Because college basketball is just around the corner, I thought this would be a good assignment to get you thinking about college basketball and different coaching styles.
The article below is about 4 highly accomplished Division 1 college basketball coaches. Please read the article and answer the questions below. Please remember to put your name on your Blog so that I can give you credit.
John Calipari and Rick Pitino
ESPN.com
It ain't easy being John Calipari.
But that doesn't mean it's easy.
In fact, the advantages of Calipari's job can frequently double as its drawbacks. That insane talent only raises expectations, expectations that create in fans not hope but demands: win or else. Every move on this team is scrutinized by a local media corps year-round, 24/7, 365. The position Calipari has put himself in with this team is enviable, sure, but it is also tenuous; there is absolutely no margin for error.
Which only makes the coaching job he's done this season all the more impressive. First, Calipari had to assemble this juggernaut. (Recruiting is often overlooked in coach-of-the-year discussions, but why?) Then, he had to solder disparate talented parts -- the kind of top-end AAU stars who might easily bristle against diminished roles -- into a basketball team even better than the sum of its parts. Then, he had to guide that team through the maelstrom that is basketball season in Kentucky, particularly a basketball season in which nothing but a national title can be considered a success.
The Wildcats are very nearly there. Does Calipari have the best talent in the country? No question. Are Calipari's problems of the high-class variety? Oh yeah. But high-class problems are still problems, and no coach in the country -- through the media, through point-perfect long-view guidance, through in-season adjustments designed to maximize each player's ability -- manages them better than the governor of BBN.
Sure, sure: Saying Calipari's job is hard is like saying driving a Maserati is too stressful. But the driver still has to hit his turns, and Coach Cal hasn't missed one.
-- Eamonn Brennan
Rick Pitino insisted that, outside the birth of his three children, no day in his life was better than this past Saturday, when Louisville topped Florida to make it to the Final Four.
It sounded like adrenaline-fueled hyperbole, but Pitino makes a valid point. On a résumé dotted with impressive results, this season just might be the most miraculous and magical, not to mention the best coaching job in Pitino's illustrious career.
Louisville is going to New Orleans despite a roster that read like an NFL injured reserve list -- Mike Marra (done for the season, ACL injury), Rakeem Buckles (done for the season, ACL injury),Stephan Van Treese (done for the season, patellar injury), Wayne Blackshear (out 25 games, shoulder injury), Peyton Siva (missed three games, ankle injury, concussion), Kyle Kuric (missed three games, ankle injury), Jared Swopshire (missed two games, groin injury).
But mostly Louisville is going to New Orleans because a would-be (should-be) Hall of Fame coach pushed every right button at every critical juncture. When injuries decimated his roster, Pitino slowed things down, and when everyone finally got healthy, he went back to his roots, pushing the tempo and turning a team that is short on offensive savvy into a defensive swarm.
No one will even try to argue that this is among Pitino's top-five (top 10?) talented teams, but what the Cards may lack in skill, they make up for in gumption. They are relentless, a team that never seems to accept the fact that it can't or shouldn't be able to come back.
In a high-end Final Four, Louisville is the only real underdog, a team that limped into the postseason, losing four of its final six regular-season games.
Yet Louisville is going to New Orleans because one of the most successful coaches in the game did the best job of his career.
-- Dana O'Neil
Thad Matta and Bill Self
ESPN.com
In late February, Thad Matta curtailed the bravado of a talented Buckeyes squad by kicking his team out of practice.
Ohio State became a national title contender the moment that Jared Sullinger fulfilled his promise to return for his sophomore season. Lost in that signature development, however, was the team's reliance on youth and the leadership void left by three graduating seniors.
The Buckeyes endured a 2-3 stretch in February that warranted questions about the way they'd end the season. Yes, they had weapons, but without the proper drive, they'd never achieve what their abilities suggested they were capable of accomplishing.
Enter Matta.
His elite coaching prowess has been proved by the development within his program. Deshaun Thomas enters the Final Four as one of the most potent scorers in the field. Aaron Craft's defensive fortitude has disrupted offense strategies all season. Sullinger lost weight and added new offensive wrinkles to his game under Matta's watch, too.
But the head coach deserves just as much credit for his ability to mold this young group mentally. Matta didn't have the veteran leaders who had led some of his Buckeyes teams in recent years, and unlike his 2006-07 NCAA national runner-up squad, he didn't have three first-round picks.
Matta's tutelage, however, fueled a rapid maturation process that equipped the Buckeyes with the proper mindset in March, even though they didn't appear to have it in late February. Every time his youthful team moved off track, Matta brought it back. Sometimes, he had to praise players after tough outings. On other occasions, he had to humble them like the day he booted them from practice.
But in the best coaching performance of his career, Matta became Ohio State's maestro.
And that's why the Buckeyes are still making music.
-- Myron Medcalf
Back in October, a few days after the start of official workouts, Bill Self re-evaluated his expectations for this season's squad.
Coaches often downplay the potential of their team, but in this case, Self's concern seemed genuine. The Jayhawks had lost four starters and six of the top eight players from a roster that finished 35-3 the previous season. Only two returning players -- point guard Tyshawn Taylor and forward Thomas Robinson -- averaged more than four points per game in 2010-11.
When Kansas defeated Ohio State at Allen Fieldhouse in December, Self was thrilled, for reasons you may not expect.
"We needed a feather in our cap," said Self, whose team had already lost to Kentucky and Duke. "We needed to beat someone to get into the tournament. At that point we hadn't done it."
Four months later, Kansas is preparing to play Ohio State again -- in the Final Four.
It happened because of Self, who has turned what was supposedly his worst team into one of his best. This is the second Final Four appearance for Self, who has won more games than any other college coach in America since his arrival at Kansas in 2003-04. Self sparked KU to the NCAA title in 2008. As impressive as his efforts were then, his excellence has been magnified more this season than in any other in his career.
In Robinson, Self took a player who averaged a little more than 14 minutes off the bench last season and turned him into a Wooden Award candidate.
Taylor, a third-team All-American, went from being one of the most criticized players in KU history to one of the most loved. Self transformed role players such as Jeff Withey, Elijah Johnson and Travis Releford -- all of whom averaged between two and four points last season -- into solid players and contributors.
Kansas advanced to the Final Four by beating a North Carolina team that played six McDonald's All-Americans. The Jayhawks don't have any. With Self on the sideline, it didn't matter.
It hasn't all season.
-- Jason King
2. Based on what you read, who is the best coach and why? Please give 2 reasons to support your answer.
3. When a team wins a championship, do you think that means that team had the best coach? Please give 2 reasons to support your answer.
22 comments:
Jill Geline
1. Connecticut Huskies
2. I think John Calipari is the best coach because he works hard for his team and will never let them down. John is always on top of what is needed to be done and coaches his team to many victories.
3. When a team wins a championship they win it because they worked for it. The coach was there to coach them but was not on the court playing. The coach is one person but a team is way more than one person. Everyone must pitch in, in some way to win the championship. It is a group effort.
Titus Wong
1.Uconn
2.John Calipari because he is very good at recruiting talented basketball players and assembles the team to have chemistry with each other.
3.I do not believe it means that team has the best coach because the players may have just had a really good game.
Andrew Espejo
1. The winner of the 2014 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship was the Connecticut Huskies.
2. In my opinion Rick Pitino is the best coach. I believe he was the best coach because he made an all star team even though he had many players with injuries. Also, he used his strong coaching skills to emphasize the strengths of his team (defense) to help them be the best team possible.
3. When a team wins a championship, I think that means that the team has the best coach. Coaches teach players and give them advice on decision making when there is a lot of pressure. Even though players have skills, it is the coach who brings individual talents together to make a successful team.
Kalise Gilbert
1. Connecticut
2. John Calipari is the best coach i think because he assemble a great team and that was hard to do and second it is hard being him because being so good makes people have expectations and demands and Calipari cant always meet them.
3. when a team wins a championship i think that it doesn't mean that you have the best coach. first reason is that maybe the players just had an off day and the second reason is that if the players aren't playing well then that isn't really the coaches fault.
Michael Lu
1. The Huskies won the 2014 NCAA Men's Basketball championship.
2. John Calipari because he puts in a lot of work recruiting and getting talented players. He makes his team very successful and takes a lot of wins.
3. If a team wins the championship, it does not entirely mean that they have a good coach but it is totally possible that they do. To win the championship the team has to communicate and work together to be successful. Every staff and player needs to connect and get things straight. They all have to put a lot of effort in it to win.
Sarah Rafiqul
1. Connecticut
2. John Calipari is the best coach, because he had to assemble the team and guide them in the game.
3. When a team wins a championship, it doesn't mean that the team had the coach. A team wins a championship by teamwork and having good skills.
1. UConn
2. John Calipari is the better coach in my opinion, due to the fact that he has the ability to construct a great team and help them build unbreakable chemistry with one another.
3. The coach may have a significant part in the outcome of a game, however the outcome is not solely based on the performance of the coaching staff.
Ralik Davis
2nd Period
Enrique Garcia
1. The Huskies
2. I feel that Rick Pitino is better because he used what players weren't injured to create "a defensive swarm"of a team and make it to New Orleans.
3. Sometimes, because the win could have been complete luck. But on the other hand (like in Coach Pinito's case) the coach can bring up a team from nothing.
Alex Adkins
1. The Connecticut Huskies won
2. I think Thad Matta is the best coach because he's able to turn an unfocused team into an amazing one, and he was always able to keep his team on track.
3. Having a good coach is important, but in the end, a bad team won't make it very far, but a skilled team will. Players have to be able to execute plays that the coach teaches, and if a player isn't skilled enough to do so, then they won't win.
Vincent Zhan
1. Connecticut Huskies
2.John Calipari, as he excels at recruiting, managing and organizing his team, as well as being passionate enough to meet his team's fans' high standards
3. Only partially. Even as the coach directs the players, it is usually up to the players (and their ability) to successfully execute said plans. However, the planning and ability of the coach can dictate how the players themselves play, therefore making the coach a important element in any game.
Max Pasternak
1. Connecticut Huskies
2. I think John Calipari is the best coach in college basketball. He started a team full of freshman this past season and they still got to the national championship game. Although the team did have a lot of talent it is very rare for such a young team to make it that far. One major reason they did make it so far is because of the head coach. All of his teams have great chemistry between each other. Part of the reason players want to go to Kentucky is because they know they are getting a great coach. His teams almost always do well in the tournament except for the year the best player on the team Nerlens Noel had a torn acl.
3. If a team wins a championship it is because of both the players and the coaches, among other factors. When a team wins the national championship they almost always have a good coach, but not necessarily the best coach. This year UConn had a pretty good coach but not an elite coach, and they had talent among the players. All national championship teams have a blend of good players and good coaching. You must have both in order to win the NCAA championship.
Ray Lu: Pd2
1) Connecticut Huskies
2) I think John Calipari is the best coach because he's got talent to coaching the team most of the time makes good strategy, and he's also good at picking the right player which made the teammates easier to work with each other and also create a great team.
3) I don't think so because if a really bad(no teamwork no skills) team gets a very good coach they're still going to play poorly but if there is a good(teamwork + talented)team gets a ok coach they'll still play good, so coach is not the most important part for the team to do well or not, the idea of how players play together is the most important part of the victory .
1.UConn
2.I think Rick Pitino is the best coach, because he doesn't always get the best recruits but still finds a way to lead his team far in the tournament. Also his track record proves it, he has two national championships and seven final fours.
3.I do not believe that the champion ship team has the best coach, but I do believe they do need to have a good coach to lead them and make the players work hard
-Edward Xiao
Praise Adesokan
1. The Connecticut Huskies were the winners of the 2014 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
2. I believe Rick pitino was the best coach because even though he had a good number of injuries, setbacks he and his team still fought to be an all star team which shows his commitment for his team.
3. when a team wins a championship. It shows that there is a group effort in order to achieve this goal and the coach is one part of a very big piece and if one or some of those parts aren't working it will disturb the entire team flow. So the coach is that one part given the job to regulate them all so yes, a coach is a big part of winning.
Peter Hechler
1. UConn Huskies
2. Rick Pitino is the best coach out of that group because he was able to battle through adversity. He did not have a very good team to start with and on top of that there were many injuries that can usually distract a team easily. However Pitino was still able to lead his team to the Final Four among all of this.
3. The team that wins the championship does not always have the best coach. The coach does play a big part in guiding the team to victory but it is more up to the players drive to win and ability to perform.
Jalen Davis
1. Uconn Huskies
2.In my opinion John Calipari is the best coach. He found a way to make a team full of stars play basketball unselfishly.
3. Just because a team wins the championship does not mean they have the best coach. The players could have an exceptional game or the team could just have good chemistry.
1. UCONN
2. Rick Pitino is the best out of all of them. Calipari just wins because his team of made up of all top 20 recruits. Izzo is not far behind Pitino but Pitino has had more success with more teams.
3. The coach plays a huge role. Although the players determine the outcome based on their performance, coaches give advice and call plays.
Chase Erat
Shiva Choudhary pd.2
1.] UCONN
2.] Rick Pitino because even though he had a broken team with alot of injuries and broken chemistry across the new team along with lots of new faces to work with he made it happen.
3.] Though the coach plays a huge part in the success of the team, I believe to start to have a even c grade team you need , some, raw talent a great coach but no good talent won't to much, except for you having to stretch your cap capacity at the end of the season for F.A.
1.Uconn or Connecticut Huskies
2.Rick Patino becasue he was able to transform his players into new and improved players. one man who didn''t know any offence, Rick turned him into an offensive player. Also Rick knows how much to train his players. He knows how the players are feeling and can train them harder or easier. He always makes the practice what's best for the players at the moment and that helps the players improve themselves.
3. I feel like it's both. The coach does contribute because he helps sharpen their skills and improve their teamwork. BUT the players are also a big part because it's their determination and the effort they make at practices and games that allow them to try their hardest and win.
1.The Connecticut Huskies
2.John Calipari because for one he was able to unite different types of players. Unity if important in a game like basketball because its a team sport which makes this even more important. Calipari also did a great job in recruiting these talented players which is usually overlooked. Also hes doing most of his work under pressure as their are high expectations but hes still doing well.
3. When a team wins the championships, it doesn't always mean they have the best coach. Their are many factors that contribute to winning the championships but its not solely because of the coach they won. The rest of the staff and the players also took part so its somewhat impossible to say because they won the championships, they have the best coach
David Yao
1. UConn
2. John Caplipari is the better coach not only because he had assembled such a great team but he had to deal with an added amount of stress because everyone expected for him to remain on top at all costs which could have effected his game but it didnt.
3. Even though the coach led them to where they were and make them practice for it, the coach didnt go out on the court to make the points it was the players but the players may not have been able to score as effiently without the coachs help so both play a huge role.
Ricky Lay
2nd period
1) Connecticut
2) Calipari because he is good at recruiting talented players and assembles the best team that has the best possible chemistry
3) If a team wins the championship, it does not mean that they have a good coach but it is totally possible that they do. To win the championship the team has to communicate and work together to be successful with good chemistry.They all have to put a lot of effort in it to win and work hard consistently.
Ali Sabir
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