Vitale this morning

[Inyatkin]

I wish

@Inyatkin. Care to tell us why you chose this name?

I wish I had a good reason. I don't. I was in school when he was. That's about it.

 

[ctchamps]

I wish
I wish I had a good reason. I don't. I was in school when he was. That's about it.

As good as any reason.

 

[UConn Esq]

In fairness, I was listening to the Herd this morning with Vitale on also and he did not put the names in order - he just rattled them off the top of his bald head.

He said he would have to think of Pitino as one of the top 6. He said "there are some obvious ones in my era with John Wooden, Bob Knight and certainly Mike Krzyzewski. Dean Smith. And then its Rick Pitino and Jim Calhoun. They would be my Super 6."

 

[Marty Jackson]

An interesting question:

In a world we're all hoping for, in which KO is a great coach, just how great would Ollie have to be, ever, to move ahead of Calhoun all time? Passing him in Final Fours and matching him in titles might not be enough, right?, because KO couldn't have done that without JC. But 4 titles is pretty much unheard of (this side of Wooden/Rupp/K).

Thoughts?

Before burdening Ollie with some kind of ridiculous hurdle, let's let him get to one NCAA tourney...

 

[uconNYC]

I would not have issues with people putting Pitino a few notches higher. The guy simply wins at the collegiate level. Took three different schools to the Final Four. Won NC with two different schools. Would have had more titles if not for going to the Knicks/Celtics. Won 3 Big East Tournament titles in just 7 years in the conference.

Bob Knight gets a lot of respect for his X's and O's.

 

[Scoe]

I would not have issues with people putting Pitino a few notches higher. The guy simply wins at the collegiate level. Took three different schools to the Final Four. Won NC with two different schools. Would have had more titles if not for going to the Knicks/Celtics. Won 3 Big East Tournament titles in just 7 years in the conference.

Bob Knight gets a lot of respect for his X's and O's.

I dont think Pitino was that bad of NBA coach I think he was given too much control with the Celtics, no one can compare what Calhoun has done at one school.

 

[Matrim55]

K's got to be the No. 2, but I don't think anyone has lost more big games when he has superior talent. He's made an art of it.

 

[DrewDog85]

Am I the only one thats Wooden MIGHT be a little overrated?? Jabbar, Walton, Bibby, Wicks, Rowe, Johnson, Wilkes, etc etc every year easy road to FF Seems to me that K, Calhoun et al had it a lot tougher to get to FF nevermind win.

 

[tzznandrew]

Before burdening Ollie with some kind of ridiculous hurdle, let's let him get to one NCAA tourney...

Not burdening him. Pointing out how lucky we were, and how, in all likelihood, we'll never have a coach able to surpass JC.

The man gets a lot of respect, but sometimes not enough.

 

[8893]

Am I the only one thats Wooden MIGHT be a little overrated?? Jabbar, Walton, Bibby, Wicks, Rowe, Johnson, Wilkes, etc etc every year easy road to FF Seems to me that K, Calhoun et al had it a lot tougher to get to FF nevermind win.

No doubt it's a bit of apples and oranges given the different circumstances in many respects, but Wooden did build that program, and no matter what qualifiers anyone would add he still ends up at the top by a long shot imo.

10 NCs...in 12 years...7 in a row...88 consecutive wins