Top 5 Boston Sports Coaches of all Time

I recently watched "A Football Life" on the NFL Network. It was a two-part show that followed Bill Belichick throughout the 2009 New England Patriots season. It got into the personal lifestyle of Bill Belichick, which was a rare spectacle because Belichick would never tell the media his favorite color, let alone let them follow him around for an entire season. It also showed footage of Belichick having one on one chats with quarterback Tom Brady, getting emotional when he recalled his Giants coaching days and his humorous side when he dressed up as a pirate at a Halloween party. I don't want to say anymore if you haven't seen it, but the main focus was the coach's mentality. The man wants to win more than anything, and he is a master motivator that can persuade poor reputation players to buy his system. This got me questioning who else has this coaching dominance in the Boston sports world? Here is my Top 5 list:

Red Auerbach

Boston Celtics (1950-1966) Record: 795-397

I think there's no real argument here. This man was a major personality in the NBA who tragically died five years ago from colon cancer at the age of 89. He led the Celtics to eight straight NBA titles and nine total. He innovated the game by drafting the first African-American player, starting the first African-American starting five, and hiring the first African-American coach in any professional sports league when he was a general manger, and had Bill Russell become a player-coach. He was 8-0 in NBA playoff game sevens (elimination games) as well (talk about clutch!). From brawling with opposing fans to lighting his infamous cigars, this man installed winning into his player's heads, and there was no other option. His name is on the Garden floor for crying out loud. Also, no offense to Phil Jackson, but he did it without Jordan or Kobe. He is the Godfather of Boston sports, period.

Bill Belichick  

New England Patriots 2000- Record: 128-51

He's not Red, but he's pretty damn close, named AP NFL coach of the year three times (2003,2007,2010), a three time Super Bowl winning coach with the Patriots and a 14-5 record in the postseason. This guy analyzes game films to produce Super Bowl winning seasons like Scorsese analyzes movie scripts to produce Oscar winning pictures. He is a pure machine. Well respected ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski credits Belichick with the best coaching game plan he's ever seen when the Pats beat the Rams in the 2001 Super Bowl. Belichick has also revitalized player's careers such as Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Corey Dillon. He is also credited with the first coach to have a 16-0 regular season, but we're not going any farther with that one. If he wins a couple more titles, I could see him topping Red on this list.

Terry Francona

Boston Red Sox 2004- Record: 734-531

He is the curse breaker. He somehow motivated his guys to produce an un-imaginable comeback in the 2004 ALCS by defeating the Yankees after trailing 3-0 in the series in his first season as manager of the Sox. You know the rest; the Sox went on to be the champs in '04 and then again in ‘07.  Like Belichick, he is still going strong as well. With two World Series titles already, (something it took 86 years for the team to accomplish after the 1918 championship), this man will always be in the history books and have a job with Boston as long as he wishes.

Doc Rivers

Boston Celtics:  2004- Record:  336-238

Doc Rivers made basketball in Boston fun again. After a rocky start and relationship issues with Paul Pierce, he led the big three (Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen) to an NBA title in 2008. I get that he had the big three, but it's not as easy as it looks; just look at the Heat last year. Rivers constantly stresses team defense and creates an intimating opponent for any team he faces. He could easily have won two titles as well if Kendrick Perkins hadn't gotten hurt in the game six game against the Lakers.  With the big three's window closing, he has a year or two left to snag one more ring in the short time picture, and all of this depends on if the lockout gets lifted.

Dick Williams

Boston Red Sox: 1967- 1969   Record: 260-217

This is my x-factor pick.  I get he has no titles with Sox, but this man brought baseball back to Boston. The Red Sox were a laughing stock with low fan attendance and little interest. Williams led the "Impossible Dream Team" in 67' to the seventh game of the World Series and re-invented the Red Sox love affair in New England. He was tough as nails and knew the game inside and out. He later went on to win two back-to-back titles in Oakland. Following his death last year, Red Sox owner John Henry had this to say about the man who resurrected the Fenway frenzy: "Dick was an outstanding leader who demanded excellence and accountability from all his players, leading the Impossible Dream Red Sox to the 1967 AL Pennant that forever changed baseball in New England." So next time you go to Fenway Park, you can blame Dick Williams for the $10 beers.