Second thoughts

The University of Utah will hang a replica of former men’s basketball Coach Rick Majerus’ sweater Wednesday. Majerus died Saturday in Los Angeles while awaiting a heart transplant. He was 64.
The University of Utah will hang a replica of former men’s basketball Coach Rick Majerus’ sweater Wednesday. Majerus died Saturday in Los Angeles while awaiting a heart transplant. He was 64.

— Sweater is better for Rick

University of Utah officials will honor former men’s basketball Coach Rick Majerus by hanging a replica of his trademark white sweater from the rafters at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, where he coached from 1989-2004 and regularly led the Utes to the NCAA Tournament.

A moment of silence will be held at Utah’s next game Wednesday and players will wear black patches in honor of a man Utah Athletic Director Chris Hill remembered as a “basketball savant.” Majerus died Saturday in Los Angeles while awaiting a heart transplant. He was 64.

“To retire his jersey and put a No. 1 up there, it just doesn’t make any sense,” Hill said Monday.

The replica sweater will be created to fit in with the select names already hanging from the rafters.

“We want people to know it’s Rick,” Hill said. “You’ll know it’s a sweater, but at the same time it won’t diminish anybody else who is out there.”

Majerus had been invited back previously to be inducted into Utah’s Hall of Fame but the timing wasn’t right last year as he was coaching at Saint Louis and his health had taken a turn for the worse. Hill said the induction is still planned for a man who led the Utes to the 1998 NCAA final and had only one losing season in 25 years with four schools (Marquette, Ball State, Utah and Saint Louis).

“His career exploded during his time here and the University of Utah’s recognition exploded following his wake,” Hill said.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to have worked with somebody that was one of a kind.”

Hill said he hopes to sit down with former players, coaches and supporters to discuss other ways to recognize Majerus, especially since there are plans to expand the Huntsman Center and upgrade facilities.

He also is working with the athletic director at Saint Louis, where Majerus most recently coached, to have him inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

“’Essentially he was a genius and a savant in basketball,” Hill said. “He died way too soon at 64 and many of us maybe knew that day was coming.” More Majerus

CBSSports.com compiled several of the late Rick Majerus’ quotes during his coaching career.

Here are some highlights:

“If we’re getting in a sumo ring, he and I, then he’s the underdog.

I’ll crush him. But on the court, we’re in trouble,” Majerus told the Salt Lake Tribune in 1996 after hearing former Kentucky men’s Coach Rick Pitino suggesting the Wildcats were an underdog against the Utah.

“It’s never easy to win in Las Vegas. I should know with all the money I’ve lost at the blackjack tables,” Majerus to the Las Vegas Sun in 1998.

“When I die, they might as well bury me at the finish line at Churchill Downs so they can run over me one more time,” Majerus to the Times-Picayune in New Orleans in 1999 on all of his losses to Kentucky.

Enemy of an enemy

The Green Bay Packers beat the Minnesota Vikings 23-14 on Sunday to claim a share of the NFC North lead with the Chicago Bears.

The Bears lost 23-17 in overtime at home to the Seattle Seahawks.

While Seattle did Green Bay a favor by beating Chicago, it was the Seahawks who beat the Packers on a controversial Hail Mary touchdown Sept. 24.

“I can’t say there are many Seattle fans in the locker room,” Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers told reporters Sunday with a smile. “But we appreciate the help.”

Quote of the day

“Arkansas is going to break out of that - I just hope it’s not against us.” Oklahoma men’s basketball Coach Lon Kruger on Arkansas, which is shooting 26.2 percent from three-point range this season.

Sports, Pages 18 on 12/04/2012

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