Blurb on the front page of ESPN.com says the Bucks have fired George Karl, with more details to come.
Think he's still out there. His name popped into my head as a logical candidate to replace him, though we'll know more later.
Heres the blurb from ESPN. http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0720/1583202.html Sunday, July 20 Coach out after five seasons in Milwaukee -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ESPN.com news services The Milwaukee Bucks have fired coach George Karl, ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher reports. Karl, who was 205-173 in Milwaukee with four playoff appearances in five seasons, had one year and $7 million remaining on his contract. Karl had said in May that he was not troubled by his "lame duck" status entering the 2003-04 season. "I personally don't think that's going to be a problem with the crew that we have," Karl said at the time. "Not at all. If I was 10 years younger, I probably would have some discomfort. I've been treated incredibly nice and kind by (Bucks owner) Sen. (Herb) Kohl and I'm sure we'll sit down and talk this summer." When Karl signed his two-year, $14 million extension in 2001 -- the richest contract in pro sports for a coach who doesn't also serve as general manager -- he said he hoped it would raise the pay scale for coaches. Instead, it made him a lightning rod for criticism, especially after the Bucks slipped a few notches after reaching the Eastern Conference finals in 2000-01. "I would pay $1 million not to have that title right now," Karl said two months ago. "For me, the extension was something flattering and my purpose was to try to help coaching salaries escalate and I don't know if I did that or hurt that. But the image and the target, there's no question, it's a little painful." Milwaukee was eliminated by eventual Eastern Conference champion New Jersey in six games in the opening round of the 2003 playoffs after missing them altogether the year before. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Third that. Really... Why?!? Okay..I'll stop. I guess it was time..it doesn't really matter anyways. The Bucks are hopeless!
It looks like they're a bit late if they wanted a proven coach. If I were them I would go with John Lucas. He knows how to coach pg's and they've got a great one in TJ. It looks like the perfect place for Lucas.
What are they thinking? I thought they should fire Karl, but I thought they should do that instead of trading away all their talent. This is a team that was a contender not long ago and that crashed in midseason. It was obviously an issue of chemistry. They had to either get new players or a new coach. So, they get new players and a new coach? They gave away all their talent; they have nothing now. That makes no sense. If they had fired Karl first, Allen, Robinson, Cassell and Thomas might have been competitive again with a different coach. I'm a Milwaukee fan no longer; they are too stupid. If they were going to fire Karl, they should have kept Allen, at least. Fools!
I agree. IMO I thought Karl should have been fired YEARS ago. They players just stopped listening to him. Their trades were horrible. From the beginning I thought the Ray Allen for Payton/Mason trade was bad for them. I KNEW Payton was going to leave which ment it was Allen for Mason. Bad trade. The ONLY good thing out of that is that it cut salary but couldn't they have parlayed Allen into a decent PF? That is something the team actually NEEDS! And then they trade Cassell for a PF but get Joe Smith. Just horrible moves here. What do they have to show for Cassell, Allen and Robinson? Joe Smith, Desmond Mason, Kukoc and a draft pick? blah! Hard to believe this team was in the Eastern Conference Finals a few years ago. This team has a long way to go. They have shooters and slashers but ZERO inside game and a rookie PG. Don't expect them in the playoffs this year. And Karl has done a horrible job coaching the team the last 2 years in addition to doing a horrible just with Team USA.
Oh! Oh! I figured it out. Since the Clippers have suddenly changed their ways, the Bucks are bucking to be the new Clippers! Ship away all veteran talent. Check. Get rid of expensive brilliant coach. Check. Go with rookies and cheap vets. Check. Hire pathetic coach for minimum price. Soon-to-be check.
