ÿþ<html> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1"> <title>OnlineColumnist®.com: Putin Punishes Georgia</title> <meta name="generator" content="Adobe GoLive 4"> <style type="text/css"> .style3 { height: 68px; } .MsoNormal {} h1 {margin-bottom:.0001pt; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; font-weight:normal; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; } .style4 { font-size: large; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial; } .style6 { height: 69px; } h2 {margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; } .style7 { font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; } </style> </head> <body bgcolor="white" vlink="black"> <center> &nbsp;<table cool width="624" height="2719" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" gridx="16" showgridx gridy="16" showgridy> <tr> <td width="133" height="118" rowspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"> <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="110" width="62" src="images/discobolos.logo.transp.gif" border="0"></a></td> <td width="7" height="118" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="482" colspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="140" class="style6"><img height="75" width="450" src="images/banner.GIF"></td> <td width="1" height="118" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" class="style6"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="79"></td> </tr> <tr height="39"> <td width="182" height="39"></td> <td width="300" height="39" valign="top" align="left" xpos="322"><a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="14" width="267" src="images/divisionofNEW.GIF" border="0"></a></td> <td width="1" height="39"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="39"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="624" colspan="6" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0" class="style3"> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="black" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#99ffcc" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4"> <tr> <td align="center"> <div align="left"> <a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> HOME</strong></font></a><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> &#8226; <a href="articlesindex.html">ARTICLES</a> &#8226; <a href="books.html">BOOKS</a> &#8226; <a href="teflon.html"> THE </a><a href="teflon.html">TEFLON</a><a href="teflon.html"> REPORT</a> &#8226; <a href="mailto:letters@onlinecolumnist.com"> REACTIONS</a> &#8226; <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">ABOUT DISCOBOLOS</a></strong></font></div> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr height="2"> <td width="133" height="2"></td> <td width="489" height="2576" colspan="3" rowspan="2" align="left" xpos="133" content valign="top" csheight="2573"> <p class="style4">Coach John Wooden&#39;s True Legacy</p> <p><b><font face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica">by John M. Curtis</font></b><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a href="books.html"><br> </a></b></font><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b> (310) 204-8700</b></font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><i>Copyright June 6, 2010<br>All Rights Reserved. </i></font>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <p class="MsoNormal"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="style7">S</span>uccumbing to old age June 4 at age 99 in UCLA s Ronald Reagan Medical Center, retired UCLA Coach John Wooden etched himself into the top of Basketball s Mt. Everest  indeed life winning 10 NCAA championships between 1964-1975, the year he abruptly retired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Born Oct. 14, 1910 on his family farm in Hall, Indiana, Wooden himself won All American basketball honors at Purdue University, leading the Boilermakers to a national championship in 1932, before the NCAA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He was inducted into Basketball s Hall of Fame as a player in 1961 and as a coach in 1971.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Wooden s streak of winning seven back-to-back national titles and 88 consecutive games remain impossible feats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>While called the  Wizard of Westwood for his unparalleled success at UCLA, Wooden preferred simply to be known as  coach, consistent with his true characters and legacy. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Wooden never forgot his humble Midwestern roots, somewhat akin to the late President Ronald Reagan, whose personal philosophy left an indelible mark on the American character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Like Reagan, Wooden came from modest means, whose Protestant work ethic ran through his on-and-off-court accomplishments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> If there s anything you could point out where I was a little different, it was the fact that I never mentioned winning, Wooden once said, deeply committed to the process of working hard on<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>fundamentals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Wooden evolved since the 1930s a coaching style he called the  Pyramid of Success, 15 attributes that lead of &quot;competitive greatness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&quot;&nbsp; </span>He developed his  Pyramid of Success course, creating the first coherent sports and life-coaching system, extending his principles that worked on the basketball court to various real-life social and business situations.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Wooden was known to be among the first white coaches to insist on playing black basketball players.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>His rock-sold belief in hard work obliterated the color barrier, opening doors for any player willing to go through Wooden s boot camp, the most rigorous and demanding workouts for developing the physical, mental and spiritual skills needed for success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>One of Wooden s former players, Greg Lee, a three-year starter during the 88-game winning streak, shared about  coach s demanding practices and workouts, exceeding those of most games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> That was one of the secrets to our success, revealing the hard work that went into Wooden s crucible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> For a little more than a decade, we had the best basketball players, the hardest practices and a phenomenal coach, and were tough to beat, said Lee, revealing Wooden s demanding work-ethic and driving perfectionism.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Wooden wound up at UCLA in 1948 on a fluke, after two successful seasons coaching Indiana State.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>After considering Minnesota or UCLA, Wooden set a deadline and accepted UCLA s offer first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Minnesota officials admitted to trying to reach Wooden first but were delayed when phone lines were tied up by inclement weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> If fate had not intervened, I would have never gone to UCLA, said Wooden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>After turning UCLA s basketball program around, the nation s top players flocked to Westwood, handing Wooden the nation s best talent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>More than only for pure success, players went to Wooden for his nurturing paternal instincts, parenting eagerly athletic young men frequently without fathers from broken homes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Wooden s colorblindness and generous affection for character building became the true measure of his legacy, attracting the best recruits in the country.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Wooden never talked about winning, only working hard to achieve his players god-given potentials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> I think that s the factor from which I have received the greatest satisfaction and pleasure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>The fact that practically all my players did get their degrees and practically all of them have done well in whatever their chosen professions might be, said Wooden, revealing his emphasis on character development not just winning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Wooden frequently talked about his father s  two sets of three   never lie,  never cheat and  never steal. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Wooden would tell his players  don t whine, don t complain, don t make excuses, essentials of his  Pyramid of Success that he developed into the first life-coaching system, motivating dozens of books by sports and business leaders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>His great players Kareem Abdul Jabbar [Lew Alcindor], Bill Walton, Gail Goodrich and other Hall-of-Famers all subscribed to the  Pyramid. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Wooden s UCLA and basketball legacy goes well-beyond the hardwood to the American workplace, where he generously shared his wisdom for the benefit of all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable, Wooden once said explaining his  Pyramid of Success. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Despite his unrivaled success at UCLA, he never asked for a raise, earning a meager $35,000 a year salary at the time of his retirement in 1975, after winning his 10th NCAA championship against Kentucky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>  This is a sad day at UCLA, said Chancellor Gene Bock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Coach Wooden s legacy transcends athletics, what he did was produce leaders, reflecting on how Wooden s personal philosophy mirrored the American Way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Wooden s life proved that humility can go hand-in-hand with the pinnacles of success.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><b>John M. Curtis </b>writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He&#x2019;s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of <a href="books.html">Dodging The Bullet</a> and <a href="books.html">Operation Charisma</a>.</p> </td> <td width="1" height="2576" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" height="2"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2"></td> </tr> <tr height="2574"> <td width="133" height="2574" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"><img height="172" width="111" src="images/johninframe3.jpg"></td> <td width="1" height="2574"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2574"></td> </tr> <tr height="1" cntrlrow> <td width="133" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="133" height="1"></td> <td width="7" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="7" height="1"></td> <td width="182" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="182" height="1"></td> <td width="300" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="300" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"></td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" width="597"> <tr> <td><font size="1" face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica"> <hr noshade size="1"> </font><a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> Homecobolos> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">©1999-2005 <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"> Discobolos Consulting Services, Inc.</a><br> (310) 204-8300<br> All Rights Reserved. </font></td> </tr> </table> </center> </body> </html>