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A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. - John Wooden

October 14th is John Wooden’s 96th Birthday. I don’t know what I’d get a 96 year old legend, but the people of Los Angeles do. They are naming the post office in Reseda CA after him. The ironic thing about the honor, is that Coach Wooden doesn’t live in Reseda, he lives in nearby Encino. But the post office in Encino was already named for long time LA Laker announcer Chick Hearn. I guess there are too many legends living in Southern California — or too few post offices…

I hope you will indulge me here. I went to find a quote from John Wooden to put at the top of this entry. I had trouble picking just one, so I figured it’s his birthday — I’ll let coach give us a present… Here are a few more pearls of wisdom from the Wizard of Westwood:

Ability is a poor man’s wealth. - John Wooden

Adversity is the state in which man mostly easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then. - John Wooden

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. - John Wooden

Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights. - John Wooden

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. - John Wooden

Don’t measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability. - John Wooden

You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you. - John Wooden