Chuck Daly

The Core Belief

Tonight, I’d like to pay overdue homage to Chuck Daly, coach of both the Detroit Pistons and the 1992 Dream Team, who passed away from pancreatic cancer on May 9, 2009.  He was 78 years old.

When Detroit was last going through a rough time, this in the 1980’s, Daly was one of the men who helped lead the citizenry through the trying times.  Dapperly dressed, and blessed with a laid back, languid way, even the Piston ‘Bad Boy’ teams he coached couldn’t ruffle the man.  Three times, Chuck Daly took his gang of disparate personalities to the NBA finals, walking away with championships in 1989 and 1990.  This was at a time when the mere glimmer of hope would send the denizens of Detroit into a frenzy of arson, looting and crime. 

After winning the 1990 World Championship, Daly was all over the radio imploring calm in the populous.  It worked and what buildings were left in Detroit remained upright, ready to be burned down on Devil’s Night.

It was no shock when the man was asked to coach the original Olympic ‘Dream Team.’  He was able to put those egos in check long enough to win the Gold Medal.  And he never left Detroit, maintaining a home in the area until his dying day.

Charles ‘Chuck’ Daly was a man to follow when times got rough.  I only hope, in the trying times to come as GM declares bankruptcy and the country sinks further into depression, we have leaders like him rise to the fore.