RIP Pat Summitt

[FilterFunk]

Pat Summitt, legendary women's basketball coach, dies at 64 - CNN.com

RIP, Pat Summitt. One of the greatest coaches in the history of sports at any level, and by all accounts a class act.

 

[raynman68]

An amazing coach. Years ago I used to take my daughters to Oklahoma women's basketball games and had the privilege of watching her coach once. Even when she was upset about a truly bad call she remained a class act.

 

[blastoff99]

I think any discussion of GOAT has to include her. Yes, John Wooden won more championships - and they were won in a very short amount of time. For sheer staying power, Summit is beyond compare. The winning percentage, the graduation percentage, the innovations in practice, the game management - has anyone ever been better?

 

[MJ5150]

The fact that she made womens basketball dominant in the heart of SEC football country speaks to how elite she was.

-Mike

 

[mrpackerguy]

Very young to succumb to Alzheimers.

 

[blastoff99]

Very young to succumb to Alzheimers.

Yes. I worked in an assisted-living place for awhile, and one of the things I learned is that a diagnosis of dementia doesn't mean that you can't have a full life. We had people who had lived there for many years because they just couldn't quite manage cooking, all the details of self-care, etc, but they still went for walks alone, met friends outside the facility, etc. The general public hears the word 'dementia' and completely freaks - and that's because of what happened to Ms Summitt. It seems that if you get it in your 50s or 60s you get a brutal form of the disease and there's going to be no lingering for ten years with it. It took her *fast.*

 

[FilterFunk]

Very young to succumb to Alzheimers.

And she's been described as the ultimate multi-tasker, so this certainly wasn't a "use it or lose it" scenario. Apparently, in some cases if it's in you, it's in you.

She sure made the most of her life, though.

 

[FilterFunk]

According to the CNN article:

When she became head coach of the Lady Vols in 1974 at the age of 22 -- barely older than some of her players -- the NCAA did not even formally recognize women's basketball. Summitt had to drive the team van to road games herself. As the wins and the championships piled up, Summitt's astonishing achievements commanded national attention and helped usher women's basketball into the spotlight.