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