Van Gundy's camp deliberately leaks information to boost his negotiating power. Why else even visit Washington this late in the game? If JVG wants to stay in the East...I mean, really stay there...then he can go to that suckhole Wiz team. He just wants $$$ here. The Wiz can barely afford an expensive coach with MJ gone. I wonder if CD is really so dumb to have talked to the media about JVG, or if the two sides had actually come to a verbal agreement, and JVG just wanted to twist Les' nipples a bit before hitting the bargaining table: "So, clutchcity.net indicates you lost Larry Brown over money. You're not gonna try and go cheap on me?" Also: JVG talking to the Wizards? They've kept it really quiet. No other outlet is reporting this. The Washington papers? Nothing.
Says here its the Wiz: "Jeff Van Gundy, the former coach of the Knicks, met yesterday with executives of the Washington Wizards to discuss their vacant head coaching position, according to two Eastern Conference officials. The Knicks, who hold the contractual rights to Van Gundy until July 31, gave the Wizards permission to speak with Van Gundy yesterday morning."
I think Mike Dunleavy would be a great coach, but I agree with BubbaMac, I don't think Dunleavy wants to be 2nd choice especially since he has the Hawks waiting in the wings. I also think is was bad strategy on CD's part. He should have cut the deal and got the agreement made before he made any announcements or turned Mike Dunleavy down. (Plus CD also announced that Carlisle was not a candidate.) If the Rockets lose Van Gundy, the really will have to look second tier to look for a coach.
I think the key part is that LES is not there and will cause delays in an offer.....Les is gonna screw us again and my gut says no playoffs again....hope im wrong
No, throw it away, burn it, erase it from ur memory! Go to Total recall to get a new memory transplant. Whatever you have to do , do it!
At least you won't have to worry about the price of playoff tickets! <font size= "1">Sorry - I really do feel your pain...</font>
The freakin guy just won't tell me. He just says if Houston matches it, then they got the man. Where would this guy be getting it? When he told me about Pippen possibly coming here, he didn't hold back at all and that is why I was so sure he would be right on this one also. I am freakin out.
Nah, I don't think so. He don't do stuff like that. But he knows about the site and that I am on it. He knows I talked about Pip back then so he knows the minute he tells me anything, I will spill the beans to the Clutch Crew!! I don't think he would say that to me playing around anyways. He is pretty serious about what he hears. He is tight with alot of people so I don't think he would say things to jack me up.
Then Van Gumby's got a good poker face on (reading the other thread) and we better show him the money that we didn't show Larry Brown or we're gonna look reeeeally dumb. I'm not worried though. New arena, more money....just pay the guy, Les.
*sigh* CD just can't win. When he didn't show commitment on Brown, people bash him for losing out on Brown by not pushing hard enough. When he did show comitment on VG, people bash him for being a stupid negotiator. Anyway, if Almu's info is legit, then I think this is very bad news, not just for the Rockets, but for the whole entire NBA. Big money bidding wars for head coaches. It was for Brown. Now it's for VG. Who's next? Carlisle? Nellie? Give me a break! Folks, don't ask why tickets are getting too expensive.
If everybody here realized that CD was making some stupid moves, CD should know it himself.... This guy is not dumb. I just feel there's someone else in CD and Les's mind. Some one big. I don't think they want JVG at the first place.
No, I think they want JVG, and have wanted him from the beginning. Why leak all that info about "Dunleavy's great meeting" and all those so-called meetings with Larry Brown? Dunleavy is very close to many people in the Rockets organization and might have been a sentimental favorite for those people (CD, RT behind the scenes, etc). So he was owed a serious interview. Larry Brown? You have to interview him. Have to. I'm not too concerned because of course Washington will make an offer. They need to make a splash ("we signed JVG! stole him away from the Rockets!") after all their bad pub (MJ, Doug Collins, rebelling players). What would the Wiz offer? "We have Jerry Stackhouse, uh, and the #10 pick in the draft." JVG takes losing personally. Why would he coach the Wizards, a true suckass team with no guarantee of improving its roster?
Maybe Almu's source is talking about New Jersey. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2003/story?id=1563886 Taking into consideration the fact that no coaching announcement will be allowed during the FINALS, this is a very real possibility. If Scott continues to make questionable decisions and loses the player's confidence, N.J. would be able to make this all happen fairly quickly after the finals are over.
Thanks for the info Almu. You have to think that something very fishy that we don't know about is going on for Les and CD to be sitting on this for so long. It absolutely has to be the money. You know Les is upset about the performance of the team, not to mention the low attendence we've been having. You know they've put offers on the table, but it's a lot less than what Van Gundy's expecting. After the Cleveland job got away, you the Rockets brass probably assumed they had VG where they wanted him, so didn't feel the need to press the issue. Now this, however... My guess is the Rockets are still going to get Van Gundy, but it's going to be an ongoing negotiation for a while, while Van Gundy's value settles out again. He's just been acting very strangely.
Uh oh. Holy shiznet. I finally got through to WFAN in New York this evening and spoke with Mike Francesa, who is the host of the highest rated sports show in America. The man is best friends with the likes of Bill Parcells, Jim Nantz, Rick Majerus, Joe Torre...this man is probably the most respected sports figure in America. You can read about him here: http://wfan.com/bios/local_bio_francesamike_html/ I asked him straight up. I said, have you heard anything about Van Gundy and a job in Houston or some other team in the mix? HE REPEATED THE SAME EXACT WORDS MY FRIEND TOLD ME ALMOST TO THE T!!! "There is a team. They are in the mix. They are gonna make a big time offer. " I once again asked WHO? And he would not say either. But this guy is in the know. And if anyone has time, call him tomorrow from 1pm-6pm. I told him alot of Rocket fans are gonna bombard him with questions tomorrow so if you want to hear it from this guy and ask yourself, here is the number: 718-937-6666. I am nervous. Basketball gods don't like Houston no mo.
