Nalod wrote:Dolan wanted JVG out, his run to the finals kicked in an automatic two year extension.

All lame duck coach's are toast btw.

yeah, pretty much all Knicks fans at the time knew Jeff was toast without that magic run. Still amazing thinking back, I saw the hawks game recently ...the one where Camby had that MONSTER DUNK.

playa2 wrote:They have to be 100% behind a head coach for the players to buy into what he's selling.

Red Holzman, Pat Riley and Jeff Vandummy were coaches the ownership backed and that's when the team was very successful.
Whenever coach and management don't believe the same thing we suffer as Knicks fans.

Isiah was personal friends with Dolomite, that time really doesn't count!

By looking around the association this is what I see in the league.

When management backs the headcoach players are moved not coaches.

So does the Knicks brass have Mike Woodson's back ?

It's the only way knicks players CONSISTENTLY buy in.

woodson has to get out of the second round, something he has not done ever. his history in the second round is very bad and the second round is the beginning of the real season. getting to the ECF would show his growth as a coach, one who has command over his players and gets them to play the right way instead of reverting to bad habits, especially carmelo anthony. one who can properly strategize game over game, one who will not allow his team to quit so that there are no blowouts.

the knicks were not properly prepared in game 1, and losing home court is just terrible. how can you not prepare for the 3-point line defense and rim defense when this is what the pacers are known for? this does not bode well.

lets hope woodson makes it to the ECF.

addendum edit:

meantime here is a quote from woodson that is symptomatic: “They’ve got to try to take better shots sometimes,” Woodson said of Anthony and Smith. “Sometimes, some of the difficult shots that you’ve been accustomed to making, that you’re not making, you’ve got to figure out a way to get better shots. I think they’re capable of doing that. Only time will tell.”

maybe this is just coach-speak but it reads like weak sauce.

playa2 wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:Grunwald and Woodson are definitely on the same page. I think that is why the roster was filled out with vets and guys with over seas experience.

Does James Dolan have Mike Woodson's back ?

Look what happen when Donnie Walsh was told to do one thing, and former coach Mike Danphoney wanted the players he had.

tell us what actually happened.

Mark Jackson.

CrushAlot wrote:Grunwald and Woodson are definitely on the same page. I think that is why the roster was filled out with vets and guys with over seas experience.

This is true but Dolan has complete say on anyting Knicks and Dolan told them what to do last summer.

playa2 wrote:So if any of the players don't buy into what Woody is selling, will they be shipped off elsewhere ?

Honestly, I would hope not. At the end of the day the vast majority of coaches in the league are replaceable, talented basketball players aren't. If a player is causing a problem it's really up to the coach to get them to buy in. It's what the best coaches in the league do, Phil Jackson, Poppovich, Doc, and what makes them as close to irreplaceable as a coach can get. Off hand, I can't really remember a team dumping a player the coach didn't like and having it work out for them.

Nalod wrote:

playa2 wrote:So if any of the players don't buy into what Woody is selling, will they be shipped off elsewhere ?

isn't that true of most teams/players?

The correct answer would be yes or no , not looking for a fence sitter response. Thank You!

VCoug wrote:

playa2 wrote:So if any of the players don't buy into what Woody is selling, will they be shipped off elsewhere ?

If a player is causing a problem it's really up to the coach to get them to buy in. Off hand, I can't really remember a team dumping a player the coach didn't like and having it work out for them.

Tell that to George Karl and the Nuggicks fans here