Pat Summitt Diagnosed with Dementia

[cumberlandreds]

News is trickling out of Knxville that Pat Summitt has been diagnosed with Dementia. A news conference is scheduled later today. She is only 59. She is arguably one of the best basketball coaches in history. Her time at Tennessee has been phenomenal. The article say she will try to coach one more season.


http://www.cbssports.com/general/sto...l-try-to-coach

[reds1869]

That is really sad news. I've seen loved ones suffering from dementia and it is a terrible thing.

[Unassisted]

I lived in Knoxville ~20 years ago and she was a big deal in that city back then. This must be devastating news for folks there now.

It will likely be a long time before another coach is able to amass as many wins at one school.

[RedsBaron]

Tragic at any age but only age 59?

[Ghosts of 1990]

Very sad. I hope there are developments made in medical science quickly enough to help this woman.

[Roy Tucker]

Originally Posted by RedsBaron

Tragic at any age but only age 59?

That's about when my mom started showing symptoms of Altzheimers/dementia. It's a long, slow decline.

Seeing that I turned 59 a week ago, I worry when I start to forget things.

[dabvu2498]

From Pat Summitt's wiki:

Just before the 1974–75 season, with women's college basketball still in its infancy and not yet an NCAA-sanctioned sport, 22-year-old Summitt became a graduate assistant at the University of Tennessee, and was named head coach of the Lady Vols after the previous coach suddenly quit. Summitt earned $250 monthly and washed the players' uniforms - uniforms purchased the previous year with proceeds from a donut sale. Summitt recalled that era of women's basketball during a February 2009 interview with Time Magazine. "I had to drive the van when I first started coaching," Summitt said. "One time, for a road game, we actually slept in the other team's gym the night before. We had mats, we had our little sleeping bags. When I was a player at the University of Tennessee-Martin, we played at Tennessee Tech for three straight games, and we didn't wash our uniforms. We only had one set. We played because we loved the game. We didn't think anything about it."

During Summitt's first year as head coach, four of her players were only a year younger than she was and all were from Tennessee high schools, which until the early-1970s employed an antiquated six-person game where offensive and defensive players never crossed mid-court.

Something else... while she was coaching at UT in her 2nd year, she was also co-captain of the 1st US Women's National Team as a player.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Summitt

I don't think it's any stretch to say she's one of the greatest coaches, in any sport, ever, and that she may have done more for the rise of women's athletics than anyone in history as well. Quite remarkable.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by dabvu2498

From Pat Summitt's wiki:



Something else... while she was coaching at UT in her 2nd year, she was also co-captain of the 1st US Women's National Team as a player.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Summitt

I don't think it's any stretch to say she's one of the greatest coaches, in any sport, ever, and that she may have done more for the rise of women's athletics than anyone in history as well. Quite remarkable.

Between Pat Summitt and Geno Auriemma, I don't think there are two individuals who have done more for womens hoops.

I see Pat Summitt being a Jimmy Valvano type in bringing awareness to a certain illness. In a lot of ways the two are very similar in how Valvano carried himself after being diagnosed with cancer. I see Pat Summitt being the same in that she won't let dementia bring her down.

On the basketball court, I'd say Mickie DeMoss will likely be the head coach in waiting when Summitt does ultimately step down. Hopefully that doesn't happen for awhile though. Thoughts and prayers are with her and her family.

[Reds Freak]

Originally Posted by WVRed

Between Pat Summitt and Geno Auriemma, I don't think there are two individuals who have done more for womens hoops.

I see Pat Summitt being a Jimmy Valvano type in bringing awareness to a certain illness. In a lot of ways the two are very similar in how Valvano carried himself after being diagnosed with cancer. I see Pat Summitt being the same in that she won't let dementia bring her down.

On the basketball court, I'd say Mickie DeMoss will likely be the head coach in waiting when Summitt does ultimately step down. Hopefully that doesn't happen for awhile though. Thoughts and prayers are with her and her family.

Good point. But in Jimmy Valvano's famous speech, he said that his cancer could not touch his mind, his heart or his soul. Unfortunately, Pat Summit's illness will touch her mind and when dementia hits a certain stage the person almost becomes a completely different individual...

[cincrazy]

This is just awful news. All sports fans should admire this woman for what she's done for her sport, and college athletics in general. It's awful enough that she's suffering from an illness that can't be cured, but for it to be an illness of the mind... that's even more awful. To listen to her sit there and talk about forgetting schemes and such, that was tough to take, and I'm not even particularly a fan of women's basketball. I wish her all the best, but I'm not sure how much longer she can hold on at UT. I hope it's for several more years, but in reality this coming year is probably her last. The stress from the position will only make the disease more aggressive.

[dabvu2498]

Pat Summitt is retiring.

Is anyone more affiliated with one program than Summitt with UT women's basketball?

That said, hopefully she can get enjoyment from her retirement and whatever endeavors she pursues. That's a classy lady and maybe the best coach I've ever seen.

[fearofpopvol1]

It's always sad when someone is more or less forced into retirement beyond their control. I feel like she would've wanted to coach for another 5-10 years and amassed even MORE wins. Basketball is her life and I imagine it must be incredibly hard.

Hopefully she does enjoy her time away from the game, but I'm thinking it will be hard for her.

[Joseph]

Good luck Pat.

[Assembly Hall]

Just sad. God Bless Pat.

[WVRed]

Holly Warlick has some pretty big shoes to fill.

A lot of people were kinda suspecting Matthew Mitchell would be a candidate if Tennessee hired outside the staff.

I wouldn't be surprised if Geno Auriemma leaves the womens game soon if the mens job at UConn opens up. I don't follow womens basketball much, but Geno and Pat Summitt are two of the central figures to the game.