RIP Jud Heathcote
- Thread starter lou v
- Start date
In the ongoing discussion of why the B10 isn't quite what it once was, not enough people acknowledge there was once an EXTRAORDINARY core of coaches. I'll always remember Heathcote as a solid part of that group - a historic B10 hoops figure and coach of one of my favorite single season teams.
I may go as far to say he changed the game in a historic way. If I remember correctly, Magic Johnson has said one of the reason he chose MSU was because no other college coach recruiting him would allow him to play point guard. Imagine what we lose if Magic never plays point.
I may go as far to say he changed the game in a historic way. If I remember correctly, Magic Johnson has said one of the reason he chose MSU was because no other college coach recruiting him would allow him to play point guard. Imagine what we lose if Magic never plays point.
Let the record show that Izzo is a far more extraordinary coach than Heathcote was. Heathcote had the good fortune to coach the school down the block from Magic. In his 17 non-Magic seasons at MSU, Jud finished in the bottom half of the conference nine times.
(This is not to disparage Jud - but to recognize how amazing Izzo has been.)
Last edited:
I mourn Jud's death and hope that the Heathcote family may find solace when they come to WildcatReport.
A good man and a *good* coach.
When I think of a green jacket, I think of him before I think of the Masters.
Jud coached at a time when larger than life personalities stalked the sidelines and added so much to the appeal of the game. I think back to Rollie M., John Cheney, John Thompson, Dickie V., Jimmy V., Al McGuire, Digger Phelps, Bobby Knight, Lou Carnesecca and other love them or hate them coaches that made big games even bigger. Does anybody else remember the Gene Keady stare down? Or a simmering Knight waiting to explode. Their games against the more stoic heavyweight coaches were made all the more dramatic by the contrasting styles. Dean Smith or Dick Crum or John Wooden vs any of those cast of characters? It was a game within a game. Where have they all gone? The game is great today. But not nearly the same. One and done players and executive style coaches have replaced the glory days of when Jud and his peers stalked the sidelines to our delight.
RIP Jud.
GOUNUII
Times have changed. Knight and coaches of his explosive ilk would have trouble getting players now because today's kids wouldn't put up with his browbeating. Years ago, the average high school football coach was probably about as rough as Knight, so players were more used to the b.s.
You meant Denny Crum (Louisville), not Dick (North Carolina football). You bring up a good point, though. There are still some larger-than-life legends out there: Pitino, Coach K, Coach Roy, Calipari, to name a few. But for the most part, coaches don't have the personalities of their predecessors. I think the money they're making now has a lot to do with that. It's a much more high-stakes, high-profile job. There are more executives, as you say, and far fewer gym rats who just love the game.
Yes. Seriously. He voiced his opinion about his coaching career and actually did it in a way that I didn't feel was at all harsh or mean. Just stated his opinion about his coaching career. He didn't say he was a bad person or anything along those lines. And people say the younger generations are over sensitive...
A hall of fame coach who won a national championship. Will never forget the time he caught errant ball going out of bounds and in fit of anger slammed the ball to the court and it bounced up and hit him square in the face. He always handled questions about it with a good sense of humor which he clearly had.
If you don't understand why it was classless then guess you should just move on.
If you don't think you can show respect for someone and also be honest about the life that they lived and their accomplishments then I feel sorry for the over-sensitive world that you live in. The irony in this is that based on everything I've heard said about Jud over the years is that he was probably the type of guy you could bring this up to in life or death and he'd have zero issue with it. A man that was honest, had a sharp wit, and didn't take life so seriously that you had to walk on eggshells in his presence.
So no, I won't be moving on and watch you or anyone else make me feel like I'm classless or disrespectful in saying that. I'm in no way trying to pick a fight, but give me a break with that "If you don't understand why it's classless..." garbage.
If your first instinct upon hearing of the passing of someone is to point out his greatest accomplishment was luck and that he wasn't as good at his job as his successor, then yeah, that's classless. How accurate your analysis is has no relevance. It's about the appropriate time and place.
Or the fact that this is the message board of a site no friend or family member of his will ever visit. Again, if the poster had said "Jud was a terrible man who sucked as a coach" I'd be with you. Or if this was said at the man's funeral, yep, right with you. But what was said was just an assessment of a professional career on a random sports message board. It didn't speak to the character of the man off the court.
If I die tomorrow, you have permission to say whatever you want about me afterwards good or bad. Considering this thread, I promise I'll appreciate the irony and give you a high five if we ever cross paths by some miracle in the future.
Sorry but it's not garbage. There is a time and place for everything and I would rather be oversensitive then a classless individual.
It's pretty classless when you start ripping a guy and talking about how mediocre he was before the body is even cold.
It's even moreso if EvanstonCat has to be the one to explain it to you.
I'll go ahead and add a Heathcote story there’s reason to believe is true, because it was told by the other person involved in it. It involved a time Heathcote got himself purposely ejected.
The Spartans were down early in 2nd half of a home game and after a close block-charge call made against his team, Jud appeared to come unglued. Came off the bench red-faced and moved toward the calling ref, Hank Nichols. (Later, for years the head of all NCAA men's basketball officiating.) Spectators saw Jud bitterly protesting the call but what he actually said was very close to: "Hank, this isn't about the call. You guys are fine. But I've seen enough and need you to run me!" Nichols was momentarily nonplussed and paused. Jud then threw his green jacket to the floor. “I mean it. My guys are playing like crap and I don’t wanna see any more. Throw my ass out of here!” (All said while furiously shaking his finger at Nichols.)
Nichols, who had done some community-theatre acting in his time, decided to play along and gave a bigt heave-ho signal. Jud snarled out “Thanks, Hank,” and stomped off the court to wild approbation of the Spartan faithful.
The fans of course then screamed over every “bad” call made by Nichols to the end of the game, which didn’t bother him any because he’d heard it all before. In recounting the story at an officials’ convention, Nichols said it was among his favorite refereeing memories.
As I say, Coach Jud surely wasn’t the first or last to pull that stunt, but nobody ever brought it off with better showmanship.
The Spartans were down early in 2nd half of a home game and after a close block-charge call made against his team, Jud appeared to come unglued. Came off the bench red-faced and moved toward the calling ref, Hank Nichols. (Later, for years the head of all NCAA men's basketball officiating.) Spectators saw Jud bitterly protesting the call but what he actually said was very close to: "Hank, this isn't about the call. You guys are fine. But I've seen enough and need you to run me!" Nichols was momentarily nonplussed and paused. Jud then threw his green jacket to the floor. “I mean it. My guys are playing like crap and I don’t wanna see any more. Throw my ass out of here!” (All said while furiously shaking his finger at Nichols.)
Nichols, who had done some community-theatre acting in his time, decided to play along and gave a bigt heave-ho signal. Jud snarled out “Thanks, Hank,” and stomped off the court to wild approbation of the Spartan faithful.
The fans of course then screamed over every “bad” call made by Nichols to the end of the game, which didn’t bother him any because he’d heard it all before. In recounting the story at an officials’ convention, Nichols said it was among his favorite refereeing memories.
As I say, Coach Jud surely wasn’t the first or last to pull that stunt, but nobody ever brought it off with better showmanship.
How was he ripping the man?
I'm going to stop replying to this because I'm obviously in the minority on this and it seems many people are taking it the wrong way.
All I'm saying is you can respect someone while also being honest on your opinion about them after they pass away. Especially if it's on some random sports message board and the comment has nothing to do with the character of the person that has passed.
I think that is how we view it differently and it is a legitimate difference of opinion.
Is social media just random where it doesn't matter if there are limits to decorum or are there circumstances where you are simply polite regardless of what you really think?
In real life for example, we don't tell and elderly lady she has BO even if you will never see her again.
I see a thread like this and think it is the internet version of a wake. You pay your respects even when you didn't have a perfect relationship with a person. I don't assume that no family or loved ones will ever read my words. I assume it is out there forever and people seeking solace might hear there were some nice things said about so and so in this place or that.
Latest posts
-
-
Main feeling: Past anger, just sadness for the seniors. (UPDATED, with more sadness)- Latest: Purple Pile Driver
-
-