Jerry Tarkanian
Encyclopedia
Jerry Tarkanian also known as "Tark the Shark", is a retired college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....

 coach known as one of the winningest coaches in college basketball history. He is also well known for his colorful behavior, including habitually chewing on a towel during games, and for his public criticisms and legendary clashes with the NCAA, which eventually paid Tarkanian the largest settlement in NCAA history.

With a 729–201 career coaching record (78.4%) across all college divisions, Tarkanian is the top 21 for collegiate wins among all men's coaches. Only four other coaches have a higher winning percentage. He is also one of few college coaches to lead three different schools to 20-win seasons. He accomplished a 20-win season at each school in his first year.

One of Jerry's sons, Danny Tarkanian
Danny Tarkanian
Daniel John "Danny" Tarkanian is an American real estate and small business owner. In 2004, Tarkanian ran for the Nevada Senate and lost the general election. In 2006, he won the Republican nomination for Nevada Secretary of State, but lost in the general election. In 2010 he was a Republican...

, was an Academic All-American college basketball player while playing for Jerry Tarkanian at UNLV.

Early life

Tarkanian, the son of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...

n immigrants, was born in Euclid, Ohio
Euclid, Ohio
Euclid is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Greater Cleveland Metropolitan Area, and borders Cleveland. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 48,920...

, United States, and attended Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College is a community college in Pasadena, California, USA, located on Colorado Boulevard. PCC is the third largest community college campus in the United States. PCC was founded in 1924 as Pasadena Junior College. In 1954, Pasadena Junior College merged with another junior...

 in California. He later transferred to Fresno State
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno, often referred to as Fresno State University and synonymously known in athletics as Fresno State , is one of the leading campuses of the California State University system, located at the northeast edge of Fresno, California, USA.The campus sits at the foot of...

 where he played basketball for the Bulldogs in 1954 and 1955. He graduated in 1955. Later, he earned a master's degree in educational management from the University of Redlands
University of Redlands
The University of Redlands is a private liberal arts and sciences university located in Redlands, California. The university's campus sits on near downtown Redlands. The university was founded in 1907 and was associated with the American Baptist Church. The land for the university was donated by...

.

Early coaching career

He began coaching high school basketball in California in 1956, and moved to college ball at Riverside City College from 1961–1966 and Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College is a community college in Pasadena, California, USA, located on Colorado Boulevard. PCC is the third largest community college campus in the United States. PCC was founded in 1924 as Pasadena Junior College. In 1954, Pasadena Junior College merged with another junior...

 from 1966-68. His teams won three California junior college championships.

Long Beach State and UNLV

Tarkanian moved to Division I basketball as coach at Long Beach State
Long Beach State 49ers
'An NCAA Division I member, Long Beach State has 18 sports teams and plays competitively in baseball, cross country, softball, track and field, women's tennis, and women's soccer, as well as both men's and women's basketball, volleyball, water polo and golf teams...

 from 1968–1973, where "the Shark" was among the first coaches to use more than 3 black starters, violating an unwritten rule at the time, and pioneered the use of Junior College athletes. Long Beach State soon became a regional power, although they were no match for the vaunted UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...

 dynasty. However, after Tark left for Las Vegas, the NCAA would go after Long Beach State.

Tarkanian achieved much success at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...

, coaching the Runnin' Rebels
UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball
The UNLV Runnin' Rebels are a NCAA Division I men's basketball team who play at the Thomas & Mack Center in Paradise, Nevada. Their most recent appearance in the NCAA Tournament was in 2011 when they received an at–large bid to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, earning an 8-seed in...

 from 1973-1992. In fact, it was Tarkanian's idea to call the team the "Runnin' Rebels." His teams were known for an up-tempo style, stifling defense, and going on long runs that turned close games into blowouts.

He took his UNLV teams to four Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...

s. In the first, in 1977
1977 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1977 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 32 American schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the National Champion of Men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1977, and ended with the championship game on March 28 in Atlanta, Georgia. A...

 (only seven years after the program joined Division I), the Rebels lost to North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels
The North Carolina Tar Heels are the athletic teams for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to individuals from the state of North Carolina, the Tar Heel State...

 in the semifinals. Ten years later
1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1987, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in New Orleans, Louisiana...

, UNLV lost to Bob Knight's eventual national champion Indiana Hoosiers
1986–87 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team
The 1986–87 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University. The Head Coach was Bobby Knight. The team played its home games in the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, and was a member of the Big Ten Conference.-Team:-Player stats:...

. Finally, in the 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 1990, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Denver, Colorado...

 Tarkanian led UNLV
1989–90 UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team
The 1989–90 UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team represented the University of Nevada Las Vegas in NCAA Division I men's competition in the 1989–90 season, and won the NCAA title under head coach Jerry Tarkanian...

 to the championship, prevailing 103–73 against Duke
1989–90 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team
The 1989–90 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team represented Duke University. The Head Coach was Mike Krzyzewski. The team played its home games in the Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina, and was a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference....

 while setting a record for margin of victory in a championship game. The following year
1991 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1991 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 14, 1991, and ended with the championship game on April 1 in Indianapolis, Indiana...

 Coach Tarkanian's undefeated Rebels
1990–91 UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team
The 1990–91 UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team represented the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in NCAA Division I men's competition in the 1990–91 season...

 met Duke again in the semifinals and lost 79–77.

Tarkanian had been under more or less constant scrutiny from the NCAA for most of his career (see below), but managed to weather the pressure until he signed Lloyd Daniels
Lloyd Daniels
Lloyd Daniels is a retired American professional and semi-professional basketball player.The 6'7" shooting guard was one of the most sought-after recruits in the nation during the 1986-87 recruiting cycle. At the time, he was considered the most talented player from New York City since Kareem...

, a talented but troubled shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...

 from New York City. In 1987—just months before he was due to come to campus—Daniels was caught buying crack cocaine
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...

 from an undercover policeman. While Tarkanian had been known for taking in troubled players, this was too much even for him, and he announced shortly afterward that Daniels would never play for UNLV. Not long after Daniels' arrest, it emerged he'd been led to UNLV by Richard Perry, a prominent gambler who had been convicted twice for sports bribery and was suspected of ties to the Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...

.

Perry's involvement triggered yet another NCAA investigation, which ultimately resulted in the NCAA banning the Rebels from the 1991 NCAA Tournament only months after they won the title. However, the NCAA later agreed to a compromise which allowed UNLV to defend its title, but would see the Rebels banned from the 1992 tourney. Only a few months after UNLV's 1991 loss to Duke, the Las Vegas Review-Journal
Las Vegas Review-Journal
The Las Vegas Review-Journal is published in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It is the largest circulating daily newspaper in Nevada, and one of two daily newspapers in Las Vegas . It is the flagship publication of Stephens Media LLC...

published a picture showing three of Tarkanian's players in a hot tub
Hot tub
A hot tub is a large tub or small pool full of heated water and used for soaking, relaxation, massage, or hydrotherapy. In most cases, they have jets for massage purposes. Hot tubs are usually located outdoors, and are often sheltered for protection from the elements, as well as for privacy....

 with Perry. The picture had been taken in 1989, only months after Tarkanian claimed he'd warned his players to stay away from Perry. School president Robert Maxson had seen enough, and forced Tarkanian to announce he would resign at the end of the 1991–92 season.

NBA and return to college

Tarkanian was offered the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...

 head coaching job in 1977, but declined, continuing to coach college basketball. Tarkanian was signed to coach the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....

 in 1992, not long after leaving UNLV. However, he disagreed with Spurs owner Red McCombs
Red McCombs
Billy Joe "Red" McCombs is the founder of the Red McCombs Automotive Group, a co-founder of Clear Channel Communications, a former owner of the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, and the Minnesota Vikings, and the namesake of the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin...

 over the need for experience at point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...

. The Spurs had lost Rod Strickland
Rod Strickland
Rodney "Rod" Strickland is a retired American professional basketball player and currently in an administrative role for the University of Kentucky basketball team under head coach John Calipari. Strickland was formerly the director of basketball operations at the University of Memphis...

 to free agency in the offseason (he signed with Portland
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...

), leaving the Spurs without a point guard with NBA experience. Tarkanian felt that the Spurs wouldn't be competitive without an experienced point guard, but McCombs disagreed. As a result, Tarkanian was fired after only 20 games with a 9–11 record. He received a $1.3 million settlement, which he used to fund a lawsuit against the NCAA.

Fresno State

He returned to college coaching at alma mater Fresno State from 1995–2002 and led them to six consecutive 20-win seasons. Tarkanian led the Bulldogs to five NIT tournaments and two NCAA appearances. He retired from coaching in 2002 with 778 career Division I wins. Following his retirement, Fresno State was placed on probation by the NCAA for violations committed by its men's basketball team under Tarkanian's watch.

Tarkanian and the NCAA

Tarkanian spent most of his career as a Division I coach in a battle with the NCAA. After he left Long Beach State, its basketball program was slapped with probation for recruiting violations which occurred under his watch.

Just months before the 1976–77 season, the NCAA placed UNLV on two years' probation for "questionable practices." Although the alleged violations dated back to 1971—before Tarkanian became coach—the NCAA pressured UNLV into suspending Tarkanian as coach for two years. Tarkanian sued, claiming the suspension violated his right to due process
Due process
Due process is the legal code that the state must venerate all of the legal rights that are owed to a person under the principle. Due process balances the power of the state law of the land and thus protects individual persons from it...

. In September 1977, a Nevada judge issued an injunction
Injunction
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. A party that fails to comply with an injunction faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...

 which reinstated Tarkanian as coach. The case eventually made it all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...

, which ruled in 1988 that the NCAA had the right to discipline its member schools, but required that due process be followed—effectively upholding the original 1977 injunction.
In the decade between the original suspension and the Supreme Court ruling, it was revealed that the NCAA's enforcement process was stacked heavily in the NCAA's favor—so heavily, in fact, that it created a perception that there was no due process. The enforcement staff was allowed to build cases on hearsay
Hearsay
Hearsay is information gathered by one person from another person concerning some event, condition, or thing of which the first person had no direct experience. When submitted as evidence, such statements are called hearsay evidence. As a legal term, "hearsay" can also have the narrower meaning of...

, and shared few of their findings with the targeted school. The resulting negative publicity led the NCAA to institute a clearer separation between the enforcement staff and the infractions committee, as well as a system for appeals. Also, hearsay evidence was no longer admissible in infractions cases.

After being fired from the Spurs, Tarkanian sued the NCAA, claiming it had harassed him for over two decades. The harassment, Tarkanian claimed, started when he wrote a newspaper column alleging that the NCAA was more willing to punish less-prominent schools than big-name schools. Although the NCAA did not admit harassing Tarkanian, it settled out of court in 1998, paying him $2.5 million.

Other biographical details

His colorful autobiography, "Runnin' Rebel: Shark Tales of "Extra Benefits", Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...

 and Winning it All" was released in October 2005 and was a major national seller.

Jerry Tarkanian is married to Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...

 city councilwoman Lois Tarkanian. They have four children and ten grandchildren. One of their sons, Danny Tarkanian
Danny Tarkanian
Daniel John "Danny" Tarkanian is an American real estate and small business owner. In 2004, Tarkanian ran for the Nevada Senate and lost the general election. In 2006, he won the Republican nomination for Nevada Secretary of State, but lost in the general election. In 2010 he was a Republican...

, was an All-American college basketball player while playing for Jerry Tarkanian at UNLV. He won the Republican nomination for Nevada secretary of state in the 2006 primary but lost in the general election. In 2010
United States Senate election in Nevada, 2010
-Tarkanian:-Angle:-Polling:Includes current candidates who have polled at least 2% in at least one poll.-Results:-Candidates:*Harry Reid , incumbent U.S...

 he mounted an unsuccessful Republican primary campaign for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

 seat held by Harry Reid
Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...

.

Tarkanian is a good friend of college basketball coach Bob Knight. Tarkanian and Knight matched wits in the national semifinals of the 1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1987, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in New Orleans, Louisiana...

 in New Orleans, with Knight's Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball
The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU...

 defeating UNLV 97–93.

He also started a basketball school in Las Vegas, named The Tarkanian Basketball Academy.

His granddaughter Dannielle Diamant plays for Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....

 women's basketball team.

Head coaching record

Note: The record of 784-202 includes 6 NCAA tournament games vacated by the NCAA while at Long Beach State and 49 games vacated while at Fresno State. Therefore the record with these games vacated by the NCAA would be 729-201.

See also

  • List of college men's basketball coaches with 600 wins
  • List of NCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coach

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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