Article on Coach K's retirement plans

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Hopefully grandson Michael plays for Duke for 4 years, works as an assistant for another 5+ years, then takes over for grandpa Mike around 2030?

[-jk]

Hopefully grandson Michael plays for Duke for 4 years, works as an assistant for another 5+ years, then takes over for grandpa Mike around 2030?

That could work, too!

-jk

[szstark]

4. He thinks the Duke basketball program is bigger than him, but I think many of us would disagree. Duke basketball is Coach K now. It may not be forever, but it is right now.

9F

K thinks the program is bigger than him; history demonstrates the program is bigger than him - why is this even a discussion?

[dukebsbll14]

2. He thinks his successor should be someone who played and coached at Duke.

This article misspelled Brad Stevens

[HereBeforeCoachK]

It's going to be extremely hard to follow a legend.
9F

True, but that's a related, yet different topic.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Patriots joined the NFL in 1971, in the 29 years they had until Belichick became the coach, they made the playoffs 9 times and had 2 Superbowl appearances and no titles
Duke joined the ACC in 1953, in the 27 seasons before K arrived Duke had 8 NCAA appearances and 2 championship game appearances and no titles.

Looks pretty comparable to me.

You need to look closer. Very bad analogy. Apples and oranges...(for the reasons another poster explained)

[YmoBeThere]

I played on and coached IM teams while I was there. So I guess that makes me eligible.

[sagegrouse]

Saying Duke was a very strong program before K got here is like saying New England was a very strong football franchise before Bill Belichick became their head coach. Sure there were some great moments and seasons before K. But the comparison of before and since is night and day.

I dunno, dude! I went to every home game for four years plus NCAA regionals, and we lost only one game.

[JetpackJesus]

Patriots joined the NFL in 1971, in the 29 years they had until Belichick became the coach, they made the playoffs 9 times and had 2 Superbowl appearances and no titles
Duke joined the ACC in 1953, in the 27 seasons before K arrived Duke had 8 NCAA appearances and 2 championship game appearances and no titles.

Looks pretty comparable to me.

Only one team per conference could make the NCAA Tournament until 1975 when the field expanded to 32 teams. Put another way, before 1975, you could finish the season with one loss as an ACC school and miss the NCAA Tournament if that one loss happened during the ACC Tournament.

[sagegrouse]

there are what 30 teams in the NFL and 350 teams in D1? I don't know how many there were in the 60's and 70's...but i venture it was more than 30.

In the views of some historians, there were only about 30 teams that took basketball VERY seriously 50+ years ago. Although Jim or someone has disagreed with this assertion, I think it is pretty accurate -- the Big Four in the ACC, some Eastern teams we don't hear about much any more -- the Bonnies, LaSalle, St. Joe's, NYU plus Syracuse and others. A few in the Big Ten, plus Cincy and WVa and sometimes Notre Dame. Don't forget Ky and Miss. State. Then the Missouri Valley, Big Eight complex -- Wichita State, Kansas State, Kansas, Bradley. But only four out West -- UCLA, USC, Cal and Oregon State.

Today there are at least 100 with the ambition and resources to compete.

Still, Duke was a successful member of this smaller group.

[Steven43]

If the dream of Brad Stevens never was realistic, who then are the top Duke guys in contention? Quin? Bobby? Steve? Maybe Chris? Maybe Jeff? Personally, I’m starting to believe Quin should be at the head of the line. I think that would be a great hire.

[Acymetric]

If the dream of Brad Stevens never was realistic, who then are the top Duke guys in contention? Quin? Bobby? Steve? Maybe Chris? Maybe Jeff? Personally, I’m starting to believe Quin should be at the head of the line. I think that would be a great hire.

Who was dreaming of Brad Stevens?

[uh_no]

Who was dreaming of Brad Stevens?

everyone who watched a guy running a clean program take teams to back to back championship games

[Acymetric]

everyone who watched a guy running a clean program take teams to back to back championship games

That was a different age as far as college basketball is concerned. I think he is much better suited to mid-major programs where peaks and valleys are accepted, or the NBA where elite talent is a given (either of which allow his knowledge of the game to shine). I don't think he would be well suited for Duke, because there would be too many down years when the talent wasn't there.

[heyman25]

Bob Verga, Jeff Mullins, Jack Marin, Steve Vacendak.. I don't recall watching Art Heyman play..(Slightly before my childhood memories)

I met Art Heyman with my brothers at Beth El Synagogue near East Campus. He was unique. Duke was lucky Vic Bubas was in the right place at the right time. He was going to go to UNC with his Long Island friend Larry Brown,but his stepfather disliked Frank McGuire. Senior day stat against Billy Cunningham and UNC 40 points 24 rebounds. They lost to Loyola Chicago (remember their nun fan) in the Final 4 semnifinals 1963. Loyola won the championship against Cincinatti. Heman was named National Player of the Year. He was drafted by NY Knicks. He was a little too temperamental for his own good. He played with the legendary Connie Hawkins on a Pittsburgh ABA team and was fairly successful there.

[heyman25]

Cool Read on the legendary ABA Pittsburg Pipers. Steve Vacendak also played for them. Art Heyman and Connie Hawkins were the stars.https://triblive.com/sports/nationwo...or-recognition

[beachboy]

Great article on Coach K by Dave Glenn. He writes about K's retirement plans, other coaches who coached beyond 70, his relationships, thoughts for the future, etc.

https://theathletic.com/815699/2019/02/13/hes-not-into-pilates-like-boeheim-but-coach-k-at-72-feels-great-and-has-no-plans-to-retire/


This is the Athletic, it's a paid site. But here are some interesting tidbits:

1. He has no plans for a retirement date. It sounds like he's here at least two more years when he discusses recruiting.
2. He thinks his successor should be someone who played and coached at Duke. So Brey doesn't fit.
3. Michael Savarino, his grandson, will play at Duke next year as a preferred walk-on.
4. He thinks the Duke basketball program is bigger than him, but I think many of us would disagree. Duke basketball is Coach K now. It may not be forever, but it is right now.

coached at Duke...that broke my heart...….sorry Bobby

[JasonEvans]

coached at Duke...that broke my heart...….sorry Bobby

Yeah, that was my immediate takeaway... Bobby Hurley off the list.

Of course, what really matters is that it seems like K is still several years away from retirement... that is what matters to me.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Yeah, that was my immediate takeaway... Bobby Hurley off the list.

Of course, what really matters is that it seems like K is still several years away from retirement... that is what matters to me.

...so when was it that Brad Stevens coached at Duke??? I think I remember vaguely....


(work with me here)

[MCFinARL]

Bob Verga, Jeff Mullins, Jack Marin, Steve Vacendak.. I don't recall watching Art Heyman play..(Slightly before my childhood memories)

And Dick Groat, if we are going to the days before childhood memories (although I have childhood memories of seeing Groat play baseball with the Pirates, I wasn't following college basketball--or much of anything--when he was playing at Duke).