Favorite Coach?

Drexlerfan22 · 07-08-2005, 04:39 AM

This kinda belongs in the GARM, because it's mostly about JVG, but I figured I'd turn it into a "who's your favorite coach?" question.

I must say that the sports teams I follow have this odd tendency of picking up the exact players I want from other teams. It happens all the time, seriously. It's really strange. I mean, I'm the kind of guy who is pretty much a homer in terms of his favorite players, especially in football, but you know how there are those few players, maybe 5 in the whole league, that you just really like as much as even the guys on your team?

I'm a Cowboys fan (okay okay... I don't even live in Houston, and I inherited Cowboys-fandom when I was a little kid from relatives, so don't kill me... it's not my fault :D). If you asked me to come up with a roster of favorite players in the NFL at any point in time, it would pretty much be Dallas's roster, with very few modifications (well, I like Baltimore too, since family friends I've know since I was a kid are from Baltimore, so there would be a few Ravens mixed in). And for no real reason, I just loved Joey Galloway to death when he was with Seattle. Then, out of the blue, Dallas traded two first-rounders to get him. Which of course ended up a terrible move, because he got injured in his first game, but it still amazed me that it happened, and it seems like it often happens. Kind of like Yao. I'm sitting there watching China play the U.S. in the 2000 Olympics, thinking "holy crap, it would be something else to have this Yao guy on the Rockets..." I remember reading the Bee, and how "the team that drafts him in two years will be extremely lucky." It was surreal when it happened two years later. I mean, a two year pipe dream fulfilled...

So why the long football ramble? Because the exact same thing happened with JVG for me. Even before he brought that marginal New York team to the Finals, I just loved the guy. He thinks the way I think: defense is priority one, two, three, four, and five. And besides that, having a strong post-up presence and controlling the middle is the way to win, even though the trend today is to get out running (not that he hasn't show he can adjust). I saw how hard the guy worked, and how amusingly honest he was with the press.

Then he made that Finals appearance, and did his announcing stint, where he was one of the few who said: "if I had Yao on my team, he would get the ball every damn time down the floor." He was my favorite coach in this whole league. No way did I ever consider the possibility the Rockets would get him. All that hoopla about what coach we were getting, all the talk of Larry Brown... I just couldn't fathom the possibility of my favorite coach hooking up with my favorite dream. Then it happened, and I was elated.

He's since brought his top 3-ranked FG% defense to the Rockets, as well as proven he can adjust his offense to his teams strengths, and even teach a beast like Mutombo new things about defense. Not to mention he went to war for Yao in Dallas. My opinion of the guy has always been high, and it's never been higher than it is now. No one even approaches him in terms of favorite coach for me. I suppose next on my list would be a toss-up between Maurice Cheeks and Jerry Sloan, but they're a long way off. My favorites among the retirees are probably Alex Hannum, Pat Riley and Red Auerbach, but I think I like JVG even more than those guys. Not necessarily that he's better, I just like him. He's a special coach.

Who's everyone else's favorite coach, current and/or all-time?

rockets-#1 · 07-08-2005, 05:06 AM

I love JVG. He gets it about as perfectly as one can get it (coaching an NBA team). I love his style, philosophy, sense of humor, etc. the guy is just great. Astros always have marginal guys. Capers is alright, but if the Texans don't get 8 or 9 this year, he's gonna definitely fall out of favor with many.

I liked Rudy when he was coaching our veteran teams.

I hate Phil Jackson.
I hate Jerry Sloan.

pasox2 · 07-08-2005, 11:08 AM

I respect Phil Jackson and Jerry Sloan and Larry Brown and Greg Popovitch. You know what you get - systems and execution. I like Nate McMillan and Mike D'Antoni and Doc Rivers, 'cause they allow fun ball.

steddinotayto · 07-08-2005, 11:22 AM

JVG: Because he's our coach and he's slowly winning over some of the members here that wanted to burn him at the stake when he came here. And, he works tirelessly trying to make our team better.

Rick Carlisle: My favorite coach besides JVG. He gets the most out of his team every year.

Popovich: Great at personnel movements and i love it whenever he yells at frenchie.

Davidoff · 07-08-2005, 11:40 AM

Doc Rivers.. only cause he seems like a relly nice guy..

Drexlerfan22 · 07-08-2005, 01:48 PM

Forgot about Carlisle, I like him a lot too. And of course I liked Rudy.

david_rocket · 07-09-2005, 11:18 PM

I like:
1. Rudy T
2. Pat Riley
3. JVG
4. Lenny Wilkens (in his best days)
5. Larry Bird

I Hate:

1. Phil Jackson

Drexlerfan22 · 07-09-2005, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david_rocket

5. Larry Bird

Yes! Larry Bird! Forgot about him too. I really liked his coaching demeanor.

gucci888 · 07-10-2005, 01:06 AM

Favorite Coaches:
1. Rudy T- "Never underestimate the heart of a champion."
2. JVG- One of the, if not the most dedicated coaches in the game.
3. Phil Jackson- Not sure why, but 9 Rings has to mean something.

Hates Coaches:
1. Greg Popovich- Can't stand anything to do w/ Spurs.
2. Avery Johnson- The little general really pissed me off in the playoffs.
3. Mike D'Antoni (sp?)- Don't like his face.

The Ming Dynasty · 07-10-2005, 07:18 PM

Pitino should be on the list somewhere if you include NCAA.

foodworld · 07-10-2005, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Pitino should be on the list somewhere if you include NCAA.

If someone reaches through your screen and strangles you, it's probably me

Drexlerfan22 · 07-10-2005, 08:02 PM

Pitino is a good college coach, but he was miserable un the Celtics because he completely failed to adapt his system to his personnel. Anyone who plays a full court press with Paul Pierce is a wee bit too attached to a set system.

Easy · 07-10-2005, 10:47 PM

Favorite coaches:
1. Rudy T (He'll always be my favorite coach.)
2. Hubie Brown
3. Mo Cheeks (Not sure he's a good coach, but he's such a class act.)

Most hated coaches:
1. Phil Jackson
2. Pat Riley
3. Larry Brown

A-Train · 07-11-2005, 08:19 AM

Coach Carter!

rocketstrike · 07-11-2005, 09:50 AM

Rudy T

GoatBoy · 07-11-2005, 10:07 AM

Phil Jackson is the best coach in the NBA.

For me to poop on.

Relativist · 07-11-2005, 11:13 AM

Not to derail the topic, but I am SO glad we never got Larry Brown. I don't understand how this guy can get caught up in so much drama, seemingly year after year after year after year.

Drexlerfan22 · 07-11-2005, 02:04 PM

Here here, Relativist.

I was extra-unimpressed with his deflecting all the blame in the Olympics, too.