Slow down the coaching carousel
Monday, Herb Williams interviewed for the job he probably should've gotten before the Knicks hired Larry Brown. Or after they fired him.
Later this week, Mark Jackson should get his chance to keep from talking himself out of a job that seems his to lose.
Scott Skiles, meanwhile, is headed for Milwaukee _ and somewhere, Eddy Curry is heaving a sigh of relief. And for the Knicks' sake, hopefully not carbo-loading.
Donnie Walsh may also talk to some other folks about Replacing Isiah, (e.g. Boston assistant and former Knicks aide Tom Thibodeau, whom Celtics coach Doc Rivers says he'll allow to interview, although not take a job until the C's finish the postseason).
But since this is a place where those of us who think we know it all pass along some of all we think we know to people who are actually paid to know it all, we'd like to offer the Knicks' president some free advice.
By the end of the first round of these playoffs, the market could contain a few more coaches tossed aside by their underachieving teams.
Avery Johnson, for instance, could go if Dallas loses in the first round for the second postseason in a row after the Mavs blew the 2006 Finals to Miami before that.
Flip Saunders could be out in Detroit if the Pistons don't reach the East finals, maybe if they don't win them.
Sam Mitchell, one year removed from his Coach of the Year season, may be in trouble in Toronto and there's talk in Seattle that P.J. Carlesimo might not survive because he grated on too many players in his first Sonics season.
George Karl could lose his job if the Nuggets don't show enough spine vs. the Lakers and Eddie Jordan could use a first-round upset of Cleveland to help his job security after one-and-done appearances the
past two postseasons working for someone who didn't hire him, Ernie Grunfeld.
It's also possible that Charlotte will whack Sam Vincent and Memphis bangs Mark Iavaroni, last spring's hot coaching prospect. But they're no factor.
Yet there might be one or two from among the other casualties worthy of Walsh's consideration before the caterers are called for the seemingly only-a-matter-of-time Jackson press conference.
They'd all be damaged goods, of course, and it'd be a roll of the dice because if there are more coaching openings, there may be more places for Jackson to go in lieu of New York.
Then again, Walsh could decide that Jackson might not want to coach any place else but his native New York (or wait to see if the Nets job ever opens).
From a public relations standpoint, none of the potential casualties matches Jackson _ but the coach most capable of winning is the best PR of all. If Walsh thinks that one he might want could be out there after Round 1 of the playoffs, he may want to wait.
We don't think he will unless Jackson walks into his interview with too-lofty financial requirements or a signed offer for a Westchester County house.
Just a thought, though.
Why Jackson? I'm concern. Why is he the leading candidate? Were his resume? Announcing games on Yes and ABC make you qualify? I don't know, are we in a position to take a chance?
Posted by: Loki1963 | April 21, 2008 at 02:42 PM
Karl with his pompous self and his "I wanna give my opinion about NY because I do not like how IT treated my frat boy Larry Brown and because of NY basketball history. He can get lost
he also dislikes rookie coaches that do not go up the ranks( See his comments about Doc Rivers) and he is most remembered by for the numbers 1 and 8(when his # 1 seed with the best record in the L got beat by Denver in the playoffs.Lastly he underachieved in Milwaukee as well
Posted by: Romblonfan | April 21, 2008 at 05:00 PM
Stevey!
Why are you blocking my post.
I'm a long time visitor.
Where's the love?
Posted by: Cloak n Daggers | April 22, 2008 at 10:11 PM