The Sporting News recently released a list of the 50 greatest coaches of all-time, as selected by a panel of Hall of Famers, championship coaches and other experts.
You can read the entire article on their web site, but here is the complete list:
1. John Wooden, college basketball
2. Vince Lombardi, NFL
3. Bear Bryant, college football
4. Phil Jackson, NBA
5. Don Shula, NFL
6. Red Auerbach, NBA
7. Scotty Bowman, NHL
8. Dean Smith, college basketball
9. Casey Stengel, MLB
10. Knute Rockne, college football
11. Pat Summitt, women’s college basketball
12. Paul Brown, NFL
13. Joe Paterno, college football
14. George Halas, NFL
15. Chuck Noll, NFL
16. Bob Knight, college basketball
17. Joe Gibbs, NFL
18. Tom Landry, NFL
19. Mike Krzyzewski, college basketball
20. Bill Belichick, NFL
21. Adolph Rupp, college basketball
22. Joe McCarthy, MLB
23. Eddie Robinson, college football
24. Bobby Bowden, college football
25. John McGraw, MLB
26. Bill Walsh, NFL
27. Woody Hayes, college football
28. Connie Mack, MLB
29. Bud Wilkinson, college football
30. Pat Riley, NBA
31. Pete Newell, college basketball
32. Joe Torre, MLB
33. Bill Parcells, NFL
34. Tom Osborne, college football
35. Walter Alston, MLB
36. Bo Schembechler, college football
37. Toe Blake, NHL
38. Sparky Anderson, MLB
39. Al Arbour, NHL
40. Amos Alonzo Stagg, college football
41. Tony La Russa, MLB
42. Geno Auriemma, women’s college basketball
43. Dick Irvin, NHL
44. Ara Parseghian, college football
45. Chuck Daly, NBA
46. Bobby Cox, MLB
47. Hank Iba, college basketball
48. Tommy Lasorda, MLB
49. Gregg Popovich, NBA
50. Herb Brooks, NHL
I figured that, for the most part, I would let the list speak for itself and just ask the rest of the bench to share your thoughts. The one thing that strikes me about the list, though, is how much more obvious the greatest coaches of all-time are for basketball and football than they are for baseball.
I’m pretty certain no one will argue that John Wooden is the greatest college basketball coach of all-time, or that the #1 spot in pro basketball comes down to either Phil Jackson or Red Auerbach. I also think that most people would pick Vince Lombardi for pro football, although I’m not entirely certain that Bear Bryant would be the consensus choice for college football. That is, I’m pretty sure one regular contributor here will disagree.
However, my point is that I’m a little surprised that Casey Stengel (#9) tops the baseball list over Joe McCarthy, who is all the way down at #22. But, more interesting is the fact that there are seven pro football coaches in the top 20 and only one baseball manager. My first inclination would be to think this is because football coaches are considered much more important to the success of their teams than are baseball managers, but could it possibly be that success with the New York Yankees, arguably the most dominating sports franchise of all-time, is discounted a little?
What are your thoughts on the list? We’d love to hear what you have to say.
Chas — I definitely feel there’s a perception that there is more actual coaching involved in football and basketball (vs baseball) … at least while the game is going on. Personally, I tend to agree …. I think your instinct above is an accurate one. In baseball, it’s more about the players. That’s probably why they call the coaches “managers” instead of head coaches.
Now, let’s discuss who’s missing from the list. To me, this is a blatant oversight. Frank Leahy won 86% of his games at Notre Dame. He had six undefeated seasons, four national championships and an unbeaten string of 39 games in the late 1940s. He also coached four Heisman Trophy winners. Before ND, he coached Boston College to a 20-2 record and a share of the national title before heading to ND. How he is not in the Top 15 of this list is a complete mystery. How many CFB coaches have 5+ national titles? Two? Oh, and folks might claim that Bear Bryant has 6, but I think 3 of those are either split and/or were awarded BEFORE they lost their bowl games. (Now how dumb is that?)
I’m very surprised Bill Walsh is not higher on the list. That 49ers dynasty was really something and their offense revolutionized the game. How often do we hear that so-and-so is a “Bill Walsh disciple”???? A LOT!!!!
Where’s Leo The Lip Durocher.???? And …. how can Earl Weaver not even be on the list when we’ve got Bobby Cox, Walter Alston and Tony LaRussa?
Could it be that Notre Dame are the Yankees of college football? Miller Huggins isn’t on the list either.
Well, Chas … I don’t know … Casey Stengel and Knute Rockne are up in the Top 10, so I wasn’t really thinking that there’s a bias against Yankees or ND. Ara Parseghian is #44. Ara was great, but his achievements not nearly as good as Leahy’s.
To me, there seems to be a bias for longevity at the expense of quality. Bobby Bowden and Woody Hayes in the top 30?!?!?! I’m bumfuzzled!!!
Dean Smith at #8? Really. Yeah, I guess he gets credit for being the only coach who could hold Jordan under 20 a game. Or maybe it’s the fact that we can thank him for the shot clock.
Anyone else think Belichik is a little low on the list?
Here is the list of the people who participated in making this list:
https://www.sportingnews.com/general/article/2009-07-29/who-helped-sn-pick-50-greatest-coaches
With that, my next question is what sports are included? Anson Dorrance has won 19 national championships as the women’s soccer coach at UNC.
Dan Gable won, I believe, 15 national titles as head wrestling coach at Iowa.
Lists like this lend themselves a little more to being a popularity contest. It looks as though the topic might be American sports coaches. So, why not broaden the spectrum of the list.
Sorry, Chas. Didn’t mean to ignore your questions in the post. I’m surprised at Stengel over McCarthy, too. I just don’t gewt that based on winning percentage. Both won 7 world series but McCarthy has the best winning percentage of all time while Stengel is around 50%.
I’ll put this out there and please feel free to attack me. Am I wrong for thinking that Torre deserves to be higher than everyone other than McCarthy? He won four world series in an era where that’s unheard of. La Russa has 2, Bobby Cox could only manage 1, Sparky with 3. I don’t know, I honestly think that Torre should perhaps be second as far as MLB goes.
Chas – please correct me if I’m wrong here.
Casey – I am looking at Dean Smith and Coach K and wondering if the gap should be a little closer. Coach K’s numbers/titles are comparable and Coach K should pass Dean Smith in wins this year.
Reynell – great call on Anson Dorrance!!
Surprised with some of the NHL coaches on here that we don’t see Glen Sather.
Rey – great call with Dorrance and Gable. Those guys have created coaching models that many have followed.
Smitty – I don’t even care if Coach K moves up the list. I just don’t get Dean Smith at 8. Bobby Knight is at 18? Ten spots behind Smith? I think I just smelled dog pie.
And for the love of God – can we please switch Noll and Shula?
I first heard about the list on ESPN radio, and they agreed with Casey about the Noll/Shula comparison. I guess that falls into the category of rewarding longevity that Wally referred to. To be honest, I’m surprised he didn’t use Joe Paterno (and the fact that he was only three spots behind Rockne) as an example of that. 😉
Rey, I don’t know if this was an individual popularity contest as much as it reflects the popularity of the sports themselves. That said, it’s pretty short-sighted that only four sports are represented.
Yeah – I forgot to mention ol’ Joe Pa sneaking in at lucky number 13. And to think how many more games his teams could have won if he didn’t have to look through those coke bottle glasses. 🙂
Rey, as far as Torre is concerned, I don’t think I’d rank him as the second best baseball manager of all-time. This proves how really difficult it is to rate managers. Don’t forget that Stengel ruined his career winning percentage by taking on the expansion Mets. If you subtract those four years, he’s at .546.
Personally, I think I rate Joe McCarthy and John McGraw as 1-2, but I’ll take a further look when we get to ranking managers on Mt. Otsego. After those two guys, it gets really difficult.
Wally, Walter Alston is probably on there because he won four World Series for the Dodgers, who prior to him just couldn’t beat the Yankees, not to mention the Giants. Earl Weaver probably should have made the list over Bobby Cox, in my opinion.
Chas —
I have INFINITELY MORE respect for JoPa than for Bobby Bowden. At FSU, where academics are like the 10th priority, anyone can hide there and win a ton of football games over several decades. JoPa has run a great program with hard work and great integrity over several decades at an institution that demands more from it’s “student-athletes”. There’s really no comparison, IMO. JoPa deserves a high ranking, Bowden should be closer to #50 … or off the list!
Check out page 4 of this link: https://today.sportingnews.com/sportingnewstoday/20090804/?sub_id=twpD4LskEW1e&folio=CGI
Thanks, Casey. Backs up my argument supporting ND’s Frank Leahy … incredible that he’s not even on the list, let alone in the Top 15 where he should unquestionably be.
The article also backs up Rey who mentioned Gable and the fact that the list lacked depth.
I posted earlier in the week but apparently it didn’t take. I’ll try to reproduce. I think the omissions people have mentioned are good ones. I too had wondered where Gable and Dorrance were. Like others I also question the order. I thought Rockne and Torre should both be higher and Phil Jackson, tho I am impressed with what he has done, a bit lower. As to Leahy, I am always amazed at how he is not really respected by ND. I know the parting of ways was not totally amicable, but his numbers do speak a loud message. Maybe there is more behind those numbers than anyone ever let on. Nevertheless, second best all-time win percentage behind only Rockne is quite impressive, and would seemingly earn him a top 50 spot, though I am not sure top 15.