MAYBE LYNN Archibald was just too nice to be a basketball coach.
Not that most basketball coaches aren't nice guys. But Archibald, who passed away Wednesday after a valiant fight with cancer, was exceptional.Of all the coaches I've worked with in a myriad of sports during my 17 years at the Deseret News, Archibald ranks right at the top.
He was genuine, caring and sincere, with his players, with the fans and in his dealings with the media. His greatest strength as a coach was recruiting, which isn't surprising considering the type of person he was.
I covered the Utes for five of the six years Archibald coached at the University of Utah. They weren't the greatest years for Ute basketball, nor were they the worst.
Archibald compiled a decent 98-86 record in six years as the University of Utah coach (1983-89). In 1984-85, he took the Utes on that exciting postseason run, which included the famous Manny Hendrix shot to beat Wyoming. The following year, he led the Utes to the NCAAs, where as a 14th seed, they gave North Carolina all it could handle before faltering in the final minutes. The next two years his Utes were invited to the NIT.
Three postseason appearances in six years would be great for the majority of college coaches in America. But it wasn't good enough at the U., where expectations were higher and Archibald was let go after the 1988-89 season. He spent a few years as Bill Frieder's assistant at Arizona State before moving on to BYU where he served under Roger Reid. He kept his illness under wraps for two years and worked right until the end in his job for BYU basketball.
What made Archibald so great to work with was that he treated us in the media as normal people, which we are for the most part. He never tried to belittle or threaten us or try to tell us how to do our jobs.
"Lynn was probably the most honest, sincere coach I've ever worked with," said Bill Marcroft, the voice of Utah athletics for more than 30 years. "That's why he was such a great recruiter, because of his sincerity and realness."
Marcroft also said Archibald was the most accommodating coach he ever worked with, one who would even interrupt practice if an interview was needed. "With Lynn, the lines of communication were always open," said Marcroft.
Archibald was certainly the most accessible coach I've ever worked with. He told me I could call him at home anytime, although he preferred that I call as late as possible. I took him at his word and sometimes when I woke him from a sound sleep, he would always graciously answer my questions.
One time when I wanted to do an in-depth story about what a typical Ute basketball road trip was like, Archibald didn't hesitate to give me complete access to the team. He allowed me to go to meetings and pre-game meals, and he even let me sit in a corner of the locker room during the pre-game and halftime talks.
Archibald used to invite the media to go out to dinner with the team the night before games and one time up in Laramie, I recall being surprised as well as embarrassed when he had the team sing "Happy Birthday" to me.
"He was definitely one of the nicest guys you'd ever want to know," said U. of U. media relations director Bruce Woodbury. "He would do anything for you and was someone everyone liked. He was a friend to everyone."
One thing I particularly liked about Archibald was his positive spirit. He displayed it not only as a coach through tough times but as a cancer patient through immeasurably tougher times.
I remember seeing him at Arizona State the year after he left Utah and he called me over to sit and talk just minutes before a basketball game. Later when he moved on to BYU, he was the same way, finding time to talk and show sincere interest, even before a big game. To Archibald, people were more important than the final score and that may have worked to his detriment at times.
Perhaps he ended up with a mediocre record as a head coach. However Lynn Archibald wasn't a mediocre person. He was as good as they get. In these days when everyone is only concerned about wins and losses, the coaching profession would be a lot better off with more good guys like Lynn Archibald.