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Publié: Mer Juin 04, 2014 12:38 pmColorful basketball coach Lemons dies
, who had 599 profession college basketball coaching victories and ten occasions that quite a few stories to inform about life, basketball and their attendant tribulations and triumphs, died Monday at his dwelling in Oklahoma City. He was 79.
Lemons' wife, Betty, said the retired coach had been in declining health tales and considering the fact that he suffered a broken hip in July. He also suffered from Parkinson's disease.
Lemons coached for 34 years at , and also the , winning the 1978 NIT championship at Texas. He was renowned for drawnout tales and folksy oneliners, but as contemporaries and former players reeled off stories Monday night, they 1st remembered a teacher along with a buddy.
"A large amount of individuals heard his humor and believed he wasn't a critical person," said , certainly one of his UT stars. "But it wasn't about basketball with him. It was about helping make you a far better man."
, a further Texas player, said: "He was just like the white buffalo that was one of his Oklahoma sayings. He was the white buffalo of basketball, and not each day goes by when I do not feel of some thing he said or some way in which he impacted me."
Coaching opponents also praised Lemons.
"I had coached against him given that the 1950s, and he was one of many preferred coaches I ever saw at handling youngsters," stated former University of Houston coach Guy V. Lewis.
Officials, opposing coaches and his own players were the most frequent targets of Lemons' humor, but he did not spare himself, mentioned Houston businessman .
"Abe had a real struggle with Parkinson's, but he under no circumstances let it get him down," Sanders stated. "He only described it after in public that I know of, and it was when he was inducted in to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.
"He got up to speak and stated, Well, I truly do not deserve this honor. But I've Parkinson's, and I don't deserve that, either.' Plus the crowd just roared."
Following coaching at Oklahoma City and Pan American, Lemons came to Texas inside the summer time of 1976.
"He was a genius when it came to humor, plus the stuffed shirts inside the Tower couldn't stand that," Heard mentioned. " was terrific together with the nation witticisms, but Abe was alot more inside the storytelling mode. He would walk you about the barn, and just before you knew it, you have been hooked."
, the retired Texas A basketball coach, stated stuffed shirts Lemons' humor was as sharp on the court as on the banquet circuit.
"One time they have been playing us, and he kept saying, Shelby, you are cheating me. You're cheating me,' " Metcalf said. "I asked him, Abe, how am I cheating?' And he said, You realize we cannot shoot free throws, and you maintain fouling us.' "
One more within the memorable exchange came against Arkansas and coach .
"That was the game where Abe got mad at Eddie and threatened to tear his Sunday clothing off his back," Metcalf stated. "Later within the game, he yelled at among the list of officials, If I named you an SOB, would you give me a technical?' And also the official stated, Abe, in the event you did that, I'd need to provide you with a technical.' And Abe mentioned, Effectively, what if I just thought it?'
"The official mentioned, Nicely, Abe, I cannot give you a technical because of what you consider.' And Abe mentioned, Then I believe you're an SOB,' " Metcalf stated, laughing. "And Abe did not get a technical."
Lemons even took on in the 1968 NIT in New York. The coach was so annoyed at his Oklahoma City team that he ordered his players to stay around the court at halftime to practice. Badgered by Cosell to explain his tactics, Lemons yelled: "Listen, mister! You could possibly be huge stuff in New York, but you ain't nothin' in Walters, Oklahoma!"
And if he was prepared to hook up with Cosell, you can consider, said former player , what occurred for the hapless Marquette male cheerleader who dared test the Lemons wit.
"This yell leader saw coach Lemons wearing a pair of red cowboy boots, and he said, true sarcastically, Good boots, Abe,' " Danks mentioned. "Coach Lemons turned around and stated, I'd rather have a sister within a whorehouse than a brother holding a megaphone.'
"There was a entire row of priests sitting along courtside. One of them heard coach Lemons and began laughing, and after that every one turned for the next and told the story. By the time coach Lemons got towards the bench, the whole row was laughing."
And after that there had been the oneliners:
."One day of practice is like one particular day of clean living. It does not do you any great."
."Finish last within your league, and they call you idiot. Finish final in medical college, and they get in touch with you medical professional."
Only after was Lemons identified to become at a loss for words.
"Abe would play every single year at 's golf tournament in Alvin," Sanders mentioned. "One year our group was myself, Abe, Nolan and President (.) Bush, who was then governor. Abe hit his shot suitable in to the water, and President Bush steps up and hits it five feet from the pin.
"And then he turned to Abe and mentioned, Abe, the difference between you and me is that whilst you have been choosing cotton in Oklahoma, I was practicing golf in the subsequent club.' Nolan mentioned that was the only time that he ever saw Abe devoid of a comeback."
Lemons retired soon after the 198990 season with a career record of 599343. Arrangements are below the direction of Vondel L. Smith North Funeral Household in Oklahoma City.
, who had 599 profession college basketball coaching victories and ten occasions that quite a few stories to inform about life, basketball and their attendant tribulations and triumphs, died Monday at his dwelling in Oklahoma City. He was 79.
Lemons' wife, Betty, said the retired coach had been in declining health tales and considering the fact that he suffered a broken hip in July. He also suffered from Parkinson's disease.
Lemons coached for 34 years at , and also the , winning the 1978 NIT championship at Texas. He was renowned for drawnout tales and folksy oneliners, but as contemporaries and former players reeled off stories Monday night, they 1st remembered a teacher along with a buddy.
"A large amount of individuals heard his humor and believed he wasn't a critical person," said , certainly one of his UT stars. "But it wasn't about basketball with him. It was about helping make you a far better man."
, a further Texas player, said: "He was just like the white buffalo that was one of his Oklahoma sayings. He was the white buffalo of basketball, and not each day goes by when I do not feel of some thing he said or some way in which he impacted me."
Coaching opponents also praised Lemons.
"I had coached against him given that the 1950s, and he was one of many preferred coaches I ever saw at handling youngsters," stated former University of Houston coach Guy V. Lewis.
Officials, opposing coaches and his own players were the most frequent targets of Lemons' humor, but he did not spare himself, mentioned Houston businessman .
"Abe had a real struggle with Parkinson's, but he under no circumstances let it get him down," Sanders stated. "He only described it after in public that I know of, and it was when he was inducted in to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.
"He got up to speak and stated, Well, I truly do not deserve this honor. But I've Parkinson's, and I don't deserve that, either.' Plus the crowd just roared."
Following coaching at Oklahoma City and Pan American, Lemons came to Texas inside the summer time of 1976.
"He was a genius when it came to humor, plus the stuffed shirts inside the Tower couldn't stand that," Heard mentioned. " was terrific together with the nation witticisms, but Abe was alot more inside the storytelling mode. He would walk you about the barn, and just before you knew it, you have been hooked."
, the retired Texas A basketball coach, stated stuffed shirts Lemons' humor was as sharp on the court as on the banquet circuit.
"One time they have been playing us, and he kept saying, Shelby, you are cheating me. You're cheating me,' " Metcalf said. "I asked him, Abe, how am I cheating?' And he said, You realize we cannot shoot free throws, and you maintain fouling us.' "
One more within the memorable exchange came against Arkansas and coach .
"That was the game where Abe got mad at Eddie and threatened to tear his Sunday clothing off his back," Metcalf stated. "Later within the game, he yelled at among the list of officials, If I named you an SOB, would you give me a technical?' And also the official stated, Abe, in the event you did that, I'd need to provide you with a technical.' And Abe mentioned, Effectively, what if I just thought it?'
"The official mentioned, Nicely, Abe, I cannot give you a technical because of what you consider.' And Abe mentioned, Then I believe you're an SOB,' " Metcalf stated, laughing. "And Abe did not get a technical."
Lemons even took on in the 1968 NIT in New York. The coach was so annoyed at his Oklahoma City team that he ordered his players to stay around the court at halftime to practice. Badgered by Cosell to explain his tactics, Lemons yelled: "Listen, mister! You could possibly be huge stuff in New York, but you ain't nothin' in Walters, Oklahoma!"
And if he was prepared to hook up with Cosell, you can consider, said former player , what occurred for the hapless Marquette male cheerleader who dared test the Lemons wit.
"This yell leader saw coach Lemons wearing a pair of red cowboy boots, and he said, true sarcastically, Good boots, Abe,' " Danks mentioned. "Coach Lemons turned around and stated, I'd rather have a sister within a whorehouse than a brother holding a megaphone.'
"There was a entire row of priests sitting along courtside. One of them heard coach Lemons and began laughing, and after that every one turned for the next and told the story. By the time coach Lemons got towards the bench, the whole row was laughing."
And after that there had been the oneliners:
."One day of practice is like one particular day of clean living. It does not do you any great."
."Finish last within your league, and they call you idiot. Finish final in medical college, and they get in touch with you medical professional."
Only after was Lemons identified to become at a loss for words.
"Abe would play every single year at 's golf tournament in Alvin," Sanders mentioned. "One year our group was myself, Abe, Nolan and President (.) Bush, who was then governor. Abe hit his shot suitable in to the water, and President Bush steps up and hits it five feet from the pin.
"And then he turned to Abe and mentioned, Abe, the difference between you and me is that whilst you have been choosing cotton in Oklahoma, I was practicing golf in the subsequent club.' Nolan mentioned that was the only time that he ever saw Abe devoid of a comeback."
Lemons retired soon after the 198990 season with a career record of 599343. Arrangements are below the direction of Vondel L. Smith North Funeral Household in Oklahoma City.