Pat Summitt: A Tribute

The famed coach of the Tennessee Volunteers Women’s basketball program stepped down recently due to a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Her name lends itself to hundreds of sport-related puns, but none could give her the respect that she deserves as possibly the greatest basketball coach of all time.

John Wooden, Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski, Bob Knight, Geno Auriemma. These are the names of some of the greatest coaches in college basketball history. Coach Summitt belongs near or at the top of that list. She has the most victories in NCAA history. She has the most Final Four appearances. She has eight national championships. But the most amazing legacy she may leave behind is a 100% graduation rate. In this day and age, that is probably the most astonishing fact of Summitt’s career.

The men’s game obviously has a potential for leading to the NBA, while the WNBA is less popular and very low paying relative to its male counterpart. So, one may argue that academics are much more “important” for women athletes than men. I will concede that the monetary pressure is greater for male athletes, which means that there is more potential for violations and less pressure to perform academically (which we see way too much). However, men’s sports can take a hint or two from Coach Summitt’s stress for academic excellence. She has shown that academics do not have to take a hit to achieve athletic dominance.

That Summitt has been forced to step down due to early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease is more than unfortunate. Having seen the effects of Alzheimer’s first-hand, this disease is a struggle not only for the afflicted, but their families and friends as well. It is good to see that Summitt will stay on in some capacity and make the transition for players and coaches as smooth as possible.

In almost every society in the world, women are still de-valued and in the sports world, this is still very true. It is time to realize that Pat Summitt is not just the best women’s basketball coach of all time, but possibly the best college coach to every grace the hardwood. So please, stand and applaud.

Upset of a Lifetime

Tell me you watched. Tell you me were able to get off work or had the game recorded and you experienced the same wondrous, awe-inspiring, history-defining moment that occurred on Tuesday in Barcelona. If you don’t know, you’re about to: Chelsea, a club that has been disappointing in Premier League play this season, pulled off the upset of the century in the Champions League semifinals against the mighty Barcelona.

The week before at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea played phenomenally and held off Barcelona 1-0 to take a lead going into the leg in Spain. Even though they were down, no one expected that Barca would have any trouble regaining their form and moving on at home. Then, Saturday happened. What happened, you ask? The all-important match with Real Madrid that pretty much decided the La Liga title ended with a loss for Barcelona. In that match, and in the first leg with Chelsea, something looked off with the Spanish giants. They didn’t have the consistent and precise touch and finishing that has been so frustrating for opposing sides the last few years.

After that loss, I thought that Chelsea might have a chance to move on, even though on paper they were the far inferior team. This thought was weakened when the game began. Camp Nou was rocking and Barcelona came to play, dominating from the get-go. Sergio Busquets gave them a lead in the 35^th minute and then John Terry committed a dirty knee-in-the-back foul and earned himself a red card just a couple minutes later. Chelsea found themselves a man and then another goal down after Iniesta scored Barca’s second. However, just before halftime, Ramires took a wonderful through-ball from Frank Lampard and scored a beauty of a goal, chipping the ball over Victor Valdes from the edge of the box. This goal evened the aggregate score and gave Chelsea some hope.

For me, the deciding blow came shortly after halftime. Barcelona were again pressing heavily in the Chelsea box and Didier Drogba, who has played so well in Champions League, committed a penalty in the box. Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest player of this generation, stepped to the spot to finish the Blues off. Right as he went to kick it, there seemed to be a moment of hesitation and he banged it off the crossbar.

After the Messi miss, there were still an innumerable amount of chances for Barcelona to score the winning goal. They had possession almost non-stop and were in Chelsea’s half constantly. In this manner, they looked the Barca of old. However, they lacked just the right amount of finesse to finish off their chances. Chelsea even tried to help. They brought on Fernando Torres, who up until that time was the biggest bust of recent transfer memory, for Drogba. Torres struggled a bit in defense and it seemed that he could be the goat once again. But in the 90^th minute, Torres broke free on a clear and coolly slotted home the goal that assured Chelsea of advancement. To have Torres finish off this monumental upset was symbolic of the greatness of this accomplishment.

Taken as a whole, this round was as unlikely as anyone could have imagined. Even the most loyal of Chelsea fans had to admit that their chances were minimal. But Chelsea showed that heart and willpower could trump a less-than-perfect Barca squad. Over a span of eight days, Barcelona fell hard from glory. They were bounced out of both Champions League and La Liga title contention and on Friday, coach Pep Guardiola stepped down as Barca’s top man. Barcelona will have to use this offseason to re-group and evaluate how to get back to the pinnacle.

Chelsea, on the other hand, will have a tough time in the final against Bayern Munich, who won in astonishing fashion against Real Madrid, as they lost several players on yellow cards and Terry’s red. Though their chances will be slim yet again, I will not doubt Chelsea’s chances, even if they have to travel to Bayern’s home stadium to play. No matter the result, I have to like interim coach Roberto Di Matteo’s chances of becoming the permanent coach, as he has done an amazing job of keeping this squad on task. We can only wait and wonder until May 19^th to see how this crazy and exciting Champions League season comes to a finish.

The Hunt for Silver Lining

Leagues around the world are winding to a close as we enter the end of spring (already?) and the beginning of a summer that will include Euro 2012, the Summer Olympics, and World Cup Qualifying. The last few weeks of the English Premier League have seen Manchester City squander away their stranglehold on first place. City fell apart to the extent that Manchester United climbed to an eight point lead last week and it seemed that the race was all but over. Even though this has been a down year for the EPL, this race has ensured that the title run will have some excitement.

City has regained some semblance of their early season form over the last two matches, winning by a combined score of 10-1. Meanwhile, United lost to lowly Wigan and now, after Saturday’s matches, sit only two points of City with a game in hand. If United struggle with Aston Villa on Sunday, Sir Alex Ferguson and crew will feel less than comfortable. The Manchester derby now looms larger than ever on the last day of April.

As I mentioned before, this has been a disappointing year for the EPL. The level of competition has been lower as it seems that injuries and lack of top form have ravaged many clubs. The title race has long been a two-team race and the battle for the last two Champions League spots has seen each team try to give it away. Tottenham started strong but has faltered. Arsenal started, well, like Arsenal, but they have come back with a vengeance to snatch third place. Liverpool continues to oscillate between competent and unmotivated. Chelsea fired their millionth manager in five years but have found a way to stay competitive. And Newcastle United continue to stick around with impressive victories and striker play from Demba Ba.

Last season, I stated that the EPL was the strongest club league in the world, closely followed by Spain’s La Liga. Barcelona and Real Madrid have been so strong this year that I can no longer state this as fact. However, there is plenty left to cheer for in England. Chelsea remain alive in the Champions League and if they can play as a unit, they may have a chance to surprise Barcelona in the semifinals. Arsenal have shown that it is possible to overcome the critics and ridicule they suffered in October. The staying power of Newcastle and Tottenham give credit to the unmatched top-to-bottom depth of the Premier League.

While this season has left many sour tastes in the collective mouth of the fanbase, there is hope that all will be better. The competition at the top of the table has been running hot for several years in a row, so we had to be aware of a letdown sooner or later. Given the apparent lack of fire by some clubs, we are still being treated to battles for the title, Champions League spots, and avoiding relegation. When players return from injury or clubs like Chelsea regain stability, the battle for glory will once again be intense and fun to watch. Until then, we can enjoy what is available and savor the last few matchdays of the season.