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happydays1949
07-26-2007, 03:07 PM
Just read on the Kentucky board that Skip prosser has died of a heart attack.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=48#S=48&F=1030&T=759137

DukeCO2009
07-26-2007, 03:34 PM
It's been confirmed by a guy at Inside Carolina.

sandinmyshoes
07-26-2007, 03:35 PM
Sad news. While I don't think it has been officially announced, from what I've read via email this is no longer just a rumor. :(

ArkieDukie
07-26-2007, 03:39 PM
From all I've seen this looks real. My condolences to his family and all those associated with Wake Forest.

FreezingDevil
07-26-2007, 03:51 PM
I had hoped this was just a bad rumour, but it now seems true. My thoughts go out to his friends, family, and all of Wake.

ArkieDukie
07-26-2007, 03:51 PM
Link: http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/7063540

TheDuke11
07-26-2007, 03:53 PM
this is beyond terrible.
prayers are with the entire wfu and prosser family.
its all a family.

jimbonelson
07-26-2007, 03:53 PM
i hope this is not true if it is my condolences to his family and school

HCFthird
07-26-2007, 04:00 PM
A great guy. Very fun to talk and listen to.

I feel so sad for his family. He had just started to get Wake pointed back in the right direction. You could tell in his most recent interviews that he was very happy about his future.

My prayers are with the Prosser Family.

Patrick Yates
07-26-2007, 04:04 PM
Last summer I was studing for the Bar Exam. WFU's law school was the closest location to my home where the barbri review course was offered. Since I did B-School at WFU, and was familiar with W-S, away I went.

One day, I was jogging at the WFU track, which is right next to WFU's basketball facility. I was proudly wearing a Duke T-shirt to jog, this being in the wake of the then still fresh Lax scandal. Coach P walked past the track and saw me. Skip gave me a little grief for the shirt, suggesting that I needed a new one. It was very good humored, and we both had a laugh.

A few weeks later, as I was throwing arround a football, I dislocated my shoulder making an ill advised diving catch (falling over). Coach P saw me, and called me into one of the B-Ball gyms near the track where he was conducting a summer camp for youngsters. He got his head trainer to look at me, and they helped me put my shoulder back in. He was really nice the entire time.

All the while he has been at WFU he has been a quality guy. The only slight blemish was putting up with a very little more than he should have from Chris Paul, but many coaches have let star players go a little too far. Also, I have to imagine that Skip punished CP privately, which was probably the right thing to do. A good guy.

No confirmation yet, so let's hope this is just rumor. It is confirmed that he collapsed while jogging, but nothing as to his current status from WFU.

Patrick Yates

NW Indiana Dukie
07-26-2007, 04:09 PM
RIP Skip Prosser. I have always enjoyed his coaching style and watching him work his way up the coaching ranks. My God bless and watch over his family--both immediate and extended. What a sad day for WFU and all of the basketball community.:(

TheDuke11
07-26-2007, 04:11 PM
espn radio hasnt touched this.
it seems there are absolutely 0 other news sports stories at all right now other than michael vick.
its going on 4 straight hours now.

ehdg
07-26-2007, 04:17 PM
Wow just heard this on the radio up here in NJ. This is pretty shocking and a bit unsetteling. Here's a man in the prime of his life and presumably in good health and just goes like that. Pretty scarry and unsetteling to say the least. Plus he seemed like a very nice/good guy. What a shame!!

HCFthird
07-26-2007, 04:20 PM
Patrick Yates, Apparently he had the heart attack on that same track you met him.....

Matches
07-26-2007, 04:21 PM
ESPN.com now confirms as well. Absolutely horrible news.

mgtr
07-26-2007, 04:35 PM
This is a dirty shame, enjoyed his coaching style, and like WFU. It also worries me when men much younger than I am just drop dead -- it is scary. My condolences to his family and the greater WFU family.

BacchusBlue
07-26-2007, 04:39 PM
Sports news has suddenly become more depressing than the national news. Awful thing to hear and obviously all prayers to his friends and family.

TillyGalore
07-26-2007, 04:40 PM
I'm about to cry. I really liked him, he had class. My condolences to his family. How tragic to lose a loved one so young.

jimsumner
07-26-2007, 04:46 PM
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2950229

It's hard to hear of something like this without thinking of every cliche about living life to the fullest because you never know when the end is going to come. Because some times even the grimmest cliches are true. Truly horrible, horrible news.

Cameron
07-26-2007, 04:52 PM
Something like this really makes one sit back and think. You work your whole life to get to where you are, to provide for your loved ones, to enrich your existence for a better good, to be able to enjoy the time you have left happily. And then it's all gone in the blink of an eye; in the prime of your life.

This is really, really tragic news. Makes you think, that is for sure.

gadzooks
07-26-2007, 05:03 PM
How incredibly sad. I never met the guy, but he seemed like a really good coach, and well respected. My condolences to his family and the Wake team and coaches. :(

TillyGalore
07-26-2007, 05:04 PM
Here is a link to is bio on the Wake Forest sports web site:

http://wakeforestsports.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/prosser_skip00.html

His philosophy reminds me a lot of Coach K's. Wake Forest really has lost a good man.:(

RelativeWays
07-26-2007, 06:20 PM
I really hate that this happened. Even though Wake had a couple of down years, Skip Prosseur did a great job of continuing the success that Dave Odom had started. I really think Wake would have been (and still could be) the surprise team in the ACC this year, it would have ben nice if Skip was at the helm to guide that success. Really seemed like a class act.

CathyCA
07-26-2007, 06:24 PM
When I read the headline this afternoon, I felt numb. How can this happen to such a good guy? WHY? Everything seemed to be going so well for Coach Prosser. . .

I went to law school at Wake Forest, and I was proud to pull for Coach Prosser and his Demon Deacons (when they weren't playing Duke). How can the Wake Forest players go on when their beloved coach isn't there to guide them anymore? Coach Prosser WAS Wake Forest. He epitomized the ideals of the university, making the academic success of his players one of his top priorities. He was doing things the right way and building a strong basketball program at Wake Forest.

My heart goes out to Coach Prosser's family, to his team, and to his friends.

Milbarge
07-26-2007, 06:44 PM
Mark Prosser, Skip's son, is an assistant coach at Bucknell. The Bison are scheduled to visit Wake this December. Who knows if they'll go through with that game now. But if they do play, I'm sure it will be a very bittersweet moment. It should have been a touching on-court clash between father and son. Skip Prosser built solid programs everywhere he went, and here's hoping Mark Prosser succeeds in coaching as well. That would be another great legacy for a really good person.

Skip Prosser was one of those coaches you like having in the league. I'll miss him, and I know a lot of Duke and ACC fans feel the same way. Condolences to his family, friends, and everyone associated with Wake Forest.

mph
07-26-2007, 08:24 PM
This is terribly sad news. My condolences go out to Prosser’s family and the entire Wake nation.

Johnny B
07-26-2007, 09:16 PM
Not long after arriving in NC from Scotland, I spent a weekend at the Grove Park Inn. One quiet afternoon, whilst in the spa, I came across Coach Prosser. I was just becoming acquainted with basketball and thought that I perhaps recognized him but didn't know from where. He was very unassuming, full of funny stories and great crack. Eventually I asked him what he did, he responded by saying he did a bit of coaching. I asked him what and where and he responded by saying he coached basketball in NC. That was it. He kept it very low key. I assumed he coached high school. Only later that weekend I discovered he coached WF.

Coach Prosser was an absolute gentleman, someone who instantly becomes one's friend. I can certainly understand why his players came to WF and it is no surprise how well he recruited this year. If I hadn't come to Duke I would have easily supported Wake. Skip, I will miss you.

Zeke
07-26-2007, 10:34 PM
All you guys out there that think this will never happen to you -- learn. Get your cholesterol checked - get your coronaries scanned - be careful in your jogging, basketball etc - it can happen to you. The first heart attack is often the fatal one.

Virginia Devil
07-26-2007, 10:37 PM
Not long after arriving in NC from Scotland, I spent a weekend at the Grove Park Inn. One quiet afternoon, whilst in the spa, I came across Coach Prosser. I was just becoming acquainted with basketball and thought that I perhaps recognized him but didn't know from where. He was very unassuming, full of funny stories and great crack. Eventually I asked him what he did, he responded by saying he did a bit of coaching. I asked him what and where and he responded by saying he coached basketball in NC. That was it. He kept it very low key. I assumed he coached high school. Only later that weekend I discovered he coached WF.

Coach Prosser was an absolute gentleman, someone who instantly becomes one's friend. I can certainly understand why his players came to WF and it is no surprise how well he recruited this year. If I hadn't come to Duke I would have easily supported Wake. Skip, I will miss you.

Thanks for the story, Johnny B. Sounds like we lost a gem of a man today.

ACCBBallFan
07-26-2007, 10:50 PM
link to Wake Message Board

http://wakeforest.rivals.com/forum.asp?sid=1098&fid=1576&style=2

captmojo
07-27-2007, 01:48 AM
Terrible loss for the entire NCAA, not just the ACC. Skip, you will be greatly missed.

Uncle Drew
07-27-2007, 02:02 AM
Like all the previous posters, I was shocked to hear about Coach Prosser passing away. Kind of makes you want to seize the day because we never know when it will be our last. The guy was always good for a great quote and IMO tried to run a clean program. DBR had posted several artciles over the past few weeks about the verbal commitment list he had put together for the 2008 season. I hate to be morbid, and if it gets me banned so be it. But what are the chances any those three recruits (Al-Farouq Aminu, Ty Walker & Tony Woods) actually ink with Wake after this tragedy? I know much of that will depend on whom Wake gets to replace Mr. Prosser. Has anyone heard any early rumours about possible replacements? Forgive me for looking ahead to possible scenarios while Wake fans (and basketball fans in general) are still in mourning. But if those recruits back out of their verbal non-binding commitments, I think we all know a couple of schools (and one in particular) where we DON'T want them to end up. What were those recruits "other" potential suitors who might be back in the running now? I don't know about the rest of you people, but the day Coach K dies I'll be crying like a chick laying in the shower like in one of those lifetime movies! Mr. Prosser seemed to be a class act and as genuine as they come.

Lotus000
07-27-2007, 02:17 AM
I really think that the ACC should take out the time and dedicate the season and/or year-ending tournament to him.

He seemed to be an absolute great guy, and exactly the kind of coach you want a rival to have.

dukemomLA
07-27-2007, 02:26 AM
When I heard the news of his death I just broke out in tears. I loved him -- from Xavier to WK. I send hugs to his family and his BB players. Damn.

4decadedukie
07-27-2007, 07:32 AM
Coach Prosser -- his family, friends , players, the Wake basketball community, WFU, and really all of us who love ACC hoops -- are in my prayers today. Prosser was a fine man, beyond his obvious basketball an coaching skills, and I always admired his rye sense of humor. My heart wants to believe that somehow, some good will come from this -- but I don't understand how. This is simply a tragedy.

MulletMan
07-27-2007, 09:12 AM
My heartfelt condolences to the Prosser family and the Wake Forest community. I was an undergraduate at the University of Dayton when Coach Prosser was at Xavier and met him on several occassions. I was then a graduate student at Duke when he began his tenure with Wake. Being a fairly visible fan at Duke and invovled with ticketing, I again had the pleasure to meet Coach Prosser and was shocked that not only did he remember me from Dayton, but took the time to ask after some friends of mine that he had also breifly met. He was truly one of the great men in all of college sports, and did things the right way. He was concerned with more than just winning... he cared about his players and those around him. It is tragic that he will not be a fixture in the ACC for years to come, and our prayers are with the Prosser family and Wake Forest University.

Cameron
07-27-2007, 02:38 PM
I really think that the ACC should take out the time and dedicate the season and/or year-ending tournament to him.

I agree 100 percent. Dedicating the Tournament of all Tournaments, our very own ACC Championship, would be a grand way to celebrate the life of an apparently grand human being. I never had the pleasure of meeting Coach Prosser while he was on earth, but, after hearing the high praise and acclaim others have shared of him not only on here but throughout the rest of the sporting world as well, I would love to meet him one day.

May God bless his family and friends while trying to make sense of this truly horrible tragedy.

rsvman
07-27-2007, 10:25 PM
What a tragic loss for his family, his school, the ACC, and NCAA basketball. I was looking forward to years of great, hard-fought games against his teams. We will all miss him very much.

gep
08-01-2007, 03:52 AM
I just read about Skip Prosser's funeral today. I will *definitely* miss him in the ACC. He was my favorite. He always had a smile on his face, even when imploring his team on, or arguing with refs. To me, he seemed like a great person (unfortunately, I only "know" him from watching him on TV whenever Wake Forest was on). Also, his experience with the troops in the Mid-East... what a great loss to *all* of us.

I want to express my deepest condolences to the Prosser family... and to the Wake Forest community.