It’s one of those lines I’ll remember forever. I wrote and said it on national television as the staff reporter for the series, “Billy Packer’s College Basketball.” I gave it a great deal of thought. I wanted it to be special, simple yet profound, straightforward yet all-encompassing. Why? Because the line was used in wrapping up the first piece I was blessed to do with the legendary John Wooden.

“John Wooden is as fine a Man as he is a Coach…and he’s all there is of both.”

This is the first college basketball season in my lifetime without “Coach” being around. John Wooden was the first person to be elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and a coach. Born 100 years ago, his success as UCLA Basketball Coach may never be matched in the sport. Ever.

• 10 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championships

• 7 Straight NCAA Men’s Basketball Championships – 1967-73

• Most Final Four appearances – 16.

• Most consecutive victories – 88. (1971-73)

John Wooden was so much more than the guy nicknamed “The Wizard of Westwood.” While most of us would be tempted to ramble about ourselves if we had his level of success, Coach enjoyed speaking of how lucky he was to have been married to his wife, Nellie for more than 50 years.

If you were lucky enough to be around John Wooden, (and I was a few times), you couldn’t help but be mesmerized that you were in the presence of greatness. I was smart enough to listen to him much more than I spoke with him. He was incredibly wise and humble, and as genuine and kind as he was fascinating. Amazingly, he’d still make you feel like you the pleasure of conversation was all his.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from Coach Wooden. Take a moment for you. Read them. Then apply them to your approach to video production or your entire life.

• A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.

• Be prepared and be honest.

• Ability is a poor man’s wealth.

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

• 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.

• Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

• Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.

• If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?

Filed under: Photo Gallery, coach john wooden, Phoenix TV Production, PHOENIXazVIDEO, thomas baldrick