http://www.charlotte.com/bobcats/story/133277.html

They say in pro sports, management hires people they are comfortable with.


This is why the NFL is so hesitant on black ownership LOL


CHARLOTTE IN YEAR 4
Vincent is Bobcats'
choice for coach
Dallas assistant gets his 1st shot
RICK BONNELL
rbonnell@charlotteobserver.com

WHO IS SAM VINCENT?

Full name: James Samuel Vincent

Age: 44 (born May 18, 1963)

Birthplace: Lansing, Mich.

College: He played point guard for Michigan State in the mid-1980s, averaging 16.8 points.

NBA: He was a first-round pick (20th overall by Boston) in 1985. He played seven seasons between the Celtics, Sonics, Bulls and Magic. His experience with Orlando means he understands the challenge of expansion. He averaged a career-high 11.2 points, 5.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds for Orlando in 1989-90. Won NBA championship ring as a rookie with the Celtics in 1986.

Coaching: He's an assistant with the Dallas Mavericks. Before that he was head coach of Fort Worth in the NBA's developmental league and coached pro teams in South Africa, Greece and the Netherlands.

Did you know? He coached Nigeria's women's team to its first Olympic victory (against South Korea) at the 2002 Summer Games.

Sam's the man.

Dallas Mavericks assistant Sam Vincent has accepted the Charlotte Bobcats' coaching job. Barring a last-minute breakdown in contract details, he'll be introduced by Friday.

Two NBA sources confirmed that Wednesday, and Bobcats general manager Bernie Bickerstaff did little late in the day to dispute the notion.

"We're making progress," Bickerstaff said of negotiations with Vincent, "and we should have a little more certainty in the morning."

Vincent could not be reached for comment.

Vincent, 44, will succeed Bickerstaff, who coached the Bobcats their first three seasons. Vincent has never been a head coach in the NBA and isn't the lead assistant with the Mavericks.

He does fit what managing partner Michael Jordan envisioned when he spoke in March of finding the "next Avery Johnson" -- a former NBA player who could be a rising star in the coaching profession. Johnson, the Mavericks coach, took over one of the NBA's premier franchises with no head coach experience.

Vincent, a former point guard, played seven NBA seasons, including nearly two as a teammate of Jordan's with the Chicago Bulls. He also played for Bickerstaff with the Seattle Supersonics, and Bickerstaff and Johnson are close from their days together in Denver.

What attracted the Bobcats to Vincent?

"Anyone we talked to said his people skills are very, very good," Bickerstaff said. "That's important, particularly on the pro level."

Bickerstaff believes his team's harmony was its greatest strength in its first three seasons, and he didn't want his successor disrupting that. But that isn't the only thing he liked about Vincent's background.

"They were very, very organized in Dallas as far as all the things they do with computers," Bickerstaff said. "His forte is defense when you watched the way he coached" in other leagues.

Vincent has been an NBA assistant for one season. He came to the Mavericks from the NBA's developmental league, where he coached the Fort Worth franchise to the championship round.

Most of his experience is international. If he has a signature victory, it was probably as coach of the Nigerian national men's team, upsetting world power Serbia & Montenegro 82-75 at the 2006 FIBA World Championships.

Vincent got his start in coaching in South Africa, overseeing a pro team in Cape Town. He's also coached pro teams in Greece and the Netherlands.

He gets the nod over nine other candidates the Bobcats interviewed. At least three were established former NBA head coaches: Paul Silas, Mike Fratello and Stan Van Gundy.

Others considered were Mario Elie, Herb Williams, Lionel Hollins, Reggie Theus and Bobcats assistants Jeff Capel and John-Blair Bickerstaff.

You know I feel really happy for this guy. He has paid his coaching dues. He is a really good guy. Good to see him finally get a shot at coaching in the NBA.

Playa, is every month "Black history Month" to you?

We all read the story of his hiring.

Now are we talking about Higgins or do have some new information or a topic to discuss about the NFL?

If so, just do it already instead of being Mr. Black infomercial.

What about the economics of ownership in the NFL? How many teams come up for sale, the price of the franchises, and perhaps why? Why is it there are no black owned teams in the NFL? Just Racism?

What is the % of hires in the coaching ranks these days of black assisant coaches? Over the last 10 years? What about the % of coaches black or white that are assistants who have college degrees? Same for management?

I think Coaches, certainly those who aspire to be head coach, or GM of a team should have a degree. Being a good player might get you some coaching gigs, but management and organizational skills need be demonstrated at some level.

How many All pro players are willing to drop back and become lower paid assistant coaches and pay their "coaching dues"?

If a player is not good enough to make the pro ranks and becomes an assistant in college while finishing up a degree, or a masters and prove themeselves at that low level they begin the process of advancement.

So Playa, lets look at these issues instead of hitting the race card so fast. What was the career track of the guy that got the Steelers gig as head coach?

Why do little nerdy geeks like Van gundy and Lawrence Frank get gigs while never playing in the NBA? Cuz they white?

Is it always race playa?