RIP Dean Haskins

[T Park]

A great and brave man who broke many barriers in sports.

Heres to you MR Haskins, a truely fantastic person.

[timvp]

R.I.P. Don Haskins

[KidCongo]

He coached the Texas Western Miners to NCAA championship didn't he? I like that movie Glory Road.

[mrsmaalox]

As I've noted before I graduated from UTEP; having grown up in El Paso, Don Haskins was a household name. He was never too busy to join students at the regular hangouts (the Kern Place Tavern, Gasoline Alley, and the Kings X) and I shared many beers with him and heard many of his stories. He never forgot a single one of us! A few years ago my dad ran into him and in chatting gave him an update on my brother and I and about a week later, my dad recieved an autographed copy of Glory Road dedicated to my son. Mr. Haskins was a larger than life "regular guy". RIP.

[tlongII]

T Park would appear more culturally sensitive if he remembered this guy's name. :lol

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I watched the Bear coach a lot of games in the Pit over the years....a great coach.


I remember in an interview where he said he really wasn't trying to do anything to break down racial barriers the year Texas Western won the national title starting 5 black guys. He said he just put his best lineup on the floor and they happened to be black. He said he wasn't trying to draw extra attention to his team or himself by picking that lineup.

I had a lot of respect for him for that because what he was basically saying is that he didn't care what color his players were. So many people do something to make a statement, but Don was just coaching basketball. Everyone else made a big deal about the color of his players....not him. He was the genuine article.

[Heath Ledger]

Damn you scared me i thought you meant Dennis Haskins who is Mr. Belding on saved by the bell. Im one of his biggest fans.

[T Park]

R.I.P. Don Haskins

apologies, posting late at night and after a few leinenkugels the typing is made worse.

[blackbucket]

The Bear was El Paso. I remember listening to 600am to hear the games I could not attend. His teams were always defense first (sound familiar?). They scrapped and played smart basketball, way beyond their talent level. The best squad, talent-wise, they ever had was when Tim Hardaway, Antonio Davis, and Greg Foster were teammates. They were the only players he coached that, legitimately, had NBA talent. All of the others were simply playing and succeeding on heart and desire inspired by the Bear.

He will be deeply missed.