I was looking at coaches who won it all and can't think of anyone worse. It makes you wonder how in the world they beat us in 2014.
Is Kevin Ollie the worst coach to win the NCAA title?
- Thread starter Creed Bratton
- Start date
For my money, yes. He was Tubby Smith without the Kentucky effect. Took over for a hall of game coach and won with his players. Called it at the time, too; not that it was that big of a stretch.
As bad as he has been since leaving UK I am beginning to think that Tubby may be firmly in the top 3 too. Honestly I wouldn't have thought that 10-12 years ago. Since leaving UK, where he won 76% of his games, he is 226-172 for 57% winning percentage. I mean a good coach should still be able to win at a lower level school.
Couldn’t agree more. Not trying to bash Tubby either, as he was a nice guy and fine representation of our program in that aspect. Just not a high level basketball coach.
Tubby went 10 years without a FF appearance after the championship. The previous longest absence for UK was 8 years. Tubby left UK at the right time.
![[winking]](http://l.yimg.com/j/assets/img/emoticons/classic/wink.r191677.gif "Winking [winking]")
I'm not going to say Tubby was a bottom3 coach to win a title (I'd need to look more).. but there's absolute truth to coaches winning with another coaches players. Kevin Ollie did it... Tubby did it.. and they both got some extra leeway for it.
The FBI has just been notified of your threats and will be knocking on your door any minute. 
I say Tubby should be in the discussion for worst coach to win a championship.
Bill Squirrelhead Self. The Rug doctor owes his “championship” to Darrell Arthur’s grade change & the ability for the NCAA to allow a player who did not legitimately pass high school to play, the mysterious recruitment & commitment of Brandon Rush who couldn’t get into any other school who also received payments from an agent while managing a 3.6 GPA even though he carried a 0.0 throughout much of high school, the steering of campus criminal & avid elevator flasher, Sherron Collins, to KU by street pimp Anthony Longstreet, the epic Memphis choke job, & the numerous “boosters” delivering buckets of cash to players.
Although it’s funny because Tubby had at least 2 or 3 teams that had more talent than the 98 squad that just fell short in the end.
To be fair to Tubby, Cal has had at least two teams as talented or better than the 98 team and didn’t win the title. Tubby won a title with another coach’s players, but that doesn’t discredit him actually going out and finishing the job.
Tubby was a below average recruiter. He was a pretty good in-game coach though. I think if you take away the title then he absolutely underachieved here, but I can’t really justify leaving the title out, so I don’t think it’s fair to him to only analyze the last 9 years of his tenure.
What’s funny is that Cal constantly gets criticized for his in-game coaching but his recruiting is off the charts. Fans tend to hyper focus on the in game mistakes, while we also hyper focus on Tubby’s poor recruiting without acknowledging his ability as a coach. That may be just how it goes with fans. Easy to focus on the negatives. It all is apart of coaching though.
Tubby was a below average recruiter. He was a pretty good in-game coach though. I think if you take away the title then he absolutely underachieved here, but I can’t really justify leaving the title out, so I don’t think it’s fair to him to only analyze the last 9 years of his tenure.
What’s funny is that Cal constantly gets criticized for his in-game coaching but his recruiting is off the charts. Fans tend to hyper focus on the in game mistakes, while we also hyper focus on Tubby’s poor recruiting without acknowledging his ability as a coach. That may be just how it goes with fans. Easy to focus on the negatives. It all is apart of coaching though.
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anon_q409idbs5m40a
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I always thought that Steve Fisher was the worst but Ollie probably wins this argument. I never thought that Jerry Tarkanian was much of a coach but his teams won a lot of games.
No shot Tubby is on this list if you are ranking on pure ability to coach. Tubby was a hell of an X/O's guy, he just couldn't or didn't want to recruit for crap after a while here. Moreover, he had no control over his team- NO CONTROL. My time at UK was 1999-2003...plus the after college years of partying, it is night in day between Tubby and Cal on what it means to play basketball at UK...let me just put it that way.
So it depends on if we are talking about pure coaching ability or running a program, recruiting, institutional control, etc....I guess it depends on the criteria.
To me Ollie was just a crappy coach that had good players, I don't think Tubby is. I just think he ran a loose ship and probably didn't care as much as some others.
So it depends on if we are talking about pure coaching ability or running a program, recruiting, institutional control, etc....I guess it depends on the criteria.
To me Ollie was just a crappy coach that had good players, I don't think Tubby is. I just think he ran a loose ship and probably didn't care as much as some others.
Everyone always talks about Tubbys x&o ability . Personally , I didn't see anything that great .
Ollie had Calhoun’s guys and Calhoun sat in the stands and gave him advice during the entire run. That was really another Calhoun title.
I dont think a Tubby and Ollie comparison is fair at all. Tubby did win at Tulsa and GA and took 5 different teams to the NCAA. He won 5 conf titles and 5 SEC tourney titles at UK. Not sure why folks diminish his accomplishments.
Yes he left at the right time. Another FF and the perception of him probably changes. But he was a good coach.
I'd add Jud Heathcote. Likable guy, but after Magic, who just happened to be born basically right next door to the college, he had 7 NCAA Tournament appearances in 16 years, had a losing record 5 times, only won 20 or more 5 times, and never made it past the Sweet 16.
Tubby built two programs from ashes before he came to Lexington. No he shouldn’t be in the discussion. Kevin Ollie hasn’t done dick other than win a title.
Eff that guy and his mom for crapping out this oxygen thief. Yeah I'm still pissed about the titles this pos stole single handedly from UK.
Tubby is a very legit D1 coach. UK is an elite program with different expectations. He may not have been a fit at UK but as far as overpaid coaches go Tubby was as good as most and represented UK fine. Cal will be getting another championship and is a fit for a blue blood. Tough being compared to Cal.
Which Tubby teams were more talented? 2003 was not more talented individually but hey had great chemistry together. Nazr and Magloire had very lengthy NBA careers, Padgett had a stint too. Sheppard, Turner and a legitimate three point specialist in Mills made for a complete team. Tubbys first inherited team was his most talented team.
All his other teams were flawed or missing components, even that 2003 team relied on lesser talented players that cliqued together on interior passing. Bogans was good but Estill, Daniels and Hayes post passing made that entire run happen but they were not as talented as 98.
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anon_q409idbs5m40a
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I would have said Guy Lewis, had he won anything. Has to be known as the worst coach that had the most talent.
In the title game in 83, NC State got in some foul trouble, and he decided to go to the stall. Which allowed NC State to rest and get their players back in. All that talent stalling.
Tulsa has a good record on coaches and winning. Not great but good teams, check the list of who coached there.
At Georgia he inherited a former no 1 recruiting class
At Minnesota he inherited a team that intentionally lost so the coach would get fired
They were much better than their record showed the year before tubby took over
Tulsa and Georgia were a lot better than you are claiming. Especially Georgia since it had some very good players from a top recruiting class
Lazy? Too unwilling to cheat like Roy Williams Bill Self and the coaches yall worship along with the media. Maybe he should have paid recruits, set up fake classes for players, gave out a few jobs to parents and coaches and brought in a few stripper poles and then he wouldn't be called lazy.
We also did not play much zone as usual.
Louisville best them a couple weeks earlier by over 30 points playing mainly a zone.
Still not sure why were man to man at all cost.
I would could careless what defense we play or have to adjust to during a game if it wins more Titles
Not really.
If you compile the list of guys from the last 50 years who never had any other FF appearances besides the title they won, it's this:
Norm Sloan, Jud Heathcote, Jim Valvano, Rollie Massimino, Jim Harrick, Tubby Smith, Kevin Ollie, and Tony Bennett.
8 in 50 years. And 7 of the 8 were unquestionably not "bad coaches", they just weren't, to greater or lesser degrees, great coaches (with Bennett still having time to change that equation). Ollie is really the standout in that he accomplished absolutely nothing of note except the title. Hell, he only coached in 2 more NCAA Tournament games, and given the nature of how he left UConn, will probably never get another chance at a power program.
This
This is where Final Fours might unjustly sway perceptions. Tony Bennett has won 4 ACC titles and 2 ACC tourney titles (tough competition in ACC) in addition to taking VA to an Elite 8 prior to last year’s title. He probably qualifies as a great coach. Especially considering the success he had at WSU before VA.
Some folks here wouldn’t label Jay Wright as a great coach because several of his Nova teams flamed out early in the tourney. Sustained success and consistent winning can mean you’re a great coach. Multiple titles are a differentiator. But If Cal hadn’t won a title in 2012 he would still be a great coach.!
This is where Final Fours might unjustly sway perceptions. Tony Bennett has won 4 ACC titles and 2 ACC tourney titles (tough competition in ACC) in addition to taking VA to an Elite 8 prior to last year’s title. He probably qualifies as a great coach. Especially considering the success he had at WSU before VA.
Some folks here wouldn’t label Jay Wright as a great coach because several of his Nova teams flamed out early in the tourney. Sustained success and consistent winning can mean you’re a great coach. Multiple titles are a differentiator. But If Cal hadn’t won a title in 2012 he would still be a great coach.!
Tubby went 9 straight years without a Final Four, we were reduced to 8 and 9 seeds his last season - he even played his D2 talented son as the starting PG. He got canned at Minnesota and took Memphis from mediocre to horrible in 2 seasons, got canned yet again. Tubby's greatness as a coach is purely a myth.
