Sportsmanship

News outlets are reporting that legendary Coach John Wooden is hospitalized in grave condition, though I'm hearing through the grapevine that he may have already passed [Revised per comment below].    As the token Bruin here, I feel obligated to say a few words.

Sure, he coached Alcindor and Walton, won 10 NCAA men's basketball titles, wrote countless books on coaching--in sport and in life, etc.  But even as a die-hard Bruin athletics fan, I think Coach Wooden's greatest accomplishment was his character.  There are far too many adorable and inspiring Wooden stories out there to share.  Let's just say when Detroit Tigers' Manager Jim Leyland sent Armando Galarraga out to deliver the lineup cards to Umpire Jim Joyce today, I thought the gesture sounded like something from Wooden's playbook. 

So, to honor Coach Wooden, I will take this time to reflect on how I can strive to be even fractionally more like Coach Wooden.  Maybe I'll even compose a love letter.  (By the way, good luck reading that piece without drowning in tears).

You are now with Nell, Coach.  Godspeed.