Bill Laimbeer Reverently Elbows Chuck Daly's Coffin Into Grave

JUPITER, FL—Beloved NBA and Olympic coach Chuck Daly, who passed away May 9 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, was laid to rest by family and friends yesterday in a quiet ceremony at which a visibly moved and weeping Bill Laimbeer respectfully hard-fouled Daly’s casket into its final resting place with a savage and reverent elbow. “That’s for teaching me to have respect for myself and never give up, Coach,” Laimbeer said as Daly’s pallbearers, including former Pistons John Salley, Joe Dumars, and Rick Mahorn, sprawled back on the grass with their arms outstretched and looked to the funeral director for a whistle. “Thank you, Mr. Daly, for making me the man I am today.” The otherwise touching ceremony was marred only by an outburst of emotion from Dennis Rodman, who threw himself into Daly’s grave and writhed sobbing on the coffin while tearing at his black silk wedding dress.