Haskins will always be in El Paso

Don Haskins is the most important person ever to live in El Paso; every El Pasoan knows  who he is, and it is unanimous that he is great - a powerful presence from history's college basketball annals to the quiet meeting places he seeks out with you and I. Big time in the NCAA to the best enchiladas nook in the county. Puttering Mesa and the desert in that pickup. He'd have a coffee with you, he'd have a beer with you.

Don Haskins is also the most loved and respected person ever to live in El Paso. To know him is to understand how he loves El Pasoans, THE El Pasoans: a hotdogs and burritos man is he. His chicken has to be fried. That scowl on the basketball court, where he made Texas Western/UTEP famous for big wins, a colorful presence and the ever-so-secret good deeds of charity he never talks about. The 1966 NCAA Basketball Championship. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Yes, but, there was the: "Here's a little something to help you out with the kids, ma'am." The pickup truck trips into nearby Mexico villages with clothes for the needy.

Yes, scowl. But he always turns that intimidating presence into a wink and a chuckle, if you'd  stick around for just a minute. The "watch me go get a technical foul tonight," and then the gleam in the big, blue eyes and the smile that radiated and turnd his face red and went into his belly.

El Paso is full of history and heritage ... conquistadores to Pancho Villa and on to joining Juarez as the largest border city in the world - AND DON HASKINS, 78, basketball coach for 38 years, and El Paso's favorite man starting way back in 1961.

We'll miss His Coachency for a little while. Then he'll be back, living forever as the most-important, most-respected, most-loved  man ever in the history of El Paso.

Comments

[Who's your Mumme]

My prayers go out to the Haskins family our neighbors, in El Paso and Utep.
He was a great, great man that put El Paso on the map and changed the game.

Your neighbors to the North are with you during these tough times.

[CLEOFITZWITZ]

I agree with you 100% Joe. I have suggested it before and I'll say it again; Rename the airport Don Haskins International Airport. It will be there for all to see whether they are coming or leaving, that he represents El Paso like no other.

That is how I wish we could honor him and his family.

Our prayer are with him and his family.

[Maven]

Very sad to hear about Coach. He was great guy. We were lucky to have him.

[SoCal Miner]

Today is a sad day for UTEP and for all of El Paso. Coach Haskin's impact on El Paso is beyond measure. I happened to be in town for last night's game, having dinner with my family and the news was broadcast. We all fell silent, which is highly unusualy for us. It almost felt like I had lost a dear friend I had known my entire life. May God Bless his family.

[just a thought]

RIP Coach. You made basketball and the world better.

[Toasted Whitebred]

Now who do we have??

[Marc Garcia]

Name the Airport after Don Haskins

[Trish Johnson]

Thanks for the memories Coach Haskins! You will be greatly missed.

From those of us who have moved, we mourn with you UTEP and El Paso! It's a sad day for all of us.

May God's blessings be with Coach and his family.

[Omar Dominguez]

Coach:

Thank you for all you did and gave to El Paso, you left this world but your stamp will never be forgotten you showed that we are all equal and the same and you put your best five regardless of color or circumstances around that time, but theres a lot more than that, you will always be remembered; El Paso salutes his greatest representative, like somebody said the John Wayne of basketball!!

[Monchis]

My prayers and thoughts are with the Haskins family!
My sincere, and heartfelt condolences.
What else can be said about "the Bear"? There will never be another Don Haskins!
He'll always remain the El Paso icon everyone loved and admired!
Rest in peace, Bear! All of El Paso mourns your passing!

[g]

The compassion from this one man is amazing. It's something that can never be repeated.

[2myeye]

You don't know what you have until it's gone.

[Erica Sauce (soon to be) Valdez]

It is easier to leave than to be those left behind. God Speed Bear you will be missed.

[Adrian Duran]

It is a sad day for the basketball world and for all of the folks that knew of "The Bear," but most especially for the City of El Paso, who lost an icon, a man of great honor and integrity, a man that will live on in the hearts of El Pasoans for a long long time. It is only fitting that one half of the front page of the El Paso Times is taken up by Coach Haskins picture, double the space of the 1966 cover the day after they won the National Title. Let it not be lost in anyones mind that Coach Haskins is Resting in Peace and with a smile on his face, because his accomplishments throughout his career, and especially 1966, were recognized in recent times, not only by his induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame, but the entire teams inducttion in to the Naismith Hall of Fame. Coach Haskins would not a boast or ever put the spotlight on himself, and to have his TEAM recognized must have given him great pleasure. He was a great man to the end!

[minerhater]

if it wasn't for Haskins El Paso would suck only because the football team is worse than any high school team here in town

[sad day in ep]

I cannot help but think that last night's rainstorm was but the tears of a million people. R.I.P. Coach. All El Paso loved you! You didn't leave us behind, we were all included in your triumphs!!

[Jon]

RIP Coach Haskins.... You will be missed but always remembered.

[Maylo Roe]

No words can describe the loss of Coach Don Haskins passing. An absolute Legend in our time and for many generations to come. I now know the storm that passed last night, were tears from Heaven.

[Vatoman]

El Paso has lost it's Patron Saint and favorite individual. Coach Haskins was El Paso and what he and his team did in 1966 was give us some much needed dignity. We continue to suffer from an incredible sense of self-loathing and unworthiness. Texas Western was a little school of around 5,000 students and when they won it all we felt like we could accomplish anything. That ever present low self esteem we continue to suffer as a community was gone for a time. In later years after 1966, each time the Miners got into the big dance our City would come together and get that old feeling once again. Now we all mourn our loss because Coach meant so much to so many people. We have lost our image, our Santa Claus, our ego builder and our father figure. God Bless the Haskins family and God Bless Don Haskins. Que Decanses En Paz.

[Vic]

RIP "Bear."

May the Lord comfort the Haskins family during these difficult times.

[RJ]

I've always believed and said Coach Haskins and his UTEP teams were really what made El Pasoans proud to be El Pasoans.

I dont think the city will ever know another iconic figure like Coach Haskins.

He put UTEP Bball on the map and till this day, there will always be this stigma that powerhouse teams shy away from playing in the Bear's den.

Its a sad loss for the city because he was truly loved by everyone in the EP, but feared and respected by the rest of the country.

Coach Haskins was El Paso and represented the city and university to fullest, and it would only be fitting for our bball team to play this year with those same principles and represent the coach.

He deserves nothing less than excellence from the city and the team this year.

I have a feeling it will be special.

[rayman]

We will never know the full extent to which Coach's influence was felt. Remeber Phil Harris? Here is an article from my hometown in which he remembers Coach Haskins. Coach, we will miss you.

http://www.recordonline.com

Click the number 3 box under Top Stories.

[Toasted Whitebred]

Tough! That's what Haskins and his teams were. The never lost a fight under Haskins watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=798-q4Y1u_Y&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phn0eQEp8wY

[rj]

Whitebread--

I've been looking for that Spillar fight for a while.

I remember hearing that on the radio and going crazy when Kevin "the real deal" Beal knocked that chump out.

By the way, does anyone know the background story behind the BYU Brawl?

I remember hearing BYU's player said something racial to one of UTEP's players and Lockhart went off!

I also remember hearing Haskins actually tell Lockhart that he did the right thing.

Anyone know? Kind of before my time.

Either way, great post.