NEW ORLEANS -- A canvassing of Duke Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski's career as an NCAA tournament coach doubles as a historical study of the sport itself.
No forum better showcased, defined and occasionally humbled Krzyzewski than the NCAA tournament over the span of 131 games. His rise to the pantheon of the most famous coaches in American sports paralleled the tournament's rise to a linchpin national sporting event.
Krzyzewski would be high atop a short list of those who helped usher March Madness, bracket pools and billion-dollar CBS television deals into the mainstream. Over the span of his NCAA tournament life, Krzyzewski went from long-shot underdog on the brink of being fired to the coach who couldn't win the big game to winning five national titles.