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  1. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by JasonEvans View Post
    Were you not paying any attention at all to what K did during the off-season and to what he has been doing during the off-season for the past several years?
    Of course I was, and I don't diminish that. But Geno coached a world championship winner this summer as well, hence my point that they won the same championships in 2010.

    Quote Originally Posted by JasonEvans View Post
    Not to put down what Geno has accomplished, because it is quite impressive and worthy of praise, but there is a world of difference in success in the men's game and the women's game at this level. Look at the variance in national champions over the past decade and the success rate of high seeds in each tournament. You will see that it is just easier for a successful women's team to have a deep run in the tournament.
    This, I think, is the key point. The women's game right now, from the perspective of talent depth, is probably more similar to the men's game in the 60s and 70s, when it was possible for teams to go undefeated and win multiple championships back to back. Because the men's game is now so much more competitive at both the intercollegiate and international levels, K's achievements are more impressive than Geno's, IMHO.

    With that said, the 80 game winning streak is nothing to sniff at, and I still disagree with SoCal's characterization that it would be a 'criminal' to pick Geno over K. While I personally would be happy if they picked K, there's room for reasonable minds to disagree.

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
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    Roxboro, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by Starter View Post
    Make no mistake, selling magazines is the main issue here. They want to create buzz and get people to buy the newsstand copy. Derek Jeter won last year and probably shouldn't have; it should have been someone like Federer, Manny Pacquiao or Kobe Bryant. Within his own sport, Mauer and Pujols had better seasons for perennial playoff teams. Even on Jeter's own team, Mariano Rivera was more integral to not just last year's championship, but all of their titles. But Jeter is the most marketable player in baseball, so he won. (Then he hit .270 this year and played worse defense than I would have).
    I think they do factor in sort of lifetime acheivements in the yearly award. Jeter became the all time hits leader in Yankee history, became a five-time WS Champion, and has been the clubhouse leader of that team for a long time. It was certainly not that he had his best single year. I think this was the case with Dean Smith, Cal Ripken, Don Shula, etc. Those guys didn't win a championship or have their best years when they won it but reached career milestones. As for K this year, I think he has a good case. Not only did he have a great year, but he became a four-time Champion passing Rupp and is approaching the most wins. But then again, maybe they wait until next year to give it to him after he does become the all-time leader in wins.

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Steamboat Springs, CO

    Talking Not Meant to Be Critical

    Quote Originally Posted by flyingdutchdevil View Post
    And secondly, please don't refer to the Dutch as a "team of thugs," as I assume that is what you were referring to. If you haven't noticed the name, that's my team and I place the Dutch national team and my Blue Devils on equal footing. .
    Sorry. I often criticize folks for emphasizing the negative not the positive, and I fell into the same trap. I was really thinking not of the Dutch but of the physical play that seems to typify everyone BUT Spain, but you are the expert not me.

    sagegrouse

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Raleigh, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by SuperTurkey View Post
    I'm not sure I agree with this line of reasoning, though I wish I did. Playing devil's advocate, what has K accomplished this year that Geno hasn't?
    Won in a league with a lot more parity? There's a reason nobody is stringing together 80 game win streaks in men's basketball, and it isn't because nobody can coach as well as Gene.

    That said, he is a great coach and his achievement is amazing (same goes for the girls playing for him). He should definitely deserves to be in this discussion, but I think K is just a touch ahead of him.

  5. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by Acymetric View Post
    Won in a league with a lot more parity? There's a reason nobody is stringing together 80 game win streaks in men's basketball, and it isn't because nobody can coach as well as Gene.

    That said, he is a great coach and his achievement is amazing (same goes for the girls playing for him). He should definitely deserves to be in this discussion, but I think K is just a touch ahead of him.
    Yep, absolutely fair on both points. I hope most will feel the same, but I still think that UConn potentially equaling UCLA's streak at the end of the year might effect the decision as it's being made. There will continue to be a ton of hype around UConn over the next month unless they flame out.

    Of course, in all likelihood, the decision probably won't be between K and Geno.

  6. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by flyingdutchdevil View Post
    But check these stats out: 24.3 mill watched the finals. 112 million US viewers watched the World Cup.
    More than 48 million people watched a portion of the Duke-Butler game in April. In terms of national awareness and interest (especially among the nation's English-speaking population -- which is SI's primary audience), College Basketball dwarfs soccer... even the World Cup.

    --Jason "I am a huge World Cup fan, but SI will not be picking any soccer player to be Sportsman of the Year this year" Evans
    Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Washington, D.C.

    Here in DC

    Quote Originally Posted by JasonEvans View Post
    More than 48 million people watched a portion of the Duke-Butler game in April. In terms of national awareness and interest (especially among the nation's English-speaking population -- which is SI's primary audience), College Basketball dwarfs soccer... even the World Cup.

    --Jason "I am a huge World Cup fan, but SI will not be picking any soccer player to be Sportsman of the Year this year" Evans
    If SI doesn't pick Coach K (and I think it should, thru my blue tinted glasses, I'm rooting for Brooks Laich, who seems to be a wonderful person. Nice story about him here:

    http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcs...a_tire_af.html)

    (Of course, he's only an average NHL player, so he won't win.)
    Last edited by MChambers; 11-17-2010 at 01:42 PM. Reason: closed a parenthetical

  8. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by nocilla View Post
    I think they do factor in sort of lifetime acheivements in the yearly award. Jeter became the all time hits leader in Yankee history, became a five-time WS Champion, and has been the clubhouse leader of that team for a long time.
    The all-time hit leader thing is definitely a good point -- he also broke the shortstop hit mark if I recall -- as is the lifetime achievement comment. But he got it because they won the World Series, and I still think considering that, a career achievement award should have gone to Mariano, who's quite possibly the greatest postseason pitcher of all time. (0.72 ERA in 139 2/3 innings) He pitched in 12 of their 15 playoff games last year and saved five of them. (He didn't save the clincher, but that's only because it was a four-run game; he did close it out.)

    Meanwhile, in 2009, Federer completed the sixth-ever career grand slam and finished ranked No. 1, Kobe Bryant won his fourth title (his first without Shaquille), and Pacquiao won a World Title at a record seventh different weight class and ran for Congress to help poor people in the Philippines.

    Regardless, my vote for this year would go to Krzyzewski, who simply had the best year. (Or Bryant, who could definitely have won last year)

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    St. Louis
    Quote Originally Posted by flyingdutchdevil View Post
    I agree with what SI is trying to do - attract the US readership. But check these stats out: 24.3 mill watched the finals. 112 million US viewers watched the World Cup.
    Comparing the viewership of one sport's final against the viewership of the other sport's entire event (taking place over a long period)=apples to oranges.

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
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    Boston, MA
    Quote Originally Posted by JasonEvans View Post
    --Jason "I am a huge World Cup fan, but SI will not be picking any soccer player to be Sportsman of the Year this year" Evans
    Give it time. Give it time. Guarantee that had the US beaten Ghana and then Uruguay, Donovan (had he played fairly well) would certainly be heavily considered.
    Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill

    President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club

  11. #31
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Steamboat Springs, CO

    Talking Some Further Thoughts

    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalDukeFan View Post
    Here are the nominees at least so far and my comments:
    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...html?eref=sihp

    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalDukeFan View Post
    CHEN: Lions DT Ndamukong Suh No Way
    Too soon

    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalDukeFan View Post
    KING: UConn Women's Coach Geno Auriemma Possible but would make me gag
    Not the stature of a Pat Summitt, and the award title does say "Sportsman."

    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalDukeFan View Post
    KING: Cardinals QB Kurt Warner No Way
    Admirable, but not topical.

    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalDukeFan View Post
    WOLFF: Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski Possible
    See below.

    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalDukeFan View Post
    MAHR: Figure skater Evan Lysacek No Way
    Uh, a guy figure skater with SI's reader base? Don't think so.

    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalDukeFan View Post
    WERTHEIM: Tennis star Rafael Nadal Possible (so is Federer)
    Deserving but maybe later in his career.

    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalDukeFan View Post
    JENKINS: Thunder F Kevin Durant No Way
    Too soon

    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalDukeFan View Post
    McCALLUM: Philiies P Roy Halladay Doubtful but deserving
    With a World Series win, maybe, but w/o one, I would prefer Lincecum for his Everyman physique. A 170-pound baseball player? And really probably only 155.

    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalDukeFan View Post
    ANDERSON: Butler Bulldogs Basketball Doubtful - Picking a team that lost?
    Only if the award is given to the Mid-Majors collectively.

    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalDukeFan View Post
    HACK: Golfer Lorena Ochoa Doubful but deserving
    Has announced her retirement. Did Anneke ever win?

    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalDukeFan View Post
    FARBER: Capitals LW Brooks Laich I don't follow hockey and have never heard of him
    Ditto

    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalDukeFan View Post
    ANDERSON: Alabama QB Greg McElroy No Way

    Not on the list is the probable winner - Drew Brees and/or the NO Saints.

    From the list the only contenders to me are Krzyzewski or one of the tennis players - Nadal or Federer. To pick Geno over K would be criminal and to pick them both would be asinine. Halladay had a great year, has had a great career, and is a great story as he could have made more money but wanted to be with the Phillies. Ochoa was the best women golfer in the world and is a great person(I happen to know her personally a little and she is the real deal.)

    My guess is something to do with the Saints. But I think it really should be K.

    SoCal
    Let me offer some Winter Sports candidates:

    Lindsey Vonn, perhaps paired with the ever-controversial Bode Miller, as a couple of real veterans who won Gold in Vancouver.

    Otherwise, it could be K. Dean Smith won when he broke the total wins record. K is certain to break the record barring health issues. Moreover, he has just won the NCAA's and the World championships.

    I would consider the Spanish World Cup team, which plays a beautiful brand of graceful and artistic futbol and was clearly the best team in South Africa.

    I would also add Tim Lincecum, who has two Cy Young awards and now has a World Series, for the Everyman reason detailed above. And BTW, when are we gonna recognize Albert Pujols, who won 2/3 of a Triple Crown?

    sagegrouse
    'Wow! Tiger Woods won twice'

  12. #32
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    Sep 2007
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    Undisclosed
    When talking about K, folks often overlook the things he does behind the scenes on behalf of college basketball, student athletics, and our armed forces. To many folks, K embodies college basketball. I for one am glad to see that this association is viewed more postively around the country than it was just a few years ago.

    K's satellite radio show can't hurt, either. He has gone on a real press offensive the last few years and it -- along with last year's wonderful team -- has paid dividends.

  13. #33
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Boston, MA
    For the American fan base, Drew Brees and Coach K are the two that really stick out.

    Brees stole America's heart during the months of January and February. Coach K - you know the story.

    I couldn't see Vonn and Bode getting the award - they did fairly well in the Olympics, but they were overshadowed by much better talent.
    Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill

    President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club

  14. #34
    Quote Originally Posted by sagegrouse View Post

    I would also add Tim Lincecum, who has two Cy Young awards and now has a World Series, for the Everyman reason detailed above. And BTW, when are we gonna recognize Albert Pujols, who won 2/3 of a Triple Crown?
    I agree on most of your points in general, especially in terms of Pujols. Pujols really should have won in 2006 instead of Dwyane Wade by virtue of leading an 83-win Cardinals team through the playoffs to a World Series championship. (If they really wanted to honor Wade, it should have been Wade and his team -- and by that I mean the referees, who allowed him to shoot 46 free throws (!) in Games 6 and 7.) And that wasn't one of the three years Pujols won MVP! They gave it to Ryan Howard that year because of his 58 home runs, despite that he had an inferior season to Pujols in virtually every way. Pujols didn't have a fantastic postseason that year, but his presence itself has value. And there's an excellent chance he wins his fourth MVP this season.

    I actually have two Lincecum jerseys, I love the guy, but I wouldn't put him up this year simply because it was his worst year in the Majors, and because the Giants' title was really more of a team effort. As good as Lincecum is -- I think he's unequivocally one of the top five pitchers in baseball, perhaps second only to Roy Halladay -- Matt Cain didn't give up an earned run in the playoffs, and Cody Ross somehow channeled Reggie Jackson. If this had been one of Lincecum's Cy Young years and they won it all, by all means.

    But as it stands -- here's how I justify hijacking this thread with a baseball discussion -- Coach K is certainly a far more appealing choice than either.

  15. #35

    If Tiger doesn't win it has got to be K

    If Tiger doesn't win it has got to be K

  16. #36
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    The City of Brotherly Love except when it's cold.

    Appears not to be K

    Unless he will be on Morning Joe this morning. Hosts are referring to the winning athlete being on the show. Looks to be Drew Brees. Too bad. Coach K is a really compelling candidate but I'm not the most objective person in this instance.

  17. #37

    It's Brees

    Quote Originally Posted by 77devil View Post
    Unless he will be on Morning Joe this morning. Hosts are referring to the winning athlete being on the show. Looks to be Drew Brees. Too bad. Coach K is a really compelling candidate but I'm not the most objective person in this instance.
    I, of course, would have preferred K. but certainly can understand Brees.

  18. #38
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    Feb 2008
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    Lewisville, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by diablesseblu View Post
    I, of course, would have preferred K. but certainly can understand Brees.
    yep, that's what Dan Patrick said...it's Brees.

    Not a bad choice (post-Katrina New Orleans played a role here, I think), but IMO Coach K was the right choice.

    Well, Coach...you'll just have to win another national championship (or two) and another Olympic title to get your due recognition from SI.

  19. #39
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    New York, NY
    In the last 15 years, SI's SOY includes Woods (twice), McGwire and Sosa, Lance Armstrong, Dwayne Wade, Curt Schilling, and Brett Favre. Several have been (or are perpetually on the verge of being) publicly humiliated for unsportsmanlike behavior (cheating with drugs or on their wife), one was apparently loathed by teammates, and one has been tarnished with the LeBron brush.

    The only coaches who've won it are Dean after he became the winningest bb college coach, Shula after he became the winningest pro fb coach, Wooden towards the tail end of his championships, and Paterno after he won his 2nd national championship (almost 25 years ago!). I'm unenthused by the Brees choice, but I'd lay even money on K for next year. And if we win the NC in April, I'd bet the farm on it.

  20. #40
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Quote Originally Posted by diablesseblu View Post
    I, of course, would have preferred K. but certainly can understand Brees.
    I would have also preferred Coach K on a personal level, but on a non-personal level think that Brees is the more appropriate choice considering also what he and his wife have put back into New Orleans post Katrina.

    If I were voting, I would voted for Brees number 1 and Coach K number 2.

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