Phil opening up a giant can of quit on the Lakers once things got rough solidified him as vastly overrated in my eyes (as if him opening up a giant can of quit on the Bulls didn't already raise suspicion), and this series just reinforced that notion to me. The Lakers played their least familiar foe, and got absolutely curb stomped. When the talent wasn't clicking, Jackson could do nothing to make adjustments. That was an anti-Rick Adleman performance.
He is only overrated if you consider him the greatest of all time, because their is no way to justify the label. That's like saying Jordan was greater than wilt because he has more rings. It just doesn't compute because their are many factors that are still out of a player and a coach's control.
There were a lot of things that set up right for Micheal Jordan. First of all, when Micheal lost to Orlando it was because he didn't have a full season to prepare, that's the claim, and it seems to be validated by the fact that a year later Chicago sweeps the Magic. But ask yourself, what is lost? For one thing, the year that Orlando beats Chicago they were getting tremendous production from Horace Grant. A year later, Horace was a nonfactor. Top it all off, Chicago was so worried about the Magic that they go out and get Dennis Rodman, one of the greatest defensive players of all time to try to matchup with shaq. Any way you look at it, Micheal and Co. were scared of Shaq and Orlando. Add to the fact that Micheal benefited once again by the fact that Shaq went to LA in the midst of Kobe developing. I fail to see any way possible that even the best Chicago team could have beat Shaq and Kobe in their prime. And this is what started the whole tread of not needing a big man to compete for a championship. But the fact remains that Micheal never had to fact the most dominate big man in the game. The only time that Micheal truly was tested in that regard, a year later they are signing rodman, lol. And the Micheal mystique comtinues.
Isnt that what contenders do to become championship teams??.... dont think they got "Rodman in lieu of matching up with Shaq"... In that case Orlando and the other losers should've gotten someone to matchup with Jordan....impossible!!!!
he is obviously one of the most decorated coaches but i do think he was/is a bit overrated. He was a great manager of talents (both players and his coaching personnel). But I certainly think there are many coaches who actually are better coaches, in the strict sense.
This is one part of your argument that I can't agree with. If being in baseball shape and wasn't prepared means you average 31.5 Points, 4.5 Assists, and 6.5 rebounds in the series with the Magic then I want every player on the Rockets team to not be prepared. That argument doesn't fly in my book. The fact is Horace was a big deal for the Magic and gave them the edge. I don't see any reason that a full season for Jordan would have made the outcome any different. I was going to post the same thing. Bottom line he was a manager of ego's and talents, not a great coach in my opinion. Del Harris had same players but couldn't do anything and Phil got them to play well together. The only knock I have with him is that he only came into a team if the situation was right. He never would touch a rebuilding team and work from the ground up.
Was Tex ever even a serious candidate? I mean Pete Carril was Adelman's offensive guru, but I don't think he ever had head coach aspirations or was thought of as a HC possibility. I just think Jordan would have gotten on board with whomever the new coach was. When great players have to choose between their legacy and sticking it to the coach, I think the former wins out at a certain point.
I used to think he was overrated when he won his six rings with the Bulls. But he has won five more, yea I know he had Shaq and Kobe but thats still a pretty damn good job getting to 11. I dont care who you have on your team 11 ring in 20 years speaks for itself. I know there are a few other coaches who maybe could have done the same thing, but the fact is they didnt Phil did.
I was actually saying that Micheal was fully prepared and played "like mike" when he lost to orlando. That should not be an excuse for losing.
