RIP Jud Heathcote
August 28th, 2017 at 11:19 PM ^
August 28th, 2017 at 11:22 PM ^
Amen, couldn't agree more. Condolences.
August 28th, 2017 at 11:22 PM ^
I mean as much as you can like the coach of your biggest in-state rival. He was there when I was in school and thanks to Magic & Kessler we didnt fare too well against them. But he didnt run his mouth (or at least i dont remember him doing so) and I always had a ton of respect for the way he coached that team. Prolly one of my favorite Sparty's to be honest (and there arent many of them).
RIP coach.
August 29th, 2017 at 12:40 AM ^
This. Jud was a good man and a fine coach. And when his teams had a PG they were awfully fun to watch. Jud never had a problem giving a good point the keys and allowing him to drive the car as fast as he wanted.
RIP.
August 29th, 2017 at 6:31 AM ^
...his pressers could be hilarious. And he would smack his forehead with his palm when a player screwed up. He was a good man.
August 29th, 2017 at 10:07 AM ^
I was around Heathcote a number of times in casual settings--one of the genuinely funniest people I ever met. And he always seemed to be "on".
August 29th, 2017 at 9:21 AM ^
He was the epitome of the sparty I liked.... respectful and fun. I still remember that video of him chucking the ball down and hitting floor and missed it on way up and clocks himself. His teams were fun to watch.. RIP
August 29th, 2017 at 6:49 AM ^
August 28th, 2017 at 11:28 PM ^
RIP Jud. Much love and respect.
August 28th, 2017 at 11:36 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
August 28th, 2017 at 11:39 PM ^
Glad I got to see him coach at the very end. I was at the game at Crisler his final season, which had turned into the typical Big 10 farewell tour. Pretty sure the Athletic Department gave him the traditional rocking chair and everything. And then they went and stole a close one.
Classy guy, coached some great teams. And did his legacy well with the way he mentored Tom Izzo--even if those first few seasons were a bit rocky.
August 28th, 2017 at 11:40 PM ^
August 28th, 2017 at 11:50 PM ^
I always liked Jud. Solid coach and seemed like a pretty good guy.
August 29th, 2017 at 12:17 AM ^
Who always looked grumpy but was nice. '79 was the only time in my life I was pulling for Sparty and Jud to win the national championship. I was in the 10th grade and remember Michigan beating MSU at home in a low scoring game then getting blown out by MSU on the road. Orr had been in a funk for two years and would eventually leave for Iowa after the 1981 season.
August 29th, 2017 at 2:27 PM ^
August 29th, 2017 at 12:20 AM ^
August 29th, 2017 at 7:14 AM ^
August 29th, 2017 at 10:27 AM ^
In high school I played the tennis coach - he beat me while eating a Whopper with one hand and let me serve each game. Humbling.
August 29th, 2017 at 12:21 AM ^
August 29th, 2017 at 12:42 AM ^
I had not thought about Coach Heathcote in years, and I'm mildly surprised to realize he made it to 90 years. In terms of ability to scream at the refs until he was red in the face, he was second only to Bobby Knight. Expressing righteous anger must be better for your health than I had thought.
RIP
August 29th, 2017 at 10:10 AM ^
Jud did yell, but I bet the refs liked Jud a whole lot more than Bobby.
August 29th, 2017 at 10:29 AM ^
True, but I think the refs liked gonorrhea more than Bobby Knight.
August 29th, 2017 at 11:40 AM ^
simultaneously they were afraid of him, otherwise there is no explaining the disparity of fouls when playing IU in Bloomington
August 29th, 2017 at 12:40 AM ^
Jud Heathcote was an absolute class act and a tremendous coach. He was a great man who deserved all of the praise heaped upon him by Tom Izzo in that linked article. It's sad to see him go. May God rest his soul.
August 29th, 2017 at 12:44 AM ^
RIP Coach
August 29th, 2017 at 5:59 AM ^
August 29th, 2017 at 6:59 AM ^
August 29th, 2017 at 7:09 AM ^
The time he slammed the scorer's table during an NCAA tournament game was classic!
August 29th, 2017 at 7:18 AM ^
August 29th, 2017 at 9:02 AM ^
Indiana State my good man, Larry Bird played at Indiana State.
RIP Coach Heathcote. He was a fine coach and a great man. I truly respected him.
August 29th, 2017 at 7:20 AM ^
August 29th, 2017 at 7:33 AM ^
I'm prone to find fault with MSU's coaches, but never could find an ax to grind with Jud Heathcote. He built that program into something formidable, and conducted himself extremely well from what I recall.
All the best to his family and friends as they cope with their loss.
August 29th, 2017 at 8:35 AM ^
That match-up zone D on his championship team was every bit as crucial to the team going all the way as their offense.
August 29th, 2017 at 8:36 AM ^
August 29th, 2017 at 9:20 AM ^
Some might remember back in the 90s when State was scheduled to meet Kentucky's Murray State University in an NCAA tournament game. In an interview Jud said "I guarantee MSU will win." Well duh, given that both teams were MSU, he was quite right and most of us laughed at the joke. Believe it or not, however, some people criticized Jud for "guaranteeing his team would win." I'm sure Jud shook his pretty much hairless head at that one.
For those of us who followed M BB during Jud's tenure at MSU, we remember him as a good person who brought humor and a human touch to the game. RIP.
August 29th, 2017 at 11:09 AM ^
Definitely a character ...and part of my memories as a kid watching hoops, growing up in Michigan.
How he'd punch his own forehead while yelling at the refs and his hair getting all crazy..!!
Sad news.
August 29th, 2017 at 11:11 AM ^
was a classic oxymoron until Jud Heathcote came along. He was a good man and great coach. RIP with comfort wished for his family.
August 29th, 2017 at 11:28 AM ^
RIP Old dude coach guy
August 29th, 2017 at 1:11 PM ^
goodbye to an MSU coach I actually liked.
August 29th, 2017 at 1:34 PM ^
August 29th, 2017 at 4:31 PM ^
August 29th, 2017 at 10:24 PM ^