I saw this on NBA.com. Good to hear that Rudy is doing good health wise and collecting a pHAT paycheck from the Fakers for not doing much. Hopefully he can come back in a few years when he is 100% healthy and refreshed. Rudy T
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp...y?coll=la-headlines-sports&ctrack=1&cset=true LAKER REPORT Tomjanovich Glad He Stepped Down By Mike Bresnahan Times Staff Writer November 3, 2005 DENVER — A year ago, it was Rudy Tomjanovich's team, his town to take over, his position near the top of the Laker flow chart hammered home daily as fans stopped the coach during his Manhattan Beach power walks, or at movie theaters, or at restaurants, encouraging him to keep the Lakers in championship contention. The now-familiar ending — Tomjanovich resigned in February, walking away from a five-year, $30-million contract because of physical and mental fatigue — opened the door for Phil Jackson's return, with Tomjanovich moving to the back of the room. Tomjanovich now attends NBA games as a Laker scout, analyzing players who could be traded during the season or could become free agents in July. Tomjanovich is under contract for two seasons with the Lakers as part of the $9-million settlement the team gave him. "I was used to being on the front line but, just like the military, the generals don't stay up there all the time," Tomjanovich said. "I had my service up there. Now I think I can do some positive things by not being up there, by being a step or two back. "I'm very happy. I feel blessed and really love what I'm doing. The people with the Lakers have been so good to me. I want to go out and help them every way I can. This is the way to do it." The Lakers were 24-19 under Tomjanovich and 10-29 after he resigned, a difficult schedule and injuries destroying their above-.500 start. Tomjanovich, 56, said he sometimes gets "that crazy urge" to coach again, but then remembers what happened last season, acknowledging he tried to return to coaching too quickly after being diagnosed with bladder cancer in March 2003. "What good is it if I get sick?" Tomjanovich said. "I probably came back too soon. I was just so tremendously honored with the Lakers coming my way, and I sort of had a plan that I was at least going to wait another year. But if you wait another year, the Lakers would get somebody else. Physically, it was probably too soon for my body." Tomjanovich recently had a biopsy that showed no recurrence of cancer. He still keeps an eye on the Lakers. "The team is in great hands, with one of the greatest coaches of all time," he said. "I just think it's a great challenge. The signs that I've seen have been very, very positive. "What I saw, I'd say they have a good chance [of making the playoffs]."
This is the part that bothers me. Rudy is out in LA helping the lakers because of the way Les treated Rudy at the end. Rudy should be scouting for the rockets not the lakers. I hate Les for the way he treated Rudy. But I love my Rockets more.
I don't care what Rudy T is doing and who he's doing it for as long as he's healthy and happy. That guy did so much for the Rockets and the city of Houston over his 30+ years here that I can never hold anything he does as far as what jobs he takes against him. Even if that means working for the hated Lakers. Besides, at least it's not the Jazz he's scouting for, now that would suck. I just hope he does well and at some point returns to the Rockets in some capacity. It'd be great to bring him back home, but even if it doesn't happen, how can we do anything but wish him well? I just hope he continues to stay healthy and is able to continue working in the NBA, even if it's not for the Rockets. Love ya Rudy! Brian
So you did not follow RudyT closely. He was a scout for the Rockets after he stepped down from the coaching position. Les was still paying him big money (2 years left in his contract) when RudyT saw the opportunity of coaching LA Kobe's. At that point, Les did RudyT a favour by releasing him from the contract without asking for a compensation so that RudyT could became a LAL coach. Now after resigned (obviously forced) from LAL's coaching position, LAL was forced to have RudyT as a scout because their contract was not finished yet, just like when RudyT resigned from the Rockets coaching job. In one sentence, Les successfully unloaded RudyT's bad contract on the Lakers. RudyT saved Les some millions of dollars.
Rudy is still my enemy as long as he's with the Lakers evil empire. You know what, last night I heard on the LA radio some crazy dude blame Rudy for Kobe's inability to perform last year.
He's about on par with the Lakers scouting...Andrew Bynum, Kwame Brown, Smush Parker... Seriously, it seems to me he's put the Rockets in rear view mirror and not looking back. I read somewhere he sold his home in Houston. Good luck to him.
Was he really forced out of LA? I remember the situation with us, but never heard any similar speculation with the Lakers.
Now that's an excellent idea. The ratings would go sky high and season ticket sales would probably go down. They'd never do it.
