http://espn.go.com/losangeles/chat/_/id/30044 [rquoter] Buzzmaster (2:56 PM) Lakers' coach Phil Jackson will be by just as soon as his team is finished with its shootaround. We're hoping between 12-12:30 p.m. PT/3-3:30 p.m. ET! Buzzmaster (3:19 PM) Coach is here! Paul Lin (Irvine,CA) Describe the impact of Ron Artest on the team? Are you impressed by his defense? Many thought he would be a distraction to the team. Phil Jackson (3:20 PM) I think the record's kind of indicative of the difference he makes on this team. We think Ron's defense is good enough that he doesn't need help. We leave him alone on defense to play his own man. He's done a great job. Umar (Pasadena) Hey coach, you have been known to pass out a lot of books. What is your favorite book that most people wouldn't expect? Phil Jackson (3:21 PM) Owen Meaney. It's been a book that I've passed out a few times. It's about a height-challenged student at a private school. Stephen C. Ramirez (Davenport,Ia) What Does Coach Phil Jackson Want For Christmas Besides Beating Cleveland? Phil Jackson (3:22 PM) Linen handkerchiefs. Edwin (Los Angeles, Ca) hey phil.i know that pau just signed a lengthy extension and that kobe is going to be the next to follow with an extension.any ideas on how long you will be coaching for the lakers? Phil Jackson (3:23 PM) That hasn't been determined yet. We haven't discussed that. we're just going to let the season play out and go with what happens, happens. Jason (L.A) Do you think Andrew Bynum has the skill to be the best center in the league someday? Phil Jackson (3:24 PM) He could be one of the top scoring centers in the league. I think Andrew has that possibility. The area that he's working on are rebounding and defense. But scoring wise, he's really developed into a great scoring center. Donald (Fort Smith AR) Coach, Where did you originaly hear or come up with the Triangle offence? Phil Jackson (3:25 PM) When I was in college, my coach Bill Fitch, pretty famous NBA coach, won a championship with the Celtics, used that offense. It was prevalent. Tex Winter was coaching at Kansas State at the time and influenced a lot of coaches in the Midwest. When I came into the pros, I wasn't familiar with the name, but when I got to the pros, Bill Bradley pointed out that Tex Winter was coaching Houston and that they would probably run the Triangle. I knew about it 40 years ago, but didn't know the intricacies of it until I went to Chicago as an assistant coach and Tex was there. John Gonzalez (Huntington Park) Whats it like working with the 2 greatest players in NBA history(Michael and Kobe) Phil Jackson (3:27 PM) I don't think you can discount that Scottie Pippen is one of the top 50 players in the history of the NBA. So is Shaq O'Neal. To have those players to partner with is remarkable, for any great player to have a player with equal attention, dominance and abilities. I've been a very fortunate coach. Brad (Gadsden,Alabama) Phil, What is your favorite Christmas movie? Phil Jackson (3:27 PM) I like Holiday Inn for the music. And I like the Christmas Story for the plot and the humor. Donald (Fort Smith AR) Hey Coach, huge fan, Do you ever find yourself being supprised or impressed with something one of your players does on the court? You have been coaching for a while and had so much seccess over the years. Phil Jackson (3:28 PM) Yeah, I'm still enthusiasitc about special plays that happen over the course of the game, remarkable things that ball players are capable of doing. It could just be catching a ball, a wry ball or too hard of a pass. A lot of times it's defensive recoveries or reactions that make me impressed. Donald (Fort Smith AR) After all these years coaching at such a high level what are some factors that keep you motivated to continue to pushing foward? Phil Jackson (3:30 PM) Watching players come together from training camp through whatever playoff level we're able to get to that really makes this an interesting game. It's a tremendous unification of mind and body of players' abilities. At times you see players that can overcome adversity or an opponent may be too overwhelming. But all of those things are of interest and keep you motivated. John Smith (NJ) What do you think to yourself when people say the only reason your a good coach is because you had MJ and now you have Kobe? Phil Jackson (3:30 PM) I think they're right. Michael (Chicago,IL) Hi Phil, Do think Kobe has the change to be in the conversation along with Michael Jordan as the greatest player to ever play the game? Phil Jackson (3:30 PM) He does. He has to win a few more championships and he's going to be in that conversation. Paul (San Diego CA) Being around the league for as long as you have, how would you characterize what the league(NBA) has evolved into currently from where it was when you first entered as a rookie player? In the aspect of coaches, players and refs? Phil Jackson (3:33 PM) When I first came in the league, we didn't have a telephone directory for the NBA. There were just a few numbers to call 12 teams. You get them if you called up the yellow pages in the town you were at. Then we had a telephone directory and it was 6 pages long. Recently, they sent went out and it was 100-something pages. That tells you that worldwide there are so many numbers to call and the NBA teams themselves. When I first came into the league, there was a coach, a scout and a trainer. Now there are 6-10 scouts, 4 coaches along with GMs and assistant GMs. It's the pyramid theory of success. It's grown into an extremely big business. Due to the recession, the NBA is cutting back and we have to cut back some of those areas, just because of the way things are. Jay Kharatian (Los Angeles) Do you think the current Lakers team is better than your 1995-96 Chicago Bulls team? Phil Jackson (3:35 PM) Very good teams, obviously. Very pleased with the capabilities of both of those teams. The Chicago team had a lot of speed, but not a lot of size. Great rebounding in Dennis Rodman and really tall, angular wings in Jordan and Harper. There's a different makeup of teams, even though they run the same offenses. It would be a real interesting game to see those two teams, as different as they are but still run the same offense. joe (La) What are some things that the Lakers improve on as the season progresses. Phil Jackson (3:36 PM) We have to improve defensively almost every week, every month, until you reach a peak in playoff time. Our rebounding has to become better. We always start as a slow 3-point shooting team, but that gets better. I'm always harping on offensive rebounding. Many of the teams I've coached have been in the top 3-4 offensive rebouding, but this team hasn't done a good job even with the size that we have. Phil Jackson (3:36 PM) Thanks. I'm glad we were able to do this webchat. Hopefully we can do it again. [/rquoter]
Shows Phil Jackson kinda has a unique perspective toward his profession. He doesnt talk like a taskmaster, like an extreme X's & O's type, though he knows his stuff. Might even be little smug in his approach. But its like he wants a symbiotic balance with life dynamics and basketball performance... Alright that might be looking too much into it. Though I'm sure a chat with someone like coach Mike Brown would come off different. For the Fakers haters, yes he semi-confirms it:
For him to admit this shows how humble he really is. I've always hated Phil Jackson for some weird reason (maybe because he's with the Lakers) but after reading this I completely changed my view about this man. The fact that he's willing to admit that without MJ and Kobe he wouldn't be as successful as he is now, really shows how grateful he is to those two.
never hated phil jackson but yeah, its funny how he responded to that question. i dont know if that makes him humble. he couldve meant it semi-sarcastically. but it was funny either way. still think he is heading where ever lebron is heading and if kobe is smart then he will follow him.
Crap, Bill Fitch and the Triangle. Boggles the mind. Lots of Houston connections in there with Fitch and Tex.
I don't see that as a humble statement. It's more like a smart statement. What is he supposed to say? Give an argument how he could have won without those guys? Phil Jackson is smart enough to just leave it. Phil has he vices. Being dumb isn't one of them.
IMHO he wasn't being humble, he was being politically correct, sarcastic and poking fun at the question all at the same time. PJ has as much to do with those championships as MJ, Pippen, Shaq and Kobe. How many rings did those 4 guys win without him again? 1. On the other hand he's won 4 without MJ and Pippen, 7 without Shaq and 6 without Kobe. Obviously they need him more than he needs them
I think the above posters are reading too literally into the "I think they're right" comment. Phil Jackson will go down as one of the top basketball coaches of all time and Phil Jackson knows it. It's like asking Bill Gates or Warren Buffet something like "How do you respond to critics that say you were just riding a rising wave/just got lucky a few times at first/ succeeded because of your team and not individual achievement etc..." They can respond with any bs comment like "I think they're right" and it won't matter. Your legacy will be intact and people will still think you are one of the greatest ever in your respective field. Sure, maybe he was actually being humbled and believed it... I am just saying.
