Ranking the Top 50 Coaches in Sports History

By Brian Kalchik

Ranking the Top 50 Coaches in Sports History

John Wooden UCLA
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Being a coach of any sport is one of the most difficult jobs on the planet. Not only is winning the only thing that matters, but trying to balance multiple players with massive egos is a job in and of itself. Few coaches have stood the test of time and are remembered long after their days on the sidelines have passed. Here now are the 50 greatest coaches in sports history, starting with No. 50.

50. Herb Brooks

Herb Brooks Team USA
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50. Herb Brooks

Herb Brooks Team USA
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Forget the 219-222-66 record in the NHL. Herb Brooks' legacy centers around one game: The Miracle on Ice. It is the greatest upset in sports history as the United States defeated the heavily-favored Soviet Union in the medal round of the 1980 Winter Olympics. Brooks and his team completed an improbable run by winning gold against Finland a few nights later. Brooks came out of retirement in 2002 and led Team USA to a silver medal in 2002.

49. Bela Karolyi

Bela Karolyi USA
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49. Bela Karolyi

Bela Karolyi USA
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A Romanian gymnastics coach, Bela Karolyi defected to the United States in 1981 and helped lead Team USA to an all-around Gold Medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics. Karolyi has coached some of he greatest ever, including Nadia Comaneci, Mary Lou Retton, Kristie Phillips, Dominique Moceanu and Kerri Strug.

48. John Calipari

John Calipari Massachusetts
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48. John Calipari

John Calipari Massachusetts
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One of the most divisive coaches in college basketball today, John Calipari has won everywhere he's been in the sport. Calipari is the first coach to win 30 games in five consecutive seasons and took Massachusetts and Memphis to the Final Four; although both teams' appearances would be vacated by sanctions. With Kentucky, Calipari has taken the Wildcats to three Final Fours in four years and won the 2012 National Championship.

47. Alex Ferguson

Alex Ferguson Manchesteer United
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47. Alex Ferguson

Alex Ferguson Manchester United
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The greatest coach in Manchester United's history, Alex Ferguson has won over 30 domestic and international titles during his coaching career. In 1,500 career games as coach, Ferguson won 895 games and recorded 338 draws. In Ferguson's tenure, Manchester United has had several star players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Robin Van Persie and Wayne Rooney.

46. Nick Saban

Nick Saban Alabama
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46. Nick Saban

Nick Saban Alabama
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Nick Saban is the first coach in College Football history to win national championships with two different schools and is the best coach in college football today. Before dominating the SEC, Saban took Michigan State to three bowl games. When he joined LSU, Saban won his first National Championship in 2003 before jumping to the NFL. Since joining Alabama, Saban has won three national championships, including back-to-back in 2011 and 2012.

45. Jimmy Johnson

Jimmy Johnson Cowboys
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45. Jimmy Johnson

Jimmy Johnson Cowboys
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Not only was Jimmy Johnson the coach of the Dallas Cowboys' dynasty in the 1990s, he also excelled at the college level with the Miami Hurricanes. In his five years at Miami, Johnson compiled a 52–9 record and won a national championship in 1987. In the NFL, Johnson turned a poor Cowboys team into a dynasty. Johnson became just the sixth coach to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles and only lost one playoff game in Dallas.

44. Al Arbour

Al Arbour Islanders
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44. Al Arbour

Al Arbour Islanders
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Al Arbour is currently second behind Scotty Bowman in career wins (782) and games coached (1,607), and he's easily the second greatest coach in NHL history. In 1973, Arbour took over the New York Islanders franchise and transformed them into a dynasty. From 1980 to 1983, Arbour's teams won four Stanley Cup titles in a row and his Islanders teams reached the postseason in 15 of his 18 seasons in New York.

43. Bobby Cox

Bobby Cox Braves
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43. Bobby Cox

Bobby Cox Braves
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Bobby Cox led the Atlanta Braves to the NL East division title every season from 1991 to 2005 (excluding the strike-shortened 1994 season) and won Manager of the Year four times. While his team won just one World Series in 1995, the Braves appeared in five World Series in the 1990s. As GM of the Braves from 1986-90, Cox brought in players like Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, John Smoltz and David Justice.

42. John Madden

John Madden Raiders
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42. John Madden

John Madden Raiders
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The man behind the Madden video game series, John Madden is in fact one of the best NFL coaches of all-time. In 10 seasons as coach of the Raiders, Madden finished with a record of 103–32–7 with zero losing seasons and a Super Bowl victory in 1977. The youngest coach ever to reach 100 career regular-season victories, Madden became an Oakland icon and eventually a color-commentating pioneer.

41. Rick Pitino

Rick Pitino Knicks
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41. Rick Pitino

Rick Pitino Knicks
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When Rick Pitino took Louisville to the 2005 national semifinal, he became the first coach ever to reach the Final Four with three different schools (Providence and Kentucky being the others). Pitino’s three point-heavy motion offense and aggressive full-court press had its greatest success at Kentucky, where his teams made three Final Fours and won the 1996 national title. Pitino also won a title with the Cardinals in 2013.

40. Dan Gable

Dan Gable Iowa
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40. Dan Gable

Dan Gable Iowa
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Few realize the greatness that Dan Gable achieved while wrestling at Iowa State, but he's mostly known as the coach of the greatest wrestling program in history with Iowa. He only lost one match in his entire collegiate career, and won gold at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, not giving up a single point. As coach of the Hawkeyes, he won 16 NCAA team titles from 1976–1997.

39. Bo Schembechler

Bo Schembechler Michigan
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39. Bo Schembechler

Bo Schembechler Michigan
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One of the greatest coaches in Michigan Wolverines' history, Bo Schembechler made his 21 seasons in Ann Arbor memorable by showing how football should be played in the Midwest. From 1969 to 1989, the Woody Hayes pupil compiled a record of 194–48–5 and won or shared 13 Big Ten Conference titles. His rivalry with Hayes made the Michigan-Ohio State one of, if not the best in college football history.

38. Woody Hayes

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38. Woody Hayes

Ohio State Buckeyes Helmet
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Woody Hayes spent 28 seasons as the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes and turned the program into a national power. Hayes won five national championships, 13 Big Ten Conference titles and compiled a record of 205–61–10. His legacy will be forever tarnished after punching a Clemson player in the Gator Bowl, but he is still one of the best coaches in College Football history.

37. Steve Spurrier

Steve Spurrier Florida
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37. Steve Spurrier

Steve Spurrier Florida
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Steve Spurrier has coached for over 20 seasons in college and is one of the best coaches in SEC history. At Florida, Spurrier had 11 straight nine-win seasons and top-12 finishes, including a national championship in 1996. After a failed stint in the NFL, Spurrier joined South Carolina in 2005. At South Carolina, he has brought the program to unprecedented levels of success and has become the winningest football coach in school history.

36. Chuck Daly

Chuck Daly Pistons
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36. Chuck Daly

Chuck Daly Pistons
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In each of his nine seasons in Detroit, Chuck Daly guided the Detroit Pistons to the postseason, including back-to-back NBA Championships in 1989 and 1990. Daly also took the New Jersey Nets and the Orlando Magic to the postseason. But his best coaching job may have been in 1992, where he led the famous "Dream Team" to a gold medal in the 1992 Summer Olympics.

35. Sparky Anderson

Sparky Anderson Reds
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35. Sparky Anderson

Sparky Anderson Reds
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The manager of Cincinnati's Big Red Machine, Sparky Anderson led the Reds to their greatest stretch in franchise history, winning back-to-back World Series titles in 1974 and 1975. Anderson also was the first manager to win the World Series in both leagues. After joining the Detroit Tigers in 1979, Anderson led the 1984 team to the franchise's most recent World Series title.

34. Connie Mack

Connie Mack Statue
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34. Connie Mack

Connie Mack Statue
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The longest-serving manager in MLB history, Connie Mack holds the records for most wins (3,731), losses (3,948) and games managed (7,755). But don't let his loss total taint his success. Mack won five World Series titles with the Philadelphia Athletics and nine pennants.

33. Bud Wilkinson

Oklahoma Sooners Helmet
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33. Bud Wilkinson

Oklahoma Sooners Helmet
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Bud Wilkinson was a flop in the NFL with the St. Louis Cardinals, but his Oklahoma Sooners teams were some of the best in college football history. During his 16-year tenure at Oklahoma, Wilkinson led his Sooners to a record of 145–29–4, three national championships (1950, 1955, 1956), 14 conference titles and a record 47-game winning streak between 1953 and 1957.

32. Bill Parcells

Bill Parcells Giants
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32. Bill Parcells

Bill Parcells Giants
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Bill Parcells, or “The Tuna,” began his coaching career in 1983 with the New York Giants and had 13 winning seasons in his 19 years of coaching with four different teams. Parcells was known for developing talent and turning teams that were bad before he got there into winners. After leading the Giants to two Super Bowl wins, Parcells guided the Patriots to Super Bowl XXXI and the Jets to the 1998 AFC Championship game.

31. Larry Brown

Larry Brown 76ers
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31. Larry Brown

Larry Brown 76ers
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Larry Brown has traveled a lot and coached plenty of teams during his coaching days, but in most of his stops, he has been a winner. Brown is the only coach to ever win a national championship (Kansas in 1988) and an NBA championship (Detroit Pistons in 2004). Brown is also the only coach in NBA history to lead eight different teams to the playoffs.

30. Geno Auriemma

Geno Auriemma UConn
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30. Geno Auriemma

Geno Auriemma UConn
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Geno Auriemma has been head coach of the UConn women's basketball team since 1985 and has led his Huskies to unprecedented heights. Auriemma has won six national Naismith College Coach of the Year awards and has totaled 839 wins. The Huskies have finished above .500 for 24 consecutive seasons, completed five undefeated seasons and won nine national championships under Auriemma.

29. Tom Osborne

Tom Osborne Nebraska
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29. Tom Osborne

Tom Osborne Nebraska
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During his quarter-century as leader of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Tom Osborne's teams never won fewer than nine games in a season and won outright national championships in 1994 and 1995, as well as a share of a third in 1997. Behind a powerful option attack and tenacious defense, Osborne compiled a record of 60–3 over his final five seasons, becoming the fastest coach in Division I-A history to win 250 games.

28. Tony La Russa

Tony La Russa Cardinals
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28. Tony La Russa

Tony La Russa Cardinals
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Tony La Russa spent 33 years as manager of the White Sox, Athletics and Cardinals, and is one of the greatest strategists in MLB history. La Russa owns three World Series titles (one with Oakland in '89 and two in St. Louis in '06 and '11). La Russa also won four Manager of the Year Awards (AL in 1983, 1988 and 1992, NL in 2002) and ranks third in MLB history with 2,728 wins.

27. Gregg Popovich

Gregg Popovich Spurs
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27. Gregg Popovich

Gregg Popovich Spurs
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As the longest-tenured coach with the same team in all four major professional sports, San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich continues to win with a team-first approach. Popovich's teams are always unselfish with stars like Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili buying into his system. Popovich has won five titles with the Spurs, including the most lopsided NBA Finals victory ever this past year against Miami.

26. Joe Torre

Joe Torre Yankees
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26. Joe Torre

Joe Torre Yankees
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Joe Torre had the most talented teams each year he was with the New York Yankees, but it's not easy winning with plenty of players who think that they are the best at their respective positions. Torre won four World Series titles with the Yankees and also won 10 division titles and six pennants. From 2001 to 2007, the Yankees won 94 or more games in each season.

25. Eddie Robinson

Eddie Robinson Grambling
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25. Eddie Robinson

Eddie Robinson Grambling
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Rarely do coaches remain with one program for their entire career, but Eddie Robinson spent 57 years (1941-1997) dedicating everything he had to the Grambling State football program, where he compiled a record of 408-165-15. Robinson produced some of the greatest players in NFL history, including Doug Williams, Charlie Joiner, Willie Davis, Buck Buchanan and Willie Brown; the latter four are all NFL Hall-of-Famers.

24. Joe Gibbs

Joe Gibbs Redskins
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24. Joe Gibbs

Joe Gibbs Redskins
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One of the most creative offensive minds in NFL history, Joe Gibbs led the Washington Redskins to eight playoff appearances, four NFC Championship titles and three Super Bowl victories in his first 12 seasons. Behind a ruthless offensive line known as the Hogs, Gibbs' teams dominated the trenches. What's most impressive about Gibbs' tenure is that he won each of his Super Bowls with a different starting quarterback.

23. Bob Knight

Bob Knight Indiana
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23. Bob Knight

Bob Knight Indiana
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One of only three basketball coaches to win an NCAA title, a NIT title and an Olympic gold medal, Hoosiers great Bobby Knight is recognized as much for his ferocious success as he is for his antagonizing nature. His antics may have been humorous, but Knight won a then-record 902 games in college basketball. Knight created the motion offense and outside of his antics, had a reputation for running clean programs.

22. Tom Landry

Tom Landry Cowboys
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22. Tom Landry

Tom Landry Cowboys
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One of the greatest innovators in NFL history, Tom Landry turned the Dallas Cowboys into America's team. Landry's stats speak for themselves. His teams won two Super Bowls, five NFC titles, 13 Divisional titles and an all-time record of 270-178-6. Some of Landry's innovations include the 4-3 defense and employing the shotgun on offense.

21. Casey Stengel

Casey Stengel Yankees
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21. Casey Stengel

Casey Stengel Yankees
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One of the most unique personalities in MLB history, Casey Stengel won the hearts of New Yorkers during his time as Yankees (1949-60) and Mets (1962-65) skipper. Stengel won seven championships as manager and finished with 1,905 wins. He is also the only player in MLB history to be associated with all four New York baseball teams: the Yankees, the Mets, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants.

20. Pat Summitt

Pat Summitt Tennessee
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20. Pat Summitt

Pat Summitt Tennessee
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While leading the Tennessee Lady Vols between 1974 and 2012, Pat Summitt won eight NCAA national championships and became a pioneer for women's college basketball. In 38 years as coach, she never had a losing season and compiled 1,098 wins (a percentage of .841).

19. Knute Rockne

Notre Dame Helmet
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19. Knute Rockne

Notre Dame Helmet
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From 1918 to 1930, Knute Rockne led the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to prosperity and ignited their reputation as a college football force. Rockne went 105-12-5 with the Fighting Irish and won three national championships.

18. George Halas

George Halas Bears
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18. George Halas

George Halas Bears
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George Halas' endless tenure as head coach of the Chicago Bears cemented his legacy as one of the NFL's greatest contributors. Halas won five championships with the Bears and was responsible for six when he hired Mike Ditka in 1983. He coached his team for 41 seasons and had 35 winning seasons.

17. Joe Paterno

Joe Paterno Penn State
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17. Joe Paterno

Joe Paterno Penn State
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Despite a rough and tumultuous ending to his coaching career, Joe Paterno's work on the football field is legendary. Before he arrived in Happy Valley, Penn State was not on the college football scene. In over 40 years at the school, Paterno won over 400 games (before over 100 were vacated from the Jerry Sandusky scandal), two national championships, five undefeated seasons and 24 wins in 37 career bowl games.

16. Bobby Bowden

Bobby Bowden Florida State
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16. Bobby Bowden

Bobby Bowden Florida State
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Bobby Bowden is among the greatest coaches of all-time due to his longevity and numerous accomplishments with the Florida State Seminoles. He turned the Seminoles into a powerhouse and coached at the school for 34 seasons. Bowden won nine conference championships, two national championships ('94, '99), and had 14 consecutive seasons (1987-2000) of top-four postseason finishes.

15. Pat Riley

Pat Riley Lakers
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15. Pat Riley

Pat Riley Lakers
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A five-time champion and three-time Coach of the Year, Pat Riley turned the Lakers into Showtime and helped two other franchises get to the playoffs. In 24 seasons as coach of the Lakers, Knicks and Heat, Riley only had three losing seasons. Riley should also get credit for assembling Miami's back-to-back championship teams in 2012 and 2013.

14. Paul Brown

Cleveland Browns Helmet
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14. Paul Brown

Cleveland Browns Helmet
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Paul Brown excelled at all levels of football. His high school teams lost only 10 games in 11 seasons, his Ohio State Buckeyes won their first national title in 1942 and his Browns (named after him) reached the league championship game in each of his first 10 seasons (winning seven of them). But Brown was far more than an intelligent leader. He was an innovator who revolutionized the game of football.

13. Bill Belichick

Bill Belichick Patriots
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13. Bill Belichick

Bill Belichick Patriots
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He may be the most hated coach today, but Bill Belichick is the epitome of success. With the Patriots, Belichick's teams made five Super Bowl appearances in 12 years, winning three from 2001-04. Belichick drafted Tom Brady in the sixth round and won 11 games with Matt Cassel, which up until now is nearly miraculous.

12. Adolph Rupp

Kentucky Wildcats Logo
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12. Adolph Rupp

Kentucky Wildcats Logo
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There have been many great coaches to lead the Kentucky Wildcats, but none can compare with Adolph Rupp. Rupp won 876 games, all of them at Kentucky, and led the Wildcats to one NIT and four NCAA championships.

11. Chuck Noll

Chuck Noll Steelers
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11. Chuck Noll

Chuck Noll Steelers
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The leader of the famed Steel Curtain of the '70s, Chuck Noll was more than just a winning coach. Under Noll, Joe Gilliam became the NFL's first African-American starting quarterback and RB Franco Harris becoming the first African American to win Super Bowl MVP. Noll's teams made the playoffs 12 times in his 23 seasons, including eight straight appearances from 1972 to 1979, with four Super Bowl wins in between.

10. Bill Walsh

Bill Walsh 49ers
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10. Bill Walsh

Bill Walsh 49ers
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In just under 10 seasons as coach of the 49ers, Bill Walsh finished with a record of 102–63–1, six NFC West division titles, three NFC Championship titles and three Super Bowls titles. The NFL Coach of the Year in 1981 and 1984, Walsh popularized the West Coast offense and built perhaps the most dominant dynasty in NFL history in the 1980s San Francisco 49ers.

9. Don Shula

Don Shula Dolphins
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9. Don Shula

Don Shula Dolphins
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The only NFL coach to ever record a perfect season, Don Shula became a gridiron icon as he gained a record 347 wins in the NFL. Shula coached the Baltimore Colts and Miami Dolphins to six Super Bowl appearances (winning two with Miami) and completed the league's only fully perfect season in 1972.

8. Dean Smith

Dean Smith North Carolina
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8. Dean Smith

Dean Smith North Carolina
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During his 36 years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1961-1997), Dean Smith racked up a then-record 879 victories, two national titles and 11 Final Four appearances. Smith developed the four corners offense and coached the greatest player of all-time in Michael Jordan.

7. Bear Bryant

Bear Bryant Alabama
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7. Bear Bryant

Bear Bryant Alabama
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When you think of Alabama football, all you can think about is winning and Paul "Bear" Bryant. In Bryant's 25-year tenure at Alabama, the legendary head coach won six national championships, 13 conference championships and had 232 career wins.

6. Scotty Bowman

Scotty Bowman Red Wings
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6. Scotty Bowman

Scotty Bowman Red Wings
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The greatest NHL coach of all-time, Scotty Bowman totaled a record 1,244 wins in the regular season and 223 in the Stanley Cup playoffs, including a record nine Stanley Cups with the Canadiens (1973, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979), Penguins (1992) and Red Wings (1997, 1998 and 2002).

5. Mike Krzyzewski

Mike Krzyzewski Duke
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5. Mike Krzyzewski

Mike Krzyzewski Duke
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Simply known as Coach K, longtime Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has built a national powerhouse. After coaching Army between 1975 and 1980, Coach K took his talents to Durham, where he led his Blue Devils to four NCAA Championships, including back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992. His teams have also made 11 Final Four appearances. In his current stint as coach of Team USA, Coach K has won gold in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics.

4. Phil Jackson

Phil Jackson Bulls
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4. Phil Jackson

Phil Jackson Bulls
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Known as the zen master, Phil Jackson implemented the triangle offense and created two differing dynasties. From the Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman-led Bulls winning six titles between 1991 and 1998, to the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers (with some early help from Shaquille O'Neal) winning five NBA titles between 2000 and 2010, Jackson is the greatest NBA coach in the modern era.

3. Red Auerbach

Red Auerbach Celtics
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3. Red Auerbach

Red Auerbach Celtics
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Often seen with a cigar and a witty smile, former Celtics coach Red Auerbach is a pivotal figure in the development of basketball. He is also remembered for breaking league color barriers, drafting the first African-American NBA player (Chuck Cooper in 1950) and introducing the first African-American starting five in 1964. Auerbach won nine championships as coach and coached the greatest team ever in the Boston Celtics of the 1950s and 1960s.

2. Vince Lombardi

Vince Lombardi Fordham
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2. Vince Lombardi

Vince Lombardi Fordham
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The man whose name appears on the Super Bowl Trophy, Vince Lombardi turned the previously woeful Green Bay Packers into a dynasty in the 1960s. He only coached the Packers for seven years, but immediately made his mark, winning three straight league championships and five overall, including the first two Super Bowls. Few individuals better exemplify determination and victory.

1. John Wooden

John Wooden UCLA
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1. John Wooden

John Wooden UCLA
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A motivational figure on the sidelines during his time at UCLA, John Wooden had a unique way of leading his team with what is known as the pyramid of success. As a result, Wooden secured 10 NCAA national championships in a 12-year period (including seven in a row). The Wizard of Westwood was beloved by his players and respected by all fans. Wooden is the best there was, the best there is and the best there ever will be.

Brian Kalchik is a Detroit Lions writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google+.

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