Coach K Sings Praises Of Bill Belichick
BOSTON (CBS) -- Legendary Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski wrapped up his career at the Final Four this year at the age of 75.
When fellow legendary coach Bill Belichick retires remains anyone's guess. Though he's approaching his 70th birthday on Saturday, the man in charge of everything for the Patriots has given no indication that he plans to leave the game that's been a part of him for his entire life.
Considering that both Krzyzewski and Belichick are considered the GOATs of their respective industries, football writer Peter King asked Coach K for some insight about coaching through his 70s to apply that line of thinking to Belichick in the NFL.
"As I got older, I allowed more input of expression of teaching from my staff, from the people around me," Krzyzewski told King. "I was able to see and feel their hunger. I allowed them more opportunity but the person who got more was me. Because I got more of them."
Krzyzewski pointed to Belichick's use of Matt Patricia -- the former defensive coordinator who worked in the front office last year and is now poised to play a prominent role in the offensive coaching staff -- as an example of Belichick learning "to use the talents of the people around him even better."
"I've always felt Bill had a curiosity about the game," Krzyzewski said. "It wasn't what he already knew. It was what he was still going to learn and how he was going to use what he knew in the ever-changing environment that he's in. He's very adaptive."
Krzyzewski said he never felt his age while coaching, and he admires Belichick's consistency.
"Bill trusts his work. He's doing what he loves to do," Krzyzewski said. "He doesn't get out of character. I'm here. I'm working. I'm prepared. I never get out of character. I love that about him."
