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Why is it that when it comes to coaching, they get none of the credit and all of the blame?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by meh, Dec 17, 2012.

  1. meh

    meh Contributing Member

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    To me it's quite fascinating how coaches get all the blame, yet no credit no matter what happens. Honestly, reading GARM sometimes is like watching Fox News. At some point it becomes simply way too funny how much people can spin things to their predisposition, regardless of actual facts.

    Examples:

    Any time Parsons and Asik play well? They are awesome and obviously developing because they are simply awesome!
    Any time Asik and Parsons struggle in games? Coaches suck!

    Bench players finishing games to get a win? Great win! Our players are clutch!
    Bench players finishing games into a loss? Why are stupid coaches not playing _____ at the end of games?

    Jeremy Lin playing mediocre in Utah following Harden's injury? Coaches suck!
    Jeremy Lin playing like Linsanity against SA following Harden's injury? Coaches suck even more for not making Lin #1

    Asik living up to his contract and developing well? Morey finds hidden gems!
    Lin not living up to his contract and having troubles? Coaches don't know how to use Lin!

    Coaches play Patterson and Morris over Terrence Jones? Coaches are idiots!
    Coaches play Jones due to injuries and he performs badly? Coaches are still idiots!

    Harden putting up ridiculous stats helping the Rockets win? Harden is a star.
    Harden struggling? Coaches don't know how to draw up plays for him.

    Rockets win? Our players are playing well and the future's bright
    Rockets lose? We would've won if only the coaches did such and such, and I'm obviously right and you can't disprove a hypothetical.

    Rockets top 10 in offense? Since the Rockets are doing this through a read-react system rather than set plays, the coaches aren't doing anything.
    Rockets bottom 10 in defense? Rockets coaches suck because the youngest team in the NBA shouldn't be so bad on defense.

    Record predictions coming into the season: Vegas, I've seen 33-35 post trade, 37 by Hollinger, 19 by ESPN official prediction before the trade(add 10 and you get maybe 29?), CBS sports has them at ~30.
    Rockets current record: 11-12
    Conclusion? Either our players are the most underrated group in the history of the NBA, or maybe our coaches should at least get some credit?
     
    2 people like this.
  2. Lostie

    Lostie Member

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    No problems with the coaching right now, it's a little iso heavy but that's to be expected from a coaching staff who only have one proven superstar calibre player in the roster.

    Think people are just going a little nuts with the blame game. McHale's rotations are a little suspect and the scouting (especially against Toronto) is also flaky but again, it's a young team and they haven't had time to truly develop yet.
     
  3. durvasa

    durvasa Contributing Member

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    Fans of players need someone to blame when their guys aren't seeing success on the court.

    The way I look at it, really young teams are supposed to be mediocre at best. So if we're playing really well as a team over a considerable stretch of games, I'll give credit to the coaching staff. If we're inconsistent from one game to the next, then I tend to put that more on the players (since that's basically what I expect from them). If the team doesn't improve over the course of the entire season or steadily gets worse and worse, then the coach needs to take responsibility.
     
  4. darksoul35

    darksoul35 Member

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    I feel you. Ive hated on Mccoach because of the Jones situation but over all I think he is doing good considering what he has been going through . I think Sampson did a good job as well. I have to give him some credit even though i am not a huge fan of his. I still think we are too good to be loosing to the Raptors especially withough their two best players.
     
  5. Lostie

    Lostie Member

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    The raps are actually better off without Bargs, he's a black hole on offence. They've been winning and playing a lot better with Davis instead of Bargs.
     
  6. Rip Van Rocket

    Rip Van Rocket Contributing Member

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    I don't think the average fan knows nearly as much about the sport of basketball as they think they do. Clutch has had the opportunity to watch the rockets during training camp and I believe he gets to see more of what goes on behind the scenes than the average fan. So, it would be interesting to hear from him if what the players and coaches are trying to do is a little more complicated than what the average fan can imagine.
     
  7. AirSwish

    AirSwish Member

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    Dont forget Lowry. Lots of toronto fans are disappointed on how he leads the team, his demeanor and his attitude.
    Bargnani = we are the worst team in the league
    Lowry = we are under 5 feet in the ground.
     
  8. jtr

    jtr Contributing Member

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    LOL. I read the individual articles, but never thought of conjoining them. Nice Post!
     
  9. Grigori

    Grigori Member

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    It's like Morey says (not exact quote but something along these lines):

    Very few coaches have a positive effect on the outcome of games and even then the effect is not that substantial. Most coaches are just neutral and it's up to the players. The trick is to avoid coaches with a substantial negative effect on the outcome of games.

    Then he went and hired McHale.

    *facepalm*

    Personally I will stop complaining about McHale when McHale stop having a substantial negative effect on the outcome of games, but I am sure others will keep complaining even if and when he does.
     
  10. Nimo

    Nimo Member

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    Coaches get credit for wins and losses, not necessarily a specific player's performance. No one praises or blames the Rockets players for their record.
     
  11. dragonz

    dragonz Member

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    McHale should get more credit for the youth development on our team, people needs to understand coach is more than just a tactic coordinator during the game time.

    It is evidential that Morris, Parson, and PPat is becoming a better player than they were last year, and even tho some of them didn't play for alot games (which McHale is taking blame for), they developed through practice, video sessions, and direct teaching from the coaches. And I am looking forward to see the same thing happen to Jones and DMo.

    But at same time, I have to say that on-court tactic wise, McHale isn't that smart and get out played by other team's coach alot.
     
  12. Grigori

    Grigori Member

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    The Toronto fans actually loved Lowry before he was injured. Obviously they are quick to turn on him after he came back and they were still losing. Lowry got sick of teammates missing in the 4th and decided to play hero ball, and the Toronto fans didn't like that.

    Funny thing is, when he was still the darling of Toronto before he went down with the injury, he was lobbying Dwane Casey to run some of the Adelman's corner series to get Bargnani going, apparently thinking the high post offense might get Bargnani out of his slump.

    Personally I don't think it would have. I mean, seriously? Expecting Bargnani to pass out of the high post? You might sooner expect McHale to instruct his players to set more than 2 picks on arguably the worst PnR defender in the history of the NBA in an entire half.
     
  13. jtr

    jtr Contributing Member

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    So, how do you back up the claim that McHale is having a negative impact on the team? By citing particular substitution patterns in a game? We as fans do not have enough information to judge the coaches on that accord. Who is gassed? Who is getting beaten by the opposing offensive player? What are the nuances of every match up on the court? Who is cramping? Or do you go with plays after late game time outs? What did the coach try to run and how well was it executed? We as fans do not know the answers to these and dozens of other questions.

    The Rockets have inferior talent, except for Harden, and a record that hangs close to 0.500. Be thankful of that.
     
  14. LCAhmed

    LCAhmed Contributing Member

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    Because coaching is their job, and when they do their job it is expected that they do it well. When they go above and beyond (i.e. Phil Jackson, Rick Adelman, Greg Popovich) then they get the praise that they deserve. You wouldnt praise James Harden if he had 18 pts on 4 of 11 shooting, would you?
     
  15. Garner

    Garner Member

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    Popovich, Carlisle, Rivers, George Karl, and others get plenty of praise.
     
  16. M4-Nightvision

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    how about using a pg to give up the ball and go stand around in the corner for spot up 3's? when a spot up 3's is not his strong point.
     
  17. Grigori

    Grigori Member

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    There are just way too many things he's doing terribly to summarize in a single post, in offensive philosophy/system, in player evaluation (admittedly this one is pretty subjective), in substitution patterns, in particular gameplans, in particular in-game decisions, in leadership manner/hoarding excuses for a rainy day/not maintaining the image of a fair leader (I know everybody hates Jerry Sloan, but he was aces in this department).

    This wasn't just this season. It's been like this since he got here last season. It's just that most of the players still had a lot of coaching leftover from Adelman, and it hid a lot of McHale's system-wise incompetence until he got more chance to meddle with stuff mid season, which Lowry resisted until his illness (full collapse didn't happen until near the end of the season).

    I have been going through his blunders in other posts in detail. Just look through the threads for them.
     
  18. Akim523

    Akim523 Member

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    Track record my friend, track record.
     
  19. Alex L.

    Alex L. Contributing Member

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    Amen.
     
  20. jtr

    jtr Contributing Member

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    And so, let me get this straight, you are critiquing a coach and his staff on individual slices from games. Well, sir, from a statistical point of view your methods are not valid. The only possible critique must come from bunching a number of games together. Did McHale last year under perform Adelman over the entire season? The answer has to be no. Has this years team out performed non homer expectations? Definitely. So your opinions are just a result of your "eye test", a measure that has been discredited time and again.
     

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