Good Coaching Is Still Must-See TV in the Dance

Krzyzewski, Self, Williams, Few, Crean, Boeheim, Wright.

The premier college coaches in America still find a way to win in March despite the parity narrative we heard so much about this season. 

In the age of one-and-dones, picking LSU and China to star in the cancelled-after-one-season TV shows they call a semester, we see the master talent-developers and game managers emerge to produce the hoops versions of Seinfeld, The Sopranos, and Breaking Bad.

There are the usual familiar faces, but others are joining the ranks of the coaching elite every year.

For example:

• Dana Altman at Oregon has been putting on an offensive clinic in the Pac-12 when most of the country is either asleep or not watching Fox Sports 1.
• They're still calling for the head of Tom Crean in Bloomington, but this time they want it gold-plated after a career-saving win against Kentucky.
• Steve Prohm of Iowa State may have mismanaged talent early in the season, but it looks like the Cyclones have hit their stride.

As for all the people who still think Monmouth, St. Mary's, St. Bonaventure, and/or Valparaiso should've been in the tournament, that's a different argument. Big brand bracket fodder is different from big name coaches raising their teams' games. In that respect, the chalk almost never fails in March.

Sure, the Michigan States and West Virginias have had a short run this time around, but I'll still bet on The Bachelor beating Portlandia in ratings every single time. In spite of the similarities.

Have fun finding new and trendy on IFC.

You'll find me tuned in to traditional power like CBS this weekend.