Larry Brown seemingly going to the Bobcats has got me thinking............also, with Nellies obvious departure this or next season too.

I dont really see much talent out there in terms of young coaches.............I really dont, all these former players and what-not, just arent cutting it as far as Im concerned...........its weird really, as these guys are from "my day" and I guess with me not watching Nellie, Jackson, Westphal, Doug Collins and people like that play.......I think of the new guys as just players "playing" coahes (as in trying to be coaches)

Mike Brown - Have no feelings either way........hes just..........mehh.

Doc Rivers - Well.............jury, have you reached a verdict?

Larry Krystowiak - Awful player.........awful coach.

Scott Skiles - Hard man motivator.........not much else.

Avery Johnson - Inherited a team of good players, has all the money he needs...........still is going out of the playoffs in round once again.

Musselman - Flash in the pan perhaps.........should have been given more of a chance with us I think, given that we were a nearly team.

Sam Mitchell - Good role player...............should be an assistant.

Isiah Thomas - No comment...............and they want Marc Jackson to replace him! (old Knick/Clipp/Indiana PG and analyst for those who dont remember)

Lawrence Frank - Early promise and production but again I just dont really see anything special in him.

Byron Scott - Ok, once again, I just dont see anything special about the guy.

Mike Woodson - Should have perhaps achieved more with these great kids, maybe turning the corner though............but once again! I dont see anything special about him.

Reggie Theus - Not really enough time to see............but his team under achieved, even with all the injuries and un-rest.

Nate McMillan - Came in with a plan..........and its starting to bear fruit now, the most promising out of the bunch as far as I see it.

Dwayne Casey - Ouch............

Overall, I kind of depair really as none of these guys seem to have any kind of identity, and play more to their players than their own philosophies and coaching styles..............I guess its going to become a pure players league, instead of knowing that if you play for =

Nellie - Your gonna run and play small.

Riley - You get the Armani man and your gonna play smooth ball.

Larry Brown - Your gonna play hard, and your gonna play tough D.

Popovich - Your gonna not make a mistake, otherwise your benched, and your gonna do whatever it takes to win.

PJ - Your gonna lose.

I kind of like the sound of this Spoelstra guy in Miami, good scouting pedigree.........dont know, just have a feeling about him.

What do you guys think about the state of all this? do you know what I mean in terms of the lack of identity in new coaches?

Mike Brown - Sucks... his whole game plan seems to be "let's see what Lebron can do".

Doc Rivers - It's Mike Brown with a better roster.

Larry Krystowiak - I actually like what he's done, although there's not much talent in Milwaukee, and they've also had lots of players missing time due to injuries. Still, I think he's promising, but we won't know for sure unless his given a chance with a decent roster.

Scott Skiles - Coaches defense, fundamentals... all the basic things that help a team win games. Of course, he usually doesn't care much about the offense...

Avery Johnson - Chokes...

Musselman - I liked him with us, was terrible with the Kings.

Sam Mitchell - One of the worst coaches in the league. Should have been fired two years ago.

Isiah Thomas - Better as a coach than as GM. Could be better if not for his character.

Lawrence Frank - Is he still coaching?

Byron Scott - I like him. May have an abrasive character (so it's said), but his teams play the right way. Defense, rebounding, running... everything starts with that. Did a good job with NJ and is doing the same with NO.

Mike Woodson - I'm sure he's a great assistant... as HC, I wouldn't be too confident to have him as my coach.

Reggie Theus - Hasn't done anything remarkable. Not good, not bad... yet.

Nate McMillan - Love him. Best young coach in the league. Coaches the right way, ain't afraid to bench players when they deserve it and is a great mentor for young guys. What else can you ask for?

Dwayne Casey - He's much better than he looked like in Minny. I'm sure he'll get a second chance somewhere else and will be much more successful.


Also, you forgot about Terry Porter, who did a remarkable job with the Bucks a few seasons ago and is now an assistant with the Pistons. Another promising coach, if he ever gets a second chance.

Terry Porter yeah............I liked him alot, made the playoffs with a not so good squad of Bucks, want to see him back in the hot seat.

I want to see what Mario Ellie can do as Head Coach too............loved him as a player, as a man, as a character.

We seem to agree that Nate McMillan is the most promising/best out of all the "new" coaches................what do you think about the general state of it all though? is it just me remembering them as players and so to imagine them as decent coaches?..........or are they all just too scared to bring there own stamp on things, and playing to the players instead of themselves.

Ps: Lawrence Frank is still the NJ coach, if that wasnt a joke.

bigstrads wrote:We seem to agree that Nate McMillan is the most promising/best out of all the "new" coaches................what do you think about the general state of it all though? is it just me remembering them as players and so to imagine them as decent coaches?..........or are they all just too scared to bring there own stamp on things, and playing to the players instead of themselves.

I don't think there's much difference with other eras regarding the young coaches. You have a few top coaches that last several decades and lots of new names that usually don't get a second chance because they suck.

I mean, we have... what?. 5 top coaches in the league? Nellie, Jackson, Popovich, Larry Brown, Sloan (Riley's retired now, so I'm not counting him)... after them, what's left?. Guys that have to prove themselves. And most of them only prove they're not ready for that job.

What we lack is a middle-of-the-pack group of coaches, those guys that are very good coaches, but not awesome. Guys like Rick Adelman, Fratello, D'Antoni or Jim O'Brian come to mind, but, other than McMillan, we don't have any new guys that truly belong to that middle class.

bigstrads wrote:Ps: Lawrence Frank is still the NJ coach, if that wasnt a joke.

It WAS a joke. I'm (still) aware of that.

TMC wrote:

bigstrads wrote:We seem to agree that Nate McMillan is the most promising/best out of all the "new" coaches................what do you think about the general state of it all though? is it just me remembering them as players and so to imagine them as decent coaches?..........or are they all just too scared to bring there own stamp on things, and playing to the players instead of themselves.

I don't think there's much difference with other eras regarding the young coaches. You have a few top coaches that last several decades and lots of new names that usually don't get a second chance because they suck.

I mean, we have... what?. 5 top coaches in the league? Nellie, Jackson, Popovich, Larry Brown, Sloan (Riley's retired now, so I'm not counting him)... after them, what's left?. Guys that have to prove themselves. And most of them only prove they're not ready for that job.

What we lack is a middle-of-the-pack group of coaches, those guys that are very good coaches, but not awesome. Guys like Rick Adelman, Fratello, D'Antoni or Jim O'Brian come to mind, but, other than McMillan, we don't have any new guys that truly belong to that middle class.

bigstrads wrote:Ps: Lawrence Frank is still the NJ coach, if that wasnt a joke.

It WAS a joke. I'm (still) aware of that.

I have growing respect for Adelman. He is one of the few coaches that changes his style based on the team's talents. D'Antoni has been innovative and runs a fast game that is structured. To me they stand out from the dull interchangeable coaches.

Yes, most coaches are interchangeable copiers that coach the safe way. If the team fails, then they like it to be the players' fault and not because of any unusual style that the coach would be blamed for.

Owners tend to go with the good-old-boy network because that is the safe way to go. Of course, this is true in any sport, business, etc.

And it is easy to fire the coach every two or three years. That is a lot cheaper than getting an innovative coach and stocking the team with the special players he needs.

Our owner, Cohan deserves props for staying with a difficult coach and getting him an almost new team, even paying for Webber and you know he wondered about that...

carlgo wrote:

TMC wrote:

bigstrads wrote:We seem to agree that Nate McMillan is the most promising/best out of all the "new" coaches................what do you think about the general state of it all though? is it just me remembering them as players and so to imagine them as decent coaches?..........or are they all just too scared to bring there own stamp on things, and playing to the players instead of themselves.

I don't think there's much difference with other eras regarding the young coaches. You have a few top coaches that last several decades and lots of new names that usually don't get a second chance because they suck.

I mean, we have... what?. 5 top coaches in the league? Nellie, Jackson, Popovich, Larry Brown, Sloan (Riley's retired now, so I'm not counting him)... after them, what's left?. Guys that have to prove themselves. And most of them only prove they're not ready for that job.

What we lack is a middle-of-the-pack group of coaches, those guys that are very good coaches, but not awesome. Guys like Rick Adelman, Fratello, D'Antoni or Jim O'Brian come to mind, but, other than McMillan, we don't have any new guys that truly belong to that middle class.

bigstrads wrote:Ps: Lawrence Frank is still the NJ coach, if that wasnt a joke.

It WAS a joke. I'm (still) aware of that.

I have growing respect for Adelman. He is one of the few coaches that changes his style based on the team's talents. D'Antoni has been innovative and runs a fast game that is structured. To me they stand out from the dull interchangeable coaches.

Yes, most coaches are interchangeable copiers that coach the safe way. If the team fails, then they like it to be the players' fault and not because of any unusual style that the coach would be blamed for.

Owners tend to go with the good-old-boy network because that is the safe way to go. Of course, this is true in any sport, business, etc.

And it is easy to fire the coach every two or three years. That is a lot cheaper than getting an innovative coach and stocking the team with the special players he needs.

Our owner, Cohan deserves props for staying with a difficult coach and getting him an almost new team, even paying for Webber and you know he wondered about that...

He didn't exactly pay much for Webber. A couple of weeks of veteran minimum which the league covers half of?