Jerry Sloan and Other Coaching Greats Who Were
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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 Iowa, 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 Minnesota Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton 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,” Chicago Bulls led by Michael Jordan. 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 Karl Malone and 12 on schedule to poten- But questions remain Glenn Hall and Pierre Pilote), Reay a 60-win Dallas team featuring Dirk John Stockton. Sloan tially start training camp in regards to how schools reached the Stanley Cup Finals in Nowitzki and Steve Nash that lost had only one losing as early as late July, with “a will actually monitor and 1964, only to lose to Montreal 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 end 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- Utah 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. MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER: 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 Denver Broncos 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 Kansas City Chiefs, 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 Chicago Cubs’ 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. MARV LEVY: 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 Super Bowl 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, Buffalo Bills that began with a bitter 1. BUD GRANT: The first coach the NCAA Division I still being determined, losing on Bobby Nystrom’s series- 20-19 loss to the New York Giants 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 field goal 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 Minnesota Vikings, 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 basketball. 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.