John Wooden, arguably the greatest college basketball coach of all time, went home yesterday to be with the Lord. His sports accomplishments were legendary: 10 NCAA Titles (including seven in a row from 1967 to 1973), 88 consecutive wins, four undefeated seasons, dozens of future NBA players including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes and Bill Walton. Yet what Wooden leaves behind is a near century of godly influence on thousands of people.
In a sport famous for colorful and controversial personalities, Wooden was a man of class and composure. Abdul-Jabbar recalled how his coach used sports to teach how to apply yourself in everyday situations. Wilkes noted how approachable he was and how he connected with people of many different cultures. President Obama saluted him for the way he achieved success with modesty and humility and his wholehearted dedication to the lives of others.
When asked a few years ago about his secret for long life, he replied, "Not being afraid of death and having peace within yourself. All of life is peaks and valleys. Don't let the peaks get too high and the valleys too low." He lived by the advice passed down from his father: Be true to yourself, help others, make each day your masterpiece, make friendship a fine art, drink deeply from good books--especially the Bible, build a shelter against a rainy day, give thanks for you blessings and pray for guidance every day.
Wooden was frequently quoted in devotionals such as Men of Integrity and rightfully so. In looking back on his legacy, I see 99 years of a man becoming more and more like the person of Jesus Christ. As God's men, we have a lot we can learn from the coach; especially this gem: "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
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