Even in departure, Summitt shows the way it should be done
My, goodness! Now THAT’S the way you resign your post.
The right way.
At the right time.
As much as it hurts the sports world and Tennessee fans to see women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt hand over her whistle to assistant Holly Warlick, there is a sense that it’s one of the best decisions she’s called.
And the nice thing about it is — it was HER call. And, even better, she knew it was the right call to make … no matter how difficult.
So many long-time coaches and so many veteran athletes do not make that call, refuse to see the facts, and sometimes they lose some dignity and class by refusing to bow out gracefully.
Watching superstar athletes continue to play long after their skills have diminished only dimishes their legacy in the minds of all, fades the memories of how they were in their prime.
And though Summitt probably could have gone on for another year or so — despite the dreaded disease Alzheimer’s that pounced upon her way when she was still in her prime as a coach — she saw the writing on the wall and had the courage not to ignore what it said.
Courage shows itself in so many ways. She has been brave in her fight, true. But courage is also doing the right thing when it’s not easy to do so.
But in her typically classy and dignified manner, Summitt did the right thing — not only for herself, but for her family, her coaches, her players and all of us fans.
You see, because sports fans everywhere looked to Summit as something much more than her sparkling resume over 38 years as coach of the Vols; more than her 1,098 wins and eight national titles. Summitt was the personification of what a coach, a role model, SHOULD be.
Under her tutelage, 161 women wore the Orange — and all 161 of them graduated.
Last week, she taught them all one final lesson. A lesson about class, dignity, respect and character.