- John Wooden - The Standard.
- Dan Gable - Unbelievable success as an athlete and coach.
- Dean Smith
- Roy Williams
- Bill Walsh
- Mike Krzyzewski
- Bobby Stoops
- Tony Dungy
- Lute Olson - Hard to forgive Lute for going to Arizona, but still a good guy.
- Bill Belichick - Doesn't win any nice-guy awards, but amazingly successful in this era of parity, with an impressive legacy.
- Hayden Fry - I was always disappointed that Hayden didn't take the Hawkeyes farther - winning a Rose Bowl and contending for a national championship. But his legacy is amazing...
- Kirk Ferentz
- Tom Davis
I'm not really interested in debating these rankings with you. They're mine. But did I forget anyone?
Further, who are your favorite coaches and why?
Note on the update: Marshall mentioned Coach K in the comments, and I really should have included him.
6 comments:
Mercifully you forgot Coach K, but who could like him? Loved seeing Ol' Roy up there with Dean.
M: you're going to hate this, but i really did forget Coach K, so i'm going to add him in.
Good list, but I want to add Coach Pearl. I think what he has done in two years with the University of Tennessee's basketball program is phenomenal! This football town has now become excited about basketball. Never in my time here have I seen such enthusiasm about a basketball team.
Just my two cents.....
I still question adding Coach K - I am not sure his character is that great. Of course I am biased, but I just don't like how I observe him treating his players and players on other teams.
D: consider Coach Pearl added to your list ;-)
M: you have a point and you have probably watched him more closely than me. i give him a pass, from what i have seen, in that his players seem fine with him while they play for him and after. he hires some. some go on to coach other places. they seem to be positive about him. but i may be wrong, of course...
Exhibit A: First, read this column http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=2787890&sportCat=ncb
If you need more, read on:
Exhibit B: Christian Laetner stomps on a KY player's head, and is defended about that by Coach K to this day
Exhibit C: He asked to have losses from the 1994-95 seasonremoved from his record because he had back problems and had to hand the team over to an assistant. If they had won 30, I doubt he'd have given them back.
Exhibit D: Buries players that he does not think performs up to Duke standards (see Jeff Capel, Shavlik Randolph, Greg Newton)
Exhibit E: Hire former players as coaches, but anyone who keeps Chris Collins on his staff (like a human terrier) is crazy. His coaching "tree" is not very impressive - Quin Snyder, out of coaching, recruiting violations at Missouri; Tommy Amaker already fired at Michigan
Exhibit F: UNC Graduates a higher percentage of players than Duke. (70% to 67%) (I just like that we do)
In short, my opinion is that at Duke, the "family" idea is only in play as long as you are winning and helping out the cause. I think that players there are treated expendably.
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