The K Slam?

[roywhite]

Reigning champion in 4 classifications:

2010 ACC Champion Coach
2010 NCAA National Champion Coach
2008 Olympic Gold Medal Coach
2010 FIBA World Champion Coach

Unique in basketball history, and a truly magnificent achievement.

**credit to a poster on TDD who pointed this out

[Duvall]

Reigning champion in 4 classifications:

2010 ACC Champion Coach
2010 NCAA National Champion Coach
2008 Olympic Gold Medal Coach
2010 FIBA World Champion Coach

Unique in basketball history, and a truly magnificent achievement.

**credit to a poster on TDD who pointed this out

Note that no coach has ever won an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA national championship and a FIBA World Championship in a career, let alone winning all three at the same time.

[Highlander]

Note that no coach has ever won an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA national championship and a FIBA World Championship in a career, let alone winning all three at the same time.

Sorry to nitpick, but technically coach didn't win a gold medal as team coaches aren't awarded medals in the Olympics. Would be more accurate to say no one has ever coached teams to those 3 achievements.

Nitpicking aside, it is an incredible achievement. Essentially the only possible US basketball title of any consequence that K doesn't currently hold is the NBA title.

[DevilHorns]

The amazing thing is he has done both of these jobs at the same time and has had the highest level of success in both.

I don't think he's truly taken a day off in years. Remarkable person.

[uh_no]

Essentially the only possible US basketball title of any consequence that K doesn't currently hold is the NBA title.

I know it means absolutely zilch now (compared to what it did 30 years ago) but an NIT championship.

[hurleyfor3]

Sorry to nitpick, but technically coach didn't win a gold medal as team coaches aren't awarded medals in the Olympics. Would be more accurate to say no one has ever coached teams to those 3 achievements.

Agreed, however he did receive one at the Worlds last week. Or at least he got to stand on the podium with one around his neck.

[uh_no]

Agreed, however he did receive one at the Worlds last week. Or at least he got to stand on the podium with one around his neck.

I'd assume he gets to keep it.....I'm guessing they don't come back and say 'sorry coach....we gotta take this spiffy gold medal back'....maybe they just have a dummy gold medal that they give to the coach every four years.....

:P

[ChillinDuke]

Agreed, however he did receive one at the Worlds last week. Or at least he got to stand on the podium with one around his neck.

Coach K did receive a gold medal at the FIBA World Championships. While the Olympics does not award medals to coaches, FIBA does.

It was Coach K's first gold medal of his career.

[muzikfrk75]

Coach K did receive a gold medal at the FIBA World Championships. While the Olympics does not award medals to coaches, FIBA does.

It was Coach K's first gold medal of his career.

Yep, he got one.

http://image.cdnl3.xosnetwork.com/pics31/400/XU/XUFPBUMHUGHLSUP.20100913185418.jpg

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

Reigning champion in 4 classifications:

2010 ACC Champion Coach
2010 NCAA National Champion Coach
2008 Olympic Gold Medal Coach
2010 FIBA World Champion Coach

Unique in basketball history, and a truly magnificent achievement.

**credit to a poster on TDD who pointed this out

And don't forget that today is Mike Krzyzewski Day!

[JasonEvans]

Essentially the only possible US basketball title of any consequence that K doesn't currently hold is the NBA title.

Shhh, Pat Reilly will hear you and try to get K for the Heat ;)

Also, to the person who mentioned the NIT, he said "basketball title OF ANY CONSEQUENCE."

--Jason "zing-- yup, I went there" Evans

[CameronBornAndBred]

I know it means absolutely zilch now (compared to what it did 30 years ago) but an NIT championship.
Not even Ol' Roy has one of those! http://crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/21.gif (http://crazietalk.net/ourhouse/posting.php?mode=post&f=3#)

[Greg_Newton]

The amazing thing is he has done both of these jobs at the same time and has had the highest level of success in both.

I don't think he's truly taken a day off in years. Remarkable person.

Seriously. Even during his so-called "leisure time" during the season, the man's in the zone. You can tell his mind never stops spinning when it comes to basketball.

And actually, Duke is the reigning champion of the preseason NIT, as luck would have it. So there.

[SilkyJ]

Seriously. Even during his so-called "leisure time" during the season, the man's in the zone. You can tell his mind never stops spinning when it comes to basketball.


I remember one of his presser's earlier this summer, I believe, where he basically said "I don't have any hobbies, I don't play golf, I'm just a basketball coach." (I remember the quote b/c everyone thought he was digging at Roy's love of golf).

"Basketball God" would be more like it :D

[uh_no]

Shhh, Pat Reilly will hear you and try to get K for the Heat ;)

Also, to the person who mentioned the NIT, he said "basketball title OF ANY CONSEQUENCE."

--Jason "zing-- yup, I went there" Evans

the NIT back in the day was considered much more important....and there was much deference to the guy (forget who it was) that won a ncaa, nit, and nba title.....K also does not have an NBA title....

[dukelifer]

Not even Ol' Roy has one of those! http://crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/21.gif (http://crazietalk.net/ourhouse/posting.php?mode=post&f=3#)

But he has the coveted runner-up tee shirt.

[DevilHorns]

http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2010/09/17/after-fiba-win-everything-golden-for-duke-mike-krzyzewski/

"I've always been not a rear-view mirror guy. I'm right-now. I'm not a future guy, either. I'm on to the next thing. Somewhere along the line, all of those things will flush out -- what you did, what you didn't do, how you did it, all that. But now's not the time to look at that.''

"I feel like I learned a lot, and this was a great experience,'' he said, " because -- I have to be very careful -- physically I stayed in very good shape, and I adjusted well. There is an emotional price you pay in being in that competitive an environment, and you have to pay more of that price with this (U.S.) team, because I think they needed that from our staff. So from now until we start practicing October 15, I have to make sure that I fill up the tank with that, because our Duke kids deserve that.

"That I've had two of the purest experiences of my life in a five-month period at this point of my life is crazy. But it's good. But I want to have another experience with my Duke team.''

[Forrest]

Sadly, Coach K's legacy will forever be tarnished by the absence of a coveted Helms Foundation championship.

[BD80]

Sadly, Coach K's legacy will forever be tarnished by the absence of a coveted Helms Foundation championship.

Oh hell, we can buy him a dozen of those things on Ebay for about $15.00 (the S/H might be a bit steep). I think they are issuing about 20-30 more of those per day, even though supply caught up with demand a LONGGGGGG time ago. I think they first gave them out to Ram's club member, then to all season ticket holders, then to all children under the age of 12. There are a bunch in storage at the Dean Dome to prop open doors if the AC goes out. I've got one in my front yard, the lawn jockey is peeing on it.

[moonpie23]

Sadly, Coach K's legacy will forever be tarnished by the absence of a coveted Helms Foundation championship.

actually, that's addition by subtraction....


http://ui32.gamespot.com/479/702headbanginstick_4.gif

[Olympic Fan]

the NIT back in the day was considered much more important....and there was much deference to the guy (forget who it was) that won a ncaa, nit, and nba title.....K also does not have an NBA title....

Pretty sure that Larry Brown is the only guy who has an NCAA title (which he cheated to get, leaving Kansas on probation) and an NBA title. I don't think he ever won the NIT ... and even if he did, he would have won it in the post 65=team era, when winning the the NIT was irrelevent.

Not sure exactly what you mean be "The NIT back in the day was considered much more important?" More important that what? The NIT today? Or the NCAA?

The only year that the NIT was clearly more important than the NCAA was 1938 (it started one year before the NCAA). Between 1939-1950, you could make the case that the NIT meant more because of the publicity in New York, but the NCAA was also played in New York several of those years too ... and studying the fields, it's hard to see which tournament was more attractive to the best teams -- cometimes the NIT, sometimes the NCAA.

It's worth nothing that Kentucky's Adolph Rupp, after winning back-to-back NCAA titles in 1948-49 was furious when he had to play in the NIT instead of the NCAA in 1950.

After '50, there's no debate -- the NCAA expanded from eight to 16 teams and took the 11 major conference champions automatically.

For the next 25 years, the importance of the NIT very slowly waned as the NCAA field expanded, taking more and more of the best teams.

The real death blow for the NIT came in 1975, when the NCAA allowed two teams per conference to participate -- but it's worth noting that even before that, many of the top teams denied an NCAA bid passed up the NIT -- Maryland in 1974 being a good example.

When the NCAA went to 64 teams in 1985, that finished the NIT as a relevant postseason event.

So when you say the NIT is "much better" I would agree that it was much better than it later became ... but it hasn't better better than the NCAA since 1950.

And, anyway, I don't think any choice has that triple: NCAA, NBA and NIT.

There was a lot of talk about the NCAA/NIT/Olympic Triple that only Dean Smith and Bobby Knight compiled. Rupp almost did it, but was not the official Olympic goal in 1948.

[DoubleDuke Dad]

Pretty sure that Larry Brown is the only guy who has an NCAA title (which he cheated to get, leaving Kansas on probation) and an NBA title. I don't think he ever won the NIT ... and even if he did, he would have won it in the post 65=team era, when winning the the NIT was irrelevent.

Not sure exactly what you mean be "The NIT back in the day was considered much more important?" More important that what? The NIT today? Or the NCAA?

The only year that the NIT was clearly more important than the NCAA was 1938 (it started one year before the NCAA). Between 1939-1950, you could make the case that the NIT meant more because of the publicity in New York, but the NCAA was also played in New York several of those years too ... and studying the fields, it's hard to see which tournament was more attractive to the best teams -- cometimes the NIT, sometimes the NCAA.

It's worth nothing that Kentucky's Adolph Rupp, after winning back-to-back NCAA titles in 1948-49 was furious when he had to play in the NIT instead of the NCAA in 1950.

After '50, there's no debate -- the NCAA expanded from eight to 16 teams and took the 11 major conference champions automatically.

For the next 25 years, the importance of the NIT very slowly waned as the NCAA field expanded, taking more and more of the best teams.

The real death blow for the NIT came in 1975, when the NCAA allowed two teams per conference to participate -- but it's worth noting that even before that, many of the top teams denied an NCAA bid passed up the NIT -- Maryland in 1974 being a good example.

When the NCAA went to 64 teams in 1985, that finished the NIT as a relevant postseason event.

So when you say the NIT is "much better" I would agree that it was much better than it later became ... but it hasn't better better than the NCAA since 1950.

And, anyway, I don't think any choice has that triple: NCAA, NBA and NIT.

There was a lot of talk about the NCAA/NIT/Olympic Triple that only Dean Smith and Bobby Knight compiled. Rupp almost did it, but was not the official Olympic goal in 1948.

However a school could play in both tournaments. In 1950 the City College of New York, win both the NIT and the NCAA tournaments in the same season. CCNY remains the only school to accomplish that feat.

[hurleyfor3]

Well geez, maybe we can go 16-15 this year and finally pick up that coveted Nit title. I'm sure we'd all be thrilled with that.

[davekay1971]

Sadly, Coach K's legacy will forever be tarnished by the absence of a coveted Helms Foundation championship.

Never say never. The Helms Foundation might get together in about 2025 and retrospectively hand the 1999 team the award.

[barjwr]

Dan Patrick mentioned this at the end of his show (during which he interviewed K). He seemed to think that as long as the Saints don't thoroughly suck this year, Drew Brees will be named SI Sportsman of the Year. He (and his staff) did put K in the discussion.

Given the fact that no one has done what he has done in this regard (the K Slam of the original post), I'd be hard pressed to feel that winning a Super Bowl--even for New Orleans--compares to K's accomplishments.

[uh_no]

Dan Patrick mentioned this at the end of his show (during which he interviewed K). He seemed to think that as long as the Saints don't thoroughly suck this year, Drew Brees will be named SI Sportsman of the Year. He (and his staff) did put K in the discussion.

Given the fact that no one has done what he has done in this regard (the K Slam of the original post), I'd be hard pressed to feel that winning a Super Bowl--even for New Orleans--compares to K's accomplishments.

does anyone know any examples of the soty going to a coach?

[Duvall]

does anyone know any examples of the soty going to a coach?

Here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sportsman_of_the_Year).

[uh_no]

Here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sportsman_of_the_Year).

so it hasn't happened since dean in '97. I fathom that coach K will win it once in his life, and it will probably happen when he retires. Coaches win the NCAA every year, and FIBA is a nice accomplishment, but what Drew Brees has meant to the city of NO is enormous. When K retires he will be the winningest coach in D1 history, and will possibly have 5+ championships and maybe 2 olympic golds and a FIBA gold. He will win it then. I'm not sure if it makes sense to award it to him now.