I came close to committing basketball blasphemy today. I seriously considered writing that Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is now the greatest college basketball coach of all time.
Swept up in the drama of Duke’s 61-59 heart-stopping win over Butler Monday night, I lost my perspective for a bit.
Now that I’ve regained by senses, I will say this: Coach K is the second greatest college coach of all time. No. 1 remains the Wizard of Westwood, John Wooden.
Wooden won 10 NCAA titles at UCLA, including seven in a row from 1966-73. Starting in 1971 and ending in 1974, UCLA won 88 consecutive games, an NCAA record that will never fall.
He won with giant superstar centers — Lew Alcindor (aka Kareem Abdul Jabbar) and Bill Walton — and with teams of lesser talent. He managed to keep his team together during the turbulent 1960s and ’70s. Simply put, Wooden is an American icon who deserves his place on the throne.
So Coach K is No. 2, ahead of Dean Smith, Bob Knight, Adolph Rupp or any other coach. Here’s why:
But it’s more than just the numbers that make Krzyzewski second only to Wooden. Coach K has proven he can win at a time when a lot of college-aged players have their eyes set on the NBA, not the NCAA.
He’s won during an era when the 3-point shot has become the game’s great equalizer. Because of the 3-pointer, no coach will ever duplicate what Wooden did.
And finally, Coach K is a teacher. His team’s pass with precision, play defense, play smart and drive their more athletic opponents crazy.
Love Duke or hate Duke, the Blue Devils are a joy to watch.
Trivia time
What school did UCLA beat in 1975 to give Wooden his 10th NCAA title?
Quotable
“I’m less than enamored (with the trade). I’m not convinced (Kevin Kolb) has a strong enough arm to be very much more than somewhat effective at throwing slant passes. I think it says we’ve written off the next couple of seasons and are in fact rebuilding.”
— Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell about the Eagles trading quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Redskins.
Reader’s rant
“Absolute classic. This was the best college basketball game since Villanova knocked off mighty Georgetown, especially when Gordon Hayward’s shot came within just a few inches another monumental upset. Hayward has to be one of the most courageous players in the college ranks and hopefully will have a pretty good future in the NBA whenever he chooses to enter the draft. And we in North Carolina don’t have to listen to all that nonsense about how dominant the Big East has suddenly become over the weak ACC. Save the talk for next year, Big East.” — Susan M, posting on about Duke’s victory over Butler.
In case you missed it
Hotchkiss senior Patrick Sullivan threw a no-hitter and hit for the cycle last Saturday in a prep baseball game against Coal Ridge.
“He had this look, like being in the zone look,” Hotchkiss coach Jason Yantzer “And he had this attitude. It wasn’t like a cocky attitude, it wasn’t an arrogant attitude. It was, ‘I’m in the zone.’ Everybody could see it in his eyes.”
This day in sports
On this day in 1958, five days after overhearing Ben Hogan wonder aloud “how the hell Palmer got an invitation to the Masters,” Arnold Palmer birdies the 18th hole during the final round to win his first of four Masters titles. Palmer’s winning check was for $14,000.
Trivia answer
UCLA beat Kentucky 92-85.
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1720 or psaunders@denverpost.com Hungry for more? .
