SportsCenter discussion on greatest coaches ever....

[Aluminny69]

With all due respect to Geno, people seem to be forgetting the "lost" years from 2005-2008. Geno is a great coach, but it certainly helps to have the best player in the country, and stay injury free. So, what happened from 2005-2008? First, DT graduated, and her supporting cast could not maintain UConn excellence. Second, UConn went for a few years without the TOP recruit. Simone Augustus, Sylvia Fowles, Candace Parker, and Brittany Hunter all chose different schools. We all know the impact Parker had. Meanwhile, UConn did not make the final four for three straight years. In 2006, they got #1 Tina Charles, who helped turn things around. In 2007, they added #1 Maya Moore, and made it back to the Final Four, losing to Stanford in the semis. Injuries to Mel Thomas and Kalana Greene were major contributing factors. Since then, UConn has been on an extended run, led by Maya Moore, and now Brianna Stewart. Brianna had arguably the best freshman performance in a Final Four.

Sorry to bring up a "dark" time in UConn's recent past, And taking nothing away from the great coach that Geno is, but it certainly helps to have the countries best players, and a strong supporting cast. Of course, it takes more than that, as Duke and recent Tenn teams have shown.

 

[Striper69]

Ha ha, now you're thinking like a coach.

More like a GM or AD...

 

[CL82]

Interesting post.

Yeah, I watch PTI a lot and saw that. They should've had Geno on to interview him. IMO

The "athleticism" of women's BB is very high. They just don't have many who can "dunk" and that's what I think keeps men away from the game. Guys want to see other guys do what they can't do. Most of these women are better BB players than most guys ever dreamt of being.
To be fair though- you have to be "into" women's BB if you're a guy.

I'd like to hear what people say is what made Wooden's UCLA teams so dominant. I know for one thing he had Jabbar and Walton but there were other great players even then.

Wonder why Geno and Calhoun weren't great friends? I don't think Geno would like coaching men's CBB with it being the way it is now with the best players going "one and done".

The athleticism of woman's basketball is very high, compared to what it was say, pre '95 and that's a good thing, but it isn't on the same planet as the men's game. That's okay, it doesn't have to be.

A lot of factors contributed to Wooden's run. Lack of parity, smaller post season field, the quality of the players he had (and perhaps some recruiting help), and of course Wooden's ability to coach, which shouldn't be discounted.

My understanding from someone who was there at the time is Jim Calhoun can be great guy, particularly if you came and kissed the ring. Geno, who arrived in Storrs a year earlier, being Geno felt no need to defer to Jim. I think it was a case of two guys with huge personalities not wanting to share the spotlight and there was a little competition between the programs. Still there is mutual respect for what each achieved just not friendship per se.

 

[rugbymate]

So what's your opinion? You say no comparison or no comment on four of the five coaches, but don't say who has the edge.

...And the answer to your question in the final paragraph is actually yes. The NCAA Tournament was configured differently in Wooden's day than it is now. There was no Pac-10 Tournament and only the conference champ got the bid. Through much of UCLA's reign, USC (So. Cal) was the 2nd best team in the country and they didn't get a bid because they lost the conference to UCLA. Also, it is now widely known that Wooden had help from UCLA boosters, namely Sam Gilbert.

Belicheck is tied for Noll in Super Bowl wins, but Belichick has led his teams to the Super Bowl two more times than Noll. He is 6-3 in Conference championship games, and has made the playoff in 13/20 seasons including 12 of the last 14. Noll made the playoffs 12 times in 22 years and only once in his last seven. Lombardi is the best Coach in NFL history, IMO. (Huge limb, I know). He never had a losing season, 2 SB titles, and 6x NFL Champion (Pre-SB), but don't you think he is appropriately recognized? The Super Bowl winner does indeed receive the Vincent Thomas Lombardi Trophy, after all.

Saban is not in the conversation for best all time NCAA football coach. In terms of on field performance, Brant, Bobby Bowden, Joe Paterno, Knute Rockne, and Eddie Johnson all have a claim before him in my opinion.

Popovich is among the best of all time. Auerbach and Phil Jackson are the only ones in that conversation besides him, and I think it goes in that order. On the other hand, a case can be made that Pop is #2, but make no mistake that David Robinson and Tim Duncan are all time greats, who had a lot of help by otherwise would be superstars who played their role. (e.g. each other, Avery Johnson, Sean Elliot, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, etc.).

When comparing Coach Auriemma to his contemporaries, the only real competition is Pat Summitt, if even her. I don't still have the issue, but when she was approaching her final milestone win, SI published all of her wins. Remember that she started her career when most universities did not focus on women's sports and a number of wins in the early years came vs. community colleges or the likes of Chattanooga St. It's not a knock on her, it's just the way it was back in the day.[/QUOT

So what's your opinion? You say no comparison or no comment on four of the five coaches, but don't say who has the edge.

...And the answer to your question in the final paragraph is actually yes. The NCAA Tournament was configured differently in Wooden's day than it is now. There was no Pac-10 Tournament and only the conference champ got the bid. Through much of UCLA's reign, USC (So. Cal) was the 2nd best team in the country and they didn't get a bid because they lost the conference to UCLA. Also, it is now widely known that Wooden had help from UCLA boosters, namely Sam Gilbert.

Belicheck is tied for Noll in Super Bowl wins, but Belichick has led his teams to the Super Bowl two more times than Noll. He is 6-3 in Conference championship games, and has made the playoff in 13/20 seasons including 12 of the last 14. Noll made the playoffs 12 times in 22 years and only once in his last seven. Lombardi is the best Coach in NFL history, IMO. (Huge limb, I know). He never had a losing season, 2 SB titles, and 6x NFL Champion (Pre-SB), but don't you think he is appropriately recognized? The Super Bowl winner does indeed receive the Vincent Thomas Lombardi Trophy, after all.

Saban is not in the conversation for best all time NCAA football coach. In terms of on field performance, Brant, Bobby Bowden, Joe Paterno, Knute Rockne, and Eddie Johnson all have a claim before him in my opinion.

Popovich is among the best of all time. Auerbach and Phil Jackson are the only ones in that conversation besides him, and I think it goes in that order. On the other hand, a case can be made that Pop is #2, but make no mistake that David Robinson and Tim Duncan are all time greats, who had a lot of help by otherwise would be superstars who played their role. (e.g. each other, Avery Johnson, Sean Elliot, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, etc.).

When comparing Coach Auriemma to his contemporaries, the only real competition is Pat Summitt, if even her. I don't still have the issue, but when she was approaching her final milestone win, SI published all of her wins. Remember that she started her career when most universities did not focus on women's sports and a number of wins in the early years came vs. community colleges or the likes of Chattanooga St. It's not a knock on her, it's just the way it was back in the day.

You are obviously a well informed sports fan and I agree with just about all of your conclusions....I did offer an opinion by saying if the question was the one I raised then , yes, Geno was the best( I think I said...HE IS THE GUY). The no comment on Pop was in deference to Auerbach, Riley and Jackson. I just believe him to be the next level down and don't think he is ready to be in that conversation yet. . As to Wooden...regardless of differences in the rules and practices of then vs now, they were the same rules and practices in place for everyone and Wooden was unparalleled in coaching/leading his team to NC's.

 

[CL82]

Sorry but I think Geno could have done just as well or better than Calhoun if he chose to do so.

Could Calhoun do as well as Geno in the women's game? I doubt it.

Hard to say. They both are among the best coaches of their generation in their respective sports. It's probably best to leave the comparisons there and just celebrate what each achieved.

 

[mauconnfan]

Sorry but I think Geno could have done just as well or better than Calhoun if he chose to do so.

Could Calhoun do as well as Geno in the women's game? I doubt it.

That's hilarious.

Hey I think Geno should be mentioned and tossed around in these discussions because of what he has accomplished. And he also WOULD be rated as one of the top program "builders" of all time because of the body of work and it's success. But what Jim Calhoun did is beyond belief of many and was rated by people like K as one of the most amazing transformations of a basketball program. Let's not try to compare the 2 it's foolish, let's just be happy we've had such great coaches. It's ridiculous to even think Geno could have waltzed into The Field House and done what JC did. And on the same hand JC wouldn't have been too good with the women, you ever hear him? LOL

 

[meyers7]

With all due respect to Geno, people seem to be forgetting the "lost" years from 2005-2008.
Sorry to bring up a "dark" time in UConn's recent past,

I have no idea what you are talking about. Pretty sure WBB did not exist then. I have no memory of it.

 

[Sky ball]

My main issue is that people refuse to acknowledge the greatness of Geno and UConn because it's not as competitive, quick, exciting or whatever as men's sports. But comparing the two is like comparing Mercedes to BMW's. They're both great cars and both have features and qualities that should be appreciated for what they are. And for people to refuse to recognize or downplay what he has done because he coaches a women's sport is ridiculous.

Maybe Mercedes and Kia's...LOL

 

[Aluminny69]

I have no idea what you are talking about. Pretty sure WBB did not exist then. I have no memory of it.

That's called "selective memory."