Love him or hate him, Coach K is pure class!

[Orangeyes]

The good Coach K list

US Olympic coach who straightened out the mess that was our national team carrying on the vision from Jerry Colangelo.

His graciousness in defeat as displayed this year at the Dome & again today

His respect for our coach

His work with the V foundation before & after Jimmy V died.

The bad Coach K list

The way he has his players pound the floor and slap their hands in opponents face

The way he has taught his players to flop

Christian Laettner's chest stomp & Bobby Hurley's punky behavior they reminded me of skateboarders

The God like treatment K got from officials and his intimidating behavior towards refs

His players whining about calls

His treatment of young Duke fans at the regional practice at the Dome

After a season in the ACC and listening to K he really is so much more classy than Dixon, Calhoun and the Thompson tandem

 

[RoysRunts]

I noticed how gracious he was in the handshake line after the game.

I wonder how Dixon does it after he gets upset... certainly has a lot of practice.

I think he picks his spots i'd like to see that after a Kenntucky Loss or UNC

 

[NKR1978]

He's a class guy and Duke is a class institution.

 

[TheOrangeBuddha]

Interesting ... In the tunnel postgame interview he threw Jabari Parker under the bus when he talked about "his team playing like freshmen" and the such, especially considering Parker's subpar game. Let's not forget how he came close to basically destroying the college game with the ridiculous flopping etc.

Not a fan. Never a fan. What have we come to when we go gaga because a coach doesn't act like an ass clown after his team loses (yeah I'm looking at you - Dixon).

 

[85SUAlum]

I like K, I just hate the team he coaches.

Ditto - used to hate him simply because he was the Duke coach but have come to respect him.
Still hate Duke as a team though - don't care that we are ACC now too, still always going to root against them (UNC as well)

 

[orangehomer]

I like coach K quite a bit, but if I am his player and he is visiting the other team after loss I would be like "What?"

edit: if we lose to w Michigan yesterday do you think boeheim is going over to their lockerroom? F no. say nice things in the press conference and move on

 

[PeteCalvin]

Interesting ... In the tunnel postgame interview he threw Jabari Parker under the bus when he talked about "his team playing like freshmen" and the such, especially considering Parker's subpar game. Let's not forget how he came close to basically destroying the college game with the ridiculous flopping etc.

Not a fan. Never a fan. What have we come to when we go gaga because a coach doesn't act like an ass clown after his team loses (yeah I'm looking at you - Dixon).

What's ironic about that is Parker actually played a good game, other than that quick stretch where he picked up his 2nd and 3rd fouls. He could pretty much score whenever he wanted to. Duke simply fell in love with the three and let Rodney Hood become the focal point inside rather than Parker. Hood hurt them. The other odd thing was K pulling Parker out for offense/defense substitutions late in the game when he still only had 3 fouls. I would rather have had Parker in there than Hood or Jefferson. Just a very odd half of play for the Dookies.

 

[Oakland]

Unfortunately a definitive NO to that thought - see Dave Bliss

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...er-room-to-congratulate-bears-after-upset-win

 

[BludOrange]

The way he berates the refs is pure class. The way he had the losses stricken from "his" record when he went out sick was classy. How he criticises and refuses to do a 10 second interview at the half, but allows Wojo to do it is classy. Teaching players to flop instead of solid defense is classy. There is not a bigger ego in college bball than K. He knows when to put on the charm.

 

[rrlbees]

So what impresses everyone about the circumstances surrounding the following players?

Elton Brand
Corey Maggette
Lance Thomas
Baron Davis
Trajan Langdon
Chris Duhon

 

[orangehomer]

So what impresses everyone about the circumstances surrounding the following players?

Elton Brand
Corey Maggette
Lance Thomas
Baron Davis
Trajan Langdon
Chris Duhon

here's the thing is that the more I think about it the visit to the opponent locker room is obviously ego driven. he lost a game he shouldn't have and the response is to use his celebrity to visit the other teams locker room and get slobbered all over. it's pretty lame.

 

[NorSyr66]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...er-room-to-congratulate-bears-after-upset-win

After reading down through all the comments I must also totally agree with your statement. Once Jimmy moved into the number 2 spot in all time wins, I realized the coach in front of him had to be good. I have always appreciated Coach K but over the past few years started to realize he does have class. Out of all the possible candidates, he selected Jimmy for his assistant coach with the USA Team and has continued to have him at his side. His post game comments to the Feb 1 Syracuse/Duke game were absolutely first class, as were his comments after the Feb 22 game when Jimmy called out the officials. I agree with several it is hard to like Duke but as equally hard to hate Coach K. It may be as simple as Coach K and Jimmy are so far beyond the results of a single game, that they recognize the bottom line is friendship and total respect for each other. I feel they have demonstrated that several times over the past few months and think it will continue into the near future. Syracuse and Duke matchups will be classic over the next several years but Jimmy and Coach K will remain above the results of the game.

 

[tptcuse]

I like coach K quite a bit, but if I am his player and he is visiting the other team after loss I would be like "What?"

edit: if we lose to w Michigan yesterday do you think boeheim is going over to their lockerroom? F no. say nice things in the press conference and move on

I'm on board with this opinion. It is definitely over the top. I know I am being cynical, but regardless of his actual words, he is basically saying, "You beat us and you weren't supposed to because you are Mercer and we are Duke"

 

[tptcuse]

i'd agree. K is one of the more likable whineass crybaby flop- fostering blood sucking ghouls in all of college sports.

LOL at the word ghouls.

 

[BuffOrange]

The way he berates the refs is pure class. The way he had the losses stricken from "his" record when he went out sick was classy. How he criticises and refuses to do a 10 second interview at the half, but allows Wojo to do it is classy. Teaching players to flop instead of solid defense is classy. There is not a bigger ego in college bball than K. He knows when to put on the charm.

I was thinking of a way to say the same thing in more diplomatic words but f*** it - pretty much this.

Did nobody hear his "woe is us & our poor little private school" spiel last week about having no alums in the press in the midst of his passive aggressive complaining about the officiating vs UVA? Nevermind that half the studio analysts went there I guess.

I can see how he comes across better than Jamie Dixon. But equating someone's character with that, to me, is pretty weak. Who knows if perception is reality or if he's just more PR savvy & self-conscious about his image than Dixon is. The latter and that charm are good qualities to have for recruiting, so without knowing either guy I'd say that's at least as likely.

 

[Col. Bleep]

I know, as much as he is coach ratface, I just cant hate him like thompson(II and III), dixon or calhoun.
One of the reasons why Duke will NOT be our "main" rival

That's a problem in the ACC...there's no one to hate.

And as much as I dislike Dixon and Calhoun...they're not in the same category as the Despicable Duo.
I dislike Discon and Calhoun.
I detest, abhor, LOOOOOAAATHE G-town and everything connected with it.
Just writing this I'm working myself into a rage.

 

[Bornorange]

Just brought my son over here to show him this. Sportsmanship lesson and respect for others. Good boy, he definitely gets it.

Safe to assume he is not a teenager because you can't show them anything.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

If I were to play D1 hoops I would play for Duke and Coach K.

 

[arrow2arinzesknee]

Am I the only one who feels the opposite about this ?! Who does he think he is that mercer gives a crap to hear from the opposite coach in the locker room after the game? We don't need congratulations from you , we just beat you . Does he think the mercer team would be star struck? Stroking his ego much?

 

[CiceroCuse]

He is as classy as they come. Always seems to have a genuine discussion during the handshake after the game ... Win or lose. I think he realizes his position as one of the best of all time and with just a few words to an opposing coach or player can really make their day or validate their hard work.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

How soon people forget.

What, exactly, are we forgetting?

 

[BuffCuse]

Often a classy guy, but has his moments.

And, seriously, if you are going to go on the record that your conference is better than another conference and there is no way that conference should have more tourney bids than your conference, then you sure as hell shouldn't go out and lose to a 14 seed in the first (or second I guess) round of the tourney. Even if it might be true.

 

[HarrisonJBounel]

What, exactly, are we forgetting?

I think he forgot. So he's right.

 

[LAOrange]

I don't actually "hate" Duke, I hate how ESPN gurgles and slobbers all over them like they're the greatest thing since 3-ply toilet paper. It annoys me how they seem to have convinced much of the college hoops world that the sun doesn't shine until Duke gets up.

Wait... you have 3-ply toilet paper. This is news!

 

[LAOrange]

I'm on the fence about K. I used to hate him--called him "snarling ratface" through most of the nineties. It seemed no one was paying attention to his horrible language on the court, his incessant whining and his strange incestuous relationship with Dickie V. He still needs to have the press surgically removed from his gluteus but it seems as though he mellowed somewhat after he met Boeheim and they started Olympics version 3.0 that he became more human to me.
Now that we're in the league and I care. I've noticed that many of the coaches in the ACC are much better than I thought. The only coach that seems to have gotten less appealing over the years is Jamie Dixon. He's just not very likable.
I also have a serious dislike for Pitino, but that's because of what I've heard of his personal choices, not because of his professional demeanor.