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Sutton named 'Most Courageous' by USBWA | ||
| It wouldn't be surprising to look up the word "courage" in the dictionary and find Mike Sutton's picture by the definition. After all, the Tennessee Tech men's basketball head coach pretty much exemplified the meaning of courage for the past year.
Because he has continued to run the Golden Eagle program while battling the paralyzing effects of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Sutton has been named the recipient of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Most Courageous Award. "It's quite a surprise," says Sutton. "It's especially a big honor because the people who do that are sportswriters who have covered basketball for a long time throughout the country. It's a prestigious honor, and I'm excited about that honor." The USBWA annually recognizes a player, coach, official or administrator who has demonstrated extraordinary courage reflecting honor on the sport of amateur basketball. "It's quite an honor for people who know the game," says Sutton. "It's a tribute to the people at Tennessee Tech and our players who have done such a wonderful job. "The most courageous person in all of this is my wife, Karen. She has not had a day off or any time to herself since this happened. She has been there with me every day." The 49-year-old Sutton collapsed last April with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a mysterious disorder that attacks the immune system and weakens the legs and arms. Sutton was on a ventilator for a few months, communicating only by blinking his eyes at first. During the past several months, he has regained limited use of his hands and legs but is able to walk now with some assistance. Meanwhile, TTU associate head coach Steve Payne conducted practices and walked the sidelines during the games as Sutton's condition continued to improve each day. "I'm proud of our guys and Steve Payne for handling an adverse situation," says Sutton. "It's been almost a year since I was taken ill. They have done a wonderful job. It has been trying, but Steve has done a great job, and it helps because we think alike. He's received a couple of Coach of the Year Awards from some major organizations. Steve is an outstanding human being and a wonderful basketball coach, and I couldn't ask for a more loyal assistant." Sutton eventually began to attend practices on
a regular basis and attended a home game on Nov. 20. He made his
first road trip on Dec. 17 to Cincinnati and attended each of the
team's remaining games with the exception of Michigan State. "We set a schedule not knowing what was going on," Sutton explains. "We played the toughest schedule in Tech history. We were real pleased with our schedule. To have that kind of year, winning 19 games, I'm real proud of the players." |
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