Hahahahahahaha

[tzznandrew]

Sampson is in Tier 1 along with Hurley and Pitino. I may be forgetting someone, but those three stand above everyone else IMO. Izzo might be alone in Tier 2, but I can be convinced otherwise (I can be convinced to put him lower, but not along with those 3).

I'm moving Sampson down a Tier. Clearly an exceptional program builder, defensive coach, and overall floor raiser.

But that offense was an absolute affront to basketball—all by Cryer were barely catching rim on shots!—and he seemed to wilt under the pressure. I don't know that he's got the top gear of the other two in that tier.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I'm moving Sampson down a Tier. Clearly an exceptional program builder, defensive coach, and overall floor raiser.

But that offense was an absolute affront to basketball—all by Cryer were barely catching rim on shots!—and he seemed to wilt under the pressure. I don't know that he's got the top gear of the other two in that tier.

He did come into the Big 12 and kick Bill Self’s butt

 

[tzznandrew]

He did come into the Big 12 and kick Bill Self’s butt

I'm on the "Bill Self is a bit overrated" train. He's a very good coach who I think maximizes their regular season results and then has just okay results in the tournament.

Sampson just gets a lot more out of his kids, but after witnessing whatever that offense was last night, I'm not sure he's as well rounded a coach as I thought. It looked like what I think a pre-2023 Danny Hurley team might have looked if he was able to take a team that far. Maximizing effort, exceptional defense, completely clueless on offense with few answers when iso-ball isn't really working. Hurley adjusted. Can Sampson? Will he need to in order to get one title? Who knows.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Instead, he chose Duke. He will be remembered as a great player on a very good team who choked at the moment of truth. To quote Indian Jones and the Last Crusade, "He chose...poorly."

I get that we're all UConn fans but it seems pretty likely that he's going to be remembered as a really famous and successful NBA player. Jayson Tatum is 27. Does anyone associate him with Duke or anything college-related at this point?

 

[BlueandOG]

I get that we're all UConn fans but it seems pretty likely that he's going to be remembered as a really famous and successful NBA player. Jayson Tatum is 27. Does anyone associate him with Duke or anything college-related at this point?

I agree, he'll be a great pro. My point is he would have been remembered as a college superstar had he chosen UConn. BTW, I appreciate your work with Fatherless Families.