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Sideline Excellence
By Angela LentoCombining excellent coaching with a flair for style
The “Runway to the Fashionable Four” has brought a lot of attention to the style statements of coaches all across the country. But the bi-weekly Fashion Power Index is based solely on attire.
While all of the coaches who have appeared in the fashion rankings are excellent teachers and tacticians, there are countless others who just barely miss breaking into the FPI.
And there are some that do a terrific job of combining fashion and style.
My friends at “RavisTailor.Com” have agreed to help me recognize four such coaches each month.
In the first installment of “Sideline Excellence,” Tim Carter (Texas-San Antonio), Dennis Felton (Western Kentucky), Bobby Lutz (Charlotte) and Rick Scruggs (Gardner-Webb) are featured for their flair for fashion and coaching excellence.
“RavisTailor.Com” will present a gift certificate to each coach.
TIM CARTER (Texas-San Antonio): Now in his seventh season, coach Carter has built the Roadrunners into a perennial favorite in the Southland Conference and, in the past couple of seasons, his name continues to come up as a candidate for many coaching vacancies. And he looks sharp on the sidelines with his sport coat and slacks approach to style, which gets an A+.
Carter is already the all-time winningest coach in school history and has already eclipsed the 100-win plateau. Now in his seventh season at the helm, Carter has put together a nice resume over the past six seasons, which includes one NCAA Tournament appearance in 1999, SLC Coach of the Year honors, five SLC Tournament appearances and three seasons with 15-or-more victories.
While receiving his master's degree from Oklahoma in 1984, he began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant. From Norman, Okla., he went to Wichita Falls, Texas as an assistant coach at Midwestern State University from 1984-86.
Having left coaching for one year to work as an NCAA enforcement representative, Carter returned in 1987 to help lead the University of Houston to the NCAA Tournament as an assistant coach. From 1987-90, Carter joined the staff at Oklahoma State University, and helped lead the Cowboys to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 1989 and 1990. From 1990 to 1994 he served as assistant coach at Northwestern University of the Big Ten Conference and helped lead the Wildcats to the NIT.
In addition to his fine coaching accomplishments, Carter is also quite stylish on the college basketball fashion circuit. He was a part of the 64-coach field on the 2000 “Runway to the Fashionable Four.”
DENNIS FELTON (Western Kentucky): The former Rick Barnes assistant is quickly making a name for himself, returning the Hilltoppers to national prominence. Despite the loss of All-American Chris Marcus to injury, Felton has continued to coach his team to victory. He also has a flair for style, often sporting fashionable orange shirts.
In just a little over three seasons, Felton has made the Hilltoppers into one of the top mid-major programs in America. Last season he won 24 games, which it matched the win totals of the previous two seasons combined. Felton coached Western Kentucky to the NCAA Tournament and was named the District 7 Coach-of-the-Year, by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).
Prior to coming to the Hill, Felton spent the six seasons as a member of Rick Barnes' staff — the first two (1992-94) at Providence and the last four (1994-98) at Clemson. The six teams he and Barnes worked with together posted six winning seasons (including three 20-victory campaigns — two at Providence and one at Clemson), made six trips to postseason play (four in the NCAA Tournament and two in the NIT), and went 114-71, averaging 19 wins a year.
Felton also served stints as an assistant coach at Delaware (1986-90), Tulane (1990-91) and St. Joseph's (Pa.) (1991-92) before going to Providence in 1992. He moved with Barnes to Clemson in 1994 and was promoted to associate head coach there in 1997.
He actually began his coaching career during his senior year in college, serving as an assistant coach at Oxon Hill (Md.) High School. Then, he was an assistant at Charles County Community College (LaPlate, Md.) during the ‘85-86 season before going to Delaware in 1986.
Last season, Felton’s wardrobe excellence was recognized with inclusion in “The Runway to the Fashionable Four.”
BOBBY LUTZ (Charlotte): Perhaps one of the most underrated coaches in all of college basketball, coach Lutz’ Charlotte teams are second only to Cincinnati in wins, in the brief history Conference-USA. Lutz is also vastly overshadowed a league that includes such fashion mavens as John Calipari, Rick Pitino and Lorenzo Romar, but he sports a terrific wardrobe.
In the last three seasons as head coach of the 49ers, Lutz has guided Charlotte to three post-season tournaments, averaged over 20 wins a year and claimed a pair of Conference USA Championships.
Lutz became the third first-year coach in school history to notch a 20-win season and Lutz’ initial 23-11 campaign was highlighted by a program-best home win over No. 3 ranked Cincinnati, 13 wins over 1998 post-season participants and an incredible of four wins in four days over three of the top four seeds to win the Conference USA Championship.
In addition to the C-USA crown and the trip to the NCAA second round, Lutz was named the Conference USA Coach of the Year by The Birmingham News.
He was named head coach at Gardner-Webb University in March, 1995. He left Gardner-Webb to join Mullins’ staff two months later to join the Charlotte staff.
Lutz joined his alma mater’s basketball staff as an assistant coach to Jeff Mullins in 1995 for the program’s first season in Conference USA. When Watkins was named head coach in April, 1996, he retained Lutz.
After a playing career at Bandys (Catawba, N.C.) High (1976), where he was class valedictorian, Lutz entered UNC Charlotte and enjoyed the 49ers run to the 1977 NCAA Final Four. Upon graduation, he was an instructor in Economics and Psychology labs at his alma mater, 1979-80. He coached and taught Social Studies at Parkwood (Monroe, N.C.) High, 1982-83; and Bunker Hill (Claremont, N.C.) High, 1983-84.
In 1984, Lutz joined Cliff Ellis’ staff at Clemson as an assistant coach for two years. He was named head coach at Pfeiffer prior the 1986-87 campaign.
Conference-USA is loaded with fashionable coaches, but Lutz easily holds his own and has a nice fashion statement.
RICK SCRUGGS (Gardner-Webb): Coach Scruggs’ Runnin' Bulldogs opened a lot of eyes when they jumped into the CollegeInsider.Com Mid-Major Top 25, but eyebrows were really raised when his team soundly beat Murray State on the road recently. He has done a remarkable job in the program’s first year at the division I level. And eyes are popping at his chic sideline style, which makes a fashion statement all its own.
The 2000 South Atlantic Conference "Coach of the Year" has taken at least one team to the national tournament at each level he has coached. During his 15 years as a Head Coach, Scruggs has taken teams to a National Tournament at the Junior College, NAIA, NCAA II and NCCAA levels.
Not only does the Atlanta, Ga. native win, his teams do it with flair- often scoring points at a breakneck pace. Scruggs up-tempo offensive philosophy proved effective in their first season as a Division I program as the Bulldogs posted a 22-10 mark and captured the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA) Championship.
Prior to joining the Gardner-Webb family Scruggs directed Milligan College to a 24-12 record in 1994-95, leading the Buffs to their first appearance in the NAIA Division II National Tournament. The team led by former GWU assistant Chad Dollar, All-American Jason Pittser and former GWU assistant Eric Richardson, averaged an eye-popping 93.7ppg.
While at Pikeville College in 1993-94 Scruggs' team let it fly from the three-point range for a school-record 943 three-point attempts. The team finished among the nation's Top 10 in scoring offense. Scruggs' final recruiting class with Pikeville was rated the nations top effort by one national recruiting service.
Scruggs was named conference "Coach of the Year" twice and NJCAA Region X "Coach of the Year" while at North Greenville College. His 1989 Mounties won a school record 30 games and advanced to the NJCAA National Tournament. That team finished the regular season with a No. 14 national ranking.
Scruggs efforts at North Greenville were recognized last year as he was inducted into the NGC Sports Hall of Fame.
He doesn’t get a lot of television time to display his wardrobe, but coach Scruggs brings a snappy approach to the sidelines.
Angela Lento is a big supporter of the “Bobbi Olson Foundation” and would like to urge you to make a contribution. For more information Click Here
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(Head Coach: 3-8-2002) 1. Bruiser Flint
2. John Calipari
3. Gary Waters
4. Willis Wilson
5. Jay Wright
6. Paul Graham
7. Tubby Smith
8. Rick Pitino
9. Melvin Watkins
10.Mike JarvisPlaying Catch with Satchel Paige
The Captivating Conference Champions
Coach Brent Encourages Players to Build Professional Look
The Renaissance Man and Wrestling Alligators
Coaches Give Fashion Statements on Coaches
A Look at New Jersey's Stylish Coaches
Feb 4 FPI: John Calipari Remains No. 1
Sideline Style Poll is Clothes Call
Being No. 1 Suits Rutgers' Gary Waters Just Fine
Jan 21 FPI: John Calipari Tops Fashion Power Index
Carter, Felton, Lutz and Scruggs Combine Coaching and Style
Terry Gets Rave Reviews in North Carolina
Jan 7 FPI: Gary Waters Tops Fashion Power Index
Though Styles Differ, Smith and Pitino at Top of Their Game
December FPI: Georgetown and Drexel Top The Lists
Jesse "The Body" Ventura and a Kid at Delaware
Musical Talent in Kansas and Wyoming
The FPI, The Natural and a 7-Footer from Wal-Mart
Pennsylvania: America’s Most Stylish State
In Search of Bigfoot with Dale Brown
Auctioning off Auburn coach Cliff Ellis
UCLA's Steve Lavin Talks Fashion
John Feinstein Plugs Fashionable Four
(Assistant: 3-8-2002) 1. Wayne Brent
2. Gary Stewart
3. Steve Sauers
4. Ronny Thompson
5. Tony Jones
6. Patrick Sellers
7. Reggie Hanson
8. Lew Hill
9. Tom Schuberth
10.Jennifer Johnston
AMERICA EAST:
Tom Brennan
ATLANTIC COAST:
Skip Prosser
ATLANTIC SUN:
Don Maestri
ATLANTIC 10:
Bob Hill
BIG EAST:
Gary Waters
BIG SKY:
Joel Sobotka
BIG SOUTH:
Pete Strickland
BIG TEN:
Jerry Dunn
BIG 12:
Melvin Watkins
BIG WEST:
Kevin Bromley
COLONIAL:
Bruiser Flint
CONFERENCE-USA:
John Calipari
HORIZON:
Ed Schilling
IVY LEAGUE:
James Jones
METRO ATLANTIC:
Don Harnum
MID-AMERICAN:
Stan Joplin
MID-CONTINENT:
Homer Drew
MID-EASTERN:
Cy Alexander
MISSOURI VALLEY:
Barry Hinson
MOUNTAIN WEST:
Charlie Spoonhour
NORTHEAST:
Bobby Jones
OHIO VALLEY:
Kyle Macy
PACIFIC-10:
Paul Graham
PATRIOT LEAGUE:
Sal Mentesana
SOUTHEASTERN:
Tubby Smith
SOUTHERN:
Bob McKillop
SOUHTLAND:
Mike Deane
SOUTHWESTERN:
Lafayette Stribbling
SUN BELT:
Dennis Felton
WEST COAST:
Michael Holton
WESTERN ATHLETIC
Willis Wilson
Take a stroll down last season's Runway to the Fashionable Four
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