The Skiles comment in the other thread spurred this. Well, that and being pretty bored and a little drinky. I'd be pretty interested in Bagels, DB, and others with league pass input. This is just based on my own opinion and perception. As with most lists, the top and bottom was easy. The middle part is where I can be easily swayed on changing my mind, guys like Jeff Bower I admittedly dont know alot about. And I realize most will disagree with my number 1 choice.

1. Gregg Popovich
2. Phil Jackson
3. Jerry Sloan
4. Larry Brown
5. Rick Adelman
6. Rick Carlisle
7. Scott Skiles
8. Nate McMillan
9. George Karl
10. Scott Brooks
11. Mike D'Antoni
12. Lionel Hollins
13. Mike Woodson
14. Erik Spoelstra
15. Alvin Gentry
16. Doc Rivers
17. Stan Van Gundy
18. Mike Brown
19. Paul Westphal
20. Eddie Jordan
21. Jim O'Brien
22. Jon Kuester
23. Flip Saunders
24. Jeff Bower
25. Kiki Vandeweghe
26. Kim Hughes
27. Kurt Rambis
28. Jay Triano
29. Vinny Del Negro
30. Don Nelson

It's really a sad statement about NBA coaching right now(obviously just in my opinion) that 1.) Kurt Rambis isn't last on this list with how badly he's fucked up Kevin Love, his rotation, and the young team in general, and 2.) Paul Westphal(who from what I've seen kinda looks like the game has passed him by a bit) is ranked ahead of 10 other NBA coaches even though it's his first gig in almost a decade. Brooks and Hollins have a good chance to move up, just havent seen enough from them. But really, all they had to do was show me they were competent and good develop young teams. They seem like they can do both. Especially Brooks.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

1. Phil
2. Pop
3. Sloan
4. Brown
5. Skiles
6. Karl
7. Adelman
8. Carlisle
9. Spoelstra
10. McMillan

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Coach K.

His guys are so well coached that they have nothing to learn in the pro game and often don't bother to participate.

He's great.

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You know me like that.

Phillip, Pop and Sloan are the top 3 then theres everyone else

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"You can kill the revolutionary, but you can't kill the revolution."

The kid ranked over McMillan?

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Yeah, it is close, I like both of them, but I have really been impressed with the kid, almost put him at #7

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I think you could possibly interchange Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich based on all the NBA World Championships these 2 head coaches have won respectively for the L.A. Lakers & San Antonio Spurs. Jerry Sloan is a model of consistency out in Utah, and I don't see anyone else coaching the Jazz anytime soon. Long before the Bulls settled on Vinny Del Negro, they should've given Rick Carlisle more of a look before he replaced Avery Johnson as the Dallas Mavericks' head coach.

Brown needs to be on that list. He has won everywhere except NY. He's never had the talent the three you mentioned did. There wasnt a coach in the NBA that could have done a better job with the 2004 Pistons.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

1. Phil Jackson
2. Gregg Popovich
3. Jerry Sloan
4. Scott Skiles
5. Rick Adelman
6. Stan Van Gundy
7. George Karl
8. Nate McMillan
9. Rick Carlisle
10. Larry Brown
11. Mike D'Antoni
12. Scott Brooks
13. Flip Saunders
14. Erik Spoelstra
15. Alvin Gentry
16. Mike Woodson
17. Lionel Hollins
18. Eddie Jordan
19. Paul Westphal
20. Don Nelson
21. Jon Kuester
22. Kurt Rambis
23. Jay Triano
24. Jeff Bower
25. Kim Hughes
26. Jim O'Brien
27. Doc Rivers
28. Kiki Vandeweghe
29. Mike Brown
30. Vinny Del Negro

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i will have to think about this more but i'm surprised you have woodson that high up FF

Once you get into the 20's these guys are pretty interchangable.

If Jeff Van Gundy got a job today, where would he be ranked?

Probably in the top 12.

This.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I really used to dislike him, but from what I can tell he's really not a bad NBA coach, comparatively speaking. You can nitpick maybe a couple of the guys just below him on the list might be better, but overall like I said about Westphal and Rambis, his ranking says more about the state of NBA coaching than it does his abilities.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Wow you're an LB hater. SVG being ranked ahead of Larry Brown is just basketball stupid. C'mon Nas. And you honestly think that right now Nelson is a better coach than Doc? Maybe 5-10 years ago, but no way in hell this year has he done a better job than Doc or Mike Brown. They actually seem like they are awake and want to be there. That alone puts them above Nellie.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

If you really want Hova's thoughts on NBA coaches you gotta start a contest for a free shirt.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

i would also like to know- if this isn't just totally subjective- what you ranking system is based on

I've been telling everyone who will listen that Doc Rivers is one of the worst coaches in the NBA.

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Well, he is from Maywood...

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That was just a number thrown in the mix based on what everyone else was saying. I really do believe the Cubs and the Sox will make the playoffs.

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That explains everything.

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Red Auerbach
Red Kerr
Chuck Daley


Oh wait, I thought it said DEAD coaches.. you might as well include Nellie on there in that case

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

Paul Westhead

Is that guy still in the league? he can't be...

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

I thought he was coaching the WNBA.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

It's mostly subjective based on how I see them in games. Obviously there's alot of things coaches do in practice and one on one with players that we dont see. It pretty much covers how I see them develop players(One reason I have Doc listed much higher than many would, I love what he's done with Rondo so far), use timeouts, use their rotation, draw up inbounds plays, if their teams look like they actually have a game plan or the players are out there winging it, how they intentionally foul, etc, etc. Also I would like to see them do it for an extended period of time, which is why Brooks isnt ranked higher.

What ranking do you think Mike Woodson should be approximately?

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I'd probably rate him in the lower 1/3....probably a little below average. just based on your criteria and observations:

-he hasn't really developed any players at all. Marvin Williams has remained in "ready to breakout" mode for years. Jeff Teague has talent but i don't feel they're utilizing him right. Not that Acie Law is flourishing now elsewhere, but he didn't help him either.

-a big part of their success this year has been just that they have had very few injuries, none for a significant length of time. joe has been out the last few games, and he's shuffled it around a bit having teague start one game and Mo Evans another...basically highlighting bad subsitution patterns..I think that's one test of a good coach when a players get injured and you're forced to re-tool. Woodson hasn't really had to do that at all and when he has it's failed.

-i don't really feel like he has any control over the team at all and don't feel he is well liked. not the most importatnt thing, but i think it matters to a degree

-like you said, i don't get the sense he has any game plan at all. his gameplan for the final 5 minutes of every game is "iso Joe"...i mean yeah it works sometimes but i think more often than not it doesn't

Personally Id be more interested in a list that included guys that are not coaching but will probably coach again. Van Gundy, Etc.

All good points. You're injury comment is one reason why I've come around a big way on McMillan. He definitely blew the Houston series last year, but he's showing he can do it this year.

About Woodson being liked, ESPN often is full of shit, but they said last night Joe Johnson really wants Woodson to stay. That might just be lip service. I think LeBron once said if the Cavs fired John Lucas he wouldnt play for them. But worth mentioning I thought. Wasn't Acie Law a Billy Knight pick? He never should have gone in the lottery. I'm not sure Marvin has the mindset to be much better than he is now. Obviously he has the physical tools. Overall though, I just dont think the Hawks can really do alot better than what they've done so far this year, but I'll have to rethink that because you bring up alot of good points and obviously watch them way more. But again, look at the bottom third of the list. It's a pretty big eye sore.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul