12/21/24
February 28, 2007
One Good Turn Deserves Another!: Legendary University of Tennessee Basketball Coach Pat Summitt dons Vol cheerleader garb, sings, cheers, and (barely) tops a human pyramid to support Coach Bruce Pearl and the Volunteers against Florida. Summitt returned the support after Pearl showed up at a Lady Vols' game in full body paint. Inspired no doubt by Summitt's act, the Vols beat the Gators 86-76 to finish a perfect 16-0 at home.
posted by The_Black_Hand to basketball at 06:16 AM - 18 comments
I love this. In highly competitive sports, you usually see a lot of selfishness, an exclusive focus on me, my stats, my wins, my playing minutes, my PRs, my titles. There's so much pressure to focus on me me me me me as a means to survival, that it's truly good to see the winningest coach in collegiate basketball history do something that brings her and her team no direct benefit. I have to think that there will be indirect benefit in plenty, and not just to the Vols, but perhaps elsewhere in competitive sports.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:01 AM on February 28, 2007
I loved watching Phil Fulmer Pick a Winner during the clip!!!!
posted by vipers-pit at 08:41 AM on February 28, 2007
That's amazing. Kudos to the Tennessee progams for being human.
posted by chmurray at 08:50 AM on February 28, 2007
I almost take back anything I may have said yesterday about punching her. :) Takes a good sport to do this, and very nice to see the men's and women's teams support each other so publicly- at lots of campuses, the support is at best low-key and at worst they hardly acknowledge each others existences.
posted by tieguy at 09:28 AM on February 28, 2007
What better way to let the MADDNESS begin you have to love the college game
posted by thatch at 09:28 AM on February 28, 2007
Summit Rocks!! I love watching her coach, and this was just fabulous! Go Vols!
posted by bavarianmotorworker at 09:30 AM on February 28, 2007
As a Vol alum, What an awesome scene!!!! Pat Summitt is the epitome of excellence in her field of teaching and coaching young women and men, motivating these kids to strive and reach for the stars. I have heard many interviews with her, Jim Rome always has a good chat with her, and she sees herself as a teacher first, coach second, all class, all the time. I think a very high percent of her players graduate, if not all of them. Good ole Rocky Top, Rocky Top, Tennessee. and tieguy...if you ever punched Mrs. Summitt, I don't think you would ever be found in Rocky Top.....
posted by sauceysays at 10:46 AM on February 28, 2007
That's just fine. As a general rule, I try to stay out of towns that paint themselves dog gack orange. :)
posted by tieguy at 12:21 PM on February 28, 2007
This is most excellent! Speaking as a Vol Alumnus, and one who used to teach classess as a graduate assistant, I can personally attest to the class with which her players conduct themselves. My female athletes (even BBall players) were among my best perfoming and most professional students, respectful and classy.
posted by Adept at 12:42 PM on February 28, 2007
Great, stay away. Stay in your obnoxious arena watching your rat-look-alike coach cursing his players in the second best blue in your state. :)!!! Seeing a sea of 107,000 people dressed in beautiful Orange is sight to behold and one never to forget. Long live college sports and the enjoyment it gives us all.
posted by sauceysays at 01:01 PM on February 28, 2007
Hey viper, quit picking on Fulmer. That guy has a real nose for the game. During the off-season he likes to get into the nitty gritty of college hoops. Yep, he can really finger a winner. And I am out.
posted by THX-1138 at 01:40 PM on February 28, 2007
This is one of the things I love about college sports. Their passion and enthusiasm are far greater than in pro sports.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 02:16 PM on February 28, 2007
They both helped out Tennessee Basketball wow
posted by luther70 at 03:18 PM on February 28, 2007
Some of you have gotten a little snarky because you're not Vol fans, but I don't have a dog in that fight. On the outside looking in, what I noticed was the team attitude that is so front and center here. Usually, you expect to see the students avidly support all the teams, but coaches are another story. Sure, if they're asked about another one of the sports programs, they usually say the right things, but enthusiasm is too much to expect. It's important to be focused on your work, but it sure is refreshing to see coaches who get that college athletics are about the students in the long run and not just their little corner of the universe.
posted by ctal1999 at 10:12 PM on February 28, 2007
Well said, ctal1999, well said.
posted by tommybiden at 11:32 PM on February 28, 2007
Having fun with a major college sport? How dare they!!!!!!!! (Gee, I thought fun was what it was all about. I guess I'm naive.)
posted by Howard_T at 08:34 AM on March 01, 2007
I'm not a Vol fan neither, but good on Pat for repaying the stunt. I suspect that's probably getting a crazy as she'll ever get in public, but clearly her spirit is genuine, she looks like she had a certain amount of fun with it, Dickie Vee will now talk about the school spirit at Tennessee for the next decade (and you just know he'll never get rid of that hat), and hey, nice legs, coach. Seriously, this couldn't have gone down better. Good on everyone involved.
posted by chicobangs at 12:17 PM on March 01, 2007
Thankfully she didn't paint her chest. [rimshot] Seriously, awesome move. That took some guts to dress up like that and sing like she did. I love people who don't take themselves too damn seriously. Yeah, I'm talking to you Rene Portland.