Big Ten coach of the year

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gopherhoopsguy

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I think it's clearly down to Pitino and Collins.

I would give it to Pitino myself from how far they have come wow

But have a feeling Collins gets it because Northwestern has never been to the tournament.
 

Waiting to see if Ewert has the guts to respond to this and post his real name.


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I'd give it to Collins, the Gophers just have a much more talented team this year than they did last year.
 

I feel like it's too early to call this one. Last year, NU finished 9th in the Big 10 and won 8 games. This year, they're ranked #4, and 9 wins with games left to play.

The Gophers were 13th in the Big 10 last year, and won 2 games. This year, are tied for 5th and have 8 wins.

If it were decided today, I'd say the Gophers have had the best turnaround...but who knows what will happen over the next 4 games. Also, if talent is compared, that is also recruiting (as well as coaching) so should also be given props.
 

Jaykay said:
I'd give it to Collins, the Gophers just have a much more talented team this year than they did last year.
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Who brought the talent in? I think that is one of the coaches biggest thing they are credited with. That said if we win 3 of next 4 Patino should get it - northwestern has a tough finishing stretch and if they run table Collins should.
 


Right now it's Pitino on the basis of exceeding expectations (by a lot), but I am with GL that it's too early to make the call. While recruiting is a huge part of coaching, my gut tells me the folks who vote on Coach of the Year aren't thinking, "Boy that guy brought in a great class." They are looking at the on floor product. Preseason picks all had Northwestern finally breaking through. Most had the Gophers ahead of only Rutgers. Pitino should get it if the rest of the season holds serve. All that said, Chicago has more influence than the Twin Cities and I don't see any way the media denies Collins the award. Gives them another opportunity to swoon for Coach K.
 


Northwestern won their 9th conference game of the season for the first time since 1933. Northwestern has a better conference record. Collins wins COY with a nod to the turnaround by Pitino.
 

I thinking Pitino to start getting more love around here. Love how he recruited this roster even with landing a late signing for week spots with springs who has won games by himself this year.

Most had us finishing 13th this season.
 



Turgeon has done a very nice job at Maryland as well


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Holy Man said:
Right now it's Pitino on the basis of exceeding expectations (by a lot), but I am with GL that it's too early to make the call. While recruiting is a huge part of coaching, my gut tells me the folks who vote on Coach of the Year aren't thinking, "Boy that guy brought in a great class." They are looking at the on floor product. Preseason picks all had Northwestern finally breaking through. Most had the Gophers ahead of only Rutgers. Pitino should get it if the rest of the season holds serve. All that said, Chicago has more influence than the Twin Cities and I don't see any way the media denies Collins the award. Gives them another opportunity to swoon for Coach K.
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If it's about the degree of exceeding expectations and how big a turnaround, it's Pitino. If it's about the sentimental value of NU going to the tournament, how far east your campus is, and whether you're connected with Duke, it's going to be Collins.
 


MennoSota said:
Northwestern won their 9th conference game of the season for the first time since 1933. Northwestern has a better conference record. Collins wins COY with a nod to the turnaround by Pitino.
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Minnesota was picked to do worse than Northwestern. Minnesota is a bigger turn around to date. Minnesota beat Northwestern on the road. And Minnesota projected to get a better seed than Northwestern in the NCAA tournament. I think Richard has a pretty damn good chance.
 



Who votes for this, anyway? Is it a Big Ten media group? Coaches?
 

It seems Collins is destined to get it based off media coverage, but both have a legitimate chance. I think the argument that Pitino has all sorts of new players is slightly overrated because that was all his doing. Furthermore, making the COY a Comeback COY award shouldn't happen either as Richard shouldn't be able to use a poor year last year as an argument.

If we end tied/ahead of NW in B1G standings while also winning at their place, I think Pitino should get it.
 

Is Pitino B1G coach of the year?

All the buzz I see on most of the major sports sites have this award reserved for Chris Collins. This is because NW looks to finally make the NCAA tournament, they have never made it since the first tourney in 1939 nearly matching the Cubs in futility.

What these guys fail to realize is: Northwestern should have made the tournament last year if they had not faded down the stretch. They easily made the NIT as one of the higher seeds and while they have improved his year, it is only by a hand full of victories up to this point!

Pitino meanwhile, has taken an 8-23 team from a University record worst finish including 2-16 conference record to the point where it would take a complete freefall for the Gophers to not make the tournament and a 12 victory improvement over last year even if they lose out. he has also guided them to an 8-6 conference record so far with 4x as many wins in conference than last year.

Say it is just due to the players, but who recruited them? Pitino. I am biased but I see very clearly that Richard has pulled off a hell of a season and should be rewarded accordingly.
 

Definitely has to be a frontrunner. If improvement from the previous year was weighted heavily, he would have it in a landslide.
 

My vote would go to Pitino. Yes new talent on the team has helped contribute to the improvement from last year. But Pitino was the one who found and brought those players into the program, AND, Pitino is the one who has coached these players. This was a team that could go up by double digits and still lose, that could lose close games at home, too. And after losing 5 in a row, this team did not panic, did not give up, they kept working and trying and playing hard and finally figured out how to win, and how to win close games, too, and now have won 5 in a row.

If Collins wins the B1G Coach of the Year, Pitino may end up with NATL Coach of the Year.
 

Unless Northwestern crashes and burns the last part of season and BTT, Collins gets it and deserves it.
 

watertown 1987 guy n said:
Unless Northwestern crashes and burns the last part of season and BTT, Collins gets it and deserves it.
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Agree 100%. Northwestern is impossibly difficult to compete at. Collins won't be there for long, he's going to get a big-time job somewhere.
 

Juicer said:
Agree 100%. Northwestern is impossibly difficult to compete at. Collins won't be there for long, he's going to get a big-time job somewhere.
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Collins may stay there much longer than some think. He is from Northbrook, so its home for him. I suspect his name would come up for Duke when Coach K finally decides to retire. I doubt he would move before then. He can probably achieve Stanford-esque success at Northwestern for years to come.
 

Block M said:
Collins may stay there much longer than some think. He is from Northbrook, so its home for him. I suspect his name would come up for Duke when Coach K finally decides to retire. I doubt he would move before then. He can probably achieve Stanford-esque success at Northwestern for years to come.
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You would think NW could have Duke or Stanford level of success. Being in Chicago doesn't seem to give them a recruiting edge at all. Are the Chicago based B1G level players not able to get accepted?
 

watertown 1987 guy n said:
Unless Northwestern crashes and burns the last part of season and BTT, Collins gets it and deserves it.
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Agree. NW is probably the toughest job in the B1G. Pitino has earned my respect this year, but Collins deserves the award at this point. RP will be a major contender for COY next year if we can avoid injuries like we have this year.
 

KillmeNow said:
My vote would go to Pitino. Yes new talent on the team has helped contribute to the improvement from last year. But Pitino was the one who found and brought those players into the program, AND, Pitino is the one who has coached these players. This was a team that could go up by double digits and still lose, that could lose close games at home, too. And after losing 5 in a row, this team did not panic, did not give up, they kept working and trying and playing hard and finally figured out how to win, and how to win close games, too, and now have won 5 in a row.

If Collins wins the B1G Coach of the Year, Pitino may end up with NATL Coach of the Year.
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For me, the selling point on Pitino is that he convinced this year's team that they didn't have to be defined by last year's record, and he steered the team out of a five-game nosedive into a five-game winning streak. Both of those feats are impressive.
 

I don't think that either guy will feel slighted if it goes to the other one. You could make a strong case for both Pitino and Collins but I agree with those that think in the end Collins probably wins out. That said it may come down to when they vote for the award. Say the Gophers get on a run and win the Big Ten Tournament, if the voting is after that concludes then Pitino could get the nod.
 

They have both done a great job this year. I would give it to Pitino for what he did this year. Collins has done a better job with his program and will get more elite program offers sooner. NW is one of the more difficult jobs as the standard for getting kids in is extreme. By far the highest in the Big Ten. Pitino showed this year that he would devote much of his attention to defense and that paid huge dividends.
 

builtbadgers said:
They have both done a great job this year..
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As of today, Collins, with Pitino right on his heels. For the remaining games, if Pitino catches his record, than it is his. Especially if both teams are in the top four in the conference. Fair or unfair, a voter may also give extra consideration to Collins for his first tournament appearance and that Pitino looks to be coming back more loaded next year. Both teams are bringing back heavy hitters, but in my estimation Pitino will have the bigger year next year. Then again I am probably just biased��
 

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