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My family and I are on vacation out-of-state this week, but my relaxed intentions met with the harsh reality of today's revelations. I have been unable to "report" the story as I might traditionally have done, but I would like to share some thoughts--some based on communications I have had with Coach Rose and other members of his coaching staff. I do so in good faith, and without the intent to betray any confidences.
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By now, we have all learned a little about pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor cancer, and this much appears to be clear: of the various forms of pancreatic cancer, Coach Rose's particular cancer is among the least common, yet most treatable forms. When dealing with cancer, all prognoses are indeed relative, but when considering the diagnosis of "pancreatic cancer," today's news is as good as can be expected, and survival rates for this particular kind of cancer are encouraging.
Coach Rose and his doctors are very optimistic, and that is perhaps the most encouraging news of all. Those closest to him believe he will win this battle, and I can confirm that Coach Rose is positive, grateful, and considers himself lucky.
His players reacted understandably today when told of the news, but as they had been kept up to speed since Rose's surgery, they were aware of the serious nature of the situation. In the end, they were left with the message that there are "more championships to win," and that their coach plans on being a part of them.
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If there's one word that I would use to describe Coach Rose based on our association over the last 12 years, "Determined" would be at or near the top of the list. "Tenacious," "Principled," "Competitor" and "Leader" would also be in the top five.
In all of my time spent with Dave Rose as BYU's radio broadcaster, I've faced his outward ire only once, and it says a lot about the kind of person who now faces a fight he expects to win.
It was during his first season as BYU's head coach, and his Cougars trailed a struggling TCU team heading into the game's final minute at the Marriott Center. With about 58 seconds remaining, a TCU player dunked to give the Horned Frogs a nine-point lead. I instinctively, impetuously, and quite unprofessionally said "ballgame," as if to indicate that the game was lost--that BYU could not win, not now, not down nine with under a minute to play.
As you know, BYU came back to win that game, in overtime. Never was I so glad to be wrong, and never again have I repeated the mistake of counting a Dave Rose team out before the final horn. But, on that night, I made a mistake, and deserved the heat I took from Coach Rose after the game. He told me in no uncertain terms that the "game isn't over until it's over." He was right then, and he's right today, in a different way.
I expect Dave Rose to win this battle, if for no other reason than I've seen him win so many other uphill battles. But, there are other reasons to have hope. There is medical science, there are capable doctors, there are past case histories and favorable outcomes, there is the love and support of his friends and family, and the spoken and silent prayers of countless men, women and children who have never met Dave Rose, yet who remember him now.
Most importantly, though, there is the fighter. The man who practically refuses to acknowledge the possibility of defeat, and whose will to win has been inspirational. I now hope and pray for victory in his most crucial of challenges, and if and when it comes, I will again be inspired. But I won't be surprised.
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