When legendary Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt announced she was stepping down yesterday, it was a giant loss for college basketball – and it was felt outside of the college game, too. Above, Celtics coach Doc Rivers talks Summitt after his team’s win Wednesday – and gets choked up in the process.

One of the most storied coaching careers in the history of any sport ended today (sort of), as legendary Tennessee women’s basetball coach Pat Summitt announced she would step down, with her role filled by Tennessee’s associate head coach, Holly Warlick.

We’re fans of the choice of Summit — she announced earlier this year that she was battling early-onset dementia, and the way she’s dealt with her illness (by staring it dead in the face, telling it to screw, and coaching the Lady Vols this season) — is deserving of the award. But Coach K? It seems, like the choice of Derek Jeter in 2009, to be more of a lifetime achievement award than anything. The funny thing is that SI admits as much. [SI]

When it was revealed two months ago that legendary Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt has early onset dementia, it was especially shocking since few coaches in any sport have ever appeared in more complete control – intimidatingly so – of everything around them. Of course, that perception doesn’t actually make anyone invincible, but some people just seem a little more invincible than others.

At one point today, the following five stories appeared in succession on ESPN.com’s “Headlines” sidebar: a legendary Tennessee women’s basketball coach has early onset dementia, a Tennessee Titans receiver met with Roger Goodell to discuss his numerous arrests, the Tennessee Titans still haven’t reached a deal with their star running back, a star Tennessee Volunteers safety was booted from the team because of drugs, and a former men’s basketball coach was penalized by the NCAA for recruiting violations while at Tennessee. Can we just give this poor state a break, already?

Tennessee Volunteers women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia. But because she is Pat Summitt, this was one of the first things she said after making the announcement:

“There’s not going to be any pity party and I’’ll make sure of that.”

Summitt says she suffered through “months of erratic behavior” and general mental fuzziness that led to her not being as confident in her basketball decision-making. A series of tests at the Mayo Clinic revealed early onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type. The plan now: medication, mental activities like puzzles, and coaching the Lady Volunteers for a 37th straight season.

After the jump, a video statement from Summitt on her diagnosis.