Holiday reminds Westphal of special friendship
Around his neck, Paul Westphal wears his devotion to Cotton Fitzsimmons.
It's an inside story, and it's a beautiful story. What is Pepperdine's coach thankful for this year at Thanksgiving? Many things, including these three: an answered prayer, a final day with Fitzsimmons, and a blue-and-gold necktie.
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| From 1988 to '92 Cotton Fitzsimmons coached the Suns with Paul Westphal at his side. (Getty Images) |
"He was a very special person in my life for a long time. I loved him," Westphal says.
The assistant coach's contract he had signed with Phoenix in 1988 called for him to spend three years at Fitzsimmons' side before taking over for the 1991-92 season. When that season rolled around, Westphal declined the promotion -- and gave back the raise that went with it -- to give Fitzsimmons another season as head coach.
When Fitzsimmons stepped aside in 1992-93, he vowed to step aside completely. In fact, aware of the political backbiting that goes on in the NBA, Fitzsimmons went so far as to vow that he'd never be the one to replace Westphal.
As a rookie coach Westphal led the Suns to the 1993 NBA Finals, and he eventually reached 150 NBA victories faster than anyone but Phil Jackson. But midway through the 1995-96 season, Suns owner Jerry Colangelo fired Westphal ... and replaced him with Fitzsimmons. Relationships were affected, but life went on. Westphal coached in Seattle, then went to Pepperdine in 2001. Fitzsimmons became a Suns executive once again.
For eight years, though, they didn't speak.
"We were very close for eight years, when I was his assistant and then when I was head coach and he was traveling with us," Westphal says. "It was painful to not have a relationship with him for that long a time."
In April 2004, Fitzsimmons was diagnosed with a malignant lung tumor. Westphal wanted to see his former mentor, but wasn't sure he'd be welcomed. Eight years had passed in silence. So here's what Westphal did: He and his wife, Cindy, prayed for some sort of sign. If Paul was meant to visit Fitzsimmons one last time, let it be obvious.
Out of the blue -- isn't it always "out of the blue?" -- ex-Suns forward Charles Barkley called Westphal. Barkley had just visited Fitzsimmons, and told Westphal that he needed to do the same. Fitzsimmons was dying. Fast.
The next day -- July 24, 2004 -- Westphal was on a plane to Phoenix. By then, Fitzsimmons couldn't speak. He could barely move. He could barely breathe. Westphal crawled onto the bed so they could make eye contact, holding Fitzsimmons' hand, talking to him so Cotton could squeeze in response.
"It was one of the most memorable, touching times of my life," Westphal says. "It was very intense."
