04/26/24
March 23, 2005
Welcome to the Summitt: The University of Tennessee's Pat Summitt gets her 880th career win, passing Dean Smith as the all-time winningest basketball coach in NCAA Division I history. (Her current .837 winning percentage tops Smith's .776 percentage.) The university renamed the court after her.
posted by kirkaracha to basketball at 01:29 PM - 14 comments
Oh, and calling the floor 'The Summitt' is dumb. It should be the Pat Summitt Court or Pat Summitt Floor. Or hell, rename the building after her. I can't put my finger on why, it is just dumb :) BTW, the first google hit for Pat Summitt really, really needs to find a more flattering picture of her.
posted by tieguy at 02:31 PM on March 23, 2005
She is this winniest woman's coach ever--period.. The fact that she passed Dean Smith doesnt make her any better. She is the Top woman's coach. Smith is the winniest men's coach.. You cant really do a combined comparision, although it could be argued that Summit could coach Men's college BB. She's one of a kind and se'll have to wait for her peers to catch up with her.....Just like we waited for Smit to catch Wooden and Rupp-----
posted by daddisamm at 03:01 PM on March 23, 2005
well said tieguy. i never really liked her much as a kid, but that was only because i was (and still am) a rutgers fan. i've learned to appreciate her much more since then though.
posted by goddam at 03:09 PM on March 23, 2005
Oh, hrm, I should have clarified- I don't like her. Her post-game comment in 1999 (when Duke upset her three-time defending champs) that 'the best team didn't win today' will always make me place a big mental 'bitch' stamp on her forehead every time I see her. But I respect her- she's clearly the best coach the women's game has ever seen, one of the best college basketball coaches period, and one of the biggest reasons for the growth of the women's game. Oh, and she does her best to remedy the lack of depth in the women's game- she has played the toughest schedule in the NCAA every year since 1991, according to ESPN last night. So I respect her. I just want her to be hit by a meteorite whenever I see her strut onto a court. :)
posted by tieguy at 03:22 PM on March 23, 2005
During Summitt's tenure, "Every Lady Vol who has completed her eligibility at Tennessee has gotten their degree or is completing their degree requirements." That may be a more remarkable feat than win #880. Certainly, it's another reason to like/respect her.
posted by 86 at 03:31 PM on March 23, 2005
Salon's King Kaufman says she's in Dean Smith's league.
posted by kirkaracha at 07:06 PM on March 23, 2005
To be able to win AND graduate players at such a high rate for so many years, like her or not, puts her in a very elite class. Wooden, Smith, Rupp, or coaches in other sports like Eddie Robinson and (this is bad, I am an alum) USC's long time baseball coach, all are great and terrific role models, allowing for the human perfections we all have in differing degrees and details.
posted by billsaysthis at 07:45 PM on March 23, 2005
Gino Auriemma still gives her fits ;-) But yeah, she's a very special coach.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 07:53 PM on March 23, 2005
Geno may give her fits, and he's no slouch, but she's worthy of every accolade she's getting. I understand that the Smith comparison is not straight across, but Pat Summitt has changed (and largely made) her sport. There would be no WNBA if it weren't for her, and not only do I have no doubt whatsoever that she could coach men's NCAA ball and do just fine thanks, but if I was staffing an expansion NBA team, I might be tempted to look into her interest and availability. Yes, the 880 mark is a little bogus, but look how far behind her everyone else is on those lists. And she's got at least another decade ahead of her, if not two. I'm with tieguy. She's in John Wooden territory in terms of legacy. And you don't do what she's done without being cocky and a bit of a bitch. To me, that's a good thing.
posted by chicobangs at 11:02 AM on March 24, 2005
She is one of a Kind that is for sure--She isnt that old, you are she can go for antoher 10 years or longer....
posted by daddisamm at 11:13 AM on March 24, 2005
Billsaythis: The name of USC's baseball coach during the glory days -- not that Gillespie is doing poorly -- was Rod Dedeaux.
posted by jackhererra at 01:06 PM on March 26, 2005
Billsaythis: The name of USC's baseball coach during the glory days -- not that Gillespie is doing poorly -- was Rod Dedeaux.
posted by jackhererra at 01:30 PM on March 26, 2005
'Winningest' is possibly the worst assault on the English language in the sporting pseudolexicon. Two things, though: I had absolutely no idea who Dean Smith was when I met him last year -- which probably amused him, since I now realise it's not something that happens too often. And Pat Summitt? Anyone who can teach voles to play basketball deserves to be honoured.
posted by etagloh at 02:43 AM on March 27, 2005
In 20-30 years, Summitt will be looked at the way Wooden is in the men's game- her key numbers will be slightly devalued by the era in which most of them occurred*, but some will be untouchable, and no one will argue that she's not one of the greatest ever. In that sense, I think it is more fair to compare her to Wooden or Rupp** than Dean, and accept without question that she is in that pantheon, representing total domination of an era that was different and is passing. * and if someone wants to argue that statement, go ahead, but I'm going to dump all over you. :) ** who IMHO would be usually spoken of in the same breath as Wooden if not for the ugly taint of racism.