When UCLA basketball coaching legend John Wooden died earlier this month at 99, he left behind a legacy that never will be matched in college athletics. Can we all agree he was the greatest coach of all time in any sport? I won't take no for an answer to that question.
Now, who takes the title of Greatest Living Coach?
It's easy to put together a short list. Don Shula, Chuck Noll and Bill Belichick from the NFL. Sparky Anderson, Joe Torre, Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox from Major League Baseball. Scotty Bowman from the NHL. Phil Jackson from the NBA. Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden from college football. Dean Smith, Bob Knight and Mike Krzyzewski from college basketball.
Sorry, Pitt fans.
Paterno.
It's not just his 60 years at Penn State. Or his record 394 wins. Or the two national titles and four other unbeaten seasons. Or the record 36 bowl trips with the record 24 wins. Or the countless millions he has raised for his university by becoming the face of the school. It's all of that.
No coach ever had a bigger impact on an institution of higher learning than Paterno has had on Penn State. The man is 83, still working, still winning, still fundraising and still making a difference in a lot of young people's lives. Here's hoping he keeps the title of Greatest Living Coach for a long, long time.
Ron Cook has never been mistake for a huge fan of Paterno, so this article is somewhat surprising.
In 2001, the same Ron Cook (Beano's brother????) had this to say about Paterno:
Maybe Penn State hasn't fallen that far, but it sure seemed like it last night when Miami blew into Beaver Stadium on Adam Taliaferro night and put a 33-7 licking on the Nittany Lions.
If Joe Paterno isn't embarrassed, he should be.
But what happened also is a reflection of how far Paterno and Penn State have fallen. We're talking about a program that has gone 5-11 in its past 16 games, one that has finished fifth in the Big Ten three years running. With a brutal schedule to come, it's fair to think the Nittany Lions will get Paterno the two wins he needs to break Bryant's record, but precious few more.
Granted, this was after an abysmal game against Miami, and following a pathetic 2000 season. Taken in context, it seems only natural to be critical at that point. But then most sports writers and many fans were after Paterno in those days. Until 2005.
So let's fast forward past the dark years and see if Cook treats Paterno any better. In August of 2008, Cook cautions fans to be careful what they root for.
Where and when in college football might a 6-6 record be better than 10-3 or 11-2?
That's an easy one.
At Penn State, this season.
A bad year would make it a lot easier to get rid of Joe Paterno.
There's no reason to think Paterno will be any more eager to leave after a big season this year. He has talked consistently of coaching three, four, maybe five more years. He was practically defiant with Spanier and Curley this spring -- yet again -- when he said he doesn't need a contract to continue coaching.
What's frightening is that Paterno truly believes that.
Sadly, Paterno appears to be that out of touch with reality.
But now Cook annoints him the greatest living coach. So what is the deal? Has Cook lost touch with reality, perhaps schizophrenic? Is he just a shamless hack pandering to the prevailing winds at the time? Or does he just accidentally hit the nail right on the head some times. You decide.
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