Former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden dies

[buddahj]

LOS ANGELES (AP)—John Wooden, college basketball’s gentlemanly Wizard of Westwood who built one of the greatest dynasties in all of sports at UCLA and became one of the most revered coaches ever, died Friday night. He was 99.

 

The university said Wooden died Friday night of natural causes at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where he had been hospitalized since May 26.

 

With his signature rolled-up game program in hand, Wooden led the Bruins to 10 NCAA championships, including an unmatched streak of seven in a row from 1967 to 1973.

 

Over 27 years, he won 620 games, including 88 straight during one historic stretch, and coached many of the game’s greatest players—including Bill Walton and Lew Alcindor.

 

As a coach, he was groundbreaking trendsetter who demanded his players be in great condition so they could play an up-tempo style not well-known on the West Coast at the time.

 

But the Wizard’s legacy extended well beyond that.

 

He was the master of the simple one- or two-sentence homily, instructive little messages best presented in his famous “Pyramid of Success,” which remains must-read material, not only for fellow coaches but for anyone in a leadership position in American business.

A true genius. He will be missed. RIP

[Clubfoothead]

What I always found to be so amazing was that coaching basketball wasn't even his #1 talent.

 

RIP

[bushwacked]

Sad. The somewhat recent HBO documentary on the UCLA championships really made me appreciate his old school style.....one thing I remember in particular is on how in the first practice each year he would take 15 minutes on teaching the proper way to tie shoes. Players initially thought he was a joke, but through the year they evolved into a proficient disciplinary juggernaut just laughing at watching other teams run what were seemingly unorganized drills.

[Chargerz]

A very wise and respected coach. So sad.

[MikesVikes]

The more that I hear about him, the more that I respect him. RIP!

[TRU SOLDJA 22]

RIP. A true American Icon

[darin3]

I had the distinct honor of meeting Coach Wooden when I attended his basketball camp in SoCal many, many years ago. This speaks to what a long and illustrious life this man lived: I met him when I was 12 years old - some 24 years ago... when he was 75! 75 years, to many, is a long and illustrious life. The man's contributions to not only basketball, but to business, self-improvement and countless other aspects of life are astounding.

 

I am honored to have met Coach Wooden, influenced by his Pyramid of Success and will never, ever forget him and his teachings.

 

RIP, Coach.

[Jimmy Neutron]

I am not saddened by the loss of many celebrity types. Wooden is an exception - the world has lost a truly great man.

 

RIP coach.

[detlef]

I shake my head in disbelief when I hear, yet another story, about his flawless character and wisdom. You spend your life learning to appreciate people for what they're good at and recognizing that we all have faults. And I'm sure he had his, but one can only imagine that they were charming little quirks. I mean, seriously. Think of even one other high-profile person, especially in top level sports, that nobody can say even one bad thing about?

 

RIP