Krzyzewski is simply the best.

          36 years ago in November of 1975 a 27 year old man named Mike Krzyzewski became a rookie head coach at Army. He finished his first season 11-14, not exactly "ripping" it up by anyone's standards. The man who was as passionate as any coach in the nation at that time is still at it today, about to become the winningest coach in college basketball history tonight against Michigan State, or if not tonight than definitely Friday at home against Davidson.  The span from Krzyzewski’s first national title (1991) to his most recent (2010) is the longest in college basketball history. I'm sure alot of  of  Duke haters will say something along the lines of " well its easy to win when you perennially recruit the best players in the nation". Yes, that may indeed be true, but if you were to just take a look at Dukes 2010 team you will definitely think otherwise. The 2010 Duke team probably isn't even in the top 12 talent wise out of all of his past teams, but Krzyzewski adapted to the strengths of his team, which was just shear defensive tenaciousness with long range shooting. Realistically that team had no business even being in the final four, let alone winning the national title, but that's what occurs when you have a coach as great as a Krzyzewski. You will also hear certain people state " well all Duke does is shoot the 3 ball. Thats all they can do! ". Ill have to respectfully disagree. Krzyzewski's first 10 or so years as a head coach there was not a three point line. He learned to adapt and use it to his advantage, which alot of coaches refused to do, and now his teams year in and year out are absolutely lethal from downtown. One must also look into the types of players Krzyzewski recruits. While some perennial powers like a Kentucky recruit players that are more than willing to go straight to the NBA out of highschool if it was allowed (hows that working out for you John Calipari?) Krzyzewski uses a mixture of players who actually WANT to go to college, and earn a degree that he can develop over 4 years as opposed to the players who are "superstars" before they even come to campus.

          Also hard to overlook his work as head coach of the 2008 Olympic team as well. If America was to win the gold medal in 2008 it would have to be because the players put aside their egos. It was a high risk relatively low reward job for Krzyzewski. If you win people say "well you have the best players, why wouldn't you? " If you lose people would say that you're a screw up who loses with a huge abundance of talent (hello Larry Brown ). Krzyzewski was able to get players to buy into getting floor burns, and getting down and dirty, and they finally brought the gold medal back home to America.

              




                 It would be easy to talk about his 91, and 92 national title victories over Kansas, and Michigan, or to talk about the controversy surrounding "The Fab Five" that involved Duke, but the facts are rather obvious. No coach in college basketball history has had as much success over such a long period of time than Mike Krzyzewski. His ability to adapt to the changes in the recruiting process, changes in the game, and changes in the way students, and players act are bar none the best in the sport. Tonight he will break his mentor Bob Knights record, and he will give his players all the credit in the world as he always does without giving himself hardly any credit at all, but that's just the kind of man he is. Thinking of his family, and players first, and himself last. He is simply the best.


                    Krzyzewski has been at Duke since 1980. His many accomplishments include:

• 4 National Championships (most since 1984–85) as well as two in a row in 1991 and '92, also winning in 2001 and 2010
• 11 Final Fours (most since 1984–85) as well as five in a row from 1988 to 1992
• 19 Sweet Sixteens (most since 1984–85) and nine straight from 1998–2006
• 26 NCAA tournament berths
• 78 NCAA tournament wins (most ever)
• 12 No. 1 seeds
• 25 conference titles (12 regular season, 13 tournament), 10 of last 13 ACC Tournament Titles
• 12 30-win seasons
• 25 20-win seasons
• Number 1 AP ranking in 15 of the past 26 seasons
• 9 Naismith College Player of the Year Awards
• 9 National Defensive Players of the Year Awards
• 26 AP All-Americans
• 14 consensus first team All-Americans
• 11 NBA top-10 picks: T-1st
• 23 NBA Draft first round picks