Has John Cook now surpassed TO
- Thread starter Hard4Corn
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99/100 sports fans at any sports bar across the United States could not tell you who just won the women volleyball title a few days ago. So, no. That sport just isn't popular enough to unseat one of the top CFB coaches of all time. It just isn't. He could win 5 more titles in a row, and my answer would be the same. Of course other's mileage may vary, I am just telling you what I think.
He won't get consideration from some simply for the sport involved, but what he has accomplished at NU and continues to build has been very impressive IMO. And I'm not a volleyball guy, but to see what Petit built and Cook has continued is damn good coaching.
They also seem to be good human beings and care for their players, etc. They are also both approachable in public, even if they get tired of people bugging them, as I'm sure they do at times. Glad to have them both as Huskers.
Why wouldn't you consider Women's Bowling? I know Cook is a sensation to those who follow NU Volleyball and to really big sports fans in general. However, most Nebraskans couldn't tell you his name...just like you can't name the Women's bowling coach. The disparity is too big for Nebraskans to think of him as the most successful Nebraska coach.
Probably a little early for that comparison, but Cook certainly looks the part of a great coach. Osborne was consistently very good for 20 years and then kicked it up to great for the last 5.
I think I read that Boyd Epley's testing results have shown that the second best athletes at the University of Nebraska are in the Women's bowling team, just behind the Volleyball team and far ahead of any Men's teams
I would say TO still his the most successful. Like other people have mentioned it is more to do with what metrics you use to determine this. Without looking up statistics, who was more successful at Penn St, Joe Paterno or Russ Rose?
Bob Father needs to be in the conversation. Without him, the greatest run in Husker history (5 decades) probably wouldn't exist.
I agree with this post. However, if he wins the title next year...I might just have to change my mind. Winking
Bill Straub has been the bowling coach since 1996. He has won 5 NCAA national championships and before it became an officially sanctioned sport won 5 other national titles. Ten national championships probably trumps everybody.
Bingo. Was in Oklahoma for thanksgiving and talking with my BIL (huge sooner fan) about our two great programs. Told him that at least we still have volleyball this year and he laughed. When he realized I was serious he was shocked. Told him it was the second toughest ticket in town to get. Just shook his head. So Lite is correct. Outside of Lincoln, Happy Valley and few west coast teams, volleyball isn't that big of a deal.
Anyone that follows Nebraska Volleyball knows who the Head Coach at Penn State is...that is a given. Winking
Allen’s Honors
- Two-time United States Olympic Coach (1980, 1992)
- Three-time NCAA National Coach of the Year (1979, 1980, 1981)
- Eight-time National Coach of the Year (1979-83,1988, 1990, 1994)
- Seven-time Regional Coach of the Year (1977, 1979, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1996 and 1999)
- USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame Member
- College Gymnastics Association Honor Coach Award
- Eight NCAA Team Championships
- Seven NCAA Team Runner-up Finishes
- Nine U.S. Olympians
- Three Nissen Award Winners
- 41 Individual NCAA Champions
- 172 All-America Awards
- 15 Academic All-America Awards
- College Gymnastics Association President (2000-2008)
- MPSF 15th Anniversary Team Co-Head Coach
the OP question was "most successful coach ever at NU" so depends on how you read that. If you read it as who accomplished the most in their sport for this school, then doesn't matter if the guy in the bar in Peoria never heard the name. But if you are looking at national name recognition, then probably TO wins easily (he might win the other way too, but there are good challengers)
I have some mountain property in FL I would like to sell you. I would say we should throw out all testing if true.
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anon_umk0ifu6vj6zi
Guest
It's weird. After last season, I started to wonder if the fire had gone out for Cook. Maybe it was time to pass the torch to someone else. He seemed to come back with a vigor I hadn't seen in a long time. I don't know if he made some assistant staffing changes or what, but this season had a different feel to it. They were young, but they seemed to have "it" more than any recent team.
With regard to "other schools don't care about volleyball," that is true about other sports too. Oklahoma has men's gymnastics. Iowa has wrestling, Texas has swimming, etc. All elite programs, and few casual sports fans could tell you jack about them. That doesn't take away from the success Nebraska has had in volleyball. There are tons of programs trying to be successful, and most athletic directors would kill to have what Nebraska has in volleyball: a wildly successful womens' team with rabid fan support that plays in front of a packed arena every game. Cripes, they might even make money, unlike pretty much every other non-football, non-basketball program at pretty much every other university.
With regard to "other schools don't care about volleyball," that is true about other sports too. Oklahoma has men's gymnastics. Iowa has wrestling, Texas has swimming, etc. All elite programs, and few casual sports fans could tell you jack about them. That doesn't take away from the success Nebraska has had in volleyball. There are tons of programs trying to be successful, and most athletic directors would kill to have what Nebraska has in volleyball: a wildly successful womens' team with rabid fan support that plays in front of a packed arena every game. Cripes, they might even make money, unlike pretty much every other non-football, non-basketball program at pretty much every other university.
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I can't stop laughing at the guy that heaved his ball all the way to the pins...in the air. Laughing
Plays at the old basketball arena (Devaney Center) and yes, it sells out. And is one of only two volleyball programs nationally (Hawaii) that turns a profit.
Someone obviously didn't get what was at the top of his Christmas list. Lighten up. I think we both know it takes skill, but it's not a sport that requires a lot of athleticism.
Not sure I would necessarily link Championships with great coaches. Just as there are great QB's who have never won the Superbowl, there are great coaches who have never won a championship.
Ain't this the truth! People who mock it, have never tried to be good at it. Just when you master your mechanics, you then have to learn to adjust to changing lane conditions.
The problem is with this arguement is, without the Football revenue, that there would be no Women's Programs to be proud of...... Money is the driver, and without the millions from football, all the others fail.
I will say Cook has done one hell of a job, but Coach Bill Straub, and the Bowling Program is juggernaut 5 of 7 is incredible. I would hate to bowl for another college.
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I will say Cook has done one hell of a job, but Coach Bill Straub, and the Bowling Program is juggernaut 5 of 7 is incredible. I would hate to bowl for another college.
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Who said it was easy? Where in this thread did anyone say bowling was easy? It doesn't require athleticism though. It requires skill and loads of repetition.
Good grief, I post some funny bowling clips, and the bowlers come out of the woodwork. Hail Mark Roth. Hail Earl Anthony. Hail Dick Weber. Does that absolve me of my crime of having fun with bowling?
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