It's old news by now, but Duke won in the most thrilling NCAA final in quite awhile. Every possession counted and what a hard played game. Butler went dry for 7 plus minutes and it was the big difference in the end.
One thing I really admire about Duke and Coach K is the demeanor in the game Coach K shows. He lets his players play. This is because they are so well prepared. He has trust in his players. It is refreshing to see a coach have trust in his players instead of strutting the sidelines like a banty rooster in an Armani suit. This doesn't mean he doesn't take control during crucial situations...he does. It's just that he will also let the game unfold. I noticed that Huggins has also gone this way much more than the old Bob Huggins. John Wooden never had to do the Pitino/Jim Calhoun strut the whole game. In an 82 game season you never see Jerry Sloan or Phil Jackson doing this.
Coach K is the one percent of coaches who could coach in the NBA from college and do so immediately and have success. Remember, he had the dream team undefeated in the last olympics. Larry Brown had roughly the same cast with Tim Duncan 4 years earlier and absolutely botched it. He let his ego get in the way and avoided playing certain players and it cost him. So on any level my vote is that Coach K is truly at the top on ANY LEVEL.
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I remember growing up that the great Bill Russell once said he did not give out autographs. He said that people asking for them should get the autograph of the people who really made a difference in their lives, such as parents and teachers. My first autograph experience came when I was 14. It was at the Prescott recreation center. I was visiting my grandma and persuaded her to let me attend the big card featuring the legendary Don "Bulldog" Kent as well as the Monroe brothers, Sputnik and Sattelite. I arrived at the arena early and was outside talking when I noticed a Caddy pulling up and out stepped the great one, Don Kent. I immediately sprinted, ticket in hand. Unfortunately, I didn't see a 2 inch steel cable about 15 inches off the ground. When my feet hit the cable on a dead run, I went flying in the air about 10 feet and landed on the gravel and rock parking lot at the legendary wrestlers feet. I immediately got up and said, "Can I have your autograph Mr. Kent?" He said sure kid and signed it.
My other time was in San Diego at a Miami San Diego state game. This was when Miami brought back basketball and had Tito Horford and San Diego State had a flashy guard named Tony Gwynn. I was there with my 4 year old son and spotted Jerry West at halftime while I was talking with Canes announcer Sonny Hirsch during commercial breaks. So of course, I asked for Mr. Wests autograph for my son of course...who never heard of Jerry West. The autograph was for me. I did what Bill Russell said all autograph seekers did..."will you sign it for my mom, son, grandfather." Anyway, the ticket is long gone, just like that moment.
I have since recorded a few commercials with Earl Campbell, who was gracious enough to let me come to his office for a few hours. I know John Lucas fairly well, Mike Newlin pitched our company on the radio, I have met a ton of Oilers and Spurs, but Jerry West was the last person I have asked or received an autograph. But the greatest of them all was the fabulous Don "Bulldog " Kent.
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