I've always believed that Coach Wooden was the greatest college coach of all. When I was in high school UCLA and Houston were the two college powerhouses, and I will never forget Lew Alcindor facing Elvin Hayes with a patch over his injured eye, and Houston ending UCLA's 47 game winning streak at the Astrodome. They faced each other again in the NCAA tournament and UCLA crushed them by over 30 points. UCLA was an institution and John Wooden was the captain.
I even thought of Wooden recently, as I knew this October he would have turned 100. I was rooting for him to get there but it didn't happen.
One of my favorite Wooden stories was that Bill Walton showed up at first practice of the season with his hair down to his shoulders. Coach Wooden asked him about it, and Walton replied it was an important political statement and that he had no plans to cut it. Coach replied that he greatly admired Walton for being a man of convictions, but asked if he felt his teammates would miss him. Walton was confused, what did coach mean by that? Wooden replied that Bill would have to sit out the season because long hair was not permitted on the team. The next day Walton returned to practice with a short haircut. Such was the respect everyone had for John Wooden.
He will be missed, and there will never be another like him. RIP.
Last edited by barrysloate; 06-05-2010 at 04:34 AM.
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