I wouldn't call Shaw and Fish failures yet. I'd wait for the Knicks to field a NBA caliber team and for Shaw to be given a chance to coach and not babysit. Both may have to wait a couple years for that opportunity, but I think it's too soon to write them off. To be honest, I have no idea if either one of them are good or bad. The sample size vs. the talent on hand don't provide us with enough data to make a fair judgment. There's never going to be another Phil, nothing close. But I'm not sure these two pupils are Rambis, yet. Since we're talking Kerr and Phil's pupils, this is slightly off topic, I'll bring this up...I was reading Ding's article on Shaw's firing and he was talking what ifs. Kerr had always been Phil's go to guy as far as a coach goes. If Mitch and Buss didn't lock the door on Phil and he did come back and coach the dysfunctional group we had with Kobe, Dwight, and Nash; Kerr would be our coach right now. Because Phil would have brought him in and groomed him as his successor. Thought that was interesting and honestly, that hadn't occurred to me until I saw it in print.
Kerr is a perfect example of doing it the right way from an X's and O's standpoint; I know he has a ridiculously talented team but there is a definite upgrade in terms of what the Warriors were running this year and last year. I would have gladly taken Kerr and still would; although, he isn't going anywhere...
This, we hired mr potato head who had to install a new system going into the lockout. Should have at least given the year to shaw and kept the same system that was there a year before.
Well, I said failed or failing. Fisher I'm not sold on. He is the most overrated player in Laker history. Because he took several hard charges and flopped around like a fish (no pun intended) the average fan thought he was this hard-nosed defender. He hit some big shots, most of which were only needed because his man was routinely having a career night. Without Kobe, Shaq and Pau at his back, he was worthless. One of the most prolific "right place/right time" success stories in NBA history. He has a disarming smile and is very well spoken making him easy to like. But as a basketball player he rode the tidal wave that was Kobe Bryant to five rings. I bring this up because it is that smile and smooth-talking persona that led people to believe he might be a great coach. He was booted from his other leadership position (NBA Players union). I have no love for Derek Fisher at all. I'm not talking personally. I've never met the guy. But as a basketball professional, I think he's worthless. A below average player that has milked the Kobe Bryant/Laker t** for all that it's worth. He would have been a below average second string pg had he gone to practically any other team. but he got drafted onto the biggest stage with the biggest players.
Yeah I'm not sold Fish and Shaw are failures yet. They might be, but I don't know for sure. There's not a coach in the world that could help the Knicks and the Nuggets are a bunch of childish morons. Could they be failures? Sure, but maybe they're fine and it's just the situations they're in. Cleamons, Rambis, Cartwright, and Hamblin are definitely failures as Head Coaches. Good assistants though.
I wanted shaw over brown, simply because it was clear that kobe was the coach, and if he wasn't, see rule number 1 (kobe is the coach). might as well have somebody inexperienced if they're going to have limited say in what's happening. and Denver's a mess, but let's say shaw's an awesome coach...they're still several games out of the playoffs, right?
it's a fact that all of "phil's guys" (all the guys you listed above) have failed as head coaches but to be completely honest, the teams that those guys have been handed the reigns to were nothing short of awful, all terrible situations. give those guys a decent team and they would probably have had success not even fish can save the knicks currently but i really feel if shaw is presented with a team just short of playoff reach that he could really reach his true potential as a coach. i don't know how he treats his players but it's obvious he lost the locker room in denver
The first GSW game I watched this year, I could see a change in the movement and approach of GSW under Kerr. The attitude and results have been healthy too. Kerr walked the walk and unlike Mark Jackson (who did many good things) had a more complete coaching X' and O's approach. I like Shaw and I owe him a few great memories as a fan. I am dubious of taking in someone that lost a locker room. The players were unprofessional and embarrassed themselves. However in this modern age a coach has to know how to fight this and inspire a team. It holds to the notion of how a losing culture can take hold of a locker room. Take away winning and the modern NBA player is an entitled cowardly mutinous millionaire who will use a mob mentality and scape goat a coach. The coach in a dysfunctional locker room acts as a panacea for all the abrasions and contusions that reality assails upon their ego. That being said a coach has to find a way to turn these knuckleheads. Incidentally this is the only rational that I can use to explain Byron's anti tank rocket launches to the press recently. Without movement a team will be consumed by atrophy physically (effort) and spiritually ( ethical character abcess and decay). I would be reluctant to give Shaw a chance but acknowledge the enormously demanding task of coaching at this level. I have been warn down by our carousel of valueless or seemingly ignored assistant coaches though. For the record Mike Brown and his D.V.D's were for me the trigger incident that initiated the chain of poor/flawed management coaching decisions we are still trying to rectify.
Wow. I don't want to turn this into a Fisher the player debate, but you are way underrating the guy. No he wasn't a star, and he was torched by Bibby and others, but he was a leader and he was clutch as hell. He turned our season around immediately when he returned from injury in 2001 when we played Boston, we barely lost any games after that. We went on to steamroll the league in the playoffs losing 1 game while he was bombing threes at a record rate. We also don't win game 4 in Orlando without him, or more crucially, game 3 in Boston 2010 without him. He finished that one off by himself. He may have been in the right place at the right time, but just like with Horry, you gotta have the heart, guts, and clutch ability to take and make those shots.
Whoa!! WTF. Way too harsh an assessment of Fish's value to the Lakers. Do not agree. Especially younger Fish and his clutchness, no fear of the big moments factor as mentioned above. Kobe loved him for a reason. Not a great defender, notwithstanding.
They sure did. Wonder what it was - "you haven't won anything without Phil, Kobe, or Shaq so dont tell me how to go about my bizness'?
Jackson nor Fish aren't going anywhere at least next season; Dolan will give at least this summer and the following season...he's not a 1 and done situation.
I know, i know...NY is the home of Steve Francis contract, Jeremy Lin deal, Stevie franchise deal, amare stoudamire, and carmelo anthony deals...i know, i know...they like being on the front page of the NY Post too much. They need to sign Odom as an assistant coach.
