Winners draw a seemingly equal number of fans and haters. Just ask the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Yankees, New England Patriots, Miami Hurricanes and Duke Blue Devils.
But you’re just plain foolish if you don’t respect the accomplishments of Mike Krzyzewski, who won his 880th game tonight in a 108-62 thrashing of UNC Greensboro.
Coach K moves up to No. 2 on the list of career Division I wins by a men’s basketball coach, passing longtime rival Dean Smith. Duke fans revel in passing a Tar Heel on any list, and this accomplishment provides a huge ego boost.
But don’t look to Coach K to indulge in self-adulation. After the win, Krzyzewski was eager to spread the accolades throughout the Duke family — a term that Smith liked to use when referring to past and present Carolina players, coaches and fans. Krzyzewski gave props to his first huge recruiting class, which included Johnny Dawkins and Jay Bilas. That class helped Coach K solidify his job security by advancing to the 1986 championship game against Louisville and Pervis Ellison.
Since that time, Coach K has emerged as one of the most successful coaches in basketball history. He has an excellent shot at surpassing his mentor, Bob Knight, this season for the top spot on the list of Division I coaching wins. Knight holds the mark at 902; Krzyzewski needs 23 more wins. Duke has 19 remaining regular-season games, followed by potentially three ACC Tournament games and potentially six NCAA Tournament games.
If the Blue Devils continue to dominate at home and falter only three times on the road, Duke would enter the ACC Tournament with 896 wins. Duke will be the overwhelming favorite to win three games in three days for the ACC title, which would give Krzyzewski 899 wins. That would mean Duke would need to reach the Elite Eight to give Coach K the most wins in Division I history.
Of course, that might not be a good thing. In the post-game interview tonight, Krzyzewski said his players were intensely focused on outplaying an overmatched UNC Greensboro squad, but they also were aware of the historic moment. How much pressure will be on those players in the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight if they know that they need to win to not only keep championship hopes alive but also give their coach one of the most celebrated records in college basketball?
However, if any coach can keep his team focused on the task at hand, it’s Coach K. He is a master at preparing for opponents. His team faces opponents’ best effort each game, so they’ll be ready for whatever a No. 2, 3 or 4 seed can throw at them in the tournament.
And you can rest assured that if Duke gets upset in the tournament before Coach K wins No. 903, his only regret will be that this year’s players didn’t get a chance to repeat history by winning back-to-back championships.
