OT: Is there a better example of a coach doing so much with "so little"?

[Travelman6]

Than the 2000 Wisconsin Badgers?
This is an interesting read about a group of unheralded kids making it all the way to the final four. I mean, UConn 2014 imo comes close but that coaching job in 2000 ranks up there. What other examples do you have aside from 2000 and uconn 2014 in college ball?

2000 Badgers team relives Final Four euphoria

Is there anything at all Dan could learn from Bennett, do you think?...just in regards to maybe not having the most talented kids but getting them to buy in and play 100 percent every night and playing above their heads....or no?

 

[the Q]

I’d consider 2012/13 Wichita state as well. Plus shakas vcu team and last years Loyola team.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

this guy?

 

[RichZ]

Loyola last year.
Maybe Butler in 2010.
But to put our 2014 team into that group, you have to seriously undervalue Bazz and overvalue KO.

 

[CL82]

Loyola last year.
Maybe Butler in 2010.
But to put our 2014 team into that group, you have to seriously undervalue Bazz and overvalue KO.

Yep, but maybe 2011 fits the bill.

 

[awfuldan]

Yeah 2011 Butler was my first thought. They lost Gordon Hayward and still went the National Championship game. Had one rotation-level NBA player (Shelvin Mack), a bunch of nobodies, and a head coach who is currently one of the best in the NBA.

 

[Mots010]

2006 George mason? Wisconsin making a final 4 as an 8 seed isn’t all that inspiring. That George mason team was horrible and cut down UConn, unc, Michigan state and Wichita st.

 

[Waquoit]

Is there anything at all Dan could learn from Bennett, do you think?.

Didn't that team average about 40 points a game? Pass.

 

[IWearShoes]

Blair and Vic winning a natty at TAMU in 2011.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

The Butler run in 2011 is insane. Really a bunch of nobodies and 1 fringe NBA player took the Hayward-less team back to the Championship.

Both ours and Butler's stories in 2011 are SORELY underrated. I still can't get over Butler getting to back-to-back national championships. Or that we won 5 Big East tournament games in 5 days, and went on to complete 11 straight elimination game wins to win the 2 biggest trophies in college basketball. Those kinds of stories right there are the epitome of college basketball.

 

[the Q]

The Butler run in 2011 is insane. Really a bunch of nobodies and 1 fringe NBA player took the Hayward-less team back to the Championship.

Both ours and Butler's stories in 2011 are SORELY underrated. I still can't get over Butler getting to back-to-back national championships. Or that we won 5 Big East tournament games in 5 days, and went on to complete 11 straight elimination game wins to win the 2 biggest trophies in college basketball. Those kinds of stories right there are the epitome of college basketball.

I really really wanted Brad to take over for Calhoun.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

I really really wanted Brad to take over for Calhoun.

Yep same. Or Shaka at the time.

Pipe dreams.

Hurley several years later in 2018 is a pretty darn good consolation prize.

 

[the Q]

Yep same. Or Shaka at the time.

Pipe dreams.

Hurley several years later in 2018 is a pretty darn good consolation prize.

I’m very happy with Hurley. I do believe he was the right man for the job.

Just saying since were taking about that amazing coaching job by Stevens...he was my guy back then

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

I’m very happy with Hurley. I do believe he was the right man for the job.

Just saying since were taking about that amazing coaching job by Stevens...he was my guy back then

Stevens is the best basketball coach I've ever seen. I'm lucky to be a Celtics fan.
I think he was everyone's guy back then. And still is. Duke will be on his tail after K.

 

[LStudfellow]

Stevens is the best basketball coach I've ever seen. I'm lucky to be a Celtics fan.
I think he was everyone's guy back then. And still is. Duke will be on his tail after K.

"The best you have ever seen?"

With all due respect, he is #2 or 3. Yes, Stevens did an amazing job getting Butler to back-to-back National Title games (particularly with that 2010-2011 team that lost to us). He has also proven to be a top notch NBA coach, as well.

But there is no one during the modern era who has been better than Jim Calhoun. No One.

Calhoun built University of Connecticut men's basketball to a level that no one other than himself could ever imagine. People forget that things were so bad around here that we had a task force formed by then President John Casteen to look seriously into the pros and cons of withdrawing from the Big East not long before he was hired because our school leadership at the time was unsure if we would ever be able to compete.

Not to diminish Stevens - he has been and continues to be great. But the best ever? That title can only go to one person, and in this case it is Calhoun who rightfully earned that title. And when Stevens' Butler team had the chance to beat Coach K and Duke in the 2010 Title game - they came up just short. When Calhoun had the same chance against an arguably even better Duke team in 1999? He won. 1 of 3 National Titles. Not even mentioning the 2011 Title game where Calhoun won head-to-head because I agree it was an amazing job by Stevens to even get that particular Butler team to that game. But with all else being equal, the difference in results versus Duke in the title game, combined with 3 Titles won vs. 0 has to give Calhoun the nod.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

"The best you have ever seen?"

With all due respect, he is #2 or 3. Yes, Stevens did an amazing job getting Butler to back-to-back National Title games (particularly with that 2010-2011 team that lost to us). He has also proven to be a top notch NBA coach, as well.

But there is no one during the modern era who has been better than Jim Calhoun. No One.

Calhoun built University of Connecticut men's basketball to a level that no one other than himself could ever imagine. People forget that things were so bad around here that we had a task force formed by then President John Casteen to look seriously into the pros and cons of withdrawing from the Big East not long before he was hired because our school leadership at the time was unsure if we would ever be able to compete.

Not to diminish Stevens - he has been and continues to be great. But the best ever? That title can only go to one person, and in this case it is Calhoun who rightfully earned that title. And when Stevens' Butler team had the chance to beat Coach K and Duke in the 2010 Title game - they came up just short. When Calhoun had the same chance against an arguably even better Duke team in 1999? He won. 1 of 3 National Titles. Not even mentioning the 2011 Title game where Calhoun won head-to-head because I agree it was an amazing job by Stevens to even get that particular Butler team to that game. But with all else being equal, the difference in results versus Duke in the title game, combined with 3 Titles won vs. 0 has to give Calhoun the nod.

I think there is a difference between greatest basketball coach and best basketball coach.

Calhoun is an all-time great, top 5 coaches all time since he built a nothing program into a national power and 4 time championship program.
I am all for counting championships as a primary factor, but sometimes I think it's splitting hairs when you count championships. If you look at it, Stevens was literally inches away from 1 title and a game away from another. Belichick and Brady could easily be 3-6 or 7-2 in Super Bowls. Yes, what's done is done and you can't say "what if" or change the past. But the fact of the matter is I've never seen a coach maximize such little talent at both the college and professional level like Brad Stevens has. The 2010,2011 Butler team and the Celtics teams of his first few years reached levels they had no business being at.
Calhoun is one of the best program builders of all time, maybe the best. Brad Stevens is the best I've ever seen at maximizing talent, analytics, in game Xs and Os, etc. It's hard to compare the two, but they are at the top of the game in their own respects.