CLEM HASKINS

He may have lost his job in a program-crippling academic scandal, but Clem Haskins sure could coach some basketball.  The Gophers' 1989 Sweet Sixteen team and 1990 Elite Eight team are as responsible for my interest in basketball as anything.  And I know that technically the Gophers "didn't" make it to the Final Four in 1997... but that team was awesome.

Clem had the players... Willie Burton, Bobby Jackson, Melvin Newbern, Kevin Lynch, Voshon Lenard, Sam Jacobson, Quincy Lewis, Walter Bond...

And Clem had the sportcoat.  That's my lasting memory of Clem pacing the sideline in the Barn.  When that sportcoat came off, you knew he wasn't screwing around.

I'm genuinely excited about Richard Pitino's chances of building a lasting program at Williams Arena.  But until that happens, nothing's going to top the Clem years for me.