Why Paul Hewitt Is The Fifth Best Coach

in his own league, that is.

Dave Sez has a very good post in which he ranks the coaches in the ACC. Now, before Georgia Tech fans take umbrage at this ranking, you have to consider who the other coaches are who outrank Coach Hewitt. Read the whole thing, and you'll see.

And, no, one of them is not NC State's Herb Sendek, perhaps the only Carnegie-Mellon alum in that school's rich history to go into major college basketball coaching.

He's sixth, and he's had a decent run in Raleigh.

Fierce competition?

No kidding.

The one thing about the ACC this year is that when all is said and done in the spring, it could well be that the fifth best team in the ACC wins the national title, or that the five best teams in the ACC end up ranked in the Top 10. Which could well mean that the fifth best coach in the ACC, who took his team to the national title game last year, could well be the fifth best coach in the country. Or, depending how his team does (i.e., if they win the championship), the fourth -- in his own league.

With plenty of upside before his own career is over.

The debate always will rage as to which major conference is the best basketball conference, because college hoops fans love lists and love that type of debate. But this year there is little doubt that the best basketball conference is the same one that was your dad's best basketball conference growing up.

And they also have the coaches to prove it.