BTCOY

[TC4THREE]

Figuring CMP may be in the running for this with Collins and Pitino as his primary competition. With Northwestern's recent troubles, I figure if Purdue can beat them on Sunday it might elevate Painter above Collins on many ballots. I just wonder if there are scenarios where he would jump Pitino and it seems unlikely to me. Minnesota will probably lose at Wisconsin on Sunday but will still finish 11-7 in conference if they can beat Nebraska tonight after going 2-16 last year.

 

[lbodel]

Figuring CMP may be in the running for this with Collins and Pitino as his primary competition. With Northwestern's recent troubles, I figure if Purdue can beat them on Sunday it might elevate Painter above Collins on many ballots. I just wonder if there are scenarios where he would jump Pitino and it seems unlikely to me. Minnesota will probably lose at Wisconsin on Sunday but will still finish 11-7 in conference if they can beat Nebraska tonight after going 2-16 last year.

I could see any of them. Sometimes it's just the coach that has the best team when there's not a "wow" factor involved - Purdue wasn't supposed to win the conference in the first place - started off a little rocky and really came together. However, Purdue basically finished nationally around where they were supposed to, so nothing crazy.

Northwestern you have history being made with making the NCAA Tourney most likely, but they're still at 9-7 (very well could finish 9-9 - and could finish losing 7 of their last 9 - not sure how that wins COY). They're mostly making the NCAA Tournament on the backs of their non-conference wins (11-2).

Minnesota is a bit better in conference than NW, but not by much. But they still had a great turnaround from the year before. Depends maybe how they round out the conference - they could still end up getting a 7-8 seed I think (?) if they won't win their last 2 (@ Wisconsin and Nebraska). If they finish out well though, they've won their last 7 - so it puts him in better shape than NW in that regard.

 

[Heller]

I would think Pitino has it pretty well locked up. Next best to me is Chambers but he lost too many close games. Still, PSU if he can keep those kids is going to be damn good.

 

[Ben Shadeland]

COY awards--like many awards--are about narratives. No narrative is more beloved than the rags-to-riches story. Rather than thinking, You know what? Pitino had a devastatingly horrible year last year and has had a better year this year, folks think, Look at how many more wins they had this year. Coaching genius!

In a sense, the fact that last year at Minny was such a failure in every conceivable way--on-court misery, legal troubles, scandal--really helps Pitino's narrative this year.

This isn't sour grapes, by the way. Had Purdue gone from 4-and-14 last year to 14-and-4 this year, Painter would be the frontrunner. But because he took a really good team and made it an even better team, he'll be lucky to finish third in the voting.

I guess it's just the nature of awards.

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

I would think Pitino has it pretty well locked up. Next best to me is Chambers but he lost too many close games. Still, PSU if he can keep those kids is going to be damn good.

Agree on Penn State, Heller. They could be a tournament team in a couple of years.

I'd say its Pitino, Painter, Collins for conference coach of the year....now say that three times, quickly.

 

[TopSecretBoiler]

what did the media pick us to finish at the beginning of the year? I don't remember too many choosing us 1st. I vote for CMP if we win @NW. Outright champs is impressive.

 

[Dryfly88]

Am I not remembering correctly? I thought most predictions had WI, MSU, PU and IU in some order to win the B1G. With Maryland mentioned as a possible candidate with their schedule advantage. Not knocking CMP as a candidate but I don't think we really "surprised" too many by being near the top of the conference all year. Which I think hurts him because as others have mentioned voters love the "out of nowhere" story line.

 

[TC4THREE]

what did the media pick us to finish at the beginning of the year? I don't remember too many choosing us 1st. I vote for CMP if we win @NW. Outright champs is impressive.

Agree. Most prognosticators picked Wisconsin if memory serves. Generally we were in the top 3-4 picked though and ranked in the top 25 all year so I don't think most people will look at it as drastically exceeding expectations. Like someone else mentioned, Pitino will have the benefit of how bad they were last season.

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

Agree. Most prognosticators picked Wisconsin if memory serves. Generally we were in the top 3-4 picked though and ranked in the top 25 all year so I don't think most people will look at it as drastically exceeding expectations. Like someone else mentioned, Pitino will have the benefit of how bad they were last season.

I gave CMP a slight edge over Collins, which could change come Sunday, because even though Purdue was in a group of initial contenders (I don't recall many picking Purdue to win, however), CMP did a nice job of getting the team focused after sitting 6-3, following a tough loss to the Cornhuskers. Many....including yours truly....thought it was too big a deficit to overcome with much of the meat of the schedule still ahead....eight games later, it's a different (and nicer) story. I know Purdue got some unexpected help as well....yada, yada, yada.....

 

[02Boilermaker]

Northwestern you have history being made with making the NCAA Tourney most likely, but they're still at 9-7...

It's not just making the NCAA tournament that is historic for Northwestern this year. The 9 Big Ten victories is the most they've ever had in a season. If they get to 10 wins, it would be the Cats' first winning season in Big Ten play since '67-68. If they finish at 9-9, it will still only be the second 0.500 B1G season since that 67-68 squad (Carmody won COY for the 8-8 team in 2004).

I'd love to see Painter sneak at least a share of the award, but I would put my money on Collins if I had to bet.

 

[MJ-79Boiler]

I think Pitino has this won already. His team has gone from can't win to a contender in one year. To turn that culture around in one year is pretty impressive. We got better, but also have a POY candidate.