Posted on 06/04/2010 7:40:24 PM PDT by jazusamo
John Wooden, the UCLA basketball coach who became an icon of American sports while guiding the Bruins to an unprecedented 10 national championships in the 1960s and '70s and remained in the spotlight during retirement with his "Pyramid of Success" motivational program, has died. He was 99.
Though his fame extended beyond the sports world, it was Wooden's achievements during 27 seasons at UCLA that put him in the company of such legendary coaches as the Green Bay Packers' Vince Lombardi and Notre Dame's Knute Rockne.
Wooden's string of championships began with back-to-back victories in 1964 and '65. Starting in 1967, his team ran off seven consecutive NCAA titles -- going 38 tournament games without a loss -- a feat unmatched before or since in men's college basketball.
The Bruins won with such dominant big players as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton. They also won with teams -- such as Wooden's last squad in 1974-75 -- that had no marquee stars.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
RIP
Great coach, wonderful and devoted husband. Makes he rest in peace with his sweet wife. God bless him.
______
Said with the greatest respect, "“John Wooden’s so square he’s divisible by four."
The wise man.
From the Socks Up: The Extraordinary Coaching Life of John Wooden
By Mitch Horowitz
(snip) -- For John Wooden, it all begins from the socks up.
On the eve of his ninety-fourth birthday, the man considered America’s “winningest coach” recalls a simple, but decisive routine that he used with each new season’s players during his twenty-seven years of coaching UCLA’s legendary basketball team to unprecedented victory.
On the first day of practice, the coach would tell his hotshot recruits, “Gentleman, today we’re going to figure out how to put our shoes and socks on.” Some players would blanch. Wooden would calmly explain that most players are benched for blisters, and the easiest way to avoid them is to pay attention to the basics. He would meticulously show them how to roll up their socks and tighten their laces. “I wanted it done consciously, not quickly or casually,” he said. “Otherwise we would not be doing everything possible to prepare in the best way.”
It is pure Wooden – simple yet ingenious, zeroing in on what really matters most.
****
“Be true to yourself. Make each day a masterpiece. Help others. Drink deeply from good books. Make friendship a fine art. Build a shelter against a rainy day.” -John Wooden carried this note with him everywhere, written by his dad. He was a true and great Hoosier!
RIP
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May God rest his soul. Prayers for his family.
“Be true to yourself, help others, make each day your masterpiece, make friendship a fine art, drink deeply from good books — especially the Bible, build a shelter against a rainy day, give thanks for your blessings and pray for guidance every day.”
In my years in Los Angeles I knew that UCLA basketball from the mid-60s through the mid-70s was just about invincible because of Coach Wooden.
Just about any trivia question in NCAA basketball during that time that begins with "Who won...?" can be instantly answered with 'UCLA' without even thinking about it and chances are you'd be right.
He died at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, John Wooden and Ronald Reagan were born 300 miles apart with John being born in Hall, Indiana on October 14, 1910 and Ronald being born in Tampico, Illinois on February 6, 1911.
John died on June 4, 2010, Ronald on June 5, 2004 nearly 6 years apart and
Two midwestern boys that were high school athletes that graduated college in the Midwest John at Purdue and Ron at Eureka College.
They
RIP Coach Wooden, from a Bruin you made so very proud!
John Wooden’s Seven Point Creed, given to him by his father Joshua upon his graduation from grammar school:
* Be true to yourself.
* Make each day your masterpiece.
* Help others.
* Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.
* Make friendship a fine art.
* Build a shelter against a rainy day.
* Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.
Rest in Peace, Coach Wooden.
I shall forever cherish the basketball that you autographed for me, many years ago...
Rest in peace coach Wooden.
RIP Coach Wooden. You have earned your eternal reward.
During the UConn women’s second championship, references were made to both to Mr. Wooden and UCLA.
RIP.
RIP, Coach.
I was not even born yet. But I’m am amazed by the lack of text on the screen. There’s no clock, no shot clock, and they only periodically put the score up. Maybe this was during an era when people had longer attention spans and were, in general, smarter.
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