College basketball coaching is a myriad of irony and inconsistency when defining greatness. Even the locations they were famous for coaching did not fit the narrative of where they grew up, necessarily. For instance, John Wooden was a Midwestern raised coach that made a name on the west coast. Denny Crum was a west coast raised kid that made a name in the Midwest/Southeast at Louisville. Larry Brown was New York City raised yet made a name for himself in coaching in the plains(Kansas) and the west coast(UCLA). Played at North Carolina. The interesting North Carolina/Kansas connection with Dean Smith being raised in Kansas and succeeding at coach at North Carolina.. Roy Williams being raised in North Carolina yet leading Kansas to the National Championship game a few times before returning to North Carolina to win 3 national titles. Larry Brown going to school at North Carolina and winning a national championship at Kansas. 2 Northeastern raised coaches(Rick Pitino and John Calipari) winning national titles in Kentucky. A midwest raised coach, Lute Olson, winning the national title in the desert in Arizona.
In my opinion, the biggest of ironies in terms of style, Bo Ryan was a historically run-and-gun coach who had a college team at Platteville that averaged close to 100 points a game and others that averaged close to 90 points a game. Yet gets to University of Wisconsin, and realizes he cant recruit that type of player to win in the Big Ten, so he coaches a very opposite style when taking the Badgers' job.
Then, scandals have rocked so many of the best coaches. In my opinion, from a pure X's and O's standpoint plus motivation, Larry Brown has to be one of the 2 or 3 best coaches to ever have coached the game. He brought 2 different teams to the National championship game(UCLA and Kansas) and won 1 title in his first 7 years of coaching college basketball. 3 Final Fours as well. Plus 2 NBA teams (Philadelphia and Detroit to the NBA championship where he won one with the Pistons). Took the Indiana Pacers to the conference finals and got the first division titles for San Antonio in the NBA(before Popovich). Coached the first winning season for the Los Angeles Clippers since their move to Los Angeles. Yet, his first college head coaching job was at Davidson and he resigned before ever taking the floor with that team in 1969. His UCLA team had to vacate the NCAA runner-up in 1980 for using ineligible players. And he had recruiting violations unreported at his last position at SMU. Bobby Knight had many that loved him but his verbal and physical abuses were well documented. Yet you cant take away the fact he won 3 National Championships in a 11 year period at Indiana.
Roy Williams with the academics scandals at North Carolina. Rick Pitino with being disgraced at Louisville. John Wooden even being questioned with the involvement of boosters,, In college hoops, there does not not seem to be a great coach that is famous with 'clean hands'. Of course, Clem Haskins at Minnesota. And the list goes on and on and on. Jim Calhoun, John Calipari, Bob Huggins, Gary Williams, Jerry Tarkanian, etc.
WHAT MAKES A COACH GREAT??? Longevity in winning?? What is the criteria?? Does it depend on where he coaches as to whether he is great or not?? What dictates that a coach has done great at UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA??? A Final Four once in awhile?? A Sweet 16 appearance every 4 years or so?? Conference championships?? What would make you think that Minnesota has a basketball coach that is great??
In my opinion, the biggest of ironies in terms of style, Bo Ryan was a historically run-and-gun coach who had a college team at Platteville that averaged close to 100 points a game and others that averaged close to 90 points a game. Yet gets to University of Wisconsin, and realizes he cant recruit that type of player to win in the Big Ten, so he coaches a very opposite style when taking the Badgers' job.
Then, scandals have rocked so many of the best coaches. In my opinion, from a pure X's and O's standpoint plus motivation, Larry Brown has to be one of the 2 or 3 best coaches to ever have coached the game. He brought 2 different teams to the National championship game(UCLA and Kansas) and won 1 title in his first 7 years of coaching college basketball. 3 Final Fours as well. Plus 2 NBA teams (Philadelphia and Detroit to the NBA championship where he won one with the Pistons). Took the Indiana Pacers to the conference finals and got the first division titles for San Antonio in the NBA(before Popovich). Coached the first winning season for the Los Angeles Clippers since their move to Los Angeles. Yet, his first college head coaching job was at Davidson and he resigned before ever taking the floor with that team in 1969. His UCLA team had to vacate the NCAA runner-up in 1980 for using ineligible players. And he had recruiting violations unreported at his last position at SMU. Bobby Knight had many that loved him but his verbal and physical abuses were well documented. Yet you cant take away the fact he won 3 National Championships in a 11 year period at Indiana.
Roy Williams with the academics scandals at North Carolina. Rick Pitino with being disgraced at Louisville. John Wooden even being questioned with the involvement of boosters,, In college hoops, there does not not seem to be a great coach that is famous with 'clean hands'. Of course, Clem Haskins at Minnesota. And the list goes on and on and on. Jim Calhoun, John Calipari, Bob Huggins, Gary Williams, Jerry Tarkanian, etc.
WHAT MAKES A COACH GREAT??? Longevity in winning?? What is the criteria?? Does it depend on where he coaches as to whether he is great or not?? What dictates that a coach has done great at UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA??? A Final Four once in awhile?? A Sweet 16 appearance every 4 years or so?? Conference championships?? What would make you think that Minnesota has a basketball coach that is great??
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