Worst Championship-Winning Coach?

[SabresRule]

Of all the coaches to win a mahor championship, who would you say was the worst or the least deserving?

For every Scotty Bowman, Tom Landry or Phil Jackson surely there have been some coaches that weren't that good or pretty damn lucky/fortunate.

My choice: Tom Coughlin.

I don't think he had anything to do with the Giants' triumph. The players and Steve Spagnola did way more.

Other than Barry Switzer, I can't recall thinking that another team won in spite of a coach, not because of them.

Some of Coughlin's Jaguars teams were better, IMO.

 

[CharlesO]

Two words: Brian Billick.

He was an alleged "Offensive Mind" but really won only because of a perfect storm of defensive players all peaking at the right time and QB Trent Dilfer not making mistakes to screw it up.

 

[BillD1984]

Two words: Brian Billick.

He was an alleged "Offensive Mind" but really won only because of a perfect storm of defensive players all peaking at the right time and QB Trent Dilfer not making mistakes to screw it up.

:up:up +1

 

[Hart5150]

Two words: Brian Billick.

He was an alleged "Offensive Mind" but really won only because of a perfect storm of defensive players all peaking at the right time and QB Trent Dilfer not making mistakes to screw it up.

+1:up

I would have put Switzer there but he at least won championships before with paid athletes at Oklahoma.

 

[lancemccaffrey]

Maybe Switzer with the Cowboys, but that is muddied in my mind by his success at Oklahoma.

Other than Billick, one guy who comes to my mind is Paul Westhead. But that was more for the fact that he tried to change what made the '79-80 Lakers a success after they won the title, not for his competence the year they won their first title with Magic and Kareem.

 

[SabresRule]

Maybe Switzer with the Cowboys, but that is muddied in my mind by his success at Oklahoma.

Who was your favorite college football team back in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, or before VaTech became a power?

I know Virginia Tech has been good for a long time, but IMO, the Hokies didn't become THE HOKIES until they made it to the Sugar Bowl in 1995. There was a time before Beamer Ball, Enter Sandman, and big-time bowl games.

Before VaTech, did you have any other collegiate gridiron favorites?

 

[BillD1984]

Other than Billick, one guy who comes to my mind is Paul Westhead. But that was more for the fact that he tried to change what made the '79-80 Lakers a success after they won the title, not for his competence the year they won their first title with Magic and Kareem.

Didn't Magic take a lot of heat for the Westhead firing? I seem to recall a lot of media rumblings that Magic "blackballed" Westhead to Jerry West and Dr. Buss. Also, Westhead put Loyola Marymount on the map following his Laker exile.

 

[SabresRule]

Westhead put Loyola Marymount on the map following his Laker exile.

Not just Loyola Marymount.

I also remember he became the Nuggets coach in 1990-91 and had a great offense.

As for the defense... well, let's just say asking those Nuggets to play defense is like doing either one of these three things:

1. Asking Sandra to put on an Islanders jersey

2. Asking HD MM to 'Hail to the Victors'

3. Asking me to become a Spurs fan.

4. Asking Rex Grossman to play quarterback

In other words, disastrous.

They were also the Nuggets of the 'Gay Tetris' logo, as HD described back in mny 'Worst logos' thread.

 

[lancemccaffrey]

Who was your favorite college football team back in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, or before VaTech became a power?

I know Virginia Tech has been good for a long time, but IMO, the Hokies didn't become THE HOKIES until they made it to the Sugar Bowl in 1995. There was a time before Beamer Ball, Enter Sandman, and big-time bowl games.

Before VaTech, did you have any other collegiate gridiron favorites?

The USC Trojans. Mike Garrett, OJ, McKay, JK McKay, Anthony Davis, Charles White, John Robinson, Marcus Allen, Running Back U, the White Horse, the band, Pat Haden, the 1974 USC-Notre Dame blowout, the Rose Bowl victories over Ohio State & Michigan (particularly the 18-17 squeaker in the '74-75 Rose Bowl), the 1967 regular season matchup against UCLA (that decided the Pac-8 Title, a trip to the Rose Bowl, & the national title - all in one game; should have decided the Heisman Trophy, but they gave it to the losing QB of that game - Gary Beban), & the LA Memorial Coliseum.

Man, those were the days!!!

 

[SabresRule]

The USC Trojans. Mike Garrett, OJ, McKay, JK McKay, Anthony Davis, Charles White, John Robinson, Marcus Allen, Running Back U, the White Horse, the band, Pat Haden, the 1974 USC-Notre Dame blowout, the Rose Bowl victories over Ohio State & Michigan (particularly the 18-17 squeaker in the '74-75 Rose Bowl), the 1967 regular season matchup against UCLA (that decided the Pac-8 Title, a trip to the Rose Bowl, & the national title - all in one game; should have decided the Heisman Trophy, but they gave it to the losing QB of that game - Gary Beban), & the LA Memorial Coliseum.

What happened to those Trojan ties?

 

[lancemccaffrey]

What happened to those Trojan ties?

I still like them and watch them. They're the only other college football team I like, but my heart is with Tech.

 

[SabresRule]

I still like them and watch them. They're the only other college football team I like, but my heart is with Tech.

I can only imagine what it must have been like when USC played the Hokies in the 2004 Kickoff Classic.

 

[lancemccaffrey]

Didn't Magic take a lot of heat for the Westhead firing? I seem to recall a lot of media rumblings that Magic "blackballed" Westhead to Jerry West and Dr. Buss. Also, Westhead put Loyola Marymount on the map following his Laker exile.

Yep, I remember when he coached Hank Gathers and Bo Kimble. They were fun to watch. But I think he was more suited for college than the pros. Other than Billick, Switzer, and Westhead, I can't think of too many "worst championship coaches."

Tom Flores, George Siefert, Joe Altobelli? It's tough for me to say.

 

[SabresRule]

I think he was more suited for college than the pros.

See my post on the Nuggets.

 

[BillD1984]

How about Steve Fisher? He took over for the departed Bill Frieder right before the '89 NCAA Tournament. Michigan then went on to win their six tournament games and became National Champions under "interim" Coach Fisher.
I believe Fisher was in the proverbial "right place at the right time" with a white hot Glenn Rice leading the way.

Fisher then went on to recruit arguably the greatest freshman class- "The Fab Five"- in the history of college basketball. Fisher reached two title games with "The Fab Five" (Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson) but never won a championship with that great talent.

Don't get me wrong, I think Fisher was a very good coach, but if we're looking for the worst championship winning coach............he's a pretty good candidate. He was just lucky he caught lightning in a bottle (see: Mr. Rice) in 1989.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Of all the coaches to win a mahor championship, who would you say was the worst or the least deserving?

For every Scotty Bowman, Tom Landry or Phil Jackson surely there have been some coaches that weren't that good or pretty damn lucky/fortunate.

My choice: Tom Coughlin.

I don't think he had anything to do with the Giants' triumph. The players and Steve Spagnola did way more.

Other than Barry Switzer, I can't recall thinking that another team won in spite of a coach, not because of them.

Some of Coughlin's Jaguars teams were better, IMO.

I would include Phil Jackson in the "pretty damn lucky/fortunate column. He had Michael Jordan in an era of the NBA that consider one of the poorest talent wise. And then Kobe and Shaq. Please note his record without arguably the best players in the NBA.

 

[HD MM]

Two words: Brian Billick.

He was an alleged "Offensive Mind" but really won only because of a perfect storm of defensive players all peaking at the right time and QB Trent Dilfer not making mistakes to screw it up.

+1,000,000,000 :up