Here's another article from msnbcsports.com: COMMENTARY By Mike Kahn NBCSports.com contributor Updated: 8:58 p.m. ET Feb. 1, 2005 The longest running soap opera in the NBA has us dying for more once again. With superstar guard Kobe Bryant still sidelined with a sprained ankle for at least a couple more weeks, the fate of the Los Angeles Lakers took another bizarre twist when coach Rudy Tomjanovich told confidantes he was going to resign hours before the Lakers were set to play host to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night. The official statement is he won't be on the bench Tuesday, with assistant Frank Hamblen as interim head coach for the second consecutive game for the 23-19 Lakers. Maybe Tomjanovich will reconsider once he overcomes his stomach woes. It isn't likely. Perhaps a confrontation with Bryant shortly before the ankle sprain began Tomjanovich's downward spiral with the job, maybe not. Clearly, Tomjanovich, 56, takes things so hard and is so intense, the total package of coaching Hollywood's team left him sick and frustrated. Now the Lakers are left rudderless again. Tomjanovich was diagnosed with bladder cancer less than two years ago, and resigned as coach of the Houston Rockets at that time. But he has been cancer-free since October 2003, and everyone inside the situation said Tuesday's stunner is not related to the cancer. Well, not exactly. Beating cancer and leading a normal life is one thing. Becoming coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and coping with Kobe Bryant is quite something else. This is the team owned by the NBA's version of Hugh Hefner — namely Dr. Jerry Buss — who decided the Lakers were better off with Bryant than Shaquille O'Neal and coach Phil Jackson. Gone was the security of Sheriff Shaq patrolling the post and Jackson's nine NBA championship rings as a coach. Instead they had Bryant and Tomjanovich. That's like choosing Urkel and Jim Carrey to cover your back instead of Jim Brown and Dick Butkus. It's easy to understand why Tomjanovich believed he could make the transition. He battled back from near death to All-Star status 28 years ago when he was nearly killed by the punch thrown by Kermit Washington during a game. And he felt so good after he was told the cancer had been eradicated, of course he wanted to come back. His stock line, "Never underestimate the heart of a champion," while coaching the Houston Rockets to consecutive titles in 1994-95 was at play here. But that shouldn't have mattered. He wasn't physically nor mentally prepared for the Lakers. Even before he was sick, Rockets insiders said he had lost his strength and focus as coach and they were desperate to create a graceful exit. His immense popularity notwithstanding, his getting sick was unfortunately the out for both. That was up to Buss, general manager Mitch Kupchak and others in the Lakers organization to recognize when Jackson walked out the door after the Lakers lost to the Pistons in the 2004 finals. No doubt Magic Johnson wasn't going to cast any doubt on anyone battling back from a disease, but others should have. Once Bryant's futile pitch to Mike Krzyzewski was rejected, they should have looked to Mike Fratello or George Karl instead of gambling on the guy who had already established a history of burnout and had just recovered from cancer. Conceptually, neither Pat Riley nor Roy Williams could work either, but Buss tried. Obviously, they liked Tomjanovich. Everybody does. He's a wonderful basketball man, a great person to be around, and as genuine as they come. That's why they missed the boat. They bought Rudy's shtick hook, line and sinker because he actually believed what he was saying. They should have known better. Now they're drowning because Buss is now lost in the image of the team instead of reality. That all began at the turn of the century when the Lakers won three titles in a row. Buss became more enamored of Jackson, the high-profile coach and beau of his daughter, instead of Jerry West, the architect of the organization for the past 25 years. At that point, the long-range future of the Lakers began to dull. O'Neal, Bryant and Jackson were too strong together to buckle until last season. With hard decisions to make, Buss went for the sexier hire and certainly sexy always sells better in Lakerland. It's different now though. These fans know the real deal and today that is a franchise in decline. The Clippers, for crying out loud, will soon pass them in the standings. These Lakers need somebody to roll up his sleeves and dig into this young core, while managing to mollify Bryant as much as possible. This team needs somebody for the long haul, with Lamar Odom, Caron Butler and Chris Mihm gasping for someone with energy and perspective to direct them. Unlike West, it is apparent that Kupchak doesn't battle Buss in major decisions. They can't turn to Magic Johnson, other than as a consultant if only because he has so many other business concerns. But if asked, Johnson won't hesitate to speak his piece. This team still has the most electric name in the league. Bryant remains the most interesting, if not quite the best, player around. But Buss has lost the lock on success that seemed so secure. Now, with the likelihood of making the playoffs more in question than any time over the past dozen years, the Lakers are looking for a new leader. If nothing else, we heard Phil Jackson is looking for a job. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6896130/
Kobe, Odom and Butler have probably driven him back to the bottle. He ain't coming back to Houston. VG has to big a contract and RT screwed this team up for years with bad player moves.
This could possibly be attested to the Lakers play for the first half of this season. The Lakers Front Office may have worked a deal for him to resign so it would appear like a good public relations move. Possibly numerous calls from the owners of the suites and courtside seats overwhelmed the Lakers Front Office and the staff had to make some changes immediately. I honestly think that Rudy T did the absolute best he could with the roster he had. I hope it isn't the bladder cancer recurring, if so, my prayers are with him and his family. In the future, hopefully he can come back to Houston so he can come back to the Rockets in some capacity. Head Coach? GM? Front Office? This remains to be seen...
That totally sux. Hope nothing is seriously wrong with Rudy. RUDY if you read this good luck to you and hope you get well soon and if this has something to do with the Laker organization well then screw them. You'll always be welcome back to the Rockets Nation
I'm atleast glad to not see him in purple and gold anymore. I just hope it's not cancer or something similar again... Love you Rudy
Ok folks I live out in LA and have been listening to Xtra sports and Espn radio all day out here during my commute to and fro from school and this is what they had to say: Ric Bucher was interviewed by ESPN radio and he said that he was being called by people outside of the organization telling him the story and he calls his source within the lakers and they confirmed the story. He said its not because of his cancer that Rudy is stepping down, he said there is some minor health issues but it was more of conflicting of the team. Bucher said that there is no information he knows at the time that it a Kobe/Rudy T feud of any sorts and he talked to Rob Pelinka (Kobe's Agent) about it and Pelinka said Kobe loved Rudy as a person . Bucher said that he broke the story because since so many outside people had the story and it was a matter of time it would have been leaked he may as well do it. Bucher also stated regardless of what John Black (lakers PR guy) is saying Rudy T leaving is not a matter of IF now but a matter of WHEN. The Espn radio jockeys went on to say that they talked to their sources within the laker organization, two people they he highly trusts and have not fed them bad info before. One said that there is a conflict between Rudy and Kobe. He (the source) that Rudy could not stand Kobe and his stubborn/selfishness and that the two would often get into heated arguments after every loss. The other source said that Kobe loves Rudy as a person and he knows nothing about any feuds himself. The Espn jockey then said it could be a Jason Kidd/Bryon Scott scenario where Kidd loves Scott as a person, they'd go golfing and all, but did not like his approach with the team and that ultimately led to his depature as coach. The jockey went on to say given Rudy's past record as a coach and player that he would not give up on this team so easily and that he believes that its the lakers front office (buss and kupchak) who maybe forcing Rudy T out because they dont like the way the team has been playing. There has been much criticism the entire year that the team has been living and dying by the 3 way too much, not enough inside play, the team is soft etc... That is not Rudy's fault at all given the players he has. Rudy has had some bad rosters in the past and still stuck through it. (anyone remember the 01-02 roster where it was like 3-4 rookies starting along with cato and mobley?) After this there was a lot of Kobe speculation and that maybe it was Kobe who told Buss he didnt like Rudy T. All of this was just speculation, but given that Pelinka and the other source said that Kobe loved Rudy as a person and the other source said that they had feuds there may be some truth to this matter but nothing can be confirmed 100%. I switched it over to Xtra sports which will become the official radio station of the lakers in a few days and their jockeys also believed that Rudy T is being forced out rather than wanting to resign himself. Both stations said they wouldnt be surprised to see Rudy T get some sort of gratiuity for coach the team (IE buyout of contract) and that would indicate a firing/force out rather than a true resignation. This is all I can remember off the top of my head, but it seems to me at least that Rudy T is being forced out of the organization most likely by mitch and buss. Kobe may be a factor but if the blame had to be on anyone one person it'd have to be buss since he has the final say in any matter, but as we've seen this past off-season he seems to turn a deaf ear to everyone except kobe hope that helps anyone here
Chron: Rudy T mulls retirement Apparently Kobe and Rudy have clashed: ". . . One source near the team said Tomjanovich and Bryant had a clash several weeks ago. However, it is more likely stress — which can harm cancer patients — and the coaching lifestyle combined to push Tomjanovich toward contemplating retirement. . . . "
I bet his health problems are ulcers and drinking. If it comes out that Kobe punked him, as far as I'm concerned, Kobe will never get my respect again. I knew when the Lakers let West go that it was the beginning of the end for them. This team is set to get lost in the dumper for years until Buss either dies or sells them. Buss' age is getting to him. His decision making process is headed south. He needs to sell out and let a younger owner take them on. On second thought, I hope he keeps them and they wallow in the lottery for the next 20 years.
Shaq with some nice praise for Rudy: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/heat/content/sports/epaper/2005/02/02/a12c_heatnotes_0202.html Heat discusses Rumors about Tomjanovich By Chris Perkins Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Wednesday, February 02, 2005 DALLAS — Reaction to reports that Los Angeles Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich is considering resigning was one of the hot pre-game topics in Dallas on Tuesday. "I don't think it's altogether surprising (for) a guy that's been at it this long," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I think it's a very difficult job. I don't know how people do it for the numbers of years a guy like him has done it for. I think it's sad because I think everybody would pretty much agree Rudy Tomjanovich is one of the truly good guys in the league, and I think everybody would be sorry to see him go. Your Source for the Heat *"Anytime you lose a guy like that from the league I think it hurts us." Cable network ESPN reported Tomjanovich would resign as Lakers coach after Tuesday's game against Portland. The Lakers issued a statement saying Tomjanovich is considering "several options and resigning is one of them." Tomjanovich returned to coaching this season after recovering from bladder cancer. He didn't coach Sunday or attend practice Monday because of a stomach virus. ESPN reported Lakers assistant Frank Hamblen would be interim coach. Tomjanovich won two titles with Houston in 1994 and 1995 with a team led by center Hakeem Olajuwon. Those teams also featured players such as Robert Horry, Sam Cassell, Otis Thorpe, Clyde Drexler and Mario Elie. Heat center Shaquille O'Neal said he and Tomjanovich have been friends since the 1994-95 NBA Finals when Tomjanovich's Houston Rockets defeated O'Neal's Orlando Magic. Of course, O'Neal said part of his fondness for the coach was his ability to use big men. "He was a coach that worked with other big men, one of the greatest big men of my era (Olajuwon), so I always had a tremendous amount of respect for him," O'Neal said. "I respected him when his team was coming down and shooting jumpers and he called a timeout, and I was looking over to see what he was saying. He just said, 'Get the (expletive) ball inside.' I was like, 'I like him. I like that.' "I love that he's a big man's type of coach."
I'm over my beef with JVG. He's turned things around and it's hard to argue with that. I also think Les would never want Rudy back. I deeply believe he engineered his exit before. Furthermore, I thought it was probably time for Rudy to go before he went, but that was another roster and another era and, most importantly.... I miss the Houston Rockets. When Yao Ming is the only history the team has, in his third year (Mo doesn't count -- he's done as a Rocket), after following this team my entire life, I miss my Houston Rockets. I love Yao, but I miss the Rockets. And nobody signifies Houston Rockets basketball like Rudy. Not even Hakeem. And certainly not Yao or Sam or Horry or Clyde or Charles or T-Mac. Not even Calvin. Rudy's a lifer and he's been at the center of every important thing that's ever happened in Rockets history. I know it won't happen. I know he won't be back. But man, I would love it if he was. And I would love to see this team of two relatively young all-stars and a heap of vets play freestyle, which is basically Rudy's coaching plan, inspired by a guy that really makes them want to win. Rudy T. coaching the Rockets again? Won't happen in a million years. But it should.
One thing that I thought maybe caused a little agnst for Rudy is that he probably wanted Lamar Odom to be one of the main focal points in his offense. He's a 6'10 PF with 7'1 arms, and the passing skills of any great player in the NBA, let alone a big man, great athleticism, and great basketball instincts. Thus, on any given night, Lamar Odom probably has the advantage at his matchup... especially if the opposing team's defense is designed only to stop Kobe (which they are). Out of the several times I'd watched the Lakers this year, I'd see Kobe come down and force up 4 or 5 shots... maybe make 1 or 2... maybe get fouled... but there was absolutely no flow to their game. Then, I'd see Lamar get rolling a little... but that's all you saw. They never gave him a chance to dominate a game start to finish... and that wasn't because of his stamina or foul problems either (for all those who somehow come up with the comparison of Odom's problems on the Lakers, and Yao's "problem" on the Rockets). Now, I don't know if Lamar's inconsistencies were more because of his lack of motivation, Rudy's faith/lack of in him, or because only Kobe was running the show... I just know that he should have been instilled as a top notch offensive option on that team from day 1... especially with what he was able to do in Miami last year.
A lot of us wondered what the hell Rudy could possibly be thinking by taking that Lakers job. Looks like he may have realized that.
Tonight on Ch. 13 the anchor (Craig Roberts, I think) talking about Rudy leaving the Rox said, "... publicly it was b/c of health reasons, but Rudy was pushed out ..." It was so obvious. I still can't believe people denied (and still deny) the writing on the wall.
The Rockets are slowly building an identity now with Yao, Tmac, Sura, Padgett, and Barry. Though, I would have liked to have seen Yao, Steve,Cuttino, in their 3rd year together with Rudy T. The 1st championship was built slowly with Dream then Otis Thorpe Vernon Maxwell Kenny Smith Mario Elie Cassell =championship Who knows? Cuttino Steve Yao ???? ???? =championship
