential person to the game of basketball beside dr james naismith.

 

[boomer69]

He was and is a true Hoosier legend and icon and will be remembered here in Indiana forever as one of the greatest coaches to ever walk this great state!!!...

Peace, Coach Wooden...

 

[BillD1984]

A true GIANT!!!

RIP Coach....................