The season of the interim coach
In his book “Falling From Grace,’’ noted basketball writer Terry Pluto had a chapter on interim coaches entitled “The Worst Job in the NBA.’’
Actually, I can think of three jobs that are worse:
1. The guy who had to clean up after Denver’s Rodney White vomited on the court at Madison Square Garden in 2003.
2. The lawyer representing Elgin Baylor who has to convince a court in Baylor’s lawsuit that the Clippers were unfair to the ousted general manager by only giving him 22 years to turn around the team.
3. Anybody who had to draw a charge from Oliver Miller.
Still, I can see where Pluto comes from. An interim coach is usually a guy assigned the task of bailing water from a sinking ship while management is out looking for a new captain. Whenever the new man is found, the interim coach is usually told to walk the blank.
“They’ve got to take bullets and the stress of the job knowing, as you’re working your tail off, they’re out there searching for your replacement,’’ Denver coach George Karl said of a typical interim coach. “That doesn’t make anybody feel good.’’
There are several guys on benches now without bullet-proof vests. After all, this could be dubbed the Season of the Interim Coach.
A staggering eight teams have fired coaches since the season started, with six having the interim tag. The only two who don’t have it are Minnesota’s Kevin McHale and Memphis’ Lionel Hollins, perhaps because they’ve worn it before and weren’t about to do so again.
McHale was Minnesota’s interim coach in 2004-05 and Hollins had interim stints with the Grizzlies in 1999-2000 and 2004-05. No doubt he wasn’t about to be an interim man for the third time with the same team, which might have set some kind of record.
Hollins once called the job being “like a substitute teacher.’’ Washington’s Ed Tapscott, who is 15-44 since replacing Eddie Jordan after a 1-10 start, sees where Hollins is coming from, but at least said his Wizards haven’t been throwing spitballs in class.
“I understand the terminology,’’ Tapscott said. “I would say that’s not far from true, but I didn’t have any sense here that guys are saying, ‘He’s not going to be around. I’m not going to listen to him.’’’
Tapscott’s team has been devastated by injuries and long ago made reservations for the lottery in Secaucus, NJ. But at least he’s not having the worst go of these interim guys.
Kenny Natt of Sacramento is 9-36 since replacing 6-18 Reggie Theus. If one were to measure the impact the change has had, perhaps he should be known as Kenny Gnat.
While he might not have the worst record of the interim bosses, it’s hard to find one who has been more ineffective than Jay Triano, 16-36 since replacing Sam Mitchell, who was 8-9 when fired. After making the playoffs for two straight seasons, one in which included Mitchell being named NBA Coach of the Year in 2006-07, the Raptors have become extinct.
If the NBA were hand out a trophy for Interim Coach of the Year, it would go to Tony DiLeo. He’s an impressive 25-19 since taking over for Maurice Cheeks, fired at 9-14. DiLeo earlier this week outcoached the Lakers’ Phil Jackson, having Andre Iguodala shoot a three-pointer for victory at the buzzer while Jackson failed to have his team exercise a foul to give.
If you want to know how surprising DiLeo’s showing has been, consider 76ers guard Andre Miller didn’t even know DiLeo, who had been Philedelphia’s assistant general manager, ever had coached before. Then again, who did know he had, with DiLeo’s previous experience coming in the 1980s when he coached in a country then known as West Germany?
Of the six interim bosses, DiLeo and Oklahoma City’s Scott Brooks have the best chance of being retained full time. Put Tapscott, Triano and Natt as guys who soon might want to head to Kinko’s to choose the font for their resumes.
Place Phoenix’s Alvin Gentry in the maybe column for job retention. He’s 9-8 since taking over Terry Porter, fired at 28-23. But Gentry hasn’t been given a fair chance due to Amare Stoudemire being lost for the season due an eye injury shortly after his arrival.
Oklahoma City’s recent fine play has moved Brooks from being a maybe to looking good. Brooks took over from PJ Carlesimo after he was fired following a 1-12 start, and the Thunder eventually fell to 3-29, putting them in great position to challenge Philadelphia’s 9-73 futility mark of 1972-73.
But Oklahoma City has gone 16-21 since then, making Brooks 18-38.
“I never looked at it as being tough,’’ Brooks said of overcoming an interim title. “I understand the makeup of that tag. But I looked at it as a great opportunity.’’
Yes, some interim coaches have survived to thrive.
The Lakers’ Paul Westhead remains the only one to win a title. Westhead, a Shakespearean scholar who was in his first season as an NBA assistant, took over a month into the 1979-80 season when Jack McKinney suffered a serious head injury in bicycle accident.
But it must be said the Lakers, who were 10-4 at the time and had a rookie named Magic Johnson, hadn’t just fired a coach because the team was underachieving. For that category, we move on to the jobs done by Rudy Tomjanovich, Nate McMillan and Jim O’Brien.
Tomjanovich took over as Houston’s interim coach in 1991-92, and hoisted championship trophies in 1994 and 1995. McMillan was named Seattle’s interim man in 2000-01 and won the Northwest Division in 2004-05. O’Brien took over in Boston in 2000-01 and went to the East final the next season.
Then, in the Interim Coach Hall of Fame, there’s New Jersey’s Lawrence Frank. He replaced the fired Byron Scott midway through the 2003-04 season and immediately won his first 13 games.
“He ended up doing a real good job and got a contract,’’ said Nets president Rod Thorn. “You don’t see it very often (from an interim coach), but it happens.’’
Thorn knows a bit about life as an interim coach. He went 15-15 finishing out the 1981-82 season for Chicago before he was able to safely return to being solely the Bulls’ general manager.
“I think in most situations it’s a tough job because normally you’re coming in and your chances of becoming (the permanent) head coach probably aren’t real good and the team you’re taking over is probably not that good,’’ Thorn said. “You just got to hope that things go well, and you get the chance to it longer term.’’
If not, it could even lead to a long time away from the NBA. After Mike Evans went 18-38 as Denver’s interim coach in 2001-02, he couldn’t find NBA work for two years before resurfacing as a Toronto scout in 2004-05.
After Hollins’ 1999-2000 interim stint with the Grizzlies, he was out of the NBA for two years until being brought back as a Grizzlies assistant in 2002-03. Hollins, saying it was hard to get even an NBA assistant’s job because head men were wary about him wanting to quickly again be a head coach, served during his exile as a minor-league coach and even assisted the Harlem Globetrotters.
But look at the bright side. Hollins lost a lot less games with the Globetrotters than he did as an interim coach.
d Said,
March 21, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
Tony DiLeo I’m sure will be kept around but i wonder…is it more the coaching change, or the fact that Elton Brand got injured… If i remember correctly Philly didn’t start their run until Brand went down.
Certainly agree Brooks should be kept on indefinitely.
Good article. I enjoyed it.
Chris Said,
March 21, 2009 @ 4:37 pm
I love it!. Somebody had to say it. Elgin Baylor tries to say his dismissal is racism. He held his job for 22 years. People are shocked and amazed that Sloan is now in his 22nd year. In 22 years, 19 times the Clippers went out and lost more games then they won. Baylor will try to argue that getting your team into the playoffs once every 7.5 had absolutely nothing to do with it. How can one of the worst GM’s in the leagues history even try to argue about it when he gets fired?
Ryan Said,
March 21, 2009 @ 10:04 pm
Some of those coaches never should’ve been fired. Theus was a good coach on the worst team in the L, Mo Cheeks is a great coach that Philly bought from Portland, Sam Mitchell was a COY! These guys did not get a fair shot this season, perhaps expectations were higher than they should’ve been for their respective clubs but it probably was not entirely the coach’s fault for all the losses. NBA teams are entirely too quick to hook the coach at the beginning of the season. In Theus’s case, its not as if everyone was surprised they are the league’s worst.
Bobby Hubbard Said,
March 22, 2009 @ 12:56 am
This writer has some wit. I wonder why they don’t give him some more articles, oh wait, is it because Eddie Johnson gets to say whatever moronic statement of an obvious nature he feels while real journalist have to wait for their turn? As to Baylor, I’m a die hard clipper fan from manhattan beach california and he and donald sterling have both been so neglegant in their running of the team they should have a class action lawsuit brought against the two of em’ for squandering a huge market of people who just don’t like the lakers but live in LA.
Bobby Hubbard Said,
March 22, 2009 @ 1:02 am
This writer has some wit. I wonder why they don’t give him some more articles, oh wait, is it because Eddie Johnson gets to say whatever moronic statement of an obvious nature he feels while real journalist have to wait for their turn? As to Baylor, I’m a die hard clipper fan from manhattan beach california and he and donald sterling have both been so neglegant in their running of the team they should have a class action lawsuit brought against the two of em’ for squandering a huge market of people who just don’t like the lakers but live in LA.
BY THE WAY, WHERE IS MARCUS HATTEN???????????????BY THE WAY, WHERE IS MARCUS HATTEN???????????????BY THE WAY, WHERE IS MARCUS HATTEN???????????????BY THE WAY, WHERE IS MARCUS HATTEN???????????????BY THE WAY, WHERE IS MARCUS HATTEN???????????????BY THE WAY, WHERE IS MARCUS HATTEN???????????????BY THE WAY, WHERE IS MARCUS HATTEN???????????????BY THE WAY, WHERE IS MARCUS HATTEN???????????????BY THE WAY, WHERE IS MARCUS HATTEN???????????????BY THE WAY, WHERE IS MARCUS HATTEN???????????????BY THE WAY, WHERE IS MARCUS HATTEN???????????????BY THE WAY, WHERE IS MARCUS HATTEN???????????????BY THE WAY, WHERE IS MARCUS HATTEN???????????????BY THE WAY, WHERE IS MARCUS HATTEN???????????????BY THE WAY, WHERE IS MARCUS HATTEN???????????????BY THE WAY, WHERE IS MARCUS HATTEN???????????????
alciaduh Said,
March 22, 2009 @ 1:42 pm
Nice article. I agree with Bobby Hubbard that most of the coaches were not given a fair shot. Coaches are scapegoated in every sport, but its the NBA it’s ridiculous.
Fans and even some media are calling for coaches heads after every bad game. People don’t want to blame the players, when it’s the players who go out there and play. I truly believe the difference between a “great coach” like Phil Jackson and “terrible coach” like PJ Carlesimo has about 60% to do with player personnel, 30% luck, and only 10% actual coaching ability.
There are some rare situations were a coach just doesn’t fit and it causes a team to flounder, but this usually has more to do with personality clashes then coaching ability.
When a team is not playing well, 9 out of 10 times its the players fault. Fans need to realize that and start holding players to the same level of acountibility as they hold coaches to.
EJC Said,
March 23, 2009 @ 1:48 am
I am happy to see some recognition out there…especially the part about Lionel Hollins, that guy knew what he was doing when he first took over the grizzlies midway through 1999-2000. He had a talented line up of Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Mike Bibby and Michael Dickerson. he was able to bring out the best of them and the game became more fun to watch, more run and gun and the games were much more exciting and competitive rather than boring half court offense and knowing they lost already by the end of the first quarter of first half. i just never understood why they never named him the headcoach when the team already showed promises under Hollins.
Slim Said,
March 23, 2009 @ 9:56 am
I have followed the Clippers for 22 years, and it was a very rare ocassion that the media said anything negative on Elgin Baylor. I never understood the local media. I still don’t.
Botched draft pick after botched draft pick, and this guy is still praised for having an eye for talent. 20 out of the 22 years the Clippers have played below their talent level, and this guy is still talking “potential”. ?
Baylor never brought a winning attitude to this team and he has been the one constant since moving to Los Angeles. Clipper fans think he is great. But the last time he was great is when he wore a Laker uniform. ?
Most ppl who fail in their job (at least in the private sector) get let go. They don’t hang around for another 20 years and get paid nicely.
Worst General Manager is Sports Franchise History: Elgin Baylor
Monday Bolts - 3.23.09 | Daily Thunder.com - Where Thunder Happens Said,
March 23, 2009 @ 10:41 am
[...] Hoops Hype looks at the varied success of this year’s interim coaches: “Oklahoma City’s recent fine play has moved Brooks from being a maybe to looking good. Brooks took over from PJ Carlesimo after he was fired following a 1-12 start, and the Thunder eventually fell to 3-29, putting them in great position to challenge Philadelphia’s 9-73 futility mark of 1972-73. But Oklahoma City has gone 16-21 since then, making Brooks 18-38. ‘I never looked at it as being tough,’ Brooks said of overcoming an interim title. ‘I understand the makeup of that tag. But I looked at it as a great opportunity.’ Yes, some interim coaches have survived to thrive.” [...]
VGR Said,
March 23, 2009 @ 11:02 am
As a Raps fan, it was nice to see Jay Tirano get a shot, but his record certainly does not make him a contender for next year. I shudder when I hear the annoucers say that he has done a great job and the is a player problem.
Yes there is a player problem, but when a team comes out and sucks in the first quarter as often as the rapters.. there is a coaching problem too.
A new coach and staff is in dire need.
eddie Said,
March 24, 2009 @ 6:00 pm
Bobby be nice. I liked this article as well. Bobby thanks for sending me more readers. Appreciate it.
Black from DC Said,
March 25, 2009 @ 7:37 am
True, Tapscott is lucky the Wizards partly care for him and they know the deal. Tapscott seems to be a good coach if he had the talent. Not sure of him staying.
Porky Said,
March 26, 2009 @ 4:13 pm
I have followed the Clippers for over 200 years. Those ships are very good, indeed. Speaking of Elgin Baylor, he defied gravity. Perhaps he weighed so much that he influenced the graviational field like a neutron star, forcing the space-time continum to collapse and thus allowing him to stay a bit longer in the air. I love the smell of napalm in the morning, but I also like the sweet smell of victory as well as a good cup of Joe (Joe Besser, the 5ft 4in comedic actor, best known for being a “stooge” but I actually like his work better in the old Abbott and Costello TV shows where he played “Stinky”.). I digress and I also digest the fact that another beer is needed in the hands of this philosopher.
Max in Missouri Said,
March 26, 2009 @ 6:57 pm
Gentry is undercredited…..he has done a really good job with their roster. Its pretty much Shaq, a rapidly aging Nash, and role-players.
LDP Said,
March 29, 2009 @ 10:54 am
I think, in the NBA, the attitude toward coaches is quite absurd. Scapegoat doesn’t cover it. You would assume that COY must mean the coach is among the better coaches:
2007-08 Byron Scott Fired from his last gig - NJN (2xfinals) after 3 seasons
2006-07 Sam Mitchell Fired less than 2 seasons later
2005-06 Avery Johnson Fired 2 seasons later
2004-05 Mike D’Antoni generally considered to have been “pushed” out by micromanagement by his GM 3 seasons later.
Maybe it isn’t always the coach that’s the problem?
The “funny” thing is - have the Mavericks come close to Avery’s level of success since? Do you think they’ll make it out of the 1st round this year? How about the Suns (both questions)? Nets? Raptors? It doesn’t seem like making the coaching position a revolving door post really leads to success.
Sarah Said,
April 7, 2009 @ 9:50 am
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Sarah
http://grillsblog.com