RIP Coach Mac

He was actually a better coach than his record showed, simply because he was dealt a pretty bad hand that finally showed itself after his first year.

He was also a really nice guy, and someone with whom you could have a casual, friendly conversation. Think of him as being the diametric opposite of Lou Holtz.

I know a lot of people will point to that awful 92-93 season, but frankly, I'm surprised that he was able to eke out a handful of wins. Having to use the Ross twins as the center and power forward, along with Carl Cozen and Brooks Boyer as the starters didn't bode very well for that second season. I honestly don't know what the heck Digger was thinking when he recruited those not so fabulous four. None of those guys would have started for any other Division NCAA program.

If it weren't for Monty Williams coming back and a true freshman, Ryan Hoover, stepping up their games, that 1992 season would have been even worse.

There was never before and never will be a classier coach. He walked into a near-hopeless situation and left a much better situation for his successors. The winning percentage at ND didn't show it, but he was an excellent basketball coach, as well. His pro record attests to that.