Pat Foster worked for Eddie Sutton when the University of Arkansas men's basketball program turned into a national power in the 1970s.
Foster's former boss was on his mind Monday when Foster spoke at the Downtown Tip-Off Club's weekly luncheon at the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce.
A former Arkansas assistant coach from 1972-80 who was a coach under Sutton from 1974-80 gave the Tip-Off Club crowd an update on Sutton, 83, who is in deteriorating health.
"He's not well at all," Foster said. "That's hard to see. It's hard for all of us to take. He's done a lot for basketball. We owe him a tremendous amount of gratitude. Remember him in your prayers tonight.
"He is near the end."
Sutton, who arrived at Arkansas from Creighton, coached the Razorbacks from 1974-85, going 260-75 with five Southwest Conference championships, nine NCAA Tournament appearance and a trip to the Final Four in 1978. He later coached at Kentucky, Oklahoma State and San Francisco, the latter stop as an interim coach.
Foster said Sutton helped change the culture of Arkansas' basketball program.
"Arkansas was put on the map," Foster said. "It remains there. As dormant as it has been recently, it will rise again."
After being at Arkansas, Foster, 80, became a head coach at Lamar (1980-86), Houston (1986-93) and Nevada (1993-99). He was 366-203 in 19 seasons as a head coach, winning three Southland Conference regular-season championships (1981, 1983, 1984) and two Southland Tournament titles (1981, 1983) at Lamar, as well as leading Houston to the Southwest Conference regular-season and tournament title in 1992.
Foster credited the players he coached for his success, including former Arkansas stars Marvin Delph and U.S. Reed, who were both in attendance to hear Foster speak.
"Great players make great coaches," Foster said. "They knew teamwork. They knew loyalty. They were dedicated to one another."
Reed was recruited to Arkansas by Foster, who saw Reed play in the Arkansas high school all-star basketball game in Conway in 1977. The Pine Bluff native said Foster was a key part of why he attended Arkansas.
"Coach Foster was my coach," Reed said. "If it wasn't for Coach Foster, I wouldn't have been a Razorback."
Delph, who played at Conway before going to Arkansas, recalled a message Sutton told his team.
"You play hard, you play smart and you play together," Delph said. "You play as a team. The games that you remember, that's exactly the way we played. We played hard. You didn't get to play if you didn't play hard."
This year's Arkansas team is 16-5 overall and 4-4 in the SEC after an 82-78 victory Saturday at Alabama. Foster believes first-year Coach Eric Musselman can get the Razorbacks back to national prominence.
"We're on the verge at the university of seeing a return to being back to big-time basketball," Foster said.
Sports on 02/04/2020