Copied from this http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/publ...rick+Award article on NCAA.org:



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Publish date: Jul 31, 2012

NCAA honors student-athletes with Sportsmanship Awards; Belmont’s Byrd wins Bob Frederick Award

The Bob Frederick Award is presented in honor of the late Kansas director of athletics to an NCAA coach, administrator or staff member who demonstrates a history of sportsmanship.

In his student-athlete letter of support for Byrd, former player Wes Burtner (now head of the school’s Bruin Club) noted Belmont’s longtime success at the NAIA level before switching to Division I in the 1990s. The Bruins had been noted as a program that featured quality students, and one skeptic told Byrd that approach would have to go by the wayside if he hoped to compete at the Division I level. “Coach Byrd told him that he would just have to find something else to do then because he was not going to sacrifice what he believed was the right way to run a college basketball program just to win a few more games,” Burtner wrote.

Burtner also noted how Byrd suspended a player when he discovered on a replay that the player had thrown an elbow in frustration in a game the night before. “There was no league mandate, no requirement for coach Byrd to do this,” Burtner wrote. “He just thought it would be the right thing to do and important to send a message to the player.”

Another time, Burtner said he was with Byrd when the coach routed a walk across the campus to the food court, where he repaid a debt he owed the cashier. “The day before he had purchased a sandwich and a drink and was 37 cents short,” Burtner wrote. “The cashier told him not to worry about it, but here he was, with his quarter, dime and two pennies on his way to repay what he owed.”

Under Byrd’s leadership, Belmont has become a familiar entry in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, having reached the tournament five times since 2006. His teams stand 637-339 over his 31-year career.

“I like to say Rick is a builder of men, not basketball players,” said Athletics Director Mike Strickland.

What a good coach. I feel o.k. saying that now that we don't have to play against him! I wasn't aware of a lot of this...

Copied from the OVC site release http://www.ovcsports.com/news/2012/7/31/...21830.aspx about Byrd's award:



One of the most respected figures in college basketball, Byrd has overseen a program marked by unparalleled on-court and academic achievement.

The Knoxville, Tenn. native joins Bill Self of Kansas and John Calipari of Kentucky as one of three head coaches in the nation to lead their program to an NCAA Tournament automatic berth five of the last seven years. Moreover, with 637 career victories, Byrd ranks eighth among all active NCAA Division I head coaches in wins.

In the classroom, Belmont men’s basketball leads the nation in Capital One Academic All-America selections since 2001 with 10. Belmont, which has posted 13 consecutive years of team GPA of 3.0 or higher, is also one of only six programs in NCAA Division I men’s basketball to make the NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) Public Recognition List every year since its inception in 2006.

This is the latest national honor for Byrd. Following the Bruins’ historic 30-5 campaign in 2011, Byrd was named Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year. A back-to-back recipient of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 3 Coach of the Year Award, Byrd is a two-time finalist for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award, established in 2008 to honor the former Xavier and Wake Forest head coach who embodied the qualities of moral integrity on and off the court.

An NAIA Hall of Famer and Dr. James Naismith National Sportsmanship Award recipient, Byrd will be inducted into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame Aug. 23.



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Byrd is the definition of "winning the right way."

Byrd is one of the best coaches in America. I wonder what he would do at an institution like Vanderbilt?

(08-02-2012 09:53 AM)Bucfaithful Wrote:  Byrd is one of the best coaches in America. I wonder what he would do at an institution like Vanderbilt?

Yes, why hasn't he been hired away? Can Belmont match any offers that could be made, or is money not an issue with Byrd?

He's where he needs to be. Truthfully, I don't think Byrd would have the same level of success at a place like Vanderbilt that he has at Belmont, but who knows. Plus, his time as a head coach is drawing closer and closer to an end. He and his wife just built a new house in Green Hills.

(08-02-2012 01:55 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  He's where he needs to be. Truthfully, I don't think Byrd would have the same level of success at a place like Vanderbilt that he has at Belmont, but who knows. Plus, his time as a head coach is drawing closer and closer to an end. He and his wife just built a new house in Green Hills.

Yeah, no doubt about all of that. Byrd BUILT Belmont over the course of his career (they should change their name to Byrdmont). For sure, if it weren't for Byrd, Belmont would still be NAIA and we'd occasionally play them as a pre-season tune up game. Given enough time . . . and administration support (for a change of pace) . . . maybe Coach B. can do the same thing here. Then, in twenty or so years, I could be typing that we should change our name to Bartow State.

I've been on the Belmont campus many times. It seems like every time I'm there, there's a couple more buildings and a few new construction cranes. My take is that Belmont is brimming with money and will not allow ($$$$$$$) Byrd to be hired away by anyone. If he were to go, I could see him at Vanderbilt, mainly because the relocation expense would be very low! But, isn't the head coach for the C'Dores a close golfing buddy of Byrd, Lipscomb MBB coach Sanderson, and Vince Gill? They'll never break-up that Sunday foursome.

I've heard that Byrd has had plenty of opportunities to leave, but prefers his situation at Belmont. The money isn't bad either, I think he makes a little over $500k in total compensation at Belmont.

Years ago he has. Ive always said Belmont is a poor. mans Davidson, only Coach Byrd is likeable. Tennessee interviewed him but it really was more of a token gesture. He and family have it made here, and holy crap the ovc will be fun.