Preview
100-91
90-81
And now 80-71...
80. Bill McKechnie
Career Coaching Record: 1896-1723 (.524 Winning Percentage)
This legendary skipper managed 25 seasons for 5 different teams. During his time as manager he won nearly 2000 games. Those wins included two world series titles and four National League Pennants. It was a different era when McKechnie managed, but he was quite successful in that era as you can see. He won one of four championships in Reds history and one of five in Pirates history. Both championships were long before what either franchise is known for. In each stint, McKechnie was quite successful other than his time with the Boston Braves. This period was the only time that McKechnie ever had a losing record as manager. Take out the Braves years and his win percentage shoots up a solid 50 points. The seven seasons prior to McKechnie though the Braves never had a winning percentage higher than .458. The legendary manager was able to get this team to have 4 winning seasons out of 8 and helped turn the tide of the franchise. That team got much better as it moved to Milwaukee and then Atlanta. However, they still remember the Hall of Famer, McKechnie, in franchise history. He is also remembered fondly by Reds and Pirates fans who look at the success of their franchises. This guy is a well deserved Hall of Fame manager.
This legendary skipper managed 25 seasons for 5 different teams. During his time as manager he won nearly 2000 games. Those wins included two world series titles and four National League Pennants. It was a different era when McKechnie managed, but he was quite successful in that era as you can see. He won one of four championships in Reds history and one of five in Pirates history. Both championships were long before what either franchise is known for. In each stint, McKechnie was quite successful other than his time with the Boston Braves. This period was the only time that McKechnie ever had a losing record as manager. Take out the Braves years and his win percentage shoots up a solid 50 points. The seven seasons prior to McKechnie though the Braves never had a winning percentage higher than .458. The legendary manager was able to get this team to have 4 winning seasons out of 8 and helped turn the tide of the franchise. That team got much better as it moved to Milwaukee and then Atlanta. However, they still remember the Hall of Famer, McKechnie, in franchise history. He is also remembered fondly by Reds and Pirates fans who look at the success of their franchises. This guy is a well deserved Hall of Fame manager.
79. Lenny Wilkens
Career Coaching Record: 1332-1155 (.536 Winning Percentage)
Lenny Wilkens was the winningest coach in basketball at one time, but he also had the most losses too. It is largely because of the insane amount of games that Wilkens has coached. Coaching almost 2500 games in his 32 seasons as an NBA head coach, it is easy to see the value of Lenny Wilkens' longevity. Those 32 seasons were spread across 6 different teams, the Knicks, the Raptors, the Cavs, the Hawks, the Trail Blazers and the Seattle Supersonics. Most of those seasons, Wilkens had teams that hovered right around .500. Not a lot of those teams were incredibly successful.
His most successful stint by far was with the Seattle Supersonics. Wilkens led Seattle to its only ever NBA Championship in 1979. The year prior, he led them to the NBA Finals against the Washington Bullets where they came up just short. Those two NBA Finals appearances were 2 of the 3 in Supersonics history. The other coming in the 90s when Gary Payton and Sean Kemp got beat by the great Michael Jordan. These two appearances that Seattle had in the Finals were the only two for Wilkens, but they had several other playoff wins and you have to celebrate his longevity. The guy is widely recognized as one of the best coaches in NBA history.
78. John
Gagliardi
This choice is somewhat controversial because Gagliardi is a Division 3 football coach. However, he has won multiple National Championships and is the winningest coach ever. His competition is not as tough, but he has the same handicaps that other D3 teams have. Regardless of the level, nearly 500 wins is quite impressive. He accumulated those wins in a career that spanned from 1949-2012. This guy won four national championships along the way. Two of those championships were D3 and two were NAIA. His first championship was in 1963 and his most recent was in 2003. This dominance was so spread out it is insane. There is no doubt that Gagliardi is a coaching legend.
77. Jon Gruden
John Gruden took a very great Bucs team over the top and got them to win the Super Bowl in 2002. The team was finally able to win the big game after they came so close so many times under Tony Dungy. Gruden was a workaholic and gave the Bucs that fresh voice they needed. Sometimes a change is just necessary. He was also fantastic in Oakland and there is no telling what he would have done there if the "tuck rule" had gone the other way. Gruden made Oakland football relevant again and other than the year immediately after he left, the team has been terrible since he left. As it sits though, it is impossible to rank Gruden any higher because he was only a head coach for 11 years and had only 1 championship while most ahead of him had more and everyone ahead of him has at least 1.
76. Tommy Lasorda
Tommy Lasorda managed the Los Angeles Dodgers for 21 years very successfully. During his time managing the Dodgers, he won 2 World Series Championships and appeared in 4 World Series games. He also won just shy of 1600 games. The guy was a brilliant manager that is still revered today by Dodger faithful. He is one of the most successful managers in Dodger history, baseball history, and his success has led him into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
75. Denny
Crum
Denny Crum was the coach of Louisville Basketball from 1971-2001. During that 30 year career at Louisville, Crum had quite a bit of success. The success included the school's first two NCAA championships and only championships until 2013. He also helped lead the Cardinal to four additional Final 4s. That means that under Denny Crum the Louisville Cardinals went to the Final Four 6 times or once every 5 years. This team was very good under Crum. They also made it to the Sweet 16 or better during 16 of his 30 seasons. They were one of the best 16 teams in college basketball during more than half of Crum's seasons. Louisville won 11 conference tournament championships and 16 regular season championships during Crum's tenure. Denny Crum led Louisville to a great deal of success that has since been continued by Rick Pitino.
74. Eddie
Robinson
The picture says it all. Look at those numbers at 1AA Grambling State. Robinson won 408 games a division 1 record over 57 years at Grambling. He had 45 winning seasons more than most coaches careers. Grambling also won 9 National Black College Championships. Do you know of any other college football coach with nine championships?
Eddie Robinson absolutely belongs on this list. The numbers speak for themselves.
73. Don
Haskins
You most likely know Don Haskins from the Glory Road movie. In fact, the picture above is his with the star of the movie Josh Lucas. Because of the impact of that team's story and the influence on the game of basketball a part of me thinks that Haskins should be much higher. That National Championship in 1966 is the most important game in the history of basketball since that first game. It was the game that changed everything. However, as it sits, it was Haskins only national championship and his winning percentage is not what several other college basketball coaches ahead of him have. This then is the perfect spot for Haskins in the 70s. Slightly higher than his coaching resume would garner because of the impact of that championship run.
72. Mark Marquess
Mark Marquess has had a history of success since he took over Stanford in 1977. During that time, Marquess was such a brilliant coach that he has won three national coach of the year titles. He is one of very few college baseball coaches with 1500 wins and has something several other coaches do not have. Stanford won two national championships under Marquess, winning back to back titles in 1987 and 1988. This team has 5 championship appearances in an incredible 15 trips to the College World Series under Marquess. They have also won 12 Pac 12 championships and made an incredible 29 trips to postseason play. Mark Marquess is one of the best active coaches in sports period, not just baseball.
71. Darrell Royal
We tragically lost Darrell Royal in 2012, but he was one of the leading voices of a football playoff before he died and helped us to get a selection committee as well. During his coaching days, he won nearly 80% of his games. He also won 3 National Championships with Texas, he won in 1963, 1969, and 1970. Before he coached Texas, he had two very mediocre stints with other schools. Those schools were Mississippi State, and Washington which he coached for a combined three years. Then he got to Texas where his legacy was carved. 167 of his 184 wins were at Texas. He never had a losing season at Texas and only had one .500 season. That .500 season was his last season in 1976. A great coach with a lasting legacy on Texas football.
-Noland
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