It's hard to pick just one, but the biggest testament to Chuck Daly's time on earth might be the sheer number of places where he left behind a legacy. Penn, which Daly coached from 1971-77, is one of them. I couldn't give him the kind of eulogy he deserves, so below are a few that might come closer.
I wrote this quick story on Chuck Daly's passing this morning. Sorry that I couldn't include more details on Daly's marvelous career. We're limited in what we can post online from AP stories, and I was working on about 2 hours of sleep thanks to finals.
Here are some thoughts on Daly from other notables in Penn basketball lore, courtesy of Penn Athletics:
Daly's assistant of four years and successor at Penn, Bob Weinhauer: "Chuck was the consummate coach and teacher. For those of us who had the privilege of working with him, it was exactly that -- a privilege. I know that my coaching career would have been nothing without the mentoring and guidance that he gave me at Penn and throughout my career. I was fortunate enough to be able to express that to him about a month ago, and for that I am grateful."
Former hoopster and current Penn Athletic Director Steve Bilsky: "As long as I knew him, Chuck was the same good coach and good guy. That was true whether he was coaching high school, college, the pros, or at the Olympic level."
Current Penn coach Glen Miller: "I speak for the entire Penn basketball community when I say that we are saddened to hear the news of his passing. He coached this program to some of its greatest successes, and whenever he spoke of Penn and the Philadelphia basketball community he spoke of it fondly. However, such was his stature that this is a loss not just for Penn and the city of Philadelphia, but for the entire basketball world."
Long-time Penn and current Temple coach Fran Dunphy: "Coach Daly was a great representative of basketball throughout his years, from his time at Penn and in Philadelphia right up to his NBA and Olympic success. One particular memory for me is that, following one of my seasons at Penn, he sent me a hand-written note to offer congratulations and words of encouragement. At the time, he was coaching the Pistons. I have that letter framed, and it is in a place where I keep my treasured items."
Most basketball fans know Chuck Daly as the coach of the late-1980s Detroit Pistons and the 1992 Dream Team. But anyone who rooted for Penn from 1971-77 remembers him as the steward of some of Penn's last golden years. The news that he has pancreatic cancer, which generally has a five-year survival rate under five percent, is tough to swallow.
Daly, now 78, replaced Dick Harter after the Quakers' phenomenal 1970-71 campaign, still widely considered Penn's best team ever. Daly lived up to his predecessor, guiding Penn to the Elite Eight and a No. 3 national ranking (!) in his first year, the first of what would be four straight Ivy championship seasons.
We at The Buzz wish Daly and his family the best as he confronts his illness.
1) In case you don't know by now, Cornell won the Ivy League men's hoops title with a 83-58 win over Penn last night. Or not. It turns out that when Cornell fans stormed the court at the end of the game, they broke a scorekeeper's computer. So in fact the score should've been 83-59. Take that Cornell.
2) Looking at the women's basketball scores, Harvard and Dartmouth both won last night. So tonight if Dartmouth beats Brown and Harvard loses to Yale, then the Big Green will win the league. Otherwise, if just one of those scenarios happen, then the Big Green will clinch a share of the title. And if neither of those happen, the two schools will play a de facto Ivy League title game Tuesday in the teams' final regular season game.
3) As the only league to regularly schedule basketball games on Friday night, the Ivy League has gotten some national attention. From bettors.
4) Lastly, some sad news. Chuck Daly, former Penn and Detroit Pistons coach, unfortunately has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. We wish him all the best in his fight against this deadly disease.
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