Just thinking about Rick Majerus brings goose bumps. Anyone who can recall his epic games against Kentucky can be enthralled at how he managed to bring a championship team out of Utah to meet the legendary Wildcats. It is only through the coaching genius of Rick Pitino and Tubby Smith that Majerus was doomed to failure. The game I remember most was in 1998 in the run to the championship for Tubby's Wildcats, the next season and Tubby's first at Kentucky. Tubby was masterful at running players in and out until he found the combination that would work against Utah. Tubby had done the same thing against Duke earlier in the tourney. This was, in my opinion, the pinnacle of Tubby Smith's career. Never the ardent recruiter, Smith would never put together a team the way Rick Pitino could. Majerus worked with much less and was no less a coach. He exacted the best from his players and always brought good game.R.I.P. Rick Majerus. It is a pleasure to have known you.
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