Last week, legendary basketball coach John Wooden passed away at 99. The media coverage intrigued me.
Of course, they talked about his UCLA basketball teams and discussed how he became known as the "Wizzard of Westwood." But so many people would simply comment, almost in passing, on the fact that he was a great coach. And, of course, he was. 10 National Championships in 12 years and an 88 game winning-streak prove that.
But last week, much more time was spent talking about what a great person he was. They talked about the life lessons he taught players. About his own moral convictions--like refusing to ever utter a curse word. They talked about the impact he had on people's lives. As far as legacies go, this likely matters more in the end.
I read a great article listing the Top Ten quotes from Coach Wooden. I thought I'd share.
10. "It's what you learn after you know it all that counts."
9. "Talent is God-given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful."
8. "If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?"
7. "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
6. "A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment."
5. "Success if never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts."
4. "If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doin anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes."
3. "The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team."
2. "Never mistake activity for achievement."
1. "You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you."
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