"We had a much greater competitive spirit my first year and last year than this year. This year, too often, we’re mediocre about how we go about our defense. In all aspects, we’re just half-hearted at best." -JVG JVG correctly acknowledges that team spirit has plummeted during his regime.
I think the players have lost faith in Coach's system. The second Phoenix whupping, combined with Jason Richardson dropping 39 on us, is proving that JVG's supposedly airtight defensive system has a giant leak. Can you imagine having a coach who screams at you to do something that you know will be futile? And who refuses to change? I can't blame the players for starting to tune out JVG. You commanded me and therefore I knew you. But you failed me and therefore I slew you! If you order other people around, you had better be right.
After hearing that quote you really got to think that JVG would make a good high school or college coach. If he rewards playing time based on being Charley Hustle in the NBA then this team is in trouble. If you have the right talent and chemistry, the hustle should take care of itself. Robert Horry could never play for a guy like this in the regular season, he just is not tough and passionate every game, but he is the ultimate warrior on the Spurs team come playoff time. I think alot of this talk by JVG is aimed at trying to lite a fire under Mr. McGrady.
".................Early on, Westhead wanted to restructure the offense in a way that Johnson believed would have reduced his role. In a widely reported incident, Johnson exploded in the lockerroom after a game in Utah. "I can't play here anymore. I want to leave. I want to be traded," he was quoted as saying. Reporters waited for the signal that Johnson was joking. It didn't come. Westhead was fired the next day and replaced with assistant coach Pat Riley........................." He may not have needed a coach to motivate him but he needed away from one coach to not become demotivated. And remember Bird trying to play at Indiana. Although Bird never has articulated anything against Bob Knight, you can't help but feel that all Knight's screaming and yelling was preschool to Bird who already knew how to play the game. Now, consider a coach who made an adjustment and went away from his preconcieved notions about how to win games in his sport and adjusted on the fly to a great athlete and born leader. He was a good coach before he made this adjustment. Now, he is a great coach. Wanna guess? There are lots of ways to motivate players. You gotta go with what works and go away from what is not working. Calling guys out in the media works..............sometimes. When it doesn't work, do something else.
This is a great post, and why I think JVG is not the right fit for this team, he is one of the most demotivating people I have ever seen. Sure he gets angry and keeps it real? But where is the pat on the back? Rudy would have been MUCH better for this team. DD
