OT Who is the state of Michigan's greatest head coach of all time?

[SpartanDawg]

This was a hot topic on 97.1 this past week and fresh off another final four trip for michigan state, I think it really comes down to two.

Bowman and Izzo are 1 and 2 in my book. [[obvious bias is obvious). but I really think they accomplished the most.

Bowman with 3 championships and 4 trips to the finals. Izzo with 7 final fours and a national championship in 2000.

I know a bunch of people will jump down my neck for not including Bo but he never even won a title, I would ABSOLUTELY include him in my top 5 though.

1. Bowman
2. Izzo
3. Chuck Daly
4. Bo
5. Babcock

I know this isn't really a sports forum but i'm just on a high after the basketball game today and wanted to discuss it

[T.Low]

Bowman
Berensen
Loften Greene
Daly
Izzo


Im a Babcock fan, but Blashill will do more with less.

[Danny]

Tom Izzo! GO GREEN GO SPARTANS! VICTORY FOR MSU! basketball team.

[mikefmich]

Hughie Jennings

[mwilbert]

Fielding Yost.

[Hardhat]

Sparky is in the MLB Hall of Fame.

[Ltdave]

im thinking Red Berensen myself...

[rbdetsport]

im thinking Red Berensen myself...

You clearly are just not a College Basketball fan. I don't think anyone can argue that Tom Izzo is not one of the greatest coaches of all time. He does more with less. GO GREEN! BEAT DUKE!

[GPCharles]

I nominate P. Cincy Sachs. He taught more young men the game of basketball than one could count.

[Zulu Warrior]

The answer is "Bo"... there is no rivalry with OSU... and no in state feud without Bo....#GoBlue #ForeverWolverines #theTeam

[Spartan]

1. Bowman
2. Izzo
3. Daly
4. Sparky
5. Yost

Hard to compare across generations, but I couldn't leave Yost off. Bo would be on there, but tough to include someone who never reached the top. Red Berenson is probably my #6, if you include college hockey. If not, then likely Mike Babcock. Pretty hard to rank everyone, though I think Bowman is the clear #1.

[Ray1936]

Frankly, I like Spartan's picks real well.

[IrishSpartan]

1. Bowman
2. Izzo
3. Daly
4. Sparky
5. Yost

Hard to compare across generations, but I couldn't leave Yost off. Bo would be on there, but tough to include someone who never reached the top. Red Berenson is probably my #6, if you include college hockey. If not, then likely Mike Babcock. Pretty hard to rank everyone, though I think Bowman is the clear #1.

One could argue that Tom Izzo isn't even the greatest coach at Michigan State. Biggie Munn put Michigan State on the map athletics wise. However, I would probably give the edge to Tom Izzo because he built a Top 10 program and had greater longevity than Munn. The basketball tradition at MSU before Tom also was limited to a Final Four appearance in the late 1950's with Johhny Green and the Magic era. Also, Tom had to deal with a dysfunctional administration in the athletic department for years and basically held it together.

[Zulu Warrior]

In Bo's defense...the national title not really relevant as it was an opinion.. and not an outright victory. 13 Big Ten titles. Its like saying Dantonio wouldn't belong in the top 15 because he's never won a National Title and that Lloyd Carr deserves to be on the list because he did win one.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

In Bo's defense...the national title not really relevant as it was an opinion.. and not an outright victory. 13 Big Ten titles. Its like saying Dantonio wouldn't belong in the top 15 because he's never won a National Title and that Lloyd Carr deserves to be on the list because he did win one.

Good call.

[T.Low]

You clearly are just not a College Basketball fan. I don't think anyone can argue that Tom Izzo is not one of the greatest coaches of all time. He does more with less. GO GREEN! BEAT DUKE!

Yes, he's a great coach, but compare the two and then show why he should be ranked above Red Berensen, or Lofton Greene.

[T.Low]

Sparky was great, but like Babcock, it could certainly be argued that he should have won more with that team. Doesn't crack my top 5.

[EastsideAl]

Buddy Parker
Mickey Cochrane
Jack Adams
Tommy Ivan
Duffy Daugherty
and...
Mayo!!

[mikeg19]

Man, that's a tough question. We've had so many incredible coaches in this state, not to mention it's difficult to quantify success over different sports and eras. Obviously Scotty Bowman was a fantastic coarch, Tom Izzo, Sparky, etc. I'd probably give it to Scotty, the way he manipulated players into buying into a system and turning that team around from a 1st round knockout every year to a team legit yearly Cup contender.

I'll say however that I believe coaching college basketball might be the most difficult, with the amount of turnover those guys go through with those kids moving onto the NBA or graduating. That's a tough gig, no doubt.

[artds]

MSU is more in central Michigan.

[T.Low]

Central of lower 1/4, but what's the point?

[jiminnm]

For one season, I'd say Billy Martin in 1972. There is no way that the Tigers should have even come close to winning anything that season [[their team batting avg was .235), but they came within one game of the World Series by losing the ALCS to a great Oakland team 3 games to 2, with a 2-1 score in game 5).

[Lowell]

Another vote for Lofton Greene

Served River Rouge High School for 30 years and compiled the best coaching record in Michigan history winning 12 state Class B basketball titles [[1954, '55, '59, '61, '62, '63, '64, '65, '69, '70, '71, '72) and four runner-up titles [['49, '51, '58, '66). His teams won 23 district championships and 17 regional titles, and compiled a 151-18 record in the state tournament. He was named Michigan coach of the year twice and the National coach of the year in 1972. Elected in 1974.

[Wheels]

My High School Basketball Coach Will Robinson.

[canuck]

My High School Basketball Coach Will Robinson.

That Will Robinson?