who was a better bb coach nolan or eddie

[tolerati]

I like both but have to give the edge to Nolan. Nolan has a national championship and Eddie doesnt.

[CheeZ_PuFF]

cant go wrong with 40 minutes of hell...Nolan

[George S. Pigton]

You have to give it to Nolan because he won the NC.  However I liked the way Eddie coached better. 
I think Nolan out athleted his competition in the SWC and then the SEC.  However, as the other coaches
saw what he was doing, they recruited the same type of athletes and he wasn't as successful because
they could actually coach.

[holtzhog]

Nolan was the man. However, Eddie did crawl to Kentucky

[JusPiggin]

NOLAN   any team any time any where  we had a chance to win

[rlamb]

That's easy, Nolan and here's why,

1. Nolan won the Big One.  Eddie always choked.
2. Nolan's best team would have beaten Eddie's best team because mainly Nolan's best team were Master Pressers. Eddie couldn't beat a great pressing team if his life depended on it.
3. Nolan's teams were exciting.
4. Eddie's while technically sound, were pretty much boring!
5. Toward the end of Nolan's career, Eddie owned him alright, but so did Ole Piss.

[98hogs]

Eddie Schooled Nolan in the head to head match up

[rude1]

Theres no question it had to be Nolan. In retrospect if you go back and look, Eddie had much better talent on his teams than Nolan did, if you look at what players went on to accomplish after college basketball. Corliss and Day are the only players who really did much on the next level from Nolan's teams, and neither of those guys accomplished what Sidney Moncrief, Alvin Robertson, Ron Brewer, Darrell Walker, not to mention guys who lasted for years in the league like Joe Kliene and Scott Hastings. So IMHO I think that Nolan was able to accomplish more with less than what Eddie did.

[CalHog]

I have to go with Sutton.  He started at Arkansas with absolutely nothing.  I witnessed the Van Eman days and know there was nothing there at the time Eddie took over.

Nolan never had to defeat Larry Bird.

I'm not so sure the '78 team wouldn't have beat the NC team.

[rude1]

You have to give it to Nolan because he won the NC.  However I liked the way Eddie coached better. 
I think Nolan out athleted his competition in the SWC and then the SEC.  However, as the other coaches
saw what he was doing, they recruited the same type of athletes and he wasn't as successful because
they could actually coach.

Ridiculous post. Teams caught up to Nolan because he lost his recruiting base, and was no longer able to bring in the high level type of talent to win at the level we had grown accustomed to. Nolan did more with less than any coach out there. Just go back and look at your other NC teams and the number of players that left those teams to play at the next level. We only had one player on that NC team to be a player that lasted on the next level. So to say that Nolan had better athletes than anyone is ridiculous at best.

[rude1]

Get real. 

Eddie was an average coach with great talent at Arkansas.

Nolan was a great coach with average talent and turned them into Champions. 

Yeah, & I guess Eddie just lucked into great talent at Okie State, too.

Only thing that Nolan had over Eddie was Corliss Williamson. That is not "average talent."

Totally disagree, when you look at what Corliss has done at the next level compared to the players that Sutton put in the league, he pales in comparison. Sutton had much better talent on hand than did Nolan, he just did less with it.

[tiber]

Nolan. 

I wish he'd never left, and we all know who he's talking about when he mentions that he has an issue with a 'few people'.

[stratpkr]

Nolan by far. At least his style was fun for the fans. Eddie's teams were just like stans teams are now. I remember several games where Arkansas would score only 42 or 44 points. And they even won some of them. It was terribly boring, they would put you to sleep. But eddie adjusted to the game later and had some pretty exciting teams after arkansas. Here's hoping stan does the same.

[Dwight_K_Shrute]

Why does one have to be better than the other.  Both came in under different circumstances and accomplished great things.  Both took the program to levels it had never been.  Both left under less than ideal circumstances.  Both had to deal with the white haired mephistophoclese.  Both should be recognized in BWA with statues, courts whatever.  I like em both.  Just waiting for the next coaching level to arrive until then we'll just have to watch the caretaker. 

[jamie72921]

Nolan by far!!!!!!!!!!!

Eddie left the cupboard bare here when he left too. Only 3 of Sutton's players were even on the roster by the end of Nolan's second season.

So much for the theory that he took Eddie's program and ran with it.

We were not nationally prominent until Nolan's tenure. We were nationally known under Sutton, but only considered a real threat for the title in Sidney's senior season. Even the tripletts had to sneak up on the basketball world because Eddie lost in the first round to Wake Forrest with them the year before going to the final four.

Nolan has been a CHAMPION at every level he has coached at. Sutton has never been a champion, ever.

OSU is one of the more storied programs in basketball history in case some of you weren't aware. They fell on hard times, but so did UCLA. Ever here of Iba?

Ask Kentucky fans who they think was the better coach? They know a little about basketball.

They also won't say it is Eddie Sutton. Nolan without question. He is far more accomplished.

[silvertip]

Eddie put Arkansas on the map.  Nolan made it ground zero! Nolan was the man, look at how many coaches over the years have emulated his style and there in iteslf is your answer.

Tell us all these coaches that have "emulated" Nolan's style? You got Mike Anderson and...??

[jamie72921]

Eddie put Arkansas on the map.  Nolan made it ground zero! Nolan was the man, look at how many coaches over the years have emulated his style and there in iteslf is your answer.

Tell us all these coaches that have "emulated" Nolan's style? You got Mike Anderson and...??

Let's include Eddie and his "disciples".

NOT ONE CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!! NOT ONE!!!!!!!!

Eddie is the better politician and spokesperson. If I wanted to make connections in the basketball world I would try to join Eddie's staff.

You also have left out the race factor. Though you may not want to admit it, Nolan spent HALF his career coaching during a time when there were NO BLACK COACHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! in D1 programs.

He had half the time to accomplish what he did. In less time, he won more championships than did Sutton.

Does Pitino look more like Sutton? Roy Williams look more like Sutton? Billy Donovan?

Nolan's style is much harder to emulate by the way.

[Hollywood_HOGan]

Nolan was partly responsible for the way the game was played back them.

He brought a frantic style of ball that was copied all over the SEC and the nation.

Sutton was a great coach and put Arkansas basketball on the map but

I grew up in the Nolan era and watched him put Arkansas basketball on college basketball's throne.

Gotta go with Nolan.

[fineswine]

Nolan was great, no question, but when they went head to head when Nolan was at Tulsa, Eddie won.  Also, Eddie has taken three schools to the final four.  Apples and oranges.

[Hogpuddin]

Yeah, I like the throne comment.  I've got to go with Nolan.  I know that he is still around; if any of you guys see him, please tell him that Hogpuddin says, "Hello."

[Hollywood_HOGan]

Yeah, I like the throne comment.  I've got to go with Nolan.  I know that he is still around; if any of you guys see him, please tell him that Hogpuddin says, "Hello."

Nolan looks like a completely different person.

He's lost alot of weight but the man is grayer than Bill Russel.

Had a pic of him in the Tulsa World the other day.

[Hogpuddin]

Yeah, I like the throne comment.  I've got to go with Nolan.  I know that he is still around; if any of you guys see him, please tell him that Hogpuddin says, "Hello."

Nolan looks like a completely different person.

He's lost alot of weight but the man is grayer than Bill Russel.

Had a pic of him in the Tulsa World the other day.

Thanks.  I'll have to check their site and see if I can pull it up.  Did he have his shirt off?  Just kidding.  I still think a lot of Nolan.  Miss him. 

He's the only coach to win a College National Championship in three different divisions if I am not mistaken.

[jamie72921]

Nolan was great, no question, but when they went head to head when Nolan was at Tulsa, Eddie won.  Also, Eddie has taken three schools to the final four.  Apples and oranges.

I love to debunk this one.

Sutton has taken U of A and OSU to final fours. He is the only Kentucky coach in the modern era not to have taken that school to a final four.

Pitino was the first coach to take 3 different schools to the final four.

[clifflee4mvp]

eddie did more than we can ever repay for this program but Nolan took it to the next level with the NC. So I'll take Nolan

[Hollywood_HOGan]

would love to see Frank leave if nothing else but to see Nolan and his championship team come back and honor them at Bud Walton Arena.

[jamie72921]

eddie did more than we can ever repay for this program but Nolan took it to the next level with the NC. So I'll take Nolan

Truer words have never been spoken.

Eddie gave us an identity and an atmosphere as a basketball program. He made Barnhill the pit it was. Robken and the band were a result of Eddie's insistance.

Nolan took us to another level.

I think Nolan was better, but truth is I love them both.

[Hogpuddin]

would love to see Frank leave if nothing else but to see Nolan and his championship team come back and honor them at Bud Walton Arena.

Exactly.  Good post.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

This is a damn good question. 

Both of them were a pleasure to watch. 

I've never seen a coach since Nolan be able to work the refs like he did.  He was even better than Knight at that, IMO.

I'd have to go with Nolan.

[Hogpuddin]

This is a damn good question. 

Both of them were a pleasure to watch. 

I've never seen a coach since Nolan be able to work the refs like he did.  He was even better than Knight at that, IMO.

I'd have to go with Nolan.

Good point about Nolan with the Refs.  My father sat on an airplane next to an SEC Basketball Official a few years back.  He said that that was all the guy could talk about; Nolan and his sideline presence and how much it impacted the game.

[tannerspapa]

I think it's a close question.  Eddie took a program that played in a tin barn with a sawdust floor and turned it into a national powerhouse.  Nolan elevated that program into a National Championship team. They both coached tough man to man defense which became an Arkansas trademark and filled the stands with the most frenzied fans in the country, a reflection of the intensity of the teams they put on the floor.  Both were flawed men but I give great credit to each.   I miss the passionate intensity of their teams, sometimes the sheer ferocity of the Hogs style intimated opponents.  I don't think Stan Heath's Big 10 style zone and slow moving half court approach will ever match the emotional power, or on court success, of those great teams.  If I have to choose I believe Eddie has been a better coach longer and more consistently than Nolan.  I think Nolan's peak of excellence exceeded Eddie's. 

I concur, and would like to add that i think there is some merit in the argument that Nolan out athleted people. A good, solid, fundamental basketball team with really good guards was one of the few kinds of teams that really gave nolans teams fits. I think Eddie was a more fundamental basketball coach and 40 minutes of hell was just Nolan's personality expressed within the rules of a game. Nolan did win the NC so make no mistake about that, and i loved nolan, from day one, even when WALLY HALL was dogging him in the beginning.

The biggest difference was Nolan needed athletes and Eddie needed basketball players. Eddie was often competetive with lesser athletic talent. Nolan was often competetive with athletes that were not fundamentally sound basketball players.

Thanks, this was a really good thread.

[tannerspapa]

This is a damn good question. 

Both of them were a pleasure to watch. 

I've never seen a coach since Nolan be able to work the refs like he did.  He was even better than Knight at that, IMO.

I'd have to go with Nolan.

Good point about Nolan with the Refs.  My father sat on an airplane next to an SEC Basketball Official a few years back.  He said that that was all the guy could talk about; Nolan and his sideline presence and how much it impacted the game.

FAVORITE ALL TIME PROTEST  ..............Strolling with NOLAN in TEXAS..... i can still see Tom penders , dude bout blows a gasket,.....We hit the shot, OT, Nolan comes back out. We win, nolan doesnt get a T that woulda lost the game and made his point the same,  officially he had "stomach problem"  I love it . makes me laugh just to remember .

[CCU Cougar]

Eddie Sutton, hands down. I dont care about national championships  when it comes to this

[HogsGranpa]

imo nolan

Nolan won a NC, while Eddie Sutton went to a Final Four in his 4th year at the U of A, and built that team from Arkansas recruits, Brewer, Moncrief, Delph.

The good basketball recruits in Arkansas had been going out of state.

In head to head matches, Nolan Richardson coached teams has never beaten a Eddie Sutton coached team.

Nolan was a  good judge of talent, and loved athleticism.

Eddie Sutton could take a athlete and make him better, in shooting and defense, such as Darryl Saulsberry, Ricky Medlock, the Campbell boy that had such quick hands, and played forward, Steve Schall, and yes, the project player no one else offered a scholarship, U. S. Reed.

Another one, I remember was Scott Hastings.  Sutton made all of these players, consistant and very good players.

Also, I stand corrected, but I believe after Sutton's 2nd year at the U of A, the Razorbacks were in the NCAA tournament every year after that, if my memory is correct.

.

[fineswine]

Nolan was great, no question, but when they went head to head when Nolan was at Tulsa, Eddie won.  Also, Eddie has taken three schools to the final four.  Apples and oranges.

I love to debunk this one.

Sutton has taken U of A and OSU to final fours. He is the only Kentucky coach in the modern era not to have taken that school to a final four.

Pitino was the first coach to take 3 different schools to the final four.

I stand corrected.  I guess at the time I just "wished" his Kenny Walker led Kentucky team had made it, that it skews my perception of what really occured.  Although, he did take four teams to the tourney.

[big steve]

I was a big Sutton fan, but Nolan wins hands down.  Eddie came along when the SWC was hardly a basketball league.  Texas got better and then Houston joined, but Nolan was in tougher leagues all along.  No doubt, Eddie made us respected in basketball, but Nolan took it to a whole different level.  Just think, if Nolan had've had last years talent, we wouldn't have been excited to get the dance.......we would've expected to make the Final Four!  Nolan struggled when other schools, especially KY and FL ,started running his style with better players.  If you look at the players Nolan had, how many REALLY made it in the NBA?  Not many.  Great coach, decent talent.

[The Truth]

This question is a joke.

Nolan Richardson: National championship, 3 final fours, 389-169 overall record, the most wins ever at AR.

Eddie Sutton: No championship, 1 final four, 270-75 overall record.

Anybody who picks Sutton must be forgetful, bitter, or worse.

[hog caller]

Nolan did a lot to fight obesity in the league .all the teams had to get in shape to play the hogs and they knew it.

[cohog]

Eddie was better at developing players.  He put a lot more players in the NBA and many had long careers.  And, not all of those players were highly recruited.  His teams were very well coached, but his style didn't put enough separation between his team and lesser teams.  In NCAA Tournament play, the lesser team normally had a chance to beat us in the last five minutes.  Eddie also broke down some of the better recruits and turned high school all-americans into average role players - Leroy Sutton, Willie Cutts, Ricky Norton, Keith Peterson.

Nolan was a better at coaching the game overall.  His teams usually won when they were supposed to win.  Plus, his teams were a lot more fun to watch.  They intimidated and rattled the opponent.  I would take the best of the Nolan days over our best football season any day.  He took us to one of the top few programs in the country. 

[jkelly107]

Eddie was a better teacher I say Eddie

[clifflee4mvp]

Eddie was better at developing players.  He put a lot more players in the NBA and many had long careers.  And, not all of those players were highly recruited.  His teams were very well coached, but his style didn't put enough separation between his team and lesser teams.  In NCAA Tournament play, the lesser team normally had a chance to beat us in the last five minutes.  Eddie also broke down some of the better recruits and turned high school all-americans into average role players - Leroy Sutton, Willie Cutts, Ricky Norton, Keith Peterson.

Nolan was a better at coaching the game overall.  His teams usually won when they were supposed to win.  Plus, his teams were a lot more fun to watch.  They intimidated and rattled the opponent.  I would take the best of the Nolan days over our best football season any day.  He took us to one of the top few programs in the country. 

are you kidding me? Nolan was one of the best ever at developing players. He made athletes into ball players that fit his system. you can't judge by how many each one put in the NBA because they were not worried about the NBA game. They were college coaches coaching the college game. Nolan could turn a fast athletic kid into a superstar!

[mbgrulz]

Nolan was great, no question, but when they went head to head when Nolan was at Tulsa, Eddie won.  Also, Eddie has taken three schools to the final four.  Apples and oranges.

so if rex grossman beats peyton manning this sunday, grossman is the better QB?

Tulsa and Arkansas...apples and oranges.

[ThunderHog]

Eddie was 33 when he got the job at Creighton.  Nolan was almost 40 when he started his first season at Tulsa.  He made up ground amazingly quick and accomplished more than Eddie did and he did it all while sober.
Nolan was the better coach.

[RedSatinHog]

Let us not forget that Eddie did not lose to Nolan when OSU and UA played each other, either.

[HawgWyld]

Nolan. 

We ended up dominating the SWC with him unlike we ever had under Eddie - except for with the Triplets.  We supplanted Phi Slamma Jamma.  Then we dominated the SEC from admission through 1995.  Greatest spell of bball we have ever seen. 

Agreed. Eddie Sutton was a great coach. But, when Nolan was in his prime, his teams were downright scary. People seem to forget Richardson built his team up to the point where it won a national championship and was in position to grab another one the following year (I'm still wondering how on earth that 1995 team fell flat in the championship game).

[George S. Pigton]

rude1, you prove my point.  Once other coaches began to recruit the same athletes as
Nolan, he wasn't getting them any longer.  More people began to play his style of ball,
continuing to push and push the ball up the court.  He lost the originality factor and
thus the battle against the better programs.

[cohog]

Eddie was better at developing players.  He put a lot more players in the NBA and many had long careers.  And, not all of those players were highly recruited.  His teams were very well coached, but his style didn't put enough separation between his team and lesser teams.  In NCAA Tournament play, the lesser team normally had a chance to beat us in the last five minutes.  Eddie also broke down some of the better recruits and turned high school all-americans into average role players - Leroy Sutton, Willie Cutts, Ricky Norton, Keith Peterson.

Nolan was a better at coaching the game overall.  His teams usually won when they were supposed to win.  Plus, his teams were a lot more fun to watch.  They intimidated and rattled the opponent.  I would take the best of the Nolan days over our best football season any day.  He took us to one of the top few programs in the country. 

are you kidding me? Nolan was one of the best ever at developing players. He made athletes into ball players that fit his system. you can't judge by how many each one put in the NBA because they were not worried about the NBA game. They were college coaches coaching the college game. Nolan could turn a fast athletic kid into a superstar!

No, I wasn't kidding.  Yes, Nolan developed great college players.  Average players played like superstars in his system.  He allowed them to play with confidence in his system.  He didn't develop NBA type skills in his players.  Eddie took average players and gave them NBA skills.  The players that made it in the NBA under Nolan came in with great talent.  He made them better players, but he didn't coach the individual defensive skills and individual fundamentals like Eddie.  That being said, I would take Nolan over Eddie without hesitation.  I'm a Razorback fan, not an NBA fan.

[WILL CLINTON]

Nolan. 

We ended up dominating the SWC with him unlike we ever had under Eddie - except for with the Triplets.  We supplanted Phi Slamma Jamma.  Then we dominated the SEC from admission through 1995.  Greatest spell of bball we have ever seen. 

Agreed. Eddie Sutton was a great coach. But, when Nolan was in his prime, his teams were downright scary. People seem to forget Richardson built his team up to the point where it won a national championship and was in position to grab another one the following year (I'm still wondering how on earth that 1995 team fell flat in the championship game).

I think it was more of the fact that UCLA played GREAT defense that year.  They had Zidek (sp) and 1 or 2 others on Corliss all night.  They smothered the inside and rotated to the open shooter EVERY TIME.  They just played better defense than we played offense. 

Let's also not forget, if not for Lawrence Moten of Syracuse calling a phantom time out (ala Chris Webber at Michigan) we wouldn't have even been in the Championship game. 

[Hogpuddin]

This is a damn good question. 

Both of them were a pleasure to watch. 

I've never seen a coach since Nolan be able to work the refs like he did.  He was even better than Knight at that, IMO.

I'd have to go with Nolan.

Good point about Nolan with the Refs.  My father sat on an airplane next to an SEC Basketball Official a few years back.  He said that that was all the guy could talk about; Nolan and his sideline presence and how much it impacted the game.

FAVORITE ALL TIME PROTEST  ..............Strolling with NOLAN in TEXAS..... i can still see Tom penders , dude bout blows a gasket,.....We hit the shot, OT, Nolan comes back out. We win, nolan doesnt get a T that woulda lost the game and made his point the same,  officially he had "stomach problem"  I love it . makes me laugh just to remember .

Yes.  I remember that game like it was yesterday.  I think that Penders's hair went straight after that game.