[Coatesvillain]

Isn't Larry Bird the GM in Indiana?

[HB]

I thought he was the President

[Coatesvillain]

Originally Posted by Dre™

Ok. Well if you're rebuilding, why do you hire a top level coach? He's just going to bring unneeded attention to the situation, because the media's going to be wondering why this big name guy isn't delivering.

Like I said previously, they should've just gone after some no name guy to hold the fort down while they're rebuilding, and then gone after a good coach once they had a coachable roster. Hiring a big name breeds expectation in sports, I'm sure at 27 you know that.

You're acting like big name coaches don't take over rebuilding projects all the time. Not all big names go to spots to cherry pick a shot at a championship.

[luther]

I believe Bird has been president of basketball ops, and that final authority for personnel was with Walsh while he was there. But obviously, Bird had a lot of say, too. I don't think it's so easy to pin credit or blame on any one guy in the convoluted front offices of today.

[Dre™]

Originally Posted by Coatesvillain

You're acting like big name coaches don't take over rebuilding projects all the time. Not all big names go to spots to cherry pick a shot at a championship.

My mind is fuzzy on modern examples of coaches who've gone to a team in the ****ter (and survived to turn it around).

Maybe they do, but that's stupid on their part.

And you definitely don't do that in New York.

[HB]

I believe Bird has been president of basketball ops, and that final authority for personnel was with Walsh while he was there. But obviously, Bird had a lot of say, too. I don't think it's so easy to pin credit or blame on any one guy in the convoluted front offices of today.

^True, looks like they had a similar setup to what the Nets had with Thorn and Stefanski not too long ago, but still going by Walsh and Bird's past actions, the Pacers have been severe disappointment. After Miller and Artest left, they havent really done anything to improve the team

[Coatesvillain]

Originally Posted by luther

I believe Bird has been president of basketball ops, and that final authority for personnel was with Walsh while he was there. But obviously, Bird had a lot of say, too. I don't think it's so easy to pin credit or blame on any one guy in the convoluted front offices of today.

I know you can blame Bird for ruining the whole Artest situation. He also lied to Jermaine O'Neal the moment he took the job.

[luther]

Originally Posted by Coatesvillain

You're acting like big name coaches don't take over rebuilding projects all the time. Not all big names go to spots to cherry pick a shot at a championship.

Actually, I'd say most big-name coaches do cherry-pick jobs. Not many take over rebuilding projects, with one of the few historically, consistently doing it being Larry Brown. But even when Larry Brown took New York, the general opinion was that it was an attractive job with a lot of young talent, but a dysfunctional atmosphere. A lot of people thought he'd turn that around, as he had done everywhere else. But really, when Phil Jackson took L.A., the cupboard was hardly bare. Pat Riley didn't sign on with Miami when they were a first-year expansion team, did he?

[thatsnotgross]

Originally Posted by Dre

Ok. Well if you're rebuilding, why do you hire a top level coach? He's just going to bring unneeded attention to the situation, because the media's going to be wondering why this big name guy isn't delivering.

Like I said previously, they should've just gone after some no name guy to hold the fort down while they're rebuilding, and then gone after a good coach once they had a coachable roster. Hiring a big name breeds expectation in sports, I'm sure at 27 you know that.

I agree with you right there. I would love to hire Mark Jackson just for that role.

The question people keep asking is... "how will D'antoni mesh with this team". That is the wrong question to ask. The right one will probably be, "how fast can Walsh get D'antoni the team he needs to be successful".

I wasn't really questioning your methods/theories just the thought process. Lets face some facts, Walsh is here to overhaul this team no matter who the coach is. He just got a guy that has a very specific set of play style. THATS all. Fans and media alike keep asking the question about getting the right coach for this roster. Look, we can talk about which coach should be the right fit. But in the end, 90% of Isiah's team will be gone by 2010.

Knick fans are picky little brats. I'm a Knick fan but I do have some sense of reality. I've heard many fans say that they would not want Van Gundy back because he is too defensive oriented. He makes his guys work too freaking hard in practice. blah blah blah. Now they get the opposite of Van Gundy who is creative offensively and doesn't have that same demand in practice like Van Gundy. Now Knick fans are whining yet again. This goes for New York media as well. Whine Whine Whine. Sounds like a whiney suburban soccer mom.

I like the move because it tells me that Walsh WILL change the roster. it tells me that it will be an exciting team. It will be a team that we can surely enjoy. Yes, I do love watching the Suns play and I hope it will be the same with the Knicks.

Look, as of right now. The only thing the Knicks got is the bright lights and a lot of money. The negatives are of course the toxic waste dump that Isiah created, the fickled owner that looks like an old washed up porn star and Stephon Marbury.

I have yet to hear players complain about D'antoni. Many players do like the style the D'antoni runs. With Walsh, who is the respected elderman in the NBA and D'antoni's creativity on the offensive floor, we are starting to create that vibe that change will happen and it will be a good change.

Walsh isn't the guy who goes up to his coach and tells him what to do. Walsh hired D'antoni and I'm sure that he knows what kind of style the phoenix have. If Walsh didn't know that then he should have retired as a Pacer. D'antoni signed with the Knicks knowing that Walsh will be there and if he didn't know what type of personality Walsh is about then he wouldn't have signed here.

Both of them will be linked to one another. This could very well be Walsh first and last hiring before he sails off to the sunset as one of the best NBA executives during our time.