Initial Thoughts On Coach Walking On To The "Celestial Hall"

by Nestor on Jun 5, 2010 10:24 AM PDT in Coach

I still don't have any organized thoughts that I can put together in honor of Coach. It is going to take a while. At least for few days I will have nothing more than stream of consciousness when it comes to honoring and remembering the Greatest Bruin of all time (no one is close).

For this Saturday wanted to give you heads up some simple housekeeping notes so that we can all share all of our powerful memories, emotions and thoughts as much as possible. I know I personally can't get enough of the comments, thoughts, reflections pouring in from all over the country. It is giving me strength inside and I am guessing I am not the only one. So here it goes:

We created a new section on BN entitled what else, "Coach." We are putting all of our posts from last 72 hrs and all of our posts on Coach from here on in that section. We have also put some of our previous posts celebrating in Coach in that section. But if there are any posts on BN we didn't include in that section, but should be included in it, just throw up the link in our comment threads, or email to us. It is just our way of archiving a little history that makes up the very fabric of our collective Blue and Gold souls.
If you are putting up any fanposts or fanshots please consider using the tags "intergalactic treasure" and "Coach in our Bruin hearts." This way all of our posts all over this community will tied together in one thread.
Yes, our blog looks colorless in black and white. It is not your laptop or desktop. This is just an extremely small gesture on our behalf in honoring Coach. We will keep our blog that way for next 30 days. It will be simple: black and white just like those classic Coach images we have all taken in as Bruins over the years.
We will have a baseball game thread tonight (6 pm PST). Life as Bruins do have to go on and our Coach would want it that way. So while we will keep posting away on Coach for days, we will take note of games involving our student-athletes as much as we can. It will take a while to get back to our usual rhythm, posting, sharing every Bruin related notes (so if you can please cheap in via fanposts, fanshots on any sports related notes we might not have taken note of on home page).

Going back to Coach, before I went to sleep last night and after I woke up this morning, I read a particular section from one of Steve Jamison many books on Coach: "Wooden: A Lifetime Of Observations And Reflections On And Off The Court." I have number of books on Coach but is the one I always keep close perhaps because of his simplicity or perhaps it came as a present with signature of Coach.

The section is entitled: "Losing Nelli: Peace Of Mind" from pages 44-47. Normally we don't share more than 6-9 paragraphs from a particular article or book. I hope this will be ok with Mr. Jamison. So here it goes from Coach's own Words (1997 edition):

When Socrates was in prison facing imminent and unjust death, his jailers, some of the cruelest men in the land, mocked him and asked, "Why do you not prepare yourself for death?"

He looked at the jailers and replied, "I have prepared for death all of my life by the life I lived." Socrates was at peace with himself. My own faith gave me more peace with myself.

The most difficult thing I've ever experienced was losing Nellie thirteen years ago. We were sweethearts for almost sixty years and married for fifty-three years.

Certain things happen, and you must have faith that there is a reason for them. My faith and family sustained me.

And now, like Socrates, I have no fear for death. When it comes I can be with her again.

I appreciate this poem, "Lucy," by William Wordsworth:

She dwelt among the untrodden ways
Besides the springs of Dove.
A maid of whom there were none to please,
And very few to love.

A violet by a mossy stone,
Half hidden from the eye,
Fair as a star when only one
Was shining in the sky.

She lived unknown, and few could know
When Lucy ceased to be.

But she is in her grave,
And, oh, the difference to me.

- William Wardsorth

Death is something that holds no fear for me any longer. I'm at peace.

God's Hall of Fame

This crowd on earth
They soon forget
The heroes of the past
They cheer like mad
Until you fall
And that's how long you last.

But God does not forget
And in his Hall of Fame
By just believing in his Son
Inscribed you'll find your name.

I tell you, friends,
I would not trade
My name however small
Inscribed up there
Beyond the stars
In that celestial Hall.

For any famous name on earth
Or glory that they share
I'd rather be an unknown here
And have my name up there.
- Unknown

Well this where I have to say sorry Coach. Our intergalactic treasure will never be an "unknown" in this little corner (however small that may be).We know you are on walking on to where you always belong -in that "Celestial Hall" walking along with Nell but you will never be an "unknown" here.

I am also one of those who always have music and songs going through my head when times are difficult and I can't come up with too many words to thread all the emotions in a coherent manner. There have been few going through my head last couple of days. I will leave you all with this:

Walk on Coach. We know you are finally going home where your heart always belonged.

GO BRUINS.

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His Shining Moment

I had the honor and privilege of having lunch with Coach a couple of years ago at his favorite restaurant. My dad and one of my brothers, along with five well-known former UCLA men’s coaches, also were there on that memorable Saturday. You have heard it before, but it’s true: when Coach talked to you, it was as though you were the only person in the room. And boy, could he talk baseball! I have a framed group photo from that lunch, along with a signed basketball from Coach, prominently displayed in my office. To Coach: you played the game of life so extraordinarily well and left a brilliant imprint from your journey. When I think of your life in a highlights reel film, like the ones that we have all seen on the well-deserved tributes the past few nights on LA news stations and the WWL, the tournament’s signature song, “One Shining Moment,” immediately came to mind. That song must have been written for you. It describes your life. When I think of your anticipated reunion with your beloved Nell, I smile because I immediately heard, in my head, Etta James sing the opening verse of her classic, “At Last.” Coach, you are a classic. Enjoy your just rewards.

by Bruin Blue on Jun 5, 2010 11:02 AM PDT reply actions

Teacher. Titan. Treasure.

For decades, Coach has been the spiritual leader of UCLA. Everything he has taught is everything we have believed in and aspired to as members of the UCLA Family.

Excellence with integrity.

Heroism with humility.

Leadership with love.

Our university has never been perfect. We have faltered, we have made mistakes. But when other individuals and institutions in a variety of fields — education, athletics, industry, government — have been found to be less than perfect, far-too-often we hear excuses.

When others make a mistake, they say, “Everybody does it.”

When we make a mistake, we say, “We can do better than this.”

Coach taught us that.

The Spirit of Coach John Robert Wooden is the Spirit of UCLA. That Spirit is embodied in the simple and yet profound lessons — lessons that we all know at least a half-dozen of by memory.

Simple.

Timeless.

Enduring.

True.

Nestor wrote above that songs often run through his head in hard times. As I was driving this morning to get breakfast, this song came up on my CD player— “Home” from The Wiz:

When I think of home
I think of a place where there’s love overflowing
I wish I was home
I wish I was back there with the things I been knowing

Wind that makes the tall trees bend into leaning
Suddenly the snowflakes that fall have a meaning
Sprinklin’ the scene, makes it all clean

Maybe there’s a chance for me to go back there
Now that I have some direction
It would sure be nice to be back home
Where there’s love and affection
And just maybe I can convince time to slow up
Giving me enough time in my life to grow up
Time be my friend, let me start again

Suddenly my world has changed it’s face
But I still know where I’m going
I have had my mind spun around in space
And yet I’ve watched it growing

If you’re list’ning God
Please don’t make it hard to know
If we should believe in the things that we see
Tell us, should we run away
Should we try and stay
Or would it be better just to let things be?

Living here, in this brand new world
Might be a fantasy
But it taught me to love
So it’s real, real to me

And I’ve learned
That we must look inside our hearts
To find a world full of love
Like yours
Like me

Like home…

For many, death is a time of regret.

For Coach, it is a time of reunion.

Coach will always have a home in the hearts of every Bruin around this world, and in the hearts of his dear family, to whom we extend our sincerest condolences and our most profound appreciation.

But last night, I believe his beloved Nellie was welcoming him home. Coach’s life was, is, and always will be a great blessing to our UCLA Family, and if all blessings come from Heaven, then Coach is right where he’s supposed to be.

Thank you, God, for the miracle you gave us in Coach.

Thank you, Coach, for all the blessings you gave us.

Welcome Home.

"In this program your passion bucket must be full to play SC." -- CRN, to Dan Patrick, 1/2008

by Meriones on Jun 5, 2010 11:14 AM PDT reply actions

Can't stop tearing up....

Growing up in SoCal Coach Wooden was a legendary figure. Half man, half god. So becoming a Bruin was wonderful but even then u never expected to rub elbows with such a famous, beloved and powerful man.

So when I became a student trainer with all the inside access to all the athletic teams one still never imagined seeing Wooden outside of a ballgame, but the day I did see the man, just left a lasting impression on me. It was just an innocent moment. I was going thru my duties prior to practice. I head out to the Pauley Pavillion floor, as I turned the bank of bleachers was JOHN ‘frickin" WOODEN!!!! Just waiting for practice to start. I actually froze. Stopped in my tracks. I remembered thinking, what do i do?? Should I say something?? I just swallowed real hard and walked up to him and said, Hello Coach, doing ok?? He just smiled and said "Everyday’s a good one!" I didn’t wanna push my luck so I just mumbled something and tried not to trip over myself.

That was all, that was it, but i remember it like it was 1989 again. Such a powerful man, took a few seconds and gave me a few words. Was my special moment with a legend. I was fortunate to see and be around him on many occasions. I would just stand near him, to be near him was just special to me.

I sit here watching the rememberences of him and I can say I had a moment with a legend and it makes me proud to be a BRUIN!!!

by Trainer24 on Jun 5, 2010 1:09 PM PDT reply actions