8 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

Testudo Times: Williams a Finalist for the HOF
http://www.testudoti...ll-hall-of-fame

 

Baltimore Sports and Life: Q&A w/ National Analysts  (Feb. 2011)
http://baltimorespor...ional-analysts/

 

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Coach Williams has taken 4 schools to post-season play,  has the 3rd most wins all-time in the ACC (Dean Smith, Mike Krzyewski), and is closing in on 700 career wins. Will he be voted into the Hall of Fame?”

Huguenin: “Gary Williams is a Hall of Fame Coach. He’s not the easiest guy to get along with and he’s not afraid to make his opinions known about the state of recruiting these days – but his record is extremely impressive, he has coached some fabulous players and his team comes to play every time out.”

 

Bilas: “As I noted earlier, he should be there already. Gary has accomplished more than many current members of the Hall of Fame. They say it is just a matter of time, but I am personally tired of waiting. He deserves to be in now. Gary Williams is one of the best coaches in the history of this game. Period. His accomplishments and longevity put him on the ACC’s Mount Rushmore with Dean Smith and Coach K.”

 

DeCourcy: “I don’t know if he will. That’s hard to judge. I know that he should. That’s not debatable.”

 

 

 

Gary Williams accomplished the following:
1 National Title
ACC & Big East Regular Season Championships (Multiple)
1x National Coach of the Year.
2x ACC Coach of the Year.
3rd All-Time in the ACC in Wins.
Took 4 Universities to Post-Season Play
Took 9 Teams to the Sweet 16
667-376 All-Time

[Icterus galbula]

Your BSL link has a double http, but good stuff.

[Oriole85]

Testudo Times: Williams a Finalist for the HOF
http://www.testudoti...ll-hall-of-fame

 

Baltimore Sports and Life: Q&A w/ National Analysts
http://baltimorespor...ional-analysts/

 

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Coach Williams has taken 4 schools to post-season play,  has the 3rd most wins all-time in the ACC (Dean Smith, Mike Krzyewski), and is closing in on 700 career wins. Will he be voted into the Hall of Fame?”

Huguenin: “Gary Williams is a Hall of Fame Coach. He’s not the easiest guy to get along with and he’s not afraid to make his opinions known about the state of recruiting these days – but his record is extremely impressive, he has coached some fabulous players and his team comes to play every time out.”

 

Bilas: “As I noted earlier, he should be there already. Gary has accomplished more than many current members of the Hall of Fame. They say it is just a matter of time, but I am personally tired of waiting. He deserves to be in now. Gary Williams is one of the best coaches in the history of this game. Period. His accomplishments and longevity put him on the ACC’s Mount Rushmore with Dean Smith and Coach K.”

 

DeCourcy: “I don’t know if he will. That’s hard to judge. I know that he should. That’s not debatable.”

He should be in the HOF. I really don't think that's up for debate actually.

 

Not sure if I'd put him with the best coaches in the history of the game though -- Wooden, Bobby Knight, Coach K, Rupp, Dean Smith, Pitino would all be higher. He's a great coach, took Maryland to new heights, but at the end of the day, he's won one Tourney and made one other and that came within a two year period. Is Lute Olsen considered one of the best coaches of all-time? I mean here's a guy who took UofA to chartered territory, five final fours, has one national title, and made the Tourney every year from 1985 to the end of his career in 2007. I don't think too many would consider him one of the best ever, but resume wise it's pretty damn good. You need to win multiple titles at minimum to get there IMO.

 

In terms of the ACC Mount Rushmore, Dean Smith and Coach K are the two obvious choices like Bilas alluded too -- I think he's there.

[BSLChrisStoner]

He should be in the HOF. I really don't think that's up for debate actually.

 

Not sure if I'd put him with the best coaches in the history of the game though -- Wooden, Bobby Knight, Coach K, Rupp, Dean Smith, Pitino would all be higher. He's a great coach, took Maryland to new heights, but at the end of the day, he's won one Tourney and made one other and that came within a two year period. Is Lute Olsen considered one of the best coaches of all-time? I mean here's a guy who took UofA to chartered territory, five final fours, has one national title, and made the Tourney every year from 1985 to the end of his career in 2007. I don't think too many would consider him one of the best ever, but resume wise it's pretty damn good. You need to win multiple titles at minimum to get there IMO.

 

In terms of the ACC Mount Rushmore, Dean Smith and Coach K are the two obvious choices like Bilas alluded too -- I think he's there.

He's clearly down a tier or two in career accomplishments from that elite inner circle. There is another group of 15+/- Coaches that have accomplishments at or better than Gary's level as well.  (You could argue that if Gary never left Ohio State, his totals would be higher... or if some of those Coaches followed Gary's path - their accomplishments would be less.. but in both cases their overall numbers are what they are.)

Yes, Lute Olson is one of the best of all-time as well.

[Oriole85]

He's clearly down a tier or two in career accomplishments from that elite inner circle. There is another group of 15+/- Coaches that have accomplishments at or better than Gary's level as well.  (You could argue that if Gary never left Ohio State, his totals would be higher... or if some of those Coaches followed Gary's path - their accomplishments would be less.. but in both cases their overall numbers are what they are.)

Yes, Lute Olson is one of the best of all-time as well.

Best of all-time -- top 5, top 10? top 20? Any of those figures given the magnitude of college basketball coaches, you could argue is the best of all time. I don't think GW is in the top tier of coaches with the names I mentioned.

 

Looking at how Ohio State did in the immediate aftermath of GW, it looks like he left them in good shape so good chance he could've continued that. But they did run into a dark period including sanctions in the 90s until Thad Matta got there excluding the Final Four which was vacated. The big AD schools like OSU, Texas, Florida will always have a better shot than most schools.

 

Like any other debate, you'll get into the hypotheticals as you pointed out, I'll just evaluate them for what they did instead of for what they didn't do. I believe that no accomplishes what they did on their own including GW, even if he was the only coach to win a Final Four without any McD's AA's (since the game was introduced), not like that team had no talent though with 4 NBA drafted players. And by the other side of the coin, some coaches could've been *better* if they had better administration support, facilities, recruiting ground, etc.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Best of all-time -- top 5, top 10? top 20? Any of those figures given the magnitude of college basketball coaches, you could argue is the best of all time. I don't think GW is in the top tier of coaches with the names I mentioned.

 

Looking at how Ohio State did in the immediate aftermath of GW, it looks like he left them in good shape so good chance he could've continued that. But they did run into a dark period including sanctions in the 90s until Thad Matta got there excluding the Final Four which was vacated. The big AD schools like OSU, Texas, Florida will always have a better shot than most schools.

 

Like any other debate, you'll get into the hypotheticals as you pointed out, I'll just evaluate them for what they did instead of for what they didn't do. I believe that no accomplishes what they did on their own including GW, even if he was the only coach to win a Final Four without any McD's AA's (since the game was introduced), not like that team had no talent though with 4 NBA drafted players. And by the other side of the coin, some coaches could've been *better* if they had better administration support, facilities, recruiting ground, etc.

 

I imagine Olson is in the Top 10... nearly 800 wins, 5 Final Fours, 9x COY in Major Conferences...

[Oriole85]

I imagine Olsen is in the Top 10... nearly 800 wins, 5 Final Fours, 9x COY in Major Conferences...

Coach of the Year awards to me are like MVP or CYs (Derek Jeter/Nolan Ryan/Mike Mussina have a combined none), GW only won two after all. It's single season greatness, not that this shouldn't be factored into these discussions. Nonetheless, didn't realize Lute had so many. I think if he had won another title, he'd be up there with the greats I mentioned. Amazing what he did at UofA nonetheless. They're clearly the #2 program west of the Rockies and that's largely because of him.

[DJ MC]

Coach of the Year awards to me are like MVP or CYs (Derek Jeter/Nolan Ryan/Mike Mussina have a combined none), GW only won two after all. It's single season greatness, not that this shouldn't be factored into these discussions. Nonetheless, didn't realize Lute had so many. I think if he had won another title, he'd be up there with the greats I mentioned. Amazing what he did at UofA nonetheless. They're clearly the #2 program west of the Rockies and that's largely because of him.

 

Plus, who was he up against as a Pac-10 coach? Mike Montgomery, Jim Harrick and Ben Howland? That's down a tier on its own from Krzyzewski and Smith and Williams.

[Oriole85]

Plus, who was he up against as a Pac-10 coach? Mike Montgomery, Jim Harrick and Ben Howland? That's down a tier on its own from Krzyzewski and Smith and Williams.

John Wooden's ghost