# John Wooden has died \[edited title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 4, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940 "2010-06-04T15:37:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940/1 "2010-06-04T15:37:28Z")
[According to several sources](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/basketball/ncaa/06/03/wooden.hospitalized.ap/index.html?eref=sihp) legendary coach John Wooden is in critical condition in a Los Angeles hospital. I’m afraid we’re about to soon see the passing of someone who to merely call him the greatest basketball coach of all time is almost to damn him with faint praise. I’m not a fan of UCLA basketball, but you don’t have to be to be Wooden’s fan. He is a man whose impact in America will far transcend sport, and indeed his own time. We are all thinking of you, Coach. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940/2 "2010-06-04T16:40:21Z")
Yeah - I thought of starting this thread up as well. The man is 99 years old, and he’s still fascinating to listen to. He did quite a few radio interviews here in Indy over the last year or so, and his stories are amazing. Good luck, Coach. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940/3 "2010-06-04T17:34:53Z")
I just heard this too, and it’s a blow even though it had to happen eventually. I grew up around Westwood and started going to basketball games when John Wooden was the coach. I attended his basketball camp one year, and have met him several times. He is so completely engaging to talk to … somehow tough and gentle simultaneously, brilliant, humorous, kind, and always completely tuned into what I was saying. In short, the epitome of a coach. ---
**Author:** ![Notassmartasithought](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c0e974/32.png) [@Notassmartasithought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Notassmartasithought)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940/4 "2010-06-05T03:14:33Z")
Unfortunately, we lost him this evening. RIP John Wooden, Wizard of Westwood. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940/5 "2010-06-05T03:43:49Z")
As much as I hated UCLA, I had nothing but respect for Wooden. A sad loss. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940/6 "2010-06-05T03:49:28Z")
Yeah, what a loss. I was never a big UCLA fan but Wooden was just awesome. That string of consecutive national championships is a record that will probably never be broken. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940/7 "2010-06-05T04:47:45Z")
I guess he really IS in grave condition. Joe ---
**Author:** ![lshaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e36b37/32.png) [@lshaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lshaw)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940/8 "2010-06-05T06:17:28Z")
Not only was he a legendary coach, but he was also a good person. Class with a capital C. RIP Coach Wooden. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940/9 "2010-06-05T11:43:15Z")
Updated the thread title after Coach Wooden’s death. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940/10 "2010-06-05T14:57:22Z")
I’ll admit I’m going to hell, but I’m happy to score a point in the SDMB Death Pool. I’m also going to hell for citing to this recent blog post by Gregg Doyel of [cbssports.com](http://cbssports.com) [Link](http://www.cbssports.com/columns/story/11757857) > [@](#): > > What this story is, I guess, is my irritation that Wooden continues to be hailed as one of the biggest saints in college sports … while (former USC now Seattle Seahawk coach Pete) Carroll and men like him are considered sinners. > > Wooden is universally considered a great human being, and I’m not disputing that. His gentility and grace, his humility and kindness, are well established. The next insult I hear directed at John Wooden will be the first insult I’ve ever heard directed at John Wooden. And this story isn’t meant to insult the man, either. > > But facts are facts. And the fact is, Wooden was at UCLA for 15 years, from 1948-63, without winning an NCAA championship. And then from 1964-76 he won 10 titles in 12 years. What changed? Sam Gilbert’s involvement changed. > > Gilbert, a UCLA alum and wealthy contractor, opened his home and apparently his wallet to the Bruins, from Lew Alcindor to Lucius Allen to Bill Walton. When the best Bruins left school, Gilbert represented them as an agent, which is one of the most brazen unpunished NCAA violations in college sports history: Rich booster spoils the best players on campus, then becomes their agent. And the coach doesn’t stop it. Doesn’t even know about it. > > Maybe Wooden didn’t know. But his attention to detail was legendary. Wooden literally monitored how his players tied their shoes and how they wore their socks … but he didn’t know Gilbert – the players called him “Papa Sam” – was giving them cash and clothes and cars before becoming their agent? Maybe. More likely, Wooden didn’t want to know. That’s how he slept at night, and that’s how he won 10 national titles. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940/11 "2010-06-05T17:04:08Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > I’ll admit I’m going to hell, but I’m happy to score a point in the SDMB Death Pool. > > I’m also going to hell for citing to this recent blog post by Gregg Doyel of [cbssports.com](http://cbssports.com) [Link](http://www.cbssports.com/columns/story/11757857) I’m on your side as far as telling the whole story about the UCLA dynasty of John Wooden. But I will point out after Wooden retired, UCLA became a pretty good team unable to replicate what Wooden had done. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940/12 "2010-06-05T17:16:22Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > He is a man whose impact in America will far transcend sport, and indeed his own time. A sincere question, in what way has he impacted America beyond sport? I’m not a college basketball fan but I’ve aware of Wooden, though mostly from annual Bill Walton slobber-jobs on Wooden’s birthday. I in no way contest he was a good person. I’m just curious what his impact is beyond sport. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940/13 "2010-06-05T23:32:55Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > I’ll admit I’m going to hell, but I’m happy to score a point in the SDMB Death Pool. > > I’m also going to hell for citing to this recent blog post by Gregg Doyel of [cbssports.com](http://cbssports.com) [Link](http://www.cbssports.com/columns/story/11757857) While some of that may be true, if you read any of Greg Doyel’s stuff, he’s pretty much an inflammatory asshole. He used to be a radio personality here in Cincinnati with a guy named Mo Egger and they were the “Two Angry Guys” on sports talk radio before Doyel got shitcanned. He’s pretty much a douchebag. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940/14 "2010-06-06T00:58:19Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > While some of that may be true, if you read any of Greg Doyel’s stuff, he’s pretty much an inflammatory asshole. He used to be a radio personality here in Cincinnati with a guy named Mo Egger and they were the “Two Angry Guys” on sports talk radio before Doyel got shitcanned. > > He’s pretty much a douchebag. I’m not familiar with Doyel’s past work so I’ll take your word for it, which doesn’t change the fact that “St. John”'s players were on Sam Gilbert’s payroll. Here’s an article from _Time_ in 1974: [Link](http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,879296,00.html) How about Sean Cunningham of Esquire magazine earlier this year: [Link](http://www.esquire.com/the-side/feature/college-basketball-history-2009?src=digg) and Dan Wetzel of Yahoo sports, who quotes Bill Walton about all the freebies he got from Gilbert while at UCLA? [Link](http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=dw-uclalegacy040206). Poisoning the well about Doyel still leaves a lot of room from Gilbert paying off Wooden’s players. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940/15 "2010-06-06T11:24:43Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > I’m not familiar with Doyel’s past work so I’ll take your word for it, which doesn’t change the fact that “St. John”'s players were on Sam Gilbert’s payroll. Here’s an article from _Time_ in 1974: [Link](http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,879296,00.html) > > How about Sean Cunningham of Esquire magazine earlier this year: [Link](http://www.esquire.com/the-side/feature/college-basketball-history-2009?src=digg) and Dan Wetzel of Yahoo sports, who quotes Bill Walton about all the freebies he got from Gilbert while at UCLA? [Link](http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=dw-uclalegacy040206). Poisoning the well about Doyel still leaves a lot of room from Gilbert paying off Wooden’s players. Yeah…the thing that surprised me was in your initial post, you said “a recent blog” by Greg Doyel, and I took that to mean that Doyel had written that stuff _after_ Wooden had died…upon review, that blog entry was from May 2009, so I don’t feel the same level of outrage… ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-wooden-has-died-edited-title/541940/16 "2010-06-07T03:52:40Z")
Funny. Sam Gilbert’s wife was one of my high school teachers. In fact, she’s still teaching in her 90s. Same school, too.