Heck of a list! The only thing I do know is Sam can’t be 16th. That guy can flat out coach.
The Sweet 16
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RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
Dude took Florida Atlantic to the Final Four. I’d say he’s earned his reputation.Dusty May is Flippin’ Five?!
(Oh yeah, he’s totally earned that.)
Yeah, if the ranking is best coaches today, I have no problem with him top five.
But if that's the ranking, then no way is Pitino currently top five. Nor Izzo. And Cal isn't #7.
Now, if it's about all-time career achievement, then yeah, Pitino and Izzo are easily top five, and Cal should be higher. But in that scenario I don't think May is top-5.
That's my beef with this list. What actually are we ranking them based on? Vibes? Probably vibes.
RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
Oh… I’ve got beefs with the list too. And I don’t know that Dusty’s top five either. It’s just some folks were forgetting about his pre-Michigan accomplishments.
Kilgore Trout
- Driftless Region
Sorry this is behind the paywall but thought you would enjoy the headline.
Wall Street Journal Artlicle - "The European Superteam Taking Over March Madness"
"Illinois has pummeled its opponents on its way to the Sweet 16. But college basketball’s newest superteam isn’t homegrown—it’s from Eastern Europe."
Wall Street Journal Artlicle - "The European Superteam Taking Over March Madness"
"Illinois has pummeled its opponents on its way to the Sweet 16. But college basketball’s newest superteam isn’t homegrown—it’s from Eastern Europe."
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Okay…but we definitely need a little criteria here. (As Juiceman suggests)
Others have gone to the FF as well. I would argue it’s FAR too small of a sample size to put him ahead of over half the list.
It’s a subjective and for fun. But come on.
This thing is recency bias BIGTIME…and BeginersLuck.
Steve Fisher went to the final four. Was he better than: Coach K, Bob Knight, Roy Dean Smith, RickPitino?…hell…most of the profession at the time. There would have been 25-30 guys ahead of Fisher at minimum.
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ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Brad deserves to be in front of the three, maybe four ahead of him IMO, but you've gotta admit it's an incredibly loaded list of coaches.
FeelYourPaign
- So Cal
Bulletin board material for the coach himself. You don't often get that. Prove 'em wrong, coach
They got a huge lift from Farleigh Dickinson who took out #1 seed Purdue in the first round.
Why would Izzo, Cal, and Pitino not be where they are ranked? Are they not winning? Who moves ahead of them? on another note I could see moving Underwood up a few spots, but that's about it.
Illini in Italy
- Illini HQ, Florida Panhandle
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Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Maybe this should be set up as a poll question, but I wonder who many would like to see win the Iowa/Nebraska game.
I think Nebraska is the tougher team to beat, but I absolutely don't want to see Iowa having a ton of success (especially considering my in-laws went to Iowa).
I think Nebraska is the tougher team to beat, but I absolutely don't want to see Iowa having a ton of success (especially considering my in-laws went to Iowa).
IllinoisFan733
- Chicago
I want whatever gives the Illini an easier chance to making the final 4.
Go to go Iowa, but I think it’s fairly close. Really is going to come down to how each team is shooting 3’s.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
I suspect all four fanbases are basically uncertain about which team they would want to win the other game, which is more or less rational in all four cases.
Iowa for me and it's not hard. The teams that worry me most are the ones who are comfortable getting in three point shootouts.
Iowa does not shoot threes frequently or well. And they're not particularly strong defensively.
But if you had asked any Illini fan before the tournament if they would rather play Nebraska or Iowa with the Final Four on the line, the answer would be "Yes."
I’d have Barnes, Otz, and Mcollum behind him.
I've liked everyone's choice between Nebraska or Iowa because don't care which one.... just want to play one.
get though Houston and I'm comfortable against both! Iowa can try to impose their will but against this year's team they can't. we can play slow and methodical and we have more weapons. banks is the only wild card there....I think we shut down stirtz.
We defended Nebraska so much better the second time that I think it frustrated them and I think we can do that again. we didn't even have kylan the second time.
get though Houston and I'm comfortable against both! Iowa can try to impose their will but against this year's team they can't. we can play slow and methodical and we have more weapons. banks is the only wild card there....I think we shut down stirtz.
We defended Nebraska so much better the second time that I think it frustrated them and I think we can do that again. we didn't even have kylan the second time.
If you needed a coach for one season right now and could hire anybody, would those three make your top 5 or 7? They wouldn't make mine.
And as for recent accomplishments, Izzo is close, but I do think there are at least 5 coaches who've been more successful in the last five or so years. For Cal and Pitino there are definitely more than 5 coaches who've been more successful in the last five or so years.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
What Pitino is doing at a previously moribund St. Johns is pretty amazing. It's been facilitated by a billionaire NIL sugar daddy of course, but it's Pitino who made that relationship happen.
I don't think Todd Golden or Tommy Lloyd could have created something from whole cloth like that.
Maybe not, but Todd Golden has won a national title and a conference title, and Tommy Lloyd has won 3 conference regular season titles, won 3 conference tournaments, and made 4 Sweet Sixteens in the last five years. In that same span, Pitino has also won conference titles, but in lesser conferences, and just made his first Sweet Sixteen since 2015.
Nah. Fan how you want to fan. I like other B$G teams to do well in the tourney. I can say Illinois faces the toughest competition in the toughest conference.
After further review- incidental contact.
Yep my son has gone over to the dark side AKA Michigan. While I picked them in one of my pools I would rather they not win it all.
I think I am caught up on my comments for now.
If Illinois beats Houston, a lot of the negative perceptions against Underwood will change dramatically..
RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
My opinion depends on whether we beat Houston.
I feel our chances to beat Iowa are better than our chances to beat Nebraska. Of course we could beat both or lose to both, but odds wise I’d prefer Iowa.
But if we don’t beat Houston, I’d prefer Nebraska. Not even close.
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