- Thread starter
- #1
iowajerms
Well-Known Member
- 20,650
- 2,780
- 293
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2011
- Location
- Iowa, US
- Hoopla Cash
- $ 29,091.39
- Fav. Team #1
- Fav. Team #2
- Fav. Team #3
http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/jeff-goodman/post?id=4753
By Jeff Goodman
As Kansas nears yet another Big 12 regular-season title with Bill Self at the helm, it’s an ideal time to debate whether the 52-year-old head coach can lay claim to the title of best Kansas coach of all time.
At first I scoffed at the notion. How could Self -- who has won only one national title and boasts a pair of Final Four appearances -- be considered the best coach in Kansas' history? However, a closer look shows one can make a valid case that Self already has passed his predecessor, Roy Williams, and stacks up against legendary Phog Allen.
Let's start with The Streak.
Since Self's first season in Lawrence, when Kansas finished second in the Big 12 to Oklahoma State, the Jayhawks have won at least a share of the regular-season crown each and every year. That’s 10 years running -- with an 11th likely unless KU blows a one-game advantage over Iowa State with four games remaining. Williams won nine league titles in 15 seasons; Larry Brown won one in his five seasons; and Allen won 24 conference championships in his 39-year tenure.
Self’s overall winning percentage since arriving at KU is a shade below 83 percent, which ranks him ahead of Williams (.805), Brown (.754), Allen (.729) and Ted Owens (.657).
Self also has a national title to his credit, something Williams was unable to accomplish in his 15 seasons in Lawrence.
It’s safe to say Self already has surpassed Owens, who was 348-182 in 19 seasons and went to a pair of Final Fours. He’s also clearly ahead of Brown, who won a national title (1988) in his five seasons -- but also left with the program being banned from the NCAA tourney the next season.
The Self-Williams comparison is much closer, with Williams winning more overall games and having two more Final Four appearances on his résumé while at the school. However, Self’s record is on pace to be more impressive -- and he has that national championship to his credit that Williams' Kansas stint lacks.
Advantage: Self.
Really, it comes down to Bill Self vs. Phog Allen -- and it’s not easy to come to a clear-cut conclusion. Remember, Allen coached at KU 1907-09 and 1919-56 but there wasn’t an NCAA tournament for his first 21 seasons.
Allen did win the national title in 1952 and went to the national championship game in 1940 and 1953. In 17 seasons eligible for the NCAA tourney, Allen won one national title.
Self has won a national championship in a dozen seasons, has a higher overall winning percentage than Allen and has owned the Big 12 -- with 10 regular-season crowns and six league tourney titles.
Self’s Jayhawks don’t show any sign of slowing down, either. In fact, this season’s team actually has a better mark at the same point than last season’s group, which featured Andrew Wiggins, the top pick in the 2014 NBA draft, and No. 3 selection Joel Embiid.
The only way Self doesn’t continue to add to his totals and ultimately run away with this conversation in time is if he’s plucked by an NBA team. And there are plenty of interested teams. He was contacted by the Cleveland Cavaliers last offseason before LeBron James made his decision to return to Cleveland, and there might be other opportunities in the future.
But Self will continue to rack up victories as long as he remains in Lawrence -- and he should be in the hunt for the Final Four just about every season. Sure, there will be early exits -- as was the case a year ago when the Jayhawks fell to Stanford -- but Self has taken Kansas past the first weekend in six of the past eight seasons.
The guy who was once regarded as "only" a recruiter has now proved he can also coach. Although the current KU squad doesn’t have the look and feel of a national title contender, as long as the Jayhawks avoid Kentucky they have as good a shot as anyone of getting to Indianapolis.
That would give Self as many Final Four appearances as Allen, with plenty more left in the tank.
By Jeff Goodman
As Kansas nears yet another Big 12 regular-season title with Bill Self at the helm, it’s an ideal time to debate whether the 52-year-old head coach can lay claim to the title of best Kansas coach of all time.
At first I scoffed at the notion. How could Self -- who has won only one national title and boasts a pair of Final Four appearances -- be considered the best coach in Kansas' history? However, a closer look shows one can make a valid case that Self already has passed his predecessor, Roy Williams, and stacks up against legendary Phog Allen.
Let's start with The Streak.
Since Self's first season in Lawrence, when Kansas finished second in the Big 12 to Oklahoma State, the Jayhawks have won at least a share of the regular-season crown each and every year. That’s 10 years running -- with an 11th likely unless KU blows a one-game advantage over Iowa State with four games remaining. Williams won nine league titles in 15 seasons; Larry Brown won one in his five seasons; and Allen won 24 conference championships in his 39-year tenure.
Self’s overall winning percentage since arriving at KU is a shade below 83 percent, which ranks him ahead of Williams (.805), Brown (.754), Allen (.729) and Ted Owens (.657).
Self also has a national title to his credit, something Williams was unable to accomplish in his 15 seasons in Lawrence.
It’s safe to say Self already has surpassed Owens, who was 348-182 in 19 seasons and went to a pair of Final Fours. He’s also clearly ahead of Brown, who won a national title (1988) in his five seasons -- but also left with the program being banned from the NCAA tourney the next season.
The Self-Williams comparison is much closer, with Williams winning more overall games and having two more Final Four appearances on his résumé while at the school. However, Self’s record is on pace to be more impressive -- and he has that national championship to his credit that Williams' Kansas stint lacks.
Advantage: Self.
Really, it comes down to Bill Self vs. Phog Allen -- and it’s not easy to come to a clear-cut conclusion. Remember, Allen coached at KU 1907-09 and 1919-56 but there wasn’t an NCAA tournament for his first 21 seasons.
Allen did win the national title in 1952 and went to the national championship game in 1940 and 1953. In 17 seasons eligible for the NCAA tourney, Allen won one national title.
Self has won a national championship in a dozen seasons, has a higher overall winning percentage than Allen and has owned the Big 12 -- with 10 regular-season crowns and six league tourney titles.
Self’s Jayhawks don’t show any sign of slowing down, either. In fact, this season’s team actually has a better mark at the same point than last season’s group, which featured Andrew Wiggins, the top pick in the 2014 NBA draft, and No. 3 selection Joel Embiid.
The only way Self doesn’t continue to add to his totals and ultimately run away with this conversation in time is if he’s plucked by an NBA team. And there are plenty of interested teams. He was contacted by the Cleveland Cavaliers last offseason before LeBron James made his decision to return to Cleveland, and there might be other opportunities in the future.
But Self will continue to rack up victories as long as he remains in Lawrence -- and he should be in the hunt for the Final Four just about every season. Sure, there will be early exits -- as was the case a year ago when the Jayhawks fell to Stanford -- but Self has taken Kansas past the first weekend in six of the past eight seasons.
The guy who was once regarded as "only" a recruiter has now proved he can also coach. Although the current KU squad doesn’t have the look and feel of a national title contender, as long as the Jayhawks avoid Kentucky they have as good a shot as anyone of getting to Indianapolis.
That would give Self as many Final Four appearances as Allen, with plenty more left in the tank.
