Sorry if this has already been posted-ain't been around in a while... Van Gundy still the man to right Rockets' wrongs By Dennis L. Silva Dec. 7, 2005 During my two-and-a-half months as Jeff Van Gundy's “co-worker," I never saw him smile. Not once. As an intern covering the Houston Rockets for the team’s official Web site, I ran into head coach Jeff Van Gundy on multiple occasions -- and never once saw him smile. He would smirk. He would stifle a laugh. He would furrow his eyebrows and think intensively; apparently annoyed at the line of questioning that was thrown his way. But he never smiled. I remember when I was able to get my first interview with Coach Van Gundy. I was both thrilled and nervous. After all, I figured Van Gundy would see me as a rookie in the sports industry and surely feel that my questions deserved nothing less then the most basic answers -- even though I had spent hours upon hours thinking up questions. The appointment (it was much more of an appointment than an interview) was scheduled for 2 in the afternoon and took place a few weeks before training camp began. I waited with the director of media relations for the Rockets, standing outside of Van Gundy’s office until we received the OK to enter his kingdom. Fortunately, he was right on time. I walked in scared out of my shoes, as this was a man I had respected and looked up to ever since he was an assistant coach with the New York Knicks approximately nine years ago. However, this was also the same man who had the gall to tell Michael Jordan that he manipulated opponents by being their friend, coaxing opponents to take it easy while Jordan ripped them apart. Van Gundy was sitting at a long desk about 10 feet from the entrance.Tired bags wore deep impressions beneath his eyes, a sign of the late nights watching game tape or drawing up plays. He sported a white shirt with black, bolded lettering that read "Houston Rockets." A television was situated on the opposite wall, and a box of coaches’ shirts was placed beside his desk. There were two seats, and then a bench along the back wall. I walked up and shook Van Gundy's hand as the director of media relations introduced us and asked the coach to “take it easy on him since he’s new and young.” Van Gundy had a smirk on his face, and then asked me how I liked my job so far. I told him I loved it, and he gave me a disgusted look, then said, “Bull****!” We laughed. Realizing his line of work and the stress that comes with it, I quickly reworded my sentence. “Well, I love it because of the work I do.” Van Gundy nodded with a short laugh, clearly amazed at how anybody could love working in sports. We sat down and recorded the interview. He was not very responsive and actually dismissed many of my questions, instead offering answers that were based on a line of questioning that was taking place in his own head. I asked him what he thought of Rockets offseason acquisitions Derek Anderson and Stromile Swift, and Van Gundy said, "I don't know. We'll see." I asked what type of legacy he would like to leave as Rockets coach. "Legacy? I don't worry about that. I let fans worry about it." I respected him for his honesty, but was hoping he would open up more. I can’t say that I was disappointed with the interview, as I knew not to expect to much. As I continued to work for the organization, I found other slight nuances that seemed to make Van Gundy rather unique, even by NBA coaching standards. He does not allow pictures of players who appear fatigued by placing their hands on their knees to be displayed on the team site. He is also extremely aware of what is said and written about the Rockets, and even expects the beat writers who cover the team to run any less-than-flattering topics by him before they see print. It’s now two-and-a-half weeks into the season, and the Rockets are 5-12. Van Gundy won his 100th game as Houston coach last Tuesday against Atlanta. Apparently blind toward the fact that injuries have hindered the Rockets’ star player and starting point guard, fans and media are asking whether Van Gundy is the right coach for this particular ball club. Whenever an argument is made, I can’t help but trace back to that initial interview I had with him. I remember interviewing him after practices and for him to be unhappy with how the team performed, always wanting perfection -- always wanting more. I remember when Jon Barry had re-signed with the Rockets in early August and how assistant coaches and staff were sitting in a dark video room, pouring over game tape. So it would be hard for me to say that Van Gundy is the reason for the Rockets' disappointing start. This is a man who has no other purpose in life other than to win basketball games. This is a man who has been known to be more satisfied with losses than victories. This is a man for whom I waited to interview three hours on two occasions, waiting for the team to finish practicing. Van Gundy had an all-time record of a 344-240 (.589) entering the season, and has reached the playoffs in eight of his nine years. He is 41-40 in the playoffs. That is why it seems that Van Gundy is someone who could find hell in heaven. He is happiest when he is most miserable. Growing up in a family mired in the art of coaching, he was taught to find faults and errors in the game he loved most. His father was a superb basketball coach who retired from the game after four decades of coaching, while Jeff and brother Stan toiled in the basketball underworld until gaining assistant coaching positions -- Jeff in New York and Stan in Miami. Both then became head coaches in their own right, each taking pride in effort, unselfishness, and character as foundations of their respective styles of play. A graduate of Nazareth College, a Division III program, Van Gundy loathes attention and seeks victory, nothing more or less. He will disrespect himself before disrespecting his team, taking a fatherly approach towards his comments to the media. During my time with the Rockets, many Houston reporters joked that Van Gundy would like nothing more than to play the games before an empty house and relay nothing beyond the the final score to fans. It’s natural for followers of a sports team to castigate the head coach before the players. It's only natural to be hesitant when it comes to holding the athletes accountable, since they are more exposed and attractive to fans than the coaches. But if Rockets loyalists are hoping for another coach who works harder and who demands more, they won’t find anyone who can do the job better than Van Gundy. Not Phil Jackson (who, while intriguing, clearly has other intentions/motives aside from just winning ball games), Larry Brown (see: Phil Jackson), or Gregg Popovich (who pretty much IS the San Antonio Spurs franchise). It should be a comforting thought for Rockets fans knowing that Van Gundy is more concerned with the detail and results of coaching, opposed to its exposure and distinct aura. He is what every NBA coach should desire to be, but what very few actually are. Even if he doesn't smile http://probasketballnews.com/silva_1207.html
Good article. When a boss or a coach is never satisfied and always wants more it can be very demotivational (if that’s a word). People in this situation feel no matter what they do it's not enough. There's never any closure, never a pat on the back for a job well done. It's great that he has high standards and demands the same of his players. The article shows how obsessed with control JVG is. I mean not even allowing photos of players who look tired. What is all that about?
My concern about Van Gundy was never his work ethic. My concern was whether he could be flexible and get out of a Knicks-type offense if his team's talents pointed in another direction. He answered that question last year. And I'd give him at least the rest of this year to answer it again.
its funny, I was thinking that he was flexible last season, but now he's more stubborn than ever to make this team a defensive grind-it-out team. its like last season when they aquired barry, wesley, and james, he and carrol gave up on trying to be a defensive team and said they were going to work with what they had. And its like this year, he's not gonna let that happen.
Yes, It is not how hard he works. It's whether he can bring the best out of these players. So far he has brought stink. The question is if we should have a coach who stubbornly forces players to change their style to fit his system or works with the talent he has. We need a coach as demanding and hard working as Van Gundy but also one that is able to recognize that he has two extraordinary talents and is smart enough find and teach a system that allows them to florish. We need a coach that is willing to adjust and grow as a head coach. Is Van Gundy that coach? I haven't seen signs of growth.
The talent is not there? JVG and CD built this team. Now they get a free pass because we lack talent? When and where are the Rockets going to get talent? They are financially strapped and we don't have any real tradable assets either. Looks like our only real talent pool is, you called it, the lottery. Sooner or later we all have to lay in the bed we made for ourselves.
Congratulations on finding something negative to take away from that article. Incidentally, JVG does pat players on the back for a job well done. He doesn't do it often, but he definitely gives props when they are due. He's demanding and negative most of the time - that's his style. If you ask me, that just makes his praise that much more valuable.
Congratulations on getting on me about being negative and giving JVG a pass for being negative. By the way I consider myself to be a realist not a pessimist - that's just my style.
I don't want a coach who "works harder" or "demands more". That is an illusion. I want a coach who wins - preferably, effortlessly. Have you ever known anyone addicted to their own struggle? Working harder is not working smarter. I could stay up all night writing this note and mailing it to each of you, or I...could use the internet.
Smarter not harder. A man after my own heart. I mean the first time you see a guy dig a hole with a shovel digging it with a stick is out of the question, but some people will just look for a stick. It's kind of like those monks that walk around beating themselves for sins they haven't committed yet. Addicted to the struggle.
Thank you for providing the very well written article and for what is revealed from someone`s inside real life contact with JVG. I openly confess that I have unashamedly become a very strong JVG detractor. Yes, I do respect his background and his experience and who would question his knowledge of the game. However, some of the very things that have been written here about him as strengths, only substantiate what I see as weaknesses, and are the very reasons why I do not think he can "right the ship". His sour dour affect, unhappy demeanor, negative tone and spirit, unapproachabe relational manner, passive agressive "little man" arrogance, and his lifeless, "hell with you" personality are detriments that do not enhance, but undermine the postive flow, energy, and life of this team. I hope he does read this site, but I seriously doubt he has the guts to do so. He is a coward and does not handle problems in an open and head-on manner. Personally, I do not think his obsessive, workaholic, game-film watching ways are translating into team cohesion, player development, and strategic effectiveness. I am wholly unimpressed by that! You are rgiht, he is tired and that is why the Rockets played tired and lost 8 of 9 games. They are having no fun because JVG is having no fun. He is pitifully unbalanced and the reason he can no longer take this team to where it needs to go is because of his strange, austere, stubborn character. He could rise above himself last year, but the demands of recreating team chemistry with all the new talent and personalities is too much for him. I have said it before that the reason you do not hear him making the "just stay with me, I will get you through it" appeals from last year is because he is much less confident within himself to do so. The very things he doesn`t care about are the very things he needs to care about and one of those is us, the fans. JVG has made the wrong assumption that we don`t matter. We matter alot! His perfectionism is his downfall, because he can not demand the change from his players when he can not make the changes he needs to make within himself. Yet, ironically, JVG thinks seems to think of himself or act, at times, as if he were untouchable. I will assure you he is not as untochable as he thinks he is and he is on the verge of finding that out! The good thing for the Rockets is that the players may follow T-Mac, Yao, and each other, and we can believe with hope they will take it on themselves to win, but it will not be because of JVG, it will be in spite of JVG... !! I think a change has to happen and I trust that the Rockets will do so and trust who they will find to replace him!
