Is Coach K Overrated?

[erpowers]

I understand that Coach K has won more than 800 games and won three championships, but I wonder if he is overrated. This morning I learned that Duke had eight McDonald's All Americans, but still lost to West Virginia, which did not have any All Americans. It seems to me that Coach K may not be getting enough out of his players. It seems that if you have eight All Americans you should at least be able to get past the second round if you are a really great coach. It seems that a better coach might get more out of these players. So, is Coach K overrated as a coach?

[joeybee12]

1. His time has come and gone...

...good coaches only have a certain life-span; he made it to the top of the hill, now he's going down the other side. so, yes, if people still think he's as good as he once was, yes, he is over-rated.

[BlooInBloo]

2. If you think he's god, yes. If you think he's one of the top 5 or 10 coaches ever, then no.

[KamaAina]

7. The problem is that many people do seem to think he's god

"Duke" Vitale, I'm talkin' to you...

[Hokie]

3. 800 wins and 3 championships

Hard to see how he could be overrated with that. Remember Coach K had the flu during both games this year. The NCAA is so competitive now. There are very good players on more teams. All it takes is for a couple of guys from Wastsamata U. to get hot, shoot out of their minds and you can get bounced in a one and done format.

Everyone remembers the amazing UCLA streak in the 60's and 70's but Wooden would never have been able to repeat that in today's environment. In those days the field was only 25 teams and the NCAA didn't move good teams to other regions. UCLA got a bye to the round of 16 and only had to beat teams like Weber State to get to the Final 4.

[underpants]

4. Probably not but he appears to be quite a jerk

a horrifically foul mouthed jerk at that

[northzax]

5. i didn't think this team had as many all-ams

but still, they play a style of ball that is perfectly suited to the friendly confines of North Carolina. and when they have a shooter, they can make a tournament run, when they play at or near home.

for instance: did you know that, since 2001, Duke is 7-0 inside North Carolina in tournament games? and 5-7 outside? they should never have been a two this year, they are tailored to play well in the ACC, especially when it is weak, but the national game has changed, you don't get four years to season players anymore, hell, you are lucky to get two for the really good ones. Coach K hasn't adapted to that world yet. (c'mon, who is Psycho T but Christian Laettner?_

so his recruiting isn't as good as it once was, but I think he gets more, in the regular season, out of his players than almost anyone else. they just don't have anything left to run with the big dogs in MArch anymore.

[underpants]

6. He didn't get a strong inside recruit

They actually did quite well in recruiting and developing players (oh I can't stand Duke BTW) but they had no pivot man so to speak. They were good at stretching the floor and in the first UNC game they nailed HUGE 3's but they couldn't stop anyone on the glass and they got torn apart by Belmont who, ironically, spread the floor on them.

Paulus is a defensive liability. I understand that he wants to be a coach and will probably make a fine one but he couldn't get on the floor other than as a shooter on most of the teams left in the tourney. Staying in defensive posture is great but it doesn't help when you are standing in the lane and their point guard is still dribbling the ball.

Paulus's famous D from last year's tourney-against VCU :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqPBJ_6y_5A