Kentucky Sports Radio
December 1, 2012
Rick Majerus’ Saturday Night Notes
College basketball lost one of the good ones today. Following a well-documented struggle with his health, Rick Majerus passed away today at the age of 64. Majerus was one of those rare combinations as a coach: the kind that has a brilliant understanding of the game– labeled by some as a masterful tactician, but also is well-liked across the board by nearly everyone he has come in contact with. Throw in to the mix a sharp sense of humor and ability to even poke fun at himself at times, and you have a man who will be genuinely missed on this earth, especially in college basketball circles. Those who knew him well loved him for his magnetic personality and deep passion for the game of basketball.
Majerus had a few notable coaching stops in his storied career, including Marquette (his alma mater), Ball State, Utah and Saint Louis. Kentucky fans feel a connection to Majerus in large part due to the fact that his Utah team was Kentucky’s opponent in the 1998 national championship game. Beyond that moment in time, Majerus generally spoke highly of Kentucky whenever given the opportunity. A basketball junkie, Majerus appreciated the rich history and tradition wrapped around Kentucky.
Rick Majerus was never one to pass up an opportunity to provide a gem of a quote. Majerus had some of the greatest quotes, many of which have been circulating in remembrance of his life. Below are a few of his best. Rest in peace, Rick Majerus. Click here to read a whole list of great Majerus quotes.
“Never marry a beautiful woman. A beautiful woman will leave you. An ugly woman will leave you, too, but so what?”
About his exercise routine…
“I like to bike. I could beat Lance Armstrong, only because he couldn’t pass me if he was behind me.”
On coaching college vs. the NBA…
“I like practice, I love teaching, I love to see a kid get a degree and an education. I enjoy the college campus. I love the theater in our campus. I like the campus life. There’s a travel club on our campus, and I’ll go to those lectures. In an NBA player’s life, how can you make a difference? I mean, you might be able to make a little bit of a difference, but I think I’ve impacted all my players more than any pro coach they’ve ever played for — both from a basketball standpoint, but more importantly, from a lifestyle standpoint. (Keith) Van Horn just asked me to be the godfather for his baby. It was fun to sit through Andre (Miller’s) graduation, to see his mom smile. It was fun to see Hanno (Mottola) come from Europe and realize his dream. It was fun to see Drew Hansen get in Stanford Law School. The other night, one of my players had a really bad family problem and I really did enjoy offering a perspective on it and seeing if I could help him out. A lot of people that are very wealthy throw money at their problems, but it’s fun to help them work through it. I love the fans and the college students. I like the alumni association deal. I like the rah-rah and all that. I like the band rather than that fabricated music. I like the fact that we have students that are cheerleaders that really care, as opposed to a dancing girl team of hired mercenaries.”
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