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July 26 = Anniversary of Skip's Death

The world got a little less good four years ago today.

We need a Skipisms link, stat.
 
VaDeac said:
The world got a little less good four years ago today.

We need a Skipisms link, stat.
Click to expand...

danthedeacsfan posted this on the other board at the time:

Here is the story that Dan Collins put together on the Skip-isms. Thanks to a great friend of mine at the Journal that did some digging around for me & came out with this:

PROSSER'S PROSE

WAKE FOREST COACH IS WELL KNOWN FOR HIS GEMS OF WIT, WISDOM



When Skip Prosser was coaching at Xavier, a friend was surprised to learn that the university had supplied him a high-dollar foreign car to drive.

"A Jaguar?" the friend remarked. "Skip, that's not you."

To which Prosser replied, "The hell it's not."

So the secret's out. If Madonna can be the Material Girl, then there's at bit of the Material Guy in Prosser.

But the material for which Prosser has become best known in his one season as head basketball coach at Wake Forest has been the steady flow of observations and one-liners to describe himself, his team and the Deacons' season. Armed with the vocabulary of an English professor, and the rapid-fire delivery of a talk-show host, Prosser rose quickly through the ranks to be considered by many to be the "best quote" among coaches in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

"Skip-isms" are how they're referred to by sportswriters and athletics department personnel.

And if at times the lines can seem a bit pre-conceived - especially upon repeated usage - they've fallen like rain from the heavens on the ears of those used to hearing such profound observations as "If we continue to improve, we have a chance to get better."

So if it is indeed material, as opposed to authentic improvisation, then at least it's first-rate material. What follows is a sampling of the Best of Skip, who incidentally does not drive a Jaguar at Wake Forest .

He drives a gold Mercedes Benz.



"I may not know a lot about the ACC right now, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night."

- April, 25, 2001 - Upon being named head coach at Wake Forest .



"Right now the chemistry is great. We're still Kum-ba-Ya-ing around the campfire at night, if you know what I mean. But we'll see when adversity hits."

- Late October, 2001 - On his team's chemistry.



"That's usually not a real democratic decision."

- Late October, 2001 - Upon hearing that Darius Songaila would rather play forward than center.



"There's a misconception that you get five fouls. You really don't. Because on the fifth one, they fire you."

- Late October, 2001 - On Songaila's history of foul trouble.



"I think we panicked a little bit. It was a collective effort. We were very democratic in spreading our turnovers around."

- Nov. 23, 2001 - After a rash of turnovers resulted in a 74-67 loss to Syracuse in the championship of the preseason NIT.



"It can't be like, 'Let's go up to Winston-Salem and play Wake and make sure we get some good ribs on the way back.' Teams have got to dread to play you in your gym."

- Dec. 15, 2001 - On the importance of establishing a home-court advantage.



"He's still built like Ichabod Crane. And that's not going to change - maybe ever - but certainly not until he matures a little bit and gets in a weight room and all that.

"But he's gifted."

- Dec. 16, 2001 - Discussing Jamaal Levy, the Deacons' 6-9, 177-pound freshman.



"We'll discuss it. I'll probably discuss it more than he will. He will probably just listen."

- Jan. 12, 2002 - On Antwan Scott's decision to take (and make) a 3-pointer in a 96-55 home victory over Clemson.



"They're sharks. They see that blood in the water and all it takes is one drop and they're ravenous."

- Jan. 19, 2002 - On Duke, which had just routed the Deacons 103-80 in Cameron Indoor Stadium.



"I can't say enough positive things about Coach (Paul) Hewitt and his kids. I mean after they've lost, what is it, seven in a row, sometimes guys become conscientious objectors and head north.

"And he's got his kids scrapping and fighting."

- Jan. 26, 2002 - On the job by Coach Paul Hewitt of Georgia Tech after an 87-74 victory over the Yellow Jackets in Joel Coliseum.



"We are prone at times to try to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory with some ill-timed decisions."

- Jan. 30, 2002 - After harrowing 82-81 victory at N.C. State .



"I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, and obviously I'm not Jimmy Naismith, but I think it's almost always a good decision to try to get the ball to Darius Songaila. His ability as a player is only overshadowed by his character as a person and we're going to ride that horse all the way to Churchill Downs if we have to."

- Jan. 30, 2002 - Discussing Songaila's performance in victory at N.C. State .



"I'm hoping it's a statistical anomaly that will never be repeated."

- Feb. 1, 2002 - Asked to comment on Scott playing 34 minutes without a rebound at N.C. State .



"I thought we played pretty well throughout offensively. Defensively, it's not even close to Davy Crockett at the Alamo ."

- Feb. 2, 2002 - After an 89-80 victory at Florida State .



"My trepidation factor was incredibly high. I don't know these guys as well as I would know them if I had recruited them. So I didn't know how they would respond.

"But we talk about how this game doesn't build character, it reveals character. And I think our kids showed tremendous character."

- Feb. 17, 2002 - Discussing relief provided by 92-70 home victory over Virginia .



"We've had dirt tossed on our grave before, but we're not dead yet. We'll be back."

- Feb. 24, 2002 - On the challenge of bouncing back from a heart-breaking 90-89 loss at Maryland .



"We tried to do a good job on Akins. We haven't kept anybody in front of us all year, and tonight was no exception."

- Feb. 27, 2002 - On the ability of Georgia Tech guard Tony Akins to control play in the Yellow Jackets' 90-77 victory over the Deacons in Alexander Coliseum.



"I told these kids they've got 48 hours to work, and 48 years to remember."

- March 1, 2002 - Upon preparing for the final home game of five seniors, which resulted in an 83-71 victory over N.C. State the next day.
 
I had just landed that afternoon at JFK, and my phone was blowing up with friends and coworkers. I hated I wasnt able to be down here when it all happened. I felt like I was a million miles away up in NYC.
 
"We'll discuss it. I'll probably discuss it more than he will. He will probably just listen."

awesome. i'd forgotten about that one.

personal favorite is probably about justin gray when he wore the facemask. something to the extent of, "he wasn't that good looking to begin with."
 
Still makes me terribly sad. It was one of those days I'll never forget - where I was, how it felt. RIP, coach.
 
When I think about Skip, I think about how perfect a fit he was for this university - and I think it's why coaches before, and after, him have had difficulty meshing with our alumni base. Skip was very smart and, at heart, a wise ass as well (just like many on this board). He valued education and saw how special this place was, adopting it as his own. In so many ways, he defined this school and its fans. Anyway, I'm rambling on...but I think it was a case of right place, right time, right man. He's missed.
 
Whatever your opinions of his performance on the bench, Skip was a great person.
 
"I can't say enough positive things about Coach (Paul) Hewitt and his kids. I mean after they've lost, what is it, seven in a row, sometimes guys become conscientious objectors and head north.

"And he's got his kids scrapping and fighting."

- Jan. 26, 2002 - On the job by Coach Paul Hewitt of Georgia Tech after an 87-74 victory over the Yellow Jackets in Joel Coliseum.
Click to expand...

I wonder what Skip's thoughts would have been watching last year's team.

RIP Coach. It's just not the same without you.
 
siff said:
When I think about Skip, I think about how perfect a fit he was for this university - and I think it's why coaches before, and after, him have had difficulty meshing with our alumni base. Skip was very smart and, at heart, a wise ass as well (just like many on this board). He valued education and saw how special this place was, adopting it as his own. In so many ways, he defined this school and its fans. Anyway, I'm rambling on...but I think it was a case of right place, right time, right man. He's missed.
Click to expand...

It's a rare thing when a coach and school fit this way. Ray Meyer at DePaul, Lou Carnesecca at St. John's, Wooden at UCLA and so on. Skip was the perfect fit for Wake Forest.

We miss you, coach.
 
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