Skip Prosser of Wake Forest...

Skip was one of the most, if not the most, genuine big-time coaches I ever dealt with. Just a regular guy, maybe because he came up the hard way, coaching and teaching in HS for a long time before breaking into college. Also one of the most well-read, literate and quotable members of the coaching fraternity. Just a guy you could picture sitting down and having a beer with.

 

We had heard on Tobacco Road about Skip's passing around 2 p.m.ish, but I believe a lot of news organizations waited on the story because WF was having a terrible time reaching his wife, who was in Florida. Skip was supposed to be meeting her later today and catch his prized recruits at the Super Showcase. It's hard to believe I just talked to him about 10 days ago and he was on top of the world. Makes you appreciate life.

 

Coolbaugh, now Prosser.

What a crappy week.

RIP.

 

Covered him and his team once in the NCAA tournament for a couple of rounds. Was one of the most engaging coaches I've ever met and seemed to have an appreciation, unlike many coaches, that there were other things in life besides bouncing an orange ball.

I wondered at the time if he was one of those guys that was great around the national media, not so great with the beat writers. Of course, I quickly found out he was good to everybody.

Dammit. RIP, Skip. You will be missed, especially considering all the slimeballs that populate college hoops.

 

Dan Wetzel's column on Yahoo: The game's loss

 

Just terrible news. I believe Skip's son walked right past me in the Milkhouse today at about noon. I was out of there before he received the news. I can't imagine the reaction as word spread through the building. There were hundreds of college coaches in the building. It will be interesting to see the response on Friday.

One of the Florida AAU teams will be playing with No. 22 patches on their unis in honor of Dante Anderson, a big-time Florida basketball recruit who was killed in an automobile accident in May. There were reports at the time of Anderson's death indicating that Prosser was interested in recruiting him.

 

To echo everyone else's posts, Skip Prosser was a great guy. The one encounter I had with him he was wonderful and helpful. He didn't have to, but his help made the story work. A tragic loss for the sport and for our profession because there are too few like him and too many that could give a crap about anyone but themselves.
RIP and heartfelt prayers to his family.

 

Fuck.

Heart attack kills Prosser, while Bob Huggins carries on.

 

A really good good man. Loved talking about history and was very knowledgeable about it. Sad.

 

Andy Katz has a column on ESPN.com about the reaction of the coaches who were there. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=2950594

Just terrible news. RIP Skip.

 

I don't mean to take away from Prosser's passing, but Posnanski wrote another beauty.

http://www.kansascity.com/180/story/207141.html
(link to Posnanski's KC Star column on Prosser's death)

I never knew much about Prosser, but it sounds like college basketball has lost a good one. RIP.

 

I had a relative go to Wake Forest for school, and among all the WF t-shirts I got for birthdays and Christmas, I also got a Skip Prosser bobblehead doll. He still sits on the chest of drawers in my bedroom.

I can't say how sad I am about this. Just a tremendous man who was loved by all in Winston-Salem.