Just curious. It has been established that the Great Ones can't coach because they think the game comes too easy to be botched. I was thinking of Larry Bird, no ring, Lenny Wilkens, didn't think his was really great, and Joe Torre, not so great player. Who/what am I missing here?
-
-
Bill Russell?Comment -
Is he really considered a great coach? I only remember him stinking it up in SacTown with Never Healthy Pervis Ellison.Originally posted by landers781Comment -
Well, he was a "player coach" in boston where he won 2 rings. I guess its semantics. I guess that proves your point more because he was playing at the time too.
I think you may be right...great players aren't good coaches. Look at what the good-great players done. Ie Isiah Thomas, Frank Robinson etcComment -
Jacques Lemaire - won the cup in New Jersey and was cerainly a great playerComment -
Mike Ditka- super bowl winner and great playerComment -
Lakerboy with the clutchComment -
Roger Hornsby, but I think he won the W.S a few times when he was still a player manager..... player managers were very common back then.
Lenny Wilkins
not sure if Pete Rose ever won as a manager? well he won some wagers anywaysComment -
Jerry Sloan has also had a very solid career in both the playing and coaching ranksComment -
Toe Blake of Montreal Canadiens
2 stanley cups as a player- led the nhl in scoring and was a three time all star and i belive he won 8 cups as head coachComment -
larry brown..Comment -
Tony Dungy led the Steelers in interceptions in 1978 when they won the Super Bowl. Then he won a SB w/ Colts.
Tom Flores had a decent record at QB in the AFL days, then went on to coach the Raiders to win Super Bowl XVIIIComment -
I thought about Dungy, but for the most part he was a backup and not even a consistent starter.... not much of a careerComment -
yogi berra
but the bill russell ,,,is the best combo of championship player and coach
Lenny Wilkins prob most underated as a player and a coachComment -
As fas as Dungy and Flores ----- they were good players but didn't have the type of playing careers this thread is about. I don't think Dungy was a starter for very long . He was soaking up the teaching of chuck noll ( who, by the way , was a very good player with the great 50s Browns teams - but again, not the kind of playing career this thread is about). Which makes me think of Tom Landry -- solid, if not spectacular career as a player.
Best football example so far in this thread - Ditka - hall of fame player - long career with ring as coach.Comment -
Yeah, I woulda went with Ditka, but someone beat me to it.
I guess I gotta switch to the NBA.
Phil Jackson was on a couple championship teams as a player, but he was mostly a bench player.
Rudy Tomjanovich is the type of guy you're looking for. He won a couple rings with the Houston Rockets as a head coach in the '90's. But he was a great player in the '70's being taken #2 overall in the 1970 NBA draft. He was a five-time all star and had his number retired by the Houston Rockets when he retired. His career was cut short during the peak of his career when Kermit Washington sucker punched him during a game breaking bones in his face and jaw, threatening his life. He did recover, but was never the same player.Comment -
good one with rudy T. yeah - not Jackson - backup as player.
College football ---
Spurrier --- Heisman and ring as coach
Johnny Majors -- Heisman runner up (tenn) and ring as Pitt coachComment -
Billy Cunningham >>>>>>>>>>>>> Rudy or Phil
SpurrierComment -
Just thought about it. What about Mike Scoccia of the Angels? Was he a Hall of Famer? I just remember him being a fat ass slouchy looking catcher, or was that some other Dodgers' catcher?Comment -
since this thread was brought back, I'll add George Halas.Comment
