Mavs Donuts: Where Does Carlisle Rank In All-Time Top 10 DFW Coaches?
Some are in the Hall of Fame.
Some have their sport’s most all-time wins.
Some have multiple championships rings, flawless legacies or even enduring “How ’Bout Them Cowboys?!” mantras.
But of all the head coaches in the history of Dallas-Fort Worth sports, none can boast the record of Eddie Stanky: Undefeated.
In 1977 the Texas Rangers were floundering around .500 when Stanky took over for fired manager Frank Lucchesi. After an introductory press conference at Minneapolis’ Metropolitan Stadium on June 22, Stanky guided his new team to a thrilling 10-8 victory over the Twins.
Then – sorta similar to the Dallas Mavericks’ Rick Carlisle last week – he quit.
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After sleeping on it, Stanky told team management the next morning that he was resigning because he missed his family and wasn’t ready for the baseball grind. He left for Alabama with a career managerial record of 1-0, never to be heard from again.
To make this elite group - DFW's Mount Coachmore - you need more than one win.
DONUT 12: So No to 1-0. Though he joined Carlisle, former Mavs’ coach Dick Motta and ex-Dallas Cowboys’ boss Bill Parcells in abruptly resigning, Stanky and his unblemished record didn’t finagle his way onto our list of DFW’s best coaches.
In a couple cases, you have more than 1,300 victories. You might have almost 30 years on the job. You could’ve created a legendary player, or even revolutionized an entire sport.
DONUT 11: Good Guys Finish ... DFW’s Mount Coachmore doesn’t include good guys such as the Cowboys’ Jason Garrett and Rangers’ Johnny Oates, almost champions like SMU’s Bobby Collins or eternal soccer ambassador Gordon Jago. It does include champions, legends and the best of our best on the sidelines, on the bench and in the dugout.
While the criteria includes success and longevity, having a memorable philosophy doesn’t hurt, either.
From Jimmy Johnson’s “asthma field” to Dunbar High School’s Robert Hughes’ “If you can’t work hard and put out your best, then go home to mama” to TCU’s Dutch Meyer’s “Fight ’em until Hell freezes over, and then fight ’em on ice”, it’s our Top 10 All-Time Coaches in Dallas-Fort Worth History:
DONUT 10. Ron Washington, Texas Rangers – Animated Rangers skipper would rank higher if he had coaxed that last strike in St. Louis in 2011 and hadn’t dinged a resume that included consecutive World Series berths with in-season drug use and an infidelity-fueled resignation.
DONUT 9. Sandra Meadows, Duncanville High School – Women’s basketball Hall of Famer won 743 games (including a 134-game winning streak) and led the Pantherettes to four state championships in 25 years.
DONUT 8. Don Nelson, Dallas Mavericks – The NBA’s all-time leader with 1,335 coaching victories, he took over the Mavs in the late 1990s and had both the guts to draft unknown Dirk Nowitzki and the genius to play the 7-footer on the perimeter.
DONUT 7. Randy Allen, Highland Park High School – One of only three Texas high school football coaches with 400+ career wins, he’s led the Scots to four state championships in 22 seasons.
DONUT 6. Rick Carlisle, Dallas Mavericks – Before he recently resigned from Luka Doncic-led Dallas (was Rick pushed or did he jump?), Mavs’ coach lasted 13 seasons and led team to its only NBA trophy.
DONUT 5. Dutch Meyer, TCU – After graduating Sammy Baugh in 1936, he designed a futuristic offense featuring the forward pass and 152-pound quarterback Davey O’Brien. The Hall of Famer led the Horned Frogs to two football national titles, while also serving as basketball and baseball head coach.
DONUT 4. Ken Hitchcock, Dallas Stars – His trademark defense propelled Stars to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals appearances and the team’s lone championship in 1999.
DONUT 3. Jimmy Johnson, Dallas Cowboys – Quality over quantity. In only five seasons, he won consecutive titles with Cowboys and also paved the way for a third.
DONUT 2. Robert Hughes, Dunbar High School – For 32 years the Hall of Fame coach led the Flyin’ Wildcats to a fast-paced, full-court brand of hoops that produced five state championships and 1,333 wins, most in boys’ high-school history.
DONUT 1. Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys – The first head coach of America’s Team endured an unprecedented 29 years, building an impeccable legacy and winning two Super Bowls.
