TJ best coach we have ever had?
- Thread starter CycloneVet
- Start date
You have to toss Tim Floyd and Eustachy in there. Both did amazing things for ISU. Floyd’s coaching style was the closest to what we see today. Very defense focused.
I don’t disagree with what you say here. But Iowa State basketball didn’t exist the way we know it before Johnny. None of this is even possible without Orr. I would argue Johnny saved Iowa State athletics overall.
Disagree. Orr was a great personality but not a great coach. His team had great offense but played no defense and couldn’t win on the road. ISU was in a power conference and had resources to build a decent team.
As a power 5 school, we are about as disadvantaged as it gets. The thing that we have going for us is the passion of our fanbase. Johnny made that a thing, and we're not even in a power 5 conference anymore if that was never created.
I love Johnny Orr as much as the next guy and a lot can be said about what he did for our program overall. He is largely responsible for us loving basketball the way we do which is a lot of the foundation for any success we’ve had since that time. Without “Hilton Magic” - which is all about our fan base - who knows what this program looks like.
But if you look at results on the floor he’s nowhere near Floyd, Larry, Fred, or TJ.
Finished above 500 in the Big 8 twice, 4 first round tourney exits. No conference tournament or regular season championships. Overall losing record 6 of his 14 seasons.
Again - before I get torched for criticizing Johnny - I’m just saying he’s not in the conversation if by “best” coach you’re talking about wins and losses.
But if you look at results on the floor he’s nowhere near Floyd, Larry, Fred, or TJ.
Finished above 500 in the Big 8 twice, 4 first round tourney exits. No conference tournament or regular season championships. Overall losing record 6 of his 14 seasons.
Again - before I get torched for criticizing Johnny - I’m just saying he’s not in the conversation if by “best” coach you’re talking about wins and losses.
demoncore1031
Well-Known Member
He has had his struggles in conference play, but I wouldn't be surprised if he made the NBA with a couple more years of development.
JO took over a program that had no BB tradition and little to no success at all, turned it around, put some players in the NBA and built a program. Once that was established it became easier to build on. For that reason I give JO more credit than wins losses.
He won more than one tournament game. He went the the sweet 16, was 4 points from the elite 8 that year. Lost in the second round in 1992 in close game to Kentucky. You also have to keep in mind he coached in a VERY RUGGED BIG 8. The Big 12 now is good, but that Big 8 really didn't have a bottom and was full of legendary coaches. Plus, he always scheduled hard in the non con, brought in a lot of Big 10 teams and beat them. Beat number 2 Purdue on the road. Yes he lost a lot on the road, but his teams could beat anyone at home. He had to take over a terrible situation. When he turned it, he went to the NCAA tournament in 6 of his last 9 seasons. It would have been 7/10 had Loren Meyer not been hit by a train. And, he stepped down when had a team of 6 seniors coming back to allow Tim Floyd to recruit, that would have been another NCAA tournament team. He had a lot of exciting games in Kansas City, was basically robbed of a conference tournament title by the officials. His 1992/1993 team was a very good team lost some really close conference games on the road and killed those same good teams in Hilton. They lost to UCLA basically because Loren Meyer went 0-8 from the floor missing at point blank range.
When people talk about Orr's record they never mention how much of a negative impact the Burger King robbery incident hurt is program. He had brought in a lot of talent, that incident derailed things. It was a dark cloud and a couple of great high potential players that were friends of Mack transferred out or checked out of that.
People always tend to down play Orrs impact here at ISU. He created Hilton Magic!!!! More than anything he brought an incredible amount of excitement and fun to Iowa State basketball.
Johnny became the face and identity of the Cyclone Basketball program. Maury John was hired back in the early ‘70’s to lead our program, but unfortunately died from cancer. Johnny brought excitement and credibility to a basketball program that lacked both. And he made us relevant. People began to care. Johnny was a fantastic hire. But he wasn’t necessarily a great coach. Probably our greatest coaching hire.
TJ has the possibility of a long term legendary coaching career. And we have a front row seat.
TJ has the possibility of a long term legendary coaching career. And we have a front row seat.
As for the best coach at ISU, gosh I would have to say TJ. This is relative to what he had to do, take over a horrible situation, and how fast he did it. LE inherited a ton of talent. Floyd took over and immediately got to coach a team of 6 seniors. As Jerermy put it, TJ is a great all around coach. The next thing he needs to accomplish is putting better offensive basketball on the floor more consistently. But after a 24-6 record, that is nit picking really.
If we are talking just ISU.......then TJ is doing better than Johnny.
But then Wayne did better than GMAC. Does that make Wayne the better coach?
Every coach after Johnny is able to do what they do at ISU because he laid the foundation.
You buy an expensive house, never do the guys who built the foundation get credit. It's those who put the finishing touches on the trim to make it look great.
Be careful dis-crediting Johnny and how good of coach he was because if not for a HOF coach named Bobby Knight......Johnny probably has a natty at Michigan.
But then Wayne did better than GMAC. Does that make Wayne the better coach?
Every coach after Johnny is able to do what they do at ISU because he laid the foundation.
You buy an expensive house, never do the guys who built the foundation get credit. It's those who put the finishing touches on the trim to make it look great.
Be careful dis-crediting Johnny and how good of coach he was because if not for a HOF coach named Bobby Knight......Johnny probably has a natty at Michigan.
I think we are saying the same thing. I said he is largely responsible for building up our program but was not our “best” coach if you’re talking results on the floor.
LE inheriting Fizer but finding Tinsley kind of makes it even. He didn’t inherit a great team like Prohm, just one amazing piece. If stories are true quite a few other power conf team coaches looked right past Tinsley.
Bottom half of Big 12 was pretty bad in 00 and 01 compared to now. Really every conference ever has pretty bad depth compared to past decade of big 12.
If we can win today 14-4 is probably as strong a record as we’ve ever had in conference metrics wise.
In 1980 you would be correct. But he was at ISU when the Big 8 had 3 of the final four teams in 1988. Between him, Tubbs, Stewart, Brown and Kruger the Big 8 became real tough, real fast.
Everything is relative anyway. Right now TJ has more support and resources than any other basketball coach at ISU has ever had. And it's not even close. Back when Johnny started athletics were an after thought at ISU. Johnny and Danny Mac turned that around. And it has nothing to do with their overall records. They made it fun........entertaining. Which brought the people, money and support. And here we are.
