jeff van gundy

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The next Knicks head coach? We’re beginning to have our (Phil) of drama!

Posted by fantasyfurnace on May 26, 2014
Posted in: NBA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 11 Comments

“Mike Woodson was fired as coach of the New York Knicks on Monday and Steve Kerr, a leading candidate to replace him, said later in the day that he expects to hear from new team president Phil Jackson soon.” -Ian Begley-ESPN Posted April 22, 2014

The head-coaching vacancy in New York continues amidst speculation and rumors of who Phil Jackson's choice will Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images.

The head-coaching vacancy in New York continues amidst speculation and rumors of who Phil Jackson’s choice will be. Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images.

 A little over a month has past and still no word from the Zen Master. No white smoke has been spotted permeating the roof of Madison Square Garden either. And so the drama continues…. But what have we learned thus far? Only that Phil Jackson failed to get his man, Steve Kerr. Not enough years and not enough money was offered for a man that has never coached in the NBA. We may never know the real reason why James Dolan balked at giving Kerr what he asked for, but in either case, it did manage to put some ‘egg’ on Phil Jackson’s face. Is the Jackson-Dolan honeymoon already over? We’ll see.

Meantime, Jackson’s inability to sign Kerr begs a couple of questions; Why the long wait to get someone signed? Who are the best candidates out there? Complete conjecture on our part about the first question, but it is plausible that Jackson is waiting for the Oklahoma City Thunder series to be over so that he can sign his reported second choice, Derek Fisher. Which leads us to the 2nd question…Is Derek Fisher the best coach out there? Like Kerr, Fisher has failed to coach a single NBA game, and given his role as an adept floor-general, plus his recommendations from his peers including perennial All-Star Kevin Durant among others, he seems at least ‘capable’ of handling the post.

Is a former coach like Jeff Van Gundy a better choice? Sure! However, chances are Van Gundy still remains in the Dolan dog house for his abrupt and stunning resignation he turned in to the Knicks organization just 19 games into the 2001 season. Van Gundy was in his seventh season with New York, the longest tenure by a Knicks head coach since Red Holtzman guided the team for 10 seasons beginning in 1968. His 248-172 record make him the third winningest coach in franchise history. Although this all took place almost 13 years ago, the fact that we haven’t heard his name bandied about makes us believe that Dolan has chosen not to forget his walking away from the game and from him.

Although clearly one of the most talented of all head coaches available, his hiring seems unlikely given his stunning departure from the organization. Also, he might =be too unmoldable for Phil Jackson's liking. Photo: AP

Although clearly one of the most talented of all head coaches available, his hiring seems unlikely given his stunning departure from the organization. Also, he might be too ‘unmoldable’ for Phil Jackson’s liking. Photo: AP

Additionally, there is also the possibility that Phil Jackson is looking for more of a novice that can be molded into Phil’s way of thinking and coaching. Sort of what Erik Spoelstra has been to Pat Riley. Spoelstra, if you’ll recall, was just an assistant coach on the Heat from 2001-2008 before landing the head coaching job in April of 2008.

Finally, there’s another young, talented and successful ex-head coach out there that hasn’t even been asked to interview for the position; former Knick point guard, Mark Jackson. His Warriors team improved every year he coached there, culminating into a 51 win season this past year. Is Mark Jackson a ‘Yes’ man? Nope! Has he had some run-ins with Golden State’s management? Yes! Did he fire two assistant coaches in his short tenure there? Yes again. However, if Phil Jackson is looking to turn around a franchise devoid of a championship since 1973, then why not hire one of the best possible coaches available to help you in that process?

Speculation here again, but as Phil Jackson’s health continues to improve, there is a remote possibility that this former Knick will want to take over the coaching reigns at some point; perhaps it’s one of the reasons why Kerr wasn’t offered  that 5-year deal.

For now, the next biggest clue as to whom will coach the Knicks in the 2024-2015 season might be disclosed after the Thunder-Spurs series concludes. More than likely an offer will be extended to Derek Fisher shortly thereafter, thus putting an end to all this drama. Is Fisher the best choice out there? No. Is he probably Phil Jackson’s? Yes, and that’s all that matters….isn’t it?

Derek Fisher, the overwhelming reported choice of Phil Jackson to take the reigns of the N.Y. Knicks. Photo: AP

Derek Fisher, the overwhelming reported choice of Phil Jackson could be poised to take over the reigns of the N.Y. Knicks. Photo: AP

 

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Who was more of a quitter: Doc Rivers (2013) or Jeff Van Gundy (in 2002)?

Posted by fantasyfurnace on June 29, 2013
Posted in: NBA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . 13 Comments

The question is intriguing. The answer is complicated. This past week, Celtics coach Doc Rivers up and bolted to the L.A, Clippers for a No. 1 pick in 2015. His team, anchored by two veterans; Paul Pierce who turns 36 this October, and Kevin Garnett who just turned 37 last month were in the way of Boston entering into a re-building mode. The Nets were the only team that could accommodate and afford the two All-Stars and have something to give the CEltics in return, so Danny Ainge made the deal this past week, garnering three future first round picks plus four players.

So Rivers ends up with the Clippers, surely a contender in 2014, while leaving a Celtic team that will win 40 games, be competitive, but who will do no damage in next year’s playoffs. There are those who say that he quit on the team because they would not have been in contention, to go to a team already poised to go deep into the 2014 post season.

Ex-Celtic Coach Doc Rivers is taking his career 587-473 record as well as his talent to David Butler II, USA TODAY Sports Angeles. Photo:

Ex-Celtic Coach Doc Rivers is taking his career 587-473 record as well as his talent to Los Angeles. Photo: David Butler II, USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Van Gundy, who had been an assistant coach of the N.Y. Knicks for six years prior to landing the head coaching duties in 1995, was very successful, taking the team to the Conference Semi-Finals his first three years, the NBA Finals (in his 4th) and Conference Finals in his 5th season, and then lost in the first round of the playoffs in ’00-’01 season. In his seventh year as Knick coach, and after just 19 games, Van Gundy shocked everyone when he just decided to quit the team after having posted a 10-9 record at that point in the season.

Highly popular Ex-Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy abruptly left the club after just 19 games in the beginning of the '01-'02 season. Photo AP

Highly popular Ex-Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy abruptly left the club after just 19 games in the beginning of the ’01-’02 season. Photo AP

So which one of these two elite NBA coaches was more of a quitter?

I don’t think put in the same situation as Doc Rivers that you wouldn’t make the same decision that he did, although there are reports that Danny Ainge didn’t even want him back. We’ll just have to wait and see how that story shakes out. Regrets? Rivers has a few. He’ll always feel that he and the Celts should have won a couple more championsips but injuries to Rajon Rondo one season and Paul Pierce another, prevented that from happening. We’ll say this about Doc, what he did is similar to the move LeBron James made. Something better came along and with the “Win now mentality” ever so prevelant in most sports today, he chose the place where he felt the opportunity for winning now was more prevelant, and you can’t blame him for that.

Jeff Van Gundy’s departure, on the other hand was more bizarre and selfish given his previous success with the N.Y. Knick franchise. He had invested 13 years with the organization as assistant and head coach. To this day he ranks third in franchise history in wins. Red Holzman had 783 wins and a .595 winning percentage, Joe Lapchick 573 and a  .595 WP and Jeff Van Gundy 420 wins with a .590 WP. He certainly was in good company with those two legends in front of him. Van Gundy was one of the most popular coaches the Knicks ever had, one who was not afraid to run on the floor to prevent fights from getting out of hand and to protect his players.

Knick fans were shocked and upset upon hearing that Van Gundy had just decided to hang ’em up after just 19 games into the 2001-2002 season. What has helped endear him to the fans even more, was his admission recently that he, unlike Rivers, was the quitter between the two coaches. Van Gundy has said that he regrets the way he did it, without allowing more time to contemplate the decison. He actually regrets making it so hastily, much more than the actual decision.

That takes a certain kind of individual to come out with this revelation 11 years after it happened without prodding or going through a gruesome interview. He didn’t have to say a word. Or he could have just said that Rivers was the bigger quitter. But he didn’t. He is too classy & professional to do that. If you remember when Avery Johnson was let go by the Nets last season and P.J. Carleismo was made interim coach,Van Gundy, when asked if he would seek that job, said that…” there was nothing to discuss…the Nets already have a coach.”

The Knicks, over the next eight seasons after Van Gundy quit the team, never won 40 games. In fact they they didn’t win even 30 games in three of those seasons. The fans were left with a team that never had the same identity it did when Van Gundy was there, nor the personnel. The fans were also upset with his sudden departure, but after what he said this week, they would undoubtedly take him back in a heartbeat!

Another shot by Patrick Ewing is rejected!

Posted by fantasyfurnace on May 30, 2012
Posted in: General, NBA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 11 Comments

Although retired from the NBA for almost a decade, former Knick icon and hall of famer Patrick Ewing seems to be having his shots at a head coaching job blocked. His latest rejecetion came on Wednesday from former rival, “Space Jam” co-star, and close friend, Michael Jordan.

Bobcats owner Michael Jordan has eliminated Patrick Ewing from consideration for the head coaching job in Charlotte. Photo: biography.com

I must admit that the news came as a complete surprise to me because I didn’t feel that any of the other candidates posed a severe threat to Ewing. I mean, Jeff Van Gundy, Pat Riley, or Phil Jackson had not been considered for the Bobcat’s position, so it wasn’t like the competetion was stiff or anything-although sources are now saying that Jerry Sloan has now been added to the list, and more than likely will bring his hall of fame credentials to Charlotte.

 “Jordan has been subject to biting criticism for hiring too many cronies and ‘yes’ men through the years, and merely inviting Ewing for the interview started to inspire those kind of shots at Jordan again.”  This was the reasoning for Patrick’s elimination this morning. If you’ll remember he impressed Detroit general manager Joe Dumars in an interview for the Pistons’ head coaching job last spring. But apparently not enough to hire him…

It’s beginning to look like Patrick’s quest  has turned into the ‘Willie Randolph Syndrome’ all over again, for as with Willie,  the process took an inordinate amount of time and interviewing before he finally landed a mangerial  gig; which, it should be noted, was  quite a successful one. Remember he finished his 2nd season with the Mets at a league’s best 97-65 and missed going to the World Series by one game.

Ex Met manager Willie Randolph, currently the third base coach of the upstart Baltimore Orioles. Photo: Wikopedia

 Mark Jackson’s rookie year with the Warriors was less memorable, but unlike Randolph who coached with the Yankees for 11 years, Jackson had no  prior coaching experience whatsoever. Yet another reason why someone should give the ‘Big Guy’ a shot.

And now, with Stan Van Gundy’s dismissal from the Orlando Magic, it appears that Ewing will  be looking for any coaching job.

I’ll try to  be optimistic about this. I mean if Mark Jackson can go from the broadcast booth to head coach of the Golden State Warriors, then there has to be hope for Patrick and his nine years of being an assitant coach with Houston and Orlando as well as his ability to work with and groom the tempermental megastar Dwight Howard.

As the Magic’s assistant coach, Ewing has been credited with the grooming of Dwight Howard’s career. Photo: orlandosentenial.com

Hopefully, perspective owners/G.M.’s will not come up with any more reasons NOT to hire him; just reasons for why they WANT to hire him!  And  hopefully it will be sooner rather later…