Good article from Jonathan Feigen of the Chronicle... HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: Front page Aug. 20, 2003, 11:50PM Wins, not frills, impress Rockets' Van Gundy By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle The office Jeff Van Gundy chose for himself is hardly a broom closet. And the one he turned down is not the dark-paneled, leather-chaired, opulent palace of corporate CEOs or college football coaches. But in one of his tours of the Rockets' new arena, Van Gundy checked out the offices that lead from the oversized locker room to the steam room, sauna and whirlpools and made a switch. Rather than accept the larger quarters he had been assigned, he took the smaller room down the hall. "I thought it would work better that way," Van Gundy said. "It's not much different. An office is an office. It doesn't really matter, as long as it works well." Image is irrelevant. He got the job. Everything else, he said, is about what works. Now, Van Gundy said, "It's about winning." Van Gundy had long since embraced the reality that office size will no more measure success than the label on a suit or shine on a car. He would rather not describe the changes he has made or even the fingerprints he has left around the Rockets' organization. He is so unpretentious, he seems to consider it pretentious to even admit how unpretentious he is. But that fits, too. He has made the adjustments he has needed to do the job his way. But he is far from Bill Parcells taking over every thought and moment of a new organization's lives. Parcells glares from the cover of Sports Illustrated like George C. Scott in the opening of Patton, but the first image of Van Gundy in Houston is him wearing a yellow construction helmet. He even jokes about the almost cartoonish appearance, a cross between Michael Dukakis in the tank and Bob the Builder. Of course, image and appearance have long and inaccurately been a crutch used to describe Van Gundy. With the faith the Rockets have in him, Van Gundy could wield the omnipotent power in as much of the organization as Parcells has in Dallas -- even without glowering. But just as he has not seen the need to pose, Van Gundy has moved in without feeling the need to knock down walls just to show he can. "I want to have input in every decision that affects winning and losing," Van Gundy said. "I don't want to make any decision that doesn't." In some ways, he would seem the perfect candidate to micromanage. In his study of the Rockets, no detail is too trivial. On the day he was introduced, he said he would watch every moment of every Rockets game last season. That seemed exhaustive. It turned out to be only his starting point. "When you have not been there every day, like I haven't been, you look at things objectively," he said. "You don't have predetermined biases. You watch the games, break down the stats as much as you can to have an idea why guys are so good at home compared to on the road (and) after the All-Star break, compared to before. You break it down in hundreds of ways." This is the first time he has ever been introduced to a new organization as a head coach. (When he took over the Knicks, where he had been an assistant, he was an interim choice). In Houston, he not only follows an icon in Rudy Tomjanovich but is replacing a coach whom he considers "great." But he has not exerted authority with every step to make a point about who is in charge. In some areas, the Rockets have been adjusted to fit the new coach. He brought in his assistants with the Knicks, Tom Thibodeau, Steve Clifford and Andy Greer, who will serve as an advance scout. He added former Knicks star Patrick Ewing. Dean Cooper, Melvin Hunt and Mike Wells were made video coordinators/scouts. Wells will be a liaison between the coaching staff and the video room, and from the staff to the Elias Sports Bureau to keep the staff supplied in the thick statistical reports Van Gundy demands. In others areas, Van Gundy has happily deferred. He was very much in the loop on the analyses of the draft prospects and Rockets' options. But Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson and vice president of basketball operations Dennis Lindsey largely made the evaluations, and ultimately, the choice of Malick Badiane. Dawson has remained the front man with agents. There have been Van Gundy touches. The weight room in Toyota Center was planned for one end of the practice court, duplicating the popular setup at Westside Tennis Club. Van Gundy preferred the area be used entirely for cardiovascular equipment. A weight room will be built down the hall. But more than change the Rockets, Van Gundy has seemed to be preparing himself and his players for what is to come. "The main thing is just getting our staff working with the players so we know them as well as we can basketball-wise and personally before the season," Van Gundy said. "The second thing is to give them clear-cut goals as far as what is expected of them so they are in the shape they need to be in to come into training camp. Thirdly, you start talking about how you're going to play. "It's not about trying to get different. The focus has got to always stay on the players, trying to keep them improving, get them as healthy and as light and as strong and as lean as they need to be to do a good job from the start of the season through. We don't want to have to use training camp for conditioning. "The guys have to be in the type of condition I expect them to be Oct. 2 so they can play as effectively as possible for as long as possible and stay as injury free as possible." Van Gundy and his coaches have met with every Rockets player, mostly in person. He said he hopes as many as possible will be working in Houston by September, and he will give each player information about plays and terminology to study before camp. The Rockets open the preseason against the Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore., on Oct. 7. Van Gundy said any tension about his move and starting over was spent during the June decision-making. Van Gundy has never advanced his career as a vagabond coach. When he moved to Houston last week, it was the first time his possessions had been in boxes in 13 years. His emotions are generally what he might expect any season with training camp less than six weeks away. "Naturally the anxiety grows more and more," Van Gundy said. "I'm cautiously optimistic, realistic, worried. I want to make sure I don't have to utter the dreaded words, `It's going to take time.' We've got to be ready to play, not be distracted, not be excuse-makers, play well right away, win right away. "See, every team in the league, they all utter the same thing, `We have a lot of talent.' It's true. Every team has a lot of talent. What separates talent from winning and losing is how hard they're willing to work, how much they're willing to sacrifice to win, to go above and beyond, to play through little hurts, nicks, sprains, bumps and bruises ... accept scoring less and winning, or do you want to average more and lose. There are so many things. "Players are right. There is a lot of talent on every team. Because of how close the talent between teams is, so much, much more goes into winning than being talented. "The culture and environment you create is paramount to winning." Damn, I'm impressed.
heard JVG this afternoon on 610 and love reading this stuff. man, I just want a totally dedicated, nuts and bolts, driving coach
Say what you want about Cat and Francis, but they have shown in the past their willingness to leave it all on the court and play thru the pain. As long as they are willing to subdue their individual stats for the greater good.. They could truely be the "best guard combo in the league". I like what I hear..JVG will make a difference or else is what it sounds like to me. Now if we can get Yao back uninjured, and the other guys to play like JVG wants them to....this could be a good season for us.
I think Van Gundy needs to have at least one full off season to prepare his guys for what is to happen this year. A little time could be a huge difference in play. AKA I'm just as excited as you are Reason!
im glad about what jvg said. im more convinced about him leading this team to the sweet glory days of 94 and 95. cant wait for the damn season to start!
I just hope Codell saw this article. If you see him tell him for me please that he should read it. Tell him he should pay very close attention to the 2nd half of the article and if necessary read it twice. I am suggesting this because he seem to have had difficulty understanding, from my various explanations, how the culture of Rudy and his approach was more instrumental in our unmet expectations than excuses like youth and reciting how many starting lineups we have used. I do not recall such a no-nonsense, just win baby quote from Rudy, ever! While I realize talk is cheap there is nothing about JVG's quote that is phony or unrealistic. You have to demand more rather than be so accepting as Rudy clearly was.
talk is cheap. can certainly talk the talk, but walk the walk? he better. otherwise i'll start a pvgc vs avgc thread.
I loved JVG's comments, particularly the last ones quoted in the article. I agree Stevie and Cat leave it all out there. I don't believe their teammates have been, for the most part, however (except for the regrettably departed JPo). #s 3 & 5 play thru pain, their teammates take games, and weeks, off. There is underachieving, achieving, and overachieving. I will thrill with just achieving.
I love the no-excuses attitude. I will hold him to his word that he won't say "it's going to take time."
I like how Van Gundy is going to give each player specific goals and more structure. I think for a young team this is the kind of teaching they need. I love Rudy, but I just think he gave players TOO much leeway (like a veteran club) versus a more strict structure that these young players need that we will get under Van Gundy's helm.
I'm not impressed. I like Van Gundy and he was my top choice for a replacement, but this is just talk. Let's see how well he actually does.
First of all, I never once, not once, said that a revolving lineup was part of the problem (in fact, the starting lineup of Posey/EG/Yao/Cat/Steve pretty much started almost every game after we aquired Posey). Second, you again say that youth is not an excuse. I agree. Youth is not an excuse, youth is reality. The reality of having a youthful team (the core) is that they tend to be inconsistent (i.e beating the Lakers then losing to the Cavs). That is reality DR and almost every coach suffers growing pains with his team because of it (Adelman and Nelson are examples). Two of our main guys, Yao and Eggie, were 22 and 21 last year and Francis' talents are not enough to offset that. Third, I take offense when you say Rudy was "accepting". First, knowing what I know about Rudy, I can say without a doubt that he took losing as hard as any coach in the league. Second, I can say that Rudy works as hard as any coach in the league on analyzing tapes and scouting. Third, based on this, I can say that Rudy was far from "accepting" of our various limitations. Did he get the most that was possible out of Yao, Steve and Eddie at that stage in their careers? Maybe, maybe no. Well never agree on that, but you can't just dismiss this question as a given and say that he didn't and then pass that assumption off as fact. Despite whoever the coach is, its very possible that Steve will never "get it" and will never be able to run even the simplest of offenses. Its very possible that Eggie will end up being a bust and never be more than a 10-15 min backup 4. Its very possible that Yao may never be more than a 18-10 guy. The point is, we don't know and to assume we know, is, well, is being presumptious to the highest degree. Despite what you think, there are a ton of players in NBA history, who played for several teams and several coaches and never fulfilled their potential and never led their team to elite status, despite putting up good #s or being drafted high. In addition, it has taken some players longer to mature into leaders of the elite than others. That being said, even with the best coach in the world, I don't see us competing with the Fab 5. You say we can. The rest, will be determined in a matter of months. I look forward to having control over your sig for a long time.
I like JVG. Actually, I like his no-frill, unassuming style described in the first half of the article more than the tough talk quoted in the second half of the article. Any coach can say that stuff. We'll see how he does with this bunch of players. There is no need to hate Rudy in order to love JVG. It's wrong to say that Rudy didn't work as hard as JVG. It's wrong to say that Rudy didn't hate losing as much as JVG. It's wrong to say that Rudy didn't try to make every decision in order to win like JVG does. It's wrong to say that Rudy didn't pay as much attention to the details of the game as JVG. It's wrong to say that unlike JVG Rudy accepted mediocrity from his players. It's just wrong to diss Rudy as a bad coach only because you are excited about JVG. I know not everyone here who like JVG hate Rudy. But there are some who take every opportunity, even long after Rudy is gone, to take shots at him. OK, enough stuff to start another PRC vs ARC match.
Codell I did not say you used revolving door excuse, Rudy did. I never called Rudy lazy. I said he was too accepting and I am sure that is why Les made the change. Rudy is not a cancer. He just was not in a position to get the results based on the culture he had. Another time another place, maybe. Easy you are not referring to what I said, right?
DR, Another time and another place indeed because your stomping on a dead Rocket coaching career grave is no longer interesting to me. Let me know when you decide if JVG is good enough to get us in the Top 4. Otherwise, I will have your new sig for you in a week or so.
Refreshing. Talk is cheap, but at least someone is talking about the right things for once. So it's cheap, but it's not worthless like before.
Jeff van Gundy is hard working, detailed oriented, and honest. Those are 3 very good qualities in a coach. It'll take a year to shake things out. Once he realizes we have no starting power or small forward, he'll orchestrate something. The only thing that could derail our progress will be loyalty. JVG is intensely loyal to his players. That does not always translate to good decision making.
Yeah, I prefer impatient mercenaries with no allegiance to the players who make trades quick and often like Larry Brown. It's always better to keep your players on edge thinking you might trade at any time...that usually translates into good decision making.
