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[Chron] Van Gundy not stepping down, but future with team unsure

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by ron413, May 6, 2007.

  1. ron413

    ron413 Contributing Member

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    Considering all the JVG stepping down threads, thought I would post this recent article from the Houston Chronicle website they posted a few minutes ago to counter all the threads saying otherwise.

    May 6, 2007, 12:07PM
    Van Gundy not stepping down, but future with team unsure


    By JONATHAN FEIGEN
    Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

    Amid reports that Jeff Van Gundy would not return as Rockets coach, Van Gundy said Sunday he has not decided to step down and Rockets owner Leslie Alexander said he has not reached any decision about Van Gundy's future.

    Van Gundy has one non-guaranteed season remaining on his contract.

    Told that there has been speculation that he would fire Van Gundy, Alexander said, "That's totally false.

    "There is absolutely no truth to that. That's false, totally false. That decision has not been made."

    Van Gundy strongly denied he had reached a decision. He has often said that the decision about next season was not only the team's, but said Sunday that he has not decided to step down.

    "I haven't even thought about that yet," Van Gundy said. "It's just 12 hours after we lost. There has been speculation about my job going on the whole year. Anybody that saying that (that he has chosen to step down as Rockets coach), I have no idea why they would say that.

    "There is no significance to anything other than we lost. That's the only significant thing."

    Asked if he has meetings with Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson, assistant general manager Daryl Morey or Van Gundy planned to discuss Van Gundy's future, Alexander said that answering any "volatile questions" would lead to more speculation, but would only say he has not made a decision.

    "Jeff has talked to you about that, and he wouldn't lie," Alexander said. "And I told you I haven't made a decision and you know I have never lied to you. Both stories are untrue. There is no truth to this."

    But while Van Gundy remained the Rockets on Sunday, a day after the Rockets were eliminated in the playoffs' first round, neither could say how long that would remain true.

    jonathan.feigen@chron.com

    http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4779621.html
     
  2. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    Les lied about Rudy, I think he has made up his mind it is all about getting the best deal for both of them now...

    It is time for poker boys !!

    DD
     
  3. Postpremium

    Postpremium Member

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    Pete reported an untruth? NO WAY!
     
  4. OldManBernie

    OldManBernie Old Fogey

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    PHEW!!! Thank you for bringing some sanity back on the board.
     
  5. weslinder

    weslinder Contributing Member

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    $1 says that he stays to coach next year (probably not extended).
     
  6. Sooner423

    Sooner423 Contributing Member

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    Someone tell me how he still has a job.
     
  7. tiger0330

    tiger0330 Contributing Member

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    The article is not exactly a ringing endorsement for JVG staying. Jeff needs a week to make a decision but he should see there is incredible pressure for him to leave. The Rox need a major shakeup and the first change should be with the coach.
     
  8. Doctor Robert

    Doctor Robert Contributing Member

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    That is what happens when ABC and ESPN rely on Peter Vescey.

    The only piece of info that I trust so far is Jon Barry's comment on the Cavalier pre-game show that he spoke to JVG about this a full year ago, and that JVG was left out of some personel decisions this year, which he did not like.
     
  9. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    He is gone, all the talk from this point on will be about jostling for a better deal and how to make it look good for both of them.

    The Rockets don't want to look knee jerk by making the decision this quickly and JVG realizes that he doesn't want to look like a quitter again unless he is truly done coaching.

    I think that he is done in Houston, and the rest is just jockeying for position.

    DD
     
  10. Verbatim

    Verbatim Member

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    100% agree there. Even my wife, who thinks JVG is a good coach, can see that the Rockets need a new coach. That awsome defense was just awful in this series. Add that to no real offensive fire means that they need fresh coach. Players are not moved for failure, the coach takes the blame.

    But in this case, he deserves it.

    Note: That quote about JVG saying he wasn't in on some personal decision. Was that about VSpan or Bonzi? I wonder. Or maybe even Novak?

    Shoud have traded Sura for some help.

    But in my mind JVG is done.
     
  11. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Contributing Member

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    Jostling for what better deal?

    There is not more guaranteed year on the contract left so if he wants to leave, they'll just say goodbye and tell everyone they've decided to say goodbye and we'll see Rockets with a new coach and Jeff Van Gundy on TNT.

    This isn't like Larry Brown with $40 million guarnateed on the table to settle.
     
  12. count_dough-ku

    count_dough-ku Contributing Member

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    He's gone. All that article seems to indicate is that Les and JVG wanna announce this at a press conference.

    Let the search for a new coach begin.
     
  13. amathie

    amathie Member

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    If Yao and t-mac can't reach the mental strongness level that JVG want the team leader to be, I don't think JVG will coach this team next season, coz it will fail again anyway. It happened twice already, up by 2-0, lost the 7th decisive game.
     
  14. jdmb82

    jdmb82 Member

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    Scap the whole squad. Start over from square one.
     
  15. Dave_78

    Dave_78 Member

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    In the end, Van Gundy's ability to get the most out of this team might be what did them in. 52 wins is impressive. 52 wins with your two superstars missing 40+ games is phenomenal. Unfortunately, getting scrubs to play out of their minds during the regular season doesn't change the fact that they are still scrubs who will be exposed at some point.

    JVG even mentioned this. *paraphrased* He said the reason the Rockets had so much success in the regular season is because of how this team was more prepared and outworked teams He feared all of that would be neutralized when the Rockets faced teams in the playoffs who were just as prepared, worked just as hard but were more talented.

    Maybe if this team had played poorly in Yao's absence management would have panicked and made a real move to bring in a 3rd offensive weapon. Who knows.
     
  16. Saint Louis

    Saint Louis Member

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    I can't stand Van Gumby. I haven't liked the fact they hired him from day one. I don't like watching his team's style of basketball. I'll be happy the day he is gone from the Rockets because they will never be champions with him at the helm.

    Van Gumby = Jimy Williams Wrong man for the job from day one.
     
  17. A_3PO

    A_3PO Member

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    What I vividly remember from last summer was JVG being completely left out of the Morey hiring and a couple of his comments made it clear (to me) he didn't like it. I said at the time a new sheriff was in town and JVG was no longer at the top of the totem pole. This could have been festering inside JVG the whole season.

    JVG did a great job this season but if he decides to leave, so be it. I just hope the next coach is better because they have a tough act to follow.
     
  18. Old Man Rock

    Old Man Rock Contributing Member

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    :eek: :eek:

    You must be kidding. Did you not pay your cable bill... A coach's success is measured by the playoffs. You have to quit trying to sound like an authority it only makes you come across as stupid.
     
  19. morpheus133

    morpheus133 Member

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    It all depends on who really was behind the personel decisions. If they have not been giving him the personel he wants then that absolves some of blame. After all our roster has a total of ONE player who can create his own shot. Not exactly a recipe for success. And if he did not sign off on Spanoulis, Novak and Bonzi it would make alot more sense as to why he didn't play them any significant minutes. Same with Kirk Snyder. The main question is would a different coach with the same roster have performed significantly better? Remember this team did go 2 months with no Yao and maintained a winning record during that time.

    Certainly there should be no guarantee of Van Gundy's return, but at the same time there are only a few coaches who are argueably significant upgrades. Keep in mind that with Yao we are never going to have a run and gun team because Yao can't play at that pace.
     
  20. Invisible Fan

    Invisible Fan Contributing Member

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    Les is not the kind of guy who likes to leave all the pieces fall under chance.

    If he can't get a decent replacement, then he'll exercise that last year.
     

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