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Home , Bud Grant, George Karl, Jerry Sloan, Marv Levy, Nellie Ball

SPORTS Assignment editor: Dan Ruthemeyer 360-416-2143 / [email protected] COMMENTARY Pac-12 commish: Athletes would be Jerry Sloan and other coaching safer on campus greats who were denied a title than at home By PAUL NEWBERRY By RYAN KARTJE including Ohio State and AP Sports Columnist Los Angeles Times , have announced they’ll return June 1, as Jerry Sloan was undoubtedly one LOS ANGELES — As soon as they’re allowed by of the greatest coaches in NBA his- the NCAA opened the the NCAA. The Pac-12 is tory. door for athletes to return also expected next week Yet there’s one glaring omission on in June for voluntary to approve a return some- an otherwise stellar resume. workouts, the Pac-12’s time in June. A championship. commissioner made clear In a Zoom interview Sloan, who died Friday at age 78, ahead of the conference’s with West Coast Sports isn’t the only coaching guru lacking own vote next week that Associates on Thursday, a trip to a title. Let’s take a look at the he believes student-ath- USC athletic director 10 best coaches and managers who letes would be “in a safer Mike Bohn offered his failed to win a title in America’s big- and healthier position” if own recommendation for gest sports: they were back on their a return on either June 10. GEORGE KARL: The sixth- respective campuses this 8 or June 15. He joined most wins in NBA history, but he summer, rather than at Scott and the growing struggled mightily in the postsea- home. chorus of administrators son. Karl’s teams lost in the opening In a CNN interview suggesting “a student- round a staggering 14 times over 27 Friday, Larry Scott joined athlete is safer in an seasons. His best shot at a title came other power brokers intercollegiate athletics in 1996, when he guided Seattle to his across college football enterprise’s offices, train- lone NBA Finals. In an unfortunate AP FILE in framing a June return ing rooms, than they are bit of timing, Karl had to face one of Vikings poses with coach Bud to campus as a measure anywhere else.” the greatest teams ever, the 72-win Grant in 1974. Grant guided the Vikings to four Super Bowls, but no titles. meant to keep athletes “I’m convinced of that,” Bulls led by . safe and healthy amid the Bohn said. “I think we 9. BILLY REAY: Fortunate enough victories over 31 years, and an inno- over the Jazz in 1988 COVID-19 pandemic. can monitor that and do a to take over a Chicago Blackhawks vative style known as “Nellie Ball,” he and guided a consis- A June return, Scott great job of keeping them team that featured four future Hall never even reached the NBA Finals. tent powerhouse led noted, would put the Pac- safe.” of Famers (Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, His best shot came in 2002-03 with by and 12 on schedule to poten- But questions remain Glenn Hall and Pierre Pilote), Reay a 60-win Dallas team featuring Dirk . Sloan tially start training camp in regards to how schools reached the Stanley Cup Finals in Nowitzki and that lost had only one losing as early as late July, with “a will actually monitor and 1964, only to lose to in to eventual champion San Antonio season over his 23 nice glide-path to support keep their athletes safe, seven games. That was a precursor in the conference final. It should be years in Salt Lake the start of the college when they do return. The of two more heartbreaking losses to noted that Nelson participated in City. Unfortunately, football season at the NCAA has not published the Canadiens, most notably a Game plenty of celebrations as a player, Sloan though, his best of August.” safety standards as it 7 setback in 1971 when the Black- winning five titles with the Boston teams came along “We’ve got three states pertains to COVID-19, hawks squandered a 2-0 lead midway Celtics. at the same time as that Jordan guy. in our conference where instead leaving conferenc- through the second period at Chicago 5. AL LOPEZ: He never had a los- lost to the Bulls in back-to-back gyms are already open es and schools to decide Stadium. ing record in 15 full seasons as a big NBA Finals in 1997 and ’98. and student-athletes are for themselves. 8. : league manager, winning an average 2. DUSTY BAKER: He got a wanting to get back,” Scott That could create a One of seven coaches with 200 of 92 games. During the 1950s, Lopez glimpse of what was to come as a told CNN, “and in most wide swath of inconsis- regular-season wins, his career was had the distinction of capturing the rookie manager. In 1993, Baker’s San cases, we feel that student- tent policies governing marred by a jarring string of postsea- only two AL pennants that weren’t Francisco Giants went 103-59 but athletes will be in a safer testing, which experts son flops. As coach of the Cleveland hoarded by the mighty New York missed the playoffs by a single game position and a healthier agree is the most cru- Browns, he lost back-to-back heart- Yankees. But his Cleveland Indians after a memorable division race with position if they can have cial tenet of any plan to breakers to the in the were swept in the 1954 World Series the Atlanta Braves (there were no wild access to the world-class return. In announcing AFC championship game — one to by Willie Mays and the New York cards in those days). Over 22 years, medical care, supervision, its plans for a return to “The Drive,” the other on “The Fum- Giants after winning a record 111 Baker has guided four teams to the and support that they can voluntary workouts on ble.” With the , he games. In 1959, Lopez’s “Go-Go” Chi- playoffs and notched 1,863 wins. But get on their campuses, Friday, the SEC and sev- lost again in the AFC championship cago White Sox fell to the Los Ange- his career is marred by its postseason and if there are issues eral of its member schools and fell at home two others times as les Dodgers. He was runner-up in the failures. A seven-game loss to the with the virus, to have explained that players and the conference’s No. 1 seed. Schotten- AL a whopping 10 times during his Giants in the 2002 World Series. The access to these world- staff members will be ini- heimer’s playoff record (5-13) stands Hall of Fame career — all but one of ’ Bartman loss to the class medical centers that tially tested for COVID- in striking contrast to his regular- them looking up at the Yankees. Marlins in 2003. A pair of wrenching we have. But these are 19 only upon their return season mark (200-126-1). 4. : No other coach home playoff defeats as manager of baby steps, bringing safely to campus. Beyond that, 7. PAT QUINN: As a second-year has reached the four the Washington Nationals. But Baker student-athletes back to they will be tested only if coach in 1980, he guided Philadel- years in a row. Unfortunately for Levy, still has a chance to get off this list. At c a mpu s .” they’re symptomatic. phia to the NHL’s best record and the he didn’t win any of them, tarnish- age 70, he’s been hired by Houston in The first step was initi- Testing protocols for Stanley Cup Finals. But the Flyers ing an unprecedented run with the the wake of its sign-stealing scandal. ated Wednesday, when the Pac-12 and USC are were upset by the New York Islanders, that began with a bitter 1. : The first coach the NCAA Division I still being determined, losing on Bobby Nystrom’s series- 20-19 loss to the in to reach four Super Bowls. Also the Council announced that Bohn said. “We’re going ending overtime goal. The Islanders the 1991 title game. After Scott Nor- first to lose four Super Bowls. Grant it would allow voluntary to have to figure out how went on to claim four straight titles, wood’s potential winning built a powerhouse team over 18 on-campus workouts to often do we want to test,” while Quinn only made it back to the went wide right, Levy and the Bills seasons with the , begin June 1 for football he said. “But more impor- finals one more time over his 20 years never came so close to a champion- reaching the playoffs 12 times. But and men’s and women’s tantly, we want to monitor as a coach. In 1994 with the Vancou- ship. They lost the next three Super Grant’s squads lost each of their four . On Friday, the groups of student-athletes ver Canucks, he lost to another New Bowls by an average of three touch- title games by double-digit margins, council expanded that — where they eat, where York team in seven games as the downs. Too bad for Levy we can’t capped by a 32-14 loss to Oakland directive to include all they work out, where they Rangers ended their 54-year champi- count his two titles coaching in the in the 11th Super Bowl. Grant was Division I sports. lift weights, where they onship drought. League. far more successful in the Canadian University presidents live, dorm rooms, number 6. : Nelson won 3. JERRY SLOAN: Sloan racked Football League, where he won four from the Southeastern of student-athletes per more games than any coach in NBA up the fourth-most wins by an NBA titles in 10 seasons with Conference voted shortly restroom, all those differ- history — during the regular season, coach (1,221) during a 26-year career . after to approve a return ent pieces of the proto- that is. Despite a staggering 1,335 spent mostly with Utah. Sloan took Sorry, those don’t count on this list. June 8. Other schools, cols. It’s extensive.”

Seahawks to sign running back Hyde to one-year contract MLB to toss economic proposal to union Tuesday, source says By BOB CONDOTTA playing time incentives to ed the deal. cially given the running The Seattle Times get the entire amount. Last season, Hyde made game’s importance in the By DAVID LENNON Initially, MLB talked That Seattle had made $2.8 million with Houston, team’s offense — Seattle Newsday about a revenue-sharing SEATTLE — The an offer of $4 million to playing in all 16 games as was fourth in the league plan, featuring a 50-50 split Seahawks’ pursuit of a vet- Freeman was first reported well as two playoff games, last year in rushing yards With progress being with the players, to cover eran running back to add Wednesday as it became after spending the 2018 per game at 137.5. made this week on the their remaining salaries depth at a position that clear the Seahawks were season with Cleveland and In fact, coach Pete Car- health front, MLB will sub- under the economic hit last year was devastated by getting serious about add- Jacksonville. roll said at the NFL com- mit its economic proposal teams would suffer with- injuries ended Friday as ing a veteran running Hyde, who played for bine in February to expect to the Players Association out fans (i.e. paying cus- the team agreed to a one- back before the end of the the 49ers from 2014-17, the Seahawks to add to the on Tuesday, a source con- tomers) in the stadiums. year deal with free agent team’s offseason training gained just 571 yards on running back corps, saying firmed. But the union insists any Carlos Hyde, who gained program. 172 carries in 2018 for a “we have to make sure we With the clock ticking talk of revenue-sharing is a 1,070 yards during a resur- But Freeman — who 3.3-yard per carry average have enough depth.” on a projected June start non-starter at the negotiat- gent 2019 season with the in 2017 signed a contract before looking like his old Carson has been a for spring training, figur- ing table; in their view, it . with Atlanta that guar- self again last season after workhorse in rushing for ing out how to play during represents a de facto salary The news of Hyde’s anteed him more than joining the Texans and more than 1,000 yards this pandemic remains a cap. signing was first reported $22 million before being averaging 4.4 per carry — each of the past two years work in progress as the The union believes by The NFL Network, and released earlier this year the same as Chris Carson and Seattle will still pen- two sides continue their the players are rightfully it came after a source told — wanted more. In fact, did for the Seahawks. cil him into the top spot discussions of MLB’s owed prorated salaries, The Seattle Times that Michael Silver of the NFL The Seahawks still on the depth chart when 67-page operations manual based on the number of the team was zeroing in Network reported Friday intend on Carson to be camp begins. delivered to the union last games played, according to on Hyde after contract that Freeman is willing one of their primary offen- But Carson has battled Friday. But coming up with the March 26 agreement. talks stalled with longtime to sit out the season if he sive weapons in 2020, one some significant inju- a new salary structure for Union chief Tony Clark standout does not get an offer he reason why they didn’t ries in his Seattle career, this anticipated 82-game repeatedly has said the Devonta Freeman. feels is in line with his want to pay too much for including suffering a season has turned into a topic is closed for discus- The NFL Network value. Freeman. fractured hip last Dec. 22 contentious process, likely sion. reported that the 6-foot, A source confirmed But after the merry-go- that sidelined him for the to require every minute up Still, MLB has pointed to 229-pound Hyde will get to The Times that the round of the end of last final regular-season game to the when players a clause in the same agree- a deal similar to what Seahawks made a serious season and some uncer- and the playoffs. Carson is actually show up for spring ment that calls for further Seattle had been offering play for Freeman but that tainty about the health of expected to be fully recov- training. negotiation of salaries if Freeman — a one-year once he turned down a players entering 2020, ered by the time the regu- The Athletic was the games are played without contract worth up to $4 final offer they decided Seattle had made it known lar season rolls around but first to report that MLB spectators, based on the million, though likely also Friday to move on to that it wanted to beef up he might not do much in will make its financial economic “feasibility” of including some significant Hyde, who quickly accept- the position some, espe- training camp. pitch Tuesday. resuming the season.