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[NBA.com-AP] Van Gundy to take time in weighing future

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by vwiggin, May 7, 2007.

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  1. vwiggin

    vwiggin Contributing Member

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    http://www.nba.com/nba_news/vangundy_070507.html :

    HOUSTON, May 7 (AP)-- Frustrated by his team's ouster in the first round, Jeff Van Gundy plans to take some time to evaluate his future as coach of the Houston Rockets.

    The Rockets' season ended Saturday with a Game 7 loss to Utah, and a report in the New York Post the next day said Van Gundy was going to retire.

    "I do the same thing every year since I've been coaching - I sit back and I think about what's right for the team and what's right for myself,'' Van Gundy said Monday. "This is no different.''

    Van Gundy has no immediate plans to make a major decision.

    "To do that, when I'm still emotionally frustrated with the outcome (of the series) would be, really, a disservice to everybody involved,'' he said. "Where that originated, I haven't seen the story, so I can't tell you. When I got called about it, it caught me off-guard a little bit.''

    Van Gundy has one year left on his nonguaranteed contract, meaning the Rockets have the right to terminate it any time after June 30. Van Gundy said he had no timetable for meeting with Rockets owner Les Alexander.

    "To me, I'm under contract,'' he said. "I love the team, I like the organization a lot, I've been treated extremely well here. I have zero complaints.''

    Van Gundy met with his players for about 15 minutes Monday.

    Afterward, Tracy McGrady reiterated his support for Van Gundy, calling him "the best coach I ever played for.'' But McGrady offered no insight into whether Van Gundy addressed his future during the meeting.

    "As far as I'm concerned, he's still our coach and that's all I can give you,'' said McGrady, who added that Van Gundy told the players during the meeting he'd be talking with them individually over the summer.

    Van Gundy, a former assistant to Pat Riley and Don Nelson, coached New York for six seasons, then quit when the Knicks started 10-9 in 2001-02. He spent the next year working in television before becoming Houston's coach before the 2003-04 season.

    He repeatedly chastised himself Monday for losing Saturday's game and three other home playoff games in his four seasons as the Rockets' coach - to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 in 2004 and twice to Dallas in 2005.

    Van Gundy expected those losses to come up when he sat down with Alexander and new general manager Daryl Morey, the successor to retiring Carroll Dawson.

    "This is a result-oriented business,'' Van Gundy said. "I have to take responsibility. Those four home playoff losses - I'm not saying you're going to win them all. But if you're management, you have to look at that, certainly.''

    The Rockets haven't won a playoff series since 1997, and Van Gundy has lost their last three. He's had Yao Ming for all three series and Yao and McGrady for the last two.

    "They want to work, they want to win,'' Van Gundy said. "I'm disappointed that I haven't been able to help, not just those two, but the whole group get over the hump in that first round. That's where my emotion is right now.''

    The Rockets went 52-30 this season, their best record since 1997. Van Gundy said the franchise has "made strides forward,'' but needs to make offseason changes to compete with the elite in the Western Conference. He wouldn't specify what those changes might be.

    "We're a really good regular-season team,'' he said. "What we have to decide is whether that can translate into playoff success. Something's got to change, so we can get more playoff success.''
     
    #1 vwiggin, May 7, 2007
  2. AXG

    AXG Member

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    Same thing everyone else has been saying. JVG is unsure whether or not he will be back next season as coach.
     
    #2 AXG, May 7, 2007
  3. jVgOwnsYou

    jVgOwnsYou Contributing Member

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    It sounds to me like he wants to stay....Still using "We" when discussing the team and the team's future.
     
    #3 jVgOwnsYou, May 7, 2007
  4. superden

    superden Contributing Member

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    I don't know what to think anymore. Time to just wait and see what happens. I don't really have any major complaints about JVG though. I think he was a pretty good coach the last 4 years, but I wouldn't mind seeing a coaching change just to spice things up.
     
    #4 superden, May 7, 2007
  5. Amel

    Amel Contributing Member

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    get him out of here

    in a nice way...
     
    #5 Amel, May 7, 2007
  6. Mooch

    Mooch Member

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    keep him
     
    #6 Mooch, May 7, 2007
  7. Blake

    Blake Contributing Member

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    I agree. I really like the guy and thought he did a good job, but it is time for a change. We need a new leader...one with a little more fire
     
    #7 Blake, May 7, 2007
  8. uchlha

    uchlha Member

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    Time for the Rockets and JVG to make like siamese twins and split!
     
    #8 uchlha, May 7, 2007
  9. Luffy1

    Luffy1 Member

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    Don't let the door hit you on the way out JVG!
     
    #9 Luffy1, May 7, 2007
  10. whoisray

    whoisray Contributing Member

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    He wants to stay but isn't sure what Alexander is thinking or will do.
     
    #10 whoisray, May 7, 2007
  11. mmesser

    mmesser Contributing Member

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    Well hurry up and make a dam decision Van Gumby!! :mad:
     
    #11 mmesser, May 7, 2007
  12. Bandwagoner

    Bandwagoner Contributing Member

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    STAY!!!!
     
    #12 Bandwagoner, May 7, 2007
  13. Kamphol

    Kamphol New Member

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    No..no don't hesitate. Please go JVG...
     
    #13 Kamphol, May 7, 2007
  14. Nice Rollin

    Nice Rollin Contributing Member

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    that doesnt make sense. do you know what Siamese twins are? to make like siamese twin would mean "stay together"
     
    #14 Nice Rollin, May 7, 2007
  15. Luffy1

    Luffy1 Member

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    JVG needs to make his decision fast or the rockets need to let him go first cause they need to start interviewing other coaches before other teams do. There's going to be lots of open coaching spots and the rockets can't let this thing linger too long. Hurry up and give JVG the boot!
     
    #15 Luffy1, May 7, 2007
  16. Will

    Will Clutch Crew
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    I have enormous respect for Van Gundy. I'm not at all sure, if we dump him or he leaves, that we'll find somebody better to take his place. But:

    I don't want to hear this kind of soul-searching and planning for change after our fourth loss in the opening series. I want to hear it after the FIRST loss.

    Don't tell me it's all about the roster. There are lots of things we could have done even without changing the roster. We sucked in Game 1. We sucked in Game 2. Frankly, every game with the possible exception of Game 5, we sucked. If you don't want to say we sucked, at least admit we were totally flummoxed by Utah's tactics. And I never saw any sign that Van Gundy recognized the gravity of the problem and adjusted to it.

    I don't care about his self-castigation after the season's over. The whole "it's my fault" shtick means NOTHING if he waits till we're dead to act on it.

    Here's something to chew on while you ponder your future, Jeff. You died of complacency and stubbornness this year. You blew 82 games of hard work because you're too damned slow to change. And if I'm Les Alexander, what I want to know when I sit down with you is whether you've learned that lesson.
     
    #16 Will, May 7, 2007
  17. munco

    munco Member

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    I really like JVG, but it might be time for a change. I love how much due dilligence he puts in and his general hard work ethic. However, I question his decision to not give many minutes to Bonzi, V-Span, Novak, etc.

    If we can get a "better" coach, I'm for a change.
     
    #17 munco, May 7, 2007
  18. Blake

    Blake Contributing Member

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    Yeah, but then you wouldn't have anything to post about. We won't have Bonzi or JVG

    (I do agree with your statement)
     
    #18 Blake, May 7, 2007
  19. Rulow00

    Rulow00 Member

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    He is staying put.
     
    #19 Rulow00, May 7, 2007
  20. Luffy1

    Luffy1 Member

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    Do you want to go out in the first round every year, cause that is what will happen if JVG stays. 4 years of JVG and these are the results.

    Year 1 - Loss to the Lakers in the first round
    Year 2- Loss to the mavs in the first round after blowing a 2-0 series lead
    Year 3 - Missed the playoffs
    Year 4- Loss to the jazz in the first round after blowing a 2-0 series lead.

    If that's all you want for the rockets, then by all means JVG should stay. I however, want to see them win a championship and that will NEVER happen as long as JVG is the coach.
     
    #20 Luffy1, May 7, 2007
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