Why Chip Kelly Joins The Ranks Of Coach K

Chip Kelly joins the ranks of Coach K in turning down pro offers to stay with their school.

Back in 2004 the Lakers were offering the world and then some to pry Mike Krzyzewski away from his long-time stomping ground, Duke. Coach K thanked the Lakers, said he was flattered and then said no. Krzyzewski and Duke are synonymous. The court at Cameron Indoor Stadium is in fact named after Coach K, and he's not dead, or even retired from coaching.

A few days ago the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did the same in order to get Chip Kelly to leave his head coach job at Oregon. Kelly also thanked the Bucs, admitted he was flattered and kindly told them "there's unfinished business" in Oregon. Like Coach K, though not as famously, Kelly has built Oregon into a national powerhouse. Once Kelly was brought on as offensive coordinator in 2007, he immediately turned the Ducks offense into a well-oiled machine, while their national prestige grew ten fold. With Chip Kelly taking over the head coaching job in 2009 combined with Nike CEO Phil Knight's donations, the Oregon Ducks have not only become a powerhouse football program, but a national cult thanks to their exciting brand of football and guinea pig status for Nike's high-tech pro combat clothing line. Chip Kelly has taken the Ducks to three straight BCS bowls, including the 2011 BCS National Championship game. Even though he is only 1-2 in those three games, Chip Kelly knows he's got something truly remarkable brewing here.

Both Kelly and Coach K could have taken the money and ran to their respective pro leagues. Coach K could have picked up a team led by Kobe Bryant and led them to championships. Chip Kelly could have received a young Bucs team with loads of potential and took them to the playoffs. But neither would do so. They are men of high character, the kind of college coaches that the NCAA needs especially in its darkest hour of illegal recruiting and child molestation. Both of these coaches value their legacies more than they do money or fame. They realized that coaching kids who don't play for pay and do it because they love the game is a greater joy than leading a bunch of overpaid individuals who don't want to listen to them.

I have the upmost respect for both of these guys because, unlike many Americans, put their values in front of money. Kelly and Krzyzewski could have left their respective programs immediately after the built them, but instead they wanted to turn their programs into dynasties.