Earlier this week we lost 2 legendary members of the coaching profession, Pat Summitt and Buddy Ryan.  They each left an indelible mark on the their respective sports.  Each of them spent more than half their lives roaming the sidelines, giving their all to the sports they loved.  They will be sorely missed.

Before the money, TV contracts, and mass popularity for women’s basketball, there was Pat Summitt.  Pat Summitt was women’s collegiate basketball personified.  She began her coaching career at The University of Tennessee in 1974, and would hold that position for 38 seasons.  In that time she won over 1,000 games, took the Lady Vols to 13 Final Fours, winning 8 NCAA Championships.  When she retired in 2012, her 8 NCAA championships were an NCAA women’s record.  She was one of the winningest coaches in NCAA history, and was the first NCAA coach to reach 1,000 wins.  In addition to her NCAA success she had international success as well.  Winning a silver medal in the 1976 Olympic Games as a player and leading Team USA to a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics as the head coach.  Her accomplishments, and what she’s meant to women’s basketball speaks for itself.

Buddy Ryan, whom many consider the father of modern day defense in the NFL, began his coaching career at the high school level in 1957.  In 1968 he became the defensive line coach for the New York Jets.  As one of the architects of the 1969 Jets defense, he was very instrumental in helping the Jets pull off that Super Bowl upset against the Baltimore Colts.  Ryan would remain with the Jets until 1975.  After spending a couple seasons with the Vikings as their defensive line coach, he was then hired by George Halas to become the defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears in 1978.  It was here that Ryan made his mark.  Ryan formulated, and is the father of the 46 defense.  A scheme that put a premium on pressuring the QB.  Ryan perfected this scheme in 1985, helping lead the Bears to their first Super Bowl, and a victory over the New England Patriots.  Ryan parlayed this into a head coaching career with the Philadelphia Eagles and later with the Arizona Cardinals.  Though Buddy had been retired from coaching for 20 years, his aggressive defensive style and spirit live on in his twin sons, Rob Ryan (Buffalo Bills Defensive Coordinator) and Rex Ryan (Buffalo Bills head coach).  I think dad would have loved to see his boys roaming that sideline together.  But I think he’s definitely smiling down on them.