You've been handed the reins of a major North American professional sports franchise (and congratulations to you!).
You now get to choose one coach who will lead your franchise to long-term greatness. Who's your first choice?
That's a question we posed to a panel of ESPN cross-sport experts, whose responses we then analyzed to devise a 1-50 list (more on the methodology in the box at right). We stressed this was not a single-game exercise but was about "building a program," and that respondents were permitted to consider age as part of their criteria.
Meanwhile, the ESPN analytics team devised a "résumé grade," comparing achievements of leaders across the four major sports based on a formula factoring in win-loss records (regular season through Oct. 14), tenure and championships.
1. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots (age: 66)
Record with team/overall career record: 218-76 (.741), 254-120 (.679) overall
Super Bowl titles: 5 (2001, 2003, 2004, 2014 and 2016 Patriots)
Playoff appearances: 16 in 23 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 10.93 (fifth among active coaches)
Your primary piece of evidence indicating this exercise was not a popularity contest is right here. Belichick is far from a universally beloved figure, but his track record is undeniable. Our respondents were not particularly bothered by Belichick's age in handing him the keys to their organization's future -- he's more than twice as old as Sean McVay. They knew if the goal was winning at any cost, Belichick was the man for this particular mission.
2. Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics (age: 41)
Record with team/overall career record: 221-189 (.539)
NBA titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 4 in 5 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 1.58 (52nd among active coaches)
Stevens hasn't been to an NBA Finals and his record hovers just north of .500, but this draft was not about stacking credentials or counting rings. Stevens was appointed by Celtics team president Danny Ainge to build this franchise from scratch, and he's received universally high marks for his abilities as both a tactician and a people manager. Our respondents trust Stevens to build the program the right way.
3. Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams (age: 32)
Record with team/overall career record: 17-5 (.773)
Super Bowl titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 1 in 1 season
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 2.35 (47th among active coaches)
McVay -- a man whose date of birth roughly coincides with the breakup of Wham! -- is the avatar of the modern, upwardly mobile coach. He immediately transformed the Rams franchise upon his hire, and the early returns in 2018 suggest last year's success was no fluke.
4. Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors (age: 52)
Record with team/overall career record: 265-63 (.808)
NBA titles: 3 (2014-15, 2016-17 and 2017-18 Warriors)
Playoff appearances: 4 in 4 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 11.16 (fourth among active coaches)
Kerr's unimpeachable track record, and his still-youthful countenance, suggest he can do this as long as he wants. But how long is that? Kerr missed 43 games during the 2015-16 season due to back surgery. He missed most of the 2017 playoffs because of lingering complications from that surgery. He seems like the sort who might enjoy doing other things (good broadcaster, has thoughtful political takes, etc.). Ultimately, our voters were mostly willing to overlook the questions about his long-term future and placed Kerr comfortably in the top five.
5. Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs (age: 69)
Record with team/overall career record: 1197-541 (.689)
NBA titles: 5 (1998-99, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2006-07 and 2013-14 Spurs)
Playoff appearances: 21 in 22 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 15.76 (1st among active coaches)
Popovich's résumé is among the most impressive in the history of sports, but how would he fare at the helm of a program in transition? We're about to find out. With the Tony Parker/Manu Ginobili/Kawhi Leonard era officially in the rearview, the Spurs have been projected by some to miss the playoffs in 2018-19. If they overachieve, you can bet the all-time king of awkward sideline interviews will deservedly get a lion's share of the credit.
6. A.J. Hinch, Houston Astros (age: 44)
Record with team/overall career record: 374-274 (.577), 463-397 (.538)
World Series titles: 1 (2017 Astros)
Playoff appearances: 3 in 6 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 1.81 (49th among active coaches)
The top MLB manager to grace our list, Hinch is comfortably among the youngest skippers in the bigs and has a chance to notch a second World Series title before the age of 45. Hinch's appeal (besides his World Series-winning credentials) has much to do with his image as the archetype of the modern, analytics-emphasizing manager.
7. Mike Babcock, Toronto Maple Leafs (age: 55)
Record with team/overall career record: 123-96-0 (.554), 650-381-19 (.612)
Stanley Cup titles: 1 (2007-08 Red Wings)
Playoff appearances: 13 in 15 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 9.83 (sixth among active coaches)
The lure of Babcock was never more evident than in the spring of 2015, when the Leafs won a bidding war (to the tune of eight years and $50 million) against the Blues, Sabres and Sharks to lure the ex-Red Wings boss to town. Babcock has slowly but surely restored the once-proud franchise to respectability and can underscore his value if the Leafs can end a playoff series win drought that dates back to 2004.
8. Terry Francona, Cleveland Indians (age: 59)
Record with team/overall career record: 545-425 (.562), 1574-1340 (.540)
World Series titles: 2 (2004 and 2007 Red Sox)
Playoff appearances: 9 in 18 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 4.17 (27th among active coaches)
Francona cemented his place in baseball lore by leading the Red Sox to the 2004 World Series title (a feat he repeated in 2007), and narrowly missed another legendary milestone when his upstart Indians fell to the Cubs in seven games in 2016. Now viewed as one of the deans of the industry, Francona has come a long way from the 37-year-old wunderkind whom the Phillies tabbed as manager in 1997.
9. Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins (age: 50)
Record with team/overall career record: 132-67-0 (.646), 202-123-15 (.602)
Stanley Cup titles: 2 (2015-16, 2016-17 Penguins)
Playoff appearances: 4 in 5 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 4.93 (23rd among active coaches)
Before the Penguins selected him to replace the fired Mike Johnston on Dec. 12, 2015, Sullivan was largely viewed as a journeyman coach who'd failed to deliver in his previous big chance, with the Bruins in 2003-06. Two Stanley Cup titles have a funny way of changing perceptions. Sullivan has forged a strong bond with star Sidney Crosby and has established himself as one of the recognizable coaches in the game.
10. Alex Cora, Boston Red Sox (age: 42)
Record with team/overall career record: 108-54 (.667)
World Series titles: --
Playoff appearances: 1 in 1 season
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 3.73 (89th among active coaches)
It's perhaps emblematic of the perception around manager value in 2018 that Cora, who helms one of the deepest-pocketed teams in sports, is one of the bottom-five salaried managers in the game (at just south of $1 million). Whatever the financial realities, our voters think highly of Cora, who engineered a dominant Red Sox season at a relatively young age and figures to be a dugout staple for years to come.
11. Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs (age: 60)
Record with team/overall career record: 58-28 (.674), 188-121-1 (.608)
Super Bowl titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 13 in 19 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 7.26 (12th among active coaches)
The absence of a Super Bowl victory is the most high-profile blip on Reid's résumé, but there can be no denying that his teams are consistently competitive, that he has the respect of players, and that he's traditionally been a good collaborator with front office and ownership. There's still time for Reid to win the big one and he might just have the vehicle in Patrick Mahomes to help him get there.
12. Joel Quenneville, Chicago Blackhawks (age: 60)
Record with team/overall career record: 449-243-0 (.631), 887-526-77 (.611)
Stanley Cup titles: 3 (2009-10, 2012-13, 2014-15 Blackhawks)
Playoff appearances: 18 in 21 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 11.94 (second among active coaches)
Do you remember when the Blackhawks were among the laughingstocks in sports? If you don't, it's in part due to the fact that Quenneville engineered a renaissance on the banks of Lake Michigan. Quenneville ranks second on the all-time NHL wins list, behind only Scotty Bowman, and -- in spite of the team missing the playoffs last season -- elicited respect among our respondents for that overall track record.
13. Joe Maddon, Chicago Cubs (age: 64)
Record with team/overall career record: 387-261 (.597), 1,168-990 (.541)
World Series titles: 1 (2016 Cubs)
Playoff appearances: 8 in 13 seasons (excludes interim seasons with Angels in 1996 and 1999)
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 3.66 (37th among active coaches)
Maddon has pulled off two of the greatest managerial achievements of this millennium (at least), leading the Rays (a team that had never won more than 70 games) to the 2008 AL pennant, then guiding the Cubs to their curse-busting 2016 World Series title. If you're looking for a "dormant franchises whisperer," Maddon just might be your guy.
14. Peter Laviolette, Nashville Predators (age: 53)
Record with team/overall career record: 186-100-0 (.629), 575-382-25 (.588)
Stanley Cup titles: 1 (2005-06 Hurricanes)
Playoff appearances: 10 in 15 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 8.43 (eighth among active coaches)
Laviolette has taken three different franchises to the Stanley Cup Final -- he won it all with the 2005-06 Hurricanes -- and both the Predators and the Flyers in his previous stop enjoyed their best seasons in recent memory under Laviolette's tutelage. Even with a Cup win on his résumé, helping to make hockey happen in Nashville might be Laviolette's ultimate legacy.
15. Doug Pederson, Philadelphia Eagles (age: 50)
Record with team/overall career record: 23-15 (.605)
Super Bowl titles: 1 (2017 Eagles)
Playoff appearances: 1 in 2 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 2.60 (45th among active coaches)
Like Francona and Maddon, Pederson's approval rating was high among our respondents thanks to his ability to reach a seemingly unconquerable plateau for a long-starving fan base. Pederson's place on future versions of this list has a high degree of volatility -- if he stacks titles or at least playoff appearances in Philly, his star will continue to rise.
16. Rick Carlisle, Dallas Mavericks (age: 58)
Record with team/overall career record: 437-367 (.544), 718-578 (.554)
NBA titles: 1 (2010-11 Mavericks)
Playoff appearances: 12 in 16 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 3.89 (30th among active coaches)
Carlisle has taken three franchises to the playoffs (Pistons, Pacers, Mavs) and has raised a banner in Dallas, but it's notable that the 2011 NBA title was the last time Carlisle won a playoff series. The additions of Luka Doncic and DeAndre Jordan perhaps have the fortunes of Carlisle and the Mavericks on the upswing.
17. Torey Luvullo, Arizona Diamondbacks (age: 53)
Record with team/overall career record: 175-149 (.540)
World Series titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 1 in 2 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 1.96 (48th among active coaches)
Luvullo received high marks for his work in getting the 2017 Diamondbacks to the playoffs, ending the organization's six-year postseason drought, but the 2018 Diamondbacks had a miserable September and finished out of the playoff money. Our respondents continue to view the former MLB journeyman infielder as a rising star, however.
18. Barry Trotz, New York Islanders (age: 56)
Record with team/overall career record: 2-2-0 (.500), 764-570-60 (.563)
Stanley Cup titles: 1 (2017-18 Capitals)
Playoff appearances: 11 in 19 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 7.97 (10th among active coaches)
Trotz has taken teams to the playoffs in 11 of his last 14 seasons on an NHL bench -- with the Capitals' 2018 Stanley Cup win the crowning achievement of his career -- and will now attempt to sprinkle some of that pixie dust on an Islanders franchise that has missed the playoffs the last two years.
19. Mike D'Antoni, Houston Rockets (age: 67)
Record with team/overall career record: 120-44 (.732), 575-470 (.550)
NBA titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 8 in 14 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 3.23 (41st among active coaches)
D'Antoni is a polarizing figure, a guy who has taken four different organizations to the playoffs (Suns, Knicks, Lakers, Rockets) and favors an uptempo, highly entertaining style of basketball, but he has never reached the NBA Finals. For all his positive qualities, is D'Antoni the right coach for a mega-talented team gunning for a championship? That's a question very much on the minds of Rockets fans right now.
20. Quin Snyder, Utah Jazz (age: 51)
Record with team/overall career record: 177-151 (.540)
NBA titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 2 in 4 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 1.45 (54th among active coaches)
Reinvention is a word that will always be closely associated with Snyder, the former Coach K player and assistant who resigned in disgrace at Missouri in 2006 before reemerging as one of the respected minds in the NBA game. Snyder has received high marks for guiding the moderately talented Jazz to back-to-back conference semifinals within the rugged Western Conference.
21. Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints (age: 54)
Record with team/overall career record: 109-72 (.602)
Super Bowl titles: 1 (2009 Saints)
Playoff appearances: 6 in 11 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 5.33 (20th among active coaches)
Payton is far and away the best coach in the mostly checkered history of the Saints, winning the franchise's only Super Bowl after the 2009 season and laying claim to seven of the organization's eight all-time playoff wins. The fact that 100 percent of Payton's 109 wins (116 including playoffs) have been started by QB Drew Brees raises an interesting question about who's had the bigger impact on whom.
22. Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat (age: 47)
Record with team/overall career record: 484-320 (.602)
NBA titles: 2 (2011-12 and 2012-13 Heat)
Playoff appearances: 8 in 10 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 5.78 (18th among active coaches)
Speaking of coaches whose success is closely tied to that of a single player, there's Spoelstra, who has two championship rings and four NBA Finals appearances to his credit but has won just one playoff series without LeBron James on the floor. The Heat have missed the playoffs in two of the four seasons since James' departure.
23. Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers (age: 38)
Record with team/overall career record: 7-14 (.333)
Super Bowl titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 0 in 1 season
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: -0.20 (76th among active coaches)
Shanahan's star, and that of the 49ers, was viewed as being on the rise before the knee injury that ended quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's season in September. After what appears to be a lost season in San Francisco, it will be interesting to see whether Shanahan can deliver on the promise that prompted voters to rate him here on our list.
24. Craig Counsell, Milwaukee Brewers (age: 48)
Record with team/overall career record: 316-308 (.506)
World Series titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 1 in 4 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: -0.33 (77th among active coaches)
Counsell was a two-time World Series champion as a player with the Marlins and Diamondbacks and will now try to become a part of the first World Series title for a third different team. The Brewers won the division in 2018 for the first time since 2011 and are seeking the organization's second World Series appearance. (The other was in 1982.)
25. John Tortorella, Columbus Blue Jackets (age: 60)
Record with team/overall career record: 132-89-0 (.588), 578-464-37 (.548)
Stanley Cup titles: 1 (2003-04 Lightning)
Playoff appearances: 11 in 16 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 6.25 (16th among active coaches)
Tortorella has taken four different franchises to the Stanley Cup playoffs, winning it all with 2003-04 Lightning, but last getting out of the first round with the 2012-13 Rangers. Tortorella's strong, publicly stated aversion to analytics was a drawback with some of our respondents -- as it might be with actual, future Tortorella employers.
26. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens (age: 56)
Record with team/overall career record: 98-68 (.590)
Super Bowl titles: 1 (2012 Ravens)
Playoff appearances: 6 in 10 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 4.85 (24th among active coaches)
Harbaugh might have fared better in this survey back in early 2015, when his Ravens had just recorded a playoff win for the sixth time in his then-seven-year tenure (including a Super Bowl title in 2012). But Harbaugh's stock has taken a hit during Baltimore's three-year playoff drought, leading to speculation that his future in Charm City could be tied to a postseason bid in 2018.
27. Jon Cooper, Tampa Bay Lightning (age: 51)
Record with team/overall career record: 245-144-0 (.618)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 4 in 5 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 7.18 (13th among active coaches)
Cooper is extraordinarily well respected in the NHL fraternity. He's led the Lightning to the conference finals in three of the last four years, including a Stanley Cup appearance in 2015 (the Lightning lost to the Blackhawks in six). Cooper already has 36 playoff wins, getting there quicker than any current coach except the Penguins' Mike Sullivan.
28. Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers (age: 46)
Record with team/overall career record: 287-200 (.589), 287-201 (.588)
World Series titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 3 in 4 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 3.68 (36th among active coaches)
The deep pockets and sky-high expectations in Los Angeles have somewhat obscured what Roberts has accomplished with the Dodgers, namely becoming the franchise's first manager to win 90-plus games in each of his first three seasons since the legendary Walter Alston. No one is confused about what it will take for sentiment around Roberts to reach the next level -- truly iconic status in L.A. typically requires a title.
29. Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings (age: 62)
Record with team/overall career record: 42-27-1 (.607)
Super Bowl titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 2 in 4 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 3.41 (40th among active coaches)
Zimmer led the Vikes to their first playoff win since 2009 last season, also engineering a 13-3 campaign that identified Minnesota as a team on the rise under Zimmer's tutelage. Bringing that elusive Super Bowl to the Twin Cities would likely have a Pederson-like effect on Zimmer's respect quotient.
30. Mike Budenholzer, Milwaukee Bucks (age: 49)
Record with team/overall career record: 0-0 (.000), 213-197 (.520)
NBA titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 4 in 5 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 0.81 (62nd among active coaches)
Budenholzer took the Hawks to the playoffs in each of his first four years in Atlanta, including a run to the Eastern Conference finals with a 2014-15 team that won 60 games. Now in Milwaukee, Budenholzer will see if he can perform a similar trick with a Giannis-led Bucks team that is widely viewed as being on the rise.
31. Gerard Gallant, Vegas Golden Knights (age: 54)
Record with team/overall career record: 53-28-0 (.642), 205-168-4 (.545)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 2 in 6 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 3.98 (29th among active coaches)
If you're looking to quickly build an organization from scratch, you'll be hard-pressed to find someone with better credentials for that specific job than Gallant. Gallant took a collection of spare parts in Vegas and turned it into arguably the best expansion team of all time, leading Vegas to the Stanley Cup Final in Year 1.
32. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers (age: 46)
Record with team/overall career record: 119-62-1 (.657)
Super Bowl titles: 1 (2008 Steelers)
Playoff appearances: 8 in 11 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 7.01 (14th among active coaches)
Tomlin's a polarizing figure in Pittsburgh, but he's also never had a losing season, and his credentials mean he'd be heavily sought after if he ever hit the open market. Tomlin may have been hurt among some of our respondents by the fact that he reached the Super Bowl in two of his first four seasons, but hasn't been back since 2010.
33. Bob Melvin, Oakland Athletics (age: 56)
Record with team/overall career record: 634-599 (.514), 1,127-1,107 (.504)
World Series titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 5 in 15 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 0.09 (69th among active coaches)
Melvin may not be the first guy you'd choose for your Mount Rushmore of MLB managers, but consider this: In the franchise's 51 seasons in Oakland, only one person, Hall of Famer Tony LaRussa, has led the resource-challenged A's to the postseason as many times as Melvin (four). The fact that he's never won a playoff series perhaps keeps Melvin from being held in higher esteem.
34. Dwane Casey, Detroit Pistons (age: 61)
Record with team/overall career record: 0-0 (.000), 373-307 (.549)
NBA titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 5 in 9 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 2.56 (46th among active coaches)
Casey joined an ignominious list after the 2017-18 season, being fired by the Raptors after a season where they secured the No. 1 seed in the East. But you have to win games first in order to be on such a list, and Casey has won plenty, breathing life into a Toronto franchise which had an unimpressive history before his arrival. The Pistons are counting on Casey to work similar magic with their franchise.
35. Randy Carlyle, Anaheim Ducks (age: 62)
Record with team/overall career record: 324-204-0 (.599), 458-309-0 (.585)
Stanley Cup titles: 1 (2006-07 Ducks)
Playoff appearances: 8 in 12 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 7.40 (11th among active coaches)
Speaking of tough exits from Toronto, Carlyle is not so far removed from his 2015 ouster from a Maple Leafs franchise that he failed to get on track. Otherwise, he's known for being the best coach in Ducks history, guiding the club to its only Stanley Cup title and consistently leading them to the playoffs.
36. Dan Quinn, Atlanta Falcons (age: 48)
Record with team/overall career record: 31-23 (.574)
Super Bowl titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 2 in 3 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 2.88 (44th among active coaches)
Quinn's a good, widely respected coach who until further notice is going to be known mainly for one thing -- presiding over Atlanta's meltdown against the Patriots in Super Bowl LI. The Falcons' struggles early in 2018 are the first true crisis of his four-year tenure, and how he responds will be worth watching.
37. Bud Black, Colorado Rockies (age: 61)
Record with team/overall career record: 178-147 (.548), 827-860 (.490)
World Series titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 2 in 11 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: -1.13 (84th among active coaches)
Black's résumé is weighed down by the nine years he spent in San Diego (2007-15), where he failed to lead the Padres to the postseason -- a one-game playoff loss to the Rockies on the last day of the 2007 season was as close as he got. The Rockies have made the playoff field in each of Black's first two seasons in Colorado, however, and his career record is creeping back toward .500.
38. Bruce Cassidy, Boston Bruins (age: 53)
Record with team/overall career record: 72-28-0 (.695), 119-75-9 (.599)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 3 in 4 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 3.84 (31st among active coaches)
Cassidy has not yet led the Bruins on the Stanley Cup run that predecessor Claude Julien engineered in 2011, but the early returns on his tenure have been mostly positive. If Cassidy can conquer the Lightning -- the team that edged Boston for the Atlantic Division title (and then in the 2018 playoffs), Cassidy's approval rating will ascend.
39. Gabe Kapler, Philadelphia Phillies (age: 43)
Record with team/overall career record: 80-82 (.494)
World Series titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 0 in 1 season
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 1.39 (55th among active coaches)
The Phillies underwent a 14-game improvement in 2018 and played meaningful baseball in September for the first time in years, but notoriously hard-to-please Philadelphia fans probably won't quite view Kapler's first year through that lens. The Phils were 64-49 and in first place on Aug. 7, then went 16-33 the rest of the way, which elicited some Kapler-focused grumbling.
40. Brett Brown, Philadelphia 76ers (age: 57)
Record with team/overall career record: 127-283 (.310)
NBA titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 1 in 5 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: -7.70 (119th among active coaches)
Brown comfortably made our top 50 despite a distinctively dismal on-paper résumé -- Brown's .310 winning percentage is worst all-time among NBA coaches with 400 career games. It's because of his respected stewardship during the "Trust the Process" era that he's here. The Sixers (52-30) improved by 24 games last season and are widely viewed as a franchise on the rise.
41. Bruce Boudreau, Minnesota Wild (age: 63)
Record with team/overall career record: 95-52-0 (.628), 504-244-0 (.653)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 10 in 11 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 11.59 (third among active coaches)
Boudreau's track record isn't dazzling from a standpoint of hardware -- he's never coached a team as far as the Stanley Cup Final -- but if you'd like to win the division (he did it eight times with the Capitals and Ducks) and/or reach the playoffs (only the 2011-12 Ducks have missed the postseason with Boudreau on the bench), this is your guy. Boudreau's regular-season win percentage is second all-time (minimum 300 games), behind only Scotty Bowman.
42. Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks (age: 67)
Record with team/overall career record: 82-51-1 (.616), 115-82-1 (.583)
Super Bowl titles: 1 (2013 Seahawks)
Playoff appearances: 7 in 12 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 5.26 (21st among active coaches)
It looks like it might not end all that well for Carroll in Seattle, and at age 67 he probably won't be the first choice to lead another team's rebuild. But consider that he was one of the consistent winners of the current decade (and the previous decade, if you count his tenure at USC). Nine of Seattle's 16 all-time playoff wins, and the city's only major sports title in 38 seasons, belong to Carroll.
43. Nate McMillan, Indiana Pacers (age: 54)
Record with team/overall career record: 90-74 (.549), 568-526 (.519)
NBA titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 7 in 14 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 1.26 (58th among active coaches)
Only three active coaches have coached more NBA games than McMillan (Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers, Rick Carlisle), who is respected for his consistency without having won a heck of a lot in a postseason setting. McMillan has just one playoff series win on his résumé, which came in the same year as his only division title (with the 2004-05 Sonics).
44. Paul Maurice, Winnipeg Jets (age: 51)
Record with team/overall career record: 191-134-0 (.577), 651-591-99 (.521)
Stanley Cup titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 6 in 20 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 3.71 (35th among active coaches)
Maurice's place in history should be secure as the final coach in the history of the Hartford Whalers, but beyond that, he's done some memorable things. Maurice guided the 2001-02 Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Final -- the closest he's come to a title -- and is more known now for guiding the newest iteration of the Jets to the Western Conference finals in 2018.
45. Luke Walton, Los Angeles Lakers (age: 38)
Record with team/overall career record: 61-103 (.372) -- excludes 39-4 record as interim head coach at Golden State in 2015-16
NBA titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 0 in 2 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: -3.28 (115th among active coaches)
The world still doesn't know much about Walton. He received praise for his work filling in for Steve Kerr with the Warriors, but it's fair to say many coaches could have won with that talent. And Walton's young Lakers have missed the playoffs in each of his first two years in L.A., but haven't had playoff-level personnel. Now they do. The pressure will be on Walton, who is tasked with melding young talent with a veteran core in pursuit of the Warriors in the rugged West. It's a tall task.
46. Claude Julien, Montreal Canadiens (age: 58)
Record with team/overall career record: 119-110-10 (.517), 585-380-10 (.593)
Stanley Cup titles: 1 (2010-11 Bruins)
Playoff appearances: 9 in 15 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 8.72 (seventh among active coaches)
Julien was at the helm of the Bruins' first Stanley Cup winner in 39 years, and returned the B's to the Cup Final two years later. But Julien eventually wore out his welcome in Boston and questions remain over whether he's the right person to turn the once-proud Habs franchise around. Julien is trying to keep Montreal from missing the playoffs for the third time in four years.
47. Kevin Cash, Tampa Bay Rays (age: 40)
Record with team/overall career record: 318-330 (.491)
World Series titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 0 in 4 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: -1.12 (83rd among active coaches)
Cash received very high marks in 2018 for his innovative approach in keeping the Rays (90-72) relevant within an AL East that also included two 100-win teams. Cash's management of the pitching staff, in particular, drew praise. It would be interesting to see what he would do with a team that had a higher degree of developed, major league talent. Will Cash ever get that chance in small-market Tampa?
48. David Fizdale, New York Knicks (age: 44)
Record with team/overall career record: 0-0 (.000), 50-51 (.495)
NBA titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 1 in 2 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: -0.10 (75th among active coaches)
Fizdale remains somewhat of a mystery man. His lone full season in Memphis included a playoff bid and a competitive series loss to a much more talented Spurs team, then he was unceremoniously dumped early last season after falling out with star Marc Gasol. He's back, but with a Knicks team still in rebuilding mode and indefinitely without star Kristaps Porzingis (knee). If he can get this team anywhere closer to ending its five-year playoff drought, Fizdale's star will rise.
49. Clint Hurdle, Pittsburgh Pirates (age: 61)
Record with team/overall career record: 666-628 (.515), 1,200-1,253 (.489)
World Series titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 4 in 16 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: -1.08 (82nd among active coaches)
Hurdle won the pennant with the Rockies in 2007 and has guided the Pirates to three playoff appearances during his eight-year tenure there, though the Bucs have gotten no farther than the NLDS. Hurdle is well respected in baseball circles and among players -- he's not viewed as being on the rise but will have a role in the game as long as he wants one.
50. Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers (age: 56)
Record with team/overall career record: 67-49-1 (.577)
Super Bowl titles: 0
Playoff appearances: 4 in 7 seasons
ESPN Analytics résumé grade: 3.80 (32nd among active coaches)
It took "Riverboat Ron" several opportunities to finally land an NFL head-coaching job -- and now he's a respectable ninth in tenure among active head coaches. The Panthers haven't always been great under Rivera's tutelage but did reach a Super Bowl after the 2015 season and have been consistently good and mostly relevant.
Other notables:
51. Bruce Bochy, San Francisco Giants
52. Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers
57. Aaron Boone, New York Yankees
59. Billy Donovan, Oklahoma City Thunder
63. Tyronn Lue, Cleveland Cavaliers
69. Jay Gruden, Washington Redskins
71. Todd Reirden, Washington Capitals
78. Doc Rivers, LA Clippers
82. Don Mattingly, Miami Marlins
86. Jon Gruden, Oakland Raiders
89. Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys
99. Pat Shurmur, New York Giants
104. Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals
110. Tom Thibodeau, Minnesota Timberwolves
111. Ned Yost, Kansas City Royals
118. Hue Jackson, Cleveland Browns