Quote:
Originally Posted by Mutt
I don't think any coach who had the best talent at the time should be considered among the greatest, unless they showed very good results with some teams that had less than the best talent. That takes out Phil Jackson, Red Auerbach, John Wooden, Scotty Bowman for me. I don't know enough about Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers to know whether he had the best talent. Coaching a team of great talent isn't as easy as just filling out a lineup card, and most of the coaches who coached dynasty teams got themselves those jobs by being very good in lower leagues/colleges so it's a bit unfair that I exclude them.
Parcells and Belichick were/are great coaches, could make ordinary players good and good players great as part of their team concept. College football is so much about recruiting and breaking rules as far as eligibility of players goes, makes for a very uneven playing field.
There is no sport that comes close to being a 'coach's game' as American football is.
|
In the case of Jimmy Johnson, his ability to recognize college talent and draft it as well as trade for proven talent makes him a great coach. Winning a college championship along with a few Super Bowls shows coaching skills on every level.
In Jacksons case part of his uniqueness was the ability to motivate, placate, and keep diverse competitive personalities focused. Getting Dennis Rodman to show up on time sober not wearing a dress makes my case, lol.
To surround yourself with and motivate great talents year after year is as good as being a great "coach". After all most pro's are past being taught how to do their jobs. Instead they are being coached how to play/win as a team.
.