"Tark the Shark" Jerry Tarkanian past away this last Wednesday. The "SharK" was known as the "coolest" coach by his players. He was well known in Southern California where he played and a coach at all levels of the game. He first played at the college level at Pasadena City college. After one year he transferred to Fresno State. After graduating he went on to coach at several Southern California high schools, running successful programs where ever he taught. He then went back to Riverside City College and then Pasadena City College leading them four straight state championship. Then to his first of three four year colleges, Long Beach State, here he learned to recruit junior college athletes, mostly those that the big schools had "passed on", he gave his "kids" a second chance. They gave him winning teams, year after year! He went to UNLV in 1973 and coached there until 1992. They went to the final four, four times and in 1990 they were national champions. He coached only one year in the NBA, 1993 for the San Antonio Spurs. In 1995 he returned to Fresno State as head coach and he retired from coaching after the 2002 season. His final college coaching record was 784 - 202, a winner for sure. More important he gave passed-up players a second chance. UNLV was known as "Tumbleweed Tech", he changed that, he gave them their new name, "The Running Rebels" and 39 UNLV players were drafted into the NBA. He was inducted into the basketball hall of fame 2013.
This next Wednesday night the lights of Las Vegas will be turned off for one minute in tribute to "Tark the Shark", these lights have dimmed for just a few men (Elvis, Sinatra and presidents JFK and Reagan). Yes I'm a basketball fan and I will miss this man, who chewed on a towel at the end of a close game!
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