JVG should take most of the blame. He's hand picked most of the players on this roster(coaches included). One paragraph in the article below says so. Why blame the players who messed up during crucial moments of the game? Blaming the person who recruited the player who made crucial mistakes makes more sense. http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/32020.htm November 18, 2004 -- KNICKSatROCKETSTonight 9:30 — TNT ESPN (1050) HOUSTON — On the eve of hosting the Knicks, Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy questioned whether Isiah Thomas trusts Lenny Wilkens and ripped Knick management for making fired assistant Dick Helm a scapegoat. It was a classic one-hour session with New York writers, the day after the Rockets' horrendous loss to the Hawks in which they blew a fourth-quarter lead and fell to 4-5. He was his "Van Grumpy" self yesterday, disheveled, sleep-deprived, miserable, beating himself up for the team's recent woes, saying he was as much to blame. But while Van Gundy is amidst his own crisis in his new residence in the heart of Texas, the former Knicks coach also realizes it could be worse. Van Gundy could be coaching for a general manager who won't let him choose his own coaching staff and fires a trusted aide. Helm's firing, coming after the Knicks' worst home-opening loss in their history — by 34 points to Boston — has been viewed as an indication of Thomas' heavy-handedness. Wilkens no longer has an assistant he selected. "As a coach, you should have total control of who's on your staff," Van Gundy said. "If you're going to be judged on your result, if you don't have the ability to pick your coaching staff, then you don't have enough ability to coach. "You can't half-trust your head coach," Van Gundy said. "You have to fully trust your head coach. If your head coach isn't getting the results with his staff, his style, then certainly management has the right to change. But to set somebody up and not give them full control of their staff, is not giving him full control of what he needs to have in order to have a chance to be ultimately successful. "And I'm not [just] speaking about New York," Van Gundy said. "It happens in a number of places. It's critical." Van Gundy believes the 72-year-old Helm's firing was unjust. "He's one of the most wonderful guys you'd ever want to know," Van Gundy said. "A very good basketball coach. It's unfortunate it was him to take the burden of one bad game. "I do feel badly that one man is made to pay the price of a bad loss, especially if it's not the head coach. If you're the head coach and you're in charge, that's one thing, that happens. But if we lose tomorrow, should our video coordinator be gone? Was it the tape that was wrong." Van Gundy was just as angry at himself and indicated if the club continues to lose, he has as little security as anyone. "Who even wants security?" Van Gundy asked. "It's not even that big a deal. You want to win. Security truly has never crossed my mind. One thing I know about our owner is, he's committed to winning. He's not going to watch a whole lot of what he's watching in nine games and be too happy about that." Van Gundy believes the careless play in the last two losses is his fault. "I'm as much a part of the problem and I want to be part of the solution. I'm so sick of losing I can't stand it," Van Gundy said."As a coach, you should have total control of who's on your staff," Van Gundy said. "If you're going to be judged on your result, if you don't have the ability to pick your coaching staff, then you don't have enough ability to coach.
What the heck? Isn't that what he's been doing? There was a whole article about him taking the blame. So he takes the blame, and you people come out and say he's disingenuous. And if he blames the players he's just a jackass. He just can't win. When he loses. I guess that makes sense after all...
So then why doesn't Van Grumpy let Bill Russell or Kareem coach Yao? Why does he think Ewing would be a better coach?
Memo to Jeff Van Gundy from fellow NBA coach Larry Brown: For the low low price of 29.95 you can purchase my manual on the basics of coaching offense at the NBA level. If you choose to purchase this manual(I strongly suggest you do) here is an idea of what your daily itnerary might look like. Weekly schedule of coaching offense at the NBA level 101: Monday: Realizing that one of your best players should have the offense start through him every possession when one is in the game Tuesday: Teaching the art of spacing the court, and throwing the simple entry pass Wednesday: One good low post position is enough(How not to tire out a stamina challenged star big man) Thursday: The art of substitutions(How to create a balance between offense/defense in your lineups) Friday: Who should be setting picks on the perimeter and why Saturday: Minimizing offensive possessions is not always the way to go(How to maximize your offensive potential while still being defensive minded) And finally, Sunday: Free Throws are your friend, use them(teaching your players the art of getting to the line, and not solely relying on the jumpshot) If you, Jeff Van Gundy, follow this schedule for a few weeks you too can have an offense that a) helps your defense not have to do everything and b) is worthy of praise or at least, not contempt, by the team's loyal fanbase. So what are you waiting for, operators are standing by.
