Rick Majerus

College coach infobox


Name = Rick Majerus
Sport = Basketball
| ImageWidth =
Caption =
DateOfBirth = birth date and age|1948|2|17
Birthplace = flagicon|United States Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin
DateOfDeath =
Deathplace =
College = Saint Louis
Title = Head coach
Awards = WAC Coach of the Year (1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999)
Championships = MWC Regular Season Championship (2003)
WAC Tournament Championship (1995, 1997, 1999)
WAC Regular Season Championship (1991, 1993, 1995,
1996, 1997, 1999)
MAC Tournament Championship (1989)
MAC Regular Season Championship (1989)
CurrentRecord =
OverallRecord =
Player = *
Years = 1967–1968
Team = Marquette
Position =
Coach = *
CoachYears = 1971–1983
1983–1986
1986–1987
1987–1989
1989–2004
2007–present
CoachTeams = Marquette (asst.)
Marquette
Milwaukee Bucks (asst.)
Ball State
Utah
Saint Louis
CollegeHOFID =
BBallHOF =

Rick Majerus (born February 17 1948 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin) is the men's basketball head coach at Saint Louis University. He has coached at Marquette University from 1983 to 1986, Ball State University from 1987 to 1989, and University of Utah from 1989-2004.

Majerus graduated from Marquette University High School in 1966 and then attended Marquette, where he tried-out as a walk-on in the 1967 season. He did not play for Marquette, but stayed on as a student assistant. He graduated in 1970 with a degree in History. He began coaching eighth-graders at St. Sebastian Grade School in Milwaukee, then coached Freshmen high schoolers at Marquette University High School. He was an assistant coach with the Marquette Warriors for 12 years, under mentor Al McGuire until 1977, and under Hank Raymonds until taking over as head coach himself in 1983. After three years as head coach at Marquette, and a 56-35 record, he became an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks for the 1986-87 season. He coached at Ball State during the 1987-88 and 88-89 seasons, finishing with a record of 43-17.

He was an assistant coach under Don Nelson for the US national team in the 1994 FIBA World Championship, winning the gold medal. [ [http://www.usabasketball.com/history/mwc_1994.html 1994 USA Basketball] ]

He led Utah to the Final Four in 1998, eventually losing to Kentucky in the National Championship Game.

In 2004, Majerus was hired as coach of the University of Southern California basketball team. However, just days after being hired, he changed his mind. He worked as a commentator for ESPN from 2004-2007.

Majerus is something of a fan favorite and cult figure around college basketball, known for his rotund figure and his quirky, jovial personality [cite web|url=http://www.activejoints.com/majerus/majquotes.html|title=Rick Majerus Quotes] . He has had a history of heart trouble which led to his resignation from Utah.

On April 27, 2007, Majerus accepted the head coaching position at Saint Louis University. His contract is for six years. [ [http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/04/28/ap3664600.html Forbes.com Saint Louis Hires Coach Rick Majerus] ]

Controversy

While at a rally supporting Hillary Clinton for President, Majerus made pro-choice comments on abortion, leading to condemnation by Roman Catholic Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke, who suggested that officials at Saint Louis University (where Majerus currently coaches) take "appropriate action" against him. [ [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/othersports/348404_aworld23.html Archbishop condemns Majerus' abortion comment ] ]

Majerus developed a reputation for being verbally abusive toward players. He reportedly called Lance Allred, a backup center who was 75% deaf, "a disgrace to cripples" who had "weaseled [his] way through life using [his poor] hearing as an excuse. Allred transferred to another school, as did 59% of the recruits Majerus signed with the Utes." [ [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/the_bonus/01/17/majerus/index.html The Life and Times of Rick Majerus ] ]

Head Coaching Record

Coaching Awards

*WAC Coach of the Year: 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997 (media), 1999
*District Coach of the Year (1991, 1993, 1995, 1996)
*Playboy Magazine Coach of the Year (1992, 1998)
*UPI National Coach of the Year (1991)
*Basketball Times National Coach of the Year (1991)
*Utah Sports Person of the Year (1992 and 1997)
*John Wooden Award (National Coach of the Year) 1998

Published works

In 2000, he released an autobiography "My Life On a Napkin : Pillow Mints, Playground Dreams and Coaching the Runnin' Utes" (ISBN 0-7868-8445-2), co-written by Gene Wojciechowski.

References