Not many have spent as many hours as I have comparing the eras to put players on equal footing, whether they played in 1919 or 2010. However, when it comes to coaching, there is simply no question Wooden was the greatest of all-time.
As noted, the eras were different with only 25 teams at one point, and only 1 team allowed per conference. If we were just asking who was the greatest TOURNAMENT coach of all time, then that would be a factor, particularly in the case of the year cited when USC was No. 3 but couldn't play in the tourney because of UCLA winning the conference. But that ignores the fact that the No. 3 team in the country could have knocked UCLA out of the tournament all together. If it was easier for UCLA to win the tournament ONCE IN TEH TOURNAMENT, it still comes out as just a biggest accomplishment because it was much harder for UCLA to get into the tournament (finish ahead of the No. 3 team in the country in conference play), so overall winning the title is just as tough.
USC was actually No. 1 in the country at 16-0 in 1971 when UCLA went into the LA Sports Arena to beat them 64-60. We don't have anything like that today when an undefeated team has to win on the road against the No. 1 team in the country to even MAKE the tournament.
10 titles - case closed, the best ever. Now as I wrote on crackedsidewalks last month, if only Frank Zimmer, 99 and living in Sheboygan, and Marquette had pulled off the upset at Purdue in 1932, then maybe he wouldn't also have the POY and national title as a player to add to those 10 coaching titles.
Case closed.
