Pat Summitt Wins 1,000th Game as Lady Vols Pound the Dogs

Tennessee Lady Vols basketball coach Pat Summitt earned her 1,000th career victory last night. At home. Against the Georgia Lady Bulldogs. By 30 points.

In arguably a down year so far for them, the Vols were given their second crack at No. 1,000 after losing to No. 2 Oklahoma earlier in the week.

Summitt's 1,000 wins are the most by any college basketball coach (men's or women's), nearly 100 more than men's leader Bob Knight (902).

Coach Summitt has been with the Vols for 35 years, but she's still only 56, meaning it's quite possible she could be doing this for another 10+ years. Since 1974 she's won eight national titles, 14 SEC regular season titles, and 13 SEC tournament titles, was the SEC coach of the year seven times and the NCAA coach of the year seven times—oh, and the Tennessee hardwood is named after her.

Ladies and gents, take note that one of the three greatest college coaches in history is here in the South. Every year Georgia fans can make two trips to Stegeman to see Coach Summitt in action. Men and women alike can tell their children they saw Pat Summitt coach the Vols.

It's like telling your kids you saw John Wooden take the court, or Bob Knight. It's like how I'll be able to tell my children that I saw Greg Maddux, Ken Griffey Jr., and Barry Bonds play.

Sometimes we forget that we are witnessing history—that the players and coaches we see every year and take for granted may someday be looked upon as the greatest there ever was.

When you look at sports today and see names like Tiger Woods...Shaquille O'Neal...Alex Rodriguez...Coach K...you have to know that in 20 years people will be wishing they had a chance to see them in person. That they'll have photos and ticket stubs framed on their walls.

The same will be said about Coach Pat Summitt—arguably the greatest coach in sports today.

Dirty South Sports www.dirtysouthsports.com