Come to Think of it...Who Are the Best Coaches in Sports Today?

Whether you're one who believes that coaches and managers of professional sports teams are overrated and overvalued, you have to admit that some just seem to have more success than others. They may even share some common characteristics that separate themselves from the rest of the lot. 

In any case, we examine the top active leaders of sports teams and solicit your feedback on why you think your favorite coach is better than the ones I've picked.

On this team, we are all united in a common goal: to keep my job.
-- Lou Holtz

Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers

Despite his unquestioned success, Dr. Phil certainly has his share of detractors. They claim he is merely lucky; in the right place at the right time; an opportunist.

Being handed the reigns to a Chicago Bulls' team with Michael Jordan from Doug Collins, who had been nurturing the team to a point where they were seemingly ready to win, is one example. Another is Phil moving from the Bulls to the Lakers, loaded with Shaq and Kobe.

Yet there are others who rightly point out that coaching egos like MJ's is not easy. It takes the right guiding hand to satisfy the stars while building a sense of team camaraderie like Jackson has. And win at the same time, which Phil certainly has.

He has won nine NBA championships and is currently down 0-2 to Boston in this year's finals. He has a .700 career winning percentage. His Eastern philosophy of coaching has earned him the nickname of "Zen Master". He also applies Native American spiritual practices as documented in his book "Sacred Hoops".

Whether or not you believe in that stuff, you can't argue with his success. And that's why he leads our list of top coaches in pro sports.

A successful coach needs a patient wife, loyal dog, and great quarterback - and not necessarily in that order.
-- Bud Grant

Bobby Cox, Atlanta Braves

Cox may not be eloquent in his mannerisms and he may not give any famous speeches, but he just goes to work year after year and produces results.

He had inherited a Braves' team that was awful and built them up from scratch starting in 1976. The Braves finally finished above .500 yet Ted Turner fired Cox in 1981. After success managing in Toronto, including a first place finish in 1985, Cox returned to the Braves as GM.

Cox appointed himself manager in 1990, and went on to win the division title for 14 consecutive seasons. His 15 division titles is a record in MLB and he is the fourth winningest manager in baseball history.  He holds second place on our active list.

"Coaches who can outline plays on a black board are a dime a dozen. The ones who win get inside their player and motivate." 
-- Vince Lombardi

Bill Belichick, New England Patriots

Belichick gets No. 3 because he won his three titles in four years in an era when you just can't do it with free agency and the salary cap in place. Yet Belichick has maintained that team with Tom Brady and enough good players to overcome not having many great ones to become the modern day dynastic coach.

Yes, his team lost to the Giants last February, despite being heavy favorites, but you can't argue with his success in getting there.

I know, what about Spygate, you ask? Well, there is just too much we don't know, and likely will never know, to hold that against the man's ability as a head coach.

He has coached his teams to four Super Bowls, winning three and earning NFL "Coach of the Year" awards twice. He also led the Pats to an undefeated regular season this past year, going 16-0. He has won more than 71 percent of his games as coach of the Pats over eight seasons.

OK, I've had my say. Come to think of it, what say you?

"This has been a team effort. No one or two guys could have done all this."
- Casey Stengel, after the Mets lost 120 games in their inaugural season in 1962