Some people walk away.

Others run.

It's only a select few coaches that last long enough in the profession to be considered among the all-time greats.

Larry Niemeyer coached high school basketball and softball for 52 years, the last 35 at Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

His teams won 871 basketball games and he is the winningest softball coach in the nation with 2,089 victories.

But earlier this week Niemeyer said he was told by Jefferson Principal Chuck McDonnell that his services were no longer needed.

Niemeyer told The Gazette's Jeff Linder (Change in philosophy: Niemeyer out at Jefferson) that he was told by McDonnell that he would not be offered a coaching contract for the 2012-13 school year because of "a change in philosophy in the softball program."

"What do they want to change to? Losing?" Linder quoted Niemeyer as asking.

Niemeyer told Linder he was "fired," and was angered that he could be let go from a program he forged into one of the most successful in the state when he came to Jefferson back in 1978.

"We built this from scratch and made it the winningest program at Jefferson," Niemeyer said. "I don't deserve to be fired."

Niemeyer is 74. He missed nearly half the 2012 season because of health issues. The J-Hawks still managed a 36-6 record that ended with a 2-1 loss to Davenport West in the regional finals.

I covered two Jefferson softball dates this season, the regional final and a regular season doubleheader against Cedar Falls.

Following the Cedar Falls games, I was chatting with J-Hawk baseball coach Mike Kuba, whose daughter Erin had made her debut that night, though she still was battling through treatments for thyroid cancer.

Larry came up to us and started telling us of his health problems. He said his doctor had told him that morning that he had fourth stage kidney disease.

When he was asked what that meant, he said, "It means I'm going to die."

Well, yeah, aren't we all. But shortly thereafter Niemeyer was hospitalized because of his condition. And he was hospitalized again a few weeks later.

Am I saying that any coach that is hospitalized should be fired? Absolutely not.

But anyone that goes around telling people how ill he is, in such a manner that he sounds like the aging gunslinger from "The Shootist," probably should be protected from himself.

He definitely should be prevented from inflicting his sense of romanticism upon a group of teenagers.

Instead of denigrating McDonnell, perhaps Niemeyer should be thanking him.

The ride was great, but it's time to get off the bus.

Enjoy the rest of your life, Larry.

You've earned it.