August 24th update

Winningest NCAA Basketball Coach Diagnosed with Dementia

• University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt was diagnosed with early onset dementia early this summer. Summitt has a career record of 1071-199, making her the winningest head coach in NCAA history. She has been a trailblazer in women’s basketball coaching since 1974.
• Summitt, who has been known for her no nonsense style of coaching, has coached some of the greatest players in women’s basketball including Candace Parker, Chamique Holdsclaw and Tamika Catchings. She led the Volunteers to 15 SEC Conference Championships and 8 National Championships.
• Summitt has pledged to continue to coaching through this dementia. She has claimed this year would not be a “pity party.” Her incoming recruiting class has been ranked number 1 in the nation by ESPN and Summitt is looking for her first championship since 2008 before Parker left UT. She will do it while fighting an even bigger battle, but with the same courage and determination that lead her to almost 1100 victories.

Wednesday spotlight: Novak Djokovic

• Novak Djokovic is having a pretty decent season. OK, that's a bit of understated sarcasm; Djokovic is having a historic season, perhaps the greatest ever. Despite having to forfeit and leave the finals of his most recent tournament with a minor injury, he's a mere 57-2 with his only other loss coming in the semifinals of the French Open to Roger Federer.

• With about a week to rest before the U.S. Open the question will be does the 24 year old Djokovic have enough energy to continue to play at this pace when the other top players in the game will be bringing their A game or is he too tired from a year of domination?

• One person who certainly hopes Novak will not be up to par is Rafael Nadal, the man who Novak replaced as the world's #1 player. Djokovic has defeated Nadal is 5 consecutive matches (all in finals) including a 6–4, 6–1, 1–6, 6–3 victory in the Wimbledon finale.