Alfred J. "Al" McGuire

Whether he was coaching at Belmont Abbey College or later at Marquette University or doing color commentary for NBC or CBS, Al McGuire had a flair for the dramatic. “Winning is only important in war and surgery,” McGuire quipped in 1975, but he knew better than anyone that coaches are judged by the numbers in the left-hand column of the stat sheet. To that end, McGuire won over 400 games in college. Known for dazzling the media with his anecdotes and unique vernacular, McGuire is one of a select few coaches to win both NIT and NCAA championships. At Marquette, McGuire compiled a 295-80 record and led his teams to 11 postseason appearances in 13 seasons. In his last game as Marquette coach, McGuire won the NCAA national championship over mighty North Carolina, and few will forget his tearful goodbye to collegiate coaching. College basketball has seen few coaches more charismatic and engaging than Al McGuire.