Perspective: Bill Up Here, Jay Down There
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There are a lot of persons laboring under a mistaken notion that Jay Wright should be mentioned in the same breath as Bill Self regarding basketball coaching ability.
The cool aid is very strong these days–in politics AND sports.
The Deep State is apparently spiking everyone’s water coolers to try to keep from losing too much control.
I am not qualified to give you the political antidote, but as a long time fan of college basketball I am willing to give you a bolus of 90 proof Old Spellbreaker about Jay Wrong and speak truth to the water cooler spikers.
Here is the difference between Wright and Self this season.
Wright has a medium stack of the kind select Nike coaches appear to get.
Self is doing it with mostly with 4 stars he coached up.
Wright started with a team with ALL the classic pieces of a power house including 6 players that shoot >39% from trey.
Self started with four combos, including one combo converted to a 4, a big still new to the game coming off an operation that couldn’t make a free throw, Mitch Lightfoot for a backup, and an OAD that never started a regular season game.
Wright managed to lose four games with a team that should have gone undefeated and ended his own modest 3-conference title streak in a mid-major conference by finishing second.
Self lost his OAD, brought in a high school senior at mid season and somehow with no depth miraculously won his 14th consecutive title in a Power Conference.
Wright was given an unearned 1 seed in a marshmellow joke of a regional.
Self was given a deserved 1 seed in the toughest regional in the tournament.
Wright has made it to the Elite Eight for the fourth time and the Final Four for the second time.
Self has made it to the Elite Eight for the 9th time (at three different programs no less), and the Final Four for the third time.
Wright’s overall record is .684.
Self’s overall record is .766.
Wright’s record at mid major Villanova in a mid major conference is .718.
Self’s record at elite major KU in a Power Conference is .825.
In short, there is NO comparison.
None. Zero. Zip.
Self is up here.
Wright is down here.
Jay’s team has the right shoes; that’s all.
Bill’s team does not.
Without the right shoes, Jay Wright would not even be .500 this season. No one would know Jay Wright’s name without the right shoes and most anyone that knows anything about basketball coaching knows it. Wright is Sean Miller without the scandal.
In Jay’s early days he took Hofstra to a first round loss in the NCAA.
In Bill’s early days he took Tulsa to an Elite Eight.
Jay has never coached in a Power Conference.
Bill has coached in two.
Stop with the cool aid.
Beer are on me.
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Its gotta be the SHOES!
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Jay owns a two game winning streak against Bill. I wouldn’t call the Big East a mid major conference.
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To the best of memory Bill is 1-3 against Jay Wright while at KU. I do believe Bill is the superior coach however and Jay’s numerous March failures shouldn’t be overlooked. But there’s just the nagging fact that Bill has trouble beating him.
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And Self struggles with Izzo too - 2-4 wins.
But wouldn’t trade coaches with anyone!
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THIS is the GAME between these two coaches & programs that will define their history. We’re due. We’re not supposed to win or advance. They have the player of the year. They’re Nike & east coast.
The cards are in our favor Jayhawk faithful. 5 point underdogs? I’d be pissed w that if I’m Villanova. Hawks have no pressure to underperform & can let it fly. I see many lob jams to Doke coming in this one. Malik has 2 games left in the post season to prove he’s draft/league worthy now. DG can lead us to the promised land & cement his status as a Jayhawk all time legend - he has already done that.
I’m a believer. This team is on a roll. We’ve proven toughness & shown skill time & again during league & tourney games. We’re Addidas by God. We’re due. Enjoy the ride.
Rock Chalk. Now, I have to finish packing for the trip to S.A.
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Did you know that Jay is older than Self by a year?! That blew my mind; only because we know Self has the high ground. I thought the clash was between a wise old man in Self and less old wise man Jay. I should have known given that I’m a Bucknell grad…
So Jay’s playing in this Big East pseudo power conference; I imagine that irks him a little. Think he’ll ever leave Nova?
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wissox said:
Jay owns a two game winning streak against Bill. I wouldn’t call the Big East a mid major conference.
But THE BIG EST IS a mid major conference, though, since Syrexcuse and Louisville went to the ACC and UCONN disappeared.
And of course Jay Wright Shoes only started his whopping aborted three conference title run, after they left.
And wins by Nike EST teams over adidas CST teams in the apparent Carney of Entertainment Values apparently should not be counted as wins with a straight face!
Again, It appears Jay Wright Shoes is just another in a long line of Nike coaches (e.g., Miller, Calipari, Konsonants) that can win with a medium stack, or back into a title, when non Nike CST teams are on track to drag down viewer ratings and betting by being in the FF, right?
Entertainment Values: They’re NCAA-tastic!!!
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BucknellJayhawk3 said:
Did you know that Jay is older than Self by a year?! That blew my mind; only because we know Self has the high ground. I thought the clash was between a wise old man in Self and less old wise man Jay. I should have known given that I’m a Bucknell grad…
So Jay’s playing in this Big East pseudo power conference; I imagine that irks him a little. Think he’ll ever leave Nova?
Jay was a .560 coach for many, many, MANY years before Cal lost the blessings of BIG SHOE and created an opening for another trial. I will give Jay this much. He did better than the other coaches that appeared to be getting trial stacks coaching in Power Conferences in the SEC and PAC 12. And he appears to have been smart enough to recognize the entertainment value of a stack in the EST!!!
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Does Self have a losing record with any non Nike Coaches from Outside the EST?
I can’t think of any, but maybe you guys can.
Dana Altman on Phil U?
Stumpy before the scandal forced him out?
Just wondering.
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@jaybate-1.0 Solid info. Irrefutable proof that Coach Self is amongst the best of the best in Div 1 coaching. All time. I mean he just beat Coach K with the odds and the refs stacked way against him! That was beyond awesome!!
Now to the emotional side. Why this intense dislike for Jay Wright? I myself held a grudge against him for nearly a decade when he snubbed Sherron and Mario, or was it Russ Rob in the U 19 USA games. And, for the loss in 13 at the Atlantis games and for the loss in '16 elite 8. Im not really pisst at him for that stuff anymore. He’s a good coach, seems to be anyways. He isn’t nearly as questionable in character as Sean Miller or Coach K or Coach Cal.
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@wissox 1 and 2 against 'Nova isn’t it? win in '08 and losses in '13 and '16. Am I missing one?
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@BucknellJayhawk3 Oh man! Talk about holding grudges still! I haven’t forgiven Bucknell for that early round upset win over KU all those years ago! LOL
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@Lulufulu Those are the only ones we could think of?
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Jay Wright looked pretty great last night.
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Wright and Belein are two of the absolute best at xs and os.
Wright schooled Self AGAIN.
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Wright’s team has beaten one seeds 3 times rather soundly this season.
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Overall Bill’s body of work is better than Wright. However recently Jay has an upper hand against Bill. I’m sure though that Bill will eventually figure out how to out coach Jay. As a CBB fan I admire Wright’s accomplishments.
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I love coach Self and job he’s done this year, really most years but Jay Wright is flatout a better coach. You talk win percentages but it’s not something I’d judge off of because Self inherited a team that was returning starters from Back to Back FFs. While Jay inherited left overs of a team that went 18-13 the year before. Bill has had more success in the regular season, Jay has been better in the post season and over all the past five years. All while spanking the daylights outta Bill Selfs teams multiple times. I have no idea how anyone could argue Self is better after last night.
