[Chron] Adelman Emotional upon Latest Milestone

moestavern19 · Nov 10, 2009

Rockets coach tied with mentor Ramsay on all-time win list

By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
Nov. 10, 2009, 12:10AM

The milestones never inspired emotions. They are lifeless, no more than ink on pages.
Rockets coach Rick Adelman greeted each round number the way many coaches do, attaching no more meaning to the one win that pushed his total to some milestone than the hundreds he had collected to get there.
Then he hit win No. 864 on Friday, and it was different.
That was Jack Ramsay’s number, and with his next victory, Adelman will surpass the win total of the coach who gave him his first NBA coaching job. The number meant nothing. The individual who held it meant so much.
"When you hit milestones like 500, 600 or 700 wins, that’s something that indicates you’ve had good teams," Adelman said. "But if I’ve matched him, to me that’s a personal milestone that means something, because he’s one of the best coaches ever in this league.

In highest regard
"So when you attain that status equal to him as far as wins — not as a coach but as wins — it just makes you feel pretty good. Because I know what kind of coach he was, and I was around him a lot, and that means a lot to me."
Ramsay had tried to add Adelman to his 76ers backcourt but was never able to swing the deal. Instead, he hired him as a Trail Blazers assistant coach in 1983. Adelman spent three seasons on Ramsay’s staff, and 25 years, four coaching jobs and 864 wins later, he attributes much of his success to his time working under Ramsay.
"I learned so much from Jack," Adelman, 63, said. "A lot of stuff he did offensively with that Portland team and the adjustments he’s made, the day-to-day things that you have to do. He taught me a lot about how to handle a long, 82-game season. I say it all the time. He was so resilient in the way he approached each day, never got too high or too low. I think he was always getting the team to play hard and practice hard every day.
"He was one of the best coaches in this league. I knew, just playing against his teams and watching the way he developed that (1976-77 Trail Blazers) championship team. The way they played, they played so unselfish. They had a style of their own. And then, being with him with a different type of team, the team he had, he was able to adjust to that, too."
When considering his own career, Adelman might be more proud of his similar ability to adjust to the talent on hand, rather than to be wedded to any particular style or system. The latest transition has taken him from the Rockets of Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady to his current balanced-offense team.
"I do think it’s a strength," Adelman said. "I think I see what we have and try to go to their strengths so that they feel they can have success. I think that’s what players look for: ‘Can the team be successful, and can I be successful?’ There’s a way to do that. Jack was the master."
When Ramsay spoke of his protégé’s success, he pointed to that same quality.
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We are lucky to have one of basketball's all-time greatest coaches. Once Coach RA reaches 1000 wins there is no doubt in my mind he should be in the Hall of Fame.

SirCharlesFan · Nov 10, 2009

If Jerry Sloan is HOF worthy, so is Rick Adelman.

ElPigto · Nov 10, 2009

Can we please sign the man to an extension? I'm tired of waiting. Les please, sign him to an extension before he garners attention from other teams around the league when his contract expires after this season. I do not want Adelman to leave. I always dreamed of the day he would coach the Rockets when I would watch his Sacramento teams play beautiful basketball and I want the dream to continue.

FLASH21 · Nov 10, 2009

SirCharlesFan said:

If Jerry Sloan is HOF worthy, so is Rick Adelman.
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Ditto, I think we are a few years away from a championship. I so hopes he and his staff get an extension.

moestavern19 · Nov 10, 2009

ElPigto said:

Can we please sign the man to an extension? I'm tired of waiting. Les please, sign him to an extension before he garners attention from other teams around the league when his contract expires after this season. I do not want Adelman to leave. I always dreamed of the day he would coach the Rockets when I would watch his Sacramento teams play beautiful basketball and I want the dream to continue.
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I loved those Kings teams back in those days, I cheered for them as my secondary team. They hated the Lakers as much as I did.

Rick Adelman was the architect who had those guys running his offense to perfection. They would have won a title if not for Donaghy-gate.

The_Yoyo · Nov 10, 2009

moestavern19 said:

I loved those Kings teams back in those days, I cheered for them as my secondary team. They hated the Lakers as much as I did.

Rick Adelman was the architect who had those guys running his offense to perfection. They would have won a title if not for Donaghy-gate.
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Donaghy didnt ref that game it was more Bavetta-gate

rockbox · Nov 10, 2009

The only coach I can think of that I like as much as Rudy T. I hope Les keeps him as long he still has a desire to coach.

moestavern19 · Nov 10, 2009

The_Yoyo said:

Donaghy didnt ref that game it was more Bavetta-gate
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Donaghy probably had something to do with it.

pmac · Nov 10, 2009

Yes, Adelman is one of the best.

I hope he enjoys being here as much as we enjoy having him here. It seems like he enjoys the challenge of coaching the Rockets whether it be size, injuries, or trying to fit unique players into his offense.

He deserves everyone of those wins.

Drawkwa22 · Nov 10, 2009

congrats RA... amazing that he has only had one non playoff appearance

sammy · Nov 10, 2009

Sucks he got screwed out of a ring.

rockets934life · Nov 10, 2009

RA is a darn good coach and proving it X10 this year! Congrats Brit

rodmanhust · Nov 10, 2009

Adleman is as good as Phil Jackson, but less lucky

thadeus · Nov 10, 2009

Before I moved to Houston (and had a hometown team!) I watched NBA on TNT - and I absolutely loved watching the Sacramento Kings, when Adelman was coach, play the game - they were, by far, my favorite team.

They definitely got shafted in that series with the Lakers.

LCII · Nov 10, 2009

rodmanhust said:

Adleman is as good as Phil Jackson, but less lucky
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For real. Phil Jackson has worked with 3 of the ten greatest players of all time

1) MJ
2) Shaq
3) Kobe

kpsta · Nov 10, 2009

I'd like to see a mock tee and monacle hoisted to the rafters when he's inducted into the HOF.

Dei · Nov 10, 2009

ElPigto said:

Can we please sign the man to an extension? I'm tired of waiting. Les please, sign him to an extension before he garners attention from other teams around the league when his contract expires after this season. I do not want Adelman to leave. I always dreamed of the day he would coach the Rockets when I would watch his Sacramento teams play beautiful basketball and I want the dream to continue.
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I can't remember a coach who bolted from a winning team for money (apart from Pat Riley).

523744 · Nov 10, 2009

LCII said:

For real. Phil Jackson has worked with 3 of the ten greatest players of all time

1) MJ
2) Shaq
3) Kobe
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uhhh... kobe is not one of the 10 greatest ever. Shaq barely makes the top 10

roslolian · Nov 10, 2009

rodmanhust said:

Adleman is as good as Phil Jackson, but less lucky
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As many rings as PJ has, he's probably one of the world's most underrated coaches. Winning consecutively is no joke, yet he's been able to win 3 peats 3 times already. Winning takes more than just have good players with you, you need to make timely substitutions and know how to handle egos players have.

RA's really really good but he's nowhere near PJ (and Pop's) when it comes to thinking on the fly and managing subs during game. He's also not as good as a playmaker, our plays after timeouts last year were crap. Definitely a step below PJ IMHO.

kikimama · Nov 10, 2009

roslolian said:

As many rings as PJ has, he's probably one of the world's most underrated coaches. Winning consecutively is no joke, yet he's been able to win 3 peats 3 times already. Winning takes more than just have good players with you, you need to make timely substitutions and know how to handle egos players have.

RA's really really good but he's nowhere near PJ (and Pop's) when it comes to thinking on the fly and managing subs during game. He's also not as good as a playmaker, our plays after timeouts last year were crap. Definitely a step below PJ IMHO.
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Yeah, it takes a genius to iso Kobe, Shaq or Jordan.

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[Chron] Adelman Emotional upon Latest Milestone

moestavern19 Member

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FLASH21 Heart O' Champs

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rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

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