Today the world is mourning the passing of two iconic sports figures that were also pioneers.

Legendary Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt and iconic defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan have brought the sports world to a halt with the news of their deaths.

While Summitt and Ryan couldn’t be further apart in their respective fields, they were more alike than some might think.

When you take a step back from the shock of their passing, you will see two individuals who did it their way and did it without regret.

They were both uncompromising and that is what led them to the greatness we know and admire.

Summitt and Ryan’s paths to success could not have been more different. But the results were the same. They were both winners.

Summitt was driven to be the best college basketball coach she could be. It was not easy for her, as women’s basketball did not have the respect it has now when she began her career.

She was paid next to nothing when she started. She would wash the team uniforms, drive the team to games and all the things a men’s basketball coach would never dream of having to do at the college level.

But her drive to be a success pushed her forward and through the years as the wins and championships piled up, it became clear she was as good as any male counterpart.

More importantly, Summitt was piling up young ladies who were better for having known her and sending them out into the world to continue on her legacy.

Ryan is best known for his defenses with the Chicago Bears.

He helped lead the Bears to a Super Bowl title and is given as much credit for the success of Chicago as its head coach Mike Ditka.

Both Ryan and Summitt could be volatile at times, but when you listen to former players talk about them, they talk about how much the two cared for their players.

I had the pleasure of seeing Summitt when Tennessee came to play Notre Dame what now seems like a lifetime ago.

I could not wait to cover the game because she was a legend and I had followed her career for some time from afar.

To see those steely eyes staring at her players and listening to her barking at her team throughout the contest was a moment I will never forget.

Notre Dame beat the Volunteers that day and I waited in the pressroom almost holding my breath to hear Summitt growl at the media about her team’s performance.

What I got instead, was a coach who had a young basketball team that she cared deeply about.

Instead of ripping on their play, she pointed out ways they could get better and that by playing teams like Notre Dame, she was preparing them for not only the riggers of the SEC, but for the national tournament.

I never got to see Ryan up close, but I admired what a genius he was as a defensive coordinator.

His stint as a head coach did not quite work out, but if I were starting a football team the first person I would have called was Ryan to be the defensive coordinator.

It is always hard to lose iconic figures, but it is especially hard on this Tuesday when you have to deal with the loss of two on the same day.

No, I did not know either of them personally, but if you are a true sports fan you feel for those who did know Summitt and Ryan.

You feel like a small part of you has died right along with them.

If you are not a sports fan, then you may not understand that feeling.

But even if you are a casual fan, take a moment and think about this. There are two sets of families who are grieving today over the loss of their loved ones.

So perhaps you could take a minute out of your day and say a little prayer for those families.

 

Scott Novak is sports editor for Leader Publications. He can be reached at scott.novak@leaderpub.com.