OT: RIP Jerry Tarkanian
Just saw this on the world wide leader. Probably found on many a site here soon...
I liked him, good coach. Met him once in Vegas at the Hard Rock. Very nice guy, too.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/12309855/hall-fame-coach-jerry-tarkanian-dies
February 11th, 2015 at 12:26 PM ^
First Dean Smith, then Jerry Tarkanian. We've lost a couple of really outstanding coaches and people. My thoughts go to the families and friends most affected.
February 11th, 2015 at 4:42 PM ^
I'm watching the Runnin' Rebels HBO documentary right now and I didn't realize Tark and Smith coached against each other in the 1977 Final Four. Both now gone. Sad day for basketball and my fellow Armenian-Americans who really looked up to Tark (and Tark was proud of his Armenian roots).
February 11th, 2015 at 12:26 PM ^
They don't make 'em like this anymore.
February 11th, 2015 at 4:43 PM ^
50 pts or down 50 pts...towel in mouth over drape over the shoulder.
February 11th, 2015 at 12:33 PM ^
Augmon, Hunt, Anthony, Ackles, Butler, Johnson and Bice. Those guys were fun to watch.
February 11th, 2015 at 12:50 PM ^
Straight out of Southwestern H.s. I had a UNLV Starter jacket and skully...... you couldn't tell me nothing!
February 11th, 2015 at 2:20 PM ^
Not as baggy as the Fab Five, but another reason why they're probably my favorite non-UM team from the late 80s - early 90s.
Too bad they had to tank the game to Duke. (Kidding, sort of.)
February 11th, 2015 at 12:34 PM ^
He was ahead of his time in many ways. Got a bad rap-compared to Calipari and some of these guys today, he was a choir boy. He would be undefeated every year in a one and done world.
February 11th, 2015 at 12:36 PM ^
Ugh too much death in the headlines this morning/afternoon all around. What a shitty day.
RIP
February 11th, 2015 at 12:38 PM ^
Early '90's Runnin' Rebels were seriously bad-ass. Loved the Shark. Sad week for college hoops.
February 11th, 2015 at 11:09 PM ^
Until they were knocked from the headlines by the really bad-ass Fab 5.
February 11th, 2015 at 12:50 PM ^
People don't think of it because he was at UNLV so long and was such an iconic figure there, but he also took Long Beach State to the tourney four years in a row, twice making the Elite Eight (losing both times, once by only two points, to eventual national champions UCLA).
He also won a tournament game at Fresno State at the end of his career (made the tourney twice there).
Someone above mentioned how good those late 80's early 90's teams were, and it should be noted that UNLV was playing in the Big West at the time. To build such a powerhouse while playing in a league where you are traveling to UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton (both played in basically high school gyms at the time) is probably unprecedented.
February 11th, 2015 at 12:52 PM ^
RIP and condolences to his family. I am just glad he was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame while he was still alive and had almost two years to enjoy his "victory laps," even though he deserved to be taking them earlier.
February 11th, 2015 at 12:57 PM ^
I hope bad news doesn't actually come in threes because I like Bobby Knight on TV.
February 11th, 2015 at 1:49 PM ^
to fend him off.
February 11th, 2015 at 6:04 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
February 11th, 2015 at 12:59 PM ^
Lots of death recently in CBB. Sad to see him go, even though he didn't run the cleanest programs in the world. His UNLV clubs were terrifyingly good.
February 11th, 2015 at 1:04 PM ^
I for one hope this doesn't run in threes. RIP Coach.
February 11th, 2015 at 1:25 PM ^
February 11th, 2015 at 1:35 PM ^
Somewhere, Chris Herren is crying.
February 11th, 2015 at 2:59 PM ^
interviewed on Colin this morning right after this was announced. Very sad day for him. Tark gave him a chance and stood by him when very few would have.
I'm not a big Cowherd fan, but this was a nice interview with Chris doing most of the talking. Kinda shows Tark in a little different light than most probably see him.
February 11th, 2015 at 2:21 PM ^
Never heard of it until they employed it. Between that and Nolan Richardson's 40 minutes of hell, I enjoyed watching those two teams play defense and have it turn into instant offense.
February 11th, 2015 at 2:52 PM ^
If I get back into coaching, which looks very likely, I'll be using that and 1-3-1 as my base defenses.
Those UNLV teams were really fun to watch.
February 11th, 2015 at 2:53 PM ^
A lot of people may not remember this, but Tark was >.< close to becoming the coach of the Lakers in 1979, the year they drafted Magic and set the Showtime dynasty into ascendancy. It was essentially a done deal and a seemingly natural fit - Laker owner Jerry Buss (the GOAT sports team owner, imho) was, after all, no stranger to Las Vegas himself. The deal, of course, never came to fruition.
Why? Tark's agent, Vic Weiss, who would've helped cross the i's and dot the t's went missing and was found stuffed in the trunk of his car in an LA parking garage - something something gambling debts and mob ties. Buss, a consumnate gentleman, held the offer on the table for Tark, but the timing just wasn't right for obvious reasons and Tark elected to stay with UNLV
February 11th, 2015 at 2:56 PM ^
The 1990 and 1991 UNLV teams were probably the best teams that I can ever remember seeing...every bit as enjoyable as the Fab Five (which is saying a lot for me)
RIP Coach Tarkanian.
February 11th, 2015 at 3:11 PM ^
Greatest team I ever saw was his team that lost to Duke in the finals in the early 90's. The Rebels were fun to watch, and had some serious talent. RIP Tark!
February 11th, 2015 at 3:15 PM ^
I read his book, very good. The NCAA was after him forever and he gave them the middle finger. Bill Walton loved the guy and said when he showed up with Long Beach the Bruins were worried. Loved this guy and when I lived in Vegas he was god even in the 70's. Lost a cousin from Vegas today too. Bad day, RIP Tark and Jim.
February 11th, 2015 at 4:41 PM ^
Who didn't love Grand Mamma and those Runnin' Rebels?!
I shared a hotel elevator with Tark at the Final 4 in Seattle in 1989, where he told me he liked UM to win it all. Smart guy.
Also saw Dennis Rodman at a strip club that night. He couldn't have been nicer.
Aside from the 97 Rose Bowl, that was the best road UM experience.
February 11th, 2015 at 4:51 PM ^
to have coached my second favorite basketball squad of all times. That 90-91 Runnin Rebs was down right NASTY!!
RIP Shark
February 11th, 2015 at 9:26 PM ^
Coach Tarkanian. Those Runnnin' Rebels teams of his were so much fun to watch back then, even when rooting against them (as I did up until he did battle with the NCAA).