Obviously, the team has been decimated by injuries and the excuses (like em or not) are indeed legit...no team can survive significant injuries to their top two players. However, we are now 100% for all intents and purposes (Sura is done and would not be the savior anyway). Can we use the second half of this season to judge the team's performance, and specifically that of JVG? I feel that, given the fact that this team was basically healthy for most of last season, and that the core elements of the team knows the system fairly well, the second half should be judged without any qualifications. If we suck, we suck...no excuses about we didn't have time to gel, we were still missing pieces, etc. If this team can't make a run at the playoffs and doesn't play well above .500 ball, and continues to look lost on offense despite having two of the more gross mismatches in the entire league...then VG has to go. So do you think Les has already decided to give VG a free pass for this season and bring him back for at least one more run at it despite what may happen during the remainder of this season? Or will he drop VG if the slide continues?
no i dont think he has already got a free pass for the season. i would think every day you have to take an assesment and see where your at. there will be some changes this offseason no matter what. and im hoping they will be positive ones. hopefully there will be no substantial injuries next year and it will be a great year.
Not if we keep playing like last night. That effort and execution was pitiful. We've got Yao and Tracy back. I'll give them a few more games to adjust (3, maybe 4 games tops). After that, if JVG can't put a better product out on the court then he's got to be on the hot seat.
Have you asked Les? I think Van Gundy's job should depend on how we do the rest of this season. If the team plays well, and keeps losing, then he comes back for another shot. If the team doesn't play well, and keeps losing, then bring in someone new. In my opinion.
Les seems to be very patient with losing. It took him forever to fire Rudy. The excuses never change, but eventually all coaches do. I would have never hired JVG and want him fired yesterday, but I'm not Les.
Nope. Mr. Van Gundy should be sent packing the day after the season ends. That won't happen, in part because of the "free pass" syndrome, and in part because Le$ doesn't want to admit he made a mistake last season when he extended the head coach's contract by one season. That means Mr. Van Gundy has exactly one shot. He isn't going to be allowed to go into a lame duck year. If the Rockets are not in the finals in 2006-07, the head coach must go.
It depends on the rest of the season and if there is a better coach available this summer. I think JVG will be back next season though.
Hmm. He's in his 3rd year as head coach. Ordinarily, you generally like for a coach to get at least 3 years to implement his vision. Additionally, he has pretty much remodeled the team in his own image. There are players he want and doesn't have - some fairly attainable role players - but just about everyone on the team is here b ecause he wanted them. So this would be his last year, ordinarily. On the other hand, this season has been terribly unlucky, and we seemed to be on the right track as recently as last year. My guess is: JVG returns next year, but might be fired mid-season next year if the results don't start coming.
Don't forget that if JVG had held T-Mac out of practice with his sore knee at the beginning of the year, he never would have taken that spill and injured his back in the first place. I still think T-Mac should have been playing in games only during the first week or two while his knee recovered. Having him practice while injured is what led to the back injury that really has screwed up his season.
Anyone ever consider that JVG might be a big factor in the injuries? Maybe he works his guys too hard? DD
I've mentioned it more than once, in one context or another, and got slammed for it... maybe deserved to be. I just think he's worked Tracy too hard, considering his health, coming back from injuries, and too many minutes when he's not injured, at least until recently. Sure, our roster is a nightmare of good players sitting on the bench in suits, so a case could be made for the minutes. In my opinion, it's fools gold. Work him too much, and he's down for an extended period. Tracy is better going for 38 minutes, and being around for the next game. Who knows what the practices are like? Anyone? I would suspect that they are very tough, as they should be, but are they as tough for the superstars with health issues? Beats me.
Yes. JVG is a good coach IMO. I think whether we make the playoffs or not this season couold be a blessing in disguise. KD
No Jeff Van Gundy will not get a free pass. He has earned his right to stay for the duration of his contract. The man can flat-out coach. It's a testament to his coaching ability that he can coach a team with six serious injuries to his best players and yet remain close in all of these games. We rarely get blown out like we should.
Has anyone ever said that about Pat Riley? Pat is notorious for arduous practices that never seem to end. Yet he has won championships. The point is, you guys see a little opposition, a bump in the road, and you all want to sandbag blame on someone. Yao hasn't been injured since he's been in the league. Sura has a history of injuries as does Derek Anderson. Are those two injuries Jeff's fault too? What about Stromile Swift? Did he get pink eye (conjunctivitis) from Jeff Van Gundy's long practices? What about Jon Barry's calf? Jon said he was cool to play, and I'm positive Keith Jones cleared him to play as well. He's been coaching the same way for years to my knowledge and hasn't had that bad of an injury epidemic as this year. This year is an aberration, nothing more, nothing less.
JVG will get a pass for this season. i don't agree that he should be held as a suspect for causing all of these injuries. he makes the players work hard, but if it was TOO hard and causing injuries then why didn't we have these injuries in the past 2 seasons? tmac had his injuries before being coached by JVG. yao got his toe stepped on during a game, DA has a history of injuries, stro got poked in the eye... not one was JVG's fault.
I'm still a big JVG supporter, but this month is big for his job security...if we don't get back in the playoff race by the end of the month, he's going to take a lot of the blame.
I never supported Van Gundy hiring, but have grown to respect him. That does not matter-I want my team to win. He should get a free pass -not his fault on the injuries. He is a mediocre offensive coach. Per Jackhammer "No Jeff Van Gundy will not get a free pass. He has earned his right to stay for the duration of his contract. The man can flat-out coach. It's a testament to his coaching ability that he can coach a team with six serious injuries to his best players and yet remain close in all of these games. We rarely get blown out like we should." Anybody can be fired anytime. I think he could be fired anytime the way big business sports works. I agree with Haven that if he cannot get it turned around by mid season next - he should be fired..... buy out the contract and hire Mario Elie.....
