RIP John Wooden

[.:DaYg0sTyLz:.]

99 years old. GOAT.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/news/story?id=5253601

[Halu Sination]

RIP to the GOAT. I hope Lakers and ABC pay tribute to him before Game 2. I'm sure they will, but I'll be very disappointed if they dont.

[westsiderider323]

RIP

[M Dogg™]

The head of all basketball coaching conversations. People will talk Phil Jackson and Red Auerbach, and they may have a legitimate argument for the NBA, and some will point out Pat Summitt and remarkable things she's done to advance the woman's game, which I think she could possibly lead her team over some of the WNBA teams. But John Wooden is the standard, and no one can touch what he has done. My only beef with Wooden is that in the 60's, the Lakers offered Wooden ten times his salary to coach the Jerry West and Elgin Baylor's Lakers, and Wooden refused because of his loyalty to UCLA. I always wondered what if the Lakers coached by Wooden might have finally defeated the Celtics coached by Auerbach, the world may never know. BUT, if Wooden did accept that, he'd never have the run he did at UCLA, and he'd never be remembered as the kind of legend and stand up guy that he was. And I think deep down inside, Wooden must have known he was not an NBA coach, and that his work with those college kids was more valuable than anything he could have done with West and Baylor.

RIP to a great man, the greatest coach, and happy reunion with your wife Coach. The world will miss you, but after a long and fulfilling life I know you are in a better place, and the world was better to have you in your short stay.

[.:DaYg0sTyLz:.]

The head of all basketball coaching conversations. People will talk Phil Jackson and Red Auerbach, and they may have a legitimate argument for the NBA, and some will point out Pat Summitt and remarkable things she's done to advance the woman's game, which I think she could possibly lead her team over some of the WNBA teams. But John Wooden is the standard, and no one can touch what he has done. My only beef with Wooden is that in the 60's, the Lakers offered Wooden ten times his salary to coach the Jerry West and Elgin Baylor's Lakers, and Wooden refused because of his loyalty to UCLA. I always wondered what if the Lakers coached by Wooden might have finally defeated the Celtics coached by Auerbach, the world may never know. BUT, if Wooden did accept that, he'd never have the run he did at UCLA, and he'd never be remembered as the kind of legend and stand up guy that he was. And I think deep down inside, Wooden must have known he was not an NBA coach, and that his work with those college kids was more valuable than anything he could have done with West and Baylor.

RIP to a great man, the greatest coach, and happy reunion with your wife Coach. The world will miss you, but after a long and fulfilling life I know you are in a better place, and the world was better to have you in your short stay.

You can probably throw Geno Auriemma in that list of greats too.