Editing Ricky Byrdsong (section)

== Coaching career ==
In a ten year run as a college assistant, Byrdsong was an assistant at [[Arizona Wildcats men's basketball|Arizona]] six seasons under Coach [[Lute Olson]]. Byrdsong was an assistant as the Wildcats advanced to the NCAA Final Four in 1988, after the program had been 4–24 in 1983. After the season he was offered the head coaching position at [[Detroit Mercy Titans men's basketball|Detroit Mercy]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-07-04-9907040235-story.html| title = BYRDSONG TURNED LIFE LESSONS INTO A KINDER WAY OF LIVING – Chicago Tribune| website = [[Chicago Tribune]]| date = 4 July 1999}}</ref>

As coach for the [[Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball|Northwestern University]] Wildcats from 1993 to 1997, Byrdsong led them to a [[National Invitation Tournament]] berth in 1994, the second postseason appearance in school history, defeating [[DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball|DePaul University]] in the first round.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.coachesdatabase.com/ricky-byrdsong/|title=Ricky Byrdsong (Former Head Coach)}}</ref>

He had previously been head coach at the [[University of Detroit Mercy|University of Detroit-Mercy]] (1988–1993) and assistant coach at the [[University of Arizona]] (1982–1988), [[Eastern Illinois University]] (1980–1982), [[Western Michigan University]] (1979–1980) and [[Iowa State University]] (1978–1979). After he left Northwestern, he worked as an vice president of community affairs for [[Aon Corporation]] until his death.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto"/>

===The walk on the wild side===
On February 5, 1994, while coaching a game against Minnesota, Byrdsong abruptly left the game and joined the fans in the stands shaking hands, high-fiving the Minnesota Gopher mascot and taking an unticketed seat until removed by an usher. The team had started the season 9–0 but was at this point on a 9-game losing streak.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704694004576019650146284700?mod=WSJ_article_CollegeBasketballHeadlines | work=The Wall Street Journal | first=Darren | last=Everson | title=Chicago's Other Sports Curse | date=December 15, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4256679.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105071431/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4256679.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 5, 2012|title=RETURN FROM THE WILD SIDE // Byrdsong Puts NU's Attitude, Image in Focus – Chicago Sun-Times &#124; HighBeam Research|date=November 5, 2012}}</ref>

After returning to Evanston, Byrdsong's wife requested a leave of absence for the coach, to which  Byrdsong remarked, "My wife, after watching me, obviously got concerned, now, any time I'm going to take a walk on the wild side, I should let her know."<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jul-07-mn-53670-story.html | work=Los Angeles Times | first=Mike | last=Downey | date=July 7, 1999 | title=The Last Walk in the Short Life of Ricky Byrdsong}}</ref>