...in any sport at any level?

Just started reading John Wooden's book on Leadership. Off the cuff, I think I'd have to put him right at the top.

Anybody else?

Just read Sol's report on Coach K's 900 wins. That is pretty impressive too, whether you like Duke or not.

I don't know, there may be some rugby or lacrosse coach out there that may match Wooden's credentials but I doubt it.

Yeah, when you think dynasty, you think of UCLA, Celtics, Bulls, and Lakers.

Red was a pretty good coach too..and Vince.

Wooden is top of my list...

Wooden 10 titles will never be duplicated.

So was it because he was that good or because the competition was not then what it is now? Or a little of both?

I think he was that great. I remember when Notre Dame ended UCLA 88 game winning streak in the mid 70's.

Tyrone Willingham

John Wooden for all sports combined.

Mf

Brutus Hamilton; long-time track coach at Cal. Like Wooden, he produced many champions and many more graduates.

Probably the most important coaches are the High School coaches. They take the raw material and begin the process of developing athletes-and adults.

The college coach continues this process; fine tuning the athlete and developing the student.

A coach of a professional team is, to my mind, the only one whose primary goal winning and not the total development of the athlete.

Great post Carcassman! Although I have no idea who Brutus Hamilton is, I couldn't agree more with the rest of your post.

Jeez Chuck...you get served a pitch like that and you swing and miss? Your answer seemed obvious to me...DJ.

Since it's March Madness I'm going with Robert Montgomery Knight, who's still 2 wins ahead of Coach K (who played for him at Army and considers him his mentor). Yeah, he chucked chairs and choked players, but always ran a clean program and graduated his kids...while at the same time winning championships.

Ike

Harvey Penick, head golf professional at Austin Country Club for 50 years, and golf coach at the University of Texas for 32 years, probably belongs in the conversation. In a 23 year period, Penick's UT teams won the SW Conference title 20 times. He coached Golf Hall of Famers: Tom Kite, Ben Crenshaw, Mickey Wright, Betsy Rawls, and Kathy Whitworth. From what I've seen and read about John Wooden and him, they were cut from similar cloth. Both were gentlemen of character, conviction and wisdom. Both were great role models and teachers. Each authored books inspiring others to acheive success as individuals, and as athletes. Even after the passing of Wooden and Penick, their former students continue to give testimony to the influence these coaches had on them. The following excerpt is an example:

Penick continued to teach almost up to the moment of his death. During his final illness, he rose from his deathbed to give a final lesson to his longtime student Ben Crenshaw. The day after serving as a pallbearer at Penick's funeral, Crenshaw played in The Masters. Crenshaw went on to win the event, weeping immediately after sinking the tournament-winning putt. In the post-tournament interview, Crenshaw told an audience of millions, "I had a 15th club in my bag," an obvious reference to Penick. (The "15th club" reference is based on the golf rule that limits a player to carrying 14 clubs during a round.)

Bob Knight; either you like him or you don't. His three championships and one undefeated season is pretty good. I like him and his style. Plus he's a flyfisher. You never you what to expect from him during an interview.

Just read that Wooden never used profanity in all his years of coaching...Knight had a little different philosophy.

Bobby Knight, what a fukkin douchebag.
Woody Hayes, there's another knucklehead.
Too bad that their lack of self-control will forever cloud their legacies.

That's a good group, Chuck.
One that touched my world was Jack Ramsey. Maybe it was the era and my understanding, but I don't see many these days that can wring every millisecond out of the final seconds of a game like he could.
And he's a decent guy.

I liked Lenny Wilkins and his teams. Those were good times.

Coach K....I wouldn't want to go up against him.
He brings some serious mojo.

I don't think that I have a "greatest" come to think of it.

Yeah, I can appreciate Knight's on court behavior and post game interviews but abusing a player is going over the line and goes against the "control your emotions" epitomized by John W.

Gil Dobie .... 58-0-3 and still got fired.

If you interview any of Bobby Knights former players, 99% of them will say nothing but good things about the Man. Yeah he's a hot head but his former players love him.

You say Student, I say Team member.

Lib speak for disciplinarian. :>)