| Glory Road - 2 Stars (Average) | | | | par with other great victories in sports |
| | | | history, including the 1980 U. S. Hockey team |
| Basketball Coach Don Haskins does not have to | | | | winning the Gold Medal in the Olympics. |
| wait for his legend to happen. He is a member | | | | |
| of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the | | | | Contrary to the movie version, the title game |
| Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. | | | | was not as big an upset as was depicted. |
| | | | Texas Western had an excellent team, as |
| Few today would remember Don Haskins. He was | | | | evidenced by its No. 3 ranking the final |
| the coach at Texas Western in 1966 when his | | | | polls that year. Haskins was not the first |
| 27-1 team played Adolph Rupp's 27-1 | | | | coach to play African Americans, Texas |
| University of Kentucky Wildcats for the NCAA | | | | Western had African American players on its |
| title. | | | | roster before Haskins arrived. |
| | | | |
| Nothing too unusual about that, except that | | | | Haskins was the first to start an all-African |
| Haskins would become the first coach in NCAA | | | | American lineup in the NCAA title game, and |
| history to start an all-African American | | | | it is also true that Texas Western was the |
| lineup when the Miners squared off against | | | | first college in a Southern state to |
| Rupp's all-white Kentucky team that featured | | | | integrate its athletic teams. Good for Texas |
| two players who would become well-known in | | | | Western. |
| the NBA pro league: Pat Riley and Louie | | | | |
| Dampier. | | | | Glory Road had a good message of hope for |
| | | | African Americans. At least one coach had the |
| Remember these names: Bobby Joe Hill, David | | | | backbone to play the best. Do not think for a |
| Lattin, Orsten Artis, Willie Worsley and | | | | moment that this was Don Haskins' one moment |
| Harry Flournoy during February, Black History | | | | of glory, and that he was courageous but not |
| Month. They were the starting lineup for | | | | an excellent basketball coach. |
| Texas Western when the Miners won the NCAA | | | | |
| championship against an all-white Kentucky | | | | Since Glory Road was not as much about Don |
| team, 72-65. | | | | Haskins as some very talented, very tolerant |
| | | | and very brave Texas Western players, let it |
| I would graduate from Michigan State | | | | be known that Don Haskins: |
| University two months after Texas Western won | | | | |
| the title, and would not be aware of just how | | | | 1) Played three years at Oklahoma A&M under |
| historic this event was. My high school and | | | | Hall of Fame coach Hank Iba and was Team |
| college cross-country and track teams were | | | | Captain. |
| integrated. Kentucky would not even offer | | | | |
| African Americans basketball scholarships, | | | | 2) Was tied for 4th place among the NCAA's |
| and there were many other colleges and | | | | most winning active coaches when he retired |
| universities which excluded African American | | | | with 719 wins and 353 losses. |
| players in 1966. | | | | |
| | | | 3) Had 33 winning seasons at UTEP in 38 years |
| There was a lot of hatred in the South at | | | | of coaching. |
| that time. Heck, there was a lot hatred | | | | |
| everywhere, but not in Don Haskins' will to | | | | 4) Led UTEP to no less than 17 |
| win for Texas Western, known today as UTEP, | | | | 20-win-seasons, an NCAA title in 1966, 7 |
| the University of Texas at El Paso. Haskins | | | | Western Athletic Conference (WAC) |
| was color-blind and simply put the best | | | | championships, 4 WAC tournament titles, and |
| players on the floor to compete. | | | | 21 postseason trips (14 to the NCAA playoffs |
| | | | and 7 NIT-National Invitational |
| Haskins recruited the best players, nothing | | | | Tournament-appearances). |
| else mattered. Not even the lousy treatment | | | | |
| and death threats both Haskins and his | | | | 5) Changed college basketball forever by |
| players received from die-hard, ignorant, | | | | starting an all-African American team against |
| bigoted Texas Western boosters and donors. | | | | an all-white Kentucky team in the NCAA |
| They sing a different tune in Texas today, | | | | tournament and winning the title. |
| especially at the University of Texas. | | | | |
| | | | 6) Coached Hall of Famer Nate "Tiny" |
| Glory Road in 2006 retold the story of Don | | | | Archibald, NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway, and |
| Haskins and Texas Western. Josh Lucas played | | | | Antonio Davis, and mentored future coaches |
| the role of Don Haskins, Derek Luke played | | | | Nolan Richardson and Tim Floyd. |
| Bobby Joe Hill and John Voight played Adolph | | | | |
| Rupp. | | | | Glory Road is a film for every basketball |
| | | | enthusiast. It has a great message and |
| Glory Road is not one of the best movies ever | | | | represents a great moment in the evolution of |
| made, but the story of Texas Western is on | | | | basketball as we know and enjoy it today. |