Tark the Shark: another coaching legend passes

[gone native]

It looks like Jerry Tarkanian and Dean Smith can coach some epic basketball on the other side.

 

[Johnny Juzang]

I was at McNichols the night UNLV crushed Duke and won their only championship. We went down to the post game party at the old Sheraton Tech Center. Bought Larry Johnson a drink and said congrats to Tark. Woo woo.

RIP

 

[DBT]

I know he was polarizing, but I really liked Tark.

 

[Buffalo Brad]

May there be plenty of towels to munch on where ever you end up.. RIP

 

[OUBuff]

Never cared for him much. Always thought he was a cheat. I can't remember the story that surrounded him hand his program though.

 

[BuffLuke80]

Maybe the best college bball team I've seen in my lifetime, they were nasty. They killed Duke and Duke was pretty damn good themselves. I was shocked when Duke beat them that second year, probably their best win ever. I didn't have a problem with Tark, he was a really good coach.

 

[DBT]

I was living in Vegas at the beginning during the Gondo, Ricky Sobers, Reggie Theus years. In their hay day, didn't they average almost 100 a game? Because of that, I have a really hard time understanding why today's games are so low scoring. 80 seems like a high score anymore. Back then, the Rebs would put up 110 on occasion.

 

[Goose]

Never cared for him much. Always thought he was a cheat. I can't remember the story that surrounded him hand his program though.

"9 out of 10 teams are cheating. The tenth is in last place." - Tark

 

[BuffLuke80]

I was living in Vegas at the beginning during the Gondo, Ricky Sobers, Reggie Theus years. In their hay day, didn't they average almost 100 a game? Because of that, I have a really hard time understanding why today's games are so low scoring. 80 seems like a high score anymore. Back then, the Rebs would put up 110 on occasion.

Not sure. Guys were more fundamentally sound back in those days, it wasn't always a 3 or a dunk. Player and ball movement was much better back then imho. Mid-range game was also part of it, nothing wrong with a 15 footer. AAU basketball doesn't help either.

 

[Buffnik]

I loved Tark. Dude could coach. Was one of the most colorful guys in the game, too. Wasn't shy about mouthing off to the NCAA, either, which scores major points with me.

 

[BUFFset]

That 1990 UNLV team was was second favorite of all time. RIP Tark.

 

[SuperiorBuff]

Probably my favorite college bb coach.

 

[Gramburglar]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...egas-strip-dim-lights-jerry-tarkanian-tribute

LAS VEGAS -- The lights of the Las Vegas Strip are expected to dim this week for deceased University of Nevada, Las Vegas basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian.


Several Strip casinos have agreed to dim their bulbs at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday for a few minutes for the Hall of Fame coach following a UNLV basketball home game.


Tarkanian, who is credited with elevating Las Vegas to the national stage for college basketball, died Feb. 11 at age 84.

Casinos participating in the tribute include all Caesars Entertainment Corp. and MGM Resorts properties, The Cosmopolitan, Stratosphere, Tropicana and The Venetian and The Palazzo.

Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Ronald Reagan have received the uniquely Vegas tribute.

Pretty neat and not to shabby the company he joins. The man was adored by everybody down there. When I was living there I drove Jerry Tarkanian blvd frequently, it was out in the suburbs away from the university but none the less.