It's still early, but who do you think it'll be? Lots of candidates this season. You've got old guard types like Dixon, Calhoun & Huggins and newer guys like Lavin & Willard. Tough call.

(01-30-2011 06:15 PM)MichaelSavage Wrote:  It's still early, but who do you think it'll be? Lots of candidates this season. You've got old guard types like Dixon, Calhoun & Huggins and newer guys like Lavin & Willard. Tough call.

If you were to make the call today it would HAVE to be Pitino.

Currently 2nd in the league without a single returning starter and very little "talent on paper". Many prognosticators said NIT season or worse for this squad before the start of the year.

(01-30-2011 06:33 PM)ULdave Wrote:  

(01-30-2011 06:15 PM)MichaelSavage Wrote:  It's still early, but who do you think it'll be? Lots of candidates this season. You've got old guard types like Dixon, Calhoun & Huggins and newer guys like Lavin & Willard. Tough call.

If you were to make the call today it would HAVE to be Pitino.

Currently 2nd in the league without a single returning starter and very little "talent on paper". Many prognosticators said NIT season or worse for this squad before the start of the year.

Really? I was thinking if you were to make teh call today it would HAVE to be Lavin. From where St. John's was to where they are is, in my mind, a bigger deal than Louisville refilling its coffers.

USFFan

As long as Pitt remains in first, I'm going to have to side with Jamie Dixon...

But Huggs and Pitino have both done wonders with a short bench...

Coach of the Year should be someone who exceeds expectations. Dixon's a great coach, but the Panthers were expected to lead the league.

I think right now it's a tough call between Calhoun, Pitino, and Lavin. At this moment in time, I'd go with Calhoun (I bet some UConn posters are surprised with that pick ) - but we are only halfway through the Big East season.

Cheers,
Neil

(01-30-2011 07:22 PM)omnicarrier Wrote:  Coach of the Year should be someone who exceeds expectations.

Not to me. It should be the best coach, period. What are 'expectations' but often baseless pre-conceived notions?

As of now, Dixon.

(01-30-2011 07:37 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(01-30-2011 07:22 PM)omnicarrier Wrote:  Coach of the Year should be someone who exceeds expectations.

Not to me. It should be the best coach, period. What are 'expectations' but often baseless pre-conceived notions?

As of now, Dixon.

To each their own. Using your criteria the coach of the BE's top team would win COY every year then. So obviously you thought Boeheim was COY last year and Pitino COY the year before, right?

Cheers,
Neil

Probably Lavin but its neck and neck between him and Dixon. I'd give an honorable mention to Rice who has Rutgers competitive despite having only 8 schollie players and of those only 2 or 3 that really belong on a Big East squad. I'm looking forward to next year when he is supposed to have a fuller compliment of talent.

(01-30-2011 06:15 PM)MichaelSavage Wrote:  It's still early, but who do you think it'll be? Lots of candidates this season. You've got old guard types like Dixon, Calhoun & Huggins and newer guys like Lavin & Willard. Tough call.

In my opinion, coach of the year belongs to the coach whose team vastly exceeded the pre-season expectations and/or had to overcome massive difficulties during the season. I think Dixon is a great coach, but his team had a ton of talent and was picked to finish number 1 by most everyone. Same goes for Jay Wright.

If the season was over today, I'd have to say it would be one of Calhoun, Pitino, Lavin, or Huggins. Calhoun has his team playing extremely good basketball and much better than anyone predicted. Same can be said for Lavin. Pitino's team is much better than predicted and he has been winning with a massive amount of injuries. The same can be said for Huggins. I'd vote for Calhoun personally.

(01-30-2011 07:37 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  Not to me. It should be the best coach, period. What are 'expectations' but often baseless pre-conceived notions?

So if USF's coach took the bulls from the basement to a 3rd place finish next season, he wouldn't be worthy of the BE COY?

Right now Id give Lavin the early nod. If Rutgers, USF,PC or depaul make some kind of miracle run then those coaches deserve consideration.

(01-30-2011 07:41 PM)omnicarrier Wrote:  

(01-30-2011 07:37 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(01-30-2011 07:22 PM)omnicarrier Wrote:  Coach of the Year should be someone who exceeds expectations.

Not to me. It should be the best coach, period. What are 'expectations' but often baseless pre-conceived notions?

As of now, Dixon.

To each their own. Using your criteria the coach of the BE's top team would win COY every year then. So obviously you thought Boeheim was COY last year and Pitino COY the year before, right?

Cheers,
Neil

I'd have voted for the WVU coach, since they had a strong regular season + won the Big East tournament.

(01-30-2011 08:19 PM)UofL07 Wrote:  

(01-30-2011 07:37 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  Not to me. It should be the best coach, period. What are 'expectations' but often baseless pre-conceived notions?

So if USF's coach took the bulls from the basement to a 3rd place finish next season, he wouldn't be worthy of the BE COY?

Nope. It's "coach of the year", not "most improved coach" or whatever.

(01-30-2011 10:38 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(01-30-2011 07:41 PM)omnicarrier Wrote:  

(01-30-2011 07:37 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(01-30-2011 07:22 PM)omnicarrier Wrote:  Coach of the Year should be someone who exceeds expectations.

Not to me. It should be the best coach, period. What are 'expectations' but often baseless pre-conceived notions?

As of now, Dixon.

To each their own. Using your criteria the coach of the BE's top team would win COY every year then. So obviously you thought Boeheim was COY last year and Pitino COY the year before, right?

Cheers,
Neil

I'd have voted for the WVU coach, since they had a strong regular season + won the Big East tournament.

Why am I not surprised?

Coach of the Year in the Big East is voted on prior to the BET beginning. The announcements for POY, ROY, and COY are made the initial day of the tourney.

Which is how it should be. Otherwise Boeheim might very well have been COY back in 2005-06 and Gerry McNamara POY just off the tourney alone.

Cheers,
Neil

(01-30-2011 07:41 PM)omnicarrier Wrote:  So obviously you thought Boeheim was COY last year and Pitino COY the year before, right?

I'd go with Huggs last year. But I agree with you about Pitino the year prior...

It looks like Calhoun is COY. He exceeded expectations and that's what COY does.

Frankly, he did more for the entire conference this year than any other BE team. He scheduled big and won big.

Calhoun or Pitino IMO.

(01-30-2011 11:06 PM)omnicarrier Wrote:  

(01-30-2011 10:38 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(01-30-2011 07:41 PM)omnicarrier Wrote:  

(01-30-2011 07:37 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(01-30-2011 07:22 PM)omnicarrier Wrote:  Coach of the Year should be someone who exceeds expectations.

Not to me. It should be the best coach, period. What are 'expectations' but often baseless pre-conceived notions?

As of now, Dixon.

To each their own. Using your criteria the coach of the BE's top team would win COY every year then. So obviously you thought Boeheim was COY last year and Pitino COY the year before, right?

Cheers,
Neil

I'd have voted for the WVU coach, since they had a strong regular season + won the Big East tournament.

Why am I not surprised?

Coach of the Year in the Big East is voted on prior to the BET beginning. The announcements for POY, ROY, and COY are made the initial day of the tourney.

Which is how it should be. Otherwise Boeheim might very well have been COY back in 2005-06 and Gerry McNamara POY just off the tourney alone.

Cheers,
Neil

I think voting for all big conference awards - COY, MVP, etc. should be done after the entire conference season is over. And ours sure ain't over until the Big East tournament is complete.

Huggins should have been last year's COY.

Gotta go with Lavin or Mike Brey. Jim Calhoun will get some votes. Great coaches in this league.

I am a homer.

Mike Brey.

Did ANYONE think that Brey would have ND ranked #8 and with a record of 17-4 and 6-3 in the Big East at this point.

I sure as hell didn't......