Sweet story on SI.com about Coach John Wooden

Arash Markazi writes a nice little story about the legendary coach's 98th birthday party at a local diner in Encino, CA.

When I was younger, I held feelings of resentment against the great coach because I thought he was too good to be true. That Sam Gilbert had bought players for him. And that Coach Wooden had turned a blind eye to recruiting violations during his tenure at UCLA while holding himself and his program out as beyond reproach.

But in the last several years, I have come around. Hearing Bill Walton emotionally describe his deep and rewarding relationship with his college coach always moves me. Hearing other coaches and former players testify about how Wooden make their lives better and richer never ceases to amaze me.

This man is loved by just about everyone who has ever come in contact with him for any extended period of time. God bless him.