2021-2022 B1G Basketball thread

[medinabuckeye1]

I’m wondering if an unintended consequence of Howard punching/slapping the Wisconsin coach will be a broadening dialogue on whether the wave of hiring your school’s former NBA Star as your coach is already a flop?

Only a few weeks ago Anfernee Hardaway of Memphis lost his temper with the media. And Patrick Ewing is in year 5 with Georgetown and only has 1 NCAA Tournament appearance to show for it, on top of a 6-20 W/L record so far this season.

Hiring an NBA player alum provides an edge in recruiting, fundraising, and brings a bit of star power to the position, but it doesn’t appear these guys are masters of the Xs & Os or put in the film room hours or player development of their more Beilein like counterparts who were scholars of the boring details like clock management, player rotations, exploiting matchups, and handling the media.

In most sports I think that former superstar players tend to make lousy coaches.  There are exceptions of course, but most great coaches were not spectacular players. 

My theory is that superstar players tend to be athletically gifted which tends to mean that they learn the game differently from guys with more average athleticism.  Guys who manage to turn more-or-less average athleticism into a serviceable career are, by definition, VERY GOOD at getting the most out of their athletic abilities and that is really what you need a coach to do. 

[medinabuckeye1]

In Lunardi's latest the B1G has NINE teams in the dance but two of them need to win play-in games to make the 64-team field.  The teams in are:

• #2 Purdue
• #3 Illinois, Wisconsin
• #5 Ohio State
• #6 Michigan State
• #7 Iowa
• #10 Rutgers
• #11 Michigan (play-in)
• #12 Indiana (play-in)

Based on the historical performance of those seeds (counting the play-in teams as 0.5 each), those seeds, on average, would result in:

• 5.26 teams in the R32
• 2.83 teams in the S16
• 1.29 teams in the E8
• 0.55 teams in the F4
• 0.28 teams in the NC
• 0.10 NC's

[Mdot21]

In most sports I think that former superstar players tend to make lousy coaches.  Their are exceptions of course, but most great coaches were not spectacular players. 

My theory is that superstar players tend to be athletically gifted which tends to mean that they learn the game differently from guys with more average athleticism.  Guys who manage to turn more-or-less average athleticism into a serviceable career are, by definition, VERY GOOD at getting the most out of their athletic abilities and that is really what you need a coach to do. 

Agree 100%. Was just about to post this same thing. Can’t really think of a great coach in any of the major sports who was also a great player off the top of my head.

Maybe Larry Bird? But his run as a coach was super short. He only coached for a few years and never won a championship but was a good coach.

[ELA]

Agree 100%. Was just about to post this same thing. Can’t really think of a great coach in any of the major sports who was also a great player off the top of my head.

Maybe Larry Bird? But his run as a coach was super short. He only coached for a few years and never won a championship but was a good coach.

Lenny Wilkins and Mike Ditka are probably the closest.  Both were HOFers as players

[847badgerfan]

Iron Mike was not really a good coach. He had GM's named Jim Finks and then Jerry Vanisi, who gave him all the players he needed. Lots of guys could have won with that team. Frankly, they should have won 3-4 championships.

[bayareabadger]

Iron Mike was not really a good coach. He had GM's named Jim Finks and then Jerry Vanisi, who gave him all the players he needed. Lots of guys could have won with that team. Frankly, they should have won 3-4 championships.

The “shoulds” are always interesting.

In college it’s so different because your coach is your GM. Penny and Howard were hired as de facto GMs, with “coaches” as assistants. I don’t know that it’s a bad plan. I think Howard might be fine if not for being a loose cannon. Penny has a bad habit of trying to play all his talent.

And the biggest issue for both is neither has been able to land a really notable point guard of late.

[847badgerfan]

Michigan State's Tom Izzo not happy with idea of ending postgame handshake: 'Typical of our country right now' | Fox News
Michigan State's Tom Izzo not happy with idea of ending postgame handshake: 'Typical of our country right now' | Fox News

[Honestbuckeye]

I thought the official statement Wisconsin put out there was interesting.   

[847badgerfan]

Yeah. Gard getting that fine is complete BS.

[MarqHusker]

Amusing rumor sent to me suggesting a certain Pac coach will return to the state of NE to coach the most hapless of basketball programs.   Interesting rumor to say the least.

[Benthere2]

Yeah. Gard getting that fine is complete BS.

could you think any other way?

[SuperMario]

I thought the official statement Wisconsin put out there was interesting. 

I thought the same. Interesting is a good choice of words.

[ELA]

I don't think MSU finishes within 5 games of first place

A rare moment of optimism from me

[ELA]

And now the football players are getting first half PT.  They have to hope beating Maryland at home, and then whatever 8-9 BTT game they get are both Ws.  There ain't another one on the schedule