The times we live in are tough for coaches

No, I don’t think Avery Johnson deserved to get fired in Brooklyn, I think it was a bit of an over-reaction from ownership who had placed unrealistic expectations on a roster that is, in my opinion, good but far from great.

It’s forever thus, though.

Should anyone have been surprised, really?

As we mentioned in Nothing But Net, once the CEO started apologizing and the players started openly questioning strategy and each other, it seems Johnson was doomed.

Is he a bad coach?

No.

Is he a great coach?

No.

I wasn’t a big fan when he was in Dallas, there seemed to be some level of “control” he exuded that made me sit up and take notice but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t do the job. It meant that he needed to work on his craft and get better.

Was he? That’s really not for me to say but I think he was done in by the failings of the roster and what people thought he should do.

Dwane brought up an interesting point when we were talking about Johnson yesterday. Not surprisingly, he came to the defence of the fired colleague.

“It takes time, I don’t care who you are … when you put a new team together full of superstars, it takes time. Put a young team together and build it, it takes time. That’s nature of our business.

“I know Avery will bounce back, he’s a very good coach, whoever coaches that team is still going to have the same issues, that team’s not going to change, they have one of the highest payrolls in the league and a lot of a talent, it’s just going to take time. It’s unfortunate but it’s our business.”

He’s right, of course, but time is a luxury few will give in this age of instant gratification. Too bad, but it’s the world we live in.

“That’s what happens when expectations are out of whack. It’s unfortunate but I think Avery’s a very good coach. You put a team together – it’s a lot like Miami, I mean Miami struggled the first year and everyone was calling for Spoelstra’s head. They stuck with him, they won a championship.”

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You know, the first time I came to New Orleans, and I don’t remember exactly what season that was, I wasn’t a fan.

I found Bourbon Street – at least the bottom down by Canal – too much, too loud, too dirty, too Caligula-like. It was over the top like I’d seldom seen over the top and, frankly, I couldn’t wait to get out of here and on to some other place.

And, yes, it’s still dirty and loud – we were out there one on New Year’s Eve and it was crazy – but now I’ve come to appreciate the other parts of the city, or at least the downtown, and it’s pretty much a “don’t miss” when the schedule comes out.

You can dine at a lot of hole-in-the-wall places that are great, you have to see the show at Preservation Hall if you can and if you walk far up Bourbon and find Fritzell’s, you won’t be disappointed. I’ve been there twice now – introduced to it by Stumpy’s sister who lives here – and seen the same house band.

You tell me if they’re any good.

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We’re driving back from practice and someone notices the Sugar Bowl logo on the Superdome that’s next door to the arena (Florida against Louisville for those who care) and we start chatting about days we’ve been in the States around bowl time.

And I know I talked about guys with pigs heads on cheering for Arkansas at the Cotton Bowl that year but I’d totally forgotten the one time we were in New Orleans around Sugar Bowl time.

Had to be the mid-2000s, I’d guess around 2005 and Hawaii was playing. I tell you, you have never seen anything until you’ve seen a bunch of out-of-place Hawaiians wandering up the bacchanalia that is Bourbon Street in their Rainbow Warrior garb.

It was like they’d been dropped on another planet.

That was the same year the Timmy Chang kid was the all the quarterback rage and the next time I heard of him, I was writing an Argo story and he was the backup in Hamilton.

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All it took was a mad dash concourse to concourse at O’Hare after a delay at Pearson that caused some major angst but Super Wife and Super Son got here mid-afternoon.

Their bags, of course, got here about 2 a.m., well after the shopping spree for replacement clothing had taken place.

Thanks, United.

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Okay, test time.

How many of you, despite history suggesting otherwise, have looked at the schedule and started adding up the wins.

New Orleans, Orlando and then six straight at home against

Portland, Sacramento, Oklahoma City, Philly, Charlotte and Milwaukee.

Come on, be honest.

Some of you see six wins, some I bet ever see seven.

Oh, you sillyheads.

As we all know, or should, games are games unto themselves, teams jump up and play well out of nowhere, the Raptors can play poorly at the drop of the hat.

There are no “sure” things and no one knows what more than Dwane Casey.

“We’re a work in progress, we’re a rebuilding organization, we’re building, trying to get there and there’s no team where we can look at the schedule and say, ‘hey, that’s a W.’

“Teams may do us that way but we are not in a place to say that. We have to play as a desperate team. If we don’t play desperate and play hungry, like somebody’s trying to take something from us, we can’t survive.”

Heed those words as the next couple of weeks or so unfold, would you?

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Way late but I need some mail, please.

Not sure what the schedule will be with the odd Saturday night game (is anyone else been screwed up all week with what day of the week it actually is) but there will be mail.

And knowing you all, there’ll be a lot of it.

Click. Say hello. Send.

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Okay, it’s 6 a.m. when I start this, I’m about to tuck into this $30 breakfast buffet here (sorry, boss) and the people are still blaring Christmas carols in the lobby?

Cease! Desist!

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Comments

[Jeff]

It sure doesn't feel like Friday, but somehow, it is.

Preservation Hall-check
Jackson Square-check if you haven't
Sugar Bowl-attended the Jan '95 game between Florida and Florida State. What an amazing experience to be in the French Quarter and then at the game with tens of thousands of screaming, chanting college students
Warrick Dunn threw the best pass of the game http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmcSiUufH-o and the FSU QB was a guy you've probably written about, Knicks G Charlie Ward :)

[Ken C.]

small spelling correction Doug, the former Hawaii QB was Timmy Chang not Jimmy.

Blogger's note: Oops

[BBall Barry]

thought you could have used / could use soon in your blog the song "United breaks(?) guitars" (that's the words that run through my head)

[Mike C.]

Hey Doug - Season's Greetings - nice that you could spend some time with the family.
I was the poster that asked about New Orleans a couple of months ago. Thanks for the tips. Had a great time with my dad. Saw some great music - it sorta surrounds you, on the streets, in the clubs. The house band at Fritzell's was a highlight. Also getting grifted at 930 in the morning outside Cafe du Monde was funny - If someone tells you they "know where you got dem shoes" - the answer is "on my feet". It is really a good thing that my dad had some greenbacks on him, 'cause I had not been to the bank machine yet.

[Rob.V]

Thanks for the sights and sounds.
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What was with Clarinet dude and the Blackberry? He was checking that thing in between solo's like he was waiting for a call from Obama!!
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This blog is a place of honesty. So of course I've looked at the schedule, and of course the Raptors will go 6-2 (7-1 with any luck). And honestly, this is exactly why some here will resurface in about a weeks time asking for Colangelo's, Casey's, Andrea's... and your (shrapnel) head to be fired!
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Avery? I can't think of why however for some strange reason the people running that team believe they have "Laker" like talent, and Laker like history. Maybe it's the $300 + million spent on payroll however most who have followed this league over the years were not convinced coming into the season... or maybe that was just me. I mean, didn't they see the Atlanta Hawks and Utah Jazz over the past 5 years... what were they expecting??
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Anyway, as long as they continue to lose I don't care what the Nets do.

[O.J.]

Hey Doug,

Seasons Greetings. I think Demarcus Cousins is precisely the player we need on the Raps. He is the anti - Bargnani a solid rebounder and great inside presence. Yes, he has his issues but there are numerous examples of players who have had major behaviourial issues in the NBA that have contributed to winning or even championship teams.

To be successful Raps management have to be willing to think outside the box or they will be stuck in a perpetual cycle of mediocrity. Just good enough to get decent picks but never getting the star player and just missing or making the playoffs. To get to the next level we need to acquire top shelf talent. Taking a flyer on Cousins in some sort of package with Bargs would be a big step in that direction.

[coachd]

Hi Doug,

How funny would it be if the Nets hired Jerry Sloan as their next coach? As frustrating as it's been to be a Raps fan the last few years, you can see that the work that Colangelo, Casey et al are doing is beginning to bear some fruit. Not as quickly as most would want, but it will happen soon, of that I'm sure. That's why I hope that MLSE will stick with these guys and let them see it through.

[Rob]

I been to New orleans on several business trips. Love the atmosphere and cuisine there. However, due to the lack of washrooms in the french quarter, i hate how when you walk around there in the morning it smells like urine everywhere.

How about Cousins for Bargnani???? Wishful thinking i know, salaries not even close to matching....

[boko4]

0-8 or 1-7 would be a failure to compete.
2-6 is the level we're at right now, including how poorly we played to start with.
3-5 or better would be a success, closer to how we've played more recently.
I'll be watching whenever I can ...

[Rob.V]

Guys, we've won 5 of 6 and have seemed to eradicate the hero ball that was happening earlier in the season.
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We finally have "a team"... so let's go pick up a kid from Sacramento that has had trouble with 2 coaches (in what, 24 months), and has been suspended and fined this early in the season?.
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Now, if we were a veteran team with a KG and Pierce running the show I could see the possibility of integrating a kid with anger issues however with this Raptor team?... that's like asking to be fired!
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The kid is "toxic". The LAST thing the Raptors need is Cousins right now. He reminds me of a younger Zach Randolf... but the Raptors don't have 4 years to wait on this kid to mature.
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Give the Lakers time. Howard is not healthy and they are inconsistent. They will come around to talking with BC. They could use what we have... seems like it's only a matter of when.

[Peter]

You mentioned the other day in the IGBT that you had a David Robinson story. Maybe it's too late to share it, but I thought that I would ask.

Blogger's note: Ooops, forgot

[GM]

Have you ever seen the video "United Breaks Guitars"? I think you'd get a kick out of it. It created quite the stir a few years ago. It's by Canadian band Sons of Maxwell. They've done three songs. Here's the link to the original. You'd also probably like the third version but you can find that by watching the first one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

[doug]

as soon as Deron WiIliams said what he did about Avery you knew it was only a matter of time before Avery was gone...be interesting to see who gets or takes job as a few say they aren't interested...be a tough team to coach or situation to coach in when you know a player controls the shots and is a proven coach "killer"....Nets are a group of players that were signed independently by GM/owner without a thought on chemistry or how they'd function as a group, ....tough team to coach....ok enjoy the family time in Crescent City....cheers...

[Andrew Gregg]

Hi Doug:

Since you regularly walk halls filled with basketball wisdom, are you hearing that Deron Williams is now considered a coach killer? It's an easy accusation to make sitting at home, reading the sites and watching the games. But does he now have that reputation around the NBA community?

AG, Toronto

Blogger's note: He does, rightly or wrongly