Sir Alex Ferguson. Nuff said or is this restricted to US coaches?

Why not Phil Jackson?

These picks are right on the money. The 5 best ever!

Joe Paterno - 'nuff said.

Pat Summitt!!! She did all this while not only building a program, but also helping build a sport. She has accomplished all of these NCAA records (for both men and women) even though the NCAA women's tournament only started in 1982. She has more wins in the NCAA tourney personally (104) than the North Carolina mens team has (101 - the men's record holder for most wins by a program) AS A PROGRAM. Here are just a few of her accomplishments.

Most college b-ball wins (1005-192)? Check

Most (104) NCAA tourney wins? Check

Most sweet sixteen (27 out of 28) appearances? Check

Most final four appearances (22 - AIAW and NCAA)? Check

Most (13) appearances in the National Championship Game? Check

Eight national championships? Check

100% Graduation rate for player completing their eligibility? Check

14 SEC reg season titles and 13 tournament titles? Check

Naismith Women's Coach of the Century? Check

7 time Coach of the Year? Check

1984 Olympic Gold Medal Coach? Check

Coach Wooden is a wonder (and this from a UK fan), however, nobody ever had the talent he did during his glory years. All the other nominees also had great talent too. That's why I voted for him anyway. I think he got the most out of his & his record the last 14 or 15 years of his career illustrates that.

paul brown has to be on that list he won championships at every level in football from high school to college to both the aafc and the nfl he revolutinized the game using game films to study other teams signals to call in plays even radios on occasion, his offence was the prdecessor to the "west coast offense" and oh yeah he started the whole idea of facemasks to protect players faces. not to mention helping to tear down the race barrier in football by signing african american players. most of his teams were made up of local talent that he brought together to win, he was even the one who told the packers to hire lombardi. with that kind of eye for talent , an uncanny ability to win championships, and a mindset that transfomed the game to what it is today

If building a program and winning national championships, while maintaining the highest integrity, is the standard, then Rod Dedeaux should be on any short list.

In his 38 years as USC's baseball coach, his teams won 11 College World Series championships -- that's the equivalent of an NCAA championship.

Dozens of Coach Dedeaux's players made it to the major leagues (Tom Seaver, Freddy Lynn, Mark Maguire, Ron Fairly, Don Buford, and on and on). Coach Dedeaux had very few scholarships to offer, but playing for him was itself a great draw. Coach Dedeaux had a trucking business, so only took a $1/year salary from USC. He was always accessible, always positive, a great teacher and beloved by all who knew him. Coach Dedeaux passed away, at the age of 91, in 2005.

Stephen Francis of the MVP Track Club in Jamaica he trains athletes in 100m 200m 400m 100m H 400m H High Jump Shot Put. He takes little known athletes and turn them into world beaters. I am yet to hear of any drug implications so I am assuming they are clean. Phenomenal achievement in my book I dont know what you guys think.........Let me know.......

Wooden: Character (His Pyramid of Success) and coaching skills combine to make him the greatest ever.

I can't let go of the thought of Bill Walsh of the NFL SF 49ers. He took them from cellar to Super Bowl title in two years. He didn't have as long of a career as a NFL head coach as some of the others mentioned, but he won 3 Super Bowls in the 1980s, and his teams were top quality Super Bowl winners, nothing like what's been happening recently (except for one year of the New England Patriots). He introduced a lot of innovations to the game.

Should we be surprised that this 'Best Coach in sports history' ranking only include american coaches? I would like think that a MSNBC, which quite a few people outside the states do read, would be able to point out that this is an article ranking the best american coaches...

But then again, after spending 5 years in the US I probably shouldnt be surprised if this actually was a sincere attempt on ranking the best sports coaches.

/Joachim, Oslo, Norway

Bowman, Bryant and Lombardi out, and Phil Jackson and Pat Summit in. The 5th, I'll let you pick from whoeverr you want! But Jackson and Summit have to be in, or it makes not sense.

Pat Summitt has done more for the sport of Womens Basketball then anyone....thats a given. But she is not top 5 material. How many of her wins and titles came during an era when Ladies Basketball was not really played with the fervor it is today? She is the main driver for the sport...hats off to her for that. But please....Her record over the first half of her career is alot better then the last half. I am an advid UCONN fan....I hate the evil empire...Just to put my comments in perspective.

Casey Stengel!!!!

Chuck Knoll of the Pittsburg Steelers.4 Superbowls in 6 years.

Phil Jackson has coached in 12 of the last 19 NBA Finals but has only 1 Coach of the Year Award!

Dan Gable:

Taking over as head coach at Iowa in 1976, he led the Hawkeyes to 15 national titles in 21 seasons, including a record nine consecutive from 1978-86.

Iowa won the Big Ten title in each of Gable's 21 seasons and went undefeated seven times.

His career coaching record was 355-21-5 for a winning percentage of .938.

Best Coach Hands down, and oh yeah On the mat, he had an amazing run through high school and college, compiling a combined 182-1 record. After winning his first 117 matches at Iowa State, including two NCAA championships, the three-time All-American suffered his lone defeat when he was upset as a senior in the 1970 NCAA final.

Phil Jackson is over rated garbage. He rides the coat tails of great players. When he didn't have Jordan, the Bulls didn't win. After Shaq left the Lakers he didn't win for years. Scotty Bowman should be at the top of the list. He won with multiple franchises in very different eras. As a Red Wing fan, I am very afraid of the Black Hawks now that Scotty is in charge there. If he gets back behind their bench, the Black Hawks will win a Stanley Cup within 2 seasons.