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Here's a Lute Olson question

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by HejiraHenry, Dec 11, 2007.

  1. westcoastvol

    westcoastvol Active Member

    They ultimately went to Foolmer. Johnny tried to raise an objection or two, but no one could hear him from under the bus.
     
  2. Twoback

    Twoback Active Member

    I've never understood the controversy over this.
    If you were a beat guy and became ill, and if your replacement continually was beaten on big stories, would you expect that you would have to pay the consequences of that?
     
  3. spinning27

    spinning27 New Member

    Do you really think Coach K would have stood for Pete Gaudet's losses counting on his record?

    The fanboys who think Coach K is a really classy, stand-up, good guy are delusional.
     
  4. Twoback

    Twoback Active Member

    Next up for discussion:

    How a pitcher who leaves with a 3-0 lead should be held responsible for the loss when his bullpen gives up four runs.

    How a batter who gets subbed for a pinch-hitter should be held responsible for the ensuing strikeout.

    Etc., etc.
     
  5. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    I don't dispute your point, Twoback. But do you think for a second the stink would have been raised - and there was a stink - if the record that year had been 30-5?
     
  6. Webster

    Webster Well-Known Member

    What if the Gaudet led team won the title and Coach K. listed that among is championships? People would be whining that he'd be take credit for a team that he didn't coach.
     
  7. Elliotte Friedman

    Elliotte Friedman Moderator Staff Member

    Krzyzewski applied to the NBA to have Gaudet's record removed from his own. It was granted. Gaudet was gone after that season, if I remember correctly.
     
  8. Twoback

    Twoback Active Member

    Didn't realize the NBA had jurisdiction over these things.
    Seriously, this is the dumbest old argument in sports.
    Krzyzewski didn't coach the games. It's ridiculous to consider them part of his record. When he left the team because of his illness, the record was something like 12-2. To hold him responsible for the losses because he was too ill to coach can come only from someone who detests him personally (from some past interaction) or on general principle (because he coaches Duke, not Carolina).
     
  9. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    What was the overall that season? I don't recall Duke winning 12 games that year.
     
  10. Webster

    Webster Well-Known Member

    They were 13-18.
     
  11. Elliotte Friedman

    Elliotte Friedman Moderator Staff Member

    Whoops. NCAA.

    Sorry to disappoint you, twoback. No personal biases here.

    Here are the facts: Krzyzewski initially underwent back surgery in October, before the season started. The team did start very well, going 9-2 in pre-conference play.

    Game one of ACC play was at home to Clemson. The Tigers hadn't won at Cameron in 10 years. Duke lost. Krzyzewski announced Gaudet would (temporarily) take over before the next game, at Georgia Tech. Duke lost.

    Then came: a loss at Wake Forest, where the Devils shot their worst FG% since Coach K's arrival; a double OT home loss to Virginia where Duke blew a 21-point halftime lead; a 17-point home loss to NC State, which was 0-for-its-last-19 in ACC road games; and a loss at Florida State. During that time, the Devils dropped from the AP poll for the first time since December 1986.

    It was after the Seminoles loss that Coach K announced he would not return that year. Could some of those losses have been avoided with him on the bench? Sure. He's a terrific coach. But the timing of his announcement seemed to indicate he knew that team (leading scorers: Cherokee Parks and Jeff Capel) was going nowhere.
     
  12. Twoback

    Twoback Active Member

    But that's a supposition it's not reasonable to make.
    Krzyzewski has coached another 15 years or so -- including last year's miserable team, which he did not take a powder on. We've got no evidence whatsoever that he was well enough to continue coaching that year.
     
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