Dick Motta

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John Richard Motta (b. September 3, 1931 in Midvale, Utah) is a former basketball coach whose career in the NBA spanned 25 years. Although infamous for his quick temper and eccentricities, Motta was an effective strategist who knew who to bring the best out of his players. He was hired as head coach of the Chicago Bulls in 1968 after a six-year stint at Weber State University. From 1970 to 1974 he led the Bulls to four straight seasons of 50 wins or more, winning the NBA Coach of the Year Award in 1971. In 1976 Motta left the Bulls to coach the Washington Bullets, with whom he won an NBA Championship in 1978. After two more seasons with the Bullets, he became the first coach of the Dallas Mavericks, whom he led to a 55-27 record in 1986-1987. Motta also served with the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets before retiring in 1997.

[edit] "The 'opera' isn't over 'til the fat lady sings!"

"Dick" Motta is sometimes erroneously credited with coining the celebrated phrase "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings!"[1] In fact, it was a Dan Cook (San Antonio Sportswriter and Television Sportscaster) witticism[2]. In a San Antonio KENS-TV broadcast during the 1978 Conference Semi-Finals between the Washington Bullets and the San Antonio Spurs, Cook was trying to spur on local basketball fans as their team was down three games to one against the Washington Bullets. Motta heard the broadcast and adopted his own rendition of the expression to warn Washington Bullets fans against braggadocio; "The 'opera' isn't over 'til the fat lady sings!". The odds were against the underdog Washington Bullets and sportswriters were forecasting a grim finale, so Motta rebounded with the upbeat ostinato "Wait for the fat lady!". The Washington Bullets won the Eastern Conference against the Atlantic Division Champions Philadelphia 76ers and rallied forth to beat the Western Division Champions Seattle SuperSonics four games to three for the 1978 NBA Championship. After winning game seven against the Seattle SuperSonics Motta celebrated with his team wearing a beer-soaked "The Opera Isn't Over 'Til The Fat Lady Sings" t-shirt. The "fat lady" sang true that season for the Washington Bullets. In Mottas Own words; "What made the championship so great was that we weren’t supposed to win it. We came a long way. Most people didn’t give us a chance, but I felt all along we could. I really did." [3] It was sweet music to Washington, D.C. fans because there hadn't been a championship team since the Washington Redskins won the NFL title in 1942. In 1978 the Washington Bullets, became the third team ever to win the title in a seventh game on the road. This was Dick Motta's second season coaching the Washington Bullets and the only year the Washington Bullets (now the Washington Wizards) won an NBA Championship (2006).

Preceded by: Johnny Kerr	Chicago Bulls Head Coach 1968–1976	Succeeded by: Ed Badger
Preceded by: K. C. Jones	Washington Bullets Head Coach 1976–1980	Succeeded by: Gene Shue
Preceded by: No one	Dallas Mavericks Head Coach 1980–1987	Succeeded by: John MacLeod
Preceded by: Jerry Reynolds	Sacramento Kings Head Coach 1990–1991	Succeeded by: Rex Hughes
Preceded by: Quinn Buckner	Dallas Mavericks Head Coach 1994–1996	Succeeded by: Jim Cleamons
Preceded by: Bernie Bickerstaff	Denver Nuggets Head Coach 1996–1997	Succeeded by: Bill Hanzlik