Bleacher Report - Articles by Lee Ann Bias

Examining Pat Summitt's 35 Years of Basketball Excellence

Lee Ann Bias — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 08:53:03 -0500

Pat Summitt is in the middle of her 35th season as the head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols.

In those 35 years she has put up some unbelievable numbers: 995 wins, eight NCAA titles, 14 SEC Championships, 13 SEC tournament Championships, 27 consecutive appearances in the NCAA Sweet 16, 12 Olympians, 19 Kodak All-Americans, 71 All-SEC performers, seven-time SEC Coach of the Year, seven-time NCAA Coach of the Year, Naismith Coach of the Century—the list goes on and on.

Summitt’s next record will be 1,000 wins—a feat that only one other coach has accomplished. Gene Bess of Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, became the first college basketball coach to win 1,000 games on Feb. 22, 2006. At that time his record was 1,000-258.

Coach Summitt is five wins away from 1,000 and would have to lose the rest of Tennessee's games this year and for the next two years in order to have as many losses.

Pat Summitt knows basketball. She understands the game and how to motivate the young ladies who play for her. She gets the best out of each player, not only on the court but also in the classroom. Coach Summitt has a 100 percent graduation rate for all Lady Vols who have completed their eligibility at Tennessee.

Coach Summitt came to Tennessee at the age of 21. She wasn't much older than some of the girls she was there to coach. That first year the Lady Vols went 16-8. After spending the summer playing for the U.S. Women's World Championship team and the 1975 Pan American Games team, she was back to coaching in Tennessee. The second year she went 16-11.

These would be the only two years that Summitt's team didn't win at least 20 games.

Coach Summitt's teams have never missed a NCAA tournament. She has never lost in the first two rounds of the tournament. Almost 50 percent of her games have been played against ranked opponents.

She is truly a living legend in college basketball. She has been inducted into both the Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

When Summitt wins her 1,000th game in the next few weeks, most people will not notice nor care. Of the people who do notice, a lot of them will say, "Well, she's a women's coach, so it's not that big of an accomplishment." These people would be wrong and terribly shortsighted.

When you look at what she has done in 35 years, it is mind-boggling. Summitt's achievements are unparalleled in the collegiate coaching ranks.

Tim Tebow Is Returning for His Senior Season

Lee Ann Bias — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:21:42 -0500

Tim Tebow announced today that he would be returning for his senior season at the University of Florida. While celebrating the Gators' latest National Championship, Tebow told the crowd that he would be returning to Gainesville for one more year in hopes of playing for another National Championship.

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that Brandon Spikes is most likely returning to the team for his senior year. If Spikes returns, then Florida will have all 11 starters on defense returning for 2009...opponents beware. I mean, how good can the Florida defense be after another year?

Tight end Aaron Hernandez is also returning for his senior year. No word yet on whether Percy Harvin will return.

With all that Florida has returning for 2009, another trip to the BCS Championship game doesn't seem all that doubtful. Maybe Texas or USC will get their wish next year to see how they stack up with Tim Tebow and the Gators.

Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin, Gator Defense Too Much for Oklahoma

Lee Ann Bias — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:13:44 -0500

Tim Tebow may not have won the Heisman, but he won so much more tonight. Tebow put his team on his shoulders in the third quarter and carried them.

Not to say he didn't have help. Percy Harvin showed his toughness playing on an injured ankle. The defense showed why they are ranked in the top five. The Gators showed that they deserved to be in the title game.

After Tebow threw two interceptions in the first half and was basically shut down with the run, he came back in the second half and showed his character. He wasn't going to be denied. He ran for over 100 yards and passed for almost 300. He pumped his team up and calmed them down. Tim Tebow showed what a leader is.

Let me add, Tim Tebow has character. It is not an act. Tebow is a great role model for kids. You may not like him, you may call him arrogant, but you cannot deny his character.

Yes, he praises his Lord, but not because he believes that God cares who wins a football game. He praises him for giving him the talent, drive, and desire to do what he does. He isn't doing drugs, he isn't beating his girlfriend—he is playing football and giving back to the community and the world as a whole.

I hope he returns next year, not just for Gator football, but also for what he brings to the game.