K might be leading the way in London

[CameronBornAndBred]

Coach K is considering returning as the olympic team head coach. He doesn't say much, but this article addresses it.
http://www.wralsportsfan.com/duke/story/5274499/

[devildeac]

Coach K is considering returning as the olympic team head coach. He doesn't say much, but this article addresses it.
http://www.wralsportsfan.com/duke/story/5274499/

This has sparked some interesting discussions on DBR. Wonder if it will generate much interest here...

[rockymtn devil]

I'll jump in (and hope it does spark some discussion because we have a group of very devoted, knowledgeable fans here).

I'm torn on this. In the "Coach K-Olympic debate", I'm smack in the middle. I feel the last stint will help (and already has with the 2010 recruiting class we have coming in) the program in the long run by serving as an additional marketing tool for K and Duke. But, I'm also of the opinion that it hurt the program in the short term. Both recruiting and, especially, player development have dropped over the past 4-5 years. I think some of that is related to K being gone for long stretches of time. Another stint will, IMO, risk a lack of development of the great recruiting class reaped as a result of the first gold medal (not to mention potentially hurt using the 2008 gold medal capital on the recruiting trail).

I think one run as USA Coach was enough. It was wonderful for Coach K and Duke. But he is the coach of Duke University and that needs to be his full-time job.

[devildeac]

I'll jump in (and hope it does spark some discussion because we have a group of very devoted, knowledgeable fans here).

I'm torn on this. In the "Coach K-Olympic debate", I'm smack in the middle. I feel the last stint will help (and already has with the 2010 recruiting class we have coming in) the program in the long run by serving as an additional marketing tool for K and Duke. But, I'm also of the opinion that it hurt the program in the short term. Both recruiting and, especially, player development have dropped over the past 4-5 years. I think some of that is related to K being gone for long stretches of time. Another stint will, IMO, risk a lack of development of the great recruiting class reaped as a result of the first gold medal (not to mention potentially hurt using the 2008 gold medal capital on the recruiting trail).

I think one run as USA Coach was enough. It was wonderful for Coach K and Duke. But he is the coach of Duke University and that needs to be his full-time job.

More thoughts from my observations/perspective/readings tomorrow or over the weekend. After all, we will be at the coast... ;)

[CameronBornAndBred]

Someone over yonder said they wouldn't mind him doing it again, but leave the assistants behind. I agree with that. I'm still not sure how I feel about K even doing it again, but the only person left in Durham last time was C-well I think. All of the coaches were in Beijing and elsewhere in prep for the olympics. I think the main body of the program's absence affected our recruiting as well. I know K says he will be involved in some capacity; he should be. But for the majority of the coaching staff to be away from their duties at Duke will hinder us.
Here's another article with more of K's thoughts on the olympics and next year's Duke team.

http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/story/1554730.html

[TillyGalore]

I agree with RMD and CB&b, I'm not too excited about K coaching the olympic team again. As I don't want to visit DBR, what is the consensus over there? Do people seem to be for or against? And, are they being nasty about it?

[bjornolf]

Yeah, Duke will definitely suffer for a few more years if he does this. I DON'T see us winning a championship while he's doing this, ESPECIALLY if he's still using all his assistant staff. If he does it alone and lets the assistants concentrate on coaching and recruiting, we might have a shot. On the one hand, I love the USA and want to see them succeed, but K's laid the groundwork and the made the plan to follow, and I think most good coaches could accomplish the same now if he's willing to stick to the plan.

[devildeac]

I'm a strong leaner into NOT having him coach Team USA again. There is a fair amount of "talk" that it affected recruiting and coaching the last 3 years or so but some of the DBR/party apologists obviously don't agree. If we can land a 5 star PG for 2010 and Barnes, then we can say the Team USA experience benefitted us but I can't help thinking/believing that many a coach used K's/coaches absence against us during recruiting battles. His Olympic book signings, especially during recruiting periods recently, weren't very helpful to recruiting efforts either, IMNSHO.

[weezie]

No, NOOOO and NO! I do not want K to coach the Olys again. I though they were going to get Popovich?
Come on K, don't leave us hanging like this!

[captmojo]

I'm in the "NO" group. One and done. You survived and won. Leave it to history. Too much to gamble on the alternative to winning. Pass the opportunity to another deserving coach.

[Rolvix]

I'll support Coach K if he feels that he needs to win another Gold Medal, although I would much prefer him to forgo this opportunity and focus on winning another National Championship at Duke! But that's just my biased and self-serving opinion.

[Johnboy]

I'm ambivalent, leaning against Coach K doing it again, though I think he has become a better coach and energized by the experience the first time. I agree that it seems to have hurt recruiting. Then again, with stuff coming out about some other programs, the thing that's probably hurting recruiting the most is that whole "playing by the rules' and "running a clean program" and "student athlete" thing Coach K seems to insist upon (as well as myself and most alumni that I know).

Bobby Knight should do it. He coached the last group of collegians to win it all, in 1984.

[weezie]

While I was among those cheering for K in Beijing, I really am disappointed that he chose to lead the next team to London. I'll be pulling for him, of course, but I feel like the spurned older wife watching her husband of many years cavorting with a sexy young thing.
And I still don't see how it really helped us that much in our recent recruiting.

[bjornolf]

I said it before and I'm sticking to it. If he leaves his staff to take care of all the recruiting and off-season stuff, we'll be fine. If he takes them all with him like he did last time, we'll be down for a few more years. I hope he gets a "USA staff", and lets us have our "Duke staff", this time. That's the best way to play this for Duke, IMHO.