Coach Komplacency

Tuesday, July 06, 2004
So Kobe won't be getting the coach he wants. Most of the experts out there urged Coach K not to take the job because it would hurt his "legacy" There is no doubt that except for Coach Wooden, Mike Krychevsky might be the most successful coach in college basketball history.

What I don't understand is why everybody would urge him not to take the Laker's job. Now as a Laker fan I would actually prefer someone like Rudy Tomjanovich than Coach K. But I just don't understand the reasoning most people give for why he shouldn't take the 5 year $40 million job.

1. He has built a dynasty at Duke and shouldn't tarnish his legacy
2. Few other college coaches have succeeded in the NBA

Well the first one in my eyes is ridiculous. Could you imagine if someone told me, "You are a great programmer. You should just continue programming and not become a manager." Or how about, "You got great grades in High School. You shouldn't go to college because you can't do nearly as well." Could you imagine how hard I would laugh in that person's face? Just because I was successful at something else in the past doesn't mean I should be afraid to try something new. In fact my past success should make me want to take the next step. I can't imagine anything worse than complacency. I could never rest on my laurels. Being great means taking great risk. Nobody every scored a point who was too afraid to shoot.

About the second point, who cares? What do the people who came before me have to do with me? Just because others failed doesn't mean I will. Before me, nobody else in my high school's history went to an Ivy League school. Does that mean I should have turned down Princeton and just gone to a community college?

So tell me, why does it seem like so many people are afraid to take risk?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not to point out the obvious, but maybe Coach K is happy where he is and enjoys his job. Maybe it isn't about (just) the money. And maybe college kids are a bit less bitchy and whiney than Kobe and Shaq. I think he has a great job and he is in a nice place to raise a family. Why does he have to be greedy and go for the money?
-Mike
http://www.livejournal.com/users/digital_rider/

T said...

My post was not attacking the decision of Coach K to stay in Durham. Nor was it about the money. My post was attacking the people who use as an excuse the two things I pointed out.

Coach K has a right to stay at Duke for whatever reason he wishes. Maybe he likes the campus, maybe he likes being around the young co-eds. I really don't care.

My problem is with the people who advocate him staying because he may not succeed in the NBA. If that is the real reason Coach K. didn't go than that's fine, it is his decision to make. I wouldn't necessarily think very highly of him but I'm sure he doesn't care what I think. I just don't think that OTHER people should worry if he can succeed or not at the next level.