Roy Williams-Dean Smith interview

[Johnboy]

Man, there's nothing better to stoke the fires of rival hatred than the prospect of watching a 30+ minute interview with Dean and Roy! I made it through about three minutes before the cloud of smug became so suffocating that I had to turn it off.

[Indoor66]

Man, there's nothing better to stoke the fires of rival hatred than the prospect of watching a 30+ minute interview with Dean and Roy! I made it through about three minutes before the cloud of smug became so suffocating that I had to turn it off.

Heck, I couldn't bring myself to click on the link. Why get PO'd?

[Bluedawg]

...but what has Roy Williams done to merit a hall of fame plaque? he has won 1 NC, with Matt Doherty's team. last year he had the best team in the nation and fell way short. At KU he had a number of teams that should have been NC but failed.

I'm happy for him because he really is a nice guy, but why?


[don't shoot me...someone had to ask it]

[mapei]

I believe he has an extraordinary winning percentage, fashioned over a lot of years. I've never found the basketball hall of fame to be all that difficult to get into compared to other HOFs, and I certainly think Roy's case is as strong as that of many who are there already. As Duke found out in 1999, the NCAA tourney is basically a crap shoot, and I certainly don't think we should limit HOF admission to those who won it.

I don't have a problem with Roy, or Dean, either. I would be honored to have my kid coached by either. I would never, ever root for them over Duke, but that's another matter entirely.

[dkbaseball]

I'm savoring the experience of agreeing with Blue Dawg. It's a bit premature. Roy likely will have solid enough credentials when all is said and done, but not just yet, IMO.

[mapei]

According to the Naismith Hall of Fame, these are the career highlights of some current members:

Jim Boeheim:
• National championship at Syracuse, 2003
• Big East Conference Coach of the Year, 1984, 1991, 2000
• Three NCAA Final Fours, 1987, 1996, 2003
• USA Basketball National Coach of the Year, 2001

Lute Olsen:
• NCAA Championship at Arizona, 1997
• National Coach of the Year, 1988, 1990
• Gold Medal coach at Jones Cup (1984) and World Championships (1986)
• One of only five head coaches in NCAA history to record 24 or more 20-win seasons

Denny Crum:
• Gold Medal, USA World University Games, 1977
• Named National Coach of the Year three times, 1980, 1983, 1986
• Has led Louisville to three NIT Tournaments and the 1985 NIT Semifinals
• Had guided the University of Louisville to twelve regular season Metro Conference titles and eleven Metro Conference championships

John Cheney:
• NCAA Division II Tournament national championship with Cheyney State, 1978
• Division II National Coach of the Year, 1978
• USBWA National Coach of the Year, 1987, 1988
• Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000

Jim Calhoun:
• National championships at Connecticut, 1999, 2004
• NIT Championship at Connecticut, 1988
• National Coach of the Year, 1990
• Big East Conference Coach of the Year, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1998

Louis Carnesecca:
• Big East Conference Coach of the Year, 1983, 1985, 1986
• National Coach of the Year by USBWA (1983, 1985) and NABC ( 1985)
• Led St. John's to NCAA Final Four, 1985
• NIT championship with St. John's, 1989

ROY WILLIAMS:
• Third coach in history to lead two schools (Kansas and North Carolina) to an NCAA National Championship game
• Has made a total of five Final Four (1991, 1993, 2002, 2003, 2005) and three national title game (1991, 2003, 2005) appearances
• A six-time National Coach of the Year
• The fastest coach ever to reach the 500 win mark

[Indoor66]

According to the Naismith Hall of Fame, these are the career highlights of some current members:

Jim Boeheim:
• National championship at Syracuse, 2003
• Big East Conference Coach of the Year, 1984, 1991, 2000
• Three NCAA Final Fours, 1987, 1996, 2003
• USA Basketball National Coach of the Year, 2001

Lute Olsen:
• NCAA Championship at Arizona, 1997
• National Coach of the Year, 1988, 1990
• Gold Medal coach at Jones Cup (1984) and World Championships (1986)
• One of only five head coaches in NCAA history to record 24 or more 20-win seasons

Denny Crum:
• Gold Medal, USA World University Games, 1977
• Named National Coach of the Year three times, 1980, 1983, 1986
• Has led Louisville to three NIT Tournaments and the 1985 NIT Semifinals
• Had guided the University of Louisville to twelve regular season Metro Conference titles and eleven Metro Conference championships

John Cheney:
• NCAA Division II Tournament national championship with Cheyney State, 1978
• Division II National Coach of the Year, 1978
• USBWA National Coach of the Year, 1987, 1988
• Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000

Jim Calhoun:
• National championships at Connecticut, 1999, 2004
• NIT Championship at Connecticut, 1988
• National Coach of the Year, 1990
• Big East Conference Coach of the Year, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1998

Louis Carnesecca:
• Big East Conference Coach of the Year, 1983, 1985, 1986
• National Coach of the Year by USBWA (1983, 1985) and NABC ( 1985)
• Led St. John's to NCAA Final Four, 1985
• NIT championship with St. John's, 1989

ROY WILLIAMS:
• Third coach in history to lead two schools (Kansas and North Carolina) to an NCAA National Championship game
• Has made a total of five Final Four (1991, 1993, 2002, 2003, 2005) and three national title game (1991, 2003, 2005) appearances
• A six-time National Coach of the Year
• The fastest coach ever to reach the 500 win mark

Louisville (Denny Crum) won the national championship in 1986, defeating Duke.

Roy Williams is a pretender.

[dkbaseball]

Louisville (Denny Crum) won the national championship in 1986, defeating Duke.

Roy Williams is a pretender.

Crum also won it all in 1980. For me, the red flag with Roy is that he has never coached anywhere but in two of the consensus top five programs in college basketball history. Recruiting at Kansas and UNC is a snap, for anyone. Several of his teams have underperformed in the postseason. The '97 club was far and away the best in the country (though they did run into an extremely quick and red-hot Arizona team in regional final). And as Bluedawg noted, his national title was won with Doherty's recruits, who always figured to emerge in their junior year as a powerhouse. It's too early to say if he is HOF caliber.