Editor’s notice: Choose the 4 professional coaches you suppose needs to be known as the Bay Space’s greatest for this ballot. Be happy to jot down in your candidate by leaving a message whereas voting.
In the course of the 9 a long time since main skilled sports activities first arrived right here, there has by no means been a coach just like the Warriors’ Steve Kerr.
For starters, no Bay Space professional coach has received as many championships. Kerr now has 4 as a coach, greater than Invoice Walsh, Bruce Bochy, or anybody else who has plied their commerce within the Bay.
However, that doesn’t essentially imply Kerr is the best main skilled sports activities coach in Bay Space sports activities historical past, does it? Or does it?
That’s what we endeavor to search out out. We're in search of to establish the 4 coaches we’d immortalize in stone, if we truly had a mountain of cash and a long time to assemble our personal Mount Rushmore of Bay Space Professional Sports activities Coaches. And we're in search of to find out which one is George Washington, if certainly George was thought-about the best.
For our functions, we're commissioning a panel of Bay Space sports activities writers, together with among the longest-tenured comparable to Dave Newhouse, Monte Poole, Bruce Jenkins, Carl Steward, Bud Geracie and Mark Purdy. All have been shut observers of the Bay Space sporting scene for greater than 40 years, some for greater than 50.
You, the reader, in tandem with our panel will select the Mount Rushmore of Bay Space professional sports activities coaches.
The poll, please.
AL ATTLES, Warriors
Championships received within the Bay Space: 1 (1975)
Corridor of Fame: 2019
The legacy: With a nickname (“The Destroyer”) that belied his dignified nature, Attles introduced the Warriors their first NBA title in 1975. The four-game sweep over Washington stays the best upset in NBA Finals historical past.
The numbers: The longest-serving coach in Warriors historical past, Attles had a 588-548 file in his 14 years. He led the Warriors to the playoffs in six of his first seven full seasons. His 1976 Warriors received a franchise-record 59 video games, a mark that stood for 39 years.
Signature technique: Attles was the primary NBA coach to make the most of nearly each participant on his roster, a strategic transfer that performed an enormous function within the ’75 championship. Attles wore down groups by sending in wave after wave of tough-minded defenders to play alongside scoring champ Rick Barry.
DUSTY BAKER, Giants
Championships received within the Bay Space: 0
Corridor of Fame: Nonetheless lively
The legacy: Baker is the primary supervisor in MLB historical past to achieve the playoffs and win a division title with 5 completely different groups. He did it first with the Giants in 2002, and took all of them the best way to their first World Sequence look in 13 years.
The numbers: Baker’s 2,032 wins as of Monday morning is essentially the most amongst managers who haven't received a World Sequence. In 10 years with the Giants, his groups went 840-715 (.540). His first crew received 103 video games — and missed the playoffs.
Signature technique: His groups have been nearly all the time larger than the sum of their components, even when he had Barry Bonds. As expert of a team-builder as there ever has been, he might get 25 males pulling in the identical route, even when certainly one of them was Barry Bonds.
BRUCE BOCHY, Giants
Championships received within the Bay Space: 3 (2010, 2012, 2014)
Corridor of Fame: Pending retirement.
The legacy: He was the even-keeled captain of the Giants groups that gave San Francisco its first world collection championship after which delivered two extra. He’s certainly one of simply 10 managers in MLB historical past to win a minimum of three World Sequence titles.
The numbers: Bochy and Corridor of Fame skipper John McGraw are tied for the Giants franchise lead with three World Sequence wins apiece. Bochy is the one supervisor in baseball historical past to win a minimum of 900 video games with two franchises. Bochy received 951 video games in San Diego earlier than successful 1,052 in San Francisco, the second-most in franchise historical past behind McGraw.
Signature technique: Bochy constructed a status as the perfect within the recreation at managing his pitching employees, notably his bullpens. His knack for figuring out when and the way usually to make use of his relievers performed an enormous function within the three championships.
TOM FLORES, Raiders
Championships received within the Bay Space: 1 (1980)
Corridor of Fame: 2021
The legacy: Flores led the Raiders to their second Tremendous Bowl championship in Oakland in 1980 whereas establishing a few firsts in NFL historical past. The Raiders turned the primary wild-card crew to ever win a Tremendous Bowl, and Flores turned the primary minority coach to win one.
The numbers: He led the Raiders to a pair of Tremendous Bowl wins, together with one two years after the crew moved to Los Angeles. Flores’ Raiders went 83-53 (.610) in the course of the common season and 8-3 (.727) within the postseason in his 9 seasons as coach.
Signature technique: Flores’ management and organizational expertise are consistently credited with making a distinction for the Raiders. Working below the shadow of proprietor Al Davis and fixed stress to win, Flores’ calmly shouldered all of it, sparing his gamers.
STEVE KERR, Warriors
Championships received within the Bay Space: 4 (2015, 2016, 2017, 2022)
Corridor of Fame: Slam dunk
The legacy: Kerr is the primary particular person in NBA historical past to win a minimum of three championships as each a participant and a coach — he has received 5 titles as a participant and 4 as a coach. His Warriors have reached the NBA Finals in six of his eight years as a coach, together with 5 straight to start his profession. Below Kerr, the Warriors set an NBA single-season file with 73 wins and simply 9 losses in 2016.
The numbers: Kerr has the very best postseason successful share of any NBA coach in NBA historical past (.732, a 93-34 file) and his regular-season share (.682, 429-200). The 5 straight NBA Finals appearances are the second-longest in NBA historical past behind Boston. Set a file with 15 straight wins in a single postseason whereas going 16-1 to determine a file .941 successful share in 2017.
Signature technique: Kerr’s hybrid offense, that includes points of the movement, triangle and Princeton offenses, has ushered in a league-wide reliance on long-range capturing and positionless gamers.
TONY LA RUSSA, A’s
Championships received within the Bay Space: 1 (1989)
Corridor of Fame: 2014
The legacy: He has the second most managerial wins in baseball historical past and a few argue he’s the best supervisor in MLB historical past. Numerous that status was inbuilt Oakland, the place his groups received 306 video games and made three straight World Sequence appearances from 1988-90.
The numbers: His 2,855 victories (and counting) are second solely to Connie Mack within the historical past of the sport. In 33 years as a supervisor, La Russa led his groups to 3 World Sequence titles , six league pennants and 13 division titles.
Signature technique: The evolution of the fashionable day bullpen will be traced again to La Russa’s maneuverability with Oakland’s bullpen starting in 1988. He was the primary to make the most of particular roles – common setup males for the seventh and eighth innings, resulting in the one-inning nearer, which starred Dennis Eckersley in Oakland.
JOHN MADDEN, Raiders
Championships received within the Bay Space: 1 (1977)
Corridor of Fame: 2006
The legacy: Madden turned a popular culture icon years after his NFL teaching profession ended, however he blasted into prominence because the Raiders coach from 1969-78. He by no means had a shedding season in any of his 10 years because the Raiders coach and received Oakland’s first Tremendous Bowl title in 1977..
The numbers: Madden, who was professional soccer’s youngest coach when he was employed at 32, went 103-32-7 total for Raiders proprietor Al Davis. He received seven division titles in his 10 years and his .759 successful share remains to be the perfect of any coach within the fashionable soccer period.
Signature technique: Though Madden was a talented tactician, he understood the worth of brute power and the impact bodily play might have on an opponent. He additionally knew the best way to maintain it easy, using simply two crew guidelines: 1) Present up on time. 2) Play arduous.
BOB MELVIN, A’s
Championships received within the Bay Space: 0
Corridor of Fame: Nonetheless lively
The legacy: Melvin, who grew up in Palo Alto and starred at Cal, was the longest-tenured supervisor in Oakland A’s historical past and led his groups to seven postseason appearances throughout his time right here. He’s certainly one of simply three managers to win the Supervisor of the 12 months award 3 times.
The numbers: Melvin’s 853 victories in Oakland stand because the second most in franchise historical past behind Connie Mack. His A’s groups received 4 division titles. Heading into play on Monday as San Diego’s skipper, Melvin had a profession file of 1,391-1,302 (.517).
Signature technique: Though he’s somebody who’s not often out-managed strategically, Melvin’s greatest affect could come earlier than the video games are even performed. He’s famend for his capability to domesticate an exemplary clubhouse surroundings. Over time, his gamers have praised him for preserving issues even-keeled.
DON NELSON, Warriors
Championships received within the Bay Space: 0
Corridor of Fame: 2012
The legacy: Nelson was the NBA’s all-time winningest coach till his understudy Gregg Popovich handed him this yr. A champion of the run-and-gun model, he made the Warriors essentially the most entertaining crew within the league throughout his first stint as coach. In his second stint, he pulled off one of many biggest playoff upsets ever in 2007, when his eighth-seeded “We Consider” crew beat top-seeded Dallas.
The numbers: In 31 years as a head coach, Nelson compiled a file of 1,335-1,060 (.557). He led the Warriors to the playoffs in six of his 11 seasons, though they weren’t capable of advance previous the second spherical. Below Nelson, the Warriors went 422-443 (.488).
Signature technique: The grasp of the mismatch, Nelson championed small-ball offense years earlier than it turned a widespread technique. His Warriors usually used a three-guard assault that includes an undersized heart to run circles round opponents. For proof, take a look at his “Run TMC” groups starring Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin.
GEORGE SEIFERT, 49ers
Championships received within the Bay Space: 2 (1989, 1994)
Corridor of Fame: No.
The legacy: Has a two-time Tremendous Bowl successful coach ever been so neglected? Seifert took over for Invoice Walsh in 1989 and saved the 49ers on a path of dominance by successful championships in 1989 and 1994. He’s additionally the writer of essentially the most one-sided Tremendous Bowl in historical past – a 55-10 shellacking of John Elway and the Broncos.
The numbers: Seifert’s dominance in San Francisco led to a file of 98-30 in eight years because the 49ers coach – an eye-popping successful share of .766. The 49ers went 14-2 in every of his first two seasons. Regardless of three tough seasons as Carolina’s coach to shut his profession, Seifert’s profession regular-season successful share of .648 is healthier than all however 4 of the league’s 20 winningest coaches – George Halas, Don Shula, Invoice Belichick and Paul Brown.
Signature technique: Whereas Walsh was an offensive innovator, Seifert’s calling was that of a defensive strategist. A very long time defensive coordinator in San Francisco, as soon as in cost, Seifert used a wide range of schemes to maintain opposing quarterbacks guessing. They switched from a zone-blitzing 3-4 protection to a extra conventional 4-3 look whereas subbing gamers liberally.
BILL WALSH, 49ers
Championships received within the Bay Space: 3 (1981, 1985, 1988)
Corridor of Fame: 1993
The legacy: The Hayward Excessive and San Jose State product grew into one of the iconic coaches in all skilled sports activities whereas incomes the nickname, “The Genius.” Was inducted into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in 1993 and named a coach on the NFL’s one centesimal Anniversary All-Time Staff.
The numbers: Walsh led the 49ers to 3 Tremendous Bowl championships, six division titles and three NFC Championship titles to go together with a 102-63-1 total file in his 10 years with San Francisco (1979-88).
Signature technique: Devised the “West Coast Offense,” a quick-hitting passing assault that includes shorter, extra horizontal passing routes that revolutionized the sport by shifting a decades-long focus away from the working recreation.
DICK WILLIAMS, A’s
Championships received within the Bay Space: 2 (1972, 1973)
Corridor of Fame: 2008
The legacy: Williams is the final man to guide a crew to 3 straight world championships, though he resigned earlier than the third straight title as a result of he’d had sufficient of the meddling from proprietor Charlie Finley. His 1972 World Sequence title-winning crew marked the franchise’s first championship since 1930.
The numbers: Williams’ three years in Oakland produced a file of 288-190 (.603), three playoff appearances and two world championships. He's certainly one of 9 managers to win pennants in each leagues and joined fellow Corridor of Famer Invoice McKechnie as the one supervisor to guide three franchises to the World Sequence.
Signature technique: Though Williams’ dogged pursuit of excellence and demanding model of managing helped result in the A’s success, maybe his best transfer was changing Rollie Fingers right into a reliever.