don't you think there's quite a difference in "one and dones" or "playoff games" here? in the NFL where no matter what because of the smaller # of playoff teams you face a top team in your first matchup or any matchup (ie. Manning facing a Baltimore Ravens team capable of winning the SB) vs. college basketball's round of 64 where a team would face a very low seed in their first matchup (ie. North Carolina facing a Fairfield) that has no chance of winning it, often times there second/third game too - especially in Smith's era where there was a wider gap It's an apples and oranges comparison to begin with. That's the argument you should've made with JetBlue. instead you made a worse argument by peeling apart the apples and oranges, which makes no sense what so ever.
Very hard to say much negative about Dean Smith. To say he leaves a legacy behind is almost an understatement to all he accomplished in terms of building his program. Certainly, there are a lot of arguments as to where he ranks among the all-time great coaches, and he ranks very high, but it is very unlikely that there will ever be another coach that matches the resume of John Wooden.
That is 100% incorrect, most of the time he faced teams incapable of winning a SB. Only lost to eventual SB champs 2 times. lost to: Ten- lost in SB(only other team to reach SB) Mia- legendary choking D and failed, that Mia team would lose 27-0 next week. NYJ- led O to ZERO pts, next week Jets lose 30-10 Pit- was handed chances to win numerous time and failed, Pitt did win SB SD- SD would lose 21-12 next week SD- couldn't beat 8-8 SD, SD would lose 35-24 next week w/ most pts coming in garbage time as they trailed 28-10 and 35-17 NYJ- Jets did win next week and make title game Bal- won SB Ind- lost 45-7 the next week later in Dean's career he would face lesser teams in 1st rd but that didn't happen until tourney expansion in the 80s and we have seen K loses time and again in rd 1 so it's not a lock either way.
I don't know if it's silly, it's his opinion and it's not like he said Roy Williams was the greatest of all time or Matt Doherty, that would be ridiculous. Dean had his accomplishments and 11 FF's kind of validate that he is in the discussion. I don't know about Wooden as Junc pointed out UCLA certainly has some real questionable actions that were swept under the rug by the NCAA. I'm not sure you can really point to one guy and say he is the "greatest ever" as every era seemed to have their greats, certainly Rupp and Allen deserve some recognition despite what they did 70 years ago. The foundations they laid are still reaping in the benefits. And the funny thing the NCAA went after Tark while he was at Long Beach because he knew UCLA was cheating and they put the target on his back and followed and harassed him his entire career.
Most people don't know that Dean was actually a two sport athlete at Kansas as he played baseball and basketball and much like K actually got his coaching start at one of the service academies. He was an assistant at Air Force and he was also their baseball coach.
He also coached golf, the story he told was he and another man were up for the position and they played a round to see who would get coaching job and he won. he's also one of 2 coaches to play in and coach in a National championship winning game.
I don't know, I think we all have our opinions on who it is biased or not. I love Tark but I wouldn't say he is the greatest ever. Guy Morris never gets the credit he deserves because he never won a championship but he was a dam good coach. I don't think it's Dean personally I think it's Pitino who has won every single place he's gone (excluding the NBA) and national titles with 2 teams FF's with 3 different schools. Of course that's just my opinion but I also am biased because I hate the 4 corners offense.
what about Larry Brown? made FFs w/ 2 different schools, won Nat'l title and NBA Championship and is from the Dean Smith coaching tree that is another incredible part of Dean's career, his coaching tree is remarkable
The job Brown is doing at SMU is incredible (and he even lost his best player a top 5 recruit before the season even started)... crazy thing is he really wanted the UNLV job and we didn't even return his call. He was calling us and he was calling people to tell them he wanted the job but we went with Rice A Roni. If he is doing this at SMU I can't imagine how good UNLV would have been with him.
Speaking of Tark it sounds as if he is close to joining Dean. Word is his condition is really bad and he has entered the hospital with some type of infection and breathing problems. From what I am hearing his condition is "minute to minute". He's a really nice guy and I always loved chatting with him so it's sad to hear this. Hoping he can fight this off but he has been in bad shape for some time so it might be close to the end for him.
espn classic airing a 24 hr tribute to Dean Smith starting tomorrow night. http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2015/02/10/dean-smith-death-north-carolina-espn-marathon some good games in there that I haven't seen in a while. we always see the 2 OT game at duke in 1995(that Carolina won by the way, most people think they lost b/c they always show the Capel shot) and they show the bloody Montross game from '92 a lot but haven't seen the '96 game at MD(I believe this was a last second shot by freshman Antawn Jamison for the win) and '94 at Wake(huge comeback) in a long time. I don't think they have ever re-aired the Wake game- Duncan, Stackhouse and Wallace were all freshman.
that's sad to hear, he is another all time great both as a coach and a character that helped make CBB into a very popular sport.
Ironically Fresno is in town tonight to play UNLV. I guess he is doing better but sadly I think it's only a matter of time. One thing is for sure, the guy is a fighter.
Word I'm hearing is that Jerry Tarkanian's son has said that he might not make it through the night.... Crazy to think 2 guys who coached against each other in the 1977 Final Four might both pass within a few days of each other.
