subject: Isn't a Hero Just Another Sandwich? [print this page] Isn't a Hero Just Another Sandwich? Isn't a Hero Just Another Sandwich?
I love to see Americans do great things, and it doesn't matter to me in what field, music; science; medical; sports; entertainment, etc. I love to see how they got there, and the obstacles that they had to overcome to get there, etc.
"We all can't be heroes, because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by." Will Rogers
Like many Americans, I like to see a college basketball game on occasion. Whether you like sports or not, this piece is not, necessarily, about the game of college basketball, but it's about the game of winning, education and winning in the game of life. There are a couple of ways to get educated, by paying for it yourself and getting a scholarship in various fields, etc.
My hero happens to be a basketball coach, by the name of John Wooden, who coached at U.C.L.A. for many years. And, the record of this man, is nothing short of incredible! It is said, that records are made to be broken, but I don't think this man's record will ever be broken, at least not in my lifetime!
Let me say at the outset, that I do not follow ice hockey, and so I cannot comment on the sport. Of the major sports like football (Super Bowl); baseball (World Series); and the Indy 500 race, where mechanics play an important role in the race, I think the hardest championship to win, is that of college basketball.
In pro football, there are 32 teams; about the same in pro baseball; in the Indy 500 race there are 33 drivers at Pole time; And, in college basketball, there are over 300 teams across the country, that have a chance to win the NCAA title!
Another reason why I think college basketball is the hardest title to win, is because there is turn-over within the teams, due to graduation, therefore it makes it harder to replace a player after graduation, etc. In baseball, professional football, racing, there are athletes who can play the game for 15 years or more. Not so in college basketball.
Let's look at the record of John Wooden at U.C.L.A. Over the years, he has won TEN National Titles, count them, TEN National Championships, and seven in a row! That's equivalent to winning TEN Super Bowls (7 in a row; TEN World Series (7 in a row); and/or TEN Indy 500 races (7 in a row). The only coaches that come close, are Adolph Rupp of Kentucky with 4 titles; and Bobby Knight (retired) and Coach K of Duke with three titles.
Before I continue, let me explain the differences between professional basketball (NBA) and college basketball. In pro basketball, there are players who can play with each other for years, five, ten and fifteen years and longer. Most pro players are millionaires and don't have to do school work or worry about graduating from school, etc. And yes, there have been two outstanding coaches of recent years in the NBA, and who have won nine titles each, Red Aurerbach and Phil Jackson. But, there are only a hand-full of teams in the NBA, as compared to the college ranks, which makes a big difference, etc.
Whereas, in college basketball, there is the constant problem of graduation for the players, therefore there is a constant turnover. And, that's what makes John Wooden's record so spectacular, he has won National Titles with short teams; tall teams; White teams; Black teams; Black and White teams; orange teams, he has just won, etc. He has brought players in from all over the country and made great students and players out of them, etc.
"A hero is one that does what he can, that others don't." Romaine Roland
In 1966, I got the opportunity and the honor to see my hero in action, when the NCAA quarter-finals, were held here in Albuquerque, New Mexico (where I live). I was in awe, when the U.C.L.A. team took the floor that day, and John Wooden took his place on the bench. Unlike other coaches, who scream and yell and cuss at the officials, John Wooden just sat there quietly, and let his team do their magic! They won the game that day, and went on to win yet another national title later on that year!
The most memorable game I can remember, happened in 1968, and I don't ever remember there ever being a match-up like this one since that time. In those days, there were two national polls, the poll of sports writers and the poll of coaches. U.C.L.A. was number one in the coaches poll and Huston was the number one team in the writers poll. How would it be determined who was the number one team? The only way, was to play each other to determine who was number one, and play each other they did!
It was a classic meeting or two unbeaten powerhouses, both undefeated at 30-0, and U.C.L.A was led by Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar) and Huston was led by the "Big E" Elvin Hayes. The battle was held in the Astrodome, with 55,000 fans and a national television audience, and was billed as "the game of the century!" Huston won the game, but U.C.L.A went on to win yet another national championship!
"The ability to accept victory graciously and take defeat without bitterness, is what makes heroes." Unknown
What makes John Wooden so remarkable, is the fact, that he was also a school teacher, and has a Masters degree in English. He has always placed the education of his players FIRST, and basketball SECOND! His players were consistently ranked at the top as far as graduating from college all across the country. If his players didn't do their school work, they didn't play! These are a few reasons why John Wooden was and is so special, etc.
