Great for Gary. 2, Connecticut?. In his 37 years as a collegiate head coach, Blair only suffered two losing seasons,[2] and has reached postseason play 28 times, including 23 NCAA Tournament appearances and Final Four appearances in 1998 with Arkansas and 2011 with Texas A&M. Social media is now as important as the three-point line. Arkansas, Gary's former school and Nan's current school, and Dayton are the other two entrants in the College Station event. Thought his wife taught at the University of Arkansas . He is the kind of guy who meets you once, sees you years later and remembers your name and some small random fact from a conversation you had. I am a product of Title IX and young ladies standing up for me and saying they wanted to be coached by somebody who cared. Blair, with a slight grin, also realized the game in the Erwin Center offers the chance for a jab at A&Ms (still) biggest rival and new Longhorns coach Vic Schaefer, his former top assistant at A&M. Why now? [3], In the 20062007 season, Blair's Aggies again scored over 20 wins and reached the NCAA Tournament, this time as the fourth seed, and advanced to the second round of the tournament. She was the first 6-3 kid who could play all five positions. Its really something.. It didnt take long five successful seasons for others to come calling for Blair. We keep starters in (for enough time) and develop everyone. Texas A&M announced on Thursday that its basketball court will be named in honor of retiring women's coach Gary Blair. Now Texas A&M women's basketball head coach Gary Blair is ready to welcome everyone back this year for the 18th annual event to help support Special Olympics. Kelly Bond-White has been with me 21 years, he said. The 2023 NFL Draft runs April 2729 live from Kansas City, Missouri. We would pack them in to the old field house, and after two years when we won National Championships, we moved (the venue) to the new assembly center. All ex-players and all ex-coaches think we have one more (game) left in us, Blair said. Somebody that might be better than me can get the job done better. But he drew in others, like Sydney Colson and Danielle Adams around the same time, both of whom were on the Aggies 2011 national championship team. The joy that bursts out of Gary Blair as he talks about his storied career simply cant be contained. Blair and Homer Norton, who coached football from 1934-47, are the lone two A&M coaches to win national titles in the three major sports at the university: football, basketball and baseball. He still talks to others from those teams frequently. He has been a member of Rotary International for more than 20 years. He loved the players. In 1997 Collen went to Colorado State. I try to take the time to really reflect on my career and to really enjoy each and every moment of these last games of my career.. Relationships like that make it difficult for Blair to walk away. Im very honest with the kids and their parents: when you earn your playing time, you will get your playing time. [3], Overall, in his first three years as the head coach of the Aggies, A&M home attendance increased 156%, with a school-record 11,088 fans watching the team play Baylor University. That allowed me to hire Mike, and it was the best hire Ive ever had. Nestled between the central and eastern parts of Texas, A&M was in proximity to loads of basketball talent in hotbeds for the sport like Houston and Dallas. You cant (raise your voice at young people) anymore. And a volleyball coach, and a track coach. Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial. Bill to earn a bachelor's degree in health and physical education with a minor in journalism from Texas Tech. Thats my strength. [7] He also started the boys and girls golf team, and served as its first coach as well. I do not miss that, but I miss the evaluations. You dont ever say that, but sometimes youve got to admit somebody might be better than you particularly in the changing world that were living in today.. This is my 19th year (at A&M), Blair said with a cracking voice and misty eyes. 13 UCLA contains Stanford to avenge previous loss, Coaches credit mental strength of athletes during pandemic season, Indiana, Arizona are first-time dancers in the Elite 8, Clutch Nixon, Aggies ready for the Sweet 16. A member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, the 76-year-old Blair has a career record of 838-333in 36 seasons at Stephen F. Austin, Arkansas and Texas A&M. . His two sisters were over six foot. Slocum, who has been undergoing chemotherapy treatments, helped him make peace with his decision. After I completed my failure in architecture, I had to sit out a semester and a summer before I could come back, and by that time baseball was over. For me, hes been almost like a grandfather, she said. Coachs Chair: Gary Blair, Texas A&M University, No. Humility. Look at the impact hes had on a countless number of people. The USA team won the game and the championship 7262. All rights reserved. Its been a great ride, Blair told The Athletic. Search by keyword, author, title, and more.. I actually fell in love with the kids, and to this day its still the best job Ive ever had, because it gave me the confidence to do what Im doing now. Then-UT baseball coach Augie Garrido had no qualms predicting the NCAAs intent when determining whether Texas or the University of Houston, the latter of which sported the better record that season, would host a super regional in 2014. Baseball was my best sport I starred but I was 120 pounds even though I worked out, and I never got a double my whole high school career. teacher, while waiting for an offer to coach the baseball team, but when asked to coach the girls' team, he accepted. It wasnt long before we saw he was a money-making machine. The NCAA Tournaments first round is being held in San Antonio, San Marcos and Austin because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the rest of the tournament in San Antonio. I enrolled in May, 1969 when everyone was trying to stay out. tears streaming down the faces of former players . I was the head coach for basketball, volleyball, track and cross country for eight years, and I loved it. In the final game, the USA beat South Korea to finish the competition with a perfect 93 record. Gary Blair cuts down a net after winning the 2011 national championship. We have recently updated ourPrivacy Policy. "I initially stayed behind because our son (Matt) was a senior in high school," Nan said of why she's never left Fayetteville, Ark. Blair will be, too. Gary Blairs teams have earned an NCAA tournament berthevery year from2006-2021. [20], Gary Blair was named the assistant coach of the 1996 R. William Jones Cup Team. She is the answer going forward with this program.. A group of girls from South Oak Cliff were ready to play any and every sport they could. Blair will complete a 50-year coaching career when this season ends. They used to ride in vans and wear tube socks. Two days later, the Aggies defeated Notre Dame 76-70 in the championship game to win the tournament for the first time in school history. our players and coaches wildly celebrating the biggest win in womens basketball history at Texas A&M . COLLEGE STATION - Gary Blair was in mid-swing in a water volleyball game that summer day in. [2] During his five seasons there, Louisiana Tech reached the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament four times, winning two national championships. When I cant compete for championships anymore, its time to leave. On Thursday night, Blair will coach the Texas A&M womens team at home for the last time, as the school names the court at Reed Arena after him. Melissa Gregg is a Dallas police officer. He figured he had a few more years left in him. Thanks David it's great to hear from Coach Blair Aggie Legend! So many things happened that I will never forget . He ranks 12th in Division I history and fourth among active coaches. [12] In his first season with Texas A&M, Blair worked very hard to attract fans to the women's basketball games, and by the end of the season attendance had increased 71 percent over the previous year, the best increase in the Big 12 Conference. [7][18], Gary Blair was also selected as a 2012 namesake for Texas A&M's extended orientation camp, "Fish Camp". The players I have been lucky enough to coach, to know. [9], Blair was inducted into the Ladyjack Hall of Fame during halftime of the Ladyjacks game against the Aggies on December 2, 2008. Shelby Metcalf, who coached the men's team for 27 seasons, is the school's winningest coach. Ive had such a great career, he said. The transfer portal, the constant debates about compensating athletes, a pandemic that canceled high school basketball seasons and an NCAA Tournament, the changes in recruiting in a world that has turned to virtual meetings at a high rate Blair would rather sit back and watch the game evolve around all of the new challenges rather than be in the midst of it. Gary Blair became Texas A&M's coach in 2003. Since integration, there were no volunteers. Barbara Brown McCoy went on to be a standout guard at Stephen F. Austin before going into high school coaching herself. The USA came back, but was still behind at halftime. She was ahead of her time. How can you be No. Texas A&M coach Gary Blair, right, and his wife, Nan, make a long-distance relationship work. Gary, who has three years remaining on his A&M contract, has shown no signs of slowing. Legendary Texas A&M women's basketball coach Gary Blair retired at the end of the 2021-22 season, but he is still a fixture in and around Aggieland. Blair is a member of seven halls of fame, including the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. got fired (in 2002) he could have went to LSU, Baylor, Houston or a lot of other places. [4], In his seven seasons at South Oak Cliff, he set a state record with five consecutive state tournament appearances and a 239-18 record. Coach Blair has been a tireless advocate for women's basketball in general and was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. Chennedy (Carter) hit a three and I thought we would pull it off, but Georgia controlled the OT. ", "It's really special for us to be playing in his last season," Aggies guard Destiny Pitts said. A&M returns two starters and eight letter winners from the team that went 25-3 and won the Southeastern Conference regular-season championship last season. Been engaged a year to a wonderful lady. [3] At South Oak Cliff, Blair coached Debra and Kim Rodman, Dennis Rodman's sisters. His teams have appeared in the NCAA Tournament 15 consecutive seasons. We cant get separation on teams, no one plays us close, our defense is solid but were not stopping people theyre scoring on us. Hes done tremendous things in the game of basketball. Aggies associate head coach Kelly Bond-White has been with Blair all 15 years in the program, and assistant coach Bob Starkey has been there for six. "I've got nine grandkids that I want to go spend more time with. Sonja Hogg is the first lady of college basketball: she knew how to dress, how to press, and she knew how to recruit. Hes bald and Ive got a full head of hair, so Im loving it. 5,245 Views | So special, in fact, that when Blair was offered the opportunity to move up to the collegiate basketball level and coach at Louisiana Tech in 1980, he was unsure if he would go. The USA team was dominant, winning their games by an average off 33 points per game. Division regular season champion "Aggieland is a special place and has always been my destination," Blair said. A&M women's basketball coach Gary Blair. The focus instead will be on Blairs final season. Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial. All rights reserved. In 36 years as a head coach, he has had 35 winning seasons, 30 20-win seasons and 41 postseason victories, which ranks fifth among active coaches. "Coach Blair is a legend in women's basketball and college sports," Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork said. Seems like a disproportionately hostile response. From 1993-2003, he was the head coach at Arkansas. . Texas A&M's Gary Blair is retiring. kissing my wife on the floor of Conseco Fieldhouse . Brent met his wife, KBTX . Im a builder, so I had to build that Stephen F team. We won state again. Ask Liucci: Spring football takeaways, A&M's spring sports & more, Follow The Money - Ep. I never sat down during our games for 19 years. Blair and Lewis did not get along, and their professional relationship became even more strained once the Arkansas athletic programs were divided and Lewis became the women's AD. In the NCAA tournament, the team lost to eventual national champion Tennessee. You know, I think I could coach till I am 80, Blair, now 76, said. He was raised in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Dallas. Title IX came in 1972, and schools had to put womens athletics in larger cities, whereas before they had only existed in small towns. He also started perfecting recruiting. A member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, the 76-year-old Blair has a career record of 838-333 in 36 seasons at Stephen F. Austin, Arkansas and Texas A&M. He was in my third-period PE class. He was with me two or three years. You want to see people compete. I'm going to sit down and enjoy watching. Then Arkansas made the mistake of not hiring him when I left. He just mentioned his fiance during halftime of the Ark/Aub game - I know I'm out of touch, but I had no idea he was even divorced, much less ready to get married again! The wit and wisdom of Blair, 75, will again be on a national stage starting at 5 p.m. Monday, when the second-seeded Aggies face No. Those misses included big names like Brittney Griner, who went to Baylor, and Nneka Ogwumike, who played at Stanford. When theyre young we do a lot of individual practices to keep improving their skill level. Texas A&M coach Gary Blair, right, and his wife, Nan, make a long-distance relationship work. She will be somebody we will keep an eye on throughout the year just as we will a lot of different coaches around the country.. I think we shared that reaction, Nixon said. I even watch WWE. He was also inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2023. The team also won the 2008 Big 12 conference tournament title. He published his autobiography, A Coaching Life, last year. It was middle-class and tough, and it had turned 100 percent black in two years. Texas A&M women's basketball coach Gary Blair, 76, announced on Thursday that he will retire at the end of this season. All of a sudden it was a power, sort of like Long Beach Poly. Gary Blair is the son of Lee, a plaster foreman, and Jean, a housewife. Blair joined TexAgs Radio on Monday morning to discuss life after basketball and so much more. He was stationed in Okinawa during his duty. . He is a graduate of Oak Ridge High School and Sam Houston State University, where he played baseball. What Im trying to do is max out every day. All the ones youve met and coached and had in your life. . He loved their passion, the camaraderie, the hunger to win. An emotional, philosophical and nostalgic Gary Blair formally announced on Thursday that he will retire as Texas A&M's women's basketball coach following the upcoming season. Around that time, the school offered him the head baseball job hed coveted. Blairs love for basketball and genuine interest in helping his players succeed on and off the court mixed with his charm is quite the combination. Sometimes, we can agree to disagree. I had a rule for my kids that they had to play all of (the sports). You could get it done at those smaller venues back then. Her first impression of the convivial coach and his recruiting ability? 2,868 Views | Todays kids live in the moment. Brent is the author of four published books about Texas A&M, three related to A&M athletics. I wait for people to screw up and then go in on the white horse and resurrect the program. Like most websites, we use cookies to improve our service and make your user experience better. Meanwhile, Nan had advanced through the nursing ranks, winning numerous honors along the way, and was 11 years into a teaching career at Arkansas when her husband was hired to coach the Aggies. Finish last in medical school, and they call you a doctor.. Im a product of Title XI, as I was the first man to coach women in the city of Dallas. "That makes this harder on Gary. I want to be known in this community as more than just a basketball coach, and people appreciate that. We support him.. Thats when I went to South Oak Cliff High School and got one of few jobs that were open. 1 in top 25 women's college basketball preseason rankings, Predictions for all 32 women's college basketball conference races, 2022 women's recruiting class rankings: Trio of Pac-12 teams lead the way. He netted a national APSE second-place finish for breaking the Dennis Franchione secret newsletter scandal in 2007, and his coverage of Texas A&Ms move to the SEC from the Big 12 also netted a third-place finish nationally in 2012. Whether youre shopping Way Day 2023 or Walmart, theres an al fresco set for you. They were ready to go. See our updatedPrivacy Policyto find out more about cookies and how we use your data. Jim Schlossnagle emphasizes 'sense of urgency' moving forward, 2024 forward George Turkson nearing the end of his recruiting process, Miami Dolphins select Devon Achane in the third round, 84th overall, Jacksonville Jaguars select Antonio Johnson in the fifth round, 160th overall, Indianapolis Colts select Jaylon Jones in the seventh round, 221st overall. Pam Green went on to star at Missouri. Early in his high school career, he was the most average guy that you had ever seen. What is the foundation for building a good team culture? Our student body is 62,000 strong, and there are other things in life just as important as basketball. Whether you're walking for exercise or playing pickleballlike my wife does on Monday nights. 3:36p, 3/5/20. You have to get outside. Nan visits Aggieland about a dozen times a year, and Gary visits Fayetteville about five times a year. Well, I get the opportunity to have about 35 to 38 still left in me this year. Last: How long do you want to ignore this user? "She doesn't have a job and I don't have a job," Gary said. Y'all keep playing.' When I got to Arkansas I needed a national recruiter, so I hired Tom Collen from Purdue. Its time to sit up in the stands and do what you dosecond guess the coaches.. Pub Date: 01/27/2017 Garrido won five national titles while leading Cal State Fullerton and Texas, while Blair achieved what few figured possible in inheriting the Big 12s worst basketball program in 2003: a national title in 2011. Texas A&M was picked to finish second in the SEC preseason coaches' poll, and is ranked No. You cant ask for much more.. They asked for volunteers to coach (girls) basketball (at South Oak Cliff), and the girls next door asked me if Id coach. It will be a symbol of all those that helped build this program and all the Aggies that battle on that court, not just in women's basketball, but in men's basketball and volleyball as well. Karl Malone was playing at Louisiana Tech at that time. Coach Gary Blair and the A&M women are ranked No.
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