phil Jackson
Finally, and Not Too Late, for Tex Winter
08/12/11 23:45 Filed in: NBA
Several great players were enshrined tonight into the Professional Basketball Hall of Fame, including Chris Mullin, Satch Sanders, Artis Gilmore, Arvydas Sabonis, and also some women who 21st century sports bosses actually believe belong in a real sports hall of fame (but that's another story).
Dennis Rodman and his redemption speech got the most notoriety, but the most deserving new HOFer was 89-year-old coach Tex Winter. His induction was years overdue, but at least came while he was still alive, though he was unable to deliver his own acceptance speech due to the effects of the stroke he suffered a couple of years ago.
He invented the triangle offense while head coach at Kansas St in the 1950s and spent 24 years as Phil Jackson's assistant, drilling it into Jackson and a slew of Bull and Laker players. Jackson and his legendary teams might well have fared far differently, without the real expertise and unique offensive schemes provided by Winter.
Consider this my one kind word for a trojan for this millenium.
Dennis Rodman and his redemption speech got the most notoriety, but the most deserving new HOFer was 89-year-old coach Tex Winter. His induction was years overdue, but at least came while he was still alive, though he was unable to deliver his own acceptance speech due to the effects of the stroke he suffered a couple of years ago.
He invented the triangle offense while head coach at Kansas St in the 1950s and spent 24 years as Phil Jackson's assistant, drilling it into Jackson and a slew of Bull and Laker players. Jackson and his legendary teams might well have fared far differently, without the real expertise and unique offensive schemes provided by Winter.
Consider this my one kind word for a trojan for this millenium.
theHoundDawg |  |
|
Coaches DO Matter
05/15/11 18:06 Filed in: NBA
Mark WIllard on KSPN radio, the Los Angeles ESPN radio outlet, today on his show said that the NBA is a players' league, and that coaches matter little and have little effect on team performance.
Hogwash, to put it very mildly.
Where was Willard during the last three of the Del Harris years, where the Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O'Neal Lakers never won as much as a Western Conference title*? What changed the following season, when the Lakers won the first of three consecutive NBA titles? Hm, What? Oh, PHIL JACKSON became the head coach, that's what.
The NBA is now seeing a major turnover in coaching talent, as Jackson, Larry Brown, Pat RIley, and other dominant coaching names of the past two decades now are retired, seemingly for the long run. New coaching faces are this year making their mark. After an expected (at least in my mind) "slow" start, Miami's Erik Spoelstra seems to have not only massive media attention, but also the attention of LeBum and the rest of the Miami SuperStars, and to my mind, now has his team over-achieving.
As they now face Chicago, we'll see if that continues, or if another young coach, Tom Thibodeau, NBA Coach of the Year in his first year as a head man, shows Miami how a championship-caliber team handles a conference playoff series. My bet is on Chicago and Thibodeau.
In the West, however, we find the real coaching giants of the next decade. They have accomplished little so far, but their accomplishments this season bode very well for future success. What Lionel Hollins has done this year with the Memphis Grizzlies is utterly astounding. While it is hard to call him a "young" coach at age 57, prior to this season he had been an NBA head coach for only parts of three prior seasons, and one full season. (Contrast that with Spoelstra who at age 40 has coached only 20 less games than Hollins.) But the job he did in bringing Memphis to within one game of playing for the conference title is astounding. How could a team with only three NBA caliber starters get that far? Winning as the Grizzles did with borderline NBA players TIm Allen and OJ Mayo in starting roles, after having lost star Rudy Gay, is beyond contemplation.
Hollins' Memphis team, however, lost to THE BEST young coaching talent in the NBA, Scott Brooks, who somehow has molded a superior team out of a collection to immensely talented but so, so young players. The Oklahoma City Thunder is now in the conference finals, with a starting lineup that averages 23.6 years of age, and who has three top reserves that average 22.6 years. For this super young team to be where it is today is a testament to the talents of Scott Brooks, who may very well be the dominant coach in the NBA for many years to come.
But not to Mark Willard, who thinks coaches do not matter.
_____
*The Lakers never won a single Western Conference title under Harris, but the Bryant-O'Neal combo only played for Harris for his last three seasons.
Hogwash, to put it very mildly.
Where was Willard during the last three of the Del Harris years, where the Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O'Neal Lakers never won as much as a Western Conference title*? What changed the following season, when the Lakers won the first of three consecutive NBA titles? Hm, What? Oh, PHIL JACKSON became the head coach, that's what.
The NBA is now seeing a major turnover in coaching talent, as Jackson, Larry Brown, Pat RIley, and other dominant coaching names of the past two decades now are retired, seemingly for the long run. New coaching faces are this year making their mark. After an expected (at least in my mind) "slow" start, Miami's Erik Spoelstra seems to have not only massive media attention, but also the attention of LeBum and the rest of the Miami SuperStars, and to my mind, now has his team over-achieving.
As they now face Chicago, we'll see if that continues, or if another young coach, Tom Thibodeau, NBA Coach of the Year in his first year as a head man, shows Miami how a championship-caliber team handles a conference playoff series. My bet is on Chicago and Thibodeau.
In the West, however, we find the real coaching giants of the next decade. They have accomplished little so far, but their accomplishments this season bode very well for future success. What Lionel Hollins has done this year with the Memphis Grizzlies is utterly astounding. While it is hard to call him a "young" coach at age 57, prior to this season he had been an NBA head coach for only parts of three prior seasons, and one full season. (Contrast that with Spoelstra who at age 40 has coached only 20 less games than Hollins.) But the job he did in bringing Memphis to within one game of playing for the conference title is astounding. How could a team with only three NBA caliber starters get that far? Winning as the Grizzles did with borderline NBA players TIm Allen and OJ Mayo in starting roles, after having lost star Rudy Gay, is beyond contemplation.
Hollins' Memphis team, however, lost to THE BEST young coaching talent in the NBA, Scott Brooks, who somehow has molded a superior team out of a collection to immensely talented but so, so young players. The Oklahoma City Thunder is now in the conference finals, with a starting lineup that averages 23.6 years of age, and who has three top reserves that average 22.6 years. For this super young team to be where it is today is a testament to the talents of Scott Brooks, who may very well be the dominant coach in the NBA for many years to come.
But not to Mark Willard, who thinks coaches do not matter.
_____
*The Lakers never won a single Western Conference title under Harris, but the Bryant-O'Neal combo only played for Harris for his last three seasons.
| theHoundDawg |  |
Zenmaster Phil Renegs on Bargain with the Devil
12/25/10 11:43 Filed in: NBA
Phil Jackson went overboard this week with his comments that “Christian holidays don’t mean anything” to the NBA, due to their scheduling of games on Christmas day (which they have done since 1947).
I've always admired Phil and considered him not only a great coach, but an intelligent, interesting, and complex person, with keen insights. But he is full of crap here, and I have lost a great deal of respect for him.
NBA Players, coaches, etc. have May to September to spend with their families, and in royal splendor thanks to the obscene money they are paid. Go ahead, take Christmas off, and WORK for a living, like the 17% of Americans living BELOW THE POVERTY level, that could never in their lifetime afford to attend a single NBA game. The devil is in the details, and to “earn” the money they are paid, NBA’ers should be happy to give up a holiday or three during their strenuous eight-month work year.
Maybe the real reason for Phil’s grumblings is the fact that the Phil-led Lakers are 4-7 in Christmas Day games, demonstrating that his nitty-gritty coaching when it could make a difference is sorely lacking. Also inescapable is the veiled anti-Semitism inherent in the tone of his statements.
Zenmaster Phil briefly referred to soccer not scheduling games on Christmas, but, who plays soccer in the US in December? Of course, the NFL observes NO holidays.
Following the Lakers game this afternoon, don’t forget to tune in the Cowboys-Cardinals game on the NFL Network. Merry Christmas, Zenmaster Phil.
I've always admired Phil and considered him not only a great coach, but an intelligent, interesting, and complex person, with keen insights. But he is full of crap here, and I have lost a great deal of respect for him.
NBA Players, coaches, etc. have May to September to spend with their families, and in royal splendor thanks to the obscene money they are paid. Go ahead, take Christmas off, and WORK for a living, like the 17% of Americans living BELOW THE POVERTY level, that could never in their lifetime afford to attend a single NBA game. The devil is in the details, and to “earn” the money they are paid, NBA’ers should be happy to give up a holiday or three during their strenuous eight-month work year.
Maybe the real reason for Phil’s grumblings is the fact that the Phil-led Lakers are 4-7 in Christmas Day games, demonstrating that his nitty-gritty coaching when it could make a difference is sorely lacking. Also inescapable is the veiled anti-Semitism inherent in the tone of his statements.
Zenmaster Phil briefly referred to soccer not scheduling games on Christmas, but, who plays soccer in the US in December? Of course, the NFL observes NO holidays.
Following the Lakers game this afternoon, don’t forget to tune in the Cowboys-Cardinals game on the NFL Network. Merry Christmas, Zenmaster Phil.
| theHoundDawg |  |
Three Hours to Havoc
06/30/10 18:06 Filed in: NBA
Three hours to go until havoc time - get those checkbooks ready!
Since we last met, Doc Rivers has learned that his family doesn’t want him home too much of the time, so he is re-upping with Boston, which could mean Paul Pierce will return and that the Celtic demise was premature.
Also, though yesterday it seemed pretty sure that LeBum was moving to south Florida, stuff today seems to indicate that my original prognostication from two years ago that he would be playing in Brooklyn, may still have life. That forecast was made while the old ownership was still in place, and when their move from NJ seemed to be on track to happen sooner. But today I think the Heat is not such a sure thing, and Brooklyn, and probably still Chicago, remain in the running.
Of course the biggest event in bb today is the rumor that Phil Jackson WILL be back at Staples for one more season. So, all the Lakers really need is to re-sign Derrick Fisher, find his new backup, and fill in the holes left by the exit of Josh Powell, Shannon Brown, DJ Mbenga and Alan Morrison, as well as Jordan Farmar. Trading Lamar Odom, which is still likely, may present a bigger obstacle with no Paul Pierce on the market, and little $$$$ room for the likes of a Carlos Boozer-type. Then, there are today’s Carmelo Anthony trade rumors as well.
On another note, if Vinny Del Negro is at all interested in coaching the Clippers, SNAP HIM UP!!
Since we last met, Doc Rivers has learned that his family doesn’t want him home too much of the time, so he is re-upping with Boston, which could mean Paul Pierce will return and that the Celtic demise was premature.
Also, though yesterday it seemed pretty sure that LeBum was moving to south Florida, stuff today seems to indicate that my original prognostication from two years ago that he would be playing in Brooklyn, may still have life. That forecast was made while the old ownership was still in place, and when their move from NJ seemed to be on track to happen sooner. But today I think the Heat is not such a sure thing, and Brooklyn, and probably still Chicago, remain in the running.
Of course the biggest event in bb today is the rumor that Phil Jackson WILL be back at Staples for one more season. So, all the Lakers really need is to re-sign Derrick Fisher, find his new backup, and fill in the holes left by the exit of Josh Powell, Shannon Brown, DJ Mbenga and Alan Morrison, as well as Jordan Farmar. Trading Lamar Odom, which is still likely, may present a bigger obstacle with no Paul Pierce on the market, and little $$$$ room for the likes of a Carlos Boozer-type. Then, there are today’s Carmelo Anthony trade rumors as well.
On another note, if Vinny Del Negro is at all interested in coaching the Clippers, SNAP HIM UP!!
| theHoundDawg |  |
Lakers, Phil, and Next Season
06/29/10 23:58 Filed in: NBA
Next season is now, and the future of the Lakers depends on PJ coming back. If rumors from south Florida are true and LeBum and Chris Bosh will be joining Wade with the Heat, once again to be coached by Pat Riley, keeping Phil is the only way the Lakers can do it again next season.
If he leaves, Byron Scott is a shoe-in to replace him, and that will spell doom for the Lakers. He is not the coach that some people seem to think he is, and he will not do well in LA. If Phil stays another year, not only will he have a great chance to lead the Lakers to that third straight title, but in the interim Scott will likely accept another spot, and the Lakers will look elsewhere in 2012. Too bad Brian Shaw seems to be in line for the Cav job, as he is number two on the Laker list and I feel has a much better coaching future than Scott, though no coach will be successful with a LeBum-less Cleveland for at least the next five years.
On another note, my guess is that Lamar Odom has played his last game with the Lakers, that Paul Pierce is through in Boston, and that the Lakers will make signing Pierce one of two priorities. The other will be a backup point guard, as Jordan Farmar will also be leaving.
In Boston, it looks like Doc Rivers is gone, and with Pierce elsewhere and with Rasheed Wallace retired, this Celtic team's time has passed, and serious rebuilding is in order.
If he leaves, Byron Scott is a shoe-in to replace him, and that will spell doom for the Lakers. He is not the coach that some people seem to think he is, and he will not do well in LA. If Phil stays another year, not only will he have a great chance to lead the Lakers to that third straight title, but in the interim Scott will likely accept another spot, and the Lakers will look elsewhere in 2012. Too bad Brian Shaw seems to be in line for the Cav job, as he is number two on the Laker list and I feel has a much better coaching future than Scott, though no coach will be successful with a LeBum-less Cleveland for at least the next five years.
On another note, my guess is that Lamar Odom has played his last game with the Lakers, that Paul Pierce is through in Boston, and that the Lakers will make signing Pierce one of two priorities. The other will be a backup point guard, as Jordan Farmar will also be leaving.
In Boston, it looks like Doc Rivers is gone, and with Pierce elsewhere and with Rasheed Wallace retired, this Celtic team's time has passed, and serious rebuilding is in order.
| theHoundDawg |  |