Pat Summitt to receive Presidential Medal of Freedom

The Chicago Tribune ^ | April 19, 2012 | Kathleen Hennessey

[Engraved-on-His-hands]

WASHINGTON – Pat Summitt, the former head coach of the University of Tennessee’s women’s basketball team, will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the White House announced Thursday.

Summitt, the winningest coach in basketball history, announced her retirement Wednesday after coaching the Lady Volunteers for 38 years. Summitt was diagnosed less than a year ago with early-onset Alzheimer's disease.(Snip) The Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor. It is presented annually to people who have made exceptional contributions “to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors,” the White House said.

[Engraved-on-His-hands]

I'll willingly cut the President some slack on this one. Here is a brief rundown of Coach Summitt's accomplishments:

career record: 1098-208

coached the U.S. Olympics women's basketball team to their first ever gold medal in 1984.

NCAA tournament record: 112-23 (No other school, much less a coach, has even appeared in 100 NCAA tournament games.)

named the NCAA Coach of the Year seven times

29 SEC regular season and tournament championships

inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in its inaugural year

member of the Basketball Hall of Fame

youngest coach in history to reach 300 wins, 400 wins, 500 wins, 600 wins, 700 wins, 800 wins, 900 wins, and 1000 wins

36 consecutive seasons with 20 or more wins

20 seasons with 30 or more wins

38 consecutive seasons without a losing record

38 consecutive post-season appearances

20 times her team was a number one seed in the NCAA tournament

27 consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearances; has been to the Sweet Sixteen 30 of the last 31 years

has been to the Elite Eight 21 of the last 27 years.

has been to the Final Four 18 times

has been to the championship game in either the NCAA or AIAW 15 times

eight NCAA national championships

Every player who has played four years for UT has played in the Elite Eight. (Except for this year’s seniors, every four-year player has played in a Final Four.)

Have played top ten ranked teams over 250 times

Was twice asked to coach the UT men’s team, but declined

Was ranked #11 by Sporting News on the list of the 50 Greatest Coaches of All Time (in any sport). She was the only woman on the list.

45 former players have become coaches

named as the Naismith Basketball Coach of the Century

to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom

In 38 years as a coach, every player who has played for her for four years has graduated with a college degree.

[The Sons of Liberty]

Too bad she can’t receive it from a real president.

[Corporate Law]

I agree with this award as well. Well deserved. Out of curiosity, I wonder who are the 10 coaches ranked above her in the Sporting News poll.

[DarthVader]

The only downer is that she has to receive this from Obuggery!

[Engraved-on-His-hands]

1. John Wooden, college basketball

2. Vince Lombardi, NFL
3. Bear Bryant, college football
4. Phil Jackson, NBA
5. Don Shula, NFL
6. Red Auerbach, NBA
7. Scotty Bowman, NHL
8. Dean Smith, college basketball
9. Casey Stengel, MLB
10. Knute Rockne, college football

[Common Sense 101]

How ironic... to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from an ignorant POS who works daily to eliminate them. The Coach is infinitely deserving of a better presenter than she is getting...

[Mach9]

Absolutely unbelievable. Not her accomplishments, but the fact that they’re deemed fit for a presidential award, not to mention that many of the so-called accomplishments you list are other awards! And I love the last sentence here: “In 38 years as a coach, every player who has played for her for four years has graduated with a college degree.” How many might that be—two, six, ninety???? Ah, but she’s a woman who coaches women’s basketball in this presidential election year. What a coincidence.

[FoxInSocks]

Russ Rose has a record of 1,033-164. Maybe he’ll get the medal someday. He’s not a basketball coach, however.

[Juana la Loca]

I agree. I have a tremendous amount of respect for her, but a Presidential Medal of Freedom? Why not admittance into the Basketball of Fame or a bronze statue at UT? Those would be more appropriate.

[Juana la Loca]

I agree. I have a tremendous amount of respect for her, but a Presidential Medal of Freedom? Why not admittance into the Basketball of Fame or a bronze statue at UT? Those would be more appropriate.

[HenryArmitage]

I'm not going to comment on if the award is well deserved, because I don't really know. however In 38 years as a coach, every player who has played for her for four years has graduated with a college degree I really think if you would stop to think about it, is something great. You have to think since WNBA has only been around for 15 of those 38 years, that she had 23 years where the women would most likely be 4 year players as there was no professional teams, or the ones that existed didn't pay enough to make leaving a college early tantalizing. Regardless, a 4 year player 100% graduation rate for 38 years should be the last thing we should be tearing down, and if anything is the only reason she perhaps should get this reward.

[Rider on the Rain]

My sentiments exactly.

[refermech]

Well, obama is a(supposed) educator so he has to be excused for not knowing what the word freedom means. Our society is so screwed up! Freedom to do what? Play basketball? It’s an outrage!!!

[Amntn]

Women's college basketball players don't leave school early. The only players who did not graduate were the few who transferred. Usually for lack of playing time.

You may not appreciate her accomplishments but NCAA women's basketball would not be what it is today without her and I doubt there would be a WNBA without her.

She started as the head coach at UT when she was fresh out of college at age 22. She washed uniforms, she drove the player bus, she traveled the country drumming up support for the sport. She fought the SEC and networks for televising the women's games.

She took her team to every part of the country to play anyone. She played home and home games with smaller schools in order to help the other schools gain support for their programs.

She IS women's college basketball and she deserves this award just as much as any other coach who has received it.

[VinL]

For the record, Coach Summitt is rightfully deserving of whatever award or accolade that is bestowed upon her for her contribution to women’s basketball. Among coaches, competitors and human beings, she will be forever ensconced in the top tier.

I’m from Connecticut and support our women’s college team, the UCONN Huskies. In 1994, an intense and passionate rivalry began between the Huskies and the Summitt’s Tenn Volunteers- and continues to this day.

Watching her through that rivalry, I came to respect and admire Coach Summitt greatly. She was a competitor from the opening whistle to the buzzer. She was humble in victory- and gracious in defeat. And always- she was the professional and the competitor. I was sickened to learn that she had contracted the incipient symptoms of dementia and would be forced from her profession-– way before her time.

I’ve read some of the comments here. The hard crusted and cynical on the Board– should take pause. If some idiot politicians are trying to cash in on her tragedy- well, that evil is on them.

For others, please first do your research on this woman. After that, if anyone on the Board feels that s/he can hold a candle to the accomplishments and qualities of this extraordinary lady, then criticize as you will.

For myself, I pray that the Lord bless Coach Summitt and her family during this trying time.

[Engraved-on-His-hands]

Thank you, UConn fan. Very classy. I appreciate it. Thanks.

[jmax]

OBAMA WOULD DO ANYTHING TO GET THE WOMEN'S VOTE:

If Bonnie and Clyde came back to life this weekend, obama would have Clyde drafted into the Army as as an INFRANTRY RIFLEMAN and would make Bonnie Deputy Secretary of the Treasury for BANKING.