[King Kong]

I find it odd that no one has read about or heard Pope himself talk about how he changed his coaching style from a more intense, in your face attitude like he'd seen in his playing days to what he is now.

Don't know that Pope is so much soft as much as it is that he seems more polite and charitable than mean and unforgiving.

Will say that he seems to have much more of a pro coaching style than most college coaches.

Not saying there isn't a place for different coaching styles at all levels, but I couldn't see a Jim Calhoun type coach being as successful in the pros because you just can't coach them like that.

There are plenty of coaches who yell in player's faces and berate officials that do really well, but plenty of others do the same and fail.

Same for coaches who are calm, cool, collected, and generally just more positive and pleasant overall. There's a John Wooden, Roy Williams, or Phil Jackson for every Bobby Knight or Dan Hurley.


Think Pope is going to be more finesse than physical for at least a bit longer, and sometimes really skilled, finesse teams are great but still appear soft (like some of the best Golden State teams).

I think he eventually gets a better blend of skill and physicality, but it's going to take some time.

At any rate, I wouldn't call Oweh, Butler, or Williams "soft"-- maybe just soft-spoken at times. Garrison doesn't seem to mind getting into the middle of scrums either.

Good point CJ about Golden St.  That's the blue print of finesse basketball.  They got like what,  4 championships playing that style.  It sometimes works.