Kudos to Jay Bilas

[4decadedukie]

Jay Bilas' statement regarding Coach K's surpassing Coach Smith's Division I victory record follows; I believe it is especially significant, because it emphasizes Coach K's substantial successes as a mentor, teacher and leader of men -- roles that actually are far more important than peerlessly successful coaching alone -- and it is written by an individual who has obviously worked closely with Coach K as a player, as an assistant, and as a multi-talented professional.


"Congratulations on becoming the winningest basketball coach in ACC history! You’re a giant figure in the game, but more importantly, you have been a transformative figure in the lives of your players. You have been coach, leader, mentor and friend to all of us, and it has not just been a four-year relationship. It has been a lifelong relationship. It has been 25 years since I played for you, but there is not a day that goes by that I don’t rely upon what you taught me. I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am for you and how proud I am of you. Congratulations. You are the best."

[Bluedog]

Video of congrats from players such as Boozer, JJ, Hurley, Paulus, Luol, Ferry, Gminski, Dawkins, and more. And some non-players like Gary Williams.

http://www.goduke.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?catid=1002&id=742696

[smcook313]

Jay Bilas' statement regarding Coach K's surpassing Coach Smith's Division I victory record follows; I believe it is especially significant, because it emphasizes Coach K's substantial successes as a mentor, teacher and leader of men -- roles that actually are far more important than peerlessly successful coaching alone -- and it is written by an individual who has obviously worked closely with Coach K as a player, as an assistant, and as a multi-talented professional.


"Congratulations on becoming the winningest basketball coach in ACC history! You’re a giant figure in the game, but more importantly, you have been a transformative figure in the lives of your players. You have been coach, leader, mentor and friend to all of us, and it has not just been a four-year relationship. It has been a lifelong relationship. It has been 25 years since I played for you, but there is not a day that goes by that I don’t rely upon what you taught me. I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am for you and how proud I am of you. Congratulations. You are the best."

I thought it was great when Coach K threw a zinger at Bilas last night during his postgame interview. It really shows that these guys are a family. After his words he wished to Jay's health improvement and went on to thank something or someone else. Coach is the definition of class and I bet all of those kids feel like they have a godfather for life. I can only imagine what it must have meant to Dre to have Coach in his corner when that horrific tragedy struck. Im so thankful to be a fan!!

[DukieInKansas]

I thought it was great when Coach K threw a zinger at Bilas last night during his postgame interview. It really shows that these guys are a family. After his words he wished to Jay's health improvement and went on to thank something or someone else. Coach is the definition of class and I bet all of those kids feel like they have a godfather for life. I can only imagine what it must have meant to Dre to have Coach in his corner when that horrific tragedy struck. Im so thankful to be a fan!!

I caught the reference to Jay's health last night. I wasn't aware of any health issues - have I missed something?

[smcook313]

I caught the reference to Jay's health last night. I wasn't aware of any health issues - have I missed something?

I had no idea either.... I just saw Jay on ESPN the other night so this was a surprise to me, too. Can anyone shine some light on this????

[NSDukeFan]

I thought this thread may have been about Jay being judged best analyst by SI.

Best game analyst

THE PICK: Jay Bilas (ESPN, CBS).
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/richard_deitsch/12/27/2010media.awards/index.html?eref=sihp

This was from SI's best in media awards for 2010.

From the video that Bluedog referenced on GoDuke.com, I liked Amaker's comment that he and Kenny were mentioning that if they had played better coach K would have gotten there sooner.

[theAlaskanBear]

"hey coach! it's me JJ. obviously...uh."

bwahaha.

But seriously, great video. ++++ rep

[Turtleboy]

Question : If Bob Knight were to get hired at Clemson, would he automatically become the winningest coach in ACC history, or would he actually have to coach a game there to qualify?

[PADukeMom]

Question : If Bob Knight were to get hired at Clemson, would he automatically become the winningest coach in ACC history, or would he actually have to coach a game there to qualify?

Excellent question grasshopper (I'm channeling my inner Kung Fu today) but how can Coach Knight be the winningest coach in the ACC if he never coached in the ACC?

If we take 73 wins from when K coached at Army, is he still the winningest coach in the ACC? Pointless spectlaction since it probably will never happen anyway.

I tend to focus more on wht the coach of my team is doing.

[Lord Ash]

God it is great to see all those guys. Check out Coach Paulus! Man, it is also nice to hear Los a bit... very composed, well-spoken guy who I don't remember hearing very often... seeing Bobby Cremins was great, funny as always... loved all the Harvard guys... I had no IDEA that Kenny "High Socks" Blakeney was an assistant at Harvard... that is AWESOME! What a great video!

I do have to ask; what is this about Jay? I hadn't heard anything... is he okay? Was it just awkward phrasing that made it sound like something is wrong?

[DukieInKansas]

God it is great to see all those guys. Check out Coach Paulus! Man, it is also nice to hear Los a bit... very composed, well-spoken guy who I don't remember hearing very often... seeing Bobby Cremins was great, funny as always... loved all the Harvard guys... I had no IDEA that Kenny "High Socks" Blakeney was an assistant at Harvard... that is AWESOME! What a great video!

I do have to ask; what is this about Jay? I hadn't heard anything... is he okay? Was it just awkward phrasing that made it sound like something is wrong?

The initial post about the 30minute special says Jay Bilas is on of the hosts and Jason (Jay) Williams was on instead. Perhaps Jason was a last minute replacement for Jay, who may just have a cold or something? Just a guess. I hope it isn't something as simple as this.

[Merlindevildog91]

Excellent question grasshopper (I'm channeling my inner Kung Fu today) but how can Coach Knight be the winningest coach in the ACC if he never coached in the ACC?

If we take 73 wins from when K coached at Army, is he still the winningest coach in the ACC? Pointless spectlaction since it probably will never happen anyway.

I tend to focus more on wht the coach of my team is doing.

No, because all of Dean's wins are at that other university, which means he still has the most in the ACC, for a couple more years.

[diveonthefloor]

Yeah, I agree with the other posters who thought that it was a little weird
to refer to K as the "winningest coach in ACC history."

I guess it's like the old Clinton line "depends on what the meaning of 'is' is...."

Well, the good news is that after K passes Knight, there will still be another milestone....most ACC wins making K the "winningest coach in ACC history" by whatever definition you use!!!
:cool:

[Turtleboy]

Excellent question grasshopper (I'm channeling my inner Kung Fu today) but how can Coach Knight be the winningest coach in the ACC if he never coached in the ACC?Well, he probably can't, but that was only one option I offered. Did you miss the other one? Riddle me this : How can K be the winningest coach in ACC history when another person has more wins as an ACC coach?

Dean Smith is the winnngest coach in ACC history. K's Army days are not a part of ACC history. I can't imagine an argument that would convince me otherwise, but I am willing to listen to one.

[Jarhead]

Well, he probably can't, but that was only one option I offered. Did you miss the other one? Riddle me this : How can K be the winningest coach in ACC history when another person has more wins as an ACC coach?

Dean Smith is the winnngest coach in ACC history. K's Army days are not a part of ACC history. I can't imagine an argument that would convince me otherwise, but I am willing to listen to one.

As I see it, Coach K has more wins in Division I basketball. Coach Smith has more wins in ACC basketball. The rest of the country doesn't give a flip about who has the most ACC wins. (...except maybe at Inside Carolina.) In three or four seasons Mike Krzyzewski will go ahead of Smith in the ACC as well. Where will he be if we start counting his Olympics and USA Basketball wins too?
The Top Coach in the universe. http://crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/wizard.gif

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Yeah, I agree with the other posters who thought that it was a little weird
to refer to K as the "winningest coach in ACC history."

I guess it's like the old Clinton line "depends on what the meaning of 'is' is...."

Well, the good news is that after K passes Knight, there will still be another milestone....most ACC wins making K the "winningest coach in ACC history" by whatever definition you use!!!
:cool:
I've been wondering the same thing ever since I first heard it, and I've been too lazy to look it up. But perhaps since the ACC only had 8 or 7 teams for much of the 60's and 70's and played only 14 and 12 conference games (plus the tourney) each season and we've been at up to 12 teams and as many as 16 games each season for the last how many years, Coach K has coached in, and won, more ACC games than ol' Dean has. That's the only logical answer I can come up with, and probably the right one. But again, I'm to lazy to look it up. http://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/3.gif

[PADukeMom]

Well, he probably can't, but that was only one option I offered. Did you miss the other one? Riddle me this : How can K be the winningest coach in ACC history when another person has more wins as an ACC coach?

Dean Smith is the winnngest coach in ACC history. K's Army days are not a part of ACC history. I can't imagine an argument that would convince me otherwise, but I am willing to listen to one.

You asked this question right before a long weekend & with a bottle of wine looming in my near future, so to answer your question:
I had a question mark in my sentence however I forgot to answer my own question with a NO, K isn't the winningist coach in the ACC. Of course that is Coach Smith. K however is the winningist 'active' coach in the ACC.
To answer your question; IMHO Coach Knight would have to win at least 880 games in the ACC for him to be the winningest coach in the ACC which would entail K going into retirement within the next 2-3 years. Then Coach Knight would have to coach at Clemson for 25+ years & given his age, just not going to happen.
Is "winningist" even a word?

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I've been wondering the same thing ever since I first heard it, and I've been too lazy to look it up. But perhaps since the ACC only had 8 or 7 teams for much of the 60's and 70's and played only 14 and 12 conference games (plus the tourney) each season and we've been at up to 12 teams and as many as 16 games each season for the last how many years, Coach K has coached in, and won, more ACC games than ol' Dean has. That's the only logical answer I can come up with, and probably the right one. But again, I'm to lazy to look it up. http://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/3.gif
I was going to edit this, but exceeded the time limit by a few seconds.

I've been taking this statement to mean the most ACC conference game wins and not just overall wins as a D-1 coach. If I have misinterpreted this, well, please ignore my rambling!

[-jk]

Well, he probably can't, but that was only one option I offered. Did you miss the other one? Riddle me this : How can K be the winningest coach in ACC history when another person has more wins as an ACC coach?

Dean Smith is the winnngest coach in ACC history. K's Army days are not a part of ACC history. I can't imagine an argument that would convince me otherwise, but I am willing to listen to one.

From this premise I think you'd have to reduce it another step, and only count conference games, regular and tourney. So if my math's right, Deano still leads with 422 wins (in 36 seasons) to K's 359 (in 31 and counting).

So K will just have to stick around a few more years to put that record to rest, too. ;)

-jk

[Turtleboy]

From this premise I think you'd have to reduce it another step, and only count conference games, regular and tourney. I don't see why. The criteria appear to be A) Games coached while employed as an ACC coach, and/or B) Games played in the history of the ACC. K's games at Army fail both.

The leading scorer in ACC history scored points against non ACC competition, but he was still playing for an ACC team, and the games are part of ACC history, so the points are counted. AFAIK, transfers into the ACC are only credited with points scored after said transfer, at least when it comes to determining their place in ACC history. Likewise, when teams are added to the ACC, individual records don't count. If that were not the case, Bimbo Coles would be somewhere in the top ten on the all time scorer list, and again, AFAIK, no one lists him that way.

[OldPhiKap]

So K will just have to stick around a few more years to put that record to rest, too. ;)

-jk

Truel. K is really being selfish if he doesn't stick around to win enough games to lead in every category, so sports fans can clear up any future confusion or linguistic issues.

Sounds good to me.;)

[nocilla]

I think it is just a confusion of wording. Bilas said he became the "winningest basketball coach in ACC history." He is not the winningest in NCAA history because that is Bob Knight. It is not about winning just ACC games or games while at an ACC school. Coach K is in the ACC and he has the more wins than any other ACC coach ever had. If Bob Knight had coached in the ACC then he could not have made the statement. But since he didn't, Coach K is the winningest coach in ACC history. He is also the winningest coach in Patriot League history, but that just doesn't have the same ring to it.