Coach Cal Isn't a Top 10 "X's and O's Coach"; Still Wins Championships

Probably because he has his teams read this book. Here's two things to make you upset: 1) It's Bid Day on Rose and Columbia and whatever you're doing has you reading a computer instead of enjoying the... weather; and 2) Coach Cal got sheisted on ESPN's list of "Top X's and O's Coaches." Not surprisingly, Tom Izzo took the top spot for his tenure with Michigan State.  Long a Kentucky fan-favorite, Izzo is the ultimate long-term college coach.  Very surprisingly, Mike Krzywazowski was seventh. But in between Tom Izzo and Coach Cal are fourteen other coaches, putting Cal just outside the top 15, and behind Mike Montgomery and Rick Byrd.  Now, I won't argue the point that Cal is the best tactical coach in the game.  And I won't even argue that he's the best motivator in the game (although that point is debatable).  He's clearly the best recruiter in the game, though, and that's led him to a staggering record as a head coach, as well as a well-earned national championship. But not in the top fifteen?  That seems a little off.  Even this SportsNation poll (which asks fans, rather than coaches) has him at #9 (Destiny? Maybe.).  Is it time to stop caring what other people think and just focus on the games and teams that we have?  Well, sure. So while it's frustrating, maybe we can complain that it was a coaches' poll, and therefore a little bit biased.  And maybe we can claim virtually the same bias in the Sports Nation poll.  Ultimately, though, it doesn't really matter.  I'm sure Coach Cal really doesn't care how high he's rated as an "X's and O's Coach."  He's probably worried about two things, in order: 1) Helping his players, and 2) winning games. Regardless of how well he draws up plays, and whether or not Buzz Williams is "ranked" ahead of him, he's done those two things extremely well in four years, and there's zero reason to think he won't continue to do things well. I just wish people would look at 2011 and see how well the man can coach.